The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Cheon Gija led the Heavenly Death Star to a tea house in Daehung County.

The tea house wasn’t crowded, but those seated were all discussing a certain family.

“Have you heard about the Sung Family scandal?”

“The Sung Family? Are you talking about the incident from a month ago that led to their downfall?”

“Yes, that Sung Family. It turns out the surviving eldest son has decided to become the head of the household.”

“Seong Sehwi, you mean. So, it has come to that. Because of the incident caused by Sungjiru, the Sung Family was practically facing annihilation, yet he stepped up to become the head.”

“Indeed. Who would have thought that Sungjiru, upon being exposed, would kill all the guests?”

“Seong Sehwi and his men tried to stop it, but he was the only one who survived that catastrophe.”

“With the family and warriors dead, along with the guests, effectively, it’s the end of the Sung Family, considering the public’s anger towards them.”

“He must be out of his mind to still want to become the head.”

“What will become of the Sung Family?”

“It’s not our fate to worry about. Let’s just enjoy our tea and gossip.”

The massacre at the Sung Family was ultimately attributed to Sungjiru’s doing.

This was concluded based on the scarce witnesses who escaped during the initial swordfight between Sungjiru and Seong Sehwi and the fact that no one else survived when the Heavenly Death Star went berserk.

Of course, Seong Sehwi’s testimony could have caused significant issues.

“What truth are you speaking of? That day’s events were orchestrated by Sungjiru. I should have lost, but with the unexpected help of a noble person, I managed to thwart Sungjiru’s schemes. I’m thankful.”

The night the Heavenly Death Star secretly visited Seong Sehwi, he expressed his gratitude to the Heavenly Death Star.

Now, only ashes remain of the Sung Family. Yet, someone still wished to grasp even those ashes with both hands.

The life ahead for Seong Sehwi, now as the head of the Sung Family, will be even more arduous and perilous. Yet, he will walk the thorny path with a smile, holding the ashes in his hands.

“What brings you here?”

The Heavenly Death Star asked Cheon Gija, who was paying attention to the Sung Family matter, about his visit.

Thanks to Cheon Gija, she became aware of Yunho’s existence. Though the purpose of his visit was unclear, it warranted gratitude after hearing the story.

“Let me be straightforward.”

After taking a sip of tea to organize his thoughts, Cheon Gija, with a serious face, began to reveal his purpose for visiting.

“What?”

“Leave the noble person.”

What did that mean?

The Heavenly Death Star was baffled by Cheon Gija’s sudden announcement.

It felt as though she had been struck on the back of her head with an unexpected blow.

“Imagine the Heavenly Death Star as a large ship flowing along the Yangtze River.”

Ignoring the Heavenly Death Star’s confusion, Cheon Gija picked up an empty tea cup and started to explain the reason she must leave.

“Originally, this ship should have followed the water’s flow, even if it meant sinking. But, by chance, the ship named the Heavenly Death Star discovered a small rowboat moving against the current.”

While moving a tea cup to one side, Cheon Gija stopped the cup he was moving in front of a small cup that was set up in front.

“The large ship cannot move forward because of the small rowboat, and the small rowboat cannot find its way because of the large ship. This is the situation you both are in.”

Cheon Gija placed the two tea cups in the center of the table and looked at the Heavenly Death Star.

“Why does that mean I have to leave?”

Cheon Sohee understood his analogy.

The Yangtze represented fate. The large ship was herself. The rowboat represented Kang Yunho. The Heavenly Death Star, heading toward catastrophe, met Kang Yunho, who could change her fate, stopping it in its tracks.

But why did that necessitate her departure from him?

Yunho, whether as a small boat or a teacup, halted her fate. He liberated her from the destiny of the Heavenly Death Star. But why must she depart?

“These ships may appear stationary, but the currents of the Yangtze flow ceaselessly behind them. The destiny of the Heavenly Death Star is vast. It’s fortunate that it was halted by the rowboat, but what if it shifts even slightly towards it?”

Cheon Gija deliberately moved the large cup to collide with the smaller one.

From the perspective of the large cup, it was merely a gentle nudge, but the small cup lost its balance and toppled over.

The significance of this was immediately understood by the Heavenly Death Star.

“Does this mean Yunho is in danger?”

“Already twice. You nearly killed him.”

“How could that have happened?”

“Twice. I witnessed the light of the Heavenly Death Star overshadow the light of the Defier of Heaven. Normally, that would spell doom for the other star, but the Defier of Heaven is exceptionally resilient. Even in those circumstances, he survived.”

Cheon Gija explained that the term ‘Defier of Heaven’ was specifically used when referring to the noble person of the Heavenly Death Star.

“…I nearly caused his death twice.”

Once in Chilgok County and once in Daehung County. Cheon Sohee suddenly realized the gravity of those incidents.

“Do you think he’ll survive a third time?”

This pointed critique struck the Heavenly Death Star more deeply than any blade could.

“…”

Cheon Sohee found herself without a response.

“If you two remain together, such incidents could recur at any moment. If you truly care for him, you should leave.”

Cheon Gija calmly recommended that the Heavenly Death Star depart.

Cheon Sohee experienced a surge of resistance against his advice, which seemed too casually given despite its harsh implications.

“It was you who mentioned that being by Yunho’s side could alter my fate, Cheon Gija.”

The Heavenly Death Star struggled to contain the anger rising within her as she addressed him.

“Correct.”

“And now you’re telling me to leave?”

“Not to leave his side forever.”

“Then?”

“He is not yet ready to bear the fate of the Heavenly Death Star. Stay away only until he shines brighter.”

“Shine?”

What does that mean?

Cheon Gija, addressing the Heavenly Death Star’s confused question, picked up the cup in front of him again.

“Currently, this rowboat is too small to do anything but stop the large ship, and even then, it could easily capsize if the large ship moves. But what if this ship were to grow bigger?”

Cheon Gija brought over another cup, the same size as the one he referred to as the Heavenly Death Star, from the corner of the table.

“It wouldn’t tip over even if it collides.”

“Not just that. If he grows big enough to contain stars, he could also transfer the contents of other ships.”

Cheon Gija transferred all the tea from the cup named the Heavenly Death Star into the empty cup.

A ship bearing the fate of the Heavenly Death Star.

Transferring its contents to another ship must surely mean something significant.

“Are you saying my fate can be changed?”

The tea inside wasn’t the Heavenly Death Star but Cheon Sohee herself, representing her very being.

“The ship called the Heavenly Death Star cannot escape the flow of the Yangtze no matter how large it gets. But if it can transfer to the ship of the Defier of Heaven, then its fate can be changed.”

Cheon Gija began freely moving the cup with the transferred tea around on the table.

A ship that can move freely, unlike herself, destined for catastrophe.

Only by transferring to that ship can she escape the fate of the Heavenly Death Star.

To live as Cheon Sohee.

But to do so, she must leave until the ship grows, as Cheon Gija said.

“Can’t I transfer now?”

Why wait? Couldn’t she just continue alongside Yunho and navigate their fates together?

“That almost killed him twice.”

Cheon Gija indifferently started pouring tea from the large cup into the small one.

The tea soon overflowed from the small cup.

Cheon Sohee thought the overflowing tea resembled Yunho’s blood from a month ago.

“Do I really have to leave Yunho’s side?”

“Meeting and parting, those who leave must return. Having met him, you’ve seen the possibility. Now, if you wish to save him, if you want to change fate, it’s time to part.”

It wasn’t just the possibility that she gained from meeting him.

Thinking of Yunho, who must be waiting for her at home, Cheon Sohee felt a pang in her heart.

She didn’t want to leave.

She had to leave.

Could she part from him? Should she leave for his sake?

With a wandering heart, Cheon Sohee had no choice but to listen calmly to Cheon Gija’s words.

A month had passed.

When he first opened his eyes, about ten days had passed since the incident.

Had he lost too much blood? It felt like he had only lost consciousness for a moment, but much time had already passed.

Fortunately, his physical condition wasn’t in a critical state.

The physician had examined him and thankfully, his internal organs weren’t severely damaged, so he could focus on recovery.

“This is why you use cash items.”

Indeed, the Jade Face Self-Protection Technique, honed with money, left scars but also resulted in miraculous recovery speed.

Of course, not everyone was so fortunate.

“Yunho. Because of me…”

Sohee was almost in criminal mode.

She was a child who blamed herself even when she couldn’t protect others, and now, she had even stabbed him in the abdomen. Even without being told, she felt like a criminal, crawling on the ground out of guilt.

She had been comforting him and taking care of his mental state, so recently he had been normal, but she had been applying medicine to her own wounds because he would get depressed just trying to do it.

“Fortunately, the murderous intent is gone.”

After that day, fortunately, Sohee’s murderous intent had not flared up again. It was said that she no longer harbored any murderous intent wherever she went in Daehung County.

Now that all the problems were resolved, he just needed to fully recuperate, and then he could leave Daehung County.

“Sohee, you’re late.”

‘Why are you so late if you went to buy medicine, Sohee? At this rate, I’m going to become an old man, you know?’

“Yunho. I’m back.”

So it seemed Sohee was no noble lady as she was coming in as soon as she found me.

“Sohee, did you buy the medicine?”

“Yes.”

Sohee walked carefully up to me, not sitting down but looking at me as I lay on the bed.

She fiddled with her lips a little and started hesitating in front of me, a sign she had something to say but couldn’t easily say it.

“Sohee, if you have something to say, just say it.”

Except for asking me to risk my life again.

“Yunho.”

With determination in her tone, she slightly lifted her chin and spoke to me.

“Yes?”

“I’m thinking of leaving.”