The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel-Chapter 230: Volume 3 Release - 2

Yichang by Night

The city of Yichang, the second largest in Hubei Province and nestled alongside the Yangtze River, pulsed with energy even after dark.

I want to appoint Im Ha-yeon to a management position.

She’s got martial arts sharp enough to clean out chaos, looks that boost sales, a knack for security checks, a drive to chase down thieves, genuine love for Storm of the Tang Clan, and the scholarly poise from her training in the gisaeng school.

Considering I’ll have to juggle novel writing, staff supervision, store management, and business expansion moving forward, Im Ha-yeon is the ideal candidate for the job.

I should bring it up over dinner... but will she agree to eat with me if I ask directly?

As I walked ahead, Im Ha-yeon followed behind with her hands clasped behind her back, sneaking glances at me every so often.

Do I have something on my face? Or maybe she’s feeling guilty about something.

Ah. Right.

A thought I’d forgotten flashed through my mind.

“Miss Ha-yeon. I believe there’s something you need to return.”

The book those thieves took. Where is it?

“Ah. Right. Here.”

Im Ha-yeon instantly pulled the book from her waistband, like she’d been waiting. So that’s why she was walking with her hands behind her back.

“I thought you were keeping it as a trophy.”

I teased her lightly as I took the book.

“I didn’t read a single word! Do you know how hard I was holding back? Here!”

Why is she getting mad? She shoved the book toward me with both hands, clearly demanding I take it already.

“Do you want to read this?”

As she handed it over, she squeezed her eyes shut like she was trying not to hesitate, her fingertips trembling.

You really do want to read it.

“...Not like you'd let me, even if I said I did.”

She stared at me with a pouty look that practically screamed don’t tease me.

Is that so?

So that’s what you think?

“If you want it, Miss Ha-yeon, I’ll let you read it.”

On one condition. I offered it to her like a snake whispering a seductive temptation.

********

“Really? Why? I mean—why?”

Im Ha-yeon blinked in disbelief at the Volume 3 held out in front of her.

“Why do you think?”

“Uh...”

Why would he show her something this precious? She looked at my face with wide, suspicious eyes.

No way. No way. Don’t tell me this guy actually...?

“Have dinner with me, and I’ll let you read it.”

Unbelievable.

She’d expected the usual—just being handed food and sent off. But now? A dinner invitation?

It made sense now. That bold wrist grab in the store earlier. Im Ha-yeon’s heart, already stirred, began filling with certainty.

“Men and women... shouldn’t dine alone...”

But Storm of the Tang Clan was far more sacred than gender norms. She couldn’t bring herself to refuse outright.

It’s a trap, Ha-yeon. You’ll die if you eat it. Refuse. REFUSE! she screamed inside her head, resisting the temptation.

“Then hand the book back.”

“Let’s have dinner!”

In the end, she couldn’t say no.

“You promised.”

It’s just one meal, right?

Worried he might change his mind, she quickly flipped open the first page of Volume 3.

“In ancient times, children feared tigers, smallpox, and war. In modern days, it’s—wait! This is fake! It’s a decoy novel! What the hell is this?!”

This wasn’t Storm of the Tang Clan, not the real Volume 3.

“Haha. Like I’d leave the real thing in a vulnerable spot like the printing room.”

I gave a casual shrug and smirked. Even with a bell tied around her neck, I wasn’t foolish enough to get complacent.

The real Volume 3 was stored elsewhere. The printing room only contained pages for repetitive press runs—there was never a fully bound, finished copy there to begin with.

“So I went through all that for nothing?!” 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

No wonder he hadn’t looked worried when the thieves broke in. The realization left Im Ha-yeon stunned and speechless.

“No. Thanks to you, we caught the thieves and prevented something much worse. Truly, thank you.”

I dropped the smile and gave her a deep, sincere bow.

“....”

Now that he was showing genuine gratitude, she couldn’t even be mad about being tricked. Im Ha-yeon could only stand there in silence, staring at me.

“As thanks, allow me to buy you a proper dinner.”

“Wait!”

“You’re not planning to break your promise, are you?”

I grinned at her shamelessly, then strolled off toward the lively streets of Yichang.

“Ugh! Seriously!”

With a small groan, Im Ha-yeon hurried to follow after me.

********

I’ve been played!

She’d let her guard down.

Now sitting in a high-end restaurant with Kang Yun-ho, Im Ha-yeon nervously looked around, visibly flustered.

Everyone here’s a couple!

Each pair around them exchanged warm gazes, chatting over candlelit meals.

What’s with those smug smiles?!

He said he was just buying dinner. This is not a normal /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ restaurant. She glared at Kang Yun-ho, wanting to call him out, but he was calmly perusing the menu like none of this mattered.

“One pork cutlet set meal, please—the house special.”

He placed the order like a regular, while Im Ha-yeon stared at him with a scowl.

She didn’t like this. She felt like she’d walked right into a trap he’d baited.

My first dinner alone with a man... and it’s Kang Yun-ho!

She remembered what the older gisaeng had told her once:

If a man invites you to dinner, don’t go so easily. Before you know it, you’ll be drinking with him. Once the drinks start, hands start brushing, electric tension builds, and his face gets closer... and then, well...

— You’ll wake up the next day in the same bed.

Stay alert. This man is dangerous. She eyed Kang Yun-ho warily, trying to keep her composure.

“Miss Ha-yeon?”

Why am I the only one nervous? No, why do I have to be nervous at all?

He’s the one who has feelings. Why am I the one overthinking?! This is unfair!

“Miss Ha-yeon!”

“Eek! ...What?!”

Startled like a mouse caught in a trap, she jumped.

“Bread or rice. What do you want with your meal?”

“...Bread. And I’m not drinking.”

They say guilty ones speak first. She added that last part without even being asked.

“Haha. I’ve got work tomorrow too—wasn’t planning to drink.”

Somehow, that one line made her feel totally defeated.

********

Im Ha-yeon... why is she eating like she’s under interrogation?

She looked like a stray cat that wasn’t used to being fed—glancing around warily as she ate, tense and ready to bolt at any moment.

Every time our eyes met, she flinched and hunched her shoulders like a spooked kitten. It was kind of funny, honestly—especially when her eyes went wide with surprise at how good the food was, bite after bite.

I’m not gonna steal your food. Just eat.

“Is the work manageable?”

I brought up a shared topic, hoping to ease her nerves.

“Yes. It’s kind of like gisaeng work but easier, so I got used to it quickly.”

She wiped her sauce-stained lips and answered calmly.

“That’s good. You really did well today.”

“No, it’s nothing. You gave me the job, Manager Kang. Storm of the Tang Clan is worth protecting.”

So she remembered what I told her—keep an eye out for shady people.

“I knew you’d handle it well. If you keep this up, I might just entrust you with something I’ve been considering.”

With that compliment, I smoothly transitioned to the real topic.

“A new task, Manager Kang?”

“I’m planning to appoint someone to a managerial role at Daseogak. Someone to oversee the staff and handle directives on my behalf.”

“You’re thinking of me for that?”

She sounded hesitant, a bit wary.

Fair enough. Same pay but more responsibility? No one likes that. But I’ve got just the trick.

“Of course, taking on more duties deserves extra reward. I’m thinking of giving a major bonus toward selecting the Outstanding Work-Study Student.”

I dangled the juiciest carrot in front of her.

“Outstanding Work-Study Student?!”

“And if you become manager, you might get to preview Storm of the Tang Clan before it’s even printed.”

“Storm of the Tang Clan?!!!”

She leaned forward, practically ready to bite the carrot in half.

Too tempting to resist, isn’t it?

“That’s right. Of course, you’re not the only one I’m considering. I’ll test a few promising staff members first, and the most suitable person will get the position.”

Now I had to make it seem like it wasn’t just for her. Can’t have her thinking this is some nepotism thing for the sworn-daughter. Emphasize that the carrot can be lost—makes her want it more.

“Manager... huh...”

She repeated the word thoughtfully, clearly intrigued.

“When Volume 3 drops, things will get even busier. If Daseogak thrives, we can expand and support even more struggling writers. But for that, I’ll need someone I can trust in a key role.”

The more famous I get, the harder the work. And to handle that, I need someone to do all the dirty work.

I framed myself like a noble hero with a cause—someone asking for help in a righteous mission.

She listened, then stared at me as if searching for something. After a moment, she asked, curious:

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

Now that was unexpected.

Was she asking about herself? Or the work-students in general? Didn’t matter. The question itself was an opportunity.

Curiosity about others is always a sign of interest. All I had to do was answer right, and I’d win her over.

“Have you ever gone hungry?”

I looked her straight in the eyes, letting just a little sorrow slip into my expression. I wanted her to imagine my past, to feel a bit of what I’d felt.

“After my mother died, before I became a gisaeng apprentice... sometimes, yes.”

“I’ve been there too. As a barbarian in Jungwon, I had more days without food than with it.”

“....”

She stiffened at my quiet confession.

“People don’t offer steamed buns to a starving barbarian. They spit, kick, and tell you not to look at them. That was the world I knew.”

“That’s horrible...”

“That’s when I made a promise. That I’d claw my way up, earn money, and succeed. And when I did, I wouldn’t become like them. I’d be different.”

If I wanted to entrust her with a management role, I couldn’t afford for her to keep doubting me.

‘Evil merchant Kang Yun-ho.’

Sure, I couldn’t change the image overnight. But she’d seen me show kindness. She’d seen me help others.

All I had to do was give that image a backstory.

If all my cutthroat tricks were just a means to help people, wouldn’t that make me something more than just a “villainous merchant”?

“....”

Maybe I’d shocked her. Her mouth hung open slightly as she stared at me.

“I can’t give to everyone. I’m not some saint. But I can help the people I consider my own.”

“My own people...”

********

He’s impossible to read.

Im Ha-yeon watched Kang Yun-ho smile softly while recounting his painful past like it was no big deal.

One minute he was a prankster, the next a noble swordsman, then a shameless merchant... but also a boss who took care of his staff.

She didn’t know what to make of him.

I thought becoming a gisaeng was the end of my world...

But this man had come from a foreign land, started as a beggar, and now owned one of the biggest bookstores around. And unlike others in his position, he still cared enough to give back.

She suddenly felt small in comparison.

So he’s giving to me because I’m one of “his people”? Or... is it something else...?

She couldn’t bring herself to ask. Her question felt petty next to his talk of purpose.

“...Fine. Let me try that management thing starting tomorrow.”

A kind-hearted villain, Kang Yun-ho. If that’s what he really was, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to help him.

“Alright.”

A man who once couldn’t even get a single dumpling now gives his staff silk uniforms...

Im Ha-yeon stared blankly at her own cheongsam, then finally picked up her utensils and began to eat beside him.

Without realizing it, she kept sneaking glances at his face.

Usually, he annoyed the hell out of her. But tonight... he somehow seemed larger than life.

----

“Here. Kimchi dumplings.”

Im Ha-yeon handed him a small bag of takeout.

“I already ate. What’s this for?”

“...Just take it. You can have it for breakfast.”

Her earlobes were faintly flushed as she held it out.

“I mean...”

“Thanks for the food. I’ll see you tomorrow!”

And like a true Shadowless Phantom Thief, she vanished using light footwork before he could say anything else.

Kang Yun-ho stared in the direction she disappeared, then muttered to himself with a baffled look:

“...Wait... I’m the one paying.”

----

After the whole thief debacle, assigning Ha-yeon some new responsibilities, and running the printing press day and night...

As the workload mounted and more readers swarmed in asking when Volume 3 would drop—

Daseogak finally hung up a familiar notice.

[This is Ho-pil....]

[Thanks to your support, Storm of the Tang Clan will release next week....]

“STORM OF THE TANG CLAN VOLUME THREE IS COMING OUT!!!”

“IT’S HEREEEEEEEEEEEE!”