CHAPTER 435: AN EXPERIENCED NEWCOMER (2)

Star Instructor, Master Baek

CRACK, CRACK!

Baek Suryong cracked his neck in anticipation as he stepped forward. "Looks like there's a problem?" he asked Jang Geol.

"Well..." Jang Geol hesitated, looking troubled.

Baek Suryong recalled the blackmail and intimidation techniques he had learned from Master Maeng in his past life and smirked. If he didn't do anything now, his day would end with nothing but boring observation. While watching the surprisingly peaceful life of the Yama Keep wasn't bad, he really wanted to help with some proper bandit work.

If I help solve a problem, the Viridian Scholar might consider the alliance proposal more favorably, too.

"What's the problem?" he asked. "A merchant who won't pay up? An escort agency trying to force their way through? Or a surprise attack from another mountain keep?"

Jang Geol stared at Baek Suryong in confusion, then delivered disappointing news to the strangely excited orthodox master. "...Huh? No, it's nothing like that."

"I'm disappointed..."

"Eh? Why?"

Baek Suryong stared down the road. Come to think of it, he still hadn't sensed any presences. If enemies were approaching, he should've sensed them by now.

He shot a dirty look at Jang Geol. "Damn punk. Why are you sighing if it's nothing? Getting my hopes up for no reason?"

"No, I sighed because of that grandma over there..." Jang Geol pointed at the base of mountain path.

"Grandma?" Baek Suryong's gaze followed Jang Geol's finger. Far down the mountain path, beyond the reach of even his senses, a large bundle of luggage appeared to be moving by itself... no, there was an old woman climbing the mountain path, balancing a large bundle on her head.

"Grandma!" Jang Geol shouted as he rushed down the slope. He blocked the old woman's path, then reached out and roughly snatched the bundle from her head like a stereotypical bandit.

However, his next words were anything but bandit-like.

Namgung Su is mad at you for feeding a thief. You are not allowed to eat his cooking anymore.

"How many times have I told you not to come this way! The path is rough, and you'll get hurt if you fall! Besides, there are wild animals, so please just take the main road like I asked you to last time..."

"Shut your damn mouth, brat! I'm not deaf," the old woman snapped irritably.

Baek Suryong's eye twitched. This grandma seemed to have a formidable personality. The way she fearlessly rebuffed a man three times her size, striking terror into Jang Geol, revealed a resilience forged through enduring countless hardships.

Her sheer stubbornness reminds me of someone.

He briefly thought of his grandfather Mae Geuklyom and shook his head.

Meanwhile, Jang Geol meekly climbed the path with the old woman, grumbling, "Are you going to visit your daughter who married into the village over the mountain again? I heard she had a son recently?"

"...I'm bringing her some winter clothing in advance. The weather's getting colder, and I'm worried the little one will freeze."

"Why'd you marry your daughter off to a poor good-for-nothing? If you'd given her to a reliable man like me..."

"Shut your trap. You? Reliable? Hmph!"

The old woman reached the rest area and plopped down on the pavilion bench. Spotting Baek Suryong, she clicked her tongue in disdain. "Tsk tsk! Do you have nothing better to do than sit around being a bandit, young lad? Since you have a healthy body and strong limbs, you should be farming. Do your parents know what you're doing? Go back to your hometown before it's too late and you break their hearts, brat. And damn it! What a waste of that pretty face, staying here with these tanned brutes..."

Baek Suryong's head spun from the downpour of nagging. For the first time in his life, he was being subjected to a one-sided verbal beating.

"Grandma! Don't speak so carelessly when you don't know the situation. You know full well everyone's got their reasons, so why are you being like this?"

"Aish... It's just frustrating to see yet another fine young man taking up work in the mountains."

Baek Suryong heaved a sigh of relief. If Jang Geol hadn't cut in, the old woman would likely have nagged him for another two hours.

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Perhaps feeling a little sorry for her harsh words, the old woman took something out of her pack. "If you're hungry, eat this."

Baek Suryong looked at what she took out. She had brought dumplings in a tiered lunchbox. They had gone cold on the way there, but the bandits gathered around the wooden bench and devoured them hastily, as if starving.

He took one and tried it as well.

"...This is good!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening slightly. He wasn't really picky about food, but the old woman's dumplings were delicious enough to surprise even him.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say that these dumplings were comparable to those made by Namgung Su. If the old woman sold these in front of the Azure Dragon Academy, students would swarm the place every day.

"How does it taste? Goodness! You must've been starving for a long time, you're so skinny!"

"I'm not that thin..."

"Don't talk back, just eat this too, you rascal," The old woman interrupted gruffly as she split her own dumpling in half and gave it to Baek Suryong.

"...Thank you for the food."

Baek Suryong popped the half-dumpling into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. The dumpling was cold, but the affection within it felt as warm as if it were freshly steamed.

""Phew...""

Jang Geol and the bandits, who had been watching anxiously, sighed in relief. If Baek Suryong had lost his temper at the old woman, it would have been a disaster.

After the short snack break ended, the old woman tried to put the bundle back on her head, but Jang Geol quickly snatched it away, blocked her path, then turned around and bent over.

"...What do you think you're doing?" the old woman snapped irritably.

"My stomach's full. I need some post-meal exercise, so get on my back, Grandma."

The old woman was appalled. "Cut the crap! Do I not have hands or feet? I'll pay the toll, so just take this and get lost, you stupid punk."

Still, Jang Geol didn't move. In the end, the grandma muttered about what a pain he was and got on his back.

"I'll carry the luggage, Hyung-nim," Baek Suryong said, tactfully picking up the old woman's large pack.

Jang Geol's jaw dropped at the sudden honorific, but soon laughed heartily, "Uho, uhoho! Alright. Our new little brother will carry Grandma's luggage and follow us! Let's get this done quickly!"

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The three of them departed, leaving the remaining bandits at the outpost. Despite carrying the old woman, Jang Geol strode along the mountain path faster than most men could run. He could have used movement arts, but he seemed to be as careful as possible, worried any sudden jolt might hurt the old woman.

"Grandma, going to see your daughter is one thing, but do you really have to take this dangerous path every time? What will you do if you end up as tiger food?"

"What's so tempting about the meat of a shriveled old woman?"

"Aish! You talk big for someone who sprained her ankle on the mountain last time. What would've happened if our boys hadn't found you on patrol? Do you have any idea how awful it feels to bury the corpse of someone you know..."

"Are you hoping I'll die, you scoundrel!" Enraged, the old woman yanked Jang Geol's ear.

"OWW! It hurts, it hurts!"

Baek Suryong chuckled watching the two bicker like a mother and son.

Now I see why the Viridian Scholar assigned Jang Geol to me.

Jang Geol was unique among the people of the Yama Keep. How many bandits would dare think of asking Baek Suryong for a match, let alone befriend merchants or carry an old woman across a rough mountain path?

So Jang Geol is the example of the future he envisions for the Viridian Forest.

Baek Suryong now fully understood what the Viridian Scholar desired. Still, he felt that many aspects were lacking. He began to think about how he would supplement those parts if he were in charge.

If I were the Viridian Scholar...

Glancing around the mountain trails, he took out a notebook and jotted down his thoughts. It seemed that today was not a day for swinging a sword, but a day for moving a brush.

Instead of just managing the roads and collecting tolls, we can expand into various other businesses...

Several nefarious business ideas sprang into Baek Suryong's mind.

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"Grandma! On your way back, make sure you take the main road, not this one. We won't charge you a toll. Got it?"

"Shut up and get lost!"

Ads? Ak Yeonho complains. What ads?

After helping the old woman down the mountain, the two men headed to the main road. This was the Yama Keep's largest business location and the last place Baek Suryong was touring today. The sun was setting, and it would be completely dark in a few hours.

"The main road has the fewest customers, yet we always post the most guards here. Care to guess why?" Jang Geol asked.

Baek Suryong replied with a chuckle, "The side paths have their merits, but if the main road is breached, the Yama Keep's reputation would be ruined. That's why you defend it so desperately, right?"

"Huh? How did you know? Did someone tell you?" Jang Geol exclaimed, surprised.

Baek Suryong shrugged. He couldn't very well say he had heard it from the Bandit King.

"Anyway, you're right. The main road is our pride. We have to guard this pass securely so the escort agencies and trading companies don't get any funny ideas."

"So, do fights break out often on the main road?" Baek Suryong asked, clinging to a tiny sliver of hope.

Jang Geol shook his head. "It happens rarely, and there hasn't been a fight in six months. No sane trading company or escort agency would choose to fight the Yama Keep instead of just paying the toll. Though sometimes, greenhorns new to the jianghu might..."

"ENOUGH!" a shout imbued with inner qi echoed.

The two men glanced at each other and simultaneously unleashed their movement arts.

A moment later, the same voice shouted again. "How can you submit to bandits who illegally occupy a mountain and demand money! As a martial artist of the orthodox, I simply cannot stand by in the face of this injustice! Step aside at once!"

As they neared, the speaker became visible. It was a very obstinate-looking young man, around twenty years old, wearing a tight headband around his forehead.

Namgung Su is mad at you for feeding a thief. You are not allowed to eat his cooking anymore.

SHIIING!

The young man drew his sword and strode forward. "Viridian Scholar, come out at once! I'll test whether you're worthy of calling yourself the master of this mountain!"

"......" Although the young man was provoking the Viridian Scholar, the Yama Keep's bandits remained indifferent.

It was someone else who was horrified.

"Y-Young Master! Please calm down. I'll take care of this..." A middle-aged man who appeared to be the head of a merchant caravan fretted between him and the bandits. "Vice-Boss! Please wait a moment. The young master doesn't know how things work around here. I'll persuade him..."

"Take your time, there aren't any other customers behind you," the Vice-Boss replied, picking his ear and nodding leisurely.

The young man's face flushed with shame and rage. "Director, how could you be so subservient? My sword will protect you all!" he bellowed, shoving the director aside and stepping forward sharply.

The Vice-Boss's eyes narrowed slightly.

The young man introduced himself, "I am Geum Jinmyeong, a secular disciple of Wudang. I'll yield the first move to my lessers, so any who have the courage, come and challenge me!"

The Yama Keep bandits' faces grew increasingly annoyed.

"......" Baek Suryong, who had just arrived at the scene with Jang Geol, grasped the situation instantly.

So he's the jianghu greenhorn Jang Geol was talking about...

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"Oh, you're here," Vice-Boss Jeok Manpae greeted, scratching his head in annoyance.

"What's going on, Vice-Boss?" Baek Suryong asked, even though he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

"Can't you see? Some orthodox brat showed up and caused a scene. I'm debating whether to kill him or let him live. Seems like he knows the merchant over there..."

"Shut up, I can hear you! Always scheming and whispering behind people's backs... as expected of bandits!"

"...Should we just kill him?"

Most of the bandits nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, Jeok Manpae met Baek Suryong's gaze. "New guy, wanna give it a try?" he asked.

The bandits' eyes lit up with anticipation as they wondered how the Azure Dragon Hero would deal with the reckless brat. They imagined him either displaying a magnificent technique or making the boy kneel with the overwhelming aura of a peerless master.

"It'd be best if we could persuade him with words, but..." Jeok Manpae added.

"Okay, I'll try to persuade him." Baek Suryong nodded readily and stepped forward before anyone could stop him.

Geum Jinmyeong blinked in bewilderment at the sight of a slender man emerging from among the burly figures. Given his lack of inner qi, the man seemed to be an ordinary thug, not a martial artist.

"Are you trying to mock me?! Sending out the most insignificant one..."

"Hack! Ptui!" Baek Suryong spat on the flat of his executioner's blade and swung it at Geum Jinmyeong without hesitation.

"Huk!" Geum Jinmyeong immediately tried to retreat, but it was useless.

Although Baek Suryong's technique appeared simple and crude, it was actually so profound that even a skilled movement arts user would struggle to evade his swing.

Geum Jinmyeong's face paled. "A-An expert...!"

Before he could finish his line, the side of the executioner's blade, coated in thick saliva, slammed into his cheek.

THWACK! THUD!

Geum Jinmyeong collapsed to the ground, knocked out in a single blow. The first jianghu journey he had embarked on with lofty dreams had now ended at the hands of a nameless bandit.

Baek Suryong casually slung his executioner's blade back over his shoulder, then glared at the gaping merchant. "I didn't kill him, so load him onto the cart and get going. When he wakes up, warn him that if he dares come here and cause trouble again, I'll send him off minus an arm and a leg. Got it?"

"Y-Yes! I understand!" The merchant bowed his head repeatedly, then had his workers unceremoniously toss Geum Jinmyeong onto a cart.

Baek Suryong smirked evilly. If the Viridian Scholar said anything about this incident, he planned to tell him that if Master Maeng had seen what just happened, he would've done the same thing.

No no, if it were Master Maeng, he would've done worse.

Meanwhile, the bandits watching Baek Suryong exchanged glances and murmured suspiciously.

"Hey... is he really new to this?"

"He seems more like an experienced hire..."

"He said he was gonna persuade him..."