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 eting 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. So of them were even disciples of the Scarlet Tiger Boss, trained by the man himself… Hey! Even if you’re busy, you need to rember 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 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 co 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 ti 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 tis, 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, sothing 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 ans the forr 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 assu 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 won or alcohol. He even has his n extort more money from the people so that they can buy up all the elixirs in the shops,” the old woman lanted.
“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 ca up. Either he was a hermit who ca 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 soone, 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, so of our mbers were badly injured.” The old woman’s face darkened with anger. Several mbers 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 maid 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 n,” she snorted. “They’re just waiting for you to weaken the Scarlet Tiger Gang, and once they judge that the ti 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 mbers, each with their own small group of underlings or disciples. While the underlings managed the slum operations, the ex-freelancers spent their ti 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 sothing 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 ca to manipulating information.
The old woman leaned in, intrigued. “Tell more.”
Baek Suryong whispered his plan into her ear.
When he finished, the old woman gaped at him. “What?”
“You don’t need 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 mont, 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 so fun. Alright, I’ll make sure that rumor reaches the Mighty Bear Trio’s ears by the end of the day.”
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