Murim Login - Chapter 488

The Water Dragon was undoubtedly a divine being.

In the grand scheme of things, it could be called a spiritual creature, but it possessed powers far beyond the norm, enabling it to absorb all the magic from the gate.

‘You could tell just by looking at the weather.’

Indeed, it wasn’t just any creature—it had lived for 500 years as an Imoogi. That kind of longevity made a difference.

When the mutated Water Dragon rampaged, it turned Dongting Lake into chaos with lightning storms and tidal waves. But now, the lake was so calm it was as if nothing had happened.

Yet, despite the tranquil lake, a storm raged in my mind.

‘…So this is what they call the calm before the storm.’

I glanced at Moon Kyung’s back as he walked ahead of me.

A head shorter than me, with a slender frame, he appeared harmless, like a herbivore. But his true nature was that of a predator hiding beneath a docile exterior.

‘Why did he suddenly call me over? What does he want to talk about?’

I felt unjustly dragged into something.

Could he still be holding a grudge over my informal speech during the battle?

No way, right? Surely he didn’t drag me out here to resolve things physically.

As Moon Kyung led me toward a more secluded area, my anxiety grew.

“Stop.”

‘Pa-pat!’

The voice was singular, but the presence surrounding us was sevenfold.

Each of them was a master of exceptional skill, and their swords bore the engraved patterns of pine trees.

‘Songmun Gogeom.’

Sure enough, a middle-aged Taoist in Wudang attire emerged from the shadows. Judging by his age, he appeared to be their leader.

The middle-aged Taoist spoke to us.

“This area is restricted after the hour of Xu (7–9 PM). Please turn back—wait, hold on. Are you by any chance… the Blazing Fire Dragon?”

“Pardon?”

The Taoist’s eyes widened as he spotted me over Moon Kyung’s shoulder.

“Young Master Jin Taekyung—no, should I say Great Master Jin Taekyung?”

“I’m not a great master, but yes, my name is Jin Taekyung.”

“Ah, as I suspected! You looked familiar, and now I know why.”

I might’ve been familiar to him, but to me, he was a complete stranger.

The Taoist greeted me as warmly as one would a son freshly discharged from the military. Then, as if something had occurred to him, he asked,

“But what brings you here at such a late hour? Temporary accommodations have already been assigned.”

“Well, uh…”

I swallowed my rising words.

I was being dragged off by a killer.

As I tried to come up with an excuse, a thought struck me like lightning.

Wait, this could be my last chance to escape.

“Is this area off-limits?”

“Yes. We’ve stationed guards here to prepare for any emergencies. But who’s the young man with you?”

“Kill—”

“Hmm?”

– ‘Silence.’

“…The wind’s blowing gently.”

“Ah, indeed.”

Kill! That man is a killer! Someone, help me!

I finally understood how the guy who shouted “The king has donkey ears!” must’ve felt.

But when my gaze met the predatory gleam in Moon Kyung’s eyes, I forced a smile and replied,

“Oh, he’s just someone I happened to meet.”

“Someone you met? And what kind of…”

“We met in Sichuan and have been traveling together since. He’s not a martial artist, but a doctor.”

“Ah, now I remember! There was talk of a young but highly skilled doctor. So this is the one.”

“Yes, this is him.”

“But why have you come all the way here at such an hour?”

“Oh, we just needed to have an important conversation.”

“You seem quite close.”

I straightened my face and firmly denied it.

“No, we’re not close at all.”

“Hmm, in that case, it’s a bit problematic. I’m sorry, but without proper authorization…”

“Oh, I see. Thank you for your hard work. Moon Kyung, let’s go!”

– ‘Silence.’
– ‘Stay.’

The cold voice echoed in my ears, and I turned back reluctantly.

– ‘Say you’re close.’

“Just joking! Actually, we’re very close.”

The middle-aged Taoist glanced between Moon Kyung and me, clearly skeptical.

“You say that, but you were walking apart, not exchanging a word…”

– ‘Answer properly.’

“Our bond is so deep we don’t need words. We can understand each other with just a glance.”

“Understand each other with a glance? But you were walking ahead and had your back turned—”

“Before, we could communicate with just eye contact. These days, even a glance at the back of his head tells me everything he’s thinking.”

– ‘I have a genuine question: does the Fiery Dragon Sect have a rule about recruiting only idiots?’

What the hell does he want me to do?

The middle-aged Taoist stared at me with a mix of disbelief and pity.

– ‘Come closer.’
– ‘Put your arm around my shoulder.’

What is this, some kind of bizarre puppet show?

Still, in the world of Murim, the strong make the rules.

I trudged over to Moon Kyung, draped my arm over his shoulder, and put on the most miserable face I could muster.

“We’re really close.”

– ‘Smile.’

“Hahaha! We’re really close!”

– ‘Louder.’

“HAHAHAHAHA! We’re ‘really’ close!”

– ‘One more sly glance, and I’ll make you see the world with your heart instead of your eyes.’

What a poetic way to say he’d gouge my eyes out.

I abandoned all my subtle glances and muttered under my breath,

“Anyway, we’re close.”

The middle-aged Taoist and the Wudang warriors watched us like they were witnessing a horror movie.

Crying one moment, laughing hysterically the next, and all the while sneaking glances at Moon Kyung—it was a performance bizarre enough to unsettle anyone.

The middle-aged Taoist, now looking like he had made up his mind, spoke cautiously.

“If there’s something you’re not aware of, blink three times. If everything’s fine, blink twice.”

– ‘I heard that. Blink three times, and your body will be in three pieces.’

That man! He’s a killer! His ears must be wired for eavesdropping!

But my protest never left my lips, and I blinked twice quietly.

No matter how much suspicion they might have, it’s unlikely anyone on their side would guess that the youthful doctor standing before them was, in reality, an apex master who had rejuvenated through mystical means.

And, truthfully speaking, Moon Kyung—or rather, ‘the Killing Star’—was unmistakably an ally.

– ‘Are you certain?’

The answer to that question was already decided.

Even among apex masters, the difference in depth of insight was vast. Jeok Cheon-Gang and Moon Kyung were on another level, capable of intercepting the telepathic transmissions of others like living surveillance devices.

– ‘Yes. Why would I hide something like this? We’re just friends who’ve grown close while traveling together.’

Although, some might argue it was less “friendship” and more “shared hostility,” but still, something had been built.

The middle-aged Taoist, having heard my transmission, let out a soft chuckle.

– ‘Well, the Fiery Divine Dragon of all people wouldn’t be in trouble, would he? Please forgive my unnecessary worries, Great Master Jin. The recent events must have made me overly sensitive.’

No, you’re not sensitive enough. Please, for the love of all that is holy, be just a bit more cautious.

Despite my silent pleas, the middle-aged Taoist smiled warmly and spoke aloud.

“If that’s the case, all is well. If it’s Great Master Jin, we can trust you. Proceed!”

“Wait, hold on a moment.”

“Haha, I was wondering why you came here so late—it must be for an important conversation. I understand. Although the rules prohibit it… I’ll step aside for a while.”

“Pardon?”

“One quarter of an hour. That should suffice, no?”

Of course, that’s not fine! Nothing about this is fine!

But before I could say anything, Moon Kyung offered a polite bow with a serene smile.

“That’s more than enough.”

Why did those few words sound like a death sentence in my ears?

Unaware of my trembling eyelids, the middle-aged Taoist stroked his beard and laughed heartily.

“What a well-mannered young man. You should examine me sometime.”

“Of course, Taoist.”

“Haha. Then, I’ll return in one quarter of an hour.”

‘Pa-pat!’

The middle-aged Taoist and the seven apex masters—no, seven witnesses—vanished in an instant.

As I stood there blankly watching their retreating figures, a sudden shift in the atmosphere enveloped me.

Sound and impact.

Everything was cut off, sealed by a barrier of ‘qi.’

And in that enclosed space, a pair of icy eyes glinted in the darkness.

“Your master and his disciple sure know how to wear people out.”

Just hearing that voice sent a chill down my spine.

The once-cheerful young doctor now leaned against a large boulder, transformed into the most feared assassin of all time.

Moon Kyung radiated no noticeable ‘qi,’ but I could feel it—countless hidden blades beneath his calm exterior.

‘The Killing Star.’

This was Moon Kyung’s true name and identity.

I didn’t know what he was like in the past, but I’d bet Hyeok Mu-jin’s life that even after forty years away from Murim, his blades had not dulled in the slightest.

If anything, they had grown sharper, more lethal.

‘Ah, I want to see my mom.’

Deep down, I knew Moon Kyung wouldn’t actually harm me.

But logic and emotion rarely align.

Even if I knew the predator in front of me wouldn’t sink his teeth into my throat, every instinct screamed at me to keep my distance.

‘Gulp.’

Swallowing hard, I cautiously opened my mouth.

“Why did you suddenly…”

Moon Kyung’s icy gaze locked onto me.

“You sound like you don’t want to be here.”

“Wha—no! That’s not true.”

“It sounds very much like it.”

“No way. I’m just bad at expressing myself. In fact, I’m absolutely thrilled to be here!”

“Thrilled enough to die?”

“…I’ll just retract that last part. My bad. Guess I’ll only learn after seeing my own coffin.”

“Coffin, huh?”

“Please spare me.”

“Spare you?”

Oh, for crying out loud.

They say women find it endearing when someone repeats their words in conversations, but this felt more like a dialogue designed to excite the Grim Reaper himself.

I could practically see the King of the Underworld happily returning with the ‘Records of Life and Death’ in hand, ready to settle my fate.

‘Seriously, what is it? Why did he call me here?’

If this was about my informal speech from last time, I’d understand. But not knowing was driving me insane.

As I wrestled with my thoughts, Moon Kyung frowned suddenly.

“What’s this?”

“Uh, what?”

“Have you not heard yet?”

“Heard what?”

“Fire King Jeok Cheon-Gang. Your master.”

“Jeok Cheon-Gang?”

What about him? I had no idea what he was getting at.

Unsure of what to say, I cautiously replied,

“Kang-kang-suwollae?”

“Jeok Cheon-Gang didn’t say anything… Wait, what?”

“Isn’t this wordplay?”

“…This lunatic.”

“Or is there a word count restriction? But ‘Fire King Jeok Cheon-Gang’ has five characters, so it should be fine…”

The air grew heavy.

Moon Kyung stared at me with eyes filled with fury and regret before letting out a deep sigh toward the heavens.

“To think I have to pass down a secret technique to this fool…”

What the hell? Did he just say ‘secret technique’?