yasinovel Chapter 233 : Rising Things
Chapter 233 : Rising Things
Chapter 233: Rising Things
The sun that had heated Beijing tilted beyond the horizon.
At the hour when the dimness of midnight gently wrapped around the outline of the city, even the Troubleshooter Office—once somewhat noisy because of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Crystal—had now sunk into silence.
As the temperature cooled considerably, Jo Harang climbed up to the rooftop room where the night sky could be seen at a glance.
Unlike the shabby old office, this new office in the center of Beijing now even allowed one to see the stars.
Dan Mujin had proudly called this the welfare of the new building—an “rooftop view.”
She still found it puzzling what that even meant.
“That strange way of speaking and acting… if I think of it as an Evil Star, it might make some sense……”
The unpredictable words and behavior—when examined closely, they were all influenced by an Evil Star.
Just like how her breath quickened and killing intent surged when she stood before a villain who threw the world into chaos, it seemed he was experiencing something similar.
“Mujin… what on earth are you holding inside you?”
At a young age, having reached the Transcendence Realm, the Divine Wind Daoist Jo Harang—
That heroic woman, famed for wielding her great saber boldly, was now restless because of the conversation she had overheard in the Ice Cave.
Her violet eyes, sparkling like stars, gazed up at the stars scattered across the black sky.
At that time in the Ice Cave, in her fading consciousness, she had barely managed to pick up a few words.
One of them was “Evil Star,” and the other…
“It started with ‘Heaven’……”
She had lost consciousness right before hearing the rest.
So now, she wandered through her hazy memories.
“Could it be Heavenly Chief Star or Heavenly River Star? No… judging by his personality, he might be closer to the Heavenly Wealth Star.”
Many Evil Stars were said to be sealed within starlight.
Come to think of it, the Nangabong Monster she encountered at the Liaoning cliff also emitted a similar aura—it might have been another Evil Star.
“But why didn’t Mujin give off that kind of feeling?”
Was the power of the star faint? Or was there some other circumstance?
In any case, a Being Beyond Heaven had called him an Evil Star, and he had acknowledged it—so the reason could be figured out later.
“Maybe it really is the Heavenly Wealth Star? Since he gets along so well with me, the Purple Tenuity Star. Hehe.”
She felt a strange sense of bond and camaraderie welling up, kicking her legs lightly in the air.
They had known each other for quite a while, but now that she knew his hidden secret, he felt even closer.
Among countless people in the vast Central Plains, the one she had become this close with—was someone who shared the same nature as an Evil Star.
At this point, wasn’t it a bond granted by Heaven?
“But… surely, it’s not the Heaven-Slaying Star… right?”
As she listed Evil Stars starting with “Heaven,” a sudden uneasy thought crossed her mind, and her smile vanished instantly.
When her master had read the Heavenly Secrets, it was said to appear around this time—
Yet for some reason, it had dimmed into darkness and still had not appeared.
“No way… no matter what… Mujin can’t be the Heaven-Slaying Star.”
She let out a small laugh, dismissing the thought.
A man who threw himself into danger to save others, disregarding his own life—
There was no way he could be the Heaven-Slaying Star that would drench the world in blood.
“Mm, no way. The one I look up to couldn’t be the Heaven-Slaying Star. I’m worrying for nothing.”
Dan Mujin was a chivalrous hero whose nature was so upright and kind that he would not easily take a life—even if his opponent was evil.
Though he was quite greedy for money like a miser, he was also a man who could boldly abandon it when righteousness demanded it.
Just as someone who knows no fear cannot speak of courage, the fact that he valued money yet could give it up made his actions all the more noble.
Having watched him closely, Jo Harang, the Purple Tenuity Star, regarded him as the very embodiment of chivalry—and even admired him.
Even she could not act so recklessly to impose her will in the Imperial Palace, before high officials, or in places surrounded by enemies.
But Dan Mujin—if he believed he was right, he would charge forward regardless of who stood before him, as if he had no fear of death.
“Still… why didn’t he tell me? That he also bears an Evil Star.”
Thinking back, he had flinched noticeably when she revealed she was the Purple Tenuity Star.
But he had never revealed his own identity.
“That’s a bit unfair. I told you everything!”
Now that she thought about it, even his unbelievable talent began to make sense.
What kind of star did he bear? She wanted to speak openly, Evil Star to Evil Star—forming a sense of understanding.
But then she remembered that when she revealed she was the Purple Tenuity Star, her master had scolded her harshly.
There were those who feared Evil Stars and those who hunted them—so she had been warned never to reveal it carelessly.
“If it’s because of that… I guess I can understand……”
Especially considering the temperament of Dan Mujin’s master, Hwang Geolgae—this time, he might truly beat him half to death.
Creak—
At that moment, as if summoned by her words, a familiar face came up to the rooftop room—Dan Mujin.
“What are you doing here……?”
He looked at her, puzzled, as she was stargazing.
“What? Why are you here? Don’t tell me you came looking for me?”
“…Why else? This rooftop is where I eat and sleep. Why are you here?”
He was the owner of the office who had given the two best rooms downstairs to Ilhong and Jo Harang, taking the rooftop room with the stars.
“Hey, Mujin… what exactly are you?”
“……”
At her abrupt question, he stared at her as if thinking, ‘What did she suddenly eat wrong?’
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
He asked back, dumbfounded, while spreading his bedding.
Then Jo Harang stroked her chin, smiling mischievously.
“I’m asking if you’re hiding something from me.”
“What would I hide? I’m going to sleep, so go downstairs.”
He waved his hand dismissively.
“You really have nothing to hide?”
But when she asked again with a confident expression—as if she already knew his secret—Dan Mujin flinched.
“Well… back when I said I spent all my money setting up the office… actually, I had some emergency funds… and I once bought Dongpo Pork with it……”
He clenched his teeth, confessing that he had been too hungry and craving meat to resist.
Jo Harang looked at him in disbelief.
“…Not that kind of secret. I mean a real hidden secret.”
He sighed shortly, as if she had even discovered that.
“The tanghulu you hid the other day—you got mad when it disappeared, right? Sorry, that was me.”
“……”
Instead of the secret she wanted, only the pitiful secrets of a miserly office owner kept coming out.
Rubbing her brow in fatigue, Jo Harang shook her head.
Well, a man this ordinary—what grand reason would he have to hide such a secret?
She liked Dan Mujin very much, felt a sense of kinship, and even admired his path.
So even if she felt a little disappointed, she decided to let it go.
“Just remember this—no matter if the whole world fears and shuns you, I alone will be on your ‘side.’”
This secret sense of camaraderie she felt alone—it wasn’t so bad.
Meanwhile, Dan Mujin scratched his head, confused by her sudden declaration.
“Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden? ‘On my side’?”
“There’s something like that.”
This wasn’t so bad.
Jo Harang giggled inwardly as she watched him bewildered.
“Mujin, Mujin.”
While I was cooling off the heat with a Northern Region Spiritual Elixir, I raised my head at Jo Harang’s lively voice.
Recently, she had suddenly regained her energy after being dazed.
Whenever she saw me, her violet eyes sparkled as she spoke.
“If you ever have worries you can’t tell ordinary people, tell me. I’ll always be on your side.”
Honestly, I had no idea what was going on with her.
When she suddenly told me to reveal my secrets, I confessed all the things I had secretly eaten.
Did that work? Because I told the truth?
“Uh… okay. Thanks.”
Even at my awkward reply, her gaze didn’t cool.
She acted as if some deep bond had formed between just the two of us.
“They say there’s such a thing as fate in this world, Mujin.”
“So…”
Why was she saying things like this lately?
I had no clue.
“They say even brushing sleeves is fate—so isn’t it okay to call our meeting in this vast Central Plains destiny?”
Did she suddenly develop some late adolescent syndrome or something?
Since returning from the North Sea Ice Palace, she kept talking about heaven, destiny, and the principles of the world.
“…Did you really eat something wrong? What’s with you all of a sudden?”
As if noticing my confused expression, Ilhong peeked her small face in and made a diagnosis.
“Maybe she got heatstroke…? Come to think of it, Miss Jo Harang never used an Ice Crystal even once.”
That actually made sense.
Even a master was still human—if careless, heatstroke was possible.
I quickly pulled out a small Wooden Box from deep inside my clothes.
“…Why do you always keep it there, Captain?”
“It’s cool.”
I used the supreme Spiritual Elixir from the North Sea Ice Palace like a portable ice pack, making Ilhong sigh in disbelief.
Anyway, before things got weirder, I offered her the Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Crystal—but she shook her head calmly, saying she didn’t need it.
“She must’ve had some kind of change of heart.”
I muttered.
Had I been too indifferent to her all this time?
Come to think of it, your twenties were an age where people changed for all sorts of reasons.
But just then, as if to blow away my thoughts, the office door burst open and a familiar face entered.
“Huh? Uncle Park Chil?”
He was one of the Beggars’ Union operatives I trusted the most—Five-Knot Disciple Park Chil.
Judging by the color returning to his weathered face, he had rushed here.
I had been planning to visit him first to ask about the Imperial Household, since things there were unfolding strangely.
And yet, he came to me first again—what perfect timing.
We really did understand each other well.
“Uncle Park Chil, how about quitting the Beggars’ Union and joining our office?”
With the scale of my work growing, recruiting a key member from the Beggars’ Union—following the Hao Sect successor—didn’t seem like a bad idea.
“Well, that’s not the issue, Dan Mujin.”
But it seemed he hadn’t come because of the Imperial Household.
As if something more important was at hand, he hurriedly continued.
“Beggars’ Union operatives are dying all over. It seems the Demon Cult has started eliminating the planted spies.”
The Demon Cult.
In the Murim of the Central Plains, aside from the Nine Sects One Gang, it was the largest and most dangerous single force.
Even I, having read a few martial arts novels, knew of it—a place that worshiped strength and survival of the fittest.
This was getting way too big.
‘It’s not the Demon Cult… it’s the Ming Cult…….’
And as soon as the Demon Cult was mentioned, the Heaven-Slaying Star inside me flared up and struck me down for my ignorance.
It seemed that a storm was beginning to rise in the once-calm Murim.
Park Chil’s words pressed heavily on the air of the office.
A close aide of the Beggars’ Union had come suddenly with grave news.
“It’s been cross-verified even with information from the Demon-Slaying Unit. Until now, we only detected faint movements—but cutting off the spies means they’re moving in earnest now.”
This wasn’t uncertain information—it was solid, layered intelligence.
He even mentioned the Demon-Slaying Unit, where Tang Yeo-hye—someone close to my elder sister—belonged.
“In that case, wouldn’t it be faster to go to the Murim Alliance in Shaanxi? Why come to a mere troubleshooter like me…?”
I asked, bewildered.
No matter how much I solved things, this was the kind of job for the Murim Alliance’s forces.
“One of the pillars of the Murim is neglecting his duties. So please—deliver a message to the Dragon Head Sect Leader.”
So that was his purpose.
The Beggars’ Union still respectfully called that irresponsible old man the Dragon Head Sect Leader.