TL: FoodieMonster007
“After what you and your students have done, the Scarlet Tiger Boss will not sit still,” the old woman said in a raspy voice.
“Hmm?” Baek Suryong glanced up from his work, briefly meeting her eyes. Lately, he had holed himself up in the inn, relying solely on it for food and shelter.
The old woman placed a fresh bowl of somyeon in front of Baek Suryong and took a seat across the table. “Overnight, the Underboss and most of the Scarlet Tiger lieutenants were slaughtered. Some of them were even disciples of the Scarlet Tiger Boss, trained by the man himself… Hey! Even if you’re busy, you need to remember to eat!” she nagged.
Baek Suryong took a bite of the noodles, then quietly set his chopsticks down. “…Yuck.”
The old woman’s eyes narrowed, and she reached out to take the bowl away. “Yuck? Is that how you thank me after I went through the trouble of making this because I thought you’d be hungry? Hmph, if you don’t like it, then don’t eat it.”
Baek Suryong raised a hand to stop her. “Leave it. I’ll take a bite when I feel sleepy. Your somyeon’s perfect for staying awake.”
“You cheeky brat,” the old woman grumbled, then sighed, her expression darkening. “Anyway, what are you going to do now? You’ve made an enemy of the Scarlet Tiger Gang. That will force the boss to come out of his seclusion training soon.”
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“Does he care enough about his disciples to seek revenge for their deaths right away?”“Not quite,” she said, her voice growing quieter. “But… he kills anyone who displeases him. Forces them to bow to his strength. Takes what he wants from the weak without a second thought.”
“So, just another run-of-the-mill homicidal maniac?”
“R-Run-of-the-mill homicidal maniac?”
Baek Suryong nodded casually, unperturbed. He’d seen a lot of bloodthirsty lunatics during his time in the Blood Cult. No matter how savage the Scarlet Tiger Boss was, it wouldn’t surprise him.
Still, I’m curious about his martial arts.
Although Cheong Cheon and the old woman had only seen the man a handful of times, it was surprising that they both agreed his martial arts skills were extraordinary.
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The old woman continued, “About a year ago, he took the gang by storm, killing the previous boss in just three moves. He’s been their leader ever since. Even in the unorthodox sects, something like that should’ve caused a lot of friction, but he silenced all dissent with sheer strength.”
“Three moves?”
Now Baek Suryong’s interest was truly piqued. The Underboss whom Dokgo Jun killed was a first-rate expert. That means the former boss must’ve been even stronger, and yet he fell in three moves? The new boss must be one of the top-tier peak masters. Of course, one’s combat prowess will vary depending on the compatibility of both parties’ martial arts and the circumstances… but it’s always wise to assume the worst.
“Yes, though he hasn’t shown his face much since then. From what I’ve heard, he’s obsessed with martial arts training and has no interest in women or alcohol. He even has his men extort more money from the people so that they can buy up all the elixirs in the shops,” the old woman lamented.
“With that kind of dedication, I’ll bet there’s a story behind it. Has the Rogues’ Guild dug up any info on his past?”
The old woman shook her head. “I requested a thorough investigation, but nothing came up. Either he was a hermit who came down from the mountains, or he’s been wearing a disguise for the past year.”
“At the very least, he’s had to interact with someone, right? He’s not a monk or an ascetic, surely he’s been to a bar or two.”
“He did, but when we dug deeper, some of our members were badly injured.” The old woman’s face darkened with anger. Several members of the Rogues’ Guild had been crippled by the Scarlet Tiger Boss, who was as brutal as he was cunning.
Grinding her teeth, she continued, “He’s smart enough not to get his hands dirty himself, too. The ones who die or get maimed are always people from the slums, the kind no one cares about. People you can kill without consequence, even if word of it reaches the authorities or the Murim Alliance.”
“Hm…” Baek Suryong frowned slightly, but remained calm. Unlike the students from the Azure Dragon Academy, who would’ve been outraged to hear this, he kept his focus on figuring out how to exploit the situation to his advantage.
“He definitely sounds like trouble… After all, with skills like that, who in their right mind would hide out in a slum?” he asked rhetorically.
“You should warn your students not to go anywhere near the Scarlet Tiger Gang. They might get seriously hurt or even killed.”
Baek Suryong nodded. “Yeah, I’ll do that for now.”
Since he’d allied himself with the Rogues’ Guild, he wasn’t about to ignore the old woman’s advice, but ideas were already beginning to form in his mind.
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The Scarlet Tiger Gang isn’t the only one in the slums that needs to be dealt with.
“What about the Great Bear Gang?” he asked.
The old woman scoffed with disdain, all signs of her anxiety fading away. “Hmph. Ever since your Azure Dragon Academy students started showing up, those cowards have barely left their hideout. They’re no bears, they’re foxes and rats. Three of them, to be precise.”
“Three?”
“The Mighty Bear Trio: Mighty Blade, Mighty Spear, and Mighty Staff. Ridiculous aliases for ridiculous men,” she snorted. “They’re just waiting for you to weaken the Scarlet Tiger Gang, and once they judge that the time is ripe, they’ll swoop in and devour the scraps.”
“Hmm…”
The Great Bear Gang stood apart from the Scarlet Tiger Gang and the Ironhead Sect. Comprised of retired freelancers, it boasted eight official members, each with their own small group of underlings or disciples. While the underlings managed the slum operations, the ex-freelancers spent their time in their hideout, gambling, or frequenting brothels.
The old woman said, “Ever since your students beat up a few of their lackeys, the rest have stopped showing their faces.”
“No wonder the other patrol groups didn’t have much to report…” Baek Suryong muttered, tapping his fingers on the table.
Although he had focused on Dokgo Jun, he hadn’t stopped monitoring his other students’ exploits. The old woman’s observation was indeed spot on. After the initial influx, he hadn’t received any noteworthy updates at all from those patrolling the Great Bear Gang’s territory.
They need real fights if they’re going to grow. Cannon fodder won’t cut it.
Gathering his thoughts, he asked, “So, the Mighty Bear Trio… Do they not have any plans to take over the slums?”
“Of course they do, but the Scarlet Tiger Boss’s the reason they haven’t made a move. They don’t want to die.”
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If not for the Scarlet Tiger Boss, huh… Baek Suryong looked down at his now-soggy somyeon, mulling over the old woman’s words.
She sighed, “You won’t see them unless you go to their hideout. Those cowards won’t move unless they know they’re going to win.”
“So they’ll take action if they feel confident?”
“I’d say so.”
An idea sparked in Baek Suryong’s mind. “‘Granny, do you think the Great Bear Gang has heard about the deaths of the Underboss and the others last night?”
“They should’ve by now. Rumors spread fast in the slums. Why?”
A mischievous grin spread across Baek Suryong’s lips. “They’re waiting for scraps to fall their way, right? Then let’s bait the hook to catch the fish. Give those greedy scavengers something to pounce on.”
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“What are you planning?”
“To begin, we’ll spread a little rumor about what happened last night.”
As one of the most renowned information networks in the murim, the Rogues’ Guild naturally had an edge when it came to manipulating information.
The old woman leaned in, intrigued. “Tell me more.”
Baek Suryong whispered his plan into her ear.
When he finished, the old woman gaped at him. “What?”
“You don’t need me to repeat it, do you?”
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“…What if things go wrong?”
Baek Suryong smirked. “We’re going to turn the slums upside down anyway. Why not go all out?”
“Ugh…” The old woman thought for a moment, then sighed, “Thanks to you, I’m going to die early.”
“…Is that a no?”
A playful smile creased the old woman’s wrinkled face. “If I’m going to die, I might as well die having some fun. Alright, I’ll make sure that rumor reaches the Mighty Bear Trio’s ears by the end of the day.”
“Hyung-nim!”
Spotting his younger brother sprinting toward him, belly swaying comically with each step, Mighty Blade, the eldest of the Mighty Bear Trio, clicked his tongue in disapproval. “Tsk tsk, how disgraceful. A man past forty scampering about like a little boy, with not a shred of dignity.”
Mighty Spear, the middle brother, nodded in agreement. “That punk just never changes, does he?”
“Hyung-nim! My dignity is the last thing you should be concerned about right now!” Mighty Staff, the youngest, gasped excitedly. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he then blurted out, “Did you hear? Last night, the underboss of the Scarlet Tiger Gang was killed!”
“We’ve heard. Is that what’s got you in such a frenzy?”
“Pathetic. How are you always the last to know…”
“But there’s more!” Mighty Staff raised his voice, silencing his brothers. Leaning in closer, he whispered, “Want to know who did it?”
The brothers who had been slouching in their seats sat bolt upright, their interest piqued by the excitement in Mighty Staff’s tone. From experience, they knew that this little brother would never act like this over something trivial.
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“Some self-righteous brat from the Azure Dragon Academy? Or a teacher?”
“Who else in this city can pull that off? Unless it was an outsider?”
“I heard from a trusted source…” Mighty Staff paused for dramatic effect, ensuring he had his brothers’ full attention. Only when they finally started looking impatient, he continued, “…That it was a Mysterious Master.”
“Nonsense.”
“It’s not even noon yet, and you’re already drunk?”
Mighty Staff thumped his chest in frustration. “Just listen! Why do you think the Azure Dragon Academy suddenly began meddling in the slums?”
“Well…”
“Isn’t poking their noses into other people’s business the favorite pastime of those orthodox bastards?”
Mighty Staff sighed, exasperated. “They were acting on the orders of the Mysterious Master. It was a ploy to draw out the Scarlet Tiger Boss,” he explained.
“What for?”
“To take him down, obviously. He was there that night too.”
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Both elder brothers stiffened. Although retired and enjoying a relaxed existence, the trio were not strangers to the undercurrents of their former life. Their expressions darkened with the weight of the news.
Mighty Blade, always the sharp one, pressed, “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. Our informant in the Rogues’ Guild confirmed it.”
The mention of their informant lent weight to the claim.
Mighty Staff further elaborated, “The Mysterious Master clashed with the Scarlet Tiger Boss, but when the tables turned against him, he fled. The Scarlet Tiger Boss, too, then retreated, having sustained internal injuries.”
“The Scarlet Tiger Boss is injured? That brute?”
“Yes, and I heard that the injuries are severe.”
Mighty Blade pondered for a short while, weighing his options. When he came to a decision, he drew upon his deep reserves of inner qi, bellowing, “Brothers! Gather round!”
Hearing their leader’s voice thunder across the estate, moments later, five former freelancers sauntered into the courtyard.
“What’s the fuss?”
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“We were just enjoying ourselves…”
Though their current interests lay more in leisure than combat, the intensity in their gaze was undiminished.
Surveying the group, Mighty Blade smiled wryly. “An opportunity to take over the Scarlet Tiger Gang has presented itself. I could use your help.”
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