472 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Episode 472: Paper Mill - 6 Wuhan is the most populous city in Hubei Province and also serves as its administrative center. The city is divided by the Yangtze River into north and south sections, and with a dense population comes a high crime rate, resulting in a bloated police force. Wopo Du is the second-in-command of the Wuhan police organization, fiercely determined to secure a powerful connection to become the next police chief. "Why on earth are you acting this way!" Wopo Du raised his voice the moment he laid eyes on me, as if he had been preparing for this confrontation. Not long ago, he was in a constant state of anxiety, afraid of getting caught for taking bribes. Does he find comfort in those supposed influential connections? "Wopo Du! What brings you here? I'll prepare some tea." I offered a smile and pointed towards a chair, ignoring his outburst. "Is this the time to leisurely drink tea?" "Didn't you come here to talk with me? We have a variety of beverages ready, from refreshing cold drinks to warm ones. Let's talk over a drink." If he's only going to vent his anger, I won't bother listening. Does he need everything spelled out for him? Wopo Du, despite smiling with his mouth, seemed to catch a glimpse of my stubborn demeanor through my unsmiling eyes and sighed quietly. "…Just give me a lemonade." Then I'll go for a refreshing iced Americano. ------ “Why make something simple so complicated?” Wopo Du downed his lemonade in one swift gulp, as if trying to quell his rising temper, and then asked me in an irritable tone. "Complicated, you say?" “Why not simply punish and disperse the instigators of the rebellion instead of having officers protect them?” “This is neither a rebellion nor something that could be properly called an uprising. These workers refuse to work. Do you think hitting them will make them comply?” I responded resolutely, like a bureaucrat with no sense of flexibility. “Man! Do you really think I came here for wordplay? Do you even know who owns that paper mill?” “It's owned by the landowner.” "You know that and yet…!" Surprised that I was aware of the facts and still standing my ground, Wopo Du momentarily found himself at a loss for words. “The workers are individuals who have been unjustly treated, even whipped. Since they haven't harmed any civilians or caused fights in the marketplace, I'll handle it by the book.” “Hmm, seems Kang Pokwae lacks experience and fails to grasp the situation. Do you understand how chaotic things are at the top right now?” Wopo Du cast a reprimanding gaze at me, implying now wasn’t the time to worry about trivial matters. ‘Ah, he wants to exert top-down pressure.’ It's the typical strategy of burying cases and silencing investigations. It seems the landowner wants to resolve this at Wopo Du's level. ‘I need to draw out the landowner, not Wopo Du.’ My fortunate chance came when someone linked to the landowner approached me. If he came here to intimidate and squash the situation, there is a way to turn it around to my advantage by provoking him, making the landowner eager to meet with me instead. “Well, it seems you might not know everything, Wopo Du.” I smirked, raising one corner of my mouth sarcastically. "What did you just say to me…!" “We’re right in the middle of a political battle.” Why are you unaware of the current situation? Glaring at Wopo Du, who seemed on the verge of shouting, I watched with an expression mixed with frustration and anger. “Political battle? What do you mean?” “…” I took a sip of my drink, avoiding his gaze. Though my words were spoken in anger, I let a long silence linger, as if I had spoken by mistake, fueling his curiosity. “Speak up! What do you mean by a political battle?!” Wopo Du is laying down connections in his quest to become the chief. His rage against me is merely to gain favor with the influential landowner. For someone like that, the way to make him act according to my plans is clear. “The Inspector General is closely monitoring the current situation.” I pointed out the looming threat of him losing his hard-earned connection. “What?! The Inspector General? Why?” "How could I possibly guess the grand intentions of the Inspector General? I only know that the captured local official and the notorious landowner, Mr. Goo Juk, have gained quite a reputation." “Is the Inspector General targeting the landowner?” “I’m merely speculating based on circumstantial evidence.” I left it vague. Without asserting anything, I steered his thoughts towards speculation. Wopo Du’s eyes widened. “There must be some misunderstanding! The landowner often falls victim to minor misunderstandings.” “The Inspector General is well-known for either revealing the truth of misunderstandings or creating them.” “Yes, that's right.” Realizing the gravity of the situation, Wopo Du’s voice trembled. "I have my own assumptions, though. Would you care to listen?" "Go ahead." “When a rebellion occurs in a jurisdiction under the landowner, it's significant to make the local officials bear the responsibility. The chances of the landowner facing punishment are slim. However, the paper mill strike is different. With tensions potentially leading to an uprising, the responsibility for this situation is quite evident, don’t you think?” “If it escalates to talks of rebellion, the paper mill superintendent can't shoulder the blame alone.” “Even if it’s not a rebellion, given how much attention this is attracting in Wuhan, wouldn’t someone have a reason to act?” I spoke cautiously, as if worried someone might overhear us. “Before things get more complicated, let's suppress them quickly.” “Wopo Du, I'm telling you I'm following protocol for your benefit.” I let out a small sigh, as if in frustration. "For my benefit? What do you mean by that?" "If you think that your orders would make them disperse, consider this: wouldn’t Sir Jeong think you missed a great opportunity? Where do you think the arrows of rage would be aimed? Even the Inspector General, who had the local official transported, has considerable wrath.” It wasn’t a question that needed answering. My resolute expression was already focused on the target. Gulp. I heard Wopo Du swallow dryly. “Hahaha. I didn’t realize it went that far. But Sir Jeong, you say? You speak quite familiarly of him.” “We even drank together last night.” “…” "The new wife you've brought in is quite skilled with appetizers," I remarked casually, though it was clear that Wopo Du's expression hardened further than it had all day. That was a sign that what I'd said wasn't mere speculation. 'Now that I've instilled enough fear, should I create an opening?' Feigning a headache, I massaged my forehead. "You know, it's quite troubling for me too. Somehow, the police chief seems to have gotten wind that I'm the drinking buddy of the Inspector General and is using me as a shield." I let my honest thoughts slip out as if I were complaining. This made me seem approachable for dialogue. "Weren't you protecting them of your own will?" "Of my own will? This is a silent battlefield showering arrows. I’m just watching the situation, unable to do this or that." I let out a slight chuckle, feigning indignation. I portrayed myself not as a confidant, but merely an acquaintance, a subordinate stuck in this role because of connections. By appearing able to step back whenever another shield arose, I painted myself as potentially withdrawable. "I see... I misunderstood you." "For now, we have no choice but to follow protocol. When the arrows of anger pierce someone's heart while we sit still, then we can act again, can't we?" I mimed drawing a bow and shooting out the window. An arrow flies. The arrow named after the Inspector General. I didn’t need to specify whose heart it was aimed at; Wopo Du couldn’t tear his eyes away from the invisible arrow's trajectory. "Thank you for the lemonade." Either eager to spread news of the arrow in flight or escape its path, Wopo Du quickly stood to leave. That was precisely what I wanted. ------- “What on earth are they all doing?” In a room cloaked with luxurious items, the furious exclamation made the paper mill's deputy and Wopo Du tremble in fear. "The paper mill workers have taken hostages..." The deputy explained to the landowner without daring to meet his eyes. “Didn't I tell you to deploy the mercenaries?” “They've even lit campfires around the paper mill, threatening to set it ablaze if it comes to that. Trying to invade with soldiers might lead to disaster.” “Can’t we just arrest them all by deploying officers!” "Well, that's because Kang Pokwae won't relent..." "Why are you at the mercy of a mere constable! Wopo Du! Explain yourself!" The angry voice turned to Wopo Du. "He’s no ordinary constable. He’s solved significant cases one after another in just a few months, gaining a reputation known by everyone in Wuhan." Wopo Du tried to explain, showering praise on Kang Yoon Ho's record to cover his own mistake. “A few famous constables think they can ignore their superiors, do they now?” Of course, the landowner wasn’t someone to be sold on such flimsy excuses. This was turning into a major issue. With the landowner's reproachful gaze upon him, Wopo Du decided to reveal the latest information. "The esteemed Inspector General is backing the constable.” “What?! Jeong Moon Won?” The landowner was shocked to hear an unexpected name. “Yes. Rumor has it that the Inspector General favors Kang Yoon Ho.” “So, Jeong Moon Won is behind this, is he?” “They say the Inspector General is carefully monitoring this matter.” “Is Jeong Moon Won watching over me?” For the first time, a trace of fear flickered across the landowner's consistently angry face. “I regret to report, there are rumors of him using this as grounds for oppression…” “Damn Jeong Moon Won! I argued strongly for his dismissal before! Now he’s tangling me up after the provincial authority too!” "I wanted to command Kang Pokwae decisively, but I worried about the damage you might suffer if I took a harsh stance against someone who’s a drinking buddy with the Inspector General." "What do you plan to do about this! Isn't Jeong Moon Won going to drag innocent people into this again!" Though his rank was lower than the landowner’s, the Inspector General had once led the arrest of a high-ranking official. Any official in Wuhan would tread carefully around Inspector General Jeong Moon Won. “There... may yet be a way…!” Even the great landowner could not simply overlook the situation. Wopo Du could barely come up with a potential closer tie with his connection. "What way?" "Isn’t a drinking buddy not necessarily a loyal servant…?" There's no rule that only the police chief can use Kang Pokwae. If someone else becomes the scapegoat, this can be resolved quickly. "…Explain further." “He also seems eager to finish the matter. It looked like he’s just standing in because of his connections to the Inspector General.” “So that’s it! This wasn’t something a mere constable would orchestrate! That damn mad dog Jeong Moon Won is at it again!” The landowner finally pieced the situation together, gritting his teeth in understanding. "Apparently, Kang Yoon Ho is a drinking buddy of the Inspector General. If we can get him to act directly, he’ll be perfect for squashing this issue." It was clear to the landowner that the strike was a trap set by the Inspector General. As expected, the meticulous Inspector General had crafted a precise trap but had overlooked one thing. By guiding Kang Pokwae to act in their favor, the entire plan could collapse effortlessly. “Excellent idea. Summon Kang Yoon Ho at once.” A self-satisfied smile spread across the landowner's face, unaware that he was moving according to someone else's plan.