System
Quest
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You must now make your way through this harsh Murim.
Become even stronger, and become famous.
For the day that will one day come…
Grade: Main Quest
Restriction: Jin Taekyung
Objective: Reach the First Rate realm (Complete)
Reach Lv. 30 (Complete)
Reach Fame 500 (475/500)
Reward: Logout
I closed the Quest Window. It was the middle of winter, but I felt a cold sweat coming on.
If this keeps up, I’m completely screwed.
My Fame had been creeping upward little by little, only to stop dead half a day ago. I’d bolted out of my quarters and gone around shaking hands like a presidential candidate until my hands nearly fell off, but the notification I was waiting for never came.
No, I did get a notification.
Beep!
System
— There is no one in the Jin Family of Taiyuan who does not know of your Fame.
It was the System’s way of telling me I’d already milked this place for all the Fame it was worth, so I should knock it off. Even the System seemed to find me pitiful.
And so an entire day slipped helplessly away. Today was the long-awaited departure ceremony.
“Fuck…”
As I muttered the curse under my breath, Jin Wikyung was climbing onto the platform.
Hundreds of pairs of eyes followed him. The martial artists of the Jin Family of Taiyuan and those from the small and mid-sized sects that had recently joined us stood in formation across the Grand Training Ground, more than five hundred strong.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
A tremendous rumble began to spread. Some stamped their feet; others struck their weapons. When five hundred martial artists with internal energy moved as one, the earth shook and a deafening roar filled heaven and earth.
What the…?
I had never seen anything like it. No longer individuals, they had become a single army, waiting for one man’s command.
At last, Jin Wikyung spoke.
“I will not deny it. The enemy surpasses us both in troop numbers and in the number of Peak masters.”
Silence descended in an instant. But Jin Wikyung wasn’t foolish enough to crush morale with his opening words. The force of his presence was proof of that.
“However.”
His usual good-natured smile was nowhere to be seen. The Jin Wikyung standing before us was both a Peak martial artist and the head of the Jin Family of Taiyuan.
“They are nothing but jackals with numbers on their side. That man’s rabble—wandering martial artists blinded by gold, and a pack of mounted bandits who have plundered the common people!”
The air crackled beneath his fiery shout. For that moment, even I felt my blood begin to boil.
“They have neither cause nor justice.”
Cause. Justice.
The Mount Heng Sword Sect had lost the two most important things in any war.
That was why the small and mid-sized sects of Shanxi Province, which had only watched from the sidelines while the two great powers fought, had sent reinforcements.
“This war will be over within three days.”
Fifteen hundred martial artists would clash at the same hour on the same day.
It would be a hellish battle of killing and being killed.
“No one here can be certain whether they will live or die. However…”
Jin Wikyung’s flashing gaze swept across them all.
“We will prevail.”
The next moment, a roar erupted loud enough to leave my ears ringing. With the crowd’s fervor at its peak, Jin Wikyung towered over them like a giant.
“Survival of the fittest! Put your lives on the line, fight, and survive!”
The cheering continued for a long time afterward.
Our five hundred troops were divided into the vanguard, center, and rear guard. Most of our core fighting strength had been assigned to the vanguard and center, so the rear guard under my command consisted of only a few dozen martial artists.
Among them were several familiar faces.
“Captain!”
They were members of the reconnaissance squad. Both pleased and puzzled, I asked, “Why are you guys here? Weren’t you at Medicine King Hall?”
“This battle will decide the fate of our family. We can’t sit it out just because we’re a little injured.”
When I’d secretly visited them last time, some of them had still had cracked bones in their arms and legs. Murim people really were tough as hell.
“We asked to be placed under your command, and the higher-ups readily approved it. We’ve been able to walk around with our chests puffed out ever since that day. Haha.”
“Well, look at you.”
A quiet laugh escaped me.
I’d spent several days with them during the reconnaissance mission, but I still didn’t know some of their names. Even so, I felt close to them. We had been through life and death together.
They say three raids are enough to make sworn brothers.
I smiled at the eight members of the reconnaissance squad. Then something occurred to me.
No, wait.
Eight? Had I counted wrong?
I started counting again from the end, one person at a time. There had originally been nine, not including me. Hyuk Mujin and Han Yeop had both been severely injured, so naturally neither of them should have been here. That meant there should have been seven, but…
“…What are you doing here?”
Even as I stared at him, I couldn’t be sure it was really the same guy. His face was puffed up like a steamed bun, and the skin showing beyond his clothes was red and blotchy.
“Can’t you tell by looking?”
Right. There was only one bastard on the reconnaissance squad rude enough to answer like that.
“Hyuk Mujin?”
“Yes. Why? What?”
“Are you really Hyuk Mujin?”
“You can’t even recognize my face anymore?”
Looking like that, even your parents wouldn’t recognize you…
More importantly, why the hell was he here?
“Did you volunteer too?”
“I did.”
Then he added, “They wouldn’t take me, though.”
“Huh?”
“I told the physician, and he got angry and asked if I was out of my mind and trying to get myself killed. So I snuck out.”
I spoke seriously.
“Are you out of your mind and trying to get yourself killed?”
“I want to live.”
Hyuk Mujin answered with a sour expression.
“Then why did you come?”
“I know my own condition. I can fight well enough.”
“Your face looks ready to burst.”
“The swelling is going down. My internal injuries are completely healed, so there’s no problem.”
“What about your external injuries?”
“They’ll heal on the way.”
“…”
“A few bones are cracked, but I can handle—urk!”
Hyuk Mujin suddenly doubled over. Startled, I shouted, “Hey! What’s wrong?”
“Sometimes my chest hurts when I breathe… Ah, it’s fine now.”
“…”
Was this guy completely insane?
As I stood there speechless, Hyuk Mujin continued.
“Ah, Han Yeop couldn’t come. His internal injuries still haven’t healed, so he would’ve only been a burden. Captain? Captain, you are listening to me, right?”
There was only one thought in my head.
Logout. I need to log out, now.
Night came early in winter. The sun set, and after we had walked for who knew how long, we finally entered a broad basin and received the order to make camp.
“Ugh, every bone in my body hurts.”
Hyuk Mujin groaned. He clearly hadn’t fully recovered, and the march seemed to be taking its toll.
“It’s not too late. Want to turn back?”
“Are you saying that again?”
“I’m saying it because you look like you’re struggling.”
“You’re imagining things. Does Hyuk Mujin the man look like someone who’d be exhausted after walking for a mere half day?”
I nodded without the slightest hesitation.
“Yep.”
“Absolutely not!”
“Hmm. You’re really not tired? You’re fine?”
“Yes.”
“Then go help the others set up camp.”
At that moment, Hyuk Mujin the man’s eyes widened, and he sank to the ground.
“Ugh, the internal injuries Jopil gave me…”
“…”
You said your internal injuries were completely healed, you bastard.
I was wondering whether I should give him a good smack when a voice interrupted us.
“Is he injured?”
A huge shadow stretched beneath the moonlight. Hyuk Mujin cautiously raised his head to see who it was, and his eyes flew open.
“Gasp! Lesser Family Head!”
If Jin Wikyung was a division commander, Hyuk Mujin was a private.
The next moment, Hyuk Mujin sprang up like lightning and stood at attention. Jin Wikyung burst out laughing.
“You still don’t look fully recovered. Go ahead and lie down. Ah, but your internal injuries certainly seem to have healed. I’ll vouch for that.”
“Ah, I… That isn’t…”
Jin Wikyung lightly patted the flustered Hyuk Mujin on the shoulder, then turned to me.
“Shall we walk for a bit?”
I followed Jin Wikyung to a secluded corner. He spoke first.
“How are you feeling?”
“Good.”
I’d gotten full use out of the level-up. My body had recovered at a terrifying speed, and distributing my points had made it even stronger.
The problem lay elsewhere.
My Fame isn’t going up.
No, it was going up. By a rat dropping’s worth. Little by little. Very, very little.
At this rate, there was no guarantee I’d be able to log out before the fighting started.
At least, not if things stayed like this.
Jin Wikyung’s arrival was perfect timing. I brought up the idea I’d been mulling over.
“I want a mission.”
His eyes widened at my blunt request.
“Hm? A mission?”
“Now that I’ve recovered, I want to distinguish myself for our family.”
I was proud of myself. To think I could deliver a line like that—a lie like that—with a straight face.
“I-is that truly what you think?”
“Yes.”
The corners of Jin Wikyung’s eyes trembled. He seemed overcome with emotion.
This is actually making me feel a little guilty.
The only reason I was putting on this ridiculous act was to gain Fame. If I went out on a reconnaissance mission and accomplished something, the Fame would come rolling in.
Even better if I ran into a reconnaissance unit from the Mount Heng Sword Sect. They would provide excellent EXP and enough Fame to fill the rest of the bar.
Once the real battle starts, I’m screwed.
I had to log out before then, and fast. I spoke with firm resolve.
“Just leave it to me.”
“What made you think of doing something so admirable? Thank you, my youngest.”
Jin Wikyung wiped the damp corners of his eyes with his sleeve and continued.
“But no.”
“Then give me a reconnaissance mission—what?”
“I appreciate the thought. Continue guarding the rear.”
What the hell is he talking about?
I barely suppressed the urge to grab him by the collar and shake him.
“I-I really want to distinguish myself.”
“You’ve already done more than enough.”
“No, that’s not what I mean.”
“The merits you’ve earned so far have already been a tremendous help to our family. So don’t trouble yourself over it.”
“I’d like you to give me at least one reconnaissance mission. There might be enemies lying in ambush ahead…”
Jin Wikyung chuckled.
“This battle will decide our family’s fate. Do you think I wouldn’t have accounted for something like that?”
“Couldn’t there be a one-in-ten-thousand chance that something was overlooked?”
“That is quite literally a one-in-ten-thousand chance.”
Damn it.
Nothing was going my way. What if I really failed to reach the required Fame? Then I would have to fight in a massive battle involving fifteen hundred people.
I’m fucked.
Something large and warm settled on my dejected shoulder. Jin Wikyung’s hand.
“Youngest.”
His voice was heavy and lonely. At the sudden shift in mood, I fell silent and listened.
“Your mission is more important than anyone else’s.”
“What is my mission?”
After a long pause, he forced out a single word.
“Survive.”
“What?”
“Survive, no matter what. If our family loses, run without looking back.”
“…”
“If the roots survive, the tree will grow again. Second Brother and you could become better roots than I ever could.”
I was speechless. For a long time, all I could do was stare at his face.
Survive. Become roots.
His voice and gaze carried a gravity that struck me more deeply than ever before.
“That is your mission.”
The palm resting on my shoulder slid slowly down. I stared after Jin Wikyung’s departing back, unable to look away.
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