The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel-Chapter 248: Night Guest - 5

“That... what are you talking about?”

Kang Yun-ho, the bookstore manager, was the illegitimate child of the Tang Clan Leader? Im Ha-yeon asked the branch chief in a trembling voice, unable to believe her ears.

“They say a few courtesans overheard the escort captains from the Seocheon Escort Bureau talking about it while drunk.”

‘A golden rope has descended on Yichang. The illegitimate child of the Tang Clan Leader has appeared after twenty years, so treat him with care.’

The Seocheon branch chief warned the escort captains very sternly.

The fact that Kang Yun-ho was the Tang Clan Leader’s child was a secret that couldn’t be spoken openly. But it was better to let the captains know, rather than risk them offending Kang Yun-ho and having to deal with the consequences.

The escort captains were sharp enough to keep their mouths shut—but they couldn’t control the nonsense that came out of drunk mouths.

“The escort captains from the Seocheon Escort Bureau said that?”

“They say it was revealed when Kang Yun-ho was dragged to the Tang Clan not long ago.”

“Maybe they were just talking nonsense because they were drunk?”

Information entering the Hao Clan isn’t always reliable.

It’s true that countless Hao Clan agents collect and sell intelligence, but much of it includes bluffing, drunken rambling, and baseless rumors. Some reports are unverifiable.

The news was so unbelievable that Im Ha-yeon wanted to believe it wasn’t true.

“It’s something that happens sometimes, right? A man sleeps with a courtesan when he’s young, and one day a grown son shows up claiming to be his child.”

“But the Tang Clan Leader is known for his chivalry. Are you saying someone like that had a child with a Joseon courtesan? That’s too strange.”

Even Im Ha-yeon had heard of the Tang Clan Leader’s reputation. He was a widower who had never remarried—a famously devoted man.

And now she was supposed to believe that someone like him had a secret love child with a courtesan?

Not to mention—black hair is despised in this world.

If anyone dared to claim that the Warlord of Sichuan, the Head of the Sichuan Tang Clan, fathered a child with some lowborn “black barbarian,” they’d be quietly dragged off to the Tang Clan’s secret labs.

“The Tang Clan Leader’s still a man, isn’t he? Talking nonsense while drunk is normal. But I think it might be true. I actually had another piece of intel that I dismissed as drunken gibberish or money-chasing lies...”

The branch chief shrugged and laid out a document in front of Im Ha-yeon.

“Another piece of information?”

“They say Kang Yun-ho ate an entire pineapple pizza in front of the Tang Clan before he was taken away.”

“He ate that poison?! But he’s a black-haired Joseon man!”

“That’s why I dismissed it too, thought it was either nonsense or someone fishing for coin.”

“This makes no sense...”

Im Ha-yeon couldn’t even close her gaping mouth.

“Oh, but it does. If he has the true blood of the Tang Clan in him—it would be possible. I wasn’t sure at first, but now there are testimonies from people at the Seocheon Escort Bureau run by the Tang Clan...”

Information that enters the Hao Clan’s ears may lack credibility. But information that comes from the Hao Clan’s mouth is trustworthy.

They cross-reference even the most ridiculous intelligence, evaluate its validity, and draw a conclusion.

The branch chief confidently stacked the documents detailing different reports on Kang Yun-ho.

Im Ha-yeon couldn’t hide her bewilderment.

“It was strange. Everyone knows those arrogant Tang Clan bastards dragged the bookstore manager away like a dog. But when he came back, they were treating him with politeness? Doesn’t that seem off?”

“Not because they felt sorry for a misunderstanding—but because it was revealed he was an illegitimate son?”

“Exactly. According to the escort captains, he was taken instead of Ho-pil because he could handle the issue himself.”

“Because if he revealed the truth—that he was the Tang Clan Leader’s illegitimate child—he’d be protected?”

“That’s the logic.”

The Hao Clan branch chief nodded in satisfaction, seeing that Im Ha-yeon had reached the same conclusion.

Of course, it wasn’t the full truth.

What the escort captains had heard was only that Kang Yun-ho was taken because of his bloodline.

The stories about Ho-pil, Storm of the Tang Clan, and the Poisoned One—those were still top-secret, even within the Tang Clan. The Seocheon branch chief had deliberately fed the escort captains false information about Ho-pil, just in case.

And that false lead had made its way to the Hao Clan.

Cross-referencing countless pieces of information to arrive at a single conclusion—that was the Hao Clan’s strength. But if the information itself was scarce or flawed, they could end up reaching the wrong conclusion.

Still, the exact truth didn’t matter to Im Ha-yeon.

What mattered was the one striking revelation:

Kang Yun-ho is the Tang Clan Leader’s son.

Now that she thought about it—it was strange. Those intimidating men from the mighty Sichuan Tang Clan always acted unusually respectful in front of him.

Storm of the Tang Clan was written by Ho-pil. Kang Yun-ho was just the bookstore manager. And yet—

So... his claim about being from Joseon—was that a lie?

He’d said he lived in Joseon and came to the Central Plains later.

He said he’d wandered the land in poverty before working his way up. But if he was the Tang Clan Leader’s illegitimate child—had he lied to her?

No... they said the truth came out after he was taken to the Tang Clan. Then his story still checks out.

He had wandered and suffered. That much must be true. Im Ha-yeon gently shook her head. He wasn’t the type to lie about something like that.

Even without realizing it, she had built a deep trust in Kang Yun-ho—and ruled out the possibility of him deceiving her.

An illegitimate child, born from a Joseon courtesan.

She pictured Kang Yun-ho’s face, his black hair tied back tightly.

Had the Tang Clan Leader really gone to Joseon? Whatever happened in the past—she’d never know. But one thing was certain now:

He was born with a lowly status, just like me.

As the daughter of a courtesan, Im Ha-yeon could easily imagine the life he must’ve lived.

It was a common story. A man visits a pleasure house, sleeps with a courtesan, and then abandons her. Her belly swells. She gives birth to a child no one will ever bless.

If it’s a daughter, it’s lucky—she can be “sold” as a courtesan. But a son?

He’d never grow up in a proper environment. Proper education was a fantasy. At best, he wouldn’t be abandoned by his mother.

Bastards of courtesans either rot near the courtesan house, get recruited by gangs to suck the blood of others, or are driven out and become beggars.

Most choose the former.

Im Ha-yeon suddenly remembered the conversation she’d had with Kang Yun-ho. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

“If you don’t want to be a courtesan or a thief—why not run away?”

“All I’ve ever learned is thievery and how to be a courtesan. If I run away, what am I supposed to do?”

He didn’t say that out of ignorance.

She bit her lip, realizing how foolish her thoughts had been.

Why did he leave Joseon when he was living well? She’d never asked. But now, she understood.

He had refused to accept the cursed fate handed to him.

Rather than submit, he threw everything away and chose the life of a wanderer—just to forge his own path.

She had misunderstood him—deeply.

Born low, and unlike others, he hadn’t chosen filth, depravity, or self-destruction.

He had wandered, yes—but fought his destiny. And in this far-off land, he became a self-made man.

And not just for himself—he gave to others, and never turned away those who asked for help.

“This might qualify as top-tier intelligence if I dig a bit deeper. I could sell it for a fortune...”

“I’ll be going now.”

“Huh? Wait! The pigeon hatchlings just came out—you need to take—Hey! Im Ha-yeon!”

Who was it, exactly, that she had misunderstood?

Her mind spun in confusion. What did he think of her?

A girl who grew up in a warm home, raised by her parents, now fretting over her fate as if it were some grand tragedy.

The emotions she had spit out in the attic now felt twice as heavy.

Ignoring the Hao Clan branch chief’s shouts, Im Ha-yeon stepped back out into the night.

*******************

There are days when a late-night guest arrives without warning, and then there are days when you must prepare to send off a guest who has stayed far too long.

“The printing for Storm of the Tang Clan to be sent to the Sichuan Tang Clan is complete.”

The day after that late-night visitor, I looked over the hundreds of freshly printed volumes piled high in the print shop and spoke to Tang Clan martial artist Dang-Pae.

“It’s finally done. I’ll pay for the books using a voucher stamped with the official seal of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”

The amount Dang-Pae mentioned was excessive—far too generous for the number of books he was actually taking.

“You only need to take Volume 3. I wonder if you’re carrying too much luggage for the return trip.”

Normally, Volume 3 would’ve been enough. The rest could be printed with their own press after returning.

“Books printed at Daseogak, the origin of Storm of the Tang Clan, carry more significance. Quite a few people in the Tang Clan specifically requested copies printed here, so please don’t worry.”

“Haha! Honestly, if it boosts our revenue, I’ve got no complaints.”

I nodded, smiling at the perfectly rational explanation.

Of course, another reason was likely that they wanted to support the business run by the Tang Clan Leader’s illegitimate child. But that didn’t give me any reason to refuse.

“Now that the printing is done, we’ll depart as soon as we’ve finished preparations to return to the Sichuan Tang Clan.”

The Tang Clan martial artists had been {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} in Yichang for nearly two months now.

Even with the excuse of Volume 3, the time had come for them to leave.

“It’s a bit sad to think there are only a few days left to see your face.”

I returned the sentiment with the kind of polite expression you give a coworker you won’t keep in touch with after they resign.

“If it’s that sad, would you care to return to the main household with us?”

“Haha. There’s still much I must accomplish here in Yichang—I’m afraid I can’t.”

What am I, insane? I’m not crawling back into the lion’s den. I declined, light but firm.

“Even the Clan Leader couldn’t bend your will. Who am I to try? I’ve left the unopened gifts from the Tang Clan in the back quarters of the print shop. Let me walk you through them.”

So that’s where they unloaded the things they’d been avoiding unwrapping in Daseogak. Makes sense—they couldn’t keep storing it all at the Seocheon Escort Bureau.

Dang-Pae led me into the back and explained each of the items they’d brought from the Tang Clan.

“I wonder if I’ll ever have use for any of this.”

No matter how much of a writer I am, a concealed throwing needle disguised as a brush seems a little too dangerous.

“I’m sure it’ll come in handy at some point. And while we’re at it—why not move your residence to the back quarters of the print shop?”

“The back quarters?”

The building I bought for the printing house was large enough for people to live in, even after setting aside space for the printing press and Seocheon’s storage.

Especially the back quarters, which had once been used by the former branch chief. Compared to my cramped attic, it was definitely more livable.

“The print shop is under constant escort by the Seocheon Escort Bureau. If you move here, we’ll assign a housekeeper for your convenience.”

“I’m a fundamentally lazy person. I prefer living closer to Daseogak.”

No subway delays, no buses, no typhoons, no blizzards—just roll out of bed and walk down the stairs. Why move?

“I’ve seen you work every single day without rest since arriving in Yichang. You sell yourself short.”

“To live without shame, one must work hard.”

Dang-Pae didn’t push the offer and nodded calmly.

“If you need anything before we leave, just let me know.”

Lend me money to buy a courtesan.

The thought came up instantly—and was suppressed just as fast.

I have to draw the line with the Tang Clan.

The Tang Clan Leader’s illegitimate child was rescued when his life was in danger. He then published a book, and they generously purchased copies. He started a business, and they helped make it a success.

So far, I’ve kept to the line. These are acts that can be interpreted as goodwill.

When their warriors return and share tales, they’ll be praised. I won’t be scrutinized.

But this? This is different. If I accept help from the Tang Clan for this, it’s the same as a chaebol’s bastard son buying a Gangnam building with corporate funds.

The illegitimate child using the Clan’s resources. The illegitimate child showing he still harbors feelings for the Clan.

Now that the Young Clan Leader is awake from his coma, this could be seen as a direct challenge to the Tang Clan’s internal power structure.

If I cross the line—I might end up mysteriously poisoned one day.

Even if the Tang Clan were willing to pay such a sum in good faith, it’s still a problem.

Worse than internal power games is this:

“What? Yun-ho bought a courtesan with a huge sum of money?”

“So you’re saying the moment he arrived in Yichang, he went and bought a stunning courtesan?”

“Kang Yu-yu-yu-yu-yun-hoooooooo!!”

Hwa-rin.

You did say it was okay to date someone if I got lonely. I didn’t expect it to hit this hard, but... yeah, I got lonely the moment I arrived.

I bought a courtesan. Not a year in. Not even half a year. Just a little over a month—and I paid in full.

You’ll understand... right?

The thought alone is terrifying.

I feel like I’ll get a report any moment saying a Poisoned One has broken out of the Tang Clan and is approaching Yichang, now known as The Venomous Scourge.

Even if it’s inevitable, best to delay it as long as possible.

Excluding Im Ha-yeon, there are already three women I’ve gotten involved with.

To delay the moment my head gets ripped off my body, I need to keep everyone in the dark—for now.

“Master Kang?”

I’d been fiddling with the gifts, lost in thought, when Dang-Pae called out to me.

“These are more impressive than expected. I got distracted admiring them.”

“Is there anything else you need before we go?”

Help, huh?

I had been thinking about that all night.

Even if I couldn’t outright ask for money, it wouldn’t hurt to prepare a few schemes to help resolve Im Ha-yeon’s situation.

The problem was—they’d all be indirect plans. And I’d still need Ha-yeon’s consent.

But there’s no time to hesitate—the Tang Clan leaves soon.

“Then, could I ask one small favor?”

Let’s set the stage now—while the pieces are still on the board.