Star Instructor, Master Baek Chapter 120: The Blood Cult's Modus Operandi (5)

TL: FoodieMonster007

“I’ve told you everything I know…” the Smiling Grim Reaper muttered. His face was blank, his eyes unfocused, and white froth bubbled at the corners of his mouth.

Baek Suryong watched him in silence, thoughts flickering across his mind. If I leave him like this, he’ll beco a vegetable. However, not a single shred of pity stirred within him.

After all, the Smiling Grim Reaper had confessed to a litany of horrors: under orders from the Blood Cult, he had kidnapped countless children and even wiped out an entire village of farrs, all in the na of collecting samples for demonic arts experints.

It was definitely for the best that the man was now completely deranged.

Beaming, the Smiling Grim Reaper bent down, licked Baek Suryong’s shoes, and babbled, “Oh Supre Lord, let lead your conquest of the murim. I’ll gladly be your sword, slaughtering all your enemies and offering their still-beating hearts to you…”

Baek Suryong looked down at the madman’s bowed head expressionlessly. The Blood Cult… Their martial skills have declined, but to quickly amass power, they’re making up for it with secrecy and cruelty, recklessly reviving and spreading the once forbidden demonic arts. Damn it, their resurgence might co sooner than I anticipated.

Thinking what he’d missed, he asked, “Earlier, you ntioned that your direct superior was the Blood Dragon? The sa guy who implanted the Soul Reaping Demonic Art in Geo Sangwoong and aid to take over the Golden Dragon Trading Company?”

“Yes, that’s correct…”

“Tell more about him.”

The Smiling Grim Reaper, still lost in his own madness, replied eagerly, “The Blood Dragon is a joint disciple of all the elders. He is a prodigy not only highly regarded within the cult, but is expected to beco one of the top ten martial artists in the world eventually. Publicly, he’s known as the Fist Tyrant, Choi Il, and is currently a fourth year student at the Heavenly Martial Academy. Last year, at the Heavenly Martial Festival, he showcased his exceptional skills and sharp mind in the Dragon and Phoenix Tournant, ranking among the best…”

The Fist Tyrant, Choi Il… Baek Suryong made a ntal note of the na. eting the Blood Dragon imdiately would be difficult, but Baek Suryong intended to confront him when the opportunity arose, likely at the next Heavenly Martial Festival.

And it wouldn’t be just to talk.

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“That’s all I know…” the Smiling Grim Reaper muttered.

“You don’t seem to know much.”

“I have not been granted access to much information about the main cult…”

“Of course. Given your skills, I’m not surprised you’re just a disposable pawn. In fact, it would be weirder if you knew more. This is enough.”

Baek Suryong raised his hand and brought it down sharply, aiming a knifehand strike at the back of the lunatic’s neck.

Watching Baek Suryong’s hand descend out of the corner of his eye, the Smiling Grim Reaper grinned and scread in twisted ecstasy, “Hail the Blood Demon! In blood shall we reign supre…!”

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THUD!

The Smiling Grim Reaper’s body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

“That’s the phrase I hate the most,” Baek Suryong murmured to himself, removing the qi sound barrier that had been blocking out the surrounding noise.

Despite his aversion to being treated as the Blood Demon, he had gained valuable information about the Blood Cult. According to the Smiling Grim Reaper, there were docunts in the gambling den that could serve as incriminating evidence, and he planned to retrieve them before the day was out.

“But before that…”

Seeing Golden Dragon Chairman Geo Ilsan approaching from afar, flanked by his bodyguards, Baek Suryong pulled his half torn mask back over his face. Though damaged, it was still adequate enough to conceal his identity.

“Is everything finished?” Geo Ilsan asked, his eyes gleaming with interest.

Sensing an opportunity, Baek Suryong decided that a brief conversation with the rchant was in order before he departed.

That sa day, in the dead of night, Baek Suryong arrived at the Smiling Grim Reaper’s gambling den.

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“Who’s there…?”

SWOOSH! THUD! CRASH!

One by one, the martial artists of the Ghost Blood Unit who stayed behind to guard the den fell, never even catching a glimpse of their attacker. If even the elite ghouls of the Ghost Blood Unit were no match for Baek Suryong, the guards left at the gambling den definitely stood no chance against him.

“S-Spare , my lord!” Yang Jin cried.

He was one of those left behind, and Baek Suryong had deliberately spared him.

Having abandoned all resistance, Yang Jin knelt before Baek Suryong, pleading, “I’ll do anything if you spare . Please…”

As Baek Suryong was wearing a mask, Yang Jin hadn’t recognized him.

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In a distorted voice, Baek Suryong commanded, “Go to the Golden Dragon Trading Company. They’ll assign you work there. If you try to escape… I don’t need to say more, do I?”

“Y-Yes! Thank you for sparing .”

“Wait…”

Baek Suryong struck Yang Jin’s chest with the palm of his hand, instantly dispersing the demonic qi of the Soul Reaping Demonic Art in his body.

“Now go.”

Yang Jin scread and fled, and Baek Suryong watched his retreating figure for a mont. With the escort assigned by the Golden Dragon Trading Company following him, even if Yang Jin tried to escape, he would eventually be caught and dragged to the company.

I’ll let him live for now, but since he’s done nothing good, I’ll use him as bait for the Blood Cult, particularly the Blood Dragon. As the cult’s only remaining link to Nanchang, I’m sure he’ll be the first one they’ll contact.

Baek Suryong had already instructed Geo Ilsan to keep a close watch on Yang Jin. Two years ago, along with Geo Sangwoong, Yang Jin had fallen prey to the Soul Reaping Demonic Art, ruining his life and making him a pawn of the Blood Cult. However, since he was nothing like the bloodthirsty Ghost Blood Unit, it was fine to keep him alive and use him for now.

When Yang Jin disappeared over the horizon, Baek Suryong took off his mask and surveyed the gambling den closely.

“The place where the ledger is hidden…”

Soon, he noticed a section of the wall that was misaligned, and his eyes lit up with excitent.

“Found it.”

Feeling around the crack, Baek Suryong discovered a small hole in the wall. He then scoured the room for a sharp tool, inserted it into the hole, and yanked it sideways like a lever.

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CREAK…

The wall slid open, revealing a hidden vault.

Baek Suryong grinned. “Good work, .”

Although he wasn’t as skilled as Jaegal Soyeong, an expert in formations and traps, he was quite knowledgeable about chanical devices.

Inside the vault, docunts and ledgers belonging to the Blood Cult were arranged in neat stacks.

“Let’s see…”

Baek Suryong quickly scanned through a thick ledger that contained the nas of the Blood Cult’s spies.

“Wow, how did they plant so many moles in the Murim Alliance, clans, trading companies, martial arts academies, and all these other places?”

Clicking his tongue, Baek Suryong’s gaze suddenly fell upon a certain familiar na.

A slow smile crept across his lips.

“I knew it.”

There, written in bold characters, was the na: Pung Jinho.