357 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

The Elusive Thief – 6 "Moo Young Sin Tu has struck again!" "After Gyeong Jibu Dain, you mean?" "When was that Jibu Dain? Several more homes have been robbed since then!" The escapades of Moo Young Sin Tu were far from over. In fact, Jibu Dain was merely the beginning. Sending warning letters to mock the wealthy, he would boldly scale walls to steal their most prized possessions, only to redistribute the riches to the poor. Despite the scorn from others, the greedy ones who amassed wealth like ogres now trembled in fear. All because of a single thief. The people of Muhyeon were riveted by each new warning letter from Moo Young Sin Tu. "What is Moo Young Sin Tu?" "This kid, have you never read the Heroic Ventures of Wind and Clouds?" "What?" "Quick, run to the library and start with the Heroic Ventures of Wind and Clouds!" "Ho Pil, the writer, is incredible, isn't he? Who else could turn a mere thief into a righteous bandit?" "Isn't that exactly what makes Ho Pil an extraordinary writer!" The thief known as Moo Young Sin Tu read Ho Pil’s novel and was inspired to become a righteous bandit. Even those skeptical of the government’s official announcements couldn't help but nod in agreement after reading Heroic Ventures of Wind and Clouds. "Give me the entire series of the Heroic Ventures of Wind and Clouds!" "Which book features Moo Young Sin Tu? Just give me all of them!" In the end, Dasuhgak became more crowded than any place else, due to the events transpiring in Muhyeon. "Did you know a sack of rice was delivered to the slum village? Apparently, a note written on black paper instructed the purchase of rice to be given with the money left at a rice shop!" "That's not all! Money was left at a clinic that treats patients for free, telling them to also make medicine!" "There has never been a thief like this! Is Moo Young Sin Tu a hero or a righteous bandit?" "I don't know about a hero, but he certainly seems like a righteous bandit!" "Redistributing wealth! Robbing those pig-like rich folks to fill the bellies of the poor!" "I hope Moo Young Sin Tu robs that person’s house too." "Another warning letter from Moo Young Sin Tu has arrived, which means Chief Inspector Kang will be on the move again." As Moo Young Sin Tu's legend spread, so too did the rumors about a certain detective in Muhyeon. "Why Chief Inspector Kang?" "Didn’t you hear about Jibu Dain? They say Kang Po Kwae predicted Moo Young Sin Tu's entry route." "What?! Is that true?" "They ignored his advice based on a tip from a man known as 'the Black Hair', only to get robbed by Hyeon Cheol Jung Goe." "The reputation of this famed detective doesn't seem to be just hearsay." From the ghost ship case, the mansion murder case, to the apprehension of a fake Moo Young Sin Tu. The suddenly emergent famed detective was hunting for Moo Young Sin Tu. People joined in the conversation, finding the battle of wits intriguing. "The last time, every house except the one advised by Chief Inspector Kang got robbed." "Is Moo Young Sin Tu wary of Chief Inspector Kang?" "He must be aware at least. Even the house he advised was robbed on a night Kang Po Kwae was at another mansion where the warning arrived!" "Did you hear about the clash between Moo Young Sin Tu and Kang Po Kwae?" "What's that about?" "Kang Po Kwae predicted the entry again this time, yet no one believed him. So he decided to prove it! He guarded a house alone at night! But someone came and warned him not to interfere any further!" "My goodness! Was it Moo Young Sin Tu?" "'I will certainly catch you!' Shouting ensued and the mansion guards rushed over, but Moo Young Sin Tu had slipped away by then!" "A match between a famed detective and a phantom thief! It’s as exciting as any great drama!" "Well, maybe not that exciting. After all, every rich house that received a warning letter was robbed." "In the future, just like the story can unfold with predictions from Yoon Ho-Kang, there’s potential here too!" "These days, people rush to Kang Po Kwae the moment Moo Young Sin Tu sends a warning letter. Rumor has it, mansion owners were competing in his presence, asking how much for him to start with their house first!" The elusive Moo Young Sin Tu, and the only one standing against him, the famed detective Kang Yoon Ho. As news of Moo Young Sin Tu spread daily, mentions of Kang Po Kwae increased too, boosting the sales of Heroic Ventures of Wind and Clouds by the dozens and hundreds with each warning letter sent out to wealthy homes. **** "You’re bringing the secret ledger to the Inspector General?" Jegal So Jeo tilted her head, wondering if she had misheard me. "They say the head of the Constabulary has connections with the Inspector General. I intend to ask for an introduction." If the head of the Constabulary is akin to the police, the Inspector General equates to the prosecutor. Leveraging mutual aid, I hope they can help make the connection. "Even if the Inspector General investigates corruption in management, is it safe? They might link you to it somehow." Ha Yeon So Jeo folded her arms, expressing her concern. "I’ve ensured there’s no room for suspicion. I'll reveal that Moo Young Sin Tu gave the secret ledger." "Are you out of your mind? What if things go awry?!" Ha Yeon So Jeo grabbed my sleeve, questioning what I was thinking. "That's why I've built this narrative using reputation." It’s not for nothing that I've been coordinating with Ha Yeon So Jeo for days. "A narrative built on reputation?" It seems I need to offer a detailed explanation to ease the worried expressions of the two women before me. How should I explain this? "A daring challenge to a corrupt world by the phantom Moo Young Sin Tu! Ah, standing in his way is the Black Hair, with a fine appearance and razor-sharp intellect, the famed detective! They often clash! Recognizing each other as worthy adversaries!" Nothing beats the dramatic flair of a narrative in such moments. As I deliberately exaggerated with voice and gestures, Ha Yeon So Jeo smirked, suspecting I was up to something again, while Jegal So Jeo watched with intrigue. "I don't think the 'razor-sharp intellect' part is accurate." "Not pointing out anything else?" "Well, you know..." Ha Yeon So Jeo nodded with an ambiguous expression. Wait. This is disrupting my immersion. Let me quickly explain it to you. "Hrmph! Thief! What, what is this?" On a moonlit night. His intro is full of enthusiasm, yet he’s still an inexperienced detective. "Take it." Moo Young Sin Tu, handing him something with a curious gaze. Twisting left and right, I play them both simultaneously. "I entrust it to you." "This, this is Jibu Dain's secret ledger?!" "I'm not the only one who feels disillusioned with this rotten world." "Are you telling me to report Jibu Dain?" "Do with it as you please. I'm done here." With Moo Young Sin Tu vanishing into the shadows, the first act of the story concluded. "Wow, you're even better than the storytellers we hire for celebrations!" Jegal So Jeo commented, clapping with a look similar to when she appreciates one of my novels. "Ah, that was the story at the end of volume 3 of Heroic Ventures of Wind and Clouds. Do you have the next part too?" Ha Yeon So Jeo, pleased with her rather grand depiction, also joined in the applause. "The next part will soon be crafted." My talents as a storyteller haven’t faded. The high praise from the two ladies made my shoulders involuntarily rise. "I understand your intent, but do you think the Inspector General won’t be suspicious?" "There's no need to worry too much. He’s known for his integrity and has a grudge against Jibu Dain. If it's Jibu Dain's secret ledger, he won't be able to resist." "Then go ahead with your plan." Securing the assent of the two ladies, I headed straight to the district office where the head of the Constabulary was stationed. ** "Ugh." At the Muhyeon district office, a government official, probably just past thirty, examined his cup with a weary appearance, seeing what he consumed last night. "Inspector General, how many days has this been? How many drinks did you have last night?" The scrivener assisting the Inspector General looked at him with disdain and said. "In a world like this, staying sober is hard. I need the power of alcohol. I'll drink today and drink again tomorrow." "If you keep this up, you risk being dismissed for negligence." "So what if I’m dismissed?" Though an official should fear dismissal, the Inspector General murmured unconcerned. "Inspector General..." "I worked diligently to expose Jibu Dain’s corruption. Do you know what the court said?" "What did they say?" "They told me not to slander the esteemed Jibu Dain with baseless evidence! Instead of being commended, I almost got dismissed!" Despite drinking heavily last night, a craving for more alcohol lingered. It seems only alcohol could quell the rage boiling inside. The Inspector General pounded on his chest. "He’s the great Jibu Dain, after all." The opponent was too formidable. A low-ranking Inspector General, fresh from passing his exams, had dared to challenge the renowned Jibu Dain of the empire. Even though he could theoretically report directly to the emperor, once the matter reached the court, the outcome was predictably bleak. "If any other official had committed Jibu Dain's crimes, they'd be in shambles. But the court, and everyone else, mocked me instead." The young official, who was more eager than anyone to uncover Jibu Dain’s corruption, had to taste a despair as great as his passion. "I don’t know. Do as you wish." The scrivener sighed, recognizing the Inspector General's former zeal, and stood up. "Where are you going? Could you make me a honey tea if you have time?" "Kang Po Kwae is coming to give a statement about the Moo Young Sin Tu case, and they say a scrivener is needed." "Kang Po Kwae? Ah... that Black Hair inspector? He’s having a hard time, too. Trying to stop it all just to be robbed, becoming a laughingstock to the world." "It seems you haven't kept up with recent events, drinking all the time. People in Muhyeon highly praise Kang Po Kwae." "They do?" The Inspector General's brow twitched. "People praise someone putting forth their best effort even when they fail. Oh, and did you hear? Moo Young Sin Tu even robbed Jibu Dain's house." "Ha, I see that was what the snacks had been about recently." The Inspector General chuckled, recalling the reason his drink felt sweet lately. "Kang Po Kwae is reporting on Jibu Dain today. I'm excited to hear about Jibu Dain's downfall due to Moo Young Sin Tu right next to me. It was worth buying off the guy who originally intended to listen in." Hearing firsthand the events that befell Jibu Dain left the usually unmotivated Inspector General with a spark of interest he hadn't felt in a long time. "How much did the meal cost?" "What?" "I'll give you 2 silvers, so let me sit in instead." This man, I shouldn’t help him anymore. The scrivener's face turned into a frown. *** "Just act like you don’t know anything..." "That's difficult." "Chief Constable!" Why was the head of the Constabulary outside the office? I waved to him as I approached, spotting him talking to someone. "Welcome. You've been busy lately." "I should drop by more often; my apologies." "No worries. A busy person shouldn’t be disrupted. Shall we head to my office?" "Yes, let’s do that. But who is this?" Not a constable, it seems. I glanced at the man making himself busy in a corner and asked the head of the Constabulary. "Oh, uh… He's the scrivener! The scrivener! He'll be jotting down the spoken account as you dictate." "A scrivener?" "Hello, Officer Kang. Please call me Jung Seo-Gi." What?! I nodded as I scrutinized the man. He appeared to be in his thirties, his shabby attire befitting a bottom-tier government functionary. Since a detective generally works in the field, bringing a scrivener to draft a case report isn't unusual, but... 'Why is this guy here?' I recognized him. This government official was an Inspector General who reports official corruption directly to the emperor. I knew this man's identity not because I intended to ask the Chief Constable to make a connection. I'd never seen the face of Muhyeon's Inspector General. Recognizing him at a glance was impossible. Yet here he was, and I knew precisely who he was. ‘Why is the Inspector General from the Hwang Nyo Route appearing here?’