367 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Title: Tu Moon - Chapter 7 "We're being tracked." The coachman of Ma Moon's carriage quietly alerted us. "Follow the escape route we discussed." Anticipating various situations that might occur today, we had already devised a plan. I relayed the pre-arranged words mechanically before fully assessing the situation. "Understood." "Do you think they found us out?" An executive from Tu Moon asked me. "If we change direction, they'll notice. We'll respond accordingly." Everything should have gone smoothly up to the drinking party - why are we being followed? Haven't they let go of their suspicions entirely? Or are they trying to find out where we're staying? Or perhaps... "Watch out...! Argh!" Before I could finish my thought, the coachman's scream broke the silence. "Ugh!" The carriage lost its balance. My body felt weightless, a brief moment of zero gravity. Suddenly, the carriage was flipping over. This is madness. A disciple of Tu Moon braced himself with one hand on a corner of the carriage and kicked the door open. The door flew off its hinges. Three Tu Moon executives leapt out nearly simultaneously with swift movements. Heartless. I struggle even just gripping a bar on a rodeo ride. They could have taken me along too. I kicked out. A genius of qinggong had taught me the secrets of flight with close guidance; I didn't intend to get injured here. Although a moment late, I landed effortlessly in the world of gravity from the weightless realm. "Are you alright?" It would've been nice if they had saved me before asking. I have no interest in being carried like a princess by another man, so I should be grateful. "I'm fine." As Mu Young Sin Tu's envoy, I couldn't admit the danger. I nodded calmly. "Surround them! Capture the one with the black hair first!" "The fake Mu Young Sin Tu has black hair! The rest can be killed!" Enemies' voices echoed as they approached. "It seems they found out." Where did they notice us? It seems we won't get away unscathed. "The harbor is far. If they act intentionally, a siege will be laid." "Fortunately, the horses are unharmed." Silently praying for the coachman who met an unfortunate end due to a sudden throwing weapon, I quickly hoisted a robust horse. To escape the area dominated by Do Moon's power, I must reach the port first. While fastening the tack to the horse, I spoke. "The warriors will block your way. Can you manage?" "I’m well-versed in horsemanship. We can’t spare any inner energy; we’ll need every bit of it." I have five years' worth of inner energy, sufficient for a secondary rank, but it’s inadequate for continuously using the profound art of Mu Young Sin's techniques. "Go on ahead. I’ll buy us some time. See you at the designated location." "Thank you. Let's go! Yaat!" Dawn would break soon. It's a race against time now. Why was our identity exposed? No time to ponder — I must proceed with the next plan. I gripped the reins firmly and spurred the horse forward. ——— "Catch them!" "Tch!" Soon, pursuit commenced from the other side. The good thing was that the horse Ma Moon provided was an excellent steed for eluding awkward chases, and I was confident in my horsemanship skills. "Block their way!" Two warriors armed with swords obstruct my path. If I continue like this, the horse will be harmed. "Stop!" I pulled the reins to an abrupt stop. The horse momentarily reared. I channeled my inner energy to bolster my thighs instantly. Hey, horse. Your life is at stake here. Can you manage? Guiding the horse's unbalanced hindquarters, I moved my waist while maintaining thigh strength. Does it understand my directives? The horse, following my lead, made a 180-degree turn. "What? Argghh!" "Back kick, you fool!" Both warriors were sent flying with the full force of the horse’s powerful hind kick. "Whee!" The horse seemed pleased with how smoothly we handled that; it gave a spirited whinny. "Let's move!" The escape had only just begun. I grabbed the reins once again. "Block that bastard!" Another blockade appeared further down. If I tried a back kick now, I'd get stabbed from the side. In that case, there's a way. "Drift!" "Wheehee!" With the horse, we slid around the corner. "What kind of impossible horsemanship is this?" "In reality, those maniacs can’t help but go nuts over anything fast and pricey!" There was a crazy bastard in Joseon who, in the middle of commerce with the Manchus, impulsively bought a superior horse and learned horsemanship directly. "Whee!" 一 Not bad, partner. You're the first to handle me like this. That lunatic learned so well he could understand the horse's language just from its whinnies and glint in its eyes. "I trust this horse from Ma Moon!" I broke through the encirclement and kept riding. "Stop them!" This is a problem. Pursuers closing in from behind, swordsmen blocking the path ahead. No escape route is visible. Should I charge through? If either the horse or I suffer any injury, we'll be captured immediately. "This way! Over here!" Then, someone waved from a window on the second floor of a guest inn. An all too familiar Si Mun person. Does this mean...? Quickly assessing my surroundings, I realized that this was indeed one of our pre-planned escape routes. Alright. There's a way to survive. "Yaat! Jump!" I lashed the horse ferociously. The horse vaulted over the people below as if competing in an obstacle race. "Whee!" "No way!" A sword aimed for me. Foot penetration imminent. But it shouldn't matter now. "In that case! Double jump!" "Whee, whee?" 一 Are you telling me to double jump? Don't panic. I’ll handle it. I kicked off the horse's back and leapt upwards. "Thank you! Partner!" As the horse lost its bearings and began to fall, I glanced back to bid my farewell with a pair of thumbs up, communicating my parting words to the horse through our mutual gaze. 一 Master, my journey ends here. Please, make your escape. Curse you. Blast you, insolent thief! Repaying kindness with betrayal! "I won’t forget your sacrifice!" 一 I was but an ordinary beast, yet to save my master at the end brings me joy. How dare you! I’ve served countless high-ranking officials and fetching maidens, and you repay me with this—mere barbarian! "The courage to meet your end with dignity! I won't forget your sacrifice, and I'll name the next horse 'Maeri (昧理)' in your honor." Since I never knew its real name... A horse that guided us through the dawn. I'll call you Maeri (昧理). Farewell. 一 I will curse and curse and curse you! Master, though our time was short, it was enjoyable. Take care. “Thank you!” There was a slight error while simultaneously translating the horse's language into human language, but there was no time to correct it. I landed directly on the guest inn's second-floor roof. "This way!" The escape wasn't over yet. ——— I moved along the prepared escape route. "There they are! Catch them!" "Tch!" I quickly threw prepared shurikens to create some distance. "Damn! That bastard is using cowardly thrown weapons!" "Isn't it cowardly of you lot to gang up on someone?" "How dare you call out the truth! Attack!" Who said I'd let them catch me? I kicked off the fence and leapt into one of the manor houses marked in our escape plan. "They went into the manor! Follow them!" How are you planning to follow me? According to the top-secret information from Tu Moon, this place doesn't usually have patrolling guards. If I keep straight and flee out through the other side, it's over. “Thief!!!” Why are they here? Upon climbing over the fence, there was a man and woman standing. “Th-thief!” “I’m not a thief! Well, actually, I am a thief!” Why are there people here? "Thief! Catch the...!” “If you yell like that, my husband will find out about us!” The woman urgently covered the man's mouth. “Ah! Have a good evening!” This is outrageous. Thankfully, under the illicit couple's tacit approval, I continued quickly along the escape route. “Glad you made it. Are you okay?” Barely managing with my squeezed inner energy, I arrived at the rendezvous point where two Tu Moon executives were waiting. I couldn't ask about the missing one and collapsed into a seat. “How's the ship?” The rendezvous point was near the harbor. Once we secured a ship, we could head back to the residence where Ha Yeon Sojeo and Jeogal Sojeo awaited. “You can see the harbor from the window. Why don’t you take a look?” I rose with difficulty and peered through a narrow window opening towards the harbor. “Stop!!! You can't pass through here!!!” “Hey! Let us inspect your cargo!” “It’s all barricaded.” Armed warriors were on watch near the harbor, scanning the surroundings. “The sun hasn’t risen yet, so there aren’t many boats moving along the river. Any attempt to board a ship would be caught.” "When will the boatman we arranged arrive?" We had requested a boatman from Ma Moon Hyangju. “No idea how the information leaked, but he was captured.” This is madness. “Is there nowhere to secure a small boat?” "Larger ships might hesitate and wait it out, but those who make a daily living would be found dead if they tried to set sail today.” "Once we get past the Yangtze’s southern region, it'll be harder for them to act recklessly. But now, we're stuck." Isn't there another way? We just need a ship. "They’ve set up blockades, calling it a state of emergency." While I was lost in thought, an executive from Tu Moon brought unexpected news. “Is it civil war?” “They’re searching for Mu Young Sin Tu, claiming they wouldn't hesitate to resort to violence. Looks like it’ll lead to civil war soon.” The inevitable has happened, hasn't it? Now that they know I’m a fake, clashes are inevitable. “What will Tu Moon do now?” “…….” “Is the succession ceremony canceled?” Tu Moon had said they would withdraw if civil war broke out. But dawn is nearing. The day will soon break. ‘The civil war started too late. Once the sun is up, it’ll simmer down temporarily.’ Even if Do Moon Hyangju figured it out, it’s too late. The executives from Tu Moon would know this too. It’s too late for the flames of civil war to consume everything in an all-out war. If Tu Moon turns a blind eye, it’s possible that Ha Yeon Sojeo could be endorsed as Tu Moon Hyangju. “What will you do if it’s canceled?” I had to calm my racing heart. What should I say? Should I tell them I'm planning to whisk her away? No. The executive isn’t asking me for my plan. He said 'if.' This means he’s not asking about my plan, but rather… “I'll take responsibility. Even if it means giving up on Tu Moon Hyangju's daughter.” I was resolute. “Are you speaking as an envoy?” “As a lover, and as an envoy.” I vowed to take responsibility for the woman, come what may. That’s why I’ve come this far. I addressed the Tu Moon executives with determination. After contemplating my words for a moment, they smiled and responded. “……The succession ceremony will proceed as planned at the scheduled place once darkness falls.” “Really?” “You both have brought us this far. It’s our turn to convince the disciples.” Securing the extra time was worth it. Deceiving Do Moon Hyangju wasn’t in vain. “We need to inform Ha Yeon Sojeo as soon as possible.” “Finding a way to cross the river is the issue. Now that it’s civil war, Do Moon won’t stop even after sunrise.” If we manage to secure a boat and cross the river, we can seize the victory. But the problem lies in acquiring the boat. Can we try securing a vessel from Seocheon Pyo-guk? Impossible. Seocheon Pyo-guk's ships don’t dock south of the Yangtze. Should we contact Ma Moon Hyangju for another boatman? Time is of the essence. Our position might be exposed. What to do... Suddenly, a strategy flashed across my mind. "I have a plan." It's a way to seize that first victory.