Star Instructor, Master Baek

Chapter 149: The Bloody Ripper (2)

TL: FoodieMonster007

The Bloody Ripper lay comfortably on the clinic bed, but none of the people who entered the Demon Doctor’s hut felt at ease.

That’s the Bloody Ripper?

Of all places, here…

W-What should we do? Fight?

Seeing everyone staring at him with in bewilderment, the Bloody Ripper chuckled, “Black Boar, did you bring these guests with you?”

Black Boar stammered as if he’d seen the god of death, “N-No, it’s not that… T-These folks insisted on wanting to visit the Demon Doctor…”

“Then why do I hear the jingling of silver coins in your pocket?”

Startled, Black Boar dropped to his knees and prostrated himself. “Eek! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” he squealed.

The Bloody Ripper smiled gently, without a hint of killing intent. “You fool. If you were going to bring guests, you should have taught them the rules and etiquette of the Valley of Evil first. If they only heard the bad rumors about this place and assumed it was a hellhole where villains did as they pleased, who can blame them?”

Black Boar’s face paled at the Bloody Ripper’s seemingly kind and reasonable words. “I-I’m sorry. Truly sorry,” he apologized, prostrating himself and banging his head on the floor repeatedly. Blood streamed from his forehead, but he didn’t stop.

The Bloody Ripper let out a small sigh. “Haa… Since it’s their first day, I won’t kill you or those kids. You seem to have reflected enough, so you may go now.”

“T-Thank you, Elder! Thank you so much!” Bowing several more times, Black Boar crawled out of the hut on his knees, then turned and ran away as fast as his pudgy legs could carry him.

“Wow, isn’t that kid excessively scared? Hey, Demon Doctor, have I ever killed any of his friends before?”

“How would I know that, you fool?”

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Like old friends, the Bloody Ripper casually chatted with the Demon Doctor while Baek Suryong and the students watched silently.

Only after several minutes did the Bloody Ripper turn to look at Baek Suryong, saying, “Anyway, it’s been a while since we’ve had newcomers.”

Baek Suryong met his gaze without moving an inch. This guy… he’s strong.

He was incomparable to the likes of the White-Haired Demon. Even without releasing his aura, the Bloody Ripper’s presence was immense enough to justify his ranking as one of the top ten villains in the murim.

If I unleash the Heaven Defying Divine Art at full power and add my Masters’ martial arts, could I win? Baek Suryong gauged his chances, but to be honest, the odds of him losing were higher.

“Well then, where are you all from… Hmm?” The Bloody Ripper suddenly sniffed the air and sat up halfway from his bed. Beckoning to Baek Suryong with his finger, he commanded, “You, come here.”

“……” Baek Suryong didn’t reply and just stared at him.

The Bloody Ripper chuckled softly, “Don’t worry, I won’t harm you. Come here. There’s something I want to ask you.”

“What do you want to ask?”

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“I smell my Junior Brother’s scent on you. Did you meet him recently?”

The students froze, unable to hide their agitation. Fortunately, the Bloody Ripper’s gaze was fixed on the expressionless Baek Suryong, so he didn’t notice the others.

[Everyone, stay calm. No matter what I say from now on, don’t be surprised.] Baek Suryong sent a telepathic message to his students before approaching the Bloody Ripper. At the same time, he released an appropriate amount of qi, not too strong or too weak, just enough for the Bloody Ripper to consider him a capable young fighter.

“Oho?” A glint of interest flashed in the Bloody Ripper’s eyes.

As expected, Baek Suryong thought, recalling the information he had gotten from the White-Haired Demon.

> “Senior Brother likes martial artists who do their best to act confident in front of him even though they’re scared the most…”

Making sure to show just the right mix of bluster and nervousness, Baek Suryong asked, “Are you the Bloody Ripper? The King of the Valley of Evil and one of the Ten Great Villains, that Bloody Ripper?”

“Yes. I am the Bloody Ripper,” the old man said, smiling at Baek Suryong’s somewhat tense and formal tone, as if he were observing a child’s bluffing antics.

GULP.

Baek Suryong swallowed hard on purpose. Aware of the Bloody Ripper’s gaze, he paid close attention to every expression on his face and every word he said. For his entire plan to work, his performance had to be flawless.

“Then… is the Junior Brother you mentioned just now the White-Haired Demon?” he asked again.

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The Bloody Ripper’s eyes narrowed, and a subtle killing intent began to emanate from his body. “He told you his alias himself? That’s rare. Usually, those who learn my Junior Brother’s alias are torn to death. He’s more impatient than I am.”

“If you’re going to kill, go outside to do it. You won’t even clean up,” the Demon Doctor cut in, clicking his tongue.

“Didn’t I say I wouldn’t kill anyone today? I have to keep the rules I made myself,” the Bloody Ripper chuckled, then looked back at Baek Suryong. “So, did you meet my Junior Brother?”

“I met him on the way here. He was rude and mean, so we fought a bit.”

”!!” The students’ jaws dropped, even more bewildered by their teacher’s answer than the Bloody Ripper. Glaring at the back of Baek Suryong’s head, they tried to convey their thoughts through the power of staring hard.

Why are you provoking him?!

Are you trying to pick a fight?

W-What should we do? Should we help?

“Hahaha!” the Bloody Ripper let out a low laugh. As if he wasn’t angry at all, he asked nonchalantly, “You’ve got some nerve, young man. So, what happened? Did you kill my Junior Brother and bring me his head?”

“Well… About that…” Baek Suryong took a step back and bowed deeply to the Bloody Ripper. “Please accept my greeting, Senior Uncle. This Baek Muryong, humbly known as the Handsome Playboy, pays his respects to you.”

“…Senior Uncle?” the Bloody Ripper spat.

“Senior Uncle?” the Demon Doctor gasped, widening his eyes. “Did you just say Senior Uncle?”

“Why am I your Senior Uncle?” the Bloody Ripper asked incredulously.

Baek Suryong began to lie without batting an eye, “As you can see, my skills are nowhere near my Master’s. Nevertheless, after sparring briefly with me, he said he liked my talent, took me as his disciple, then sent me here.”

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With a skeptical expression, the Bloody Ripper probed, “Let’s say that I believe you for now. Where is my Junior Brother, and why did he ask you to come here alone?”

“On the way here, he said he had an idea on how to improve the Blood Jade Claws and secluded himself inside a nearby cave. I don’t know when he’ll come here,” Baek Suryong answered politely but confidently.

The Bloody Ripper stared intently at Baek Suryong. He certainly seems talented… My Junior Brother might indeed show interest in him and take him as a disciple. Still, I can’t fully believe him yet…

He asked, “Are you really my Junior Brother’s disciple? How can I believe that without proof?”

“The first time I met my Master was at a place called the Scarlet Tiger Gang in Nanchang. There, my Master…”

Baek Suryong told a vivid story of how he first met the White-Haired Demon, fought, and became his disciple. Since the tale was mostly true, it sounded convincing.

“…Although I didn’t spend a long time with my Master, he told me a lot about you, Senior Uncle Bloody Ripper. I look forward to your guidance.” Baek Suryong bowed deeply again.

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The Zhejiang Five Devils behind him hurriedly followed suit, saying, “We look forward to your guidance, Elder!”

The Bloody Ripper’s eyebrows twitched. “Are the kids behind you also my Junior Brother’s students?”

“They are brothers who have been with me for a long time. Although I’m the only disciple of my Master, I sincerely hope that they can also seek refuge in the Valley of Evil,” Baek Suryong explained eloquently, captivating the Bloody Ripper with his silver tongue. He was confident that there were no logical flaws in his story, and he had also made sure to include little things that only someone close to the White-Haired Demon would know.

My Junior Brother isn’t someone who would blabber about me under torture or threats, the Bloody Ripper reasoned, slowly starting to believe Baek Suryong.

Suddenly, the Demon Doctor intervened. Eyeing Baek Suryong suspiciously, he asked, “If you truly are the White-Haired Demon’s disciple as you claim, why did you come looking for me instead of Bloody Ripper here? Earlier, you stormed into my house looking like you were going to eat me alive.”

We’re doomed…

That old man is ruining everything!

Baek Suryong’s students were extremely nervous. If they couldn’t provide a proper answer here, all their lies might be exposed.

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Thankfully, their worries didn’t come to pass.

Baek Suryong scratched his head and answered sheepishly, “W-Well… I think my Master tricked me.”

“Tricked you?”

“He told me that when I arrived at the Valley of Evil, I should find the Demon Doctor and grab his beard and shake it. Then he’d give me some useful elixirs…”

“What? Hahaha! Yeah, that’s a wicked prank my Junior Brother would pull indeed! Bwahahaha!” the Bloody Ripper burst into laughter.

“What’s so damn funny?! Because of your delinquent Junior Brother, my beard almost got pulled out!”

“Hahaha! How is that not funny? AHAHAHAHA!”

“Ugh, that fucking White-Haired Demon. When he comes back, I’ll use him for plenty of poison experiments.”

Baek Suryong sighed inwardly with relief. Fortunately, the Demon Doctor’s doubts seemed to have been dispelled by his hasty excuse, and there was no longer any trace of suspicion on the Bloody Ripper’s face.

Behind him, the students all wore disbelieving expressions as they watched their teacher deceive two old evil monsters.

How can he lie so well?

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Was our teacher a con artist in his past life?

I won’t believe anything he says from now on…

I feel like I would be deceived by him, even if I knew that he was a swindler beforehand.

“Bwahaha, I’m glad to have such a handsome and skilled Nephew!” The Bloody Ripper laughed so much that tears formed at the corners of his eyes.

“I’m honored by your praise, Senior Uncle.”

The Bloody Ripper smiled contentedly and stood up. Patting Baek Suryong’s shoulder affectionately, he said, “Let’s go to my place and talk more. I’ll treat you to dinner.”

“……” Baek Suryong’s mind raced. Cheon needs emergency detoxification… Should I ask the Demon Doctor now? But if I do that, I’d have to explain why the White-Haired Demon poisoned Cheon. Having just escaped the Bloody Ripper’s suspicion, is it wise to create a situation that could arouse it again?

“Why? Don’t you want to?” the Bloody Ripper urged.

Baek Suryong quickly made up his mind. I’m sorry, Cheon, please hold on a bit longer.

Smiling gently, he said, “Of course not. I just didn’t know how to express my gratitude for such generous kindness…”

“Haha, it’s fine. If you’re my Junior Brother’s disciple, then you’re like my disciple too.”

“Then I’ll gratefully accept your hospitality. Hey, what are you all doing? Aren’t you going to thank your Senior Uncle?”

“T-Thank you.”

“Thank you!”

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“Thank you…”

The Bloody Ripper looked at the nervous faces of the Zhejiang Five Devils and smiled warmly. “Don’t feel burdened. Let’s all go to my place.”

And so, the Zhejiang Five Devils left the Demon Doctor’s abode and headed to the Bloody Ripper’s house. The Bloody Ripper and Baek Suryong walked side by side at the front, with the others following behind.

As they walked, Hyonwon Kang mouthed words to the others. You know we have to be careful, right?Everyone, stay sharp. One slip of the tongue and it’s over.

The other students gulped nervously and nodded. Thanks to Baek Suryong’s brilliant quick thinking, they had escaped immediate danger, but they had been invited to dinner.

Like cautious explorers entering a tiger’s den, they all decided to remain extra vigilant.

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Translator’s Note: I wonder if I can catch up to the manhwa by Dec…