Chapter 253 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Lightfoot. Simply put, it's a mobility technique in martial arts. In the martial arts world, Lightfoot is used for swift movement, but in martial arts novels, its primary function is to save time. They say that with Lightfoot, you can cover a distance that would take a month on horseback in just a few days. Even marathon runners, who are fast, prefer cars and planes when they travel. In this world, the speed isn't as fast as the Short Distance Travel Technique, and due to internal energy consumption and stamina issues, even martial artists prefer riding horses for long journeys. But it was still considered the most practical martial art for everyday use. “If I can learn it, I would like to.” With five years' worth of internal energy, I could probably learn Lightfoot. I nodded immediately in response to Lim Ha-yeon's unexpected proposal. “I can teach you, but...” Lim Ha-yeon trailed off with a reluctant expression. Why offer and then hesitate? Could it be? “Is this martial art a secret technique passed down to a single individual?” A martial art only taught to one person with proper character. If that's the case, she might be hesitant to teach it even if she wants to. Of course, whether a thief, by profession, can possess proper character is debatable, but let's not delve into that now. “Ugh… It's not that. I can teach you. Yes, I can.” Lim Ha-yeon clenched her hands and repeated as if hypnotizing herself. She doesn't look fine at all. Is it going to cause trouble if I learn it? “If you're hesitant, you don't have to push yourself.” “I said I'll teach you, so I'll teach you. Follow me to the courtyard.” Perhaps she had made up her mind, as Lim Ha-yeon led me to the courtyard out of sight. “The martial art I'm going to teach you is called Shadowless Body Technique.” “Shadowless Body Technique… Just the name excites me.” Usually, martial arts with such distinguished names are representative techniques of the person who uses them. The Lightfoot technique of the greatest thief in the world – it sounds incredible just hearing about it. “It’s originally called Light-body Technique, including the body technique part, but learning everything would take too long. I'll teach you the Lightfoot part first.” If Lightfoot is a martial art for running fast, body technique is for maneuvering in combat situations. Since martial arts aren't mastered in a day, it made sense to be selective and teach the important parts first, so there was no need to refuse. “Please, take good care of me.” “The essence of Shadowless Body Technique, as the name suggests, is to escape without leaving even a shadow. To do this, you first need to learn how to lighten your body.” Lim Ha-yeon picked up a thin branch lying around in the courtyard and lightly jumped onto it, balancing perfectly. If it were me, I’d be apologizing to the tree immediately. But Lim Ha-yeon stood gracefully on the tip of the branch and looked at me. “Doesn’t the branch bend?” Satisfied with my surprised reaction, Lim Ha-yeon spoke with a slight smile. “Simply running fast leaves too many traces. Eventually, you’d get caught. Even if you run on grass, the goal is to run without leaving any broken blades. That’s the essence of Shadowless Body Technique.” To think Lim Ha-yeon had mastered such an advanced technique like Flying on Grass. It made me realize something important. “So that’s why you’ve been eating snacks at night without worry.” She’s been eating at night as if scales didn’t exist. Now it makes sense. “Ah, no! Oh!” Snap. When Lim Ha-yeon's mental composure broke, the branch, unable to bear her weight any longer, snapped instantly. “Do I look dull these days?” Lim Ha-yeon asked cautiously, as if confessing an embarrassing situation she didn’t want to face. If I say the wrong thing, I might never learn the Shadowless Body Technique. “You look the same as when I first saw you. No, you seem a bit thinner lately, probably from worrying.” I said with a serious expression, trying to sound concerned. “You’re just flattering me… There are many Lightfoot techniques that make you run fast. But, to run faster than anyone and leave no traces behind, that’s what makes Shadowless Body Technique the best in the world.” Lim Ha-yeon’s voice was filled with pride. “It’s optimized for escaping.” “The more you master Shadowless Body Technique, the more you can freely change your body weight and center of gravity, allowing you to do various things. I’ll demonstrate; throw a stone at me with all your might.” Lim Ha-yeon pointed at the stones beside me with a confident voice. “You’ve seen me throw darts. You might get hurt.” I’m a man who received intensive training in dart throwing from Tang Family masters. “Hmph. Don’t worry and just do it.” Lim Ha-yeon snorted, looking down on me with disdain. She underestimated me. Time to give her a lesson. I grabbed a stone and stared at Lim Ha-yeon. A lion uses its full strength even against a rabbit. A rabbit facing a lion would do the same. Just like a closing pitcher who puts everything into his fastballs, like David aiming at Goliath’s head, I threw the stones with all my might in quick succession. “Comet Burst!” “Hmph!” “What?!” She changed direction in mid-air! Lim Ha-yeon dodged all of my stones in mid-air and gently landed in the direction she originally intended. “How was it?” Her voice was as full of pride as her Lightfoot technique. “Kunlun Sect’s Cloud Dragon Eight Forms?” Twisting and moving freely in mid-air, it was reminiscent of the highest level Lightfoot technique, Cloud Dragon Eight Forms. “A Joseon native knows about the Kunlun Sect’s martial arts? Yes, one of our predecessors had the chance to steal the secret manual of Cloud Dragon Eight Forms and incorporated it into Shadowless Body Technique.” The Kunlun Sect, huh. One of the Nine Great Schools that often appear in martial arts stories, located in the high mountains of Qinghai province, far beyond Sichuan. The Kunlun Sect is famous for two things: the Cloud Dragon Eight Forms, a body technique that allows free movement in the air, and being the martial sect that gets destroyed first whenever the Demon Cult invades. Known as the ‘Tollgate of the Demon Cult,’ it’s the advance warning system for Demon Cult invasions, and it famously had its best martial art stolen. While difficult to reach due to its inconvenient location, the restaurant was famed for its dishes, and it was like its secret recipe for pig’s feet had been completely stolen. Of course, it’s great for me though. Truly the best Lightfoot technique in the world. "The mental cultivation technique I've mastered is different from what Miss Ha-yeon has learned. Will it be alright to learn the Shadowless Body Technique?" A mental cultivation technique is akin to a computer or smartphone's operating system. No matter how good a martial art is, if the operating system isn’t compatible, it could cause severe issues with one's body. "You've mastered an orthodox mental cultivation technique, right? Not a heterodox or demonic one?" "That’s correct." Both the Morong Clan’s Breathing Technique and the mental cultivation technique So-hee used to suppress the killing intent of the Celestial Killing Star were indeed orthodox. "Then it's fine. A thief's mental cultivation technique isn’t anything special. The Shadowless Body Technique is designed to be practiced with whatever mental cultivation technique you've mastered at the time." It seems the Shadowless Body Technique is like the classic game ‘Doom,’ which could run on anything from a refrigerator screen to a karaoke machine. "So, do I need to perform the obeisance of nine prostrations?" "…Do you want to become master and disciple?" For some reason, I detected a hint of disappointment in Lim Ha-yeon's voice. "If you want it." Normally, these things aren’t taught for free. Martial arts techniques are typically taught within the confines of a master-disciple or familial relationship due to their proprietary nature. "There's no need. I’m teaching you in return for the favors you’ve done for me." "Then, I’ll be in your care." And so, I began learning the Shadowless Body Technique from Lim Ha-yeon. --- Just as I was receiving martial arts lessons from Lim Ha-yeon, she, too, was learning something from me. "How is it?" Lim Ha-yeon looked up at me with the anxious expression of a high school girl checking her college acceptance status. "Let's rewrite this from the beginning." It's a rejection. "Why?!" Lim Ha-yeon shouted, as if unable to believe my verdict. "Why do you dedicate so many pages to the historical background and eras right at the start?" "Of course, readers need some foundational knowledge if they’re to understand the novel." "Then, after the background explanation, you introduce characters who have nothing to do with the protagonist from several hundred years ago. Why do you develop the story using them?" "Listen, towards the end of the story, it’ll all connect due to the protagonist’s actions…" I’m not listening. "And then, you end with a mundane story about an ordinary young man. Where does a protagonist who appears more than a third of the way through the book with no charm make sense?" "Having events right from the start is unnatural." "So why include aphrodisiac powder?" "Because ‘House of Tang’s Storm’ is popular… I thought it could create some interesting events if I used aphrodisiac powder." Her voice trailed off, as if she knew it didn’t make sense. "Hmm." This is a mess. The story she had submitted to the literary society wasn't this bad. It seems her desire to write what she wants is clashing with the desire to be popular, leading her in entirely the wrong direction. "Sigh. So, it’s no good after all." Lim Ha-yeon read the failure from my expression and spoke in a dejected tone, her shoulders sagging. "But the novel itself has potential." Anyone can criticize. But criticism alone leads only to giving up. "Huh?" "A story about a thief is a solid choice. There’s plenty to point out in the beginning, but the framework is strong." "It’s good?" "Of course, aside from the framework, everything else is a mess. You have to give it your all right from the start if you want a chance at success. With your current setting, you'd need to write dozens of volumes." "Ugh… I spent half a month on this." Lim Ha-yeon muttered resentfully as her two weeks of effort seemed to evaporate in an instant. "Let’s write it as if it could be concluded in a single volume. If it gains popularity, you can extend the story with smaller plots." "I’ll give it a try." Lim Ha-yeon seemed to find some small hope. She nodded and held her draft carefully. With the feedback session finished, it was time for me to head to the courtyard for my own lessons. "Why are you forcefully pushing internal energy into Yongcheon-hyeol when I asked you to run quickly?" "It’s the best way to change direction." I've used this for defeating barbarian punches, double jumps, everything. "Do you plan to run just a few steps and get caught? If you go all out from the start, you can’t maintain it for long." “There’s a hidden jab in your words.” Paying me back for critiquing your story, huh? "Hmph! But where did you learn your footwork? Even though the direction isn’t right, I can see glimpses of advanced martial art techniques." "I learned a bit from a junior back home." Has it been a year since I met So-hee? The face of So-hee, who was expressionless yet full of emotion, came to mind. I wonder if she received my letters. I’d love a reply. Though the situation in the Assassins’ Den made exchanging letters difficult, there was no helping it. I suddenly missed So-hee's face. "A girl?" "Hmm?" "Is it a girl?" Lim Ha-yeon's voice turned cold. "How did you guess?" "…If you strain your internal energy in Yongcheon-hyeol again, I’ll throw a stone at you." Lim Ha-yeon looked at me as though something vile had clung to my legs and clenched a stone in her hand. "Throwing stones is a bit much…" "You need to master it quickly, don’t you?!" She had a point. The stones Lim Ha-yeon threw at me were embedded with emotion, making them exceptionally fierce. --- “Ha-yeon unnie, is it true I won’t see you again?” It had been ten days since Lim Ha-yeon last appeared at Daseogak, and the clerk, Ha So-so, asked me with a worried expression. “She’s working hard at the printing shop. She’ll return once things settle down.” “If Ha-yeon unnie stays cooped up, she'll become lonely. The store manager needs to take good care of her.” “You don’t need to worry about that.” “What?” “Coo, coo!” Right on time, Gu-gu arrived. I carefully unfolded the paper tied to Gu-gu’s leg. [Pick up some kimchi dumplings on your way.] Smiling, I showed the letter from Lim Ha-yeon to Ha So-so, and we laughed together. In the afternoon, after lunch, I contemplated a solution for Lim Ha-yeon’s problem, which seemed insurmountable. 一 The guys who came last time. They seem to have set out from Wuchang before receiving my letter. These guys have no patience. They might come again, so stay vigilant. The Wuchang branch manager of the Hao Mun let out a sigh as he spoke to me. At the very least, if we investigate leads on Usan, we might find some clues, but for now, there's no clear solution in sight. “Aahh!” My train of thought was suddenly interrupted by a scream from the first floor. “What’s going on?” “Manager! You need to come down to the first floor right away!” Descending to the first floor, I saw about a dozen armed men surrounding the entrance of Daseogak, forcing people out. “What is the meaning of this?!” Could it be that Hao Mun sent a dozen men because five failed last time? That’s absurd. These warriors didn't look like the local hoodlums from before; they seemed ready to use their swords seriously. “Are you Manager Kang Yun-ho?” A well-dressed man, who looked more like a scholar than a warrior, approached me slowly. “Yes, that's me. Have you come from Wuchang?” “Yes, we’ve come from Wuchang.” Had Hao Mun not heard about the Sichuan Tang Family connection? Or were they ready to resort to force despite knowing? I glanced subtly towards the entrance. Sending someone to the Seocheon Security Agency would be difficult. Perhaps I should hope for some movement from the Merchant Association. Let's try talking first. "Miss Lim Ha-yeon does not work at Daseogak. Harassing innocent people in this manner is—” “We don’t know who this Miss Lim Ha-yeon is, and we’re not here because of her.” The man shook his head, dismissing my assumption. “Didn't you say you came from Wuchang?” “We are from the Mangum Bank. Regardless, look at this.” Not Hao Mun, but the Mangum Bank? Why on earth is Mangum Bank surrounding Daseogak? The man retrieved a document from his chest and handed it to me. What could this be? I carefully unfolded the document and began to read quickly. “A contract transferring all of Daseogak’s bonds to Mangum Bank? What does this contract have to do with the current situation?” When it rains, it pours. When one problem arises in life, other problems don’t wait their turn. As I was wrestling with the problem before me, life's challenges and trials continued to come. All of Daseogak’s bonds, previously divided among many people, had been transferred to Mangum Bank. The man took back the document, which seemed innocuous at first, and then delivered a piece of shocking news. “Effective immediately, Mangum Bank will place Daseogak under sequestration for defaulting on its debts.”