Chapter 126: The Rogues' Guild's Decision

Chapter 126: The Rogues' Guild's Decision

TL: FoodieMonster007

Baek Suryong grinned smugly, saying, “The truth is, I’m the world’s best detective.”

In an instant, the old woman’s expression changed, her once kind, wrinkled face hardening into something cold and unforgiving. This sudden transformation was enough to make anyone think twice before speaking.

“Haven’t you heard the saying ‘curiosity kills the cat’?” she threatened, her harsh, sharp voice like a crow’s caw sending a chill through the air.

However, even though most people would recoil at the sound, Baek Suryong showed no reaction at all.Fôll0w current novÊls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)

Is he much stronger than the Guild estimated, or is he just pretending to be unfazed? The old woman’s mind raced as she hastily re-evaluated Baek Suryong’s strength.

Although her voice was naturally unpleasant, she was also a master of Sound Arts, a highly specialized martial art. Just moments earlier, she had subtly infused her voice with inner qi to gauge Baek Suryong’s skill, but in all her years, no one had ever stayed so composed after hearing its effects.

Typically, the more skilled the individual, the more sensitive they were to external forces. The moment they heard the sound arts, their bodies and qi would react instinctively, a reflex to protect them. Even the most seasoned martial artists would flinch or scowl in response. Yet, Baek Suryong seemed entirely unaffected.

Either his qi sensitivity is duller than most, or he reacted before I even initiated my sound arts...

Neither option made much sense.

Suddenly, Baek Suryong snickered, “Was that sound arts? I’ve heard that it’s almost a lost art nowadays due to its inefficiency. You’ve mastered a rare skill.”

The old woman’s wrinkled face remained a mask of calm, but drops of cold sweat trickled down her back as she replied, “...Impressive.”

As Baek Suryong mentioned, the Sound Arts were indeed teetering on the edge of extinction. It was difficult to master and not very effective in battle, so few martial artists were inclined to learn it. However, since its subtle nature allowed it to be used covertly, the Rogues’ Guild decided to keep it alive, primarily by having courtesans learn it.

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Noticing the unasked question in the old woman’s eyes, Baek Suryong answered, “Well, I once knew a master of sound arts. Anyway, judging by your level of mastery, you must have trained for decades. Do you usually remain silent to preserve your voice?”

“...Enough with the idle talk. Shall we get down to business?” The old woman snapped, her demeanor changing dramatically as she strode briskly to the inn’s door, closed it, and pushed a table in front of it to prevent anyone from entering.

Turning around, she asked icily, “How did you know this place was a Rogues’ Guild branch? Did you come here knowing that to begin with?”

“No, I didn’t realize it at first,” Baek Suryong replied, glancing slowly around the interior of the inn. “It’s just that... considering that this inn is run by an old woman who can barely walk, it’s surprisingly clean and well maintained despite looking like it’s on the verge of collapse. Something felt off.”

“...Just that?”

“Of course, there was more. The moment you saw me, your pupils dilated slightly. Also, the noodles in that filthy, tasteless soup were remarkably uniform in thickness and length. It made me wonder if you’ve been trained in martial arts.”

“......”

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Still smiling leisurely, Baek Suryong continued, “An old woman who runs an inn and is both mute and deaf? That’s the perfect setting to discuss secret matters without worrying about leaks. However, if said old woman has been secretly practicing martial arts, then the likelihood that she’s neither mute nor deaf is very high...”

The old woman’s expression hardened.

Noticing her growing concern, Baek Suryong’s grin widened. “Why would an old woman pretend to be deaf and mute? To eavesdrop on private conversations, of course. In that case, there was a good chance that this place was a secret branch of the Rogues’ Guild. As for confirmation, well, you’ve just confirmed it yourself.”

“...Hah!”

In less than an hour, Baek Suryong had used his keen intuition and unparalleled powers of observation to deduce the old woman’s true identity, which she had kept hidden from everyone, even her closest associates, for more than a decade.

“I feel like I’ve seen a ghost,” she quipped.

“Here’s a suggestion. If the floor is poorly constructed, it will make a suspicious sound when one walks over it,” Baek Suryong said, stomping lightly with his foot and causing a hollow sound to echo from underneath the floor.

“I’m pretty sure there’s a secret passage leading to the Rogues’ Guild headquarters under here. You probably want to be more careful in the future. Though, I doubt you’ll run into someone like me again.” Baek Suryong shrugged nonchalantly.

“......” The old woman’s face paled, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead. There was indeed a secret passage under the inn that led to the Nanchang headquarters of the Rogues’ Guild.

Although knowing about the passage doesn’t mean he can reach Headquarters...I’m not so sure about this guy.

The passage was filled with traps and mechanisms designed to repel any intruders, and even the most skilled martial artists would struggle to survive if they entered recklessly. However, Baek Suryong gave her the strange feeling that he possessed many unusual skills.

Baek Suryong asked, “Anything else you’re curious about?”

“......”

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“What kind of nonsense...”

“To you, I might look the same as those scum. But if they’re the worst, then I’m the lesser evil. I’m not interested in the few pennies the poor have.”

Perhaps one day, the local economy would develop and things would turn around, but that was likely many years away. Baek Suryong’s real reason for wanting to take control of the unorthodox sects in the slums was something else entirely.

If a day ever comes when I have to fight the Blood Cult...

The students of the Azure Dragon Academy were, after all, just students. Each one was exceptionally talented, with a high chance of becoming great masters in the future, but that didn’t mean Baek Suryong could order them around.

I need loyal subordinates who can move at my command.

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Recently, he had learned a lot about the current Blood Cult through the Smiling Grim Reaper. The infiltration of the Blood Dragon into the Heavenly Martial Academy could only mean that the Cult had already amassed considerable power, so he had to prepare for an eventual clash with them.

“I’ll kill those who are beyond saving and work the others to the bone. Maybe then, this place will be more peaceful than before.”

“......” The old woman narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Baek Suryong as if trying to gauge the truth behind his words. “That sounds convincing enough, but... how am I supposed to trust you?”

“Don’t trust me. How could you trust someone you’ve just met? That’s ridiculous.”

“Ha! Then what the hell am I supposed to...”

“Trust Cheong Cheon instead,” Baek Suryong interrupted.

“......”

“Do you think Cheong Cheon is the type to exploit the poor?”

The old woman didn’t need to think twice. She shook her head, saying, “Cheong Cheon... he’s a good child.”

She remembered Cheong Cheon as a young boy. Despite his frail body, he studied all night, determined to become a constable. As such, he was barely able to eat properly, and became so thin that he looked malnourished. Even when she offered him free noodles, he stubbornly refused, saying he wouldn’t take anything without paying for it. Yet whenever he had money, he’d eat twice as much without complaining, devouring the foul noodles with a tenacity that impressed her.

In the end, Cheong Cheon was one of the few who had risen from the slums through sheer determination. To the old woman who had lived here for decades, he was like one of her own children.

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Baek Suryong added, “If I ever tried to exploit the people here, Cheong Cheon would probably try to kill me.”

“Heh. Yes, he probably would,” The old woman chuckled.

Baek Suryong extended a hand to her, who was still lying on the floor. “So, what do you think? Care to consider my proposal?”

The old woman looked at Baek Suryong’s hand for a long time, then she took it and let him help her to get up. “...Fine. I’ll trust Cheong Cheon’s judgment.”

“Wise choice.”

“Wait here. I’ll bring the information on those sects you mentioned. The rest isn’t urgent, so I’ll prepare it later.”

Baek Suryong tilted his head in surprise. “Don’t you need to report this to your superiors? It doesn’t seem like something you can decide on your own.”

“Heh. Don’t worry, I’ve got enough authority for that.”

Although Baek Suryong didn’t know it, the old woman was one of the top three most influential figures in the Rogues’ Guild’s Nanchang branch. Moreover, she was the highest authority in the slums.

A short while later, she returned with a thick stack of documents. “Here it is. Some of it’s a bit outdated, so if you have any questions, just ask,” she said.

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Baek Suryong sat down and began reading through the materials she brought. Before long, the night grew late, and outside the inn’s closed windows, a hazy moon cast its light.

With a soft thud, Baek Suryong shut the last notebook.

“Looks like Cheoldu is the best man for the job,” he concluded.

This is a distraction technique used in sumo wrestling called Nekodamashi, where a wrestler claps his hands in front of his opponent’s face, causing him to blink. ↩