Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

Baek Suryong grinned smugly, saying, “The truth is, I’m the world’s best detective.”

In an instant, the old woman’s expression changed, her once kind, wrinkled face hardening into something cold and unforgiving. This sudden transformation was enough to make anyone think twice before speaking.

“Haven’t you heard the saying ‘curiosity kills the cat’?” she threatened, her harsh, sharp voice like a crow’s caw sending a chill through the air.

However, even though most people would recoil at the sound, Baek Suryong showed no reaction at all.

Is he much stronger than the Guild estimated, or is he just pretending to be unfazed? The old woman’s mind raced as she hastily re-evaluated Baek Suryong’s strength.

Although her voice was naturally unpleasant, she was also a master of Sound Arts, a highly specialized martial art. Just moments earlier, she had subtly infused her voice with inner qi to gauge Baek Suryong’s skill, but in all her years, no one had ever stayed so composed after hearing its effects.

Typically, the more skilled the individual, the more sensitive they were to external forces. The moment they heard the sound arts, their bodies and qi would react instinctively, a reflex to protect them. Even the most seasoned martial artists would flinch or scowl in response. Yet, Baek Suryong seemed entirely unaffected.

Either his qi sensitivity is duller than most, or he reacted before I even initiated my sound arts…

Suddenly, Baek Suryong snickered, “Was that sound arts? I’ve heard that it’s almost a lost art nowadays due to its inefficiency. You’ve mastered a rare skill.”

The old woman’s wrinkled face remained a mask of calm, but drops of cold sweat trickled down her back as she replied, “…Impressive.”

As Baek Suryong mentioned, the Sound Arts were indeed teetering on the edge of extinction. It was difficult to master and not very effective in battle, so few martial artists were inclined to learn it. However, since its subtle nature allowed it to be used covertly, the Rogues’ Guild decided to keep it alive, primarily by having courtesans learn it.

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Noticing the unasked question in the old woman’s eyes, Baek Suryong answered, “Well, I once knew a master of sound arts. Anyway, judging by your level of mastery, you must have trained for decades. Do you usually remain silent to preserve your voice?”

“…Enough with the idle talk. Shall we get down to business?” The old woman snapped, her demeanor changing dramatically as she strode briskly to the inn’s door, closed it, and pushed a table in front of it to prevent anyone from entering.

Turning around, she asked icily, “How did you know this place was a Rogues’ Guild branch? Did you come here knowing that to begin with?”

“No, I didn’t realize it at first,” Baek Suryong replied, glancing slowly around the interior of the inn. “It’s just that… considering that this inn is run by an old woman who can barely walk, it’s surprisingly clean and well maintained despite looking like it’s on the verge of collapse. Something felt off.”

“…Just that?”

“Of course, there was more. The moment you saw me, your pupils dilated slightly. Also, the noodles in that filthy, tasteless soup were remarkably uniform in thickness and length. It made me wonder if you’ve been trained in martial arts.”

“……”

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Still smiling leisurely, Baek Suryong continued, “An old woman who runs an inn and is both mute and deaf? That’s the perfect setting to discuss secret matters without worrying about leaks. However, if said old woman has been secretly practicing martial arts, then the likelihood that she’s neither mute nor deaf is very high…”

The old woman’s expression hardened.

Noticing her growing concern, Baek Suryong’s grin widened. “Why would an old woman pretend to be deaf and mute? To eavesdrop on private conversations, of course. In that case, there was a good chance that this place was a secret branch of the Rogues’ Guild. As for confirmation, well, you’ve just confirmed it yourself.”

“…Hah!”

In less than an hour, Baek Suryong had used his keen intuition and unparalleled powers of observation to deduce the old woman’s true identity, which she had kept hidden from everyone, even her closest associates, for more than a decade.

“I feel like I’ve seen a ghost,” she quipped.

“Here’s a suggestion. If the floor is poorly constructed, it will make a suspicious sound when one walks over it,” Baek Suryong said, stomping lightly with his foot and causing a hollow sound to echo from underneath the floor.

“I’m pretty sure there’s a secret passage leading to the Rogues’ Guild headquarters under here. You probably want to be more careful in the future. Though, I doubt you’ll run into someone like me again.” Baek Suryong shrugged nonchalantly.

“……” The old woman’s face paled, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead. There was indeed a secret passage under the inn that led to the Nanchang headquarters of the Rogues’ Guild.

Although knowing about the passage doesn’t mean he can reach Headquarters…I’m not so sure about this guy.

The passage was filled with traps and mechanisms designed to repel any intruders, and even the most skilled martial artists would struggle to survive if they entered recklessly. However, Baek Suryong gave her the strange feeling that he possessed many unusual skills.

Baek Suryong asked, “Anything else you’re curious about?”

“……”

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Now that I’ve perfectly outmaneuvered the Rogues’ Guild, it’s time to get to the point, Baek Suryong thought, saying, “I don’t think there’s any need for me to introduce myself, right? I seem to have become quite famous without even realizing it.”

The old woman nodded weakly. “…No. You can only be Baek Suryong.”

Right now, Baek Suryong was one of the most talked about names within the intelligence community. Ever since he became an instructor at Azure Dragon Academy, everything he had done had been nothing short of extraordinary. As such, the old woman had already memorized Baek Suryong’s facial characteristics and recognized him the moment he entered with Cheong Cheon, though she never expected him to have such excellent insight.

“They say a hidden dragon has awakened at the Azure Dragon Academy…and it seems that was no exaggeration,” she added.

Baek Suryong’s lips twitched. “A hidden dragon? You mean me?”

“Yes. That’s what they’re calling you these days. It hasn’t spread widely yet, though.”

Baek Suryong winced, annoyed by the nickname others would envy. “Ugh, I hate cringey nicknames… Anyway, I want information and cooperation from the Rogues’ Guild.”

“…Let’s hear it,” the old woman said. Even though the word ‘cooperation’ weighed on her mind, she decided to hear Baek Suryong out first to show that she was serious about taking him as a client.

“You heard what I discussed with Cheong Cheon earlier, right? First, I need information on the Scarlet Tiger Gang, the Great Bear Gang, and the Ironhead Sect.”

The old woman nodded, having expected as much. “As long as you pay the right price, I’ll provide it.”

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However, what came next was a rather perplexing request.

“I also need information on every single person living in the slums. Courtesans, ruffians, coachmen, waiters, beggars, criminals hiding from the law—everyone.”

“…What exactly are you planning?” the old woman asked, her expression grim.

Baek Suryong grinned widely. “I plan to make the entire slum my territory.”

“…What?”

“I’m going to form a sect. I’ll merge the Scarlet Tiger Gang, the Great Bear Gang, and the Ironhead Sect into one, and manage this place far more efficiently than it is now.”

“……” After a brief silence, the old woman’s eyes, which had once held a glimmer of admiration for Baek Suryong, now blazed with fierce hostility. With icy disdain, she sharply commanded, “Get out. You’re just like the rest of them. Another orthodox sect hypocrite, eager to bleed the poor dry like leeches. To think they called a bastard like you a hidden dragon!”

“Wait, hold on, it’s not like that…” Baek Suryong began, trying to explain.

Unfortunately, the old woman cut him off, her anger flaring as she yelled, “If you want to kill me, go ahead and try. But you’ll never get what you want. Even if you storm the Rogues’ Guild headquarters, it’ll be the same!”

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The Rogues’ Guild started out as a gathering of society’s outcasts. Courtesans, coachmen, waiters, the falsely accused, and laborers barely earning enough to eat joined forces to survive, sharing information and resources. Finally, when the coalition became widespread enough, the Rogues’ Guild was established.

Since it was formed by those at the bottom, however, it inevitably attracted some of the rougher, more unscrupulous types, which led the orthodox sects to label the Rogues’ Guild as unorthodox and shun them as immoral and corrupt. Despite this, the hypocrites came to the Rogues’ Guild whenever they needed information covertly.

It was no surprise that the Guild had no love for them.

“People like you are the worst,” the old woman spat, glaring at Baek Suryong with murderous intent. If she could, she would have killed him right then and there.

Baek Suryong looked at her with a perplexed expression. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” he said.

“Misunderstanding? Do you think this is the first time I’ve seen someone like you? Scoundrels who prey on those less educated and weaker than themselves! People who have thousands, even tens of thousands, of privileges, but can’t rest until they’ve stolen everything from others! One day, divine punishment will…”

“Haa…” Baek Suryong sighed deeply and raised his hands. “That’s enough. Calm down.”

CLAP!

Stars exploded before the old woman’s eyes. Baek Suryong had clapped his hands together right in front of her face, channeling his inner qi into the action.1

Startled, the old woman stumbled backward and fell on her butt, thinking she had been attacked.

Baek Suryong moved in front of her, clicking his tongue. “Are you going to grow old waiting for some non-existent divine punishment, whining your whole life? Why not try doing something instead?”

“What?” The old woman looked up at Baek Suryong, stunned.

His expression, which had been playful just moments ago, was now deadly serious.

“The Scarlet Tiger Gang. The Great Bear Gang. It’s impossible to wipe out trash like that. No matter how many you kill, new ones will just keep popping up. This place is like that. It’s only natural for rats to come out of the sewers. That’s why, it’s better to gather them all in one place and manage them. And that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

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“What kind of nonsense…”

“To you, I might look the same as those scum. But if they’re the worst, then I’m the lesser evil. I’m not interested in the few pennies the poor have.”

Perhaps one day, the local economy would develop and things would turn around, but that was likely many years away. Baek Suryong’s real reason for wanting to take control of the unorthodox sects in the slums was something else entirely.

If a day ever comes when I have to fight the Blood Cult…

The students of the Azure Dragon Academy were, after all, just students. Each one was exceptionally talented, with a high chance of becoming great masters in the future, but that didn’t mean Baek Suryong could order them around.

I need loyal subordinates who can move at my command.

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Recently, he had learned a lot about the current Blood Cult through the Smiling Grim Reaper. The infiltration of the Blood Dragon into the Heavenly Martial Academy could only mean that the Cult had already amassed considerable power, so he had to prepare for an eventual clash with them.

“I’ll kill those who are beyond saving and work the others to the bone. Maybe then, this place will be more peaceful than before.”

“……” The old woman narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Baek Suryong as if trying to gauge the truth behind his words. “That sounds convincing enough, but… how am I supposed to trust you?”

“Don’t trust me. How could you trust someone you’ve just met? That’s ridiculous.”

“Ha! Then what the hell am I supposed to…”

“Trust Cheong Cheon instead,” Baek Suryong interrupted.

“……”

“Do you think Cheong Cheon is the type to exploit the poor?”

The old woman didn’t need to think twice. She shook her head, saying, “Cheong Cheon… he’s a good child.”

She remembered Cheong Cheon as a young boy. Despite his frail body, he studied all night, determined to become a constable. As such, he was barely able to eat properly, and became so thin that he looked malnourished. Even when she offered him free noodles, he stubbornly refused, saying he wouldn’t take anything without paying for it. Yet whenever he had money, he’d eat twice as much without complaining, devouring the foul noodles with a tenacity that impressed her.

In the end, Cheong Cheon was one of the few who had risen from the slums through sheer determination. To the old woman who had lived here for decades, he was like one of her own children.

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Baek Suryong added, “If I ever tried to exploit the people here, Cheong Cheon would probably try to kill me.”

“Heh. Yes, he probably would,” The old woman chuckled.

Baek Suryong extended a hand to her, who was still lying on the floor. “So, what do you think? Care to consider my proposal?”

The old woman looked at Baek Suryong’s hand for a long time, then she took it and let him help her to get up. “…Fine. I’ll trust Cheong Cheon’s judgment.”

“Wise choice.”

“Wait here. I’ll bring the information on those sects you mentioned. The rest isn’t urgent, so I’ll prepare it later.”

Baek Suryong tilted his head in surprise. “Don’t you need to report this to your superiors? It doesn’t seem like something you can decide on your own.”

“Heh. Don’t worry, I’ve got enough authority for that.”

Although Baek Suryong didn’t know it, the old woman was one of the top three most influential figures in the Rogues’ Guild’s Nanchang branch. Moreover, she was the highest authority in the slums.

A short while later, she returned with a thick stack of documents. “Here it is. Some of it’s a bit outdated, so if you have any questions, just ask,” she said.

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Baek Suryong sat down and began reading through the materials she brought. Before long, the night grew late, and outside the inn’s closed windows, a hazy moon cast its light.

With a soft thud, Baek Suryong shut the last notebook.

“Looks like Cheoldu is the best man for the job,” he concluded.

1. This is a distraction technique used in sumo wrestling called Nekodamashi, where a wrestler claps his hands in front of his opponent’s face, causing him to blink. ↩

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