The Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan

“Green Forest Exterminator, that’s what they call him.”

A peddler who had come all the way from Hubei Province to Kaifeng brought up the story.

Lately, the inspections had become unusually strict, causing long lines to form at the gates of Kaifeng City.

In times like these, there was nothing better to pass the time than gathering together and sharing rumors.

“They say he’s already smashed thirty bandit strongholds.”

“I heard it was fifty.”

Rumors spread faster and became more sensational the more provocative they were.

“Are there even orthodox martial artists these days who undertake Green Forest subjugation? Everyone just nods to each other and passes by.”

“That’s why the bandit strongholds have been increasing lately. It’s a free-for-all. Anyway, the Murim Alliance just struts around with their chins up, doing nothing…”

The peddler clammed up at that comment.

Speaking ill of the Murim Alliance in Kaifeng could lead to serious trouble.

“Anyway… it’s fortunate that such martial artists still exist.”

“But, I have my reservations. To be called an ‘Exterminator,’ after all. Would such a dreadful nickname attach for no reason? He must be unusually cruel.”

“Right. And it’s not just one person, but three. Three brothers, they say. Three brothers.”

The peddlers wore hesitant expressions. While subjugating bandits in the Green Forest was a good deed, a cruel martial artist was just as dangerous.

“Maybe they’re intoxicated with killing, attacking those bandits without consequence? Like a murderer.”

“A murderer… That might be possible…”

Just then, someone placed a hand on their shoulders.

Turning around, the peddler was startled to see a tall young man looking down at him.

“Wh-what is it!”

“He’s not a murderer.”

“What are you talking about suddenly…”

The young swordsman with a youthful face but a large build was none other than Jun Myung, the Green Forest Exterminator himself.

His face, once a bit naive, bore many scars from real combat experience.

“And also.”

Someone approached next to the peddler.

This time, it was a young swordswoman. It was Yu Su-rin.

“He’s not our brother either.”

“That… Um, are you by any chance—”

“If you hear more about this Green Forest Exterminator, explain it properly. We usually don’t kill, but let them live.”

Son Hee-il, their great senior brother, appeared and said so.

The peddlers nodded their heads in a fluster, visibly tense.

In the past, it might have been different, but now an inexplicable sense of intimidation was felt from these third-generation disciples.

The arrangement by the Azure Forest’s esteemed elders for them to gain real combat experience had worked remarkably well.

As the peddlers quietly slipped away, the group let out a groan.

“To have our first nickname be ‘Green Forest Exterminator.’ How did the rumor spread so quickly when we’ve just arrived?”

“And why ‘brothers’ of all things… I’m a woman.”

Only Jun Myung had a slightly different take.

“To be honest, it’s kind of cool… Among the current disciples, none have gained a nickname so quickly. The word ‘Green Forest’ might be so-so, but ‘Exterminator’ is quite…”

“What kind of taste is that!” Yu Su-rin scolded Jun Myung.

Just then, Jin Ri-yeon approached them. She was the one who had given them the opportunity to earn their nicknames.

“I was wondering what you were doing, and here you are.”

Unlike the third-generation disciples, Jin Ri-yeon’s condition was no different from when they first left the Azure Forest.

There was no blood on her clothes, and her tied-up hair was neat.

It was a level of self-management worthy of emulation.

“The inspections seem unusually strict. We should head back soon.”

“Yes.”

Indeed, the line to pass through the city gate showed no sign of shortening.

Even considering that Kaifeng was the provincial capital of Henan, this was excessive.

“Could there have been some incident?”

“Maybe it’s because we eradicated too many bandits…”

“That can’t be it. Hmm…”

It was impossible to know it was Jin Ri-yeon.

The group had been standing in line at the city gate for quite a while.

They had arrived when the sun was high in the sky, but now the slow sunset had begun.

It was about the time when the sky was completely dyed red.

Curses erupted from the front of the line.

“What do you mean? We’ve been waiting here for so long.”

“What are we supposed to do now!”

It was a point where only a few people remained in front of them in the line.

The officers and the peddlers at the front began to quarrel heatedly.

The group looked forward anxiously.

“What’s going on?”

“I’ll go and find out.”

Upon hearing Jin Ri-yeon’s muttering, the merchant group leader left to assess the situation.

When he returned, his expression had hardened even more.

“There’s a problem. We can’t enter the city anymore today.”

“What?”

It was a disconcerting piece of news. The merchant group leader sighed deeply before explaining.

“It’s an order from the mayor. For the time being, the city gates are to be closed after sunset.”

“What could have happened…”

“They wouldn’t tell me much when I asked. Tsk.”

If they couldn’t enter the city now, they would have no choice but to spend the night outside.

Just this morning, the third-generation disciples had been involved in a skirmish at a bandit stronghold, covered in blood and dirt.

Finally, Son Hee-il burst out in frustration.

“Damn it! What kind of nonsensical situation is this!”

It wasn’t an extreme curse, nor was it directed at anyone in particular.

However, coincidentally, someone overheard it.

“It’s not nonsensical. It’s a grave order from the mayor.”

Suddenly, a man in official attire was standing next to the group. He appeared to be the head of the officers.

Son Hee-il froze in reflexive surprise.

The head of the officers inherently exuded an aura that made people uneasy.

Jin Ri-yeon quickly stepped forward.

“I apologize. My companion here is a bit impulsive.”

“Hmm. Well, if that’s the case, I understand.”

Surprisingly, the head of the officers showed a refreshing smile.

“If it’s a companion of Miss Jin, then it’s a different story. Haha.”

“Ah… could it be!”

Jin Ri-yeon’s eyes widened in recognition.

The face of the head of the officers seemed familiar.

“Hahaha! Don’t you recognize me? I’m Jang Sam. Officer Jang!”

“It’s Officer Jang Sam! No wonder you seemed familiar.”

“I’m the head of the officers now, though.”

There’s an unspoken rule known as “officials and martial artists do not infringe upon each other.”

It’s an unwritten law that the government and the martial world would not meddle in each other’s affairs. Yet, the head of the officers greeted Jin Ri-yeon so warmly.

The third-generation disciples looked back and forth between Jin Ri-yeon and the head of the officers with curiosity.

“Congratulations on your promotion, Head Officer Jang.”

“It’s all thanks to Miss Jin that I got promoted to Head Officer. Are you trying to enter the city?”

“Yes, we are planning to visit the Murim Alliance. But the situation has become a bit complicated.”

“Your companions are…”

“They’re from the Daehwa Merchant Group of Huguang Province. We owe them for their help on the way here.”

The Head Officer glanced at the third-generation disciples and asked casually, “But why do your companions have… blood on them?”

They quickly hid their hands behind their backs, but it did nothing to conceal the bloodstains on their clothes.

“We encountered bandits from the Green Forest on our way.”

“Ah… could it be that you are the ones who annihilated several bandit strongholds?”

Respect filled Officer Jang’s eyes as he looked at Jin Ri-yeon.

Somehow, the fact that they had been subduing bandits seemed deeply impressive to him.

“As expected, Miss Jin’s upright character remains unchanged. Please come in. I’ll guide you.”

“Would that be alright?”

“There was an order to conduct strict inspections, but if I don’t let Miss Jin in, who would I let in? I’ll take responsibility!”

The Head Officer called over his men to clear the way.

The people waiting for the inspection looked on with envy.

“Lucky for us, let’s go in.”

“S-senior! As expected…”

The third-generation disciples were also delighted.

Perhaps good deeds do get rewarded. Their subduing of bandits seemed to have helped a little.

In any case, they were now able to enjoy a comfortable inn tonight, cleansing themselves with hot water.

The third-generation disciples followed Jin Ri-yeon with excited expressions.

Curious about the nature of their connection, Yu Su-rin asked, and Officer Jang eagerly shared the story.

“That time… I was surprised, you see. Usually, martial artists from prestigious sects are arrogant. But Miss Jin Ri-yeon was very polite. Truly a role model.”

“Senior has always been kind and dignified.”

“I had never seen someone treat a mere officer with such respect. Even those sent from the Murim Alliance for cooperation were no different.”

Jin Ri-yeon’s connection with Officer Jang dated back to her visit as a representative of the Dragon-Phoenix Conference.

The Murim Alliance was not merely an organization on the level of a single sect. It has influence that spanned the whole Central Plains and therefore necessarily maintained relations with the government.

The principle of non-interference between officials and martial artists did not apply to organizations of a certain size.

“Ah, well, that is to say, not every case requires the intervention of martial artists. They are just commoners, after all… Ahem, anyway. We only ask for their help when a case involves the martial world.”

The collaboration with the Theft Arrest Office is one such example.

The Extermination Pursuit Squad and Inspection Squad, units of the Murim Alliance’s Guardian Hall, often assisted the authorities upon request.

They captured criminals from the unorthodox faction or used their martial arts insight to find clues at crime scenes.

“Actually, she’s a next-generation successor in the Dragon-Phoenix Conference. A youngster with barely dry blood on her head… Ouch. I was a bit concerned when young inspectors were sent in place of the Inspection Squad. But Miss Jin helped sincerely with the investigation. In the end, she captured Killer Thief Black Hog, who had killed fifteen people at that time.”

Officer Jang’s storytelling wasn’t exceptional, but the third-generation disciples listened with keen interest.

Yu Su-rin confirmed the story with Jin Ri-yeon.

“Is that true? You never mentioned it before.”

“What’s there to make a fuss about…”

Officer Jang interjected awkwardly, “Don’t say it’s nothing significant. After that, it became customary for next-generation successors to assist in investigations. It’s all thanks to Miss Jin’s precedent.”

The third-generation disciples looked intrigued.

“Does that mean we might also…?”

If such a tradition had been established, the third-generation disciples might also have a chance to capture criminals.

With a hopeful anticipation for such an event, Jin Ri-yeon spoke softly, “We can only hope that such a thing doesn’t happen.”

“Haha, Miss Jin is right, but… a major incident has already occurred.”

“A major incident?”

“The governor of Henan Province intensified the inspections because of it. A fiend appeared.”

Fiend was a term slightly different from a demon.

It referred to someone who, even without practicing demonic arts, committed heinous crimes like murder using martial arts.

“The Murim Alliance must be in turmoil now. It seems they have locked the doors of the alliance.”

“What kind of fiend?”

“They say this one skins people’s faces.”

It was a chilling statement.

“No offense intended, but the nephew of the Henan Province’s governor fell victim to this face plunderer. That’s why the governor is furious.”

“That’s why the inspections… But why is the Murim Alliance in an uproar?”

“That nephew is Mister Oh Myung-jong.”

Son Hee-il, who had been muttering the name Oh Myung-jong, exclaimed, “Ah, the Three Virtues Sword Hero!”

“I heard the Three Virtues Sword Hero is an expert!”

The Three Virtues Sword Hero was a well-recognized mid-level martial artist in the orthodox faction. True to his nickname “Three Virtues,” he excelled in culture, martial arts, and etiquette. Being only in his early thirties, he was a next-generation successor who received much attention.

As the nephew of the governor of Henan Province, he had a solid background and was well-liked for his good nature, earning him widespread respect.

The fact that such a prominent martial artist was murdered and had his face skinned was shocking.

The fiend must undoubtedly be a highly skilled master.

Jin Ri-yeon, who had once met the Three Virtues Sword Hero, was deeply troubled by the news of his death.

“That’s… a serious matter indeed.”

“Please verify this with the Murim Alliance.”

“Ah, we’ve arrived. Thank you for guiding us here.”

Officer Jang had gone out of his way to escort Jin Ri-yeon and the third-generation disciples to the headquarters of the Murim Alliance.

“Then, welcome to Kaifeng.”

He left with a smile on his face.

The third-generation disciples also smiled and bid him farewell.

“Now, we can finally explore the Murim Alliance!” Jun Myung said excitedly.

However, it seemed their luck had run out for the day.

The guard at the main gate of the Murim Alliance, even after seeing the invitation from the Dragon-Phoenix Conference, did not allow them entry.

After asking them to wait a moment, the guard soon returned with a middle-aged man.

He was the secretary responsible for reception duties at the Murim Alliance.

“Ah, isn’t this Miss Jin Ri-yeon?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Despite recognizing Jin Ri-yeon, he looked troubled.

“Currently, there’s an urgent matter inside the Alliance, so we’ve locked the doors.”

“Is it because of that fiend?”

“Oh, you’ve heard.”

Jin Ri-yeon and the third-generation disciples had actually arrived earlier than the scheduled Dragon-Phoenix Conference event.

“We need to resolve that issue before the Dragon-Phoenix Conference begins. We haven’t yet prepared accommodations for the guests.”

For the Murim Alliance, it would be better to resolve the fiend problem before all the next-generation successors from across the Central Plains arrived.

Even to appease the enraged governor of Henan Province.

“Could you stay at an inn until then? Of course, the Alliance will cover your expenses.”

The third-generation disciples let out a sigh of relief.

It was a fortunate turn of events. How often would these people, who had lived all their lives in the mountains, get to experience a city like Kaifeng?

They would now get to enjoy delicious food in a lavish inn. Even more, the Murim Alliance would cover their expenses.

“Understood. Then, until when…”

“We will inform you.”

The secretary kindly recommended a few inns known for their delicious food.

“I’ve confirmed the invitation, so I’ll record the visit of the Azure Forest disciples. Then, please relax and enjoy exploring Kaifeng.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Just don’t go outside the city gates unless necessary. That face plunderer seems to be moving stealthily around Kaifeng. Another martial artist who came for the Dragon-Phoenix Conference was attacked a few days ago… Please be careful.”

Jin Ri-yeon and her group turned to leave, accompanied by the secretary’s farewells.

The third-generation disciples’ faces lit up with excitement as they asked about the food in Kaifeng.

Suddenly, Jin Ri-yeon spoke with concern, “I wonder if Yi-gang is alright?”

Yi-gang and Dam Hyun had left later than the third-generation disciples.

Having just heard such news from the Murim Alliance’s secretary, she was worried about her youngest junior brother.

“Maybe you don’t need to worry so much?”

However, Yu Su-rin and the other third-generation disciples didn’t seem worried at all.

“Even if that fiend is a martial master, with Senior Yi-gang and Senior Dam Hyun there…”

“Right, right.”

To Jin Ri-yeon, Yi-gang might seem like a young junior brother. But to them, he was a formidable master.

Their perceptions of Yi-gang were vastly different.

Jin Ri-yeon pondered for a moment before nodding.

“At least they won’t get caught.”

She too knew that Dam Hyun and Yi-gang were far from ordinary.

Yu Su-rin clicked her tongue and said, “Who in their right mind would skin people’s faces?”

Her face showed no concern for Yi-gang.

Meanwhile, in Yanling County of Henan Province.

Not too far from Kaifeng, Yi-gang and Dam Hyun had arrived in this relatively developed city.

On a night with terrible weather and heavy rain, a large three-story inn was lit up with lanterns, illuminating the dark night.

As the third-generation disciples guessed, Yi-gang and Dam Hyun had a very comfortable journey.

Yi-gang, being quite wealthy, had rented a luxury horse-drawn carriage for a comfortable trip.

They had always stayed in inns rather than camping out and tried local specialty dishes each day.

The same happened in Yanling County. Yi-gang and Dam Hyun stayed in an inn, each able to afford a single room with their ample travel funds.

And now, Dam Hyun was in someone else’s room.

The thunder was deafening.

Boom—

Lightning flashed, illuminating Dam Hyun’s face.

His pale face looked downwards.

Curiously, the window was open amidst the heavy rain, causing droplets to splatter everywhere.

Yet, Dam Hyun stood frozen, making no attempt to avoid the rain.

Crack!

Another bolt of lightning struck nearby.

The close strike briefly lit up the entire room.

Dam Hyun and the person lying at his feet.

And the missing skin of that person’s face, with the grotesquely exposed eyeballs and nostrils.

At that moment, the door behind Dam Hyun creaked open.

The one who peeked in was Yi-gang.

“Senior Brother, why are you in someone else’s room…”

Yi-gang hesitated, then looked down.

There lay a corpse with its face skinned.

He glanced back and forth several times between the corpse and Dam Hyun’s face.

“…What the hell—!”

“It wasn’t me!”

Dam Hyun quickly raised his hands.

His demeanor was earnest and desperate.

“It really wasn’t me!”

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