Chapter 310 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Delivery Incident – 8 "I don't know how I can repay this kindness. Let's start with a drink." The evening when the misdeeds of the Nok Cheong Pyo Guk were revealed. With overwhelming might and minimal injuries, the Pyo Sa from the Seo Cheon Pyo Guk had subdued the Nok Cheong Pyo Guk and invited me to their gathering. "......" I never imagined that Je Gal Hyang would make such a request. I assumed he would ask me to accompany him to places that are difficult to enjoy alone, like a barbecue restaurant, shopping, or sightseeing. "Kang Gong Ja? Is something troubling you?" "I was just lost in thought for a moment. Are you going to continue in your position as Head of Branch?" His eyes were almost sparkling. I asked him, this man who narrowly escaped forced retirement. "Yes. It's all thanks to Kang Gong Ja. Just as they say, your blood...... Ah! Ahem!" Head of Branch, Mu Han, belatedly realized that my connection to the Tang family was a secret, awkwardly clearing his throat. "People don't live solely by their birthright. You deserve the respect you've earned, Head of Branch." To steer the conversation away and praise Head of Branch Mu Han, I highlighted his accomplishments despite not being a member of the Tang family. "Our Head of Branch! He volunteered for hardship posts aiming higher, but feared his decades-long efforts might vanish overnight!" "You saw it too? He was fretting so much at night! Hahaha!" "You rascals!" Head of Branch barked at the laughing Pyo Sa with a flushed face, yet his smile remained intact. "Thanks to Kang Gong Ja, we're fortunate to have retrieved the lost goods!" "How did you manage to find the culprit in just a day? We're endlessly amazed!" "When you pointed out the criminal, it was like Kongming himself had returned!" "Kang Gong Ja! Quickly, accept Head of Branch's offer of a drink! We've been waiting for the chance!" The Pyo Sa exclaimed eagerly as they eyed my cup like prey. Looks like there's no returning home sober today. I accepted the Head of Branch's cup offered with a bottle and stood up. Before indulging, let's start with some pleasantries. "Could you bring a few more glasses, please?" "What? Are you accepting them all at once?" "It's because I shouldn't be the first to receive the honor." "......?" Amid their puzzled stares, I took the glasses and filled them with liquor at the vacant spot. Head of Branch seemed to realize what I was doing. The Pyo Sa remained bewildered. While I might have played the biggest role today, I wasn't the first who should be honored with a drink. I lightly bowed to the liquor glasses and spoke. "We have uncovered the truth. May this drink ease the unjust and take you to better places." "Ah......" "Sniff!" As I honored the spirits of the departed Pyo Sa and the great efforts of the living, the remaining Pyo Sa looked at me with deeply moved expressions. Though it might seem like a formality, such is the nature of social life. "......They were dutiful men. They would thank you, Kang Gong Ja, in the afterlife." Head of Branch commented with a bitter smile. "I only feel sorrow for using them." Although it was true that the Nok Cheong Pyo Guk had hidden within the sailors' burdens, the Seo Cheon Pyo Guk hadn't actually swallowed hair. It merely enhanced the dramatics of my tale, yet I owed Head of Branch an apology for the deception. "Even without swallowing hair, they were Pyo Sa who fought to the last without flinching into the waters of the Yangtze. More than anything, they'll thank you, Kang Gong Ja, for ensuring their legendary status in death." "Indeed! Without Kang Gong Ja, we might have never found the culprit!" "The story spread across Mu Han in an instant! I heard people chatting about Seo Cheon Pyo Guk in the inns on the way!" "That's a relief." "Now accept the drink, will you? My arm's starting to quiver! Hahaha!" "I'll gladly partake." The Head of Branch, while watching me drink a cup, cheerfully brought up another interesting tidbit. "Oh! Regarding today, it seems an even more amusing tale is circulating." "Pardon?" —————————- "I'm out." I drank too much. The world is spinning. I know how to use my inner power to flush out intoxication, but doing so when drinking to enjoy oneself is discouraged even among martial artists. I staggered, treading a side-to-side path, to finally push open the inn’s door. "The leader is here!" "Welcome back!" "What’s going on? Is there a big delivery order tonight? Why so many people?" It was late at night, and the inn's first floor bustled with people from the clan gathering. It wasn’t just delivery folks. Was there some gathering I wasn’t aware of? "Our Myeong Po Kwae! Come have a seat here." The innkeeper led my unsteady self to a seat. "Myeong Po Kwae?" What is he saying? "Rumors in Mu Han are rampant that Kang Hyeong Nim brilliantly revealed the Nok Cheong Pyo Guk’s evils and subdued the Pyo Guk Ju with a fan!" "Both the officials and martial artists couldn’t solve it, but it was a Korean Myeong Po Kwae who did! The streets and inns are all abuzz with talks of the ghost ship and Kang Hyeong Nim!" "As they chatted in the inn, I proclaimed! Do you know who this is? It’s our leader and the master of this inn! Such pride!" "Haha......" So the interesting rumor the Head of Branch mentioned was about Myeong Po Kwae? With the chaos surrounding the ghost ship tale, the story of Detective Kang Yun Ho, having solved the unsolvable mystery, also spread it seems. Even as a detective who knew how to wield a tranquilizer gun, it must have seemed all the more peculiar. "We were throwing a small feast in delight at the news." An Suk Soo remarked as he sipped his drink from a corner. Just as watching a compatriot succeed in foreign leagues brings joy during troubled times at home, they were celebrating having something to be proud about among the Koreans in Mu Han. "Could you share a bit about what happened today....... Ouch! Why?" "Learn to read the room, you fool!" One of the delivery workers reprimanded the innkeeper with a smack over the head. "Why? What's happening?" "Your sister-in-law is waiting upstairs." "At this hour?" I looked up towards the third floor and spoke. "She was all smiles when she heard the story of Myeong Po Kwae, but once she heard about you fighting with the Pyo Sa and subduing the Pyo Guk Ju, the color drained from her face. You might want to go up and see her." Maybe I've worried her too much. "And, if I may, Hyeong Su Nim, I'd like to speak from the heart." The delivery worker addressed me with a deeply serious expression. "Yes?" "How could you bring another woman into your room while Hyeong Su Nim is waiting for you with wide-open eyes?" "What are you talking about?" When did I ever do that? "While Hyeong Su Nim is working tirelessly and unable to sleep, how could you bring a lady from the Je Gal Se Ga here? I saw you clearly leaving with her today." The delivery worker touched the sides of his eyes, emphasizing his position as a keen observer. What should I say? Looking around briefly, I noticed everyone was silently watching me. Is that why the staff’s expressions have been curious whenever I've brought Je Gal Hyang over recently? "Exactly. Just because the Je Gal Se Ga lady is pretty, comes from such a notable family, and seems compliant... Oh?!" “Hey there. What are you saying to the Hyeong Su Nim! Don't you know the Zhongyuan style? Here, if you've got the capability, a man can romance multiple women simultaneously.” "Zhongyuan style?” "Exactly. Hyeong Su Nim is quick to pick up Zhongyuan customs and is dating in the Zhongyuan style." "Still! When there's Hyeong Su Nim waiting for you up there, unable to sleep, pacing!” "Right, but no matter the style, Hyeong Su Nim is the main wife beneath it all!" This could turn into a brawl if it keeps going. "Enough of the idle chatter and have fun. Don't worry about it. I'm feeling dizzy from the drinks, so I'm heading up." I patted the back of the delivery worker who initially offered advice and made my way to face the final boss on the third floor. ————————— Do not! Under any circumstances! Engage in dangerous activities! Understood? I stood in front of the office where I sensed movement beyond the door. I had to go alone because drawing attention would cause a stir. I promised Im Ha Yeon I'd come back, but the mission was more dangerous than I anticipated. "Uh... I'm back." Is this how a newlywed feels sneaking into a dark house after an all-night drinking party with friends? Swallowing dryly, I cautiously opened the door. I'm doomed. As soon as I opened the door, I was greeted by Im Ha Yeon sitting at the desk, characterized by an unusual frown, clearly waiting for someone. I'm in for a long lecture. I braced myself, preparing to face the waterfall of scolding that would follow with eyes closed. "Huh?" Instead of a lecture, I felt a warm touch on my cheek. "Are you okay?! You're not hurt anywhere, are you?" As I opened my eyes, Im Ha Yeon had instantly closed the distance, looking at me with a worried expression. "No, I'm not hurt." I replied with a somewhat bewildered look. "Sigh. I told you to flee, not fight! Your face is one of your few assets; what were you thinking if it got ruined?" "You're not mad?" "Oh, I'm livid. I’m confirming your full safety first before expressing it." After inspecting me thoroughly, Im Ha Yeon seemed relieved, letting out a small sigh. Is it time for her to get angry now? If so, I should jump in quickly. "Thanks to you, Ha Yeon, I wasn't hurt. I used the Mu Yeong Shin Beop technique to throw concealed weapons; even the seasoned Pyo Sa couldn’t react." "That's why I said we should go together." "Too many eyes would be on us, you see. Using Mu Yeong Shin Beop made it feel like you were with me." Thanks to Im Ha Yeon, it wasn't that dangerous. I fervently tried to emphasize. Im Ha Yeon seemed dissatisfied as she pouted, scanning me from head to toe before finally giving up on showing her frustration, shoulders drooping. "……Did everything resolve well?" Seems like I passed. "Who do you think I am? The truth is always singular! The criminal was hint: you! I declared, and everyone was beside themselves with shock." I laughed, pointing dramatically as if I were a great detective. "Well done. It's so like you." Im Ha Yeon gazed at me with proud eyes, gently placing her hands on my shoulders. Her breath felt light. Im Ha Yeon continued staring silently with eyes that trembled in an oddly charming way. This... the atmosphere is a bit unusual. Her blue eyes appeared especially beautiful tonight. Is it because of the words "Hyeong Su" I heard earlier? Or because I've had some drinks? Or maybe it's because instead of scolding, she showed concern. Why did it make me conscious? Stay focused, Kang Yun Ho. If you make a drunken mistake, you'll have to face... Tang Ga of Sichuan... Tang Ga? Ah! "Oh no!" Startled, I sprinted to the window. "What's wrong?!" "I forgot to retrieve my concealed weapons after the fight!" "Aren't concealed weapons single-use?" Only for the genius detective who lives without financial worries thanks to patent royalties. "If used multiple times, they become multi-use. They're from the Tang Ga and can't be sourced elsewhere." Why did I forget to retrieve them? "Can you still find them if you go now?" With the Nok Cheong Pyo Guk's Pyo Sa detained and the area sealed by Mang Geum Jeon Jang, I might be able to find them if I look. Could I manage alone at night? In such times, surely... I scratched my head, feeling slightly embarrassed, before asking her. "Care to go for a moonlit stroll with me?" Im Ha Yeon first looked at me incredulously, then burst into a giggle. "Okay, let’s go." —————— "Nok Cheong Pyo Guk was working in tandem with the Il Ga Sang Dan." A few days later, when the Head of Branch urgently requested my presence at the Seo Cheon Pyo Guk, I visited with Im Ha Yeon. "You're saying it wasn't just Nok Cheong Pyo Guk's scheme alone?" "Interrogating the Pyo Sa revealed the Il Ga Sang Dan had bribed sailors, and Nok Cheong Pyo Guk hired Pyo Sa and ronin to carry out the plan." The Il Ga Sang Dan intended to claim insurance payouts before switching trade over to Nok Cheong Pyo Guk, and Nok Cheong Pyo Guk aimed to bring down Seo Cheon Pyo Guk. Was it just a mutually beneficial arrangement? "I thought the scale of the incident was overly large for a solo act." "The matter will be handled by the Mang Geum Jeon Jang and Seo Cheon Pyo Guk. However, during our investigation, something odd came up that I thought Kang Gong Ja and Miss Ha Yeon should be informed about." "What exactly do you mean?" Something both Im Ha Yeon and I need to know? Im Ha Yeon and I exchanged puzzled glances. "Among the information you gave us, there was a comment from a warrior who disembarked from the ship saying, 'I can’t see it! Move it and find it!' right?" "Yes. Wasn't he referring to locating the valuable goods that Seo Cheon Pyo Guk would have to pay a hefty compensation for?" Why bring that up now? I looked at the Head of Branch with a startled expression. "No. The warrior was searching for something else entirely." "Then what was it?" "Upon investigation, it turns out this warrior was hired externally. And he said something very specific." "What did he say?" It wasn't about searching for an item among the goods? I had assumed he meant to move the goods to search due to how challenging it was to examine them on the ship. The Head of Branch looked between Im Ha Yeon and me before revealing exactly what the warrior had said. The true nature of what the warrior was searching for inside the goods. It was none other than: "'I can't see Im Ha Yeon inside the goods! Move them and find her!'"