Chapter 384

Mount Qingcheng.

A sacred Taoist site steeped in countless ages of history.

Anyone who faced its stern, overwhelming mountain terrain would find themselves momentarily speechless, staring in awe.

But my surprise came from something else entirely.

They’re clearly different… but they look alike.

Mount Qingcheng in the Murim, and Mount Qingcheng in the modern world of the twenty-first century.

The two worlds I had experienced so far were similar in many ways—the terrain, the language, even the way people looked and lived.

At one point, I had even wondered whether the Murim might be the distant past of the modern world.

But it wasn’t.

The butterfly effect? There was no way something I’d only ever seen in movies had actually happened.

The two worlds were certainly similar, but there were subtle differences between them, and their histories were different as well.

The Murim world was also smaller than the modern one. It wasn’t divided into five oceans and six continents.

People with colored eyes did live in foreign lands thousands of miles away, but that was all. The center of that world was a continent ruled by a vast and powerful nation.

Perhaps the Zhonghua the Chinese never tired of proclaiming was the Murim itself.

But why did even this have to look alike?

I had just returned from the Three-Sect Bloodbath, which had mercilessly dyed Sichuan Province in blood, only to come to Mount Qingcheng in Sichuan Province.

I didn’t know whether it was mere coincidence or some cursed connection.

I just hoped that part wouldn’t turn out to be similar too…

“Teacher Jin?”

“Mr. Jin Taekyung.”

“Huh?”

I lifted my head like someone waking from sleep.

Wei Penghu and Team Leader Choi had already gotten off the business jet and were looking at me with strange expressions.

“Sorry. I got distracted by the scenery for a moment.”

“You can see Mount Qingcheng’s beauty even in this darkness. You must possess tremendous mana, Teacher Jin.”

That wasn’t entirely wrong, but now that I had reached the Supreme Peak realm, I could see through most things with my eyesight alone, without even using internal energy.

When I nodded with a subtle expression, Wei Penghu exclaimed in admiration.

“Now I understand why Korea has kept you so carefully hidden. You are indeed worthy of being called an S-rank Hunter—the face of your nation.”

“What? My license still says I’m A-rank.”

“There’s no need to hide it. Our country has figured it out to some extent as well.”

Before I could say anything, Wei Penghu continued as smoothly as flowing water.

“To become an S-rank Hunter, one must gain enlightenment through constant mental cultivation and arduous training. Our country has also raised its current Hunters through countless trials and errors… Reaching such a realm at your young age means you must have received the full support of the Korean government.”

“…”

“…”

“Ah, of course, Teacher Choi beside you is also an excellent Hunter. Having people like the two of you with us is reassuring.”

What was this nonsense about feeling reassured? Was he talking about a hearty bowl of gukbap or something?

Team Leader Choi and I exchanged a brief glance and reached a silent agreement.

Keep your mouths shut.

Let’s just go.

This seemed to have happened because I had reached this position in such an utterly unrealistic way. But there was no reason for us to peel off the label they had already stuck on us.

Besides, trying to convince Wei Penghu here and now sounded like a pain.

“Well, I think there’s been a slight misunderstanding. I’ll explain it gradually when the time comes.”

“What misunderstanding? We’re both in a position to know the circumstances.”

“…”

“…”

“The Chairman already knows about the matter, so when you meet him, don’t bother denying it. Just accept it.”

What the hell does he know?

I let out a quiet laugh.

Speaking of the Chairman…

He was like a king, holding the population, economy, and military of the People’s Republic of China—a nation of more than a billion people—in one hand.

Even now that I had reached the Supreme Peak realm, to me—with modern common sense still rooted deep in my bones—he felt both close and infinitely distant.

I wonder if I’ll get to see his face once this is over.

Well, what did it matter? That was something to think about much later.

Even without my raid pay, my weekly salary was a whopping ten billion won. To me, he was just a generous employer.

I could save people and make money at the same time. Two birds with one stone.

“That’s what I’ll do. If I meet him.”

“Good. Then let’s go meet him.”

“What?”

“Didn’t I tell you? He’s waiting in the underground bunker right now.”

What the hell was going on?

I stared blankly at Wei Penghu’s back as he walked ahead, then approached Team Leader Choi and whispered quickly.

“D-Did you hear that?”

“Yes, I did. But even I find it rather unexpected. For the Chairman of China to leave the safety of Beijing and come all the way here… It seems the public’s assessment of him is at least somewhat accurate.”

“To hell with the public’s assessment. China’s Jongseok—Jongseok!”

“Not Jongseok! The General Secretary! The state chairman!”

“Hmm? What did you just say?”

“Nothing, Minister of Defense.”

Wei Penghu had suddenly turned around, but Team Leader Choi politely covered for us. Then he looked at me with an earnest, dead-serious expression unlike anything I had ever seen from him before.

“Mr. Jin Taekyung. You must not make a slip like that in front of the Chairman. You understand? Especially the Jongseok thing. Don’t even bring it up. It’s not as though you’re talking about the name of some high school classmate.”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“…”

I could have sworn Team Leader Choi had just said fuck.

Probably my imagination.

I took a deep breath and muttered inwardly.

Not Jongseok. General Secretary. China’s Chairman.

Unlike Team Leader Choi, who had been born into the highest ranks of the aristocracy, I was a commoner down to my bones.

Whatever feelings I normally had toward China, the prospect of meeting the leader of one of the world’s ten greatest powers made my heart pound.

Let’s just not make any mistakes. Especially not about Jongseok.

Ten minutes later, under the gazes of the important figures gathered deep inside the underground bunker, I shook hands with the leader of the People’s Republic of China.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Teacher Jin. This old man is Xiao Yang, Chairman of the People’s Republic of China.”

Good. I won’t even have to utter the first syllable of Jongseok.

Having cleared the first hurdle, I relaxed and opened my mouth.

“Welcome.”

“…”

“…”

Oh, fuck.

Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party and General Secretary.

And the state chairman standing at the pinnacle of more than a billion people.

Xiao Yang.

His voice was gentle as he addressed the people gathered before him, but there was strength in his eyes.

“As you all know, regrettably, I am neither a military expert nor a brilliant general. I am merely a schemer who entered politics at an early age and did not achieve his modest ambition until the age of seventy.”

The fact that he referred to himself as a schemer was so audacious that it was difficult to believe the words had come from the leader of a nation with the fourth-largest territory and the largest population on Earth.

Was this what Team Leader Choi meant by the public’s assessment of him?

I felt as though I had a rough idea of what kind of person he was.

Perhaps it was merely a mask or hypocrisy he had put on before the people.

But at least from the old man continuing to speak before all of us—including me—Chairman Xiao Yang of China, I sensed a kind of qi entirely different from either of those things.

“Please do your utmost. Save as many of our people as possible, and stop this terrible disaster as soon as you can. If you do, I will express fitting gratitude to you and your countries, and I will remember the help you have given us for a long time.”

I knew nothing about the life that old man had led or the policies he had pursued.

But I wanted to give him considerable credit for reaching out to countries around the world for help in order to save his own people.

“That is all this old man has to say. I earnestly ask that you leave complicated matters such as politics aside and find the best way to end this crisis with the fewest possible casualties.”

The old politician, who had devoted his entire life to politics, turned his head and looked at one man.

“Minister of Defense Wei Penghu. My old friend.”

“Yes, Comrade Chairman.”

“Do you want full authority over the Central Military Commission?”

Wei Penghu hesitated for a moment, then gave a heavy nod.

“Yes.”

“You would use that power well. But I will refuse.”

“…Comrade Chairman?”

“Bring me the written order once this meeting ends. I will assume full authority over everything—and bear all the responsibility myself.”

For a moment, I wondered what had gotten into China’s Jongseok.

Then I understood. He was declaring his intention to shoulder everything himself.

Team Leader Choi muttered beside me as he watched the scene.

“He’s a good leader.”

I shook my head slightly.

“No. To me, Team Leader Choi, you’re the best.”

“Mr. Jin Taekyung…”

“So please raise my Guild settlement percentage.”

“Mr. Jin Taekyung…”

Same words. Different feeling.

Team Leader Choi looked at me as if to say, Of course you’d say that, you bastard, and shook his head.

That was when it happened.

“The Chairman is leaving.”

At the secretary’s words, everyone who had been seated rose from their places.

It was the minimum courtesy owed to a head of state.

“I wish you all good fortune.”

The Chairman met each person’s eyes and addressed them in turn.

Of course, I was no exception.

And as luck would have it, I was last.

“Teacher Jin.”

“…Yes.”

A faint smile touched the corners of the Chairman’s mouth as he looked at me.

“I have very high hopes for you, Teacher Jin. Though this is a contract in which we exchange what we each need, I hope that you will put human lives first in every situation.”

Was it my imagination, or was his farewell unusually long compared to everyone else’s?

Feeling everyone’s eyes on me, I nodded.

“I understand.”

“Please be a great source of strength to us.”

The Chairman finished speaking and was about to turn away when he abruptly stopped.

Then he tossed out one last remark.

“Welcome.”

“…”

“Well, that will be all.”

After the high-ranking Chinese officials who had been present to see the Chairman off disappeared, I dropped heavily into a chair.

Fuck.

If I died, the cause of death would be humiliation.

Even if a monster killed me, I would make sure the official cause of death was listed as humiliation.

No! Nooooooo!

As I screamed inwardly in every direction, something pressed down firmly on my foot.

Obviously, it was Team Leader Choi, seated beside me.

“What?”

Team Leader Choi gave a small cough.

“Ahem.”

“What?”

“Ahem. People. People.”

“Oh.”

I looked around and finally realized that around a dozen men and women of different races were watching me inside the underground bunker.

Four of them stood out in particular.

Those people are…

A Chinese man and woman.

And two Western men, one tinged with green and the other with blue.

I could feel it just from meeting their eyes—the immense power coiled inside their bodies.

My first thought wasn’t that it was surprising, but that it was only natural. Anyone who knew the identities of those four would have thought the same thing.

S-rank Hunters.

People whose very existence was news. Those who stood at the pinnacle of the countless Hunters in the world.

Faces I had seen until I was sick of them on television and in advertisements were now right in front of me.

And now, one of them stood up and extended a hand toward me.

“Nice to meet you. I’m… Ah, do you perhaps not speak English? I can cast translation magic if you’d like.”

I hadn’t expected him to speak to me first. Still dazed, I took his hand and answered.

“No, it’s fine.”

“Oh, listen to this fellow’s pronunciation. I’d believe you if you told me you were American.”

The middle-aged Black man was a giant well over two meters tall. His blue eyes gleamed as he asked,

“You seem to know who I am. Don’t you?”

As if I wouldn’t.

I felt an even greater tremor than I had when facing Chairman Xiao Yang.

“Of course, Magic Johnson.”

Only three people in the entire world had been granted the Title of Archmage.

The Black man standing before me, Magic Johnson, was a War Mage—the most combat-oriented of those three Archmages.

I’m actually talking to Magic Johnson. I guess you really do live to see all kinds of things.

As I thought that I had made the right choice in coming here, the world’s greatest War Mage smiled broadly and spoke to me.

“Haha. I’m glad you recognized me. Actually, I’ve known about you for a while too.”

“M-Me?”

“Of course. Even my youngest daughter, who started elementary school this year, knows Sibeol-jwa.”

“…”

Just how far has that damn nickname spread?

What would they call the nickname Sibeol-jwa in the English-speaking world?

Fuck Guy? Fuck Man?

The thought of Magic Johnson’s little youngest daughter knowing me by that name didn’t make me happy in the slightest.

And apparently, I wasn’t the only one who disliked it.

“What an utterly vulgar nickname. Though I suppose it suits a mere A-rank Hunter like you.”

A relatively young Chinese man, perhaps around thirty, stared at me with his arms folded at an angle.

“Isn’t that right, you peninsula bangzi?”¹

Team Leader Choi didn’t even have time to stop me.

My voice had already come out like an automatic response.

“What are you saying, you mainland chink bastard?”