The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel - Chapter 89: A New Encounter (2)

Tang Hwarin.

In the original story, she served as the poison master of the Sichuan Tang Family and played the role of a villainous character. Her nickname was the Poison Butterfly.

Even though she has been possessed, encountering a character who is a villain in the original story is not ideal. However, through Sohee, I realized that even a villainous character could transform into a heroine, and that night, I happened to meet Tang Hwarin.

Could Tang Hwarin also transform into a heroine?

When we first met, despite the possibility of Tang Hwarin becoming a heroine, I was preoccupied with Sohee’s issue at the Sung Family. Therefore, I only offered her a hint that could alter her fate and then parted ways.

I never expected to encounter her here again.

As I ascended to the second floor of the inn, the tension was palpable.

Someone had removed the cloth covering Tang Hwarin’s face, exposing her blotchy skin, and the inn’s warriors were on high alert.

“She’s got the plague, and everyone traveling with her has fled!”

“I saw someone enter her room a few days ago with medicine!”

“We need to get rid of this leprous woman immediately!”

The inn’s guards drew their swords in unison.

“What? A leper?”

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, has been a well-known contagious disease since ancient times, even mentioned in the Bible. Once contracted, the skin begins to rot while the person is still alive.

Although it’s easily treatable today, in the past, those infected endured suffering until death, facing contempt and discrimination from others.

A comment that struck a nerve for a woman already self-conscious about her discolored skin.

As expected, angered, Tang Hwarin equipped a set of hidden weapons onto her right hand’s grip, their origin unknown to me.

“Hidden weapons? And her hair is purple?”

“That leprous woman, could she be from the Sichuan Tang Family?!”

“Damn. They keep going on about leper, leper till the end.”

Tang Hwarin was clenching her teeth to hold back her anger, yet it seemed the hidden weapons might embed themselves in the guards’ foreheads if just a little more time passed.

“Hey! That woman isn’t from the Sichuan Tang Family! She’s an outsider.”

“What the hell, got scared for nothing. Let’s quickly chase her out and then think about the money!”

The five guards boldly aimed their swords at Tang Hwarin.

Those guys were going to die. These small inn guards were incapable of dealing with a woman like her.

Could it be, was I witnessing the moment Tang Hwarin becomes a villain because she was twisted by her appearance?

Then I must intervene.

“Please stop.”

With the sentiment of a masked man throwing roses to save a magical girl in a school uniform caught in a crisis, I spoke in a low tone with force, ensuring everyone could hear.

The guards all turned to look at me at once.

“What’s this barbarian brat? Who are you!”

“A barbarian brat telling us to stop!”

One of the guards brought his sword right in front of my face.

If it were the old me, I would have flatly fallen to the ground in this situation.

Be it thugs or beggars, even third-rate warriors could easily send someone like me straight to the grave just by wielding a sword. Of course, I wouldn’t stand a chance against five armed guards even now.

But now, I have a weapon.

‘I’ll go with the mysterious martial artist concept.’

A martial art that could deceive these fools.

“How rude.”

I grabbed the sword brought in front of me without hesitation.

A crazy act that would have severed a normal person’s hand. However, my hand didn’t bleed even a drop.

Jade Face Self-Protection Technique.

The external skill I learned from Sohee. That martial art was showing its power now.

“What, what the hell? This crazy bastard!”

The guard who had his sword grabbed was flustered, trying to pull it back, but the sword didn’t budge.

I continued to grip the sword with a calm face, seemingly exerting no effort at all.

“To grab a sword barehanded!”

“No blood on his hands?”

“How could a barbarian do this?”

If you had a younger sister who would generously spend money for her brother, you could do it too, buddy.

Skin strengthened by the Jade Face Self-Protection Technique. The swords of third-rate warriors couldn’t even scratch skin treated with a cash item.

“Eeeek!”

Even when the warrior desperately pulled on the sword hilt with both hands, the blade I held with one hand remained immovable.

See, I told you it wouldn’t work.

Even after learning the Moyong Family’s secret Tonap Technique, my physical abilities were already beyond that of a civilian.

Not to mention, I was currently learning the upgraded Soyun Sim Sang Gyeol that Sohee has taught me. There’s no way they can match up with mere physical strength.

When I felt the man’s grip on the sword weaken from exhaustion, I pulled the blade with the strength enhanced by Soyun Sim Sang Gyeol and disarmed him.

“Huh?”

The man who had his sword taken could only watch dumbfounded as his sword was thrown onto the inn’s floor.

I performed all these actions with a relaxed demeanor, as if I hadn’t exerted any effort.

“A, a master!”

“To disarm someone of their sword with just his bare hands!”

“Why is there a master in our inn?”

That’s right. Be more amazed. Praise me!

Having come to the world of martial arts, I finally overpowered an opponent with martial arts. It’s somewhat moving. Of course, if it turned into a real sword fight, my lack of skill would become apparent.

Of course, there was no need to reveal that fact, so I walked leisurely through the midst of the guards and stood in front of Tang Hwarin.

“You, are you that bar… Kang Yun-ho?”

Tang Hwarin was about to call me a barbarian but then remembered that day and called my name instead.

Yes, I’m Kang Yun-ho. You mentioned you weren’t interested in the name of a barbarian, but it seems I managed to make a strong impression that day.

“It’s been a while, Miss Hwarin.”

I greeted Tang Hwarin with a bow, smiling.

“Uh, uh.”

Tang Hwarin shook her head slightly, looking surprised.

“Young warrior. Do you know this woman, who is afflicted with the plague?”

Just because I grabbed a sword with style, they went from calling me a barbarian to a young warrior in an instant. I had been labeled a barbarian no matter what I said.

It seems the saying is true: if your body is weak, your brain has to work harder.

“Miss Hwarin is not afflicted with the plague. She is merely suffering from a skin condition.”

“Anyone can see she’s a patient with the plague.”

Seeing me as a master, the attitude of the warriors became significantly more respectful.

“Look carefully. She does not have blisters or pus like a plague patient. Her skin color is just a bit different.”

Look at you racists. Judging people by their skin or hair color is wrong. It’s because of attitudes like yours that martial arts visual novels face criticism.

“Still…”

The warriors cast suspicious glances at Tang Hwarin.

I also looked at her for a moment. The blotchy skin visible below her nose. It seemed the symptoms hadn’t spread to her entire body, as her chin and neck appeared clean.

We need evidence in front of these guys.

“Excuse me for a moment, Miss Hwarin.”

I showed her wrist, which had a different blotchy skin color than her hands, to the people.

As I grabbed her wrist without hesitation, some of the warriors stepped back, their eyes widening.

After bowing to Tang Hwarin to apologize for the rudeness and receiving a nod of acknowledgment from her, I spoke confidently.

“If it were the plague, would I touch the affected area like this?”

“Maybe it’s not.”

“Now that I look closely, it doesn’t seem like it.”

The warriors chatted among themselves for a moment before a man, who appeared to be their leader, spoke up.

“Young Warrior, it seems we were mistaken. However, it’s true that she has not paid the inn fees for a week.”

“She is a precious member of the Daehung County Sung Family. It seems she was temporarily separated from her group due to some matters, but please wait a little longer.”

“If the Young Warrior says so, we will withdraw for today.”

The warriors bowed to us and then retreated from the place.

Thanks to me, they should know they were spared their lives today.

But of course, it’s more convenient to be able to use martial arts.

Just a bit of evidence, and they’re easily deceived. It seems Sohee has taught me a very good martial art. I’ll have to make use of it more often.

“Shit. I shouldn’t have let them go like that.”

While I was inwardly pleased, I heard an annoyed voice from behind.

“Miss Hwarin. Once again, it’s been a long time.”

I greeted Tang Hwarin once more with a smile.

“……”

Tang Hwarin looked at me with a displeased expression.

Yeah, I know. You’re disappointed because they called you a leper, and you had to let it go. And you know you’re stronger than those five.

But here’s the thing.

“It’s true they were at fault, but let’s show them some mercy this time. They could have been scared.”

If you start killing people because you were disdained and looked down upon for your appearance, that’s the first step towards becoming the future Poison Butterfly.

“…… Shit. I know. That’s why I held back.”

Tang Hwarin slightly frowned, turned her head to the side, and reluctantly admitted.

Oh. So she’s still pretty temperate here. Thinking about it, earlier she had just drawn a hidden weapon without actually attacking when the swords were drawn.

“That was a wise decision.”

I smiled and gave a slight bow.

“Enough about that. You. Come with me.”

Tang Hwarin gestured towards the room she was staying in.

Oh. As fiery as her looks. To invite me to her room right after I did her a favor. Of course, she probably didn’t mean it in that way.

I nodded and followed her into the room.

As soon as we entered, a pungent smell hit me.

“I’ll open the window for some air.”

Tang Hwarin hurried inside and began to open the window.

The room Tang Hwarin was staying in was a mess.

Drawers were open without exception, and belongings were scattered all over the floor. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing of value left. It looked as if it had been looted.

What happened here?

While I was pondering the state of the room, Tang Hwarin sat down at a chair by the table and gestured for me to sit as well.

As I took a seat following her invitation, she went straight to the point.

“Do you remember what you said to me that day?”

Was she referring to the night we met? Of course, I remembered.

-The medicine you’re taking isn’t healing your body. It’s making it worse.

Words thrown to stop her body from deteriorating and prevent her from becoming a villainess.

“Of course. I remember.”

“The medicine I was taking wasn’t actually medicine.”

She paused, as if disgusted by what she had been consuming.

“Didn’t I tell you? It was medicine that ruins your body.”

“The medicine I was taking was a potent poison made from numerous toxins. The workshop where the medicine was made had a martial arts manual on how to create poisons.”

“Exactly. You were consuming it.”

I nodded slightly, affirming what she had discovered.

“I thought I had an incurable disease since I was young.”

“Coincidentally, since the day someone who revealed himself as a warrior of the Sichuan Tang Family started teaching you martial arts.”

I spoke to her in a tone that suggested I knew everything. At that, she looked at me with widened eyes.

“You… What exactly are you? How do you know that?”