Ch 355 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

The Heist – 5 Whenever Mu Yong Sin Tu sent out a notice, there was a natural advantage he gained. Who was in charge of the unresolved Mu Yong Sin Tu case? Who would be the first to be sought out upon receiving the notice? “If a black-haired man has risen to fame as a police officer, it must mean he's quite talented. Follow Chong Gwan around and point out anything that needs correcting.” A famous officer, despite such dark skin. He must be quite competent. Why don’t you inspect our household’s security? Resolving to repay Ji Bu Dae In's words—so moving they could bring tears to the eyes of even a racist—I nodded. I’ll wait since the landlord will personally share the safe's combination. “There are quite a few storerooms to safeguard besides the safe room.” “Haha. Ji Bu Dae In's reputation is so high, and since he doesn't have the temperament to refuse gifts, even if a storeroom is emptied, it fills right back up in no time.” Indeed, like master, like servant. His skill at covering for a wicked official is impressive. About to make a comment, I turned my head to the sound of a sobbing voice at the entrance. “Ji Bu Dae In! How can you seize land just because we couldn't repay three times the grain debt? Let me see Ji Bu Dae In!” “Do you think you can cause a scene here? Get him out of here!” Even for a corrupt official, playing with government grain loans? Even a usurer wouldn’t demand triple. “Heh heh...” As the eunuch awkwardly laughed, seemingly caught off guard, he glanced at me sidelong. Time to smooth things over. “Tsk tsk. When borrowing, they rely on Ji Bu Dae In's benevolence; when it's time to pay back, they feign ignorance. The world is full of such scoundrels it seems.” To prevent awkwardness from seeping in, I overstep very lightly, starting from my side. Chong Gwan's eyes momentarily sparked with interest, as if processing the thought, before he resumed speaking casually. “Unaware of benevolence like a beast, that’s why they live like beasts.” Not yet finished. I can raise my standing with just a few more words. “On the other hand, there are those who are grateful for Ji Bu Dae In's benevolence. Thinking about the vile thieves eying the loaded storerooms gifted by the sincere, it makes me want to work even harder.” Wouldn’t people find it hard to dislike someone who shares their mindset and shows eagerness? I’m on your side. Looking at the world from the same viewpoint. So, please, show me everything so I can get a bigger score. “Hahaha. Indeed! No wonder you're known as a capable officer! Right this way! I shall show you the safe room!” Chong Gwan led me with a contented gaze. —— “The safe room was commissioned from a renowned expert for its intricate mechanisms. Jeong Ho Won! Where have you been?” Chong Gwan introduced to me the martial artist overseeing the mansion's security near the entry to the safe room. “Why bother waking someone up in broad daylight when these barbarians won’t understand anyway?” Jeong Ho Won looked at me with evident annoyance. Reeking of alcohol, is he one of those who drinks himself into oblivion every off day? His build suggests he's been nourished as much by swords as by drink. “Mind your manners, Jeong Ho Won.” “Manners be damned. Hey, barbarian. I need to sleep before it gets dark, so don’t bother anyone. Look around briefly, then leave. I’m going inside. The rest is yours to handle, Chong Gwan.” Jeong Ho Won waved a dismissive hand at me like swatting a pesky fly before turning away. “Gang Po Kwae, please allow me to apologize on his behalf.” “There’s no need for Chong Gwan to apologize. I’m eager to see the safe room.” After Ha Yeon So Jeo cleans out the mansion, I’ll be curious to see the look on that guy’s face. “I shall open it for you!” What lay beyond the door was a treasury of gold and jewels beyond my expectations. The people ruled by Ji Bu Dae In worry about where their next meal will come from, yet these officials hoard wealth as if they’ll live for centuries. “The room appears quite ordinary.” Swallowing back a laugh, I surveyed my surroundings. “It opened with a key, which deactivates the mechanisms.” “There are mechanisms inside the room?” Mechanisms, in a martial arts story? It's basically fantasy technology. Of course, this world seems more scientifically advanced when it comes to the kitchen, but still. “If someone attempts to force their way in, arrows will be shot. Even if they dodge them, stepping on the triggers on the floor closes iron doors, sealing the room.” Troublesome. Will Ha Yeon So Jeo manage to get in? “Seems like I needn't have bothered coming.” I need information. I have to act like I’m useless so they reveal why I’m actually needed. “Not entirely. Nothing is infallible. The mechanism has its vulnerabilities.” Glad I buttered him up. As I pretended to be disappointed, Chong Gwan entered the room and started explaining. He pointed out each hole, detailing how the arrows fly and which triggers to avoid. ‘The arrows only shoot towards the door and window. I need to move without stepping on the floor inside.’ “I believe I’ve shown you everything. Is there anything else you’d like to comment on?” I've seen all there is to see and gathered every bit of information I need. I could achieve my goal just by leaving now, but... Suddenly, visions of Ji Bu Dae In, Chong Gwan, and Jeong Ho Won flashed through my mind. Shall I play a little trick on them? “There is something to comment on.” To ensure Mu Yong Sin Tu has an easy time robbing them, of course. ——— Ji Bu Dae In's Mansion. For an ordinary thief, getting over the walls would be unimaginable. Guarded by martial artists and safeguarded by mechanisms in a room housing the treasures, coupled with a notice already sent announcing the heist. For everyone in this world, unless one was the serial thief from a novel like Mu Yong Sin Tu, it seemed an impossible feat. However... “These are basic-level mechanisms. I’ll show you how to disarm them from outside.” Luckily, Je Gal Se's youngest daughter resides with us. “I have here the shift schedule for Ji Bu Dae In’s guards. I’ve also marked areas that may have weaker surveillance.” There's also the dark-haired officer with insider information you couldn't get without being on the inside. "With this, robbing this place blind would be a breeze, even with my eyes closed." And there was also Mu Yong Sin Tu, soon to be hailed as the greatest thief in the central plains. “Hit it hard and come back.” “I’ll be off then.” Not long after, the news of Ji Bu Dae In's house being robbed spread throughout Mu Han. —— "Ji Bu Dae In's house has been ROBBED!" "You mean Ji Bu Dae In's mansion was finally hit?" "Yes! Even the valuable Hyeon Cheol Jung Gwa and all the treasures were completely cleaned out!" "Even after a notice was sent, they still got robbed?" "Just how incredible is a thief who can send out a notice and still steal the treasures?" As Ji Bu Dae In’s mansion was ransacked, all of Mu Han was in an uproar, but the loudest noise came from the place where I was summoned. “Gang Po Kwae! What is the meaning of this? Speak up if you have a mouth!” Ji Bu Dae In, having lost the Hyeon Cheol Jung Gwa along with countless treasures, called me in to reprimand the manager. It wasn't me who got robbed, it was you. “We followed Gang Po Kwae’s instructions to the letter!” Someone had to bear Ji Bu Dae In’s wrath. Chong Gwan and Jeong Ho Won were looking at me in a manner that didn’t bode well. I feel like an employee wrongly accused of misdeeds at a company where the CEO changes cars with the seasons and underpaid, frustrated employees bear the brunt of the mistakes. Are they planning to dump all the blame on me? Of course, I have no intention of just taking it. “Who was in charge of guarding the west wall?” I spoke while scanning the area with an indifferent expression. “I was.” Jeong Ho Won stepped forward confidently. “Didn’t I tell you to pay special attention to the west before I left?” “I didn’t neglect the defenses. The intruder must have come from another side…” Sure, it wasn't the west but the east they came through. However... “I noticed traces of a high-level martial arts technique outside the west wall.” I informed the enraged Ji Bu Dae In, presenting the false narrative of the incident as if I had pieced it together through my keen intellect. “What?!” “There are visible indentations there from using one’s inner energy to leap over the tall wall—even someone like Mu Yong Sin Tu would need to concentrate their chi at Yun Cheol heights. I found the marks.” “It’s true! There are marks on the west side!” One of the mansion guards, astonished, reported what he’d found. It was the mark I’d asked Ha Yeon So Jeo to prepare and cover slightly with leaves. “There’s a more pressing issue.” “What is it?” Since evidence had been “found,” everything I’m about to say will now be seen as true. With the mansion staff focusing intently on me, I shared another “revelation.” “The mechanism didn’t activate.” “What do you mean?” “The safe room was unlocked with a key. Who is in charge of the key?” “It’s Chong Gwan!” “It’s truly not my fault! This is the real key!” Chong Gwan anxiously held up the key in front of Ji Bu Dae In, who was fuming. “Far easier than opening the mechanism-protected room would be slipping in and out of Chong Gwan’s room.” “……” The incompetence of the hired martial artists. The carelessness of the trusted secretary. Ji Bu Dae In’s face was turning crimson. A stillness hung in the air, heavy with the threat of explosion inside the mansion. Anyone who spoke up or moved haphazardly would likely find themselves absorbing all of the wrath. “It seems I was the only one truly trying to safeguard Ji Bu Dae In's assets here.” But not me. I lightly ignited the turmoil. “You scoundrels! Do you know the worth of Hyeon Cheol Jung Gwa? Even if all the treasure from the storeroom was stolen! Urgh!” “Ji Bu Dae In!” “My lord Ji Bu Dae In!” Now, I didn’t foresee this. Something seems to have blown a gasket in Ji Bu Dae In’s head. Perhaps it’s time for me to be on my way. “Gang Po Kwae, where are you going?” “We’ve yet to capture Mu Yong Sin Tu. Next time a notice is sent, I hope you’ll heed the words of the dark-haired officer.” Thank you for the meal. I’ll give you a score of three out of ten. Do take care of the cleanup by yourselves. ———– “Is this the Mu Yong Sin Tu from the Tales of the Wandering Hero coming to life?” “To be so elusive and astute as to snatch the Hyeon Cheol Jung Gwa from a mansion guarded by martial experts?” “My word. It’s truly a ghost-like mystery!” “The fact that Hyeon Cheol Jung Gwa was taken... a treasure that even many of the martial arts world’s elite begged Ji Bu Dae In for yet couldn’t obtain, and now it’s out in the world like this. What does Mu Yong Sin Tu intend to do with Hyeon Cheol Jung Gwa?” “Because it’s Mu Yong Sin Tu, perhaps he means to craft a divine weapon?” “Come now! Is this not Mu Yong Sin Tu? The righteous thief! He’ll sell it to fill the stomachs of the poor! That’s why the black market’s in chaos, scrambling to locate the Hyeon Cheol Jung Gwa sold by Mu Yong Sin Tu!” “...Perhaps to use it as a laundry beater.” Many were curious about the whereabouts of the Hyeon Cheol Jung Gwa, but after stealing it, I realized I had no use for it beyond its fame and legacy. Selling it and risking exposure wasn’t worth it. Indeed, it’s incredibly heavy. Even during military marches, carrying a rifle was burdensome, and yet martial artists bear weapons made of such heavy metal? “If you had it crafted into a sword and offered it to a prestigious martial family, they’d likely even be willing to give you their daughter.” “Is that so?” Unexpectedly, it turns out to be a tool for raising the affection levels of martial artist heroines. Now it looked different. Which female characters from martial families in the original appeared? “You... are thinking of something quite audacious, aren’t you? Or am I mistaken?” Gah, she startled me. Ha Yeon So Jeo abruptly leaned in with a suspicious expression on her face. “G-Gang Gong Ja.” Even Je Gal So Jeo approached with anxious eyes. “What are you talking about? I was just thinking of making a bracelet.” I didn’t think that far. Well, perhaps just a little. “A bracelet?” “Isn’t it a remarkably heavy metal? Wear it on your limbs as a bracelet, and when the time comes, remove it. Until then, I've only been using 30% of my power, to everyone’s shock.” Imagine throwing the bracelet and it splits the ground, dust spreads, or a fellow martial artist temporarily holds it only to drop it right away, the sound resonating through the earth. It’s the kind of show every man dreams of. “……” “Not impressed?” Why is everyone silent? “If a martial artist can't even control their own strength without relying on tools—can they truly be called martial artists?” Ha Yeon So Jeo looked at me, clearly puzzled. She just doesn't get a man's dream. A bracelet that seals your power. The slitted eyes that suddenly burst open. "The chance of combining is 1%! There's no hope! But we'll fill that 99% with our courage, friendship, and love," and then you achieve that combination against all odds. I mean, how cool is that? “I-I think it’s alright…” Noticing my disappointment, Je Gal So Jeo gently tugged at my sleeve and nodded cautiously. “Je Gal So Jeo…” I’m moved. “Ugh. Recently, I’ve been rethinking this! I-I also think it’s kind of nice.” Finally, they're starting to understand the dreams of a man. “Ah! Did you bring that thing back from Ji Bu Dae In’s house?” Imagining the day I'd write about a man's dream in a novel, I asked Ha Yeon So Jeo. “Here it is. But wasn’t it all about the Hyeon Cheol Jung Gwa with Ji Bu Dae In?” Ha Yeon So Jeo handed over an item from her pouch and inquired. “As if. You’ve got to pull off something grand enough for the whole world to cheer.” Mu Yong Sin Tu had sent an advance notice and stolen the treasure, Hyeon Cheol Jung Gwa. Undoubtedly, he was building an immense reputation as a phantom thief. But merely ending as a thief felt lacking, right? Mu Yong Sin Tu is both a phantom thief and a righteous hero. What I received from Ha Yeon So Jeo wasn’t just another treasure from Ji Bu Dae In’s mansion. It was, in fact, a record book, brimming with the dirty secrets of Ji Bu Dae In himself.