802 Episode 39 Rumor (1)

Story Fragment 'Daytime Talk is Heard by Birds' picked up at the Recycling Center.

This fragment, which has a relatively low probability cost, was literally perfect for eavesdropping on other incarnations' conversations during the 'daytime'.

"Who's coming as a judge for this year's festival?"

"Namgung Sega."

"Oh, the proud Sega-ju have finally made a move."

"What's the point of making a move? The winner will be..."

Everything said within a 100-meter radius sounded like someone was whispering right next to them.

"For sale! ... Dumplings for sale!"

"We also have hot chicken soup!"

Is it because I'm still not used to using Story Fragments?

"Have you heard the news?"

"I heard it. The story that <Twelve Zodiac Signs> were destroyed."

"... Fragments... "

Some conversations were audible, and some were not.

"By the way, next week is already the 'Gonggongryong Expedition'. Which sect will participate this time?"

"So the martial arts competition this year was canceled? I think the focus will be on the expedition team..."

Still, this was enough keywords to judge the situation.

Namgung Sega. Dumplings. Chicken soup. Martial arts competition. And Gonggongryong Expedition.

When I nodded, Yoo Jonghyuk, who had been silently glaring at me, said a word.

"You're a suspicious guy."

"Please say that I have a cautious personality. This is truly the 'First Murim'."

'First Murim.'

I have come to the 'First Murim,' the holy land of martial arts that I had only heard of.

The 30th Main Scenario.

Considering that the 'First Murim' is originally a place where people who perform various scenarios from the 20th to the 40th gather, it would not be strange if the 30th Main Scenario was in progress.

Tsutsutsut.

Not only me, but Yoo Jonghyuk's whole body was also filled with small sparks. It must have been a penalty for scenario jumping.

In fact, my body felt a little heavy and the air was stuffy since a while ago. Could this be the density of the 'story' of the 30th Scenario?

Still, my body quickly got used to it, perhaps because of the level I had built up.

Collapse in real time except for sending me a teaser trailer.

I tried hard not to show it and smiled.

"I think I know who you came to see."

Now, Yoo Jonghyuk answered with narrowed eyes, as if he wasn't surprised that I knew something.

"I didn't plan on meeting them this time, but."

'First Murim' was where Yoo Jonghyuk's master, Breaking the Sky Swords Saint, was.

Breaking the Sky Swords Saint, one of the strongest transcendents.

Yoo Jonghyuk probably wanted to get her on our side, just like he did in the main story.

"What you need now is 'recovery of the incarnation body' and 'acquisition of a new scenario'."

"That's right. How did you know?"

"Because I've been expelled before. Maybe I can get help."

Honestly, I was surprised. Even if his purpose was to use me, Yoo Jonghyuk is this kind? Did he get stabbed by Jaehwan-ssi so much that he went crazy?

In any case, it was fortunate for me now.

I quickly got up and said before Yoo Jonghyuk could come to his senses.

"Okay. Let's go right away."

"..."

"Yoo Jonghyuk?"

Little Yoo Jonghyuk looked up at me with his characteristically troubled expression.

"Why are you doing that? Please guide me to Breaking the Sky Swordsman-nim quickly."

"It's unfortunate."

It was only then that I realized what had happened to Yoo Jonghyuk.

One of the side effects of 'Story Imprint' is memory loss. Especially if he uses too much force to the point where he's turning into a little person like he is now, he'll temporarily lose unwanted memories.

In other words.

"That's right... You've forgotten all the memories you need."

Until Yoo Jonghyuk recovers his original incarnation, we won't be able to find Breaking the Sky Swordsman's residence.

Yoo Jonghyuk looked at me with shameless eyes.

"You should find it yourself."

"How can I find it? This is my first time in the 'First Murim'. I don't even know where this is."

I've fallen into the 'First Murim' and lost my way. To make matters worse, Yoo Jonghyuk is a useless kid with amnesia, and I have an incarnation body that I won't find strange to die in an hour.

Damn, even 'Starting a Murim Life from Zero' would be better than this.

I looked at our beggarly appearances and said.

"Shall we go into the Begger Sect?"

"…"

"I'll go around begging for food in the Beggar Sect and asking people. Hey, where is Breaking the Sky Swordsman’s house?”

Deciding to ignore my words, Yoo Jonghyuk looked into the distance and thought.

Kkottuk.

To make matters worse, a sound came from inside his stomach.

We looked at each other.

"First of all, it’s not me."

"Me neither."

We decided to take care of our hunger first.

Fortunately, this was the 'First Martial Arts World'. There was food that Yoo Jonghyuk, who was picky about food, could buy and eat.

Come to think of it, did Jaehwan-ssi send us to a place with 'Murim Dumplings' on purpose?

"There’s a place nearby that sells Murim dumplings. But it’s better than when we were at the Recycling Center."

As I stood up, shaking off the rags, Yoo Jonghyuk unexpectedly stopped me.

"Are you going to go like that?"

"What. If you are dissatisfied, buy it yourself."

"Okay."

"Yes?"

Surprisingly, Yoo Jonghyuk got up from his seat obediently. I don't know how many times I was surprised today.

"This is the regular scenario area. Do you know what kind of person an exile who wanders around during the day without a scenario will end up like?"

I forgot for a moment.

The people of Murim are those who thirst for enlightenment more than anyone else. They are those who would buy enlightenment even if it meant paying coins in order to advance their martial arts skills.

And the easiest way to gain enlightenment in this Star Stream is to use 'stories'.

If an exile who keeps dripping stories appears in the meantime, it was clear what kind of fate he would face.

"If you're lucky, you might be taken to the government office and survive, but—"

"If that happens, I'll be sold to the management office and become a servant of the scenario."

"Is that what you want to be?"

I shrugged.

Yoo Jonghyuk came towards me without saying anything and suddenly held out his hand.

"You're asking for coins, aren't you?"

Damn, what a meticulous bastard. A bastard who wouldn't even buy a single Murim dumpling with his own money.

I thought that this place had chicken soup with Murim dumplings, and other things. I gave him coins so he could buy enough snacks.

Yoo Jonghyuk counted the coins I gave him and nodded his head in satisfaction.

"You're not going to run away just like that, are you?"

"..."

"Do you know where the Murim dumplings are?"

Was I being too nitpicky?

Yoo Jonghyuk looked back at me in anger and said.

"I think you forgot."

Then that's right.

I sighed deeply and said.

"Let's just go together."

"But you—"

"This is how it's done."

I transformed my 'thoughts about almost everything' into 'Cheonbyeonmanhwa Happiness'. Then, I used the Happiness to transform my body size.

I shrunk to the size of a dwarf in Peace Land and hid in Yoo Jonghyuk's coat pocket.

Yoo Jonghyuk narrowed his eyes as if he was impressed. He said.

"You've only learned strange tricks."

"That's not something I want to hear from a child who can't even live alone."

As he opened the barn door while grumbling, the streets of the 'First Murim' unfolded right away. Several vendors seemed to be looking our way, but their gazes quickly dispersed.

I used 'Midday Tryst' to talk to Yoo Jonghyuk and looked around the streets.

—When will your body recover?

"It'll take four days."

—Buy lots of Murim dumplings. You eat eight meals a day, right?

"That's not always the case."

I thought to myself that it was fortunate that this was Murim. At least there were foods here that Yoo Jonghyuk, who was picky about food, could eat 'eight meals'.

—Over there.

I guided Yoo Jonghyuk to the street corner where I had heard the sound of dumplings being sold. How long had we walked? I thought I smelled something delicious from afar, and then I saw a row of old street stalls.

No, there was an event like this?

Yoo Jonghyuk was also quite surprised, as if it was his first time in this situation.

The signs of street vendors on every street all had 'Murim Dumplings' written on them.

...

How many 'Original Murim Dumplings' are there?

—What's the real deal? No, damn it. You said you forgot.

Instead of responding to my grumbling, Yoo Jonghyuk was staring at the dumpling alley with a blank look in his eyes.

That made sense. 'Murim Dumplings' are a food that holds great meaning to him, too. Maybe he was thinking of the story with Breaking the Sky Master. A warm dumpling that his teacher Breaking the Sky Swordsman bought on his birthday.

There are moments that even a regressor cannot return to. And right now, Yoo Jonghyuk must have returned to that moment that he can never return to.

Gulp.

Maybe he just got hungry and turned into a frozen fish.

—Let’s eat quickly. Where should I buy some?

Yoo Jonghyuk slowly started looking around the nearby stores at my urging. Since it was the dumpling festival, there were events related to Murim dumplings going on everywhere.

Among them, two things stood out.

If there were any good prizes, it would be a competition worth participating in.

Above all, we have the story 'Pig that Eats Eight Meals'.

However, Yoo Jonghyuk was more interested in the 'Best Murim Dumpling Competition'. It occurred to me later that Yoo Jonghyuk was quite the gourmet.

'Namgung Murim Dumplings.'

Was it because of the name of the dumplings? Yoo Jonghyuk's steps slowly moved in that direction.

The dumpling restaurant was bustling from the entrance.

It seemed that the judges of the competition had just visited the dumpling restaurant.

"Now, judges, come and try it!"

The owner brought out a bowl full of dumplings with a gesture. Judging from the glossy sheen flowing from the soft dumpling skin, they seemed to be well-made.

Yoo Jonghyuk said.

"Franchise dumplings."

—Huh? Do Murim dumplings have a franchise?

In fact, next to the store, they were selling dumplings in boxes and making a killing.

Just as I was thinking that something strange was going on, the head of the judging committee in question stepped forward and picked up a dumpling.

"You can tell just by looking at it."

A middle-aged man with a stern face.

The moment he opened his mouth, cheers could be heard from the surroundings.

"Namgung Jincheon!"

"It's the Emperor's Sword!"

The Emperor's Sword Namgung Jincheon.

I knew that name too.

He was the head of the five great families that ruled the 'First Murim' and one of the top ten masters of the current 'First Murim'.

He slowly ate the Murim dumplings. Namgung Jincheon took a big bite of the dumpling.

He calmly chewed the dumpling, then opened his mouth with a warm smile.

"What a great dumpling."

Wow, the cheers poured out.

Only then did I realize how this dumpling competition was going.

—No, these people don't seem to have any intention of hiding anything.

The name of the dumpling is 'Namgung Murim Dumpling', and 'Namgung Jincheon' is listed as a judge.

—The martial arts world has really become corrupted.

Come to think of it, the 'First Murim' has been completely capitalized by the dokkaebis. There was no way an honest 'contest' could exist.

In other words, this 'contest' was nothing more than a festival disguised to promote the 'Namgung Murim Dumpling' from the beginning.

Now, the 'Murim Dumpling' is being packaged as 'Murim Dumpling Approved by the Namgung Family' and is selling like hotcakes in the dokkaebi bag. Let's go.

"Our Sa Baek Jo really liked Murim dumplings. I really hope you try these dumplings."

The surrounding warriors cheered once again at Namgung Jin Cheon's words.

"I will announce this in the name of the Namgung Sega family. The winner of this year's 'Dumpling Contest' is—"

Je Wang Geum Namgung Jin Cheon.

He is a figure who, at least in this 'Murim', exercises power comparable to that of the Olympus> 12 constellations.

There was no one here who could dare to go against his judgment.

Except for one person.

"The filling of the dumplings is not evenly cooked."

Namgung Jin Cheon looked around with wide eyes as the room was covered in a mysterious silence.

There was an inconsiderate brat who spat out the dumplings he had been chewing.

"This is not 'Murim dumplings'."

It was Yoo Jonghyuk.

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