Chapter 237 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

"They’re releasing a side story for ‘Tang Family Wind and Clouds’?” “They say the length of the side story will be determined by the popularity of the main set.” “Determined by popularity? As Hubei's top courtesan, I can't just let this slide. Let's head to Daseogak immediately!” The set I purchase will determine the rightful spouse in ‘Tang Family Wind and Clouds’. It's a truly enticing sales strategy, no doubt, but committing to an endless race towards an uncertain finish line in a long-running series can be quite daunting. At times like this, just like the chieftain of the orcs in a fantasy tale, the bandit leader in a wuxia novel, or the convenience store heroine in a gender-reversal story, it’s best to set up a midway resting point. The midway I thought of is a side story for each heroine. The problem is it might seem like an opportunistic marketing trick if not done properly. “I personally requested author Hofile to write the side stories.” All I have to do is handle the public opinion myself. “Manager Kang did it himself?” “As the manager of Daseokak, I was pondering how I could give back to the fan club members who love ‘Tang Family Wind and Clouds’. The idea of side stories about the previously appearing women came to mind, so I approached author Hofile.” “What did author Hofile say?” “He showed reluctance. He's pouring all his effort into planning the fourth volume, so asking him to write a story he hadn't intended to write was a bit much.” I took on Hofile's perplexed expression in front of the fan club and began explaining the situation. “Then how is the side story being released?” “Author Hofile said he couldn't manage the side story but rather suggested I take all the profits from the third volume. He said I deserved it for risking my life to protect ‘Tang Family Wind and Clouds’.” “All the profits from the third volume?” “Unbelievable!” Peeking out the window of Daseokak, you could still see a never-ending line of people. It was no wonder everyone was shocked at the thought of Manager Kang Yunho monopolizing all the profits from the third volume. Anyone would be a fool to refuse such a deal. “I refused instantly.” I told the fan club members with a composed expression, akin to an unperturbed scholar in the face of wealth. “Why?” “The earnings rightfully belong to author Hofile. More than the money, I valued the fan club members.” Manager Kang is not an unethical boss driven solely by money. It’s time to appeal to that notion. “To us?” “If money were the priority, I wouldn't have been dragged into the Sichuan Tang family. All I desired was to quench the burning thirst of ‘Tang Family Wind and Clouds’ avid readers for more content. Eventually, author Hofile agreed.” “Of course! Even for author Hofile, he couldn't ignore a friend who risked everything for his books!” “To think Manager Kang valued us this much.” The fan club members gazed at me, moved. The side story isn't a marketing trick but a gift for devoted readers. As they compete to determine the true spouse, they'll also discuss the side story I proposed. Manager Kang forfeited the chance to take all profits from the third volume and persuaded author Hofile. Author Hofile, moved by his supporter and friend Manager Kang, decided to write an unplanned side story. It’ll be heartwarming news, no matter who hears it. The fact that both are me is another matter. It’ll always be a fan service in the end. “Give me fifty Cheonghong sets.” “Fifty?” “The newcomers must have deep pockets!” “No.” I promptly refused the newcomer. “Why?” “The main set indicates how much readers love the characters. Unrestrained purchases just for votes are prohibited.” Monetary votes are right. But when competition gets distorted by a few, the majority may feel disheartened. The main set will remain a staple product of Daseokak. In the long run, such orders are not beneficial unless the goal is short-term profit. “Oh well. Give me one set then.” “I must’ve misunderstood Manager Kang all this time.” “I thought he was money-crazed!” “He even refuses bulk purchases of the main set after giving up the third volume’s profits.” How could you think that about me? I only use legitimate sales tactics. “After all, I’m Daseokak’s first member. I just want the author to flourish and the readers to enjoy.” Feigning a pure fan running the place, I smiled at the fan club, my expression devoid of ulterior motives. “Exactly! We knew we saw right!” “Truly the first member!” “That’s a lie. It’s impossible…” Im Ha-yeon, why are you mumbling in the back? “Give me another Cheonghong set.” “Didn’t you just order one?” Amid the fan club and side story conversations, the person who tried to order fifty sets and got refused ordered again. And it hasn’t been long. “I ate it all. Another set, please.” The person returned the empty teacup and plate, and requested another. You couldn't order in bulk, so you eat quickly and reorder? “You didn’t hear Manager Kang? Ordering too much…” “Lady Soso, if she finished, take the order.” “Manager Kang?” Yes, she finished eating. She can order another. ---------------------- The news of the side story release brought a spike in second-floor sales. “Han-yeon, the Cheonghong sets are here again!” Thanks to this, the staff had necks strained waiting for lunch breaks, as they stayed busy throughout the day. “To think the top courtesan of Hubei handles the Cheonghong sets…” Im Ha-yeon seemed drained of life. “Sister?” “I’m the spearhead of unscrupulous sales…” The same Im Ha-yeon who called me a ruthless merchant. Now, she’s personally making the epitome of those sales tactics, and it seems quite an experience. “If you don’t want to, just say so. I’ll do it.” But you'll get penalty points. I said, laughing at Im Ha-yeon's funny reaction. “Move aside. If you do it, you’ll spoil the tea.” Oh, proficient indeed. It’s like saying every day that they don’t want to go to work, but once they’re there, they handle their responsibilities more adeptly than anyone else—just like that veteran deputy always planning to quit but never actually doing it. “All done. Hurry and take it away.” “Sis! We’ve got more orders!” “Ugh! Why are the orders never-ending?” “The fan club members aren’t enjoying the tea; they’re practically inhaling it while competing in the official spouse contest!” “Our Cheonghong faction won’t stop until the ‘正’ mark surpasses the other official spouse factions on the sales board!” “Of course!” “Ugh!” Despite Im Ha-yeon’s groans of pain, the sales at Daseokak continued to soar. Revenue from the sales of ‘Tang Family Wind and Clouds,’ sales from the second floor of Daseokak, and an increased number of visitors boosting book sales as well—every record in the Daseokak sales ledger was being broken daily. We were just about to separate the first-stage booster and activate the second-stage when— “Manager!!! We have a big problem!!!” “What is it?” “The printer has exploded!!!” The booster blew up. -------------------- “It seems like it’s reached its end.” The elderly printer craftsman, whom we frequently commissioned, informed me in a chilly tone about the terminal condition of our printer. “Is the repair difficult?” “The printer is too old to find compatible parts. I’ve put in a temporary fix, but it won’t last long.” “Is there no way to obtain the parts?” “Not in Yichang. Maybe if you contact a place in Wuhan, they could find them. It could take about a month.” “A month?” “It’s a miracle it lasted this long with proper maintenance. There’s nothing older than this piece in Yichang.” “I’ve been oiling it daily and keeping it meticulously clean.” I’ve looked after it like it was a newly purchased car, hoping it wouldn’t break down. And yet, it's broken now. “I can tell just by looking. Even if you get the parts in a month, it’s still a problem. It’s too old. Even if you repair it, something else will break. The next part might take six months or more to find.” “There must be another way, isn’t there?” As I persisted in questioning him, the elderly craftsman glanced at the printer and began to speak. “You rascal! You’ve been around since I started learning this craft! You’ll probably be here even when I’m long gone! Those young ones who don’t know anything will curse you and throw you out when they realize they can’t fix you anymore!” Just tell me to buy a new one already. “Then how much would a new one cost?” “If I start making one now, it might be cheaper, but the time it takes is unreasonable. Importing one from Wuhan would be costly. Around this much?” “Gasp.” I momentarily doubted the sheer number of digits in that quote. “Or… Since you’re a regular, I can tell you another way.” “What is it, sir?” With the respect of a novice trying to pry advice from a not-so-friendly but always-knowledgeable veteran player, I asked. “There’ll be news about a printer liquidation from a government office in a few days. If you can bid on that, you might get a high-performance printer at a reasonable price.” Indeed. Valuable information from a master who even manages government printers. A way to acquire a printer quickly and at a reasonable cost? It’s undeniably good news, but the price is still prohibitive. Given my existing debts and expenses, I couldn’t immediately commit to bidding. “I’ll consider it. Thank you. Here’s your repair fee.” “No need. I won’t take it.” The craftsman waved away the envelope I offered. Wow. A free repair because he empathized with the terminal printer? That’s why being a regular customer is great. “Regardless, I can’t not pay the craftsman.” It’s bad for business reputation to accept free repairs. I intended to insist one more time and then discreetly slip the money into his pocket. “Who said I wouldn’t take a commission?” “Pardon?” “Give me books instead. ‘Tang Family Wind and Clouds,’ all volumes. My grandson’s been pestering me to read it.” Excuse me, but how old is your grandson exactly? ------------- Just when life seems to be getting easier, it sucker punches you with a Dempsy roll to the face. “Parts for a printer over half a century old? None here.” “Trying to print ‘Tang Family Wind and Clouds’? Looks like just one printer isn’t enough? Why not let us sell it in our store too? We’ll give you a good price per book.” “If you’re not willing to let us sell volume three of ‘Tang Family Wind and Clouds,’ no one will take your print orders. Everyone can see there’s something wrong with your printer, no opportunist would miss this chance.” Everyone hustles for survival. Another’s misfortune is but an opportunity. I visited various contacts, but no clear solutions emerged. ‘I can’t give up the sole publishing rights to ‘Tang Family Wind and Clouds.’’ It’s a hard-earned exclusive publishing right. Though nobody disregards ethics like in the old days, there are still those eyeing the publishing opportunity. To keep printing exclusively, I need to reduce printer downtime, but given daily sales, managing supply is no trivial matter. I know the best solution is to buy a new printer. A printer is a revenue-generating asset. However, its price is daunting, making my earned money seem insignificant. I planned to use my earnings to pay off debts first, but now I’m facing a massive expenditure. “Neither choice is easy.” Waiting to get parts and repairing constantly or buying a new printer. “Why do you look so worn out? Did something go wrong on your outing?” That evening near closing time, Im Ha-yeon asked, noticing my worried expression. “It’s nothing for you to worry about.” Employees don’t need to worry about their boss’s concerns. I relaxed my expression and replied to her. “Ha! Who said I’m worried about you?! Here, have some coffee and refreshments. Something sweet with coffee might perk you up.” Though pouting disapprovingly, she deftly prepared and served coffee and snacks. Maybe her perception of me has improved somewhat. She used to seem like she wanted to tear me apart, but now she’s bringing me snacks? “Thank you.” “Hurry up and take it.” I nodded and took a long sip of the coffee, feeling the caffeine work its magic. Truly, it’s the lifeblood of any working professional. Watching me down the coffee, Im Ha-yeon then went to the chalkboard and marked something. [Hyanga Coffee Set. Dueunhyang: 正.] “It wasn’t free?” “Every vote counts in this situation.” So even what I consume gets recorded as a vote. There goes my heartfelt moment. “I’ve left your dinner in the usual spot.” “Uh… If the dinner’s a burden, you don’t have to provide it.” Im Ha-yeon said with a somber expression. “Why the sudden change of heart?” “Don’t you need to buy a new printer?” “I’m getting along fine. Saving dinner costs wouldn’t help much anyway…” Suddenly, a thought struck me. “What’s wrong?” “Finish up and head home. I’m heading upstairs.” Leaving a puzzled Im Ha-yeon behind, I ascended to the attic. ‘I’ve been thinking all wrong.’ Though times have changed, my fundamental approach hadn’t. When in debt, you repay it with monthly income, gradually resolving it. Even with a thirty-five-year mortgage on a house with a red roof, faithfully paying it off would eventually make it yours and a part of a stable life. ‘I’ve been too complacent.’ Homeless. A seller on the street. A novice writer. The last two years had been a life-or-death struggle. With a brief respite, my mindset had become too complacent. Repay debts slowly and then act? How long would that take? Even now, my women are resisting their destinies. “I need to keep moving.” I hadn’t reached a stable orbit yet. I’d just barely prepared to stand at the starting line. So, what should I do now? “Let’s expand the business.” Optimizing operations to handle burgeoning demands needed more than playing it safe. New investments would revitalize not just the book sales but every other sector burgeoning under Daseogak’s roof. Reflecting on my situation, I realized I could no longer afford a conservative approach. Expanding required both pragmatism and bold moves. If a crucial piece of infrastructure like the printer was on the verge of collapse, immediate and effective action was mandatory. I knew that, to secure the ongoing success of ‘Tang Family Wind and Clouds’ and to meet the increasing expectations of the fan club, maintaining a reliable printing capability was critical. With the profits I envisioned from the increased sales, securing better equipment not only became possible; it was necessary. Embracing a proactive strategy over a reactive one would propel us forward generously, leaving little room for the possibility of setbacks due to obsolete machinery failure. The truth was clear: mediocrity and safety had no room in a rapidly growing entrepreneurial endeavor. Having mentally fortified my resolve, I set the plan into motion. The diligent repayment of debts would coexist with an aggressive yet calculated stride toward innovation and expansion. It was the only path to ensure the cherished stories could continue flowing steadily to every avid reader thirsting for more. Time to not just stand on the starting line, but to sprint ahead confidently.