413 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Taking one's first steps into a new world is filled with excitement. "Ugh. Gaa......" Especially when that world signifies the path to adulthood. Cheon So Hee was taken aback, unable to conceal her shock at the sight of a world filled with hues of pink. While she was aware of the mechanical aspects of what men and women did in bed, she had no understanding of the specifics of how such events unfolded. Even her mentor, Dan Se Wol, hadn't imagined that she would fall in love, and so never felt the need to explain it to her. Cheon So Hee could not tear her eyes away from this new world, muttering meaningfully, "This is a first night." But it wasn't. In truth, "Dang Ga Poong Woon" was a book that fantastically distorted the relationship between men and women, with the provocative aim of stirring its readers. Its content was filled with fantasies of how to please a man in bed—a far cry from what a genuine first night should be. Even if someone were to advise Cheon So Hee that the reality was different, she doubted she would listen. "Yoon Ho oppa......" This was because she had already pictured Dang Jeong's face as Kang Yoon Ho's and herself as the number one beauty in Sichuan, Gu Soong Jeong. The sensations in her lower abdomen tingled oddly. Her face felt hot. Through the erotic scenes of "Dang Ga Poong Woon," Cheon So Hee realized precisely how babies were conceived and how men and women enjoyed themselves in bed. [I'll catch the demon of my desires and come ask for your forgiveness.] Cheon So Hee tried to calm her strangely fluttering heart as she read the last scene. [Gaa. Where have you gone? Gaa!] The goodbye of Dang Jeong and Gu Soong Jeong, a moment mourned by countless avid readers of "Dang Ga Poong Woon," gave Cheon So Hee a sense of déjà vu. "It's just like when I parted with oppa." So similar—the sudden farewell and the promise of reunion. The heartache was too much alike. Cheon So Hee recalled the painful farewell—one that other avid readers must have lamented—and she empathized with a saddened expression. Even though they loved each other, they had to part. There was no choice; there were still things to accomplish. Dang Jeong would return after capturing the demon of his desires and propose marriage. Imagining Dang Jeong, with Kang Yoon Ho’s face, proposing to Gu Soong Jeong, who had her face, made her heart tickle inexplicably. How would it end? Surely, it must be about him resolving to catch the demon and returning to Gu Soong Jeong, right? Trusting Dang Jeong’s determination, Cheon So Hee turned to the next chapter. [The protagonist enters Hubei's most renowned brothel, where no one had ever been allowed her body, and to even summon her would cost a fortune, yet here she was, addicted to an aphrodisiac.] "Dang Jeong with another woman......?" All it took was a single line to betray her expectations. ---------- The following day. Though no instruction had been given to gather in Dan Se Wol's room, the three of them found themselves convening at the same time. Despite their weary countenances, there was a distinct sparkle in their eyes. "Yukiko! That was exhilarating!!! I read it all night without sleeping!" "I too have never read such a book before. Before I realized it, it was morning." Dan Se Wol smiled and nodded. Initially, she hadn't expected much, thinking it would be like a famed feast with no food, yet before she knew it, the moon had set and birds were chirping. It was an experience unprecedented for her as well. "How was it, Seol Ja-ssi?" Seol Ja, with a friendly smile yet dark expression, inquired of Cheon So Hee. "......It was entertaining." "Didn't like the book? Something seems to have unsettled you." As Cheon So Hee gazed at Dan Se Wol's concerned face for a while, she murmured in a voice tinged with disappointment. "Dang Jeong... I thought was Yoon Ho oppa. But he wasn't." She expected him to end up with Gu Soong Jeong. What on earth is a courtesan? Who is Cheong Hong Yi Hwa? Why did his eyes wander to another woman the moment they promised to reunite? He honed himself for the sake of one woman. Why was he swayed just because someone was nice to him nearby? And Seol Hyang is another issue. Why flirt with a man who has a lover? Cheon So Hee struggled to quell her anger from the previous night. In the end, she had to go out for midnight training to sweat out her frustration. Dang Jeong is not Yoon Ho oppa. Even though they are alike, he is ultimately a separate person. Cheon So Hee returned after barely acknowledging this and could finally turn the next page. "Oh dear, you must have been very immersed." Dan Se Wol quickly read into her disciple's reaction. A child who never had a hobby of reading novels. It seemed she imagined the protagonist as her oppa after hearing it was his book. Yet, for the protagonist to date various women, the shock must have been great. Amused, she secretly laughed at her disciple's amusing reaction. "Hahaha! Seol Ja-ssi! Did you think of your lover while reading Dang Jeong? He indeed was impressive!" "Yoon Ho oppa is more impressive than Dang Jeong." Her answer was without hesitation. "Ooooh! Yukiko! Seol Ja-ssi is too radiant! Yukiko, who does not yet know the charm of love, is greatly pitied!" Seol Ja covered her face with her arms, looking at Cheon So Hee with squinting eyes as if staring into the sun. "Quite an extraordinary novel indeed. Hard to believe someone from Joseon, who supposedly knows nothing of martial arts, could write it. It was gripping." Dan Se Wol admired "Dang Ga Poong Woon" purely, not merely to praise her disciple's lover. "Yes. Because it's oppa." Cheon So Hee's lips curled into a smile as her mentor praised the lover. "Yukiko feels the same! Especially Dang Jeong was so impressive. Yukiko might just fall for him!" "......Don't fall for him." "Haha! Seol Ja-ssi! Are you jealous because he's similar to your lover? Adult jealousy! Yukiko experiences this first time!" "......" Usually, Cheon So Hee wouldn't respond much regardless of what Seol Ja said. But if it was about her lover, discussions brought forth a strong response from her. Realizing this, Seol Ja kept weaving tales about "Dang Ga Poong Woon" with her lover, continuing to engage Cheon So Hee. Dan Se Wol, finding new delight in the once tedious hideout, humorously indulged the children's banter. "Why on earth would Dang Jeong leave the woman he loves! Yukiko cannot understand!" "It's a shame they didn't take Cheong Hong Yi Hwa with them; she would've been a great asset," Yukiko remarked. "Yukiko! I'm so curious why the author made such a decision!" exclaimed Seol Ja. Why leave a woman behind? Isn’t happiness enough? As Dan Se Wol and Seol Ja exchanged puzzled glances with Cheon So Hee, she revealed an unexpected answer. "Because we parted, too." "Huh?" "It's fine. We'll meet again one day. We certainly will." Cheon So Hee answered with resolute eyes. Dang Jeong isn't oppa. However, within "Dang Ga Poong Woon," oppa is present. Perhaps oppa wishes to portray a story of eventual reunion, even after a goodbye within a novel. As if promising to reunite with her in reality. To keep the promise made to rescue her. Cheon So Hee's eyes were filled with affection and a tender longing for her lover. "......" "Seems our disciple was deeply moved by the book," Dan Se Wol noted, understanding her disciple’s situation and nodding in agreement. "He's not oppa, but it felt like seeing oppa." "Oh dear. A lover as charming as Dang Jeong. Yukiko is so envious I could cry!" Yukiko lamented. The three continued their discussion about "Dang Ga Poong Woon" without pause. ----- "Yukiko! The intimate scenes were so intense!" It's customary to discuss such racy topics after dark. Seol Ja deliberately raised the matter once night fell after dinner. "I found it somewhat... stimulating," Dan Se Wol admitted, averting her gaze. She expected tales of martial arts, not realizing such explicit scenes would appear. She slyly glanced at her disciple, usually oblivious to matters between men and women. Worried it might have been too provocative, she looked carefully, fearing her disciple might be embarrassed. Yet there, Cheon So Hee appeared remarkably composed. "It was a good education." "What?!" "What?!" "I learned what oppa likes." Her face noticeably flushed. Dan Se Wol felt troubled. Could her disciple have learned about relations between men and women through "Dang Ga Poong Woon"? This was a problem. As a mentor, Dan Se Wol felt it was time to impart some unspoken lessons. "Reality differs from novels. Those stories are crafted for the audience's enjoyment." "That's right, numero 5! Do not confuse that fantasy with reality! Remember, those actions are impossible in real life!" Seol Ja, too, chimed in support, her face reddened. "Is it impossible?" Cheon So Hee inquired, tilting her head and blinking innocently at Seol Ja. "Of course it is...... huh!" Seol Ja hesitated while replying to Cheon So Hee, momentarily lost for words. What she saw in her eyes seemed too much for even the greatest beauty of Joseon to live up to. "Ah, is it impossible?" Why did even Dan Se Wol seem curious about it? Seol Ja directed her trembling voice to the enigmatic master, feeling her breath hitch. Dan Se Wol, after all, carried certain impressive assets herself. Overwhelmed by a sense of defeat and vulnerability, Seol Ja obscured her precious features, biting her lips in exasperation. "Oof! It’s absurd for both master and disciple to have... such... attributes." A voice full of defeat escaped. "Pardon?" "No, Yukiko! My technique, the Art of Calm Waters, almost failed me for a moment there!" Seol Ja barely managed an answer, struggling to maintain a straight face. "Yukiko, when imparting knowledge to the disciple, convey accurate facts. Saying something possible is impossible only leads to more confusion." Most likely, they were not possible. Seol Ja's expression once again wavered at Dan Se Wol’s words. With a rich, envious glance at her own underwhelming assets, Seol Ja energetically declared: "Yukiko will persevere! There is no need for disappointment! Being able to do it is what’s odd!" She clung to her self-esteem with sheer determination. But still, Cheon So Hee's curiosity remained unsatisfied. "If it's possible, doesn't that mean it's okay to do it?" "Tch......" Seol Ja found it hard to refute. -------- "Yukiko is feeling faint! Could it be that I'm sleepy?" "I'm heading out." "Numero 5! Let’s go together!" As night deepened, Dan Se Wol sent her disciple and Seol Ja back to their rooms. "Who would have thought discussing a novel could be so delightful." No wonder the last owner was quite the character. The promise to become renowned for the sake of her disciple, to save the destiny of the Cheon Sa Seong, might not be an empty boast. Dan Se Wol truly saw hope in her disciple's lover. "Master Nakcha, I've brought the news you requested." Once her disciples departed, an assassin from the hideout presented a piece of paper. "Very well. Hand it over." No need to ask what it was about. She had only asked for one piece of news. She was certain Kang Yoon Ho was doing well. Living his life diligently. Relaying a word to her disciple would even spur her further in her training. Dan Se Wol unfolded the news that had flown in from Uichang. "This is serious......" [Kang Yoon Ho. Living with a woman.] Dan Se Wol couldn't conceal her shock at the content within.