Star Instructor, Master Baek

TL: FoodieMonster007

THUNK!

Wang Bal dropped a thick book onto the table with a dull sound. Brushing the dust off its cover, he said, "This is the Murim Alliance personnel roster."

"There's more information here than I expected," Baek Suryong remarked as he opened the cover of the thick volume. The first page contained not only the name of the Murim Alliance Chairman, but also Yayul Hwang's background and other personal details.

"Yes, we strive to collect the names, addresses, martial arts, family backgrounds, and past histories of every martial artist affiliated with the Murim Alliance, as well as their close associates," Wang Bal explained.

"I see…"

Baek Suryong studied the roster's contents with interest. As a member of the Ten Supremes and the Murim Alliance Chairman, Yayul Hwang's entry was particularly extensive and detailed.

Wang Bal whispered, "You must forget everything you read once this is over."

"Of course."

He still seems uneasy. Sensing the Little Beggar's nervousness, Baek Suryong decided to ease his concerns a little. "The Alliance probably knows about the existence of such a roster, and I wouldn't be surprised if they collected similar information on the members of the Nine Sects One Gang too."

"…Have you seen it yourself?"

"No, but do I need to? Every prominent sect and clan has their own intelligence organization. Of course, the Beggars' Gang's version is undoubtedly the most detailed. Wait, why am I explaining this to you? Aren't you supposed to be the expert here?"

"……" Wang Bal was stunned speechless by Baek Suryong's logic.

Baek Suryong blinked in confusion. He thought what he said was obvious. Even the Blood Cult kept a log of key figures in the murim, because as the saying went, 'if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.'

While the Nine Sects One Gang were not outright enemies, they were undoubtedly competitors vying for dominance over the murim. Among them, the Beggars' Gang was the largest intelligence organization of the orthodox sects.1

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That was why Baek Suryong had demanded the Murim Alliance personnel roster from Wang Bal.

Still, this is even more detailed than I imagined.

Although this was not the original reason why the Beggar's Gang created such a document, depending on how the personnel roster he was reading now was used, it could be used to blackmail an opponent or destroy them completely.

In the end, it depends on how you use it.

Baek Suryong grinned and quickly flipped through the book, which was conveniently organized by rank. After the Chairman, the next section contained the personal details of the Five Commanders. While their personal records were not as extensive as those of the Chairman, they still contained information that would not be easy to find elsewhere.

Baek Suryong closed the book and handed it back to Wang Bal. "I've finished reading."

"…Already?"

"I don't need to read everything. I only checked the details of the Five Commanders and the captains and lieutenants under them."

The rat had used the Poison Demon's Mortal Venom on the Beggars' Gang Chief, which indicated at least a certain degree of martial prowess. Plus, in order to access important information about the Murim Alliance, they would need to be at least a lieutenant or higher, so there was no need to check those below that level for now.

The most suspicious person is… the one who wields the most power in the Chairman's absence, or someone close to that person.

"Among the Five Commanders, who is currently staying in the Murim Alliance?"

"…The Elimination Corps Commander and the Heavenly Justice Commander," Wang Bal replied, his expression hardening.

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In the Murim Alliance Chairman's office, one of the Five Commanders was taking care of the Chairman's duties in his absence.

"Yaaaawn… Why the hell do I have to act as the Chairman's proxy in his absence?" the Elimination Corps Commander Ryu Seol complained as she stretched and let out a long yawn.

Even though the unorthodox martial artists feared her and called her the One-Eyed Demon Blade, right now, her feet were propped up on the table and her half-lidded eyes were dazed with sleep. She squirmed around restlessly, as if her body was itching, with movements as flexible as a cat's. Her jet black uniform was fitted snugly, just loose enough to be comfortable, and two sleek black Dao hung from her waist.

Sitting across from Ryu Seol, buried in a pile of documents, the Vice Commander of the Elimination Corps Moyong Jun raised his head and protested, "…Why? Because you're the only one among the Commanders who doesn't give a rat's ass about the Chairman's seat. Also, since I'm the one actually doing all the work, why the hell are you so tired?"

Both Ryu Seol and Moyong Jun appeared to be in their mid-to-late twenties, or at most early thirties, but in reality, they were more than a decade older than they looked.

In response to her second-in-command's nagging, Ryu Seol picked her ear and grumbled, "What makes you think I'm not working, huh? Do you have any idea how heavy the responsibilities I carry are? No, of course you don't. A lowly Vice Commander wouldn't have a clue."

"…With a commander like you, it's no wonder our Elimination Corps has the worst reputation among the five corps."

The Heavenly Justice Corps, the Ironblood Corps, the Righteous Corps, the Divine Sword Corps, and the Elimination Corps were the five major military units of the Murim Alliance. At major murim events, the Five Commanders received the same treatment as the sect leaders of the Nine Sects One Gang, but of course that didn't mean that they were actually on equal footing.

Each commander was a master of the Nine Sects One Gang or the Five Great Clans, and each of them had considerable authority, but the Elimination Corps was different. Unlike the other corps, the Elimination Corps had few members from the Nine Sects One Gang or the Five Great Clans, and those who did hail from those places were usually outcasts. Some members were even freelancers or former unorthodox sect warriors who had defected to the Murim Alliance.

For that reason, the Elimination Corps wasn't well respected among the five major corps. To put it simply, they were the black sheep of the bunch.

Additionally, even though Ryu Seol, the commander of this troublesome, much-maligned corps, was a woman who had repeatedly proven the value of the Elimination Corps through her sheer skill, that was only on the battlefield. When it came to other duties, such as the one she was doing now, she couldn't care less.

"This is boring and annoying. How does that old man put up with this crap every day? He has an even worse temper than me…" Ryu Seol groaned again, then sprawled out on the table like a lazy cat.

"Enough whining, just stamp these damn documents already!" Moyong Jun kicked his commander in the butt without hesitation and then pushed a stack of documents he had already reviewed towards her.

Ryu Seol lazily pulled the official seal of the Murim Alliance Chairman out of her inner pocket. Before the Chairman had left on his tour of the Five Great Academies, he had warned her in no uncertain terms that he would crack her skull open if she lost it or used it carelessly.

"Tsk, that old geezer always treats me like I'm the easiest target," she griped, flipping through the documents Moyong Jun handed her and stamping them one after the other with loud thuds.

Moyong Jun's face turned pale. "You lunatic! I told you to actually read them before stamping them!"

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"I'm sure my capable Vice Commander has already checked everything thoroughly."

"You really are…" Moyong Jun shook his head at her completely irresponsible answer and sighed deeply. "Do whatever you want. In the end, it's you who will get your skull cracked by the Chairman, not me."

"Fufu, what makes you think your head will be safe if mine gets cracked?"

"Damn it! If you weren't the Commander, I swear…!"

Although the two bickered every day, the truth was that they had shared meals together for over ten years and had crossed countless battlefields together, risking their lives side by side.

"Let's just finish up and get wasted toni-…" Ryu Seol's voice trailed off, and a fierce energy flashed in her single eye as she quickly adjusted her posture and glared at the man who had entered the office without permission. "What kind of rude bastard walks into the Chairman's office without even knocking?"

Jin Gwang, the Heavenly Justice Commander who had just stormed into the office, snorted. "Are you saying I need your permission now? Besides, is the Elimination Corps commander lecturing others on etiquette now? That's funny."

Jin Gwang was a middle-aged man with a stocky build. His steps were measured, his movements precise. Though he never deliberately flaunted his presence, his very aura exuded weight and solidity. Even in the face of Ryu Seol's killing intent, he remained completely unfazed.

He had once been a secular disciple of Shaolin, personally taught the monastery's secret techniques by the Abbot himself—who had lamented that such an exceptional talent would go to waste outside the temple. He was also the son of the Chairman of the World Trading Company, one of the Ten Great Companies. Though he had not inherited the company, as he was not the eldest son, he played a crucial role in maintaining the close ties between the Murim Alliance and the World Trading Company.

"If you're struggling with the workload, Acting Chairman, I can take over for you," he chuckled wryly.

"I'm fine. My Vice Commander is doing an excellent job."

The Heavenly Justice Commander also openly aspired to be the next Murim Alliance Chairman. Moreover, he was considered the most likely candidate for the position.

Ryu Seol, her feet propped up on the table, giggled, "You might as well give up on becoming the chairman. That old man is more energetic than ever now that the Blood Cult has reappeared. He's probably planning to hold on to power for another century."

"……" The Heavenly Justice Commander looked at her in exasperation. "You're almost forty, but you're still so immature."

"And you're almost fifty, yet you still can't let go of your thirst for power. Is that really okay for a Shaolin disciple? All is vanity. Didn't the monks ever teach you that?"

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"Forget it. I didn't come here to argue with you."

"Then why are you here?" Ryu Seol asked. The Heavenly Justice Commander wouldn't have come looking for her without good reason.

"Have you heard about the Azure Dragon Hero?"

"Of course I have."

"I'm curious to see how strong he is."

Just yesterday, news had spread that the Azure Dragon Hero had appeared in Wuhan, but he had disappeared shortly after arriving, leaving his companions behind.

While the gossipers were busy talking about the Lightning Dragon Hero Namgung Su, the Murim Alliance was far more concerned about the Azure Dragon Hero. After all, he was their Chief Martial Arts Instructor.

Ryu Seol's eyes gleamed. She had no particular grudge against the Azure Dragon Hero. In fact, she had no opinion about him at all. If he had the skills, she would recognize him as the new Chief Instructor. If not, she would ignore him.

That being said, there was no way she would entrust the training of the Elimination Corps to an incompetent person.

Since the Chairman acknowledged him, he can't be too weak…

Yayul Hwang had declared to the world that the Azure Dragon Hero was fit to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Blue Sky Sword King Namgung Jaehak.

Ryu Seol smirked. "The lowest seat of the Ten Supremes, huh…"

"It's just a play on words. The Ten Supremes isn't something the Chairman can decide on his own," the Heavenly Justice Commander denied firmly.

Ryu Seol agreed with him. There were many experts who didn't recognize the Chairman's arbitrary decision, including the Five Commanders, who were strong enough to contend for the title of Ten Supremes themselves.

She shrugged. "I heard that he defeated Cho Cheonsang in a duel. That's not too bad, is it?"

"You think the Heavenly Martial Commander is comparable to us?"

"Not even close." Ryu Seol chuckled. While the Proud Sword of Mount Hua, Cho Cheonsang, was unmatched in his generation, the Five Commanders were all older and stronger than him.

The Heavenly Justice Commander nodded. "Regardless of the Azure Dragon Hero's martial arts prowess, I cannot accept him as the Murim Alliance's Chief Instructor."

"Why?"

"Because he knows nothing about the Heavenly Justice Corps." A sharp light flickered in the Heavenly Justice Commander's eyes. "The Heavenly Justice Corps has its own unique ways. We're not going to suddenly entrust our training to an outsider. The Elimination Corps must feel the same way, right?"

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"That makes sense, but…" Ryu Seol frowned. If it was only a matter of training, the highly unruly Elimination Corps was an even bigger problem. Apart from her and the Murim Alliance Chairman, they hardly listened to any of their superiors. "So what's your point? Are you suggesting that we kick him out when he arrives?"

"We should treat him as an honored guest, but we must also make it clear that he is only a guest. I've already received approval from the Ironblood, Righteous, and Divine Sword Corps."

"……" Ryu Seol shrugged nonchalantly. "There's a chance that he won't come at all. If he did, he would have arrived yesterday."

"He will come," the Heavenly Justice Commander stated with certainty.

Ryu Seol didn't quite understand why he was so sure, but moments later, his words became reality.

BOOOM!

A deafening explosion shook the air, and they both turned their heads in the same direction.

""Intruder!""

A commotion erupted along with the shouts of martial artists.

The expressions on the two commanders' faces hardened.

"An intruder?"

"In the Murim Alliance?"

The two shot toward the source of the explosion like lightning.

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"Who's there?"

"Stop right there!"

Just beyond the Murim Alliance's main gate, over a hundred martial artists had surrounded a single man. Those in white martial arts uniforms belonged to the Heavenly Justice Corps, while those in varied styles of black uniforms belonged to the Elimination Corps.

With the shattered main gate behind him, the young man at the center of the encirclement grinned. "Nice to meet you."

A face so strikingly handsome it was almost unreal. A relaxed posture with hands clasped behind his back, perfectly matching his immaculate blue martial arts uniform. A magnificent, priceless sword hanging from his waist.

Even without an introduction, everyone could guess his identity.

"I am your newly appointed Chief Instructor, Baek Suryong. Sorry if I startled you."

"……" The crowd was stunned speechless by the shameless self-introduction.

Baek Suryong looked around and nodded. "It seems you've done a good job of preparing for enemy invasions. There are a few problems, but we can work on them one by one."

He walked forward, casually assessing the martial artists around him. Faced with a superior rather than an enemy, the Murim Alliance martial artists hesitated and instinctively stepped back.

Ryu Seol asked in disbelief, "That's him, right? The Azure Dragon Hero."

"Looks like it," the Heavenly Justice Commander nodded stiffly.

"Are you checking out how prepared we are to respond to an emergency? Is that why you broke the main gate?" Ryu Seol asked.

"That's right!"

""……"" The two commanders were dumbstruck. It seemed that the newly appointed Chief Instructor of the Murim Alliance was much crazier than they had imagined.

Suddenly, the Acting Murim Alliance Chairman burst out laughing, "Aha… Ahahahahaha!"

Translator's Note: There will be another chapter in 6-8 hours.

1. The Rogues' Guild is considered an unorthodox sect. ↩