702 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

The man you provoked is not merely the heir of Mang Geum Jeon's dark-haired lineage. Even if you were unaware of my status as a distinguished guest of the Unga, it wouldn't matter. The man you insulted and tried to attack in a fit of rage is Je Gal Lang's fiancé and the son-in-law of Jegalse's Head. What now? Do you wish to see this through to the end? "I've taken over all the Yeomwangchae bonds from Jin Gajang. There are parts that require Kang Gong Ja's confirmation, but most of it can proceed as is." This was not an issue for Jin Gajang's head to endlessly deliberate upon. "Well done. For now, execute low-interest refinancing on all the existing Yeomwangchae contracts." "Wow. Did you really go to Jin Gajang and sweep up the bonds and books?" Gilsan, with an expression of regret for not witnessing it himself, asked me. "What do you mean, 'swept up'? We even shared smiles and handshakes before bidding farewell." It was quite a delightful scene. 一 Whether you live or die, depart in peace. Why was the dark-haired one able to contend with the Siwang Elder? Why was he treated as an honored guest by the Unga? Jin Gajang's head understood everything upon hearing that he was Jegalse's son-in-law, and thus lost all will. "Is Jin Gajang done for now?" "They'll manage somehow. But they won't wield influence in Ayang as they once did." I would prefer to avoid being chased down with swords over a complete collapse. Prominent martial families typically own large estates. It became an issue when those capable of living off real estate started oppressing small merchants and meddling with money lending. They danced too close to the line and now have crossed it, plummeting to the level of minor factions in Ayang. N2Q1UkN6Sk9iTEJZNGlLdU5pL0Jqb1RkOXRjYzRVS3QrZFFUNnRrMStiSVVHeFJhbGo2OTUxNnc2TVlJa1BYMQ "Considering they targeted the neck of Jegalse's son-in-law, they got off lightly." "Unless it’s in the southern regions of Honam, Ayang is directly accessible via waterways." The location is most unfavorable. Had Jin Gajang's head been situated in the southern regions of Honam, disconnected from waterways, he might have attempted a bold gambit. The issue is that Jin Gajang is based in Ayang, easily reached from the waterways of Hubei. Watching Jin Gajang's head desperately wrack his brain only to reach critical overload was almost pity-inducing. "Everyone in Ayang is talking about you. You're practically being hailed as the hero who saved Ayang's merchants." The Enma King's premium ticket. A loan dubbed the Yeomwangchae for sending the living to the underworld. Overnight, I turned loans that let people see the face of the Enma King every day into low-interest loans. It indeed warranted praise. However. "Un Yeop, for those seeking loans from Mang Geum Jeon in the future, perform proper inspections before implementation. Instead, offer slightly reduced interest rates to those affiliated with the Ayang Association." "I'll make sure to relay that." "Well..." "A merchant can't continuously operate at a loss." The grand opening managed to draw all the attention. We drew in other people’s clients, pushed some out of the market, and received compliments along the way. Overall, it was a profitable venture. "Agreed. We've done our share of good deeds." Gilsan, briefly incredulous, soon nodded in understanding. "How about the Ayang bookstore?" It felt reminiscent of inquiring about a long-lost girlfriend's whereabouts, only to end up catching a monstrous griffin terrorizing villagers, but I couldn’t forget the original purpose. "All copies of Ho Pil's novels have been returned. We've secured a written agreement acknowledging the rights to sell Ho Pil novels at Mang Geum Bookstore." "Verify the quantity of the received books and distribute them to other branches in Honam Province." "As the Unga operates a rapid delivery service, I'll commission them for it." Considering the Unga's contributions, channeling physical distribution through them is indeed wise. As expected from the Deputy General, their work is pristine. "Is everything sorted out?" "There's no significant worry about Ayang now." "We'll need to conclude this year's financial statements, but Ayang's branch alone looks set to rank in the top ten among Mang Geum Jeon's branches." I nodded in reassurance at Un Yeop's words. Though we modestly started a business in the provincial capital of Honam with Unga's help, swallowing Jin Gajang’s entire operation took things to another level. "A foothold is established, then." It signified readiness to boldly expand into Honam, as I planned. ** Where a solid foothold is founded, the general's banner is bound to flutter. "Have you heard the news?" At one of Ayang's many inns, a man broached the subject of the hot news currently sweeping through Ayang with his companion. "What news?" His companion, unaware, tilted his head in curiosity. "I heard Jin Gajang has been utterly annihilated." "Jin Gajang? Did they clash with another faction and have a sword fight?" "No. It's beyond that, I hear they’re completely devastated. If you get a chance, take a look at Jin Gajang's place. It's said the outer grounds are entirely laid to waste." Who is presently the most thriving family in Ayang? Despite not needing to ask, one look at Jin Gajang’s once-glorious estate revealed the answer. But now, half of that estate lay in ruins. The man earnestly recounted to his friend the astonishing sight he had witnessed. "Is that so? How did a family with such stature in Ayang fall overnight?" "They chose the wrong opponent." The companion, refraining from responding to the question, clicked his tongue and shook his head, something clicking within his mind. "Could it be that rabble from Jin Gajang provoked the martial artists of the Nine Schools Alliance? I always suspected they'd cause trouble one day!" That reckless heir from Jin Gajang must have caused the mess. Inconsiderately provoking others was bound to lead to significant trouble someday, after all. The friend reached his own conclusion, though it was misconstrued. "They went after the dark-haired one." "...What?" Momentarily, the friend had no choice but to question his own hearing. "You heard right. They picked a fight with that dark-haired barbarian and got utterly destroyed." "Tell me more. It's hard to believe that the mighty Jin Gajang would fall just by messing with a barbarian!" Aren't those dark-haired folks known for smacking people around when they don't work properly? On the flipside, Jin Gajang was notorious for knocking out the teeth of Zhongyuan people for fun. That they got laid low just by tangling with a dark-haired person seemed unbelievable. "It's different if that dark-haired man is Jegalse's son-in-law." "Are you going to keep spouting nonsense? How on earth does a dark-haired person become Jegalse's son-in-law? Why not say they can eat pineapple pizza too while you're at it!" "I'm serious! He's no ordinary dark-haired guy. He's the heir to Mang Geum Jeon." "What? I'm seriously considering whether you've been day-drinking or it's time to take you to a doctor because you've finally cracked." A dark-haired barbarian being the heir to Mang Geum Jeon and a son-in-law of Jegalse, no less. Supposedly wreaking havoc on Jin Gajang just by appearing in Ayang—that seemed more plausible than the man's tale, which warranted a check for alcohol scent. "It's true! You know that book you always read? There's a famous story about that dark-haired guy!" "The close friend of Ho Pil, Gang Yunho, risking his life to visit the Tang family in Sichuan on behalf of a friend?" "Yes! That dark-haired man! Gang Yunho has become the heir of Mang Geum Jeon!" "You still look skeptical! Come on! Everyone who’s been to Wian knows about it!" "Really?" Even those at the nearby table affirmed it, leaving the friend no choice but to accept the story. "He was already a hidden gem back then. Rumor has it, Jegalse's Head begged him to become their son-in-law, offering their precious youngest daughter." "Indeed... I always thought that dark-haired man was something special. To discover Ho Pil buried in obscurity and to possess such integrity for a friend!" Had people only heard about a barbarian inheriting Mang Geum Jeon, they might not have believed it. But over a year and a half had passed since Ho Pil's novels spread along the Yangtze River. Given how many had heard of Gang Yunho's story, it only lent credibility to the tale. "Jin Gajang picked the wrong target, then. Sending Ho Pil’s novels to the trash while the heir was watching. Wouldn't that flip the narrative entirely?" "Throwing a piece of literary art meant to protect one's life into the garbage? That’s practically a declaration of war!" With people aware of Gang Yunho's stories, the conflict between Jin Gajang and Gang Yunho became all too understandable. Even if they didn't know the details. The black-haired man who risked his life to visit the Tang family and explain on behalf of a friend—just that one line was enough for everyone to understand. "Which is why Unga..." "Unga?" Jin Gajang, who used to abuse power with everything they did through the Yeomwangchae in Ayang, has laid in ruins. It would be enough to grasp attention, but that wasn't the end of it. This happened because the heir of Mang Geum Jeon was infuriated at Jin Gajang. And the heir of Mang Geum Jeon is a dark-haired man. That news spread like wildfire. Don't be surprised yet... the dark-haired man is Jegalse's son-in-law. And this heir to Mang Geum Jeon cleared the debts for Ayang’s merchants. The heir's true identity is Ho Pil's close friend, Gang Yunho. The rumors continued to snowball. The heir of Mang Geum Jeon. Gang Yunho. Before long, there wasn't a soul in Ayang who did not know the name Gang Yunho. ** The start of a morning is always weary. It's especially wearisome if you're a self-employed person with no guarantee of eight hours of work per day. No younger sister to gently wake me up saying it's morning, no childhood friend barging in to insult my crude tastes, no elder sister with a mature smile cooking breakfast—life was tough. In such times, how should one live? 'I need a maid.' My perfect maid. To fulfill this freelancer's dream of sleeping in, I imbued my thoughts into the maid of my fantasy. Golden thoughts trickled down onto the lips of the frozen beauty. It was a daily ritual I had grown accustomed to. "Is it done?" The Siwang Elder, who watched silently from the back, asked. "Today, too, I infused it with highly refined thoughts." Refined to the point of being sticky—this special, concentrated essence was given. "It seems business is going well for you." "It's all thanks to you, Elder. I've truly been indebted to you." Though I had already expressed my gratitude once, I felt multiple thanks were never enough. When I bowed once more to the Siwang Elder, he waved dismissively, signaling it was nothing. "It's nothing more than a trivial matter. Isn't there something more important?" "Haha. Seeing Miss Lang look so gaunt from skipping even a single meal due to my inadequacy pains me greatly..." "If she can't speak… can you still hear her voice?" "Perhaps due to no significant danger occurring, I have not heard her voice lately." The Siwang Elder nodded, as if this was expected, and then examined the status of the apprentice keenly. "Her condition is improving. Your connection with her is strengthening." "Is it progressing well?" "……." "Siwang Elder?" Why does he look at me in silence? "Infusing your thought essence is leading her soul's recovery. The first stage is advancing faster than I expected." "By saying first stage, do you mean there’s also a second?" I had thought merely providing this high-grade essence would be enough for her to thrive naturally. The Siwang Elder looked momentarily lost in thought, then resolved to speak to me. "Yes. It’s time to tell you about the next stage."