The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel-Chapter 226: Normal Operations - 5

Volume 3 of Storm of the Tang Clan.

The Sichuan Tang Clan had already given me permission to publish the next volume, but it wasn’t like I could just roll into Yichang and release it immediately.

After all, I’m Ho-pil the Barbarian Writer—not some modern-day novelkissist anymore.

Author: Ho-pil. Publisher: Kang Yun-ho. Distributor: Daseogak. I had to do it all myself.

Even if I managed to write Volume 3, I’d still need to print it on an actual press and sell it at Daseogak to see any profits.

If I could clone myself, maybe it’d be doable. But I can’t even pull off an illusion spell that makes people go “Where do you think you’re looking? That was just my afterimage.”

In the end, I had to hire staff for printing, reopen supplier negotiations for materials, and only then could I finally begin the printing process.

“V-Volume 3 of Storm of the Tang Clan is being printed?!”

Im Ha-yeon’s eyes went wide. She glanced between the box in my hand and the direction of the print room.

Looks like she’s about to bolt. Better stop her.

“Even if you went over there, you wouldn’t be able to get in. I already instructed the print room staff to lock the door from the inside. No unauthorized access.”

Don’t even think about stealing anything. I didn’t say it outright, but my explanation for why I had to deliver the box myself was a warning in disguise.

“There are... ways around things like that.”

“......”

There are, huh?

She stared down the print room like a treasure hunter fixated on a legendary relic—more fired up than I’d ever seen her.

As expected from the future Shadowless Phantom Thief. If this were anyone else’s bookstore getting looted, I’d honestly be curious to hear how she’d do it.

“I-I didn’t mean me! I meant, like, someone else could!”

She must’ve picked up on my silence. Flustered, she stumbled over her words.

If she thinks I’m accusing her of being a thief, she might take it personally. It’s a little earlier than I planned, but I guess I’d better tell her now.

“Well said. Because of Storm of the Tang Clan, there’s something I must tell you in confidence.”

I led her to a secluded corner of Daseogak.

“Huh?”

Im Ha-yeon—future Shadowless Phantom Thief. But there’s no need to let the legend begin here at Daseogak.

If she were just some regular staff member with sticky fingers, I’d have her bound and tossed in front of a judge without hesitation. But she’s a character from a martial arts visual novel.

And more importantly, she’s an S-rank employee of Daseogak.

A difficult stray cat, sure. But a cat worth taming.

There are a lot of things I need her to do as a Daseogak employee. She might even be the true heroine. That’s why I can’t let her rob my bookstore—I need her working for me, not against me.

I don’t want a wild stray thief. I want a fussy, well-trained housecat.

So what’s the move?

Put a bell on the cat, of course.

And I already know how.

“What I’m about to say regarding Storm of the Tang Clan must stay between us.”

Step one: build trust.

Sharing a secret creates a bond.

I cornered her gently in the back of Daseogak, setting a hush-hush mood, and leaned in to speak more quietly.

“W-What is it? Is there something wrong with Volume 3?”

She looked nervous, worried that something was wrong with the novel she’d been looking forward to.

“Volume 3 is being printed in secret. Until we announce the release, this must remain strictly confidential.”

Printing began a few days ago. I told everyone to keep it under wraps, but who knows where leaks could happen?

What if she hears about it from someone else before I tell her?

The icy weight of that possibility hits me. That would be the moment she declares her return to the path of the Shadowless Phantom Thief.

Im Ha-yeon isn’t ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ your average fan. It’s better that I tell her myself and keep her under control.

“Secretly? Why? Wouldn’t it be better to promote it early?”

“Because of leaks.”

“Leaks?”

“You remember the whole ‘Hello, I’m Ho-pil’ incident, right? Do you know about the unauthorized sale of Volume 1?”

“I heard about that through the Hao Clan.”

“Daseogak took massive losses during that incident. It nearly went under because of it.”

“There’s no one in Yichang gutsy enough to try printing Storm of the Tang Clan without permission now, right?”

She’s not wrong. But there’s one crucial thing she’s overlooking.

“Storm of the Tang Clan isn’t just famous in Yichang anymore.”

“Oh...”

Her lips parted slightly as she realized what she’d missed.

She read it back in Wusan. Even if I can defend my rights in Yichang, I’ve got no legal ground in other regions yet.

“And we have no idea what people will do when there’s money on the line.”

“True...”

“If Daseogak doesn’t profit from Storm of the Tang Clan, I can’t pay your salary. Or support the work-study students. That’s why I’m being extra cautious.”

Your first bell, Im Ha-yeon, is a bell of conscience.

If we get hit by another leak, you, me, and the entire work-study team are going down together. Got it?

“......”

Did the bell ring properly?

She looked serious now, clearly grasping how important the situation was.

“If it gets out, there’ll be huge consequences.”

Next bell: deterrence. You might be thinking, “Even if it leaks, as long as no one publishes it, it’ll be fine.”

“There’s a problem even bigger than that. Know what it is?”

A huge problem.

I moved in a little closer, backing her gently against the wall.

I made a pained face—as if even thinking about this next part made me suffer—and let the heavy truth spill out.

“Ho-pil... might go public again.”

“Ah...”

“The author is... very sensitive. He didn’t write a single word while I was away. He’d lost so much weight from the stress.”

I didn’t have time to write while traveling to the Tang Clan, and yeah, I did lose weight.

“What?! Is he okay?!”

She looked panicked, mouth and eyes wide.

“He started to recover after I returned safely to Yichang. But if he hears about a leak—he’ll be devastated. I heard he’s even been considering quitting for good.”

Bell number two: Ho-pil’s retirement. A true fan won’t be able to stand the thought.

“No! He can’t quit! Ho-pil needs to keep writing forever!”

Keep your voice down! Someone might hear!

“Shhh!”

I rushed closer, bringing a finger to my lips.

“Eek!”

Too close? She flinched and pulled back, tilting her chin defensively like a wary cat. Good. That’s the perfect range for a warning.

“Let’s keep our voices down.”

“Why are you even telling me all this?”

She turned away from my eyes, her tone gruff and unsure.

You worried I suspect you of stealing? That’s a fair assumption. But what if I told you that’s not the reason?

“Because even if you know how to sneak into someone’s house... you’re not the kind of person who wants to.”

I quoted her own words. Shared understanding. That’ll lower the guard of even the prickliest stray cat.

I gave her a soft smile. Time to attach that bell.

“What do you mean?”

She asked, her posture a little more relaxed now.

A bell won’t do anything if the cat refuses to wear the collar.

So how do you get the cat to put it on herself?

“Only you can do this. We don’t know where rumors might spread from. If you spot anyone suspicious, let me know.”

Give the cat a title. A crown, if you will.

“Me?”

“Please. Storm of the Tang Clan is something Ho-pil and I have risked our lives to protect. Once we’ve printed enough copies to meet demand, we’ll begin the public promotion. Until then, I need your help.”

I gently took her wrists and looked at her as if she were the only one I could rely on.

I trust you.

Don’t be a thief—be a thief-catcher. With that imaginary crown on your head, it’ll be much harder to betray my trust.

“Um... your face is really close.”

“Ah! Sorry!”

I backed off, and she slipped away into the shadows like a cautious cat.

Well, I said everything I needed to. Let’s hear it.

Success or failure?

She gave me a deadpan look as I gave her a sheepish smile. Then finally, she opened her mouth.

“If I see anyone suspicious, I’ll let you know right away.”

Success. I finally got that bell on the cat.

She turned and walked back upstairs—still not fully tamed, but no longer wild.

Such a handful, honestly.

Please don’t peek.

I triple-secured that bell: her conscience, Ho-pil’s retirement, my trust, and her new crown.

Now, every time she even thinks about sneaking a peek at Storm of the Tang Clan, that bell will echo inside her heart.

I watched her black Chinese dress disappear from view and whispered to myself:

“...Starting today, we’re locking the doors at Daseogak more carefully.”