Star Instructor, Master Baek

Chapter 305: To Catch a Rat (1)

TL: FoodieMonster007

"Have you heard about the Lightning Dragon Hero?"

"A new star has risen in the murim!"

"The Azure Dragon Hero acknowledged him as a worthy rival, and the Jaegal Patriarch personally came out to greet him!"

"I saw him in person… His appearance was otherworldly…"

Rumors spread like wildfire on the streets, in the taverns, wherever people gathered. It was no exaggeration to say that the entire city was now buzzing with stories about the Lightning Dragon Hero.

"Is the Lightning Dragon Hero truly that strong?"

"I won't believe it until I see it with my own eyes!"

"Hoho. This old man will personally test how sharp the Lightning Dragon Hero's sword is and treasure it as a lesson."

Wuhan was a city where countless martial artists passed through every day. Among them were those desperate for fame, those seeking enlightenment through bouts with powerful opponents, and those who were simply obsessed with martial arts.

The appearance of a new star was more than enough to ignite their competitive spirits.

""I challenge you, Lightning Dragon Hero!""

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As such, numerous experts sought out the Lightning Dragon Hero, determined to challenge him.

"Pfft…" Baek Suryong, the man responsible for all of Namgung Su's current troubles, giggled as he strolled leisurely down the street.

Have a taste of your own medicine! Muhahaha!

Just like he had at the White Dragon Manor, Namgung Su would now have to constantly prove his worth by facing endless challengers.

All I did was give him a chance to get used to his changed body and refine his skills. I have no intention of harassing or tormenting that prick at all. Nope, none at all.

Baek Suryong smirked, telling himself that Namgung Su's sacrifice was all for the sake of the Azure Dragon Academy. After all, if the Star Instructor's fame grew, so would the prestige of the Azure Dragon Academy, right?

What a perfect plan! With this, I've killed two birds with one stone… no, I've conveniently trapped the fish in the net while catching the shrimp.

Indeed, the reason he couldn't stop humming to himself was purely because the weather was nice.

"Hmm hmm hmm~"

This time, as Baek Suryong casually walked through the streets, no one gave him a second glance. When he first entered the city with his companions, he had no choice but to show his face, but now that he was alone, he could simply alter his face using disguise techniques.

I'll just take care of my business and leave immediately.

Although both the Murim Alliance and the Heavenly Martial Academy were located in Wuhan, he had no intention of visiting either institution. The Heavenly Martial Academy, just like the Azure Dragon Academy, was closed for summer vacation, so there was nothing worth seeing there, and the Murim Alliance Chairman was absent on his school visiting tour.

One of the five commanders is probably acting as the chairman's proxy, but…

Baek Suryong looked at the Murim Alliance HQ in the distance. His official title was Murim Alliance Chief Instructor, a position on par with the five commanders, but if he showed up at the Murim Alliance now, he didn't think he would receive a warm welcome.

To the commanders, I must seem like an outsider who suddenly barged in.

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They would undoubtedly see him as a thorn in their side, and he had no desire to get involved in their internal politics.

If I stir up trouble now, it could also put the Chairman in an uncomfortable position later.

Of course, considering how Yayul Hwang had sabotaged him right before running away, causing the old man some trouble didn't seem like a bad idea… but in the end, he simply wasn't interested.

Baek Suryong made his way toward the outskirts of the city.

No matter how big and prosperous a city was, there were always slums, and Wuhan was no exception. Beggars swarmed around the ruins of collapsed buildings, their bodies covered in filth. The stench wafting through the air was strong enough to carry for miles.

Pinching his nose, he muttered, "Judging by the smell… this looks like the right place."

【Beggars' Gang (Wuhan Branch)】

The signboard was so worn that it looked like it would fall off at any moment, but the letters were written with bold and powerful strokes.

Baek Suryong sealed away his sense of smell and approached the beggars.

"Who are you?" one of them asked, lazily sauntering up to him.

Baek Suryong could immediately tell that the man had trained in martial arts.

The reason why the Beggars' Gang was considered the "gang" of the Nine Sects One Gang wasn't just because of their numbers, but because their strength was truly on par with the other top orthodox sects. The only reason they were beggars was simply because they were so obsessed with martial arts that they didn't care about being jobless and homeless.

"I'm here to see the Branch Manager," Baek Suryong greeted politely, clasping his hands together.

"…And who might you be?" the beggar asked again, scrutinizing Baek Suryong's face.

Failing to recognize him, he immediately looked around, but the other beggars shook their heads. They didn't recognize him either.

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A stranger so casually asking for the Branch Manager? He's either a foreigner or a man in disguise.

Narrowing his eyes, the beggar asked, "Are you wearing a disguise?"

He's already figured it out? As expected of the Beggars' Gang. Baek Suryong nodded. "I used a bone contortion technique. If my real face became known, it would cause unnecessary trouble, but I was referred here by someone you know, so you needn't worry about my identity."

"…Did you schedule an appointment beforehand?" the beggar asked, looking even more suspiciously at Baek Suryong.

"I didn't, but I was told that someone would gladly meet me if I showed you this," Baek Suryong replied, pulling an old piece of paper out of his shirt pocket and handing it over.

The paper itself wasn't anything special, but when the beggar saw the signature on it, his eyes widened. "This is… a letter of introduction from the Jiangxi Branch Manager, Wang Son?"

The beggar carefully read the contents of the letter, and his expression soon changed from cautious to jaw-droppingly stupefied.

"Y-You… are you really…?"

"Do you understand now why I used a disguise?" Baek Suryong cut in.

The beggar swallowed hard and nodded. If this man really was the famous Azure Dragon Hero, then it made perfect sense why he had come in disguise. After all, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the entire city was hunting for the Azure Dragon Hero.

"…Please wait here for a moment. I'll go report this inside," he said meekly.

Baek Suryong sighed. This is why fame is important for a martial artist…

As he waited, he took a moment to observe his surroundings. Ever since he had entered this place, something about it kept bothering him.

Has the Beggars' Gang always been this tense?

Although the beggars around him seemed to be idly sitting or lying down, the atmosphere was as tense as a battlefield.

They must have figured out who I am by now, so why are they still so wary of me? If anything, it seems like they're ready to attack me at the slightest provocation.

WOONG!

Expanding his senses, Baek Suryong noticed that each of the beggars' positions were carefully calculated to create a formation. If this formation was activated, their qi would immediately resonate in synergy, and escaping would be no easy task even for him.

He blinked in surprise. Did something happen recently?

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At that moment, a man walked out from the ruined house.

Baek Suryong stared in shock. The man looked almost identical to Wang Son, the Jiangxi Branch Manager. He had the same small eyes, large nostrils, and a somewhat vague expression.

There was only one difference. Not only did this man have feet twice the size and thickness of normal human feet, he was also barefoot, revealing that the feet were as hairy as a gorilla's.

This guy… Could his name be…

"Greetings, I am the Wuhan Branch Manager, Wang Bal."1

"Cough! Ahem!" Baek Suryong involuntarily cleared his throat to hide a chuckle. I knew it! His name is so predictable!

"I'm Baek Suryong," he added, straightening himself and canceling his disguise art. Since his identity was already revealed, continuing to hide his face would be disrespectful.

Wang Bal smiled faintly. "It's an honor to meet the Azure Dragon Hero, whom I've only heard about in rumors."

"Thank you," Baek Suryong said, nodding curtly. He wasn't one to act overly humble, so he easily accepted the flattery.

"……"

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For a moment, a strange tension lingered in the air as both men carefully observed the other.

"So, what brings you to our branch…?" Wang Bal asked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Information, of course," Baek Suryong replied directly, intending to gather information on the Ice Palace's latest movements.

Although he could visit the Shaanxi branch of the Beggars' Gang, he felt that since the Wuhan branch was where most of the world's information converged, the quality of the information here was likely superior.

However, Wang Bal furrowed his brows. "I apologize, but our branch is currently unable to receive guests. Would it be alright if we talk here instead?"

Baek Suryong was taken aback, but he nodded without hesitation. He wasn't particularly eager to enter a beggar's den anyway. "I don't mind," he said.

"Very well. What sort of information are you looking for?"

"First, the recent movements of the Ice Palace and…"

Their conversation was short and to the point. It was obvious that Wang Bal didn't want to prolong it.

Baek Suryong's eyes flashed. His eyes are slightly bloodshot, and his gaze is anxious and restless. He's trying to hide it, but he hasn't been sleeping well lately.

There was no fooling his eyes. Something was clearly up with the Beggars' Gang.

"I understand. If you provide the name and address of the inn where you're staying, I will have the information compiled and sent to you before the day is over."

"Thank you," Baek Suryong said casually, pretending not to notice anything strange. As long as he got the information he wanted, whatever problem the Beggars' Gang had was their business. "Then, I'll take my leave."

Clasping his hands in farewell, he turned to leave.

STEP, STEP, STEP, STEP, STEP…

just as he took his fifth step, Wang Bal called out to him, "By any chance… do you know anything about poison arts?"

Baek Suryong glanced back. "Poison arts?"

"Little Beggar!" one of the old beggars, who had been forming the core of the formation, shouted.

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Baek Suryong's eyes gleamed, his interest perked. The Little Beggar was a title given only to the next Gang Leader of the Beggars' Gang.

No wonder he looks strong.

Baek Suryong still didn't know why Wang Bal had called out of him, but if he could earn the man's favor, it would be a good investment.

That said, he had no intention of lying.

"I wouldn't call myself an expert, but I do have enough knowledge to detoxify most poisons and counter poison arts," he replied honestly.

Wang Bal smiled. "You're honest."

"I don't want to set false expectations."

Wang Bal hesitated for a moment, then said, "…We have a patient who was poisoned. Could you take a look at them?"

"It's not a difficult request, but…"

"Little Beggar! What do you think you're doing?" the old beggar shouted, interrupting Wang Bal again. "How can you act so recklessly without any proof that he's really the Azure Dragon Hero?"

"If you don't believe me, Elder, then verify it yourself."

"What?!"

Wang Bal glared at the interfering Elder in exasperation. "You'll know once you fight him, right? Even if the Azure Dragon Hero is the lowest ranked of the Ten Supremes, I doubt it would take him more than ten seconds to put a mere Beggars' Gang Elder in his place."

"Y-You insolent…!"

"Do you really think I wouldn't recognize my own brother's handwriting and signature?" Wang Bal argued, holding up Wang Son's recommendation letter.

Baek Suryong's eyes widened slightly. So they're brothers. That explains the resemblance.

"There's always the possibility of forgery! In a situation like this, letting an outsider in so carelessly is…"

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FWOOSH!

"That's enough," the Little Beggar said firmly, releasing an overwhelming aura laced with killing intent. "Since Master is absent, that makes me the one in charge. If you question me again, I'll treat it as insubordination and break your legs."

"……" The elder gritted his teeth but kept his mouth shut.

Even though the other beggars looked displeased, they too remained silent.

He's got quite the temperament, Baek Suryong mused, finding Wang Bal intriguing. Not only was his bold personality refreshing, his decisive judgment and firm leadership were admirable.

Unlike a certain someone from the Namgung Clan, who only plots revenge while pretending to repay his debts, Wang Bal would probably repay a favor several times over.

Wang Bal looked at Baek Suryong sheepishly. "I apologize for showing you such disgraceful behavior."

"Hmph!" The elder, still filled with resentment, glared at Wang Bal one last time before disappearing into the crowd of beggars.

Baek Suryong watched him go, then turned back to Wang Bal. From the atmosphere and the conversation earlier, he had already figured out what was going on within the Beggars' Gang.

"Where's the patient?" he asked.

"…Follow me."

The beggars forming the defensive formation stepped aside to allow Baek Suryong to enter the ruined house.

"Has someone important in the Beggars' Gang been struck by poison arts?"

"Yes." Wang Bal nodded, remembering the incredible stories about the Azure Dragon Hero.

First, he had infiltrated the Valley of Evil with only a group of young students, killed the Bloody Ripper, and brought down the Valley of Evil.

After that, he was the first person to notice the anomaly in the Namgung Clan. Had it not been for him, the Namgung Clan would have been wiped out.

Finally, he had even convinced the chairman of the Murim Alliance, who had come to subjugate the Azure Dragon Academy, to form an alliance with terms that were overwhelmingly favorable to the Academy.

If martial arts were all he had, these feats would have been impossible. The Azure Dragon Hero has something more. Maybe, just maybe…

Right now, Wang Bal was so desperate that he was willing to take a risk and grasp at straws.

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"We're here," he said, guiding Baek Suryong into a room permeated with the bitter scent of medicine. "And this person is… my master."

Baek Suryong's eyes widened. A deathly pale old man lay unconscious on the bed. If he was Little Beggar's master, then this frail old man was the Gang Leader of the Beggars' Gang.

Seriously?

The Gang Leader's body was covered in golden acupuncture needles, but his chest was completely blackened and his skin necrotic.

Just as Wang Bal said, this is the work of poison arts.

"A few days ago, he was attacked by an unknown assailant. The culprit is…" Wang Bal hesitated, and his voice trailed off.

There was no need for him to finish his sentence. The moment Baek Suryong examined the old man's wounds, he already knew who had done this.

"…The Blood Cult," he muttered, his expression hardening.

1. Bal means "foot" lol. ↩