Chapter 303 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

**Delivery Mishap – 1** At the harbor, the first to stir are the dockworkers. The allocation of unloading jobs is on a first-come-first-served basis. Since there might not be enough work for everyone, the dockworkers head to the port even before sunrise. “Sir Hoi-joo. I have found the dockworker who was at the port last night. Please let him enter.” Upon contacting the Samgoo brothers, who manage and supervise the unloading operations, they swiftly brought in the person of interest concerning the incident at the harbor. “Wh-what do you n-need from m-me...?” Finally, he arrived. A living relic of Joseon’s traditional culture, akin to a human CCTV, approached me. His callused hands and a face lined with age spoke of years of hard labor. He seemed like someone accustomed to rough work. “I am Gang Hoi-joo. Don’t worry, I haven’t called you here for anything bad. Ms. Ha-yeon, could you fetch some warm tea?” “Please use this towel to dry off. I’ll bring something to warm you up.” Im Ha-yeon handed the visitor a towel to dry his rain-soaked hair. “It’s a-an honor to meet someone s-so distinguished like you. I am a p-poor man with the last name Heo, originally from Sunchang County near Namwon.” Heo-ssi trembled, both in speech and demeanor, as he continuously bowed his head. He seemed overly nervous, likely feeling as if he’d been summoned for interrogation. In situations like this, helping him relax might make it easier for him to recount everything he’d seen. “Nice to meet you. Sunchang, you say? I’ve often traveled along the Seomjin River. Do you happen to enjoy gochujang?” Starting with lighter topics rather than diving straight into the matter at hand, I tried to ease the tension with a smile and shared interests. “Do you know it?! Sunchang is famous for its gochujang! I’ve often had the chance to taste it when the lady of the house would give me some!” Perhaps he was a runaway slave. Whether one conspired a rebellion in Joseon or was a slave, it mattered little in Zhongyuan. Yet, one's ingrained behaviors seldom change. “Mixing fresh spring vegetables from the field with gochujang and rice can be surprisingly delicious, better than meat, even, despite it being just vegetables.” “With a drop of sesame oil, it feels like you have the world!” Was it because I touched on topics close to home or the thought of bibimbap’s flavor? Heo-ssi’s expression softened noticeably. “Haha. Right. I heard you witnessed something suspicious at the harbor last night. Is that true?” Now, let's get into it. I’d heard there were no witnesses previously. “The rain makes my bones ache, so if I wake up at the usual time, I can't make it to the port in time. So, I went to bed early and awoke to work during the night, which led to me seeing it by chance!” “You were lucky.” The culprits who had killed both guards and craftsmen. Heo-ssi might have nearly become ‘Heo-ssi, the late.’ “Rain was pouring, and I was under a distant eave at the unloading area, so they didn’t notice me.” Sensing his own near danger, Heo-ssi shivered slightly. “Tell me what you saw. Please recount everything you remember.” “Normally, unloading isn't done at night. Not only is it dark, but it looks suspicious. Still, they were unloading on a rainy night, so I watched the scene from under the eave, wary of them.” “Did you see anyone disembark the ship or anything peculiar?” “Uuuuuum... Ah! The ones supervising stood out! Instead of a raincoat, they wore capes with hoods, even over their heads!” A cape—a kind akin to a windbreaker. To have used it on a rainy day implies it was a premium item, shielding from rain and wind. “Over their heads? So, you didn’t see their hair color?” “I did! It was green!” Green hair? Momentarily shocked, I suppressed my gasp. Hold on. When thinking of green and theft, one group comes to mind. “...Green Forest?” This was becoming increasingly bizarre. “N-n-no. Green Forest's hair is more like grass green, while these men had a somewhat brighter shade.” Thankfully, he wasn’t referring to the bandits rumored to have traveled to the Yangtze. “Was there anyone else suspicious?” “I did see a person disembark with a sword. Although obscured by a straw hat and rain gear, I overheard their voice.” “What were they saying?” “‘We can’t find it! Move and search!’ I heard things like that.” “Please, continue.” I needed to gather every scrap of useful information. I offered Heo-ssi tea and snacks, encouraging him to share in detail everything that had transpired the previous night. ----------------------- “Use this money to treat your family to a nice meal.” I’d gleaned all the information I could. He deserved a substantial compensation for his efforts. “Sir Hoi-joo! Such generosity! Thank you so much!” “Il-gu, you’ve done well too. Track down any men with green hair and capes, or anyone with information about what happened last night. Lend me your help.” “Sir Hoi-joo, there’s no need to ask for help. Just give the order. I’ll turn over every stone and have the ones with some schooling handle the rest, neat and tidy.” “Alright. I’m counting on you.” Choi Il-gu, the eldest of the Samgoo brothers, saluted and exited the office with Heo-ssi in tow. “We’ve gained an important clue.” I muttered as I eyed the notes sketched out on paper. “Could it be an incident targeting valuable cargo?” Im Ha-yeon wondered, her expression filled with contemplation. The phrase “can’t find it, move and search” distinctly suggested they were seeking something. “It’s a common tale. Once it’s known that valuable herbs, secret scrolls, or treasure maps are on board, even those reputedly aligned with the orthodox sects might turn into bandits.” In the martial world, spilling blood over treasures was a daily affair. Information about the contents of the cargo was usually top secret, so how did it leak out and cause such trouble? “They killed the guards and craftsmen on board and stole the cargo. These captors must be highly skilled. This case won’t be easily resolved.” “Actually, it might resolve quite straightforwardly.” “Why do you say that?” “Because they didn’t work alone. Since they failed to find what they sought and had to move the cargo, they’re bound to catch our attention at some point.” If it were merely a skilled individual killing people, finding them would be challenging. However, with such cargo and personnel moving, there would surely be traces. “We should just wait for the rumor to spread among the Joseon community.” “There’s no need to wait. I'm stepping out.” I had obtained what I needed. I immediately rose from my seat. “Where to?” “Our eyes and ears aren’t the only ones around.” We have another useful resource at our disposal. ————————– “How's business?” “Never expected you to visit, Sir Hyangju. Thanks to your guidance, it’s flourishing.” I had sought out Simun Hyangju, the leader of the Hao Moon branch in Hubei. “The prospects of Simun visiting personally meant I had to come out. Especially since it's clear you’re not here for a difficult request but for something else entirely.” Simun Hyangju, who looked like a good-natured businessman, patted my shoulder with a warm smile. “You already know why I’m here?” He had immediately realized it wasn’t because of Im Ha-yeon. “Why play coy? You’re here because of the Sicheon Escort Agency's robbery, right?” “So you already knew.” “If I hadn’t heard such news, I should step down from being Simun Hyangju.” “A bizarre incident has unfolded.” “A ship with only corpses docked at the harbor. It’s all anyone's been talking about over breakfast.” Even as the victim, it's a mystifying incident. It seems everyone is discussing it like it’s the latest news at a bus terminal. “Do you have any suspects in mind?” With rumors spreading this fast, perhaps he knew something. I asked with hopeful anticipation. “Heh. Trying to get information for free, are we?” Simun Hyangju chuckled, giving me a sly look. “Haha. How could I expect to get free information from someone as esteemed as you? I merely wish to hear your valuable insights, as one of Hao Moon's juniors.” If you have details, I’d like to buy them. I respectfully clasped my hands and said it in a roundabout way. “Boy, your smooth tongue could easily win over a lady or two.” “Haha...” Could he have some valuable information? Upon seeing my awkward smile, Hyangju chuckled, then began to speak. “There are some suspects.” “You do?” Then this might resolve easily. “The entirety of Wuhan.” “Pardon?” “Those with connections to Mount Wudang or the Zhuge family, the numerous factions and cliques—all wishing to siphon off Wuhan's prosperity—now the Tang clan has suddenly appeared, and anyone could see them as a thorn.” Seems like Hyangju doesn’t know much more than that. “Is there any way we could at least track down where the stolen cargo ended up?” The aim was to retrieve the stolen manuscripts more than catching the culprits. Perhaps he had that information? “Is one of the missing items yours?” “I’ve faced a significant loss.” “Such bad luck.” “To be honest, I’m less concerned with who the culprit is. I’ve come to you because I thought you might have clues.” On that rainy night, a large amount of cargo was moved. Surely there must have been witnesses. I pleaded to him with earnest eyes. *************** “If you could provide me a clue, I would, of course, pay the necessary fee.” Simun Hyangju looked at Kang Yoon Ho’s earnest expression. “Given today’s buzz, some related information has already surfaced.” “In that case!” Looking at Kang Yoon Ho’s face brighten up, Simun Hyangju couldn’t help but smile wryly inside. Hyangju, a young man with a keen interest, had even complimented his close subordinate, the head of the Yichang branch, in a rare letter, remarking on his accurate foresight. If the request wasn’t meant to oppose other clan leaders, Hyangju was inclined to show some benevolence. “Are you confident you can distinguish the truth among that information?” He certainly had some information. However, this incident was rather challenging. Seeing a chance, Hyangju decided to teach Kang Yoon Ho a bit about the functioning of Hao Moon. “Pardon?” “If they think it's valuable information, our agents chatter nonstop. Among today's updates, there’s even talk of the ghost of the Yangtze taking revenge and offering the cargo as a sacrificial gift.” Hao Moon prides itself on its information networks. Yet, much of the info is often shallow rumors. Within the sea of collected data, distinguishing invaluable gems is the task of those on top within Hao Moon. “Even so, isn’t Hao Moon renowned for its credible information?” Surely sorting out the gems can't be that difficult? Kang Yoon Ho asked, puzzled. “My subordinates are not merely informants nor spies. This was a premeditated act and a complex case, reducing the number of witnesses.” The truth Hao Moon gleaned typically spilled from reckless tongues. Discovering the hidden truth amidst the tides of shallow gossip, much like navigating the waters of the Yangtze, proved to be a challenge. “Hmm…” “The information is extensive, but genuine intel is scarce. Given time, I might track it down. But in this case, you'd only waste money and time.” The cargo is already gone. It won’t be long till it's sold as stolen goods, and that wouldn’t take much time. Meanwhile, information keeps pouring in, mired in truths, falsehoods, and irrelevant noise. Take this opportunity to hone the ability to distinguish sellable intel from what isn't in Hao Moon. It will be a bitter lesson, but you'll grow as a Hao Moon agent, Hyangju thought. “Then if I could specify a suspect with details, it should simplify things.” But Kang Yoon Ho’s response was different. He seemed almost pleased, wearing a confident smile. “Hm?” “Two martial artists with green hair in cloaks. One has a scar on his cheek. There's a good chance they were accompanied by a man in a yellow oilcloth raincoat. We also have information on the crew. Can this help narrow down the intel?” Kang Yoon Ho pulled out a document he had prepared. “Where did you get such detailed information?” Hyangju widened his eyes as he read through the details Yoon Ho presented. The paper the young man handed over—it was more meticulously organized and reliable than any information possessed by any branch leader of Hao Moon in Wuhan at the moment. It provided a clear direction on the matter at hand, detailing the incident with precision.