475 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

EP.475 Paper Mill - 9 An empty-name certificate? ‘Could it be the forbidden black magic of corrupt officials, using bribery and favoritism magic?’ Instantly overturning one's status from a lowly barbarian. In a world where merely passing the initial exam needed to qualify for the main civil service examination earns you the title of scholar and respect. Even a position at the bottom of the ninth rank, still classifies one as a noble. Regardless of being looked down upon as black-haired, those in Zhongyuan must bow their heads to such a person. Gu Jook has truly prepared a masterstroke. “A small gift from the Jibudaein, but too grand for me to accept.” He immediately declined. ‘I have no interest in starting a life as a barbarian with a lowly official position.’ Busy days raising my reputation and making money. With several businesses already underway and the ongoing battle to inherit the Myung-gum Merchant Guild, the thought of working in a government office, writing reports on criminals, was out of the question. “Do you think being next to the Inspector General will get you a better gift? Do you think the inexperienced Jeong Mun-won will take care of you?” The Jibudaein seemed to have misunderstood my rejection. “Hahaha. Calling the Inspector General a gift is quite humorous. I even pay when we drink.” “Tsk tsk. You mean the Inspector General is draining the hard-earned money of law enforcement officers with such a poor salary? That troublesome fool is oblivious! Or perhaps, he’s acting that way precisely because he lacks awareness!” “He’s a better person than I imagined.” “Doesn’t everyone fail the great examination at least once? Now that he’s secured an official position, shouldn’t he worry about who to support and favor! Instead, he’s burning his bridges! Standing by him will only lead to your downfall!” Gu Jook's broad face turned entirely red with excitement. He must be tremendously stressed about the Inspector General. Better watch out for hypertension. “There are certainly many who view him unfavorably.” I smiled like a good-natured subordinate who cared for his senior. “Since he has no drinking buddies, he drinks with you! Well, having done something worthwhile recently, he’s sure to climb higher. But does Jeong Mun-won really seem like the kind of adaptable person who would elevate you alongside him?” “Haha…” I already had a scouting offer once, but there was no need to mention that. “Take it. How long will you cling to a lowly position without rank? A man should aim to accomplish great deeds in his life.” The Jibudaein gestured towards the empty-name certificate. “It’s an enticing gift enough to make my heart race…” What I want is money, not some empty-name certificate. “Are you afraid of provoking Jeong Mun-won?” “That’s not the concern.” How should I persuade him to repay the money? “Of course it is. Since you're getting an official position, let me give you some advice. Politics is about deciding who to befriend and who to consider an enemy. If you help wrap up this matter smoothly, I’ll secure you a position in the district I govern. If you handle things as deftly as you have been, you might eventually climb to the rank of constable and won’t have to deal with the Inspector General.” “You misunderstand. That’s not why I'm hesitating.” Taking the money from the start would have made things simpler. But it seems there's no intention of paying, so there's no choice but to proceed as planned. “Then?” “Since I’ve been forcibly placed in this political stage, I was contemplating whether there’s a way to be friends with both the Inspector General and the Jibudaein.” Feigning embarrassment, I smiled naively, like a young man lacking social experience. ‘I must never become enemies with the Jibudaein.’ Inwardly, I wanted to grab his collar and demand my money back. But I am a lowly constable, and he is the Jibudaein. Yelling won’t make money magically appear. I must find a way to coax the money out while keeping the relationship amicable. “Well… Seems Constable Kang is quite ambitious. But the political arena isn’t something a mere constable can control. If you can grab even one thread, recognize it as a lifelong opportunity.” Even those in positions like a constable strive desperately to grab a thread from the Jibudaein. Choosing one sure thread over awkwardly holding onto two is indeed wise advice. “Indeed, you’re right. I must have been foolish.” So then. “Then, hurry up and… What?!” I threw the empty-name certificate into a drawer at one corner. His gaze is filled with anger. To think a lowly constable would dare reject his offer. Gu Jook’s eyebrows trembled, filled with indignation. It doesn’t matter. I met his angry gaze with a smile. “To think I proposed friendship to someone on the verge of dismissal. I was overly ambitious.” “What, what do you mean?” Gu Jook’s anger shifted to confusion. A truly upright constable would disdain saying anything to the likes of you and exit the room gracefully. But I am Kang Yun-ho, the prospective grandson-in-law of the Myung-gum Merchant Guild head. I'm a debt collector who needs to get back the money you borrowed. If Gu Jook remains above me at all times, I couldn’t even demand my money back. How can one demand repayment from a superior? At best, you’d meekly ask, only to be denied. I lifted the bottle lying beside me with a sly smile. The word “dismissal” slightly redefines the dynamic between us. “Before saying anything, may I pour you a drink?” As drinking companions, of course. -------- In the emptied room where the courtesans had left, Gu Jook now looked at me with widened eyes, holding out his cup, his previous overconfident expression vanished. “It’s true that I was forcibly placed in this political arena. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t fulfilled my duties.” The Jibudaein’s perception of me as a naive young man unwillingly caught in political fights combined with an image of a competent constable has to be fully utilized now. “Fulfilled your duties?” I cleared my throat with a cough, shifting into a tone the Jibudaein might recognize. “Jibudaein Gu Jook is the epitome of a corrupt official! The cries of the people exploited under his tyranny resound to the heavens. Catch Gu Jook's tyranny and corruption until the protests are resolved, Constable Kang Yun-ho.” “Jeong Mun-won…! That bastard finally…!” It’s a bluff. “Yes, I am Kang Yun-ho. While I may wear the mantle of fame, I’m not significant enough to ignore the Inspector General’s orders. I thoroughly investigated.” “Oh, did you find anything?” Jibudaein, with a sneering tone as if saying ‘as if someone like you could,’ asked me mockingly. “Yes, I did.” “What?! W-what, exactly?” If I’ve poured you a full cup, then drink it. Why spill it again? ‘Dispersing the protesters isn’t enough leverage.’ There are less than ten days until the exam ends. The debt Jibudaein borrowed is a staggering amount to repay in a short period. To force repayment, he needs to prioritize debt settlement immediately once today’s meeting concludes. Can someone who has refused to pay so many times really repay so easily? This requires another strategy. “The beginning traces back to the impeachment of the Jibudaein initiated by the Inspector General.” I paced leisurely around the room, hands clasped behind my back. The culprit is in this room. Who could it be? Let's narrate it like a detective unraveling the mystery. “The event where Jeong Mun-won nearly faced dismissal due to failure? What does that have to do with me?” There was a tinge of tension mixed into Jibudaein’s irritable voice. “The Jibudaein had to provide substantial funds to the central government due to the impeachment. In fact, the evidence the Inspector General presented was stronger than anticipated.” “……” Jibudaein’s eyes narrowed. Why? Does something come to mind? “The issue was, to secure his survival, the Jibudaein had to use a hefty amount of money. One can only imagine the astronomical demands from the central government.” “Hmm…” “The Jibudaein pondered on how to gather such a large sum. That's right, there was a way! Squeeze it out of his subordinates! A fitting approach for one who has habitually drained the lifeblood of the people.” With a sardonic smile, I turned to Gu Jook, who was already sent to the capital. I came knowing all about it. You, you gave money to the Jibudaein. “If your claim is true, then isn’t it I who is the victim here?” Was providing funds for bribery considered innocent these days? I continued with a scoff. “Jibudaein told me that politics is about choosing friends and enemies. Surely Jibudaein, with political sensibility, wouldn’t want to create enemies by extorting his officials. Thus, Jibudaein proposed an idea to you, Elder Gu Jook.” “What sort of proposal?” I picked up my empty glass and poured myself a drink. As if I’d drink what Gu Jook pours, but he must drink the one I pour. I drained my glass and looked at Gu Jook as if interrogating a suspect. “Jibudaein, under the guise of a river repair project, confiscated prime lands from the landowners around here.” “……!” “Though the landowners filed numerous appeals, they were mysteriously silenced swiftly. It was as if an agreement had been made at higher levels.” “Baseless allegations! Where do you get such slanderous ideas?” Jibudaein’s eyes quivered, perhaps pondering where he might have been exposed. Enjoying his feeble attempts at explanation as if savoring a delightful snack, I poured myself another drink and sipped. “Yes, it is speculation. It might as well be baseless.” Right. The dealings between Jibudaein and Gu Jook were so meticulously concealed that not a single speck of dust could be found. “Are you trying to corner someone without evidence?” “But tell me, would I recklessly speak of dismissal without a basis?” Jibudaein’s face hardened to the point where he didn’t need a side dish for enjoyment. -------- It’s not that I conducted some grand investigation or brilliant detection. ‘I’ve already seen the corruption ledger of Jibudaein long ago.’ I had a conversation with the Inspector General about it. - Gu Jook, you say? I’ve had my eye on him too. - I recall you once tried to rope in Jibudaein and Gu Jook together but backed off? - I found presumptive evidence. But there wasn’t any concrete evidence. The land seizure under the guise of repairs was skirting the line between legal and illegal, making it hard to prove corruption. And the aliases used in the corruption ledger complicate turning them into evidence. - I’ll take the liberty of shaking up Gu Jook a bit. - You, of all people?! Go on, give it a try. I merely referenced an investigation that had put Gu Jook under scrutiny, only for it to end without charges due to lack of evidence. “Do you actually have evidence, then?” Your voice could be the evidence. If I could record, I’d run to the Inspector General immediately. Now it’s time for the capable Constable Kang Yun-ho to shine. With relaxed composure, I started pacing the room again before turning my gaze back to Gu Jook. “You called the Inspector General ignorant of worldly affairs. Indeed, I concur that having spent his life studying, his perspective might be somewhat limited.” “What’s that supposed to mean!” “I, on the other hand, am quite worldly. I am well-versed in the flow of money.” “Flow of money?!” “If it were the Inspector General, he would have given up. In the ledger taken from Jibudaein, for this particular case, the bribers’ names were scrambled; hence there was no clear evidence.” While Jibudaein funding the central government is a bribery case, receiving money under the pretense of offering benefits to Gu Jook also counts as a bribery case. Unfortunately, this particular incident lacked any clear proof. “There’s no way you really found evidence…” I nodded with a smile. “Consider the situation back then. A colossal amount of money was urgently needed. If the bribe didn’t reach before the evidence did, Jibudaein’s life would be on the line. Scrounging from Gu Jook and local magistrates, Jibudaein barely scraped the amount together in days. That’s where a problem occurred.” Most mistakes arise from a lack of time. - Could you show me Jibudaein’s corruption ledger again? - I have a hunch about something. I’d like to investigate it with Zhegal Sojeo. - You won't find anything, no matter how much you search. Contrary to the Inspector General’s expectations, Zhegal Sojeo and I were able to uncover it. “What kind of problem? What are you referring to?” “No matter how wealthy, it’s nearly impossible to rapidly gather an enormous amount of immediate funds.” “……!” How did Jibudaein manage to gather such a large sum in a short time? How could Gu Jook give such a hefty amount to Jibudaein in just a few days? More importantly, who in the entire Wuhyeon town could offer such a large sum at once? How could I reclaim the money owed by Jibudaein? “Jibudaein, I noticed you recently borrowed a substantial sum from Myung-gum Merchant Guild.” In the Unsanctioned Ledger and the Corruption Ledger. The answer lay within those two ledgers.