Ch 359 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Dae-tul – Chapter 8 "Why?! Why are you insisting on burning the secret ledger?" He looks like he could grab me by the collar at any moment. Good reaction. It should make negotiations easier. "I'm not Unhyeon." I took a sip of tea, responding in a calm voice. "You're not Unhyeon?" Jeong Mun Won seemed to catch onto some hidden intention behind my composed demeanor and planted himself back firmly in his seat. "I'm not a chivalrous hero, but a Po Kwae. My job isn't to capture corrupt officials, but to catch thieves." "Catching the country's major thieves is something anyone living off the nation's resources ought to do." "Oh! I haven't received any pay yet." Apparently, due to budget constraints, there's no money for the special appointment of a Po Kwae, so they said they’ll pay later. "Ugh! Ho-how much is a Po Kwae's salary?" Was it an unexpected counter? Gamsal Eosa's face momentarily turned red. "Haha. Even the one appointed to catch the nation's thieves can't do it, and yet you expect so much from a mere Po Kwae." I figured I had teased the Gamsal Eosa enough to calm him down. It was time to steer the conversation back on track. "...Then give it to me. I'll use it." "No." I shook my head firmly. "What did you say?" "Unlike someone who passed the national examination at the mere age of thirty, earned the Emperor's trust, and became a Gamsal Eosa, I'm just a black-haired commoner who's stepped on whenever someone wants. For someone like me, it's better to burn such troublesome things." Why would I want to burn the secret ledger? I firmly expressed my position. "I could be the source of your problems! It wouldn't be hard to have you arrested right now!" As I resolutely held my ground, Gamsal Eosa stood up, shouting. Guess he's spent his life buried in books. Doesn't know how to make a deal. "Inspector, an intimidation tactic only works if you're confident you'll get what you want." I needed to keep steering this conversation. I had no intention of getting dragged into Gamsal Eosa's tempo. "Ugh!" "The moment you step out of this house to call someone, I will burn the ledger. I'll end up captured, and Muyeong Shin Tu will flourish. The public will search for Po Kwae Kang, and the Inspector will be blamed. In the end, you might get more cursed than Jibu Daein." With a light, sarcastic smile, I calmed the Inspector's fit. "What exactly do you want me to do?" What an intense look, as if facing a lifelong enemy. Gamsal Eosa, glaring at me like I was some adversary, flopped back into his seat. "I'm not a chivalrous hero, but a Po Kwae and a merchant. And merchants have their interests." "You want to make a deal with me?" That's right. "I'll place the ledger on the scale. The counterweight on the other side will be up to you, Inspector." I crafted an imaginary scale in front of the Inspector, pantomiming placing the ledger on one side. Jibu Daein's secret ledger. A weapon capable of delivering a decisive blow to one's nemesis. To persuade a mere black-haired Po Kwae, you'd need an incredibly hefty counterweight. I could feel the Inspector's gaze drifting towards the non-existent secret ledger on the imaginary scale. Many thoughts must have been whirling through his mind. What will your response be? "Do you want an official position?" "I'm content as long as I have a place to lie down without worrying about starving tomorrow." Incorrect answer. "Do you have any requests or hopes?" "Neither too close nor too distant—a merchant who relies on power may grow quickly, though they'll rot from the inside." I must build my business with my own capabilities. "Then what is it that you want?" Perhaps he's at a loss for answers. Gamsal Eosa, looking troubled, asked. Why do I want to burn the ledger? How badly does the Inspector want Jibu Daein's ledger? Having sufficiently built up the value of our bargaining tool, shall we get down to the heart of the matter? "Muyeong Shin Tu." "What?" The Inspector's eyes widened, seemingly caught off guard by my response. "From now on, all the corruption uncovered by you is thanks to Muyeong Shin Tu." "I can't say I received assistance from a mere thief!" Why slam the table like that? Mister. I rent this place, so if you're going to tell the landlord I should pay for a broken table, I can't afford it. Handle things carefully. "You can tell the court that you uncovered it yourself, Inspector." I spoke up to safeguard my rented accommodations. "And then?" "Not in Mu-han. In Mu-han, it should be revealed that Muyeong Shin Tu uncovered the corruption, while you, Inspector, quietly supported him." Inspector, work hard for Muyeong Shin Tu's reputation. That was the condition for handing over the secret ledger. "...Are you somehow connected to Muyeong Shin Tu?" Jeong Mun Won eyed me suspiciously. An understandable doubt. If neither position nor wealth is desired, but with the intent to work for Muyeong Shin Tu? Anyone would view that with suspicion. How can I alleviate Gamsal Eosa's suspicions? I had initially planned several methods to dispel the Inspector's doubts, but if the Inspector is Jeong Mun Won, it's easier. There's the best approach for someone like Jeong Mun Won. "For His Majesty, for this country, that's why." Loyalty to the nation. Though pained by working under the Princess, his loyalty to the Emperor and the country was genuine. "What are you talking about?" Watch as the suspicion gradually fades. But I can't end it there. "As you can see, Inspector, I have modest talents as a Po Kwae. Using these skills to track Muyeong Shin Tu has led me to understand what Muyeong Shin Tu wants." Why is what I want also beneficial for us? A brief explanation is necessary. "Wants?" "Inspector, what do you think of Muyeong Shin Tu?" "I'm not fond of him, but I can understand why the common people idolize Muyeong Shin Tu. He's probably the righteous outlaw as described in the Legend of the Chivalrous." Not ideal from a government perspective, but since he appreciated his involvement in the Jibu Daein case, he acknowledges it. But, you see. "I don't see him as a noble thief." That's not how I think. "Not a noble thief?" "As a Po Kwae, there's something I always keep in mind. Even if a criminal acts in bizarre ways, their essence doesn't escape human rationality. If he were doing this out of pure intentions as a noble thief, would he imitate the likes of the Legend of the Chivalrous and leave behind something like a black paper crane?" "Indeed..." "Before being a noble thief, he is a martial artist. Thinking of him as such allows us to understand his motives from a martial artist's perspective. Inspector, what do you think is one of the values important to martial artists?" After a moment's contemplation, the Gamsal Eosa responded. "Fame...?" "Yes. His motive is fame." "And what does that have to do with anything?" "We should use him." To enlist Jeong Mun Won's help, I must eliminate any doubts about me and quell any aversion to Muyeong Shin Tu. An incomprehensible noble thief. An unprecedented phantom bandit in central history. Erase all the embellishments and make him think he's dealing with someone he can exploit. "Use him?" Jeong Mun Won tilted his head, seemingly puzzled. "Regardless of his ties to the martial world, Muyeong Shin Tu is indeed being called a noble thief who tackles the corrupt sectors of society that neither you nor I could touch. We are simply aiding in his reputation resounding throughout Hubei Province." "Exposing the corrupt officials through Muyeong Shin Tu..." "We give Muyeong Shin Tu illusory fame, while you, Inspector, cleanse this nation of its rotten parts." Understanding Muyeong Shin Tu's motives allows us to direct his moves as intended. If one can bear getting their hands a bit dirty, he can be made a collaborator for the Inspector. "Helping Muyeong Shin Tu for the sake of the nation..." If he's swayed enough, it's time to extend the final offer. "Will you accept?" I offered the secret ledger as enticing bait, like casting a line into the water. ** Jeong Mun Won gazed intently at the revealed secret ledger. An overwhelmingly tempting proposal. As long as one endures a bit of disgrace, there's nothing but gain. However, there's a critical flaw. As an Inspector, Jeong Mun Won was keen on resolving any remaining doubts through patience. "So you never intended to burn the ledger in the first place." "Who knows." A smile of affirmation. Yet what lies within remains a mystery. It feels like facing either a treacherous official or a loyal one. Jeong Mun Won felt as though he was engaging with an aged minister of the court. "The whole idea of a negotiation was deceitful. Negotiations are supposed to have gains. You haven't gained anything from this. What's your motive behind all this?" It is indeed a good proposal. Beneficial for both Muyeong Shin Tu and himself. Yet the one who placed the goods on the scale gains nothing. Kang Yoon Ho claimed the transaction as a merchant, but from the start, it was never a mere deal. Could he truly have some connection with Muyeong Shin Tu? As a brief suspicion passed through Jeong Mun Won’s mind, it was dispelled by the words from the black-haired Po Kwae. "I'm not Unhyeon. I'm just a black-haired Po Kwae, but I am a citizen of this country." Kang Yoon Ho smiled as if it were the most natural thing, once again displaying his loyalty to the nation. A Po Kwae who captures the nation's thieves. A Po Kwae who can't just look away from crime. His approach wasn't purely as a merchant. This resonated with what Jeong Mun Won needed as the Inspector. "Why me? There was also the chief of police." "I trust the chief, but he's not someone with a big heart. Rising from a constable to his current position just means he's used to wagging his tail for power. I sought someone with a large enough heart to accommodate the secret ledger." "How did you judge whether I'm of large heart or not?" What if he had been someone with a small heart, ready to hand over the Po Kwae colluding with Muyeong Shin Tu to the authorities instead? How could he have brought this up then? Jeong Mun Won eyed Kang Yoon Ho curiously. "Why should I determine whether the Inspector's heart is large or small?" "What?!" "Anything personally used by the Emperor couldn't possibly be small, right?" "......!" The loyalty to the Emperor left Jeong Mun Won speechless, dispelling any remaining doubts about Kang Yoon Ho. "Please, make good use of it." Jeong Mun Won accepted the ledger from Kang Yoon Ho with care. Something he desired enough to visit the black-haired Po Kwae's house personally. A weapon capable of piercing the heart of a corrupt official, a sworn enemy. Though the Inspector finally obtained what he wanted, his gaze was not on the secret ledger. ‘Perhaps...’ A treasure more valuable than Jibu Daein's secret ledger might be the one right in front of him. An intuition he has never encountered before. More renowned than any Po Kwae in infinity. A patriot with deep concerns for the country. An unwavering trust in the Emperor. Hating corruption while spurning wealth, executing his duties as one of the Emperor's people despite being black-haired. Inspector Jeong Mun Won, captivated by the Po Kwae before him, found a proposal slipping naturally from his lips. "Would you consider working with me?"