The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel-Chapter 272: Fake - 3

Writer Ho-pil is a woman?!

She had infiltrated the manor in secret, but when Im Ha-yeon saw the figure through the window, she couldn't hide her shock.

At first, she had assumed exactly what Kang Yun-ho told her—that the so-called Ho-pil was a fake. Just earlier, she had teased him lightly and aired her grievances, but regardless of everything, Writer Ho-pil was Kang Yun-ho’s dearest friend.

But once inside the manor, something felt off.

The person being guarded as “Writer Ho-pil” was... a woman.

Im Ha-yeon’s mind started to race.

Writer Ho-pil was known to be a man.

If someone had faked the identity, they would’ve definitely used a man. But it was a woman?

Could she possibly be the real Writer Ho-pil?

Still stunned, Im Ha-yeon returned and questioned Kang Yun-ho with a troubled look.

“A woman? Writer Ho-pil is a woman?”

“She had silver hair. The kind they say is common in foreign lands.”

That silver-haired woman was another reason for her growing suspicion.

Silver hair wasn’t common in the Central Plains—but it was in foreign lands.

And what if that’s why the pen name Ho-pil (胡筆, “Barbarian Brush”) had been chosen?

And what if both Kang Yun-ho and Ho-pil were foreigners, forming their bond over that shared background?

If the woman she saw really was Writer Ho-pil... it all added up far too well.

“Silver hair? No way... did you hear her name by any chance?”

Why isn’t he denying it? Im Ha-yeon gritted her teeth unconsciously, reading Kang Yun-ho’s vaguely knowing expression.

“Miss Hyang. That’s what I heard them calling her.”

“Miss Hyang? So it’s true... I was right.”

What does he mean ‘so it’s true’? So she is Writer Ho-pil?

Something burned in her chest. Im Ha-yeon clenched her fist to suppress the storm inside, refusing to let her emotions show in front of a man.

Could she really be Writer Ho-pil?

Im Ha-yeon, despite often complaining about Kang Yun-ho being a wicked boss, knew better than anyone the stories that defined his character.

She remembered one especially.

—Kang Yun-ho of Daseogak risked his life in place of Ho-pil and was dragged to the Tang Clan.

Risked his life? That was something you might hear about old historical brothers-in-arms like Lian Po and Lin Xiangru, not even sworn brother would do that easily.

But what if...

What if they weren’t just close friends?

What if everything he did... was out of love?

As she recalled what she saw at the manor, her chest twinged with pain. Her mind cooled like ice, nerves raw like she'd been pricked with a thorn.

When had she felt something like this before?

Oh, right. When that man had coldly brushed her aside while being oddly kind to Ha So-so.

“I don’t know what misunderstanding you’ve had, but that woman is not Ho-pil.”

Kang Yun-ho cut down her theory with a firm tone.

“You knew her, didn’t you? You acted like you recognized her. And that hair color—it’s rare in the Central Plains but common where you’re from.”

“Silver hair isn’t unheard of here either. Don’t «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» forget—the Zhegall Clan is known for it.”

“You’re saying the woman I saw was from the Zhegall Clan?”

Kang Yun-ho nodded.

“Yes. She’s the granddaughter of the Guild Leader. Zhegall-hyang. When I visited the manor that day, everyone was in a frenzy saying she’d run away, so I was given a description.”

“You’re saying the Guild Leader’s granddaughter is pretending to be Writer Ho-pil? Why?”

“That, I don’t know. But at least we have a lead now. Truly—thank you.”

Kang Yun-ho stood and bowed to Im Ha-yeon.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?”

She flailed, flustered by the rare display of sincerity.

“I’ve been thinking a lot lately—what would I have done if you weren’t here, Ha-yeon? Really, thank you.”

Honestly, I don’t know what I would’ve done without you either. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

With that thought, the last trace of doubt disappeared from her heart.

Of course it couldn’t be true.

She’d been ridiculous to even think it.

“I’m sorry. I was being irrational.”

Im Ha-yeon smiled, her expression clear—like a thorn had finally been pulled out.

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

A forced gender-swap crisis—who saw that coming?

Sure, getting labeled a “beautiful girl martial smut writer” might skyrocket my popularity, but I’d rather not boost my fame stat that way.

“I’m glad we figured out who the fake Ho-pil is... but the problem now is proving it in front of people. Wait, you got back really fast?”

I looked at Im Ha-yeon, who was smiling with a mysterious expression.

“Heo Song’s house was nearby.”

“Ah, makes sense.”

No wonder she returned so quickly.

But still—Zhegall-hyang? The fake Ho-pil is her? That’s quite the coincidence.

The old man said she was a shy and reserved child.

Back when I visited the manor, the girl hiding in that box must have been Zhegall-hyang. I had briefly remembered the meeting and found it convincing...

But seriously, what kind of timid, reserved girl goes and pulls off a stunt like this?

And right next to where the real Ho-pil is staying, no less.

Wait a minute—didn’t she say the fake Ho-pil lives nearby?

I opened a drawer and rifled through some papers.

“What are you doing?”

“Solving the fake Ho-pil issue.”

If I’m right, I might have a way.

“Sending a letter to the Sichuan Tang Clan?”

“Even if I did, it'd take months before help came.”

Before I could even consider asking for help, the physical distance alone would be a problem.

And besides—we’re only talking about one shady bookstore in Wuchang. I can handle this myself.

“So what will you do?”

“First—I need to meet the fake Ho-pil.”

Thanks to Im Ha-yeon, I’m sure it’s a fake. But I need to meet them myself to officially expose the lie.

“Meet them?”

“From what I’ve heard, this isn’t the type of person to impersonate Ho-pil maliciously. And now you say she might’ve been kidnapped. Either way, I need to speak with her.”

The Guild Leader, the steward, the guards who protected Zhegall-hyang—all their descriptions paint her as reserved.

Even if 10% of that is true, this isn’t someone bold enough to pull off a scam.

Even if she did it on purpose, it doesn’t matter.

If I meet her, I can use her as a trump card.

If Zhegall-hyang was kidnapped, then it’s a scandal—they abducted the Zhegall Clan’s daughter. I could sink Manggeum Archive in an instant.

If she was impersonating Ho-pil, even better. I’ll run straight to the Guild Leader and demand to cancel the matchmaking.

Might even get Jeon Gil-san to use it to knock out a rival successor.

“So what—you plan to kidnap her?”

This woman’s saying dangerous things again. We’re talking about the Zhegall Clan’s youngest daughter!

“With my current level of qinggong, sneaking in is impossible, right?”

We’ll have to abduct her.

“I mean, breaking past those guards is suicide.”

I guess I got a little overconfident with my footwork lately.

Not that it matters.

“Then I’ll just walk through the front door and bring her out.”

“...What? How?”

There’s a way.

After some digging, I pulled something out and showed it to Im Ha-yeon.

“We already have a ticket in.”

It was the usage log of the spirit-trained homing pigeons.

A detailed record of all the daily food delivery orders going in and out of Heo Song’s residence.

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

At the mansion of Heo Song, the grandson of the Guild Leader...

Inside a guest room, a figure cracked the window and sighed upon seeing that guards still stood vigil.

She shut the window and walked to the desk.

A silver-haired beauty with sky-colored eyes. Anyone would’ve mistaken her for a foreign noblewoman.

But that silver hair wasn’t foreign—it was proof of the Zhegall Clan’s direct bloodline, descending from Zhuge Liang and a foreign bride, Lady Hwang.

Her presence was like first snow falling under moonlight. Still youthful and girlish, her beauty was already such that people whispered she’d soon be the fairest in all of Hubei.

Her name—Zhegall-hyang.

The youngest daughter of the Zhegall Clan’s patriarch. A precious flower, raised like a jewel in a greenhouse, loved dearly by her parents.

But such treasured raising had also created a problem.

She had been raised too delicately.

A naturally introverted girl.

Shy, bookish, and fond of painting, she hated meeting people.

She didn’t suffer from illness or trauma. She was simply... reserved.

Whenever the family had events, she’d push the role onto her siblings and quietly disappear.

If someone came looking for her, she would hide better. She learned escape routes and hiding spots like a professional.

Ultimately, she preferred locking herself away in her room rather than facing others.

And when faced with a blind date?

She ran.

She ran, and ran, and ran—until she somehow became fake Writer Ho-pil! AAAAAAAAUGH!!

That ethereal beauty like untouched snow was nowhere to be found.

Zhegall-hyang screamed in despair.