736 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

"The deposits at the Yongsa Trading Branch have been increasing day by day." "That's good news." A detective who solved consecutive murder cases. A detective highly praised by the magistrate. Now that they've opened a private detective agency, they're hoping to garner much attention. Good thing they promoted it well. "Instead of taking a retainer as a condition for accepting a case, clients have to deposit money first to even request a case? How did you come up with such an idea?" Gil San chuckled as he looked at the new list of clients. "When demand is high and supply is low, it's the perfect time to raise the stakes." As the number of clients for Mangum Junjang increases, it will become more familiar to the people of Honam Province. Once they're familiar, more businesses will knock on Mangum Junjang's door. If there are many places that require my assistance, it becomes a golden opportunity to naturally secure clients. "You're talking like a born merchant. Looks like the staff are busy for the first time in a while." "People are constantly inquiring about how much they need to deposit to meet the detective." "It went as expected…" The reports from Gil San and Un Yeop were good news, but he couldn't quite relish it just yet. "Why not?" "The deposits are less than expected." If I were to write a performance report, it's impressive enough that I could boast about it. The problem is, it fell far short of my expectations. To put it simply, the deposit from Hosanyokbang was larger than all the other deposits combined. "It seems more like an advance payment. There's no reason to change their primary trading partner, so I think they just wanted to see Young Master Kang's face." The deputy chief was right. Like the advice to invest in stocks only with money you can afford to lose, the amount was ambiguous. It was a large sum, but considering the scale of the clients, it didn't seem earnest. "So, they're testing the waters but not entirely convinced yet." "It's not like they can cancel deposits from other exchanges for just one request." "…Then there's a way." He stood up energetically with the new client list. The amount might not meet expectations, but it didn't matter. The plan remained unchanged. "What's your thought?" "We've received a pre-contract amount. Now it's time to negotiate the case fee, don't you think?" No need to overthink it. Providing a reason for them to switch their primary trading partner would suffice. ** "When will I actually meet the detective?" At the Yongsa Trading Branch of Mangum Junjang, a middle-aged man pressured an employee with a nervous voice. "If you arrive unannounced without any prior appointment, it's a bit difficult for us." "Didn't I deposit a significant amount with Mangum Junjang? Doesn't it make sense that a customer should at least be able to see the proprietor's face?" The middle-aged man's anger was understandable. After all, he had deposited a considerable sum, all under the promise of meeting the detective. Yet, despite several days, there was no sign of this detective. "I understand. However, he's an extremely busy person these days." "And I'm excluded from that busy schedule?" "That's an unfair way to put it. But if you would just make an appointment…" "I've told you countless times that this is urgent!" "That is…" The man was on the verge of wondering if he'd been scammed. Should he threaten to withdraw his entire deposit, or resort to a loud confrontation? As the middle-aged man was choosing his course of action, a man entered through the door. "What seems to be the problem?" A shadow large enough to cover the middle-aged man approached the duo. "Master Kang!" "Master Kang? Could it be?!" The middle-aged man looked back towards the shadow in shock. A tall figure, a head above the others, with black hair. Unlike other outsiders who would avoid eye contact with those of the Central Plains at all costs, his eyes were full of confidence. "Unannounced guests have arrived…" "The guests?" That man. The middle-aged man was sure and approached him. "Are you, by any chance, the famous detective everyone's been talking about?" "I'm Kang Yoon Ho from Mangum Junjang." A friend of Hophyeol, the black-haired detective. He's been called by many titles, but in the cities of Honam Province, his most famous nickname is the one officially recognized by the magistrate. Detective Kang Yoon Ho. "Indeed! I'm…" "You're the administrator from Jinyeom Workshop, correct?" The middle-aged man was enveloped in shock again, not even having time to be surprised by the sudden meeting. "H-how do you know that!!!" "It's nothing impressive." The black-haired man smiled as if it was no big deal, but the middle-aged man's mouth hung open. "You speak as if it's as simple as distinguishing between cream and red bean-filled pastries. If it's not too much trouble, could you explain?" The black-haired man seemed momentarily thrown off by the man's request but soon gestured towards his feet. "I could tell from the shoes." "Shoes?" "There are peculiar stains on them that aren't just mud-colored. Often, when various dyes mix randomly, they create such a color. It suggests you've been moving around in a space with dyes." Correct. But the middle-aged man, still skeptical, asked with a voice full of doubt. "It could've just been accidentally stained, couldn't it?" "The coat is clean, yet the shoes are dirty, so it seems you're hesitant to wear new shoes. It implies you'll need to dirty your shoes again, most likely because you'll head to a dye workshop after meeting me." "Y-yes, that's right." He had worn a clean coat because of his outing but hadn't expected to actually meet the detective today. "There are traces of ink beneath your nails that haven't completely washed off. This suggests you are not just any craftsman but an intellectual. Given that you're moving around workshops and engage in official duties enough to seek a meeting with me, I deduced you might be an administrator." The middle-aged man inadvertently glanced at his ink-stained nails. Ink spreads easily, and without maintenance, nails quickly become dirty. An administrator working at a dyeing workshop. It was a perfect deduction, neither adding nor omitting anything. Identifying the opposing party just from their shoes and hands was impressive. But one lingering question remained. "How did you know it was from Jinyeom Workshop?" "The moment I arrived, there were no wheel tracks." "Wheel tracks?" "There was no carriage and no wheel marks in front of the branch, so I thought you came from a walking distance. After a little thought, among the dye workshops, there's only one within walking distance." "Well…" Does this man's head have a map of the city's workshops? "You're the administrator from Jinyeom Workshop, correct?" "My, my apologies for the late introduction. I am Jeong Jong-gwan from Jinyeom Workshop." The middle-aged man had no choice but to concede defeat with a respectful bow towards the black-haired man. "Please, have a cup of tea in my office." The administrator from Jinyeom Workshop couldn't take his eyes off the man's back as he led the way to the office, as if it were no big deal. 'This is the deduction of a detective!' He'd seen it in the novels of Jegalseolok, but still found it hard to hide his amazement. If a culprit stood before a detective, surely they would feel utterly exposed. The middle-aged man found it hard to contain his trembling heart, feeling as if the detective could uncover any secret he held. 'Truly a black-haired in-law of the Jegal family, with just his skill alone! This man might just solve…!' Perhaps he could resolve the issue he brought with him. The administrator from Jinyeom Workshop, full of hope, headed for the detective's office. ** 'They probably think they've witnessed a detective's deduction.' Sorry, but that wasn't deductive reasoning. I'm not Jegalseolok; how could I possibly identify someone at first glance? The deposit was made. For Kang Yoon Ho of Mangum Junjang, this merely meant an increase in clients, but for a detective, it means something different. 'Once you get the questions, all you need to do is study.' The new client list is essentially a list of people wanting to hire the detective. Once a detective has this list, I can start a background check in return. 'The ones who come to see me will either be the clients themselves or their close aides.' 1. The administrator from Jinyeom Workshop has arrived. I've instructed the staff to discreetly report when a guest arrives. 'How would they know if I observe from the office window and slip out the back door?' I enhanced my sight to observe for a while. Ink stains on nails. Dye marks on shoes. Once I've combined the pre-investigated information with what I observed while the staff stalled the guest. 'I come off as a one-of-a-kind detective.' A little trick. If one were to think rationally for a moment, they’d realize Kang Yoon Ho already knows the client list. Someone might have tipped him off about the arrival. The other party might be scamming. These are thoughts one can easily come up with if they were suspicious. But they don't. The moment they deposit the advance with Mangum Junjang, they choose to trust me. This trust, combined with a small trick, makes them believe in me even more. "To have the administrator from Jinyeom Workshop visit directly. If it’s due to financial issues, I can always offer assistance." "I wish I could indulge in casual conversation with Young Master Kang of Mangum Junjang, but today I've come to see Detective Kang Yoon Ho." "There are many these days who honor me with such titles." "Please help." "In what way, might I ask?" If someone possesses incredible abilities, they might be able to resolve the issue. The client presents a case suitable for the detective's abilities. "An heirloom of Jinyeom Workshop has been stolen." I already know how valuable a case like this could be. --- Mangum Junjang isn't a well-known exchange in the marketplace. To the people of Honam Province, it might feel like an overseas bank. For an exchange, trust is crucial. When a check is issued in the name of Mangum Junjang, it's only natural that people hesitate to take it. Therefore, it's imperative to increase clients and make the name Mangum Junjang familiar to the people. Only when major firms deposit with Mangum Junjang and routinely issue checks can it truly be said that the business has expanded. "A few days ago, the treasure vault of Jinyeom Workshop was broken into. The constables couldn't find the culprit, and the head is on the brink of collapse." An heirloom. I can already hear the sound of long-term contracts worth maintaining for 30 years. "I know what rumors you've heard, but I stopped being a constable long ago." "Who else would I entrust with this but the famous detective who caught Muyeongshin?" "Many other clients also visit me for similar reasons, so it's quite difficult." I put on a slightly reluctant face. I've retired. I'm no longer on active duty, and it's not like I'm the only one being sought after, you know. "O-other clients too you say?" "Even if I agreed to help and went in order, it would take at least two weeks. And among them, there's a murder case, so by priority it would be even later." Actually, you're my first client. I started late because I was busy with background checks. "Who knows what will happen to our heirloom! Waiting two weeks is out of the question!" "All clients are precious to me. This puts me in a tight spot." Surely, you didn't expect me to nod just because of a casual deposit. There are many cases beyond just Jinyeom Workshop. Well, there aren't yet, but there will be. Hurry, try offering an amount that's hard to refuse. "Jinyeom Workshop will move its main business to Mangum Junjang. Whether it's for large funds or check processing, everything will be done through Mangum Junjang. I’ll draft a contract if needed!" That’s the condition I'd been waiting for. "Very well. But I've received similar offers from other clients, so how about this?" "What do you propose?" "I'll send an aide in advance." "An aide? Are you saying you'll pass the job to a subordinate?" Administrator sir, relax your expression. "Like Jegalseolok's Kang in the past, he's an aide I trust and rely on. With so much time having passed, evidence might remain. It's an aide who will determine if it's a case I personally need to handle. I'll hear from the aide and then decide whether to take the case or not." "If that’s the case…" "I'll have him move immediately." Of course, not every case can be solved. Even if I send Ga-young, there might be no eyewitnesses or dangerous vengeful spirits. That's why I intentionally showcased my abilities. Kang Yoon Ho genuinely deduced like a detective. By demonstrating it in front of others, he can attribute failures not to a lack of ability, but to a lack of evidence due to scene contamination. After greeting the client, stalling them momentarily, he reflects on the pre-prepared information, observes, and then employs a small trick. This way, he's able to negotiate a satisfying fee with a client left in amazement and awe. Finally, with an appropriate excuse, he sends Ga-young. "Boss, I've found it." She'll return with the answer sheet.