Murim Login - Chapter 446

*Ding.*

– A quest has been generated.

The familiar system notification appeared, followed by a translucent holographic window visible only to me floating in midair.

*[Another Chaos]*
Unrest looms over the once-peaceful Hubei Province.

The clear waters of the Yangtze River have been stained red with blood, the mighty Sea Serpent Guild has crumbled amidst countless deaths, and Dongting’s Elder Fisherman, who publicly criticized the Yangtze River Waterway League, has vanished.

If someone uncovers the truth behind these events and identifies the culprit, the chaos will subside.

*Grade*: Absolute Pinnacle
*Restriction*: Jin Taekyung
*Objective*: Uncover the truth behind the incidents (Incomplete)
*Reward*: ???
*Failure*: Increased chaos in Hubei Province and subsequent additional incidents

– Will you accept the quest?

*Y / N*

A quest…

I slowly looked around the room.

Mu Song stood with his mouth tightly shut, while Zhuge Pung, the Reclining Dragon, stared at him with a chilly smile.

Jeok Cheon-Gang frowned as he observed the two of them, Moon Kyung sat expressionless, and finally, there was Jin Wi-gyeong, calmly surveying the entire situation.

‘As expected, you already knew.’

According to Zhuge Pung, it had been fifteen days since the Sea Serpent Guild’s leader and a thousand guild members were buried in the waters of Chibi. Jin Wi-gyeong must have heard about it during his journey to Sichuan.

‘Including Hubei in his return route means the Hanam leadership approved his detour.’

With the existence of Dark Heaven spreading across the martial world after the bloody events in Shaolin and Sichuan, these incidents in Hubei could not be taken lightly.

If this was Dark Heaven’s scheme, it must be stopped. And if the Yangtze River Waterway League exploited the chaos for their own sinister purposes, they must face severe punishment.

Jin Wi-gyeong wasn’t here as the heir or acting head of the Taewon Jin Clan but as the inspector of the soon-to-be-formed New Murim Alliance.

This could only mean one thing:

‘I must align myself with Jin Wi-gyeong’s cause.’

Besides, it wasn’t as if there were penalties for failing a quest. Considering the situation I was in, it was obvious I would accept.

In my mind, I whispered:

*Yes.*

*Ding.*

– You have accepted the quest!
– The quest [Another Chaos] has been added to your quest log! Quest details may update based on the situation.

Although, I wondered if there was anything left to update.

Given the atmosphere I had sensed coming to the Zhuge Clan and Zhuge Pung’s words, it was clear that Hubei Province as a whole had already branded the Yangtze River Waterway League as the culprits.

However…

“Are we certain the Yangtze River Waterway League is responsible for these events?”

At least for now, I felt it was too early to jump to conclusions.

Breaking the heavy silence, my question prompted a sly smile from Zhuge Pung, who then spoke.

“Blazing Fire Dragon Jin Taekyung. You seem to have many questions about this matter.”

“I do.”

“Speak, as long as we don’t waste each other’s time.”

“First, do we have any evidence?”

“Evidence?”

“Yes. So far, we only have circumstantial clues. At the very least, there should be an eyewitness who saw the Yangtze River Waterway League attacking the Sea Serpent Guild at Chibi that night.”

“An eyewitness, and what else?”

“The whereabouts of Dongting’s Elder Fisherman, who criticized the Yangtze River Waterway League, also remain unknown.”

“Continue.”

Casting a sidelong glance at Jeok Cheon-Gang, I continued, “From what I’ve heard from my master, Dongting’s Elder Fisherman is an Absolute Pinnacle master unaffiliated with either the orthodox or unorthodox factions.”

“That’s correct. The Elder Fisherman lived his entire life near Dongting Lake, building connections with people from all walks of life.”

Even among the eccentric figures of Murim, Dongting’s Elder Fisherman was well-known. His choice to remain independent of any faction and never leave Dongting Lake was unusual, as was his renowned martial skill, wielded through a single fishing rod he always carried.

“It’s hard to believe that such a powerful master could vanish without anyone noticing.”

“What about it seems implausible?”

“If Dongting’s Elder Fisherman was killed, his opponent must have been equally or more powerful. When two Absolute Pinnacle masters clash, it’s impossible to go unnoticed. The scale of destruction would be massive.”

“You make an excellent point. Continue.”

“This might offend Senior Mu Song, but…”

Mu Song, who had regained some composure, nodded.

“Go ahead. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course.”

“Well then, if you say so…”

I cautiously began, “Honestly, does the Yangtze River Waterway League even have masters of that caliber? From my experience, they don’t seem like it.”

Wait, didn’t you just say it was fine?

Seeing Mu Song’s suddenly less-than-fine expression, I subtly rephrased my words.

“Ah, of course, I’m only speaking about Hubei specifically. I deeply respect the great leader of the Yangtze River Waterway League. I enjoyed his drama—uh, I mean, I greatly admire him.”

“In fact, as a child, my dream was to become a water pirate. The Great Route! The Great Yangtze!”

Fine, my bad.

Even though I was technically helping, I couldn’t shake the guilt.

Zhuge Pung’s words rescued me from the situation.

“There is someone of that caliber.”

“What? Really? No kidding?”

Zhuge Pung, ignoring Mu Song’s darkening expression, slowly continued.

“Huang Zhong, the One Blade of the Yangtze.”

“The One Blade of the Yangtze… Huang Zhong…”

The title sounded vaguely familiar, but the name was unfamiliar. Surely, it wasn’t Huang Zhong from *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*.

‘Could it be the Huang uncle Mu Song mentioned when I first arrived in Hubei?’

As I tilted my head in confusion at the unfamiliar name, Jeok Cheon-Gang interjected in his sharp voice.

“The One Blade of the Yangtze? The sworn brother of the Sea King?”

“Yes, I believe Senior would also know of him.”

“I crossed paths with him briefly during the Great Demon War. For a water bandit, he was calm and sharp. A young man with a composed demeanor and considerable martial talent… it seems he has finally surpassed his limits.”

“If it weren’t for his assistance, the Yangtze River Waterway League would not exist in its current form.”

“Do you think that’s surprising? The Sea King couldn’t rule the Yangtze without someone reliable to support him. With that temper of his?”

Wow, this was practically an insult to Mu Song’s master, right to his face.

Mu Song, hearing this blatant criticism of his master, moved his lips as if to retort, but Jeok Cheon-Gang’s piercing glare quickly silenced him.

Taking advantage of the moment, I quickly spoke up.

“So, are you saying that this One Blade of the Yangtze is the one who eliminated the Elder Fisherman of Dongting?”

Zhuge Pung hesitated briefly before nodding.

“Possibly.”

“Possibly?”

“Nothing has been definitively proven. There is no concrete evidence, only suspicions and circumstantial clues. However, there are many witnesses who can testify about where the Elder Fisherman went before his disappearance.”

“And where is that?”

Zhuge Pung turned to Mu Song, speaking slowly.

“Dongting Stronghold. He went to the base of Dongting Stronghold, where the One Blade of the Yangtze, Huang Zhong, presides as the Stronghold Chief. And he has not been seen since.”

“Ridiculous!”

This wasn’t me speaking.

Mu Song leapt to his feet, veins bulging in his neck as he shouted.

“Uncle Huang would never do such a thing!”

As a disciple who inherited the Sea King’s legacy, Mu Song, standing at the peak of martial skill, radiated an intense aura, stirring the settled dust.

Zhuge Pung, covering his mouth with his sleeve to cough lightly, replied nonchalantly.

“Why do you think so?”

“You know this, Family Head! Uncle Huang persuaded my master during the Great Demon War to side with the orthodox factions. In the league, he is a member of the moderates! There’s no way he would destroy the Sea Serpent Guild and eliminate the Elder Fisherman like this!”

“‘No way’ is a hollow and meaningless statement. Circumstances and people constantly change. Those of us with insight infer outcomes based on evidence.”

Zhuge Pung’s composure contrasted starkly with Mu Song’s fiery rage.

“Let me be clear—I am not convinced that the Yangtze River Waterway League is the culprit. However, all circumstantial evidence points to your league.”

“And why is that? Because the disappearance of the Sea Serpent Guild allowed my league members to take their place? Or because the Elder Fisherman went missing after heading to Uncle Huang?”

“Both.”

“Did you even question my league members?”

“Not yet.”

“Then why are you—!”

As Mu Song’s voice grew louder, Zhuge Pung’s calm tone cut through the room, silencing everyone.

“Who would I question, when no one from the Yangtze River Waterway League has made an appearance?”

“…”

“A month has passed. Do you think that the Zhuge Clan, the Wudang Sect, and the authorities have done nothing and are merely accusing your league out of idle suspicion?”

Silence hung heavy in the room.

While Mu Song froze like a statue, Zhuge Pung’s voice flowed smoothly.

“Two days after the events at Chibi, the Tangyang and Hongho Strongholds, which swiftly took over the Sea Serpent Guild’s territory, vanished without a trace. Every single member.”

“…What about Dongting Stronghold?”

“Someone once told me that Dongting Stronghold is a natural fortress built atop the water. When I tried to approach it myself, I realized they were correct. Even after the destruction of the Sea Serpent Guild’s core members, we couldn’t breach the Celestial Waterfall, the only passage to Dongting Stronghold.”

Nature’s magnificence often acts as an impenetrable barrier to human intervention.

The Celestial Waterfall Zhuge Pung referred to must be the access point to Dongting Stronghold, navigable only by a handful of expert sailors.

Even among the Sea Serpent Guild and the Yangtze River Waterway League, only the best watermen or lifelong residents of the Yangtze, like the Elder Fisherman, could navigate it.

“The Elder Fisherman was a close friend of the Sea Serpent Guild’s leader. Enraged by his friend’s death, he publicly condemned your league and set sail past the Celestial Waterfall—a passage where we have since sunk dozens of ships over the past month.”

Zhuge Pung suddenly stood and began walking leisurely.

Clicking his tongue at the collapsed bookshelves, he moved through the piles of fallen books, speaking as he did.

“But do you know what? Although we failed to pass the Celestial Waterfall, the Yangtze, as if out of generosity, delivered us a gift after taking dozens of our ships.”

*Thud, crash!*

A precariously stacked pile of books toppled over, raising a cloud of dust.

Emerging from the haze, Zhuge Pung adjusted his hat and straightened his back. In his hand was a dark, rough object.

“That is…”

“You guessed it, Heo Gae.”

At Heo Gae’s muttering, Zhuge Pung nodded.

“Black Bamboo Fishing Rod, the one and only weapon of Dongting’s Elder Fisherman in all of Murim.”

“Now then, Fire Child Mu Song.”

Zhuge Pung slowly raised the broken Black Bamboo Fishing Rod.

Pointing it sharply at the wide-eyed Mu Song, he spoke.

“You will lead us to Dongting Stronghold, past the Celestial Waterfall. We need to see with our own eyes what happened there.”