Chapter 350 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

**Poquae - 2** "Why are you telling me not to go out?" "We have to investigate a murder. Please wait until Poquae arrives." The Pojol said this while blocking the gate of the mansion where the murder had taken place. "Mu Yeong Sin Tu has killed someone; why are we being told to wait?" "We're just following orders. If you've got complaints, say it again. Being dragged to the police station is also going out, isn't it?" The Pojol, exasperated with the task at hand, shot back with a grim expression as if to say, don't make this more difficult for me. "No, it's not that. I'd like to... just take a look inside." "This morning's already frustrating." The Pojol, his face etched with fatigue and annoyance from sleeplessness, turned to the other Pojol beside him. "Tell me about it. We're expected to catch a thief whom even the most skilled guards couldn't nab, and now they're not just a thief but a robber, making it more complicated." "As long as Poquae is involved, it's bound to be a mess. No wonder everyone shies away from it..." Who would take on a case no one could solve and bear the responsibility? Just as the Pojol was about to continue his grim topic, a carriage pulled up to the entrance of the mansion. "My Lord, we have arrived!" "What is this? What kind of carriage?" Could a high-ranking official be arriving? The luxurious carriage made the Pojols at the gate tense. "Ugh. It's all for nothing." "Doesn't look like a cause for concern." "What are you saying?" "What happens if word gets back home?" "I've hushed everyone, so that's not going to happen." Lively chatter between a young man and woman was heard from the carriage. It didn't seem like a high-ranking official. The Pojol, puzzled, watched as the carriage door opened. "Dark-haired foreigner?" "A foreigner in a carriage fit for a dignitary?" Not just any ordinary vagrant. Yet here was a man with black hair stepping out of a carriage they themselves would never dream of riding in. While the Pojols struggled to identify the man's status, two women, wearing large hats that covered their faces and adorned in elaborate outfits, descended from the carriage side by side. Was this man a dark-haired foreigner who used his charms to court a wealthy family lady? The same thought flitted through the minds of the two Pojols. "Is this the mansion where the incident happened last night?" "Leave. We’re not admitting outsiders now." It angered him to think that while he spent the night standing guard at the gate suffering, someone had been sprawled out comfortably in bed all night. The Pojol frowned as he warned Kang Yunho. "As for me… Ah! Pojol Jung! Is that you?" Is the foreigner looking down on a soldier who serves the nation? As the foreigner approached despite their warnings, one of the Pojols grabbed his cudgel. "Does this foreigner have blocked ears or something? Get lost before—Ugh!" "You fool!" Before the Pojol could swing his cudgel at Kang Yunho, Pojol Jung's fist struck the Pojol swiftly. "Pojol Jung? What, what is this?" "You idiot! His waist!" Pojol Jung, frowning deeply, pointed to Kang Yunho's waist. "A foreigner's waist… What? Oh!" The Pojols' eyes widened in shock. Yo-pae. The symbol of a Poquae was hanging at his waist. "Po-Poquae, are you?" "I am Kang Yunho, the newly appointed Poquae by the Chief Pojol to handle the Mu Yeong Sin Tu case." Kang Yunho introduced himself with a formal bow to the Pojols. "A black-haired Poquae…?" The Pojols' bewilderment was justified. It hadn't even been a day since Kang Yunho was appointed by the Chief Pojol and had crossed the river into the southern region of Wuhan. "Wait, Kang Yunho? The famed Poquae of the Ghost Ship incident?!" Black hair. Poquae. Upon linking these words, one Pojol recalled a story heard somewhere. "Ah! The Green Iron Escort Agency!" An event that had stirred quite a commotion at the police station. The Pojol finally recalled a recent rumor about appointing someone in the Mu Yeong Sin Tu case. "May I take a look inside?" "S- Sorry! Please, go ahead!" Please, just go inside. Don’t ask for our names or anything. Fearing retribution from Kang Yunho, the Pojols bowed repeatedly as they opened the mansion gate. Contrary to the concerns of the Pojols, Kang Yunho entered the mansion with the woman who had accompanied him. The Pojols heaved a sigh of relief and cautiously raised their heads to see Pojol Jung, who looked thoroughly displeased. "You guys, come with me in a bit." The Pojols squeezed their eyes shut, anticipating the scolding soon to come. ** "The murder site is the room where the homeowner kept his safe. A room equipped with a sturdy iron door and windows, well soundproofed, so it seems no one realized a commotion was taking place inside." Pojol Jung recited the results of the investigation conducted by the Pojols throughout the night as he guided us to the crime scene. "Still, not a single person heard a scream?" "The homeowner had a bit of a quirky temperament at night, and they might have mistaken it for a usual occurrence." Quite a fiery hobby the husband must have had. "Listening to you, it sounds like an ordinary robbery, so why is it said to be the work of Mu Yeong Sin Tu?" "A black paper crane was found at the scene. We're here. I'll unlock the door to the safe room for you." Is this a copycat crime, then? When Pojol Jung opened the safe room, a glimpse of a body lying near the entrance came into view. "Ugh." "Argh!" Perhaps due to their martial backgrounds, neither Ha Yeon nor Je Gal could suppress a grimace at the sight of the corpse, but they soon regained composure and surveyed the surroundings with calm faces. "Where's the evidence?" "I have it here. Take a look." Pojol Jung retrieved a small item from a box, which was purported to be the paper crane associated with Mu Yeong Sin Tu, and handed it to me. 'What? W-What?!' Wait a moment? "I’ll be watching my area. Call me if you need anything." I couldn’t reply to Pojol Jung's words as he left the room. Because the paper crane in front of me was... "Master Kang?" "You, this?" "…It's Mu Yeong Sin Tu's paper crane." It was indeed a paper crane I had folded. ——— Why would a paper crane I folded be at a murder scene? No way, did I unwittingly become an artist in my sleep, unleashing my repressed aggression while wandering the streets? "What in the world is going on here?" "Let's not panic and inspect the scene first. It's unusual for the safe not to be in the owner's room." I spoke with an air of composure, trying to keep the two women from becoming agitated. "He's someone who owns a lot. Locking it up behind a sturdy iron door with a safe inside gives the illusion that it can't be stolen," Lim Ha Yeon remarked, fiddling with the lock on the door with a hint of derision. "Let's conduct an investigation..." Why on earth was my paper crane in this bloodstained room? As I prepared to move, suddenly fearstricken by the prospect of being labeled an accomplice, a commotion arose behind us. "Madam, you cannot enter!" "Out of my way! We must prepare the burial and funeral! How long do you intend to leave him lying cold on the floor?" Was she the victim's wife? I greeted the approaching woman, who appeared extremely angry, with a formal bow. "Greetings. I am Kang Yunho, appointed with full authority to investigate this incident by the Chief." "This happened because you fools couldn't catch that thief Mu Yeong Sin Tu! And now a foreigner is rummaging through our home!" "What did you just say!" "Please, calm down." Ha Yeon offered her support, which was appreciated, but traditionally, relatives would have started preparing for the funeral at the very first signs—discovering and investigating further was rather modern. In these times, it was seen as disrespectful to delay posthumous rites for investigatory purposes. "Madam, my condolences for your husband's passing. I understand your desire to comfort the deceased; however, could you trust me, as the one entrusted with full authority from the authorities to investigate Mu Yeong Sin Tu, and allow me some time to look over the scene first?" This was not just about exerting authority; it was about showing respect to the family of the victim. I maintained a gentler demeanor in my plea to her. "......" What could she do by just staring at me? Resisting the authorities was not an option, yet venting her anger here seemed futile. In such cases, there's always a way. "Madam, it seems your late husband was quite... enthusiastic about enjoying his nightly affairs." Let's make her believe. "Has the shame of my husband circulated among the Pojols?" How did you know? The lady shot me a displeased look. I quietly shook my head, feigning ignorance as I began to speak. "As I passed by earlier, I noticed a mark on one of the concubine's necks, quite similar to yours, Madam." I started by emphasizing my keen observation skills. "And what of it!" The lady tried to appear composed, but in embarrassment, she covered her neck. "Even when there was a commotion near the husband's room at night, none of the household reacted. Considering the marks on the neck, there must have been a reason they thought such occurrences were normal." I crafted an image of myself as someone with an insightful deductive ability through mere observation. "Can one ascertain so much just from a mark?" "Please, take a look at the room." I connected my pre-knowledge to the current crime scene using my supposed deductive prowess. "What about the room!" "The bloodstains at the entrance do not follow through to the safe. It means your husband, sensing something amiss, arrived at the safe room afterward when something happened." I pointed to the blood near the entrance. "......" "There was a scuffle. The first blow landed on him, but it wasn't fatal. He had a chance to flee but lacked the time. Attempting to open the solid iron door while injured likely gave the thief another chance." "Indeed! The bloodstains on the inner door were because of this!" The Pojols at our side were impressed by my insights. "Look at the footprints near the corpse. It appears a single person hesitated around the spot. The suspect must have been flustered. Perhaps they didn't plan to kill, or it wasn't their intention from the start." "Wow..." Je Gal was equally spellbound, gazing at me in awe. "This is all I've deduced the moment the door opened." "How... how do you know all this..." The lady asked me with eyes wide in surprise. "Because I heard the voice of the departed." A well-kept mystery always fascinates. I hinted at secret knowledge, slightly curling one corner of my lips. "The voice of the departed? Are you saying... you have some mystic power?" "Many voices remain at a crime scene." There's no need to elaborate on deductions or investigative techniques; all one needs to know is that Detective Kang Yunho understands it all. I looked at the lady serenely. "......" "I will listen to every possible voice of the departed to ensure no injustice in this matter." I promised to treat the departed with due respect as a Poquae would, a polite request for patience. The lady hesitated for a moment but then bowed courteously after considering my words. "…Poquae Kang. Pardon my earlier rudeness in my confusion. Please, let me know if there’s anything you need." "Could you provide a meal for the Pojols who stayed on guard all night?" ——————— "Master Kang, you're amazing!" "How did you know? Is it true you were like Sherlock Holmes?" Ha Yeon and Je Gal excitedly asked, their enthusiasm overflowing once the lady and Pojols left. "Haha, I just made some guesses here and there. There was more than enough evidence at hand for me to craft a narrative." What I did wasn’t true deduction. Even a crummy, makeshift ceramic bowl can become an authentic relic used by Emperor Qin with the right sales pitch. As someone moderately familiar with detective comics and police dramas, I just knew how to make a crime scene appear plausible. "You seem better than the elders from our family." "Yeah! Even during the Green Iron Escort Agency incident, you seemed so fitting for the Poquae role!" I'm no super detective capable of identifying someone’s profession by merely looking at their hands or some other ludicrous deduction. "Honestly, I might be better suited to handling ropes than being a Poquae right now." The origin of the paper crane needs to be addressed first. I shrugged nonchalantly. "Why on earth is the black crane here?" "For now, let's look for any evidence at the scene. I'll need your help." "Leave it to us." "Ha Yeon, let's take a look together!" The two women nodded and turned back to their tasks. One of them is poised to become the next Mu Yeong Sin Tu, while the other hails from the renowned Je Gal family, known for excellence in martial arts and medicine. There was no need for me to follow them into the room and interrupt their investigation. Standing outside, I silently observed them as they expertly scoured the room for clues. 'Since this paper crane is authentic, I have to find proof that the Mu Yeong Sin Tu here is a fake.' I mustn't allow Mu Yeong Sin Tu to be cast as a common thief instead of a righteous outlaw. The question of why the paper crane ended up here can be tackled later. For now, I need to locate decisive evidence that can nullify the significance of the genuine crane. "There are no signs of anyone coming through the window." "The victim was stabbed in the abdomen, but the fatal wound is on the neck." "The footprints have uneven strides. This isn't the footwork of a martial artist trained in body repositioning techniques." Thankfully, there seems to be more to deduce about the crime scene than I initially thought. 'Even if the Chief doesn't buy it, if I can gather enough evidence, we can spread the word through Hao Mun that it's a fake.' "The weapon was a dagger. The victim was stabbed multiple times in the abdomen out of panic. It's not the work of someone skilled in martial arts." "The perpetrator moved too carelessly while trying to steal things in the room. This person doesn't even understand the basics of thievery." ‘If there's truly a fake Mu Yeong Sin Tu, then apprehending them won’t be impossible. Somehow… Hmm?’ Hold on a second. "You're saying they lack martial arts skills and are also an amateur at thievery?" Did I hear them wrong? Is there truly a fake Mu Yeong Sin Tu? "Ha Yeon!" "It seems like that's the case." Je Gal Hyang and Lim Ha Yeon exchanged nods. "What are you talking about?" "The fake Mu Yeong Sin Tu... or rather, the murderer! They're still inside this mansion."