Chapter 208 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Chapter 208 - Return - 6 Mu Yeong Sin Tu had been saved twice from peril. Whether she is currently called Mu Yeong Sin Tu or if she will continue to be referred to by that name in the future, remains uncertain. However, it is not just once, but twice. Even if Mu Yeong Sin Tu is a title bestowed upon a legendary thief, it doesn’t mean she will steal one’s conscience as well. Would she really ignore someone who twice saved her from danger? Of course, the second rescue involved the aid of the Seochon Trading Company's Fate Manipulation Crew, but in the end, she would have been discovered while re-checking the cargo anyway. It was just an addition of a dramatic twist to an event that was bound to happen. I’ve expediently sorted out an affair that would've reddened the faces of many. A modest reward for such a connection would suffice. Now, all that’s left is to wait. I might not be a prince on a white horse, but a mere barbarian on a donkey would suffice for Mu Yeong Sin Tu to express her gratitude. 一 This is Mu Yeong Sin Tu. I have been indebted to you twice. 一 If you are a man, you cannot disregard a woman in peril. 一 Ah... So impressive. Truly perfect. Just toss out a plausible phrase or two and then disappear coolly, leaving behind a good impression. And if Mu Yeong Sin Tu offers to show me her treasure trove, I must not refuse. "Sir." Here she comes. Image training complete. Exchange a few words and then back to the cabin. I turned my head, feigning coolness like a boy detective who developed a fondness from being obsessed with a female thief and falling into Stockholm Syndrome. “Gah!” “Agh!” As I quickly spun around, Mu Yeong Sin Tu’s nose was close enough to touch mine. Too close! Instinctively, I tried to put some distance by leaning backwards. “Argh!” The timing couldn’t be worse. Just as the ship rocked severely on the rapids. With my torso bent backwards and unbalanced, the boat leaped up, causing my feet to lose touch with the wooden deck. For a moment, gravity vanished. Just as I was about to land on my bottom, the ship jolted again, leaping upward. Is this some kind of Viking followed by Disco Pang Pang? “Aaaargh!” “Catch!” After rolling on the deck a few times, Mu Yeong Sin Tu hastily grabbed my wrist. “Are you all right?” Not at all. I almost got thrown into the river. “I’m fine. May I ask you to release my hand?” How uncouth, for this young lady to be holding hands with a man so intimately. "Ah! S-sorry. It's habit for me to approach silently." Are you by chance accustomed to sneaking up behind guards and knocking them out for a living? I thought of saying it but held my tongue. Mu Yeong Sin Tu, wanting nothing to do with Mr. Kang’s possessions, hastily shook off my hand as if she were a schoolgirl startled by unintentional contact. A familiar but not necessarily missed reaction. 'It wasn’t part of the plan.' I tried to strike a cool stance, but instead revealed my most unflattering moment. What to do now? I'm flustered by the unforeseen situation over water. “Cough. The moon over the Yangtze seems particularly beautiful tonight." Let’s pretend this never happened. As if just starting a conversation, I looked to the sky and made a poetic remark like a cultured noble. "Before admiring the moon, you might want to tend to your dusty clothes first." Play along would you. Just a bit. Embarrassing. If there were a save-and-load button, I'd press it in an instant. Why doesn't reality have a save button? "Then I shall dust off my clothes." Trying desperately to calm my flushing face with the cool river breeze, I dusted my clothes. "I’ve brought a duster. Use this, please." How did she find it so quickly? That was fast. Embarrassed, I took the duster from her and brushed off the dust from my clothes. "Thank you. But what brings you out here on a moonlit night?" Struggling to keep a composed expression, I asked in a serious tone. "I came to express my gratitude, thank you for helping me twice from danger." Mu Yeong Sin Tu politely bowed her head to me. "Gratitude? One should take responsibility for any living creature they’ve taken in, let alone a human. I simply saw it through to the end. It was nothing, really." I waived my hands lightly, indicating her thanks were unnecessary. Hey, by saying that, do you understand you're not supposed to walk away as if it's nothing? Becoming Mu Yeong Sin Tu, and not Heartless Sin Tu? “How could I not, after you saved my life twice? I'm truly thankful.” Mu Yeong Sin Tu, clearly not Heartless Sin Tu, thanked me once again. "It was nothing but passing and helping a woman in distress." Slightly ashamed, I turned away and looked out over the Yangtze. I could feel Mu Yeong Sin Tu's gaze. On a ship infiltrated secretly after a crisis, she found only one person who had reached out to help her. Moreover, this man seemed to exhibit such chivalry that he expected no thanks in return. Impromptu though it may have been, the situation turned out quite impressively, no? Take a good look. And if you're the true heroine, keep it well in your memory too. "What is your honorable name, sir?" She’s quick to ask. "Before that, shouldn't you offer something in return?" One must introduce themselves first when they wish to know another’s name. "Ah... I am... that... Ah! My name is Du Eun Hyang." Mu Yeong Sin Tu hesitated, her face flushed with confusion, before blurting out an unexpected name. Why is my fictional heroine's name coming up here? "If you must tell a lie, then please explain the unavoidable circumstances.” That's not your name. I gave her a disappointed look. I know your character settings by heart. I’m aware of your nickname, your profession, and even your name. At least tell a lie considering who you're dealing with. "I'm so sorry, as a runaway kisaeng, I can't really reveal my identity... But if you tell me your name, I promise to repay the favor." So the revelation of her name or profession would endanger her if she were caught. No helping it then. A beautiful woman with pink hair isn't that common, after all. "My name is Kang Yoonho." I turned around and told her my name. "Kang... Yoonho? Do you, by chance, reside in Uichang?" Her reaction is odd. Mu Yeong Sin Tu’s brows furrowed curiously. "How did you know? I am Kang Yoonho from Uichang Dasogak." "YOU! YOOOOOUUU!" Her eyes widened as she pointed a finger at me. You? Why the sudden finger-pointing? As I was about to ask why her attitude had changed so abruptly, the reason leapt straight from her lips. "The worst bookstore owner in history, Kang Yoonho?!" What on earth is she talking about? ————--- "The worst bookstore owner in history. What in the world does that mean?" "I know all about it. The unscrupulous merchant of Uichang, Kang Yoonho!" She rattled this off breathlessly at me. Kindness, truthfulness, justice, chivalry—the words that befit me. Worst bookstore owner, unscrupulous merchant, as if I were some kind of scammer. "Unscrupulous bookstore owner? As a merchant who has always conducted honest business, I cannot let this statement pass. Why on earth am I being called the worst bookstore owner in history? Let's hear your reasons." "Is it true that you've sold a substantial number of 'Dangga Pungun' volumes and yet you can't clarify how much you have paid to the author, Ho Pil?" "That's correct." I consumed it all. "And it’s true that you didn't print the second volume until the first one had sufficiently sold, despite having received two volumes from Ho Pil!" "That is also true." As a businessman, it's only natural. "And whenever there is an issue, you compel Ho Pil to write to appeal for sympathy! Even in Uisan, 'It's Ho Pil......' is a famous phrase!" "That sounds about right." Do you know how important public opinion battles are? "And you're selling cheap drinks at a high price during popularity votes, without properly explaining how much influence those votes actually have!" "That is...... also true." That way, I can sell sets for the heroines that come next. She continued listing the reasons I was a corrupt merchant, like bullets from a machine gun. It's hard to contest. "See! You really are the worst bookstore owner!" Mu Yeong Sin Tu pointed at me as though her true identity was that of a brilliant detective unmasking a villain, not a thief. "I am. I am...... the worst bookstore owner. To think that I am the worst bookstore owner." "That I received help from Kang Yoonho... That I accepted help from Kang Yoonho! The kisaeng sisters will tease me for all eternity!" Mu Yeong Sin Tu grasped her head in apparent despair. "Listen, young lady." I get that the story of 'Dangga Pungun' has spread to the nearby cities of Uichang. It's a fact that's difficult to argue against for Kang Yoonho the merchant. Nonetheless, as for Ho Pil's confidant, the loyal Kang Yoonho—I guess she hasn't heard much about that. About how I solved various incidents on behalf of Ho Pil and how I've even been to Dangga. I need to correct the misunderstanding. However, she did not give me the opportunity. "Just you wait! I won't forget this kindness nor the humiliation... both will remain in my memory!" With eyes welling with frustration, Mu Yeong Sin Tu glared at me and then disappeared before I could say another word. What even is remembering both kindness and humiliation? ————— No matter how we misunderstand each other, the ship heads to its destination. "We've arrived at Uichang!" "I see Uichang!" "Prepare to dock the ship!" "Young lady." From a corner of the cabin, I called out to Mu Yeong Sin Tu, who was glaring at me with pique. "Hmph!" Why is she doing this? She swiftly turned her head away. "Do you have a place to stay?" "... I'm thinking of going to the Haomun branch in Uichang." She must have seen the worry in my expression as she readily answered. A fussy thief lady indeed. I want to ignore her, but something tells me that if we part ways like this, my affinity with her will feel utterly neutral. "Take this." From my bosom, I pulled out my ace in the hole and tossed it to her. "What is this?" What she caught was a small pouch. "Didn't you say you lost your money bag? I've put some travel expenses inside, take it." I had filled it with enough frugal expenses to sustain her at an inn for a month. "..." She looked up at me with surprise, the sound of coins jingling in the pouch evident. "Once we disembark from the ship, our paths may never cross again, but I wish you safe resolution to your matters." Just don’t go robbing Dasogak, the best bookstore in town. "...Why are you being so kind to me?" Because you might be the real heroine. "Did you not say your name was Du Eun Hyang? How could I possibly stand by after hearing that?" "What do you mean?" "We've arrived in Uichang. Didn't you say you needed to hurry and pass on a message to Haomun?" I left her puzzlement behind me and gazed out of the window that offered a view of the outside world from the cabin. Through the cabin window, a nostalgic view met my eyes, a familiar city I had not seen for months. I could see the ship docking in Uichang. Kindness only goes so far. Signaling that I had no intent of continuing the conversation, I opened the door to the cabin. Now leave. "Hmm! Take care then!" Understanding my intention, she stood up with the poise of a lady being escorted out, and briskly stepped out of the cabin. This was it for our association. What reason would I have to accompany Mu Yeong Sin Tu? It's a shame she didn't allow me the chance to correct her misunderstanding, but since we're not in Uisan but Uichang, she'll have a chance to undo the fallacies born from misconceptions herself. "Surely we won't continue to meet?" The only reason a bookstore owner and thief meet is one, and even the thought of become entangled further displeases me. Hoping my words wouldn’t become prophetic, I looked forward to setting foot, once again, in the city of longing. Uichang welcomed me as I stepped onto its shores after a long absence.