Chapter 335 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Three People - 5 "My stomach is burning..." Perhaps it was the strong liquor that was to blame, having pretended to be composed, fearing the eyes of the two women who might be watching from somewhere. It feels like there’s a prelude of agony unfolding in Kang Yunho’s stomach. I really need to settle my stomach. Struggling to rise from the bed, he propped himself against the wall and made his way to the living room. Should he ask the servant to prepare some hangover food? "Huh? Miss Ha Yeon?" Heading into the living room, he spotted Ha Yeon setting some side dishes on the table. "Take a seat. I've made hangover soup. I'll bring it over." Im Ha Yeon spoke to him with the demeanor of a newlywed preparing for her husband's departure, offering a soft smile. "Sir Kang, I've brewed some honey water for you. Please have it." Jae Gal Hyang offered a bowl brimming with honey water. "Thank you. What on earth is with you two?" Where was the air of our encounter from yesterday? They now awaited him with warmth and familiarity. "Sir Kang, let me apply some ointment to your wounds. Please give me your arm." "After drinking so heavily, do you think you can make it to work later? Should I send someone to inform them you’ll be taking today off?" "......" Is this a dream? Am I not completely sober yet? Are they perhaps acting? Or could it be...? Standing bewildered, Im Ha Yeon let out a small sigh and came closer to him. "You want me to live a normal life, away from you? Well, being by your side, a normal life seems impossible." "......" Not an expression of agreement, but perhaps a final meal for a condemned man. Right. Whatever decision they make, I will accept. He pressed his lips together and waited for her to speak again. Seeing his hardened expression, Im Ha Yeon gently held his hand and smiled softly. "So you have to treat me specially, not ordinarily." What? It took his mind a while to grasp the meaning. "Miss Ha Yeon..." Agreement? A true acceptance. "Save your gratitude for later and turn around." As he moved closer to Miss Ha Yeon, she gently took hold of him and turned him to face the opposite direction. "Sir Kang!" Was it the sudden exclusion that startled him? Behind, Jae Gal Hyang stood with her hands neatly clasped, gazing at him with eyes like a small herbivore. "Miss Jae Gal." Had the two planned this together? Leaving Im Ha Yeon behind, he cautiously approached Jae Gal Hyang. "You, you really are a bad person, Sir Kang." Jae Gal Hyang lowered her gaze, her grip on her wrist tightening as she voiced her complaint against him. "I'm sorry." "Bu-but now... I-I’m also liking someone with a fiancée. I-I must be a bad woman too." With a face turning crimson, she lifted her head to meet his gaze. "Pardon?" "So... I want this to be genuine, not just a fake relationship anymore." Jae Gal Hyang came closer, her hand trembling gently as she reached up to him. "Miss Jae Gal..." After considerable thought, how could he refuse the hand she hesitated to offer him? He gently clasped her hand, as if it were a cherished treasure. "Trying not to let your expression crumble in an instant is important." "Miss Ha Yeon." Calling to the one behind him. "Me too." Im Ha Yeon approached with a teasing smile, extending her hand. A man with a fiancée. How much betrayal must she have felt from my confession. How much did they mourn from the selfish wish for them to remain by my side. How much had these two women pondered last night? "I promise to do well. Truly, I will." The women who, after much deliberation, chose to stay by his side. All he could do was grasp their hands again, reaffirming his promise. ——— "Miss Ha Yeon, let's start substantive preparations." Having barely managed to compose himself, he sat at the table. The hangover soup prepared by Miss Ha Yeon was palatable enough, salty though it was. "Yes." "What are you preparing?" Jae Gal Hyang sat across the table, tilting her head as she asked him. "We're going to begin the process to remove Miss Ha Yeon's past as a fugitive courtesan." "What, what is it? I want to help too." "Miss Jae Gal, your assistance would be invaluable." Did she perhaps feel like a partner in destiny? Certainly, having Jae Gal Hyang’s help seemed comforting. "What specific work are you planning to undertake?" Sending a somewhat perplexed glance towards Im Ha Yeon, who spoke to Jae Gal Hyang. "I think we're starting by identifying the rich homes we'll visit at night." "...What?" It would be troublesome if that startled her. As he felt the hangover soup calming his stomach, he began to disclose their purpose to Jae Gal Hyang. "We're going to make Miss Ha Yeon the most famous thief in Hubei Province." "Wh-whattttt?" ———— "These are the materials sent over by Ha O Mun about the wealthy in Wuhan." In his office, Im Ha Yeon handed him a box of documents from Ha O Mun. These documents seem to multiply quicker than fruit flies. Considering I'm the president, isn't this too much? Receiving a few well-organized documents completed from a week of overnight work by employees, yet unable to say, "What's this shoddy plan? Who made these papers like this?!" He wished only to escape from the paperwork nightmare. "It might be best to choose our target from these. Could Miss Jae Gal assist with organizing these materials?" "A, ah... Sure!" As he handed over the documents, Jae Gal Hyang hesitated before accepting them. Perhaps she wasn’t entirely fond of aiding theft. "If you’re uncomfortable, you don’t have to do it." "Understanding Sir Kang's intent, I'd also like to help Ha Yeon. S-so it’s fine." Really? Is that so? "Let's leave the document organizing to Miss Jae Gal for now..." Then perhaps it's time to employ the Jae Gal Se Ga’s support, the martial arts administration automation program. "What?" Quickly piling up a box of documents next to Jae Gal before she could voice any displeasure. "Let’s tackle something more crucial than finding a wall to climb." "Is there something more important than that?" That's something Miss Jae Gal can handle. "It's self-promotion." Having escaped from document hell, it’s now time to employ our creativity. "Promotion? I thought Ha O Mun was handling all the rumors for us?" “To make use of those rumors, we should advertise ourselves. We need to specifically spread the word about Wuying Shintou. For example, by displaying a symbol during every action.” So far, the plan centered around our activities as a vigilante. We needed a way to confirm the vigilante’s identity as Wuying Shintou. "Like how the Yellow Turbans would wear yellow scarves?" "Exactly. Would you consider wearing something like a short skirt with flowing attire?" Traditionally, for a phantom thief, half the battle is about the outfit. "Wearing a courtesan’s attire and intentionally getting caught? Getting caught as a thief is already a failure." “If you could perform tricks like disappearing into a vase after waving a staff or vanishing under a cloth, that might work…” "I can't do magic tricks..." “Hmm.” Why can’t she? Traditionally, a female thief wears fluttering clothes, high-tied long hair while wielding a magical staff, collecting treasures of all colors, gold and silver. This isn't working. Her existing Wuying Shintou outfit is unique, even with no exposure, so by adding decorations or fabric, I'll aim for a transformation similar to the leap from Season 1 to Season 2. “There's something about your gaze that seems a bit biased.” Im Ha Yeon looked at him suspiciously. “What about leaving behind evidence?” She’s sharp. “Evidence?” “Leaving a black cloth where you stole the goods, or writing ‘Wuying Shintou’ there. That way, people know who took it only after it's gone. Such unique actions would make rumors spread more effectively.” One of the classic tactics of a phantom thief. Leave your mark where the stolen goods were. How’s that for a brilliant idea? He looked at her proudly, but Im Ha Yeon seemed unimpressed, her face tightening somewhat. “Did you ever hear any old stories from that man?” “What do you mean?” There was only one person she’d refer to as ‘that man’. The previous Wuying Shintou—Uncle Wang. “At one time, he sneaked into a house guarded by martial artists from the Nine Sect Alliance, stole something, and left stamps on their faces while they slept. It’s said they were so humiliated they threw quite a tantrum.” “Hahaha.” To prank martial artists of the Nine Sect Alliance, the pillar of righteousness. Uncle Wang, in his prime days, truly had national renown. “That’s certainly a good idea. It's wise to leave a token or something that symbolizes you. Maybe something like your personal coin.” Im Ha Yeon nodded with a smile. “Let’s do that. And then…” Though deciding on a symbol is easy, there’s still a problem. “What is it?” “Once Miss Ha Yeon starts her activities, rumors will naturally spread, but I was pondering if there might be a more instantaneous method of public exposure.” He needed to quickly establish Im Ha Yeon as Hubei’s greatest thief. Though rumors would naturally trickle up from the bottom through the likes of the Hao Mun, a more decisive and rapid method seemed necessary. “It’s not like thieves can distribute flyers, is it? What you’re suggesting should suffice.” She made sense. You can't exactly throw flyers announcing, “Behold the Deeds of Wuying Shintou, the Phantasmal Thief,” from the start. Wait? Flyers? "Hold on a second!" He hurriedly got up and began rummaging through a drawer. "Sir Kang, what are you looking for?" "What are you doing?" "How about this?!" What he pulled out was a pile of novels with numerous annotations made on it. "This is...! Isn’t this the novel I wrote?" It was a novel Im Ha Yeon had written in secret. "Did Ha Yeon write a novel?" "Ah-ah-ah, no! Don’t look! Why did you bring that out?!" As Jae Gal Hyang showed interest and began to stand, Im Ha Yeon, embarrassed, swiftly moved to cover the manuscript. “Let’s finish it and try publishing.” “This?” “It’s a novel featuring a thief as the theme. Detailing why they steal from the wealthy, why they distribute to the poor. We’ll publish a story about Wuying Shintou. Although it differs from the original content, some rewriting would be needed.” It would require assembling from scratch, but like a doctor writing about medical stories, it might actually be easier than expected. “Could there be any issues with that?” “Ensure it’s published before any activities. Even if it might initially lack popularity, once Miss Ha Yeon begins her vigilante acts?” “...Simplicity then becomes sensational.” “If someone raises any issues, you could merely claim coincidence and halt publication. It’s merely serving as an advertisement. What do you think?” “The content I wrote wasn't about a vigilante Wuying Shintou, so it would take a tremendous amount of time.” “I will assist from the beginning to the end. With some time, creating something on the level of promotional material should be feasible. And if we get the backing from Dasagak, sales are guaranteed.” The narrative of Wuying Shintou would now be handled by a promotional novel. Once people understand not just her thief status, but her past and purpose, rumors would undoubtedly flourish. "I may not know, but do you really think I can manage that—the first-time writing of a novel?" “Publishing a novel was Miss Ha Yeon’s dream, wasn’t it? Why not seize this opportunity?” For a single-novel project, even Im Ha Yeon could certainly manage that. Besides, she'd be marketing it directly, not just through bookstores. Im Ha Yeon studied him intently, as if pondering the proposal that seemed almost ridiculously perfect. Could she possibly dislike it? Finally, Im Ha Yeon lowered her gaze and shook her head. “My objective in writing was to escape the status of a courtesan. Truthfully, I was more consumed by the means than the end.” “This is the precise opportunity then.” “You’re making my dreams come true.” Approaching as if handling a cherished hope, Im Ha Yeon brushed the dust off his shoulder. “Miss Ha Yeon….” “I do want to try writing. But right now, isn’t there something more pressing? When everything settles someday, I'll try writing a novel on my own.” She prioritized stepping out of her fugitive courtesan identity over writing a novel—something she had dreamed of longer. I gazed into Im Ha Yeon's blue eyes, which held the gaze of someone dealing with something infinitely precious, lost in thought for a while. Then, I nodded. If that’s her intent, I have no choice but to respect it. "If that's what Miss Ha Yeon wants, there's nothing I can do." I hid my disappointment and nodded. "Thank you. Now, let's help Miss Jae Gal with organizing the materials." "…I never said I was giving up completely." We still need to promote this. I have another idea in mind. "What?" Im Ha Yeon's eyes widened. "Instead of Miss Ha Yeon writing and me helping, how about I write the novel and Miss Ha Yeon assists me?" Im Ha Yeon might find it impossible, but it's not impossible for me. "Do you think you can write a new novel under your pen name, Ho Pil? If you don’t want to taint that name, writing it just as a promotional piece might actually do harm.” She had a point. Creating a new background, setting, characters, and plot would take time we could be using to begin the heist. But I had a different method. "I’ll write it as the next part of an ongoing story." "Volume 4 of the Dangga Saga? But wasn’t the next story of that series already…" "It’s not the Dangga Saga." I stood from my seat and walked over to a specific corner of my office where a heavily wrapped parcel lay. It’s not the right time yet. Nonetheless, the time will come. It lingered in a corner of the large office like a piece of lingering regret in my heart, this carefully wrapped parcel. I unwrapped the parcel leisurely, revealing a carefully preserved item. "Why are you unwrapping something you told us not to touch? And you never said what it was, no matter how often I asked. What is it?" "My lingering attachment." "What?" The two women couldn’t hold back their curiosity any longer and got up from their seats to approach me and the so-called "attachment" I was unveiling. "Sir Kang? What is that?" What I revealed before them was the hope I discovered in this world. A record of my profound failure and the evidence that I managed to stand up on my own during the most challenging time. Something I wanted to publish when the time was right, a lingering desire tucked away in my heart. "I’m planning to write the next story for this book." To attempt once more, I showed them the book’s title. “Fengyun Heroic Chronicles?”