Chapter 538

I looked at Hyuk Mujin, whose eyes had gone wide.

“What are you so surprised about? Once you become a pavilion master, of course you need to recruit people.”

“No, that’s true, but…”

“But what?”

Hyuk Mujin stared at me in disbelief.

“I’m more concerned about the punishment. What’s with that bizarre order? It’s like a children’s prank.”

“I hear our Alliance Leader personally issued that bizarre, prank-like order.”

“Hmm. On second thought, the punishment must have some profound meaning. Food, clothing, and shelter are the most important things in life. To order you to skip dinner, of all things, must carry some deeper significance…”

“……”

Don’t force meaning onto it, you idiot.

They say that once you’re famous, people will applaud even when you take a shit. That fit this situation perfectly.

I gave Hyuk Mujin a long look. He’d changed his tune the instant I mentioned Mae Jonghak.

“You think it’s bullshit too.”

“…Yes.”

“Then shut up and follow me. And stop worrying about the punishment.”

I shook my head, opened the door, and stepped outside. Hyuk Mujin hurried after me, muttering as he went.

“Wouldn’t it be stranger not to worry? You were appointed pavilion master less than two shichen¹ ago, and you’re already being punished. Did you take a dump in the Alliance Leader’s room?”

Coming from the guy who’d singled me out as the only person who could have taken a dump in a crowded inn. I clicked my tongue.

“Filthy idea. Creative, though. You’re close, but wrong.”

“Close but wrong? Did you pee in there?”

…This bastard.

I held back the urge to punch him and answered.

“Apparently, some people feel shitty about me becoming a pavilion master.”

“Oh.”

“Well, that’s how the world works.”

Pavilion Master of the Two Dragons Pavilion.

That was my official title.

At first, I’d been pleasantly surprised by how cool it sounded. Then I’d learned that a pavilion master of the Murim Alliance held a far more important position than I’d imagined.

I had no idea it was this big a deal.

The title carried that much weight.

A regiment fell directly under a pavilion master, along with the various squads that made up the regiment. Given the Murim Alliance’s current size, the position could mean commanding anywhere from several hundred to more than a thousand martial artists.

Not a position someone my age could even dream of.

Until now, the Murim’s organizational structure hadn’t been my concern.

If I had to put something on my résumé, I’d served as captain of a reconnaissance unit when war broke out between the Jin Family of Taiyuan and the Mount Heng Sword Sect. That was about it.

Afterward…

I wandered all over the damn place.

Maybe I was born under a wandering star. Ever since I’d finished my year of training on Mount Jiuhua and come down from the mountain, I’d done little but travel. Sometimes I couldn’t tell whether I was a martial artist or a traveling peddler.

But my long freelance career had ended today.

The problem was that several company executives weren’t happy about my promotion to full-time employee.

“Who do you think they are?” Mujin asked.

“Who else?”

“Hmm. A few names do come to mind…”

“Then you’ve got your answer. It’s one of them.”

The Hwangbo Family was probably the biggest reason for this punishment, but I didn’t need to spell out every detail for Hyuk Mujin.

I expected something like this, anyway.

Even the kindest, friendliest person in the world couldn’t avoid jealous looks. Someone as round as a balloon would still get knocked this way and that. So what chance did a sharp-edged, sixteen-sided polygon like me have?

No. This is better.

A balloon lost its air when people came at it with words or weapons. Better to be a sixteen-sided polygon that didn’t take so much as a scratch.

That was how Jin Taekyung had lived, and that was how he would keep living.

“If they keep poking at me, I’ll just smash them.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Let’s go.”

I lightly smacked the back of Hyuk Mujin’s head as he stared at me in confusion, then kept walking.

The news of the Murim Alliance’s new young pavilion master must have already spread, because the gazes of the martial artists walking along the main road were burning with interest.

“See him over there? That’s Blazing Flame Divine Dragon Jin Taekyung…”

“Shh. Don’t call him by name so casually. Haven’t you heard? He’s a pavilion master of the great Murim Alliance now.”

“Oh, come on. Does that matter? Don’t pick a fight over nothing. He’s barely twenty—young enough to be my son. He’s just a kid.”

The middle-aged martial artist’s companion clicked his tongue.

“A kid? Has all that martial arts training hardened your brain?”

“What did you say?”

“Just look at yourself, Brother. You’ve joined the Murim Alliance too, haven’t you? Then Great Hero Jin is practically your superior. And you may be old enough to have a son, but you don’t look like you have one.”

“Well, that’s true, but… Why bring that up?”

“Because I don’t want to get dragged down with you. The Enforcement Hall’s martial artists are patrolling Henan with their eyes wide open. I’d rather not be hauled away for insulting a superior just because I was standing next to you.”

The middle-aged martial artist scowled.

“Are you picking a fight with me?”

“I’m not—oh, forget it. No wonder you’re still unmarried at your age. Watch that loose mouth of yours.”

“Fine. I will, you fucker.”

“What was that? You goddamn son of a bitch…”

Are these people insane? How do they even manage to fight like that?

What are they, some kind of battle species?

Maybe the planet Murim was on was actually Planet Vegeta.²

Armed with that perfectly reasonable suspicion, I scanned the crowd for yellow hair. More whispers drifted my way.

“What do you think? Should I make an impression on him now?”

“Are you thinking of applying to the Two Dragons Pavilion?”

“Hmm. I’m considering it. Blazing Flame Divine Dragon is much younger than me, but they say his martial arts already rival those of the great sects’ Sect Leaders.”

“Could he really be that strong? And even if the Blazing Flame Divine Dragon’s martial arts are as impressive as the rumors say, you should stay away.”

“Why?”

“Think carefully about everything the Blazing Flame Divine Dragon has done until now. Even if he has the worst luck in the world, how does he manage to choose nothing but deadly situations every time he moves? Accomplishing great deeds is all well and good, but if someone at our level joined the Two Dragons Pavilion, whew.”

“Still, shouldn’t we try to accomplish something?”

“If you want to put up your tombstone first, go ahead. Besides, the Two Dragons Pavilion has two pavilion masters. You might be better off with the Huashan Divine Dragon. Isn’t he the youngest Disciple the Alliance Leader raised like his own grandson? The Alliance is bound to look after him.”

“You might die even faster there.”

“Hm? Why?”

“I heard the snake the Huashan Divine Dragon keeps with him bites people.”

“…Oh dear.”

Word traveled fast.

If this were modern times, the Murim Alliance would have an online petition board by now.

The Huashan Divine Dragon’s snake bit me in the crotch. I demand punishment. Please lend me your support.

└ Thousand-Faced Fox*: Agreed.

└ Gung Gi*: Agreed.

└ Jeok Cheon*: ㅋㅋ³, that, snake, bastard, I knew, it would do something like this one day,,~~!

└ Cheong*: That’s not true. Mimi doesn’t bite people.

└ Tang Sa*: Ah, Mimi…

Once the comments piled up and ten thousand people signed in favor of punishment, Mimi’s fate would be sealed. Hmm.

That was when I was spreading my imagination’s wings.

“Was it about half an hour ago? I heard a commoner passing down the main road saw the snake, panicked, and fell while backing away. He was hurt a little.”

“Oh dear. What happened then?”

“I heard that some young medical apprentice who was with the Huashan Divine Dragon took him to a medical clinic. Since it happened because he startled himself, it isn’t that serious—ugh.”

The martial artist cut himself off with a gasp.

I’d come up within a step of him. His eyes shook as he stared at me.

“G-Great Hero Jin?”

“Ah, don’t be startled. It’s nothing serious. I just wanted to ask you something.”

“W-What is it?”

“Where’s that clinic?”

“The clinic? Ah, go straight down that way…”

Still stiff with surprise, he raised a hand to point it out.

I gave him a small nod of thanks and turned in the direction he indicated. Hyuk Mujin looked puzzled.

“Why are we going to a clinic all of a sudden?”

“I told you. I’m looking for a teammate.”

“What? Cheongpung?”

“…How would that work?”

This wasn’t going to be some Cheongpung team without Cheongpung. Cheongpung was a pavilion master in his own right now. I couldn’t put him under my command.

“Think before you speak. Think.”

“Then who else at the clinic could you possibly recruit besides Cheong—”

Hyuk Mujin stopped. His eyes widened.

“No way. You can’t mean…”

“Who knows?”

I left him with that and quietly spoke in my mind.

Open the Quest Window.

Ding.

A cheerful chime sounded, and a translucent holographic window appeared in midair.

It was the first Quest I’d received upon joining the Murim Alliance as Pavilion Master of the Two Dragons Pavilion.

System

Quest

Become My Companion!

At last, you have become a member of the Murim Alliance and been appointed Pavilion Master of the Two Dragons Pavilion.

However, one person cannot be an organization. The Murim Alliance has therefore entrusted you with the authority to appoint personnel.

Find new members as quickly as possible, form your organization, and give it a name. Only then will you become a pavilion master in the truest sense!

Grade: Peak

Restriction: Jin Taekyung

Mission:

Secure at least five companions (Incomplete)

Give the organization an appropriate name (Incomplete)

Reward: ???

Failure: Acquire the Title “Loner”

“……”

Look at that Title. Fuck.

If I failed this Quest, I’d be an outsider officially recognized by the System.

I had to succeed. And with all the trouble ahead, I needed to choose my members carefully.

Leave out anyone who’d follow me without being asked. I need someone I can persuade to come over first—and someone who’ll be a big help.

That was what came to mind the instant I checked the Quest. And I didn’t have to think for long.

The first person I should recruit had practically been decided from the start.

His personality’s pretty damn nasty, but…

He could help in all kinds of ways.

Whatever. Might as well try.

I took a deep breath and headed for the clinic.

“Tony Tony Cho⁴—no, Mungyeong. Become my companion!”

That lunatic’s acting up again.

Mungyeong wasn’t even surprised anymore. Jin Taekyung was always like this.

Jin Taekyung had called Mungyeong out of the blue, saying that the two of them had something to discuss privately, only to start spouting nonsense.

“No.”

“What? Why not?”

Asking why was ridiculous. There were more reasons than Mungyeong could count. But right now, he had a better answer.

“I’ve already agreed to join another group.”

“…What?”

“You got here a step too late. Isn’t that right?”

“Uh, sorry, Benefactor.”

A figure appeared with the sudden voice. Jin Taekyung’s eyes widened as he looked at Cheongpung.