Murim Troubleshooter Dan Mujin-Chapter 117 : The Match of the Century

Chapter 117: The Match of the Century
Peng Hwayeop of the Hebei Peng Clan.
Unlike Tang Yeo-hye, he was built like a bear and spoke with a polite, formal tone.
Only, the commissions he entrusted to me were bizarre to no end.
“Hup! Haaap!”
The wide-open main doors of the office.
There was Ilhong, dressed simply, training in the front yard.
Under the blazing sunlight, she was sweating profusely, striving to rise higher as a martial artist.
It seemed that her fierce battle with Ghostface Guest last time had given her some realization.
“Ilhong, you’re suddenly working hard.”
I leaned back on a chair, enjoying the sunlight while leisurely observing a martial artist’s training.
“I’ve always…… hup! Worked hard, Captain!”
Ilhong shouted that while catching her breath.
From top-left to bottom-right. A clean diagonal slash of her sword.
The Branch-Summoning Sword Technique of the Beggars’ Union, taught to her by Hwang Geolgae, bloomed at her fingertips.
“Well, yeah, but lately you’ve been going at it with extra zeal.”
She used to spend idle time with me, sipping tea whenever there were no clients.
But these days, her determination was burning brightly.
“That’s because I always end up receiving things…… I can’t afford to be a burden to the work we do.”
Ilhong said that with a rather solemn face.
“Hey, who called you a burden?”
“My conscience did…….”
No one had accused her, but she herself felt that way.
Before, she burned with the spirit of using whatever she could to her advantage.
But these days, she had softened considerably.
“Good. That’s what I like to see. Keep working hard.”
“Yes, Captain!”
After I gave her a spiritual elixir and even passed her the last commission fee, she suddenly became alarmingly diligent. Indeed, praise and rewards could make even a whale dance.
The Troubleshooter’s method of human management was shining here as well. She’d grow into an even more loyal and capable subordinate.
If possible, it would be great if she grew enough to become the Hao Sect Leader someday.
“Haaap!”
This time, she set her sword aside and began practicing fist techniques, scattering fierce punches in all directions.
It felt wrong to just sit and watch, and she seemed endearing somehow, so I stepped into the yard to spar with her.
Of course, unlike certain others, I didn’t beat lessons into her. I simply played the role of her sparring partner.
Tatadak!
Ilhong’s fists cut through the air. Yet her strikes carried no killing intent—none whatsoever—making it surprisingly tricky to predict her trajectories.
I deflected the punches flowing in with the keen perception of a Peak Martial Artist, which only made Ilhong more determined to charge at me.
That back-alley brat, once drenched in filth, had grown this much and become a first-rate martial artist.
Only after crossing hands with her did I understand the reason behind her recent grumblings.
But as we continued, I began to feel something strange through my fingertips.
Ilhong wasn’t just pouring her internal energy into her techniques—she was channeling yang energy, unleashing it explosively through her fists.
“Ilhong, why is your body overflowing with yang energy?”
“Ah, that…… The other day, Ghostface Guest used some strange sorcery on me, and this is what happened.”
Not realizing he was facing a cross-dressing woman, he foolishly used some Yin-Nourishing Yang-Fortifying technique on her, only to end up expelling his yang energy while absorbing her yin instead.
Thus, Ilhong had unintentionally absorbed a large amount of masterless yang energy through her meridians.
“That must have been utterly ridiculous for him.”
Instead of sucking in yin, his yang had been forcefully drained.
“Yes, he was completely shocked.”
No wonder he looked so aggrieved right before he lost his head.
“Anyway, I’m trying to absorb it by combining it with the energy of the spiritual elixir that seeped into my meridians.”
For now, she was burning away the excess yang energy just like this.
When the balance was restored, she believed she’d be able to take another step closer to the Peak.
She said her teacher, Hwang Geolgae, had advised her so.
“Well, well. They say those destined to succeed will succeed no matter what.”
Unlike me, who always got smacked first whenever I sought answers, she was growing by the book—smoothly, steadily.
So Hwang Geolgae also knew this method of cultivation, huh.
“Well, fine. This is an investment too.”
As a certain Geolwang once said, kindness always returns.
These days, I’d been practicing good deeds and, in return, regaining internal energy and extending my lifespan. I could relate.
“Alright then, I’ll push and pull you along.”
We weren’t formal disciples, but since we trained under the same teacher and endured hardships together, we were like Senior Brother and Junior Sister.
And so, we joined forces, dedicating ourselves to training in the office courtyard for a while.
Without rest, fists, staffs, and swords flew at each other as we honed our skills through mutual tempering.
Of course, there was also some showmanship and advertisement in it.
Sweeping the floor with our footwork and stances, brandishing swords, displaying martial arts under the curious gazes of all—it went on for days.
“Why aren’t we getting any clients?”
Despite training, showing off, and refining our martial arts in front of the neighborhood, no customers came.
“Tch, maybe I should spread the rumor that we captured Ghostface Guest.”
“And have it spread that Hebei Peng Clan was defeated by a cross-dresser? Leave me out of that.”
She said the Hebei Peng Clan would rage if their reputation was tainted.
Seriously, making a name here in Beijing was no easy feat.
“Tch.”
Back where I came from, all it took was paying an ad agency to push out promotions and customers would come on their own.
Here, everything spread only by word of mouth, making things much harder.
As a result, we’d been idling for almost a week without a single client.
Jjallang jjallang.
Then, finally, the bell at the entrance rang, announcing the arrival of the long-awaited customer.
Ilhong and I instinctively rushed to the entrance and offered our greetings.
“Welcome, customer! Please come i—”
But as I was about to bow, I recognized a familiar face.
“What the—Brat, it’s you again?”
It was the kid from the Jang Clan, the one who used to get beaten up and extorted at the academy.
The child of a wealthy family, firmly rooted in Beijing, had returned once more to our office.
“Hyung! Something really big happened!”
He shouted that something serious had happened at the academy.
***
“So, when the troubleshooter you hired last time got crushed, the other kid tattled to his parents and…….”
Up until now, it had clearly just been a fight among children with plenty of pocket money.
But now that the parents had found out and stepped in, it was on the verge of escalating into a clash between clans.
“Yes, so the parents of those bad kids, and my parents too, they’re all furious—absolutely furious……”
And as it happened, the boy who had led the bullying and violence turned out to be from the Ha Clan, who were long-standing political rivals of the Jang Clan.
Upon hearing the news, the two Clan Heads immediately flew into a rage, unable to contain their fury, and the matter had only grown larger—so explained the kid standing before us.
It had snowballed into a matter of pride between two clans, one from which neither side could back down.
“So the other side hired a proper wanderer too?”
“That’s right, that’s right. Since last time it was just a second-rate troubleshooter, this time I figure they’ll call someone even stronger.”
Well, it would be odd if they sent someone beyond that for such a petty scuffle between clans.
“But why did you come to me? You could’ve just gone to the Wanderers’ Guild and hired a proper wanderer.”
“But hyung, you’re really strong. I’ve never seen anyone beat up a second-rate martial artist like that before.”
To him, among everyone he had seen, I was the strongest.
“Ha! Kid, at least you’ve got an eye for quality.”
What I had accepted without much thought at first was turning into a bigger deal.
Two clans, their pride wounded, hiring martial artists to settle the score.
Back in my old world, hiring a stand-in to beat someone up and then declaring the winner righteous would get you branded insane.
But here in the murim, where law didn’t reach evenly and strength was justice, such things were surprisingly common.
Which explained why wanderers here never ran out of work.
“Captain, the Ha Clan is quite influential in the Imperial Capital. If we stick our noses in, won’t it blow up even bigger?”
“Ilhong, it’s not like we’re in a position to be picky right now.”
The situation had already grown too big.
And really, would their influence outweigh that of the Third Princess or the Second Prince?
Besides, I’d already beaten down both a Royal Guard and an Eastern Depot eunuch at the same time—I didn’t have much left to be afraid of.
Granted, Cheon Sugong cleaning up afterward had helped too.
“The matter’s gotten bigger, so this time your allowance alone won’t cut it. You understand that, Jang Clan kid?”
“……Of course, hyung. This time it’s money Father himself gave me to hire someone.”
The boy cracked open a bulging coin pouch, showing us the money he’d been entrusted with on the promise of success.
It was nothing like the handful of silver coins I’d seen from him before.
A completely different scale. When someone of status personally stepped in, the pay was naturally leagues higher.
“Captain, what if the opponent sends someone stronger than we expect?”
“I’ll still win.”
A petty conflict born of children’s quarrels—at best, the opponent would be a first-rate martial artist.
“If they send a first-rate, you take the lead and try handling it.”
“……Should I? Well, it might be a good way to consolidate what I’ve been training.”
Ilhong seemed to have gained confidence, thanks to the internal energy built up from spiritual elixirs and the yang energy she had absorbed.
“Well then, let’s go earn some pocket money.”
It might be a fortune to us, but to the wealthy Beijing clan heads, it was nothing more than allowance money.
Ilhong and I rolled our shoulders, loosening up, and followed the kid out of the office.
The place we arrived at was the Golden Dragon Academy, located in the heart of Beijing.
It was a prestigious academy where a renowned scholar of imperial lineage taught, and one of the most competitive schools, fueled by the fervent education zeal of Beijing’s parents.
“How dare that insolent brat bring in adults over a children’s quarrel! And now you blame my innocent child?”
“Hah! Innocent? Your boy led the bullying and tormented my poor child endlessly! I even heard he extorted money too!”
“That’s just your one-sided claim, Clan Head Jang! My son swore he never did any such thing!”
By the time we arrived, the two Clan Heads were already shouting at each other at the top of their lungs.
Their throats bulged with veins—it was far too late for reconciliation or mediation.
Which meant it was time for us, the troubleshooters, to step in and resolve this.
“Father!”
The Jang Clan kid who had brought us ran straight toward his parents.
“Oooh, my poor child!” cried the Jang Clan Head, wrapping him in his arms.
“You brat! Who is that man? Did you hire another martial artist?”
The Ha Clan Head glared daggers, shouting as he looked back and forth between the boy and me.
His son chimed in, pointing at me, saying I was the same guy who had scared him before.
“He’s not a hired martial artist. He’s Dan Mujin, this boy’s uncle. His uncle.”
Just a scary uncle in the family, who happened to step in because he heard his nephew was being beaten up.
“But his surname is Dan! That’s not the same family!”
The Ha Clan kid jumped up, objecting.
Damn. I hadn’t thought that part through.
Too busy thinking about spreading my name.
“Er, well…… Something like an illegitimate child. Yes, yes, that’s it.”
I tried to bluff, but it was already too late.
The Ha Clan members glared with suspicion, while the Jang Clan wife gave her husband a sharp look, clearly misinterpreting things.
The Jang Clan Head waved his hands frantically, saying he’d never heard such nonsense before.
“Wait—I know that man…!”
Then, the opposing wife suddenly pointed at me, her eyes widening in shock.
She covered her mouth, scanning me from head to toe.
What the hell? How did she know the face of a small-time troubleshooter tucked away in a corner of Beijing?
“That handsome young man—I saw him at the Daru tavern in Goyan last week……”
Shit.
Ilhong and I immediately pulled our sleeves up to cover our faces.
This was why, even at some expense, we should’ve worn human-skin masks.
“Honey, what are you talking about? Last week you said you were taking the child on an outing. Goyan’s taverns, you say?”
Apparently, she’d sneaked off to the tavern without telling her husband. She cut herself off with a sharp gasp, hurriedly clamping her mouth shut.
“Ohoho…… What nonsense am I saying? I must’ve been mistaken.”
She quickly waved her hands, retreating as if it had all been a misunderstanding.
Of all people, that tavern woman had to be here too.
And she turned out to be a mother sending her child to this elite Beijing academy.
Still, maybe it was lucky. From the way she rushed to excuse herself, it looked like this could be swept under the rug without anyone getting hurt.
So I kept my own mouth shut.
“In any case, you insolent dog! A grown man involving himself in children’s disputes—how dare you call yourself a troubleshooter?”
It was the Ha Clan Head, suddenly pointing at me in rebuke.
But it had been his son who started this trouble.
And I had only stepped in to resolve it.
“I heard you even beat down the second-rate troubleshooter hired last time. That’s why this time, I went straight to the Wanderers’ Guild!”
He claimed to have staked quite a sum to bring in someone strong.
To defeat me, and declare righteousness in this children’s fight.
Unbelievable words, coming from the parent of the bully.
“You’ll regret meddling in this affair, troubleshooter.”
What kind of expert had they brought in, to sound so confident?
I shrugged, daring whoever it was to come.
Then came the heavy footsteps—‘thud, thud’—of a wanderer approaching the scene.
I smirked, wondering which unlucky wanderer would end up clashing with me, a Peak Martial Artist.
But then, from afar, I caught sight of the familiar massive broadsword bouncing on his back with each step, and the familiar silhouette. My eyes widened.
“What? Why the hell are you here……?”