Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

“This place has been my go-to since I was a kid,” Cheong Cheon remarked as he pushed open the creaking door of a rundown inn that looked like it could crumble at any moment.

Entering, Baek Suryong saw that the inn was run by an elderly woman, so hunched over that it looked like her frail body might snap in two any moment.

“Grandma! I’m here!” Cheong Cheon hollered, his voice echoing throughout the inn. When he saw Baek Suryong’s shocked expression, though, he sheepishly explained that he had only yelled because the old lady was both mute and almost deaf.

The old woman slowly, almost painfully, turned her head toward the pair and fixed her weary eyes on them. Deep wrinkles forming around her eyes, she slowly rose to her feet and hobbled toward the kitchen.

Unable to hide his impatience, Baek Suryong asked, “Where’s she going without even taking our order?”

“Somyeon1 is the only dish that is served here. Just so you know, it tastes awful, but at least the portions are generous. Have a seat,” Cheong Cheon said, brushing the dust off a rickety table with his sleeve before sitting down. It was obvious this wasn’t his first visit to the inn.

Baek Suryong sat across from him, clicking his tongue. “You really know how to live like a pauper.”

As a constable in a large city like Nanchang, Cheong Cheon’s salary was nothing to sneeze at, and if he pocketed a little extra on the side, he could easily earn double or even triple his official salary.

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“No,” Cheong Cheon replied flatly, shaking his head.

He’s as pure as a saint, Baek Suryong thought, not surprised in the least. Just as Cheong Cheon had no interest in his biological father’s considerable inheritance, he didn’t seem to care about material wealth at all.

Looking closer, Baek Suryong noticed that Cheong Cheon’s uniform was worn and frayed. It was probably the same one he’d received when he first joined the constabulary.

“Since you’re making money, you should spend some of it on decent clothes and food. A penniless constable? The criminals must be laughing at you.”

“My stern face keeps them in line,” Cheong Cheon replied with a deadpan expression.

“Pfft!” Baek Suryong couldn’t help but chuckle, unsure if Cheong Cheon was joking or not. “By the way, do they serve wine here?”

In a way, Cheong Cheon was the first friend Baek Suryong had made since arriving in this city, and he wanted to share a drink with him.

However, at the mention of alcohol, Cheong Cheon’s face clouded over. “Alcohol…”

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“If it’s because you’re on duty, we can have it next time…”

“The old lady has bamboo leaf wine, but it’s pricey.”

“I’ll pay, just order it.”

“I’ll be right back,” Cheong Cheon said, eagerly springing to his feet to fetch the wine.

As he walked off, Baek Suryong called after him, “You might as well bring several bottles, since it will take the old woman forever to get them!”

Shortly after, the old woman returned from the kitchen and placed bowls of somyeon in front of the two men.

Baek Suryong took a bite, then promptly laid down his chopsticks. “…This tastes awful.”

“But the portions are generous,” Cheong Cheon said with a satisfied smile, slurping down his noodles.

Baek Suryong shook his head in disbelief. It was rare to see Cheong Cheon smile like that. Pouring bamboo-leaf wine into his glass and then into Cheong Cheon’s, he remarked, “You’re ridiculous. Why are you smiling like you’ve brought me to a famous restaurant?”

For a while, the two sat in silence, passing the drinks back and forth. The old woman, mute and deaf, sat at a nearby table like a stone statue, staring out at the setting sun with clouded eyes.

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Midway through his bowl, Cheong Cheon suddenly steered the conversation back to the real reason for their visit. “Like I said previously, this slum is controlled by three unorthodox sects.”

“You mean the Scarlet Tiger Gang, the Great Bear Gang, and the Ironhead Sect, right?”

Cheong Cheon nodded, then began to describe the factions vying for control of the slums, “The Scarlet Tiger Gang is the largest of the three. Since their boss changed a year ago, they’ve expanded rapidly in an attempt to unify the slum under their rule. Most of the recent unrest around here has been caused by them.”

Since the new boss took over, the Scarlet Tiger Gang had started imitating murim sects, even establishing their own code of conduct.

“They all have scarlet tiger tattoos on their arms. Although there are a lot of them, most aren’t very skilled…except for the gang leader. He’s a formidable fighter.”

“How formidable?”

“I only saw him from a distance once…but I don’t think I could beat him.”

“Really?” Baek Suryong asked, visibly surprised. He knew better than anyone how skilled Cheong Cheon was.

Although he’s still considered a first-rate martial artist, he’ll probably reach the peak level soon, Baek Suryong thought. After learning the complete Blood Rain Demonic Art from him, Cheong Cheon had trained relentlessly, even often going to him for guidance. As a result of his efforts, he had now reached a level where he could be considered a martial arts expert.

“So, you’re saying the boss of the Scarlet Tiger Gang is at least at the peak level?”

“…Probably.”

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Baek Suryong clicked his tongue. A master of that caliber hiding out in a slum among third-rate unorthodox sects? He’s probably hiding something shady.

Cheong Cheon continued, “You should warn the students not to let their tempers get the better of them and challenge the Scarlet Tiger Boss.”

“Of course,” Baek Suryong replied. He planned to give the Azure Dragon Academy students some real world experience against unorthodox martial artists, but if the gap between them and their opponent was too wide, then it wasn’t training, but a suicide mission.

Throwing students off a cliff doesn’t always make them stronger. More often than not, they die before they have a chance to grow.

Baek Suryong had seen too many cases like that in the past.

“I’ll keep that in mind. What about the other gangs?” he asked.

“The second largest is the Great Bear Gang. It’s a group formed by retired freelancers.”

“Freelancers?”

“Technically, it’s led by three brothers who were freelancers in the past. The rest are either their subordinates or people who drifted in from elsewhere.”

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Three brothers, who called themselves the Mighty Bear Trio, led the Great Bear Gang. As they were all over fifty, they were too old to continue freelance work.

“I’ve never seen them, but I’ve heard that all three are at least first-rate fighters.”

“So, they’ve ended up here after failing to secure a retirement job.”

It was a common fate for aging freelancers. With little money saved, deteriorating health from years on the road, and no stable work, they often ended up leading gangs in slums or back alleys.

Bok Manchun is one of the lucky ones, Baek Suryong thought. Though a retired freelancer, Bok Manchun’s circumstances were the exception rather than the norm. Once a loan shark’s bodyguard, he was now the administrator of the White Dragon Conglomerate, often dining with the Golden Dragon Chairman and receiving invaluable business advice.

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“The Mighty Bear Trio, huh… I guess I’ll have to ask Administrator Bok to look into them.”

Despite their age, the Mighty Bear Trio’s experience in real combat was not easily dismissed. Rather, anyone who had survived over twenty years as a freelancer was probably more fox than bear.

“If you underestimate them, there could be casualties among the students,” Cheong Cheon warned.

“That’s perfect. If it’s too easy, there’s no point,” Baek Suryong replied with a grin. He had no intention of pushing the students off a cliff, but he would push them close enough to feel the edge.

“Look at that, we’re already out of wine. Grandma! Another round of drinks, please!” he shouted.

The old woman blinked dazedly for a while, then slowly rose like a sloth.

“Never mind, I’ll get it,” Cheong Cheon sighed in resignation. Heading to the kitchen and returning with several more bottles of bamboo leaf wine, he then continued, “Anyway, the last major gang, the Ironhead Sect is the weakest of the three.”

“The Ironhead Sect? What kind of stupid name is that?” Baek Suryong scoffed. Even among unorthodox sects, most at least try to come up with names that sound somewhat respectable. But the Ironhead Sect? The name alone reeks of thick-headed numskulls.

“Well, the Ironhead Sect Leader is an idiot,” Cheong Cheon said with a smirk, refilling Baek Suryong’s cup.

By now, the small, shabby inn was filled with the pungent aroma of strong liquor. After a brief pause, Cheong Cheon continued, “He’s also a local.”

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“A local? So you know him?”

“…To some extent.”

As far as Cheong Cheon knew, the Ironhead Sect Leader was abandoned at birth and left to die on the side of the road. Fortunately, a beggar king found the infant, took him in, and raised him on the streets, teaching him the art of survival from an early age. The beggar king never bothered to give him a proper name, instead calling him Cheoldu (meaning ironhead), a name derived from his iron-hard skull. The nickname stuck and eventually became his real name as well as the name of his sect.

“In short, Cheoldu is a heartless man who killed the beggar king who raised him, took over as leader, and then gave up begging to found the Ironhead Sect,” Cheong Cheon summarized.

He was once a beggar? Baek Suryong stroked his chin, lost in thought. “So this Cheoldu fellow… he’s not tied to the Beggars’ Sect, is he?”

“No, not every beggar belongs to the Beggars’ Sect.”

“Good point. Especially in a place like this, where the Rogues’ Guild probably holds more sway than the Beggars’ Sect.”

The Beggars’ Sect and the Rogues’ Guild were the two biggest information brokers in the Central Plains. They weren’t outright enemies, but they were definitely rivals. The main difference between them? The Beggars’ Sect, being an orthodox sect, was selective about who they sold their information to, while the Rogues’ Guild had no such qualms, selling to anyone willing to pay the price. For this reason, the Rogues’ Guild was often classified as an unorthodox cult.

“Anyway, almost all the local thugs who grew up around here have rallied around Cheoldu. As a result, the Ironhead Sect is more like a ragtag gang than a proper murim sect.”

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“What about their martial arts?”

“They’re lacking, but many of them are born brawlers. In some ways… it’s almost pitiful.”

“Oh?” Baek Suryong’s eyes lit up, intrigued. So, they may not be much in martial arts, but they’ve sharpened their fighting instincts through raw experience. Guys like that can turn into masters if given the right opportunities.

Baek Suryong made a mental note of Cheoldu and his local roots.

Well, all in all, it looks like there are plenty of opponents in this place who could teach those spoiled brats what real killing intent feels like. Of course, I’ll have to work hard to keep a good balance before things get dicey, but damn it this isn’t the kind of challenge I love the most!

“This will be a good experience for those little punks,” Baek Suryong said, a malicious smile playing on his lips.

Cheong Cheon stood up. “I need to head back now. Got a lot of work piling up.”

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“You go on ahead. I’ll hang around a bit longer.”

Cheong Cheon walked over to the old woman behind the counter and called out, “Grandma! The food was great. This guy’ll pay for it. I’ll be back soon!”

The old woman nodded slowly, a smile spreading across her wrinkled face.

After Cheong Cheon left, Baek Suryong lingered in the inn, alone with his thoughts.

“The Scarlet Tiger Gang, the Great Bear Gang, and the Ironhead Sect…”

As he pondered the situation, his expression darkened, growing more serious.

Suddenly, a shout echoed from somewhere outside. “A fight!”

Baek Suryong turned his head to the sound coming from outside the inn. Even though the source was far away, he used his inner qi to improve his vision and saw a group of men brawling in the distance.

“Hmm… I can’t really see clearly from here,” he muttered, before executing his movement arts and leaping onto the inn’s roof in one fluid motion.

The old woman below widened her eyes in surprise, startled. Baek Suryong flashed her a grin before turning his attention back to the battle.

“Those guys with tiger tattoos must be the Scarlet Tiger Gang… and it looks like they’re up against just one man.”

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A lone man stood surrounded by the Scarlet Tiger Gang, fighting them off.

“Ugh!” The man was short, his head marked with scars, his body as solid as a stone wall.

Huh, Baek Suryong thought, watching closely. The Scarlet Tiger Gang members brandished knives and axes, while a lone short man fought them off with his bare hands, showing not an ounce of fear. Their weapons grazed his body, drawing blood, but he remained unfazed, using the chaos of the brawl to make them stumble over each other before charging in and…

CRACK!

…Headbutting one of the gang members. As the man fell back, the lone shorty seized the opportunity, crouched down, and then surged upward, this time headbutting another gangster’s jaw.

“Argh!” The Scarlet Tiger gangster screamed as his jaw shattered, sending blood and broken teeth flying everywhere.

Blood splattered across the shorty’s face, drenching him in crimson. “Come on! I’ll kill you all!” he roared like a wild beast.

“Wow…” Despite the distance, Baek Suryong couldn’t help but admire the man’s killing intent. It was raw, ferocious, devoid of technique, but filled with such murderous determination and malice that it made Baek Suryong’s skin tingle.

The kiddos at the Azure Dragon Academy could really learn something from this guy, he thought.

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As he observed, the shorty continued his desperate struggle, battling the Scarlet Tiger Gang with every ounce of his being.

” Cheoldu, you crazy bastard!” one of the Scarlet Tiger gangsters yelled.

“Don’t let him escape! We have to kill him today!”

However, despite their shouts, the man they called Cheoldu broke through the encirclement and fled. The gang members gave chase, but by the looks of it, it wouldn’t be long before he lost them.

So that’s Cheoldu, Baek Suryong thought as he watched the shorty disappear into the distance. Jumping down from the roof, he walked up to the old woman as if it was the most natural thing in the world and asked, “What do you think, Grandma?

“……”

“Between the Scarlet Tiger Gang, the Great Bear Gang, and the Ironhead Sect, which one do you think will take over this neighborhood?”

“……” With a look of puzzlement, the old woman tilted her head slightly, as if she was straining to hear him.

Still, Baek Suryong didn’t mind and continued talking as if she could hear his every word. “Or how about this? What if a new power took control of the streets?”

“……”

Baek Suryong smiled, a mysterious and meaningful grin, as if sharing a secret with someone who could hear everything.

“…How long are you going to keep pretending to be deaf?” he chuckled, looking at the old woman, who was clearly faking her confusion. “What if I went outside and spread the word that this place is a branch of the Rogues’ Guild? Would that make you talk?”

“How did you…” The old woman’s eyes, usually dull, sharpened in an instant. Her voice, raspy from disuse, cracked as she spoke. “How did you figure it out? Not even my regulars, who have been coming here for over ten years, know about this.”

This shabby inn, introduced by Cheong Cheon, was, in fact, a secret branch of the Rogues’ Guild.

1. Somyeon (素麵): A very thin noodle made of wheat flour. You might be more familiar with the Japanese name, sōmen. ↩

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