Goodbye, Island
[…Do you think I was wrong? Was it really my fault?]
"It was just bad luck. Nothing more than a string of misfortunes piling up."
Hendrick and I were now sharing our true feelings openly. I had no idea how my words of comfort had landed with him.
Our worlds were different, so our ways of thinking naturally clashed. Still, I genuinely believed there was nothing wrong with him or Lisbet.
It's all just superstition, after all. But whether someone accepts that depends entirely on who they're hearing it from.
At least it was a relief—after checking the captain's cabin, his expression looked unburdened, as if all regrets had lifted.
Of course, a trace of guilt lingered in his features, but that was up to him now, how he'd handle those emotions going forward.
I could naturally sense that the end of this fateful opportunity was drawing near.
[My disciple, forgive me, but could you grant me one last request?]
Hendrick must have felt it too, because he conveyed a 'request' to me.
"No need to apologize—I'll help, of course. Just say the word."
I accepted his proposal with a hearty laugh.
What he asked was to recover the remains of his comrades who had lost their lives on this island. I thought it would be simple at first, but once I realized we'd have to honor the lions with full rites and protocols, it turned into grueling work. I regretted it a bit then.
Given our circumstances, it wasn't perfect, but we gathered what bones we could within the small ship's Hwelrofun and offered prayers.
"May the departed find peace."
Could I really call these people evil? Both sides' positions were understandable. It was all so tragic.
In an era where superstition was taken as gospel, Hendrick's choice to protect his family made sense. And his comrades' decision to abandon their humanity out of fear of the unknown terror was comprehensible too.
Yet if I had to blame someone, couldn't I just say it was the times they lived in?
But following that logic led me down a dangerous path: the beastly martial world ruled by raw power, Namgung Yeona and Moyong Shin who betrayed Yujin—they could all be excused the same way.
Sure, fiction dresses it up with romance and chivalry, but in reality, the martial world was stabbing rivals in the back over strength and revenge, stealing women, massacring commoners without hesitation. That was the true face of it.
"Just the era they lived in"—that phrase becomes utterly unforgivable when applied there. My head ached from the contradictory conclusions between the two cases.
[Thank you.]
Lost in those thoughts, I received Hendrick's words of gratitude.
I'd only done what any decent person should—proving I wasn't like those dogshit martial world bastards. But Hendrick thanked me sincerely for it.
His solemn demeanor, so unlike his usual playful attitude, felt awkward.
"Hendrick, are you crying? You said real men don't cry—now you're practically a girl."
[…Heartless bastard, you wouldn't even understand.]
I teased him back, and he tried to hide his expression, grumbling in mock complaint.
Still, treating him like usual seemed to ease him even more than before.
"Hendrick, it's okay if you can't get revenge, right?"
[…It's a shame, but what can I do? I'll just let it go as it is. All I can hope is that my daughter lives happily from here on. As for you, I hope you succeed in your revenge without fail.]
As he poured out his inner thoughts, Hendrick encouraged me with words he'd only mumbled to himself until now.
We kept up this back-and-forth of banter and heartfelt talk until, before I knew it, the time had come.
[I'll probably end up in hell. Even in death, I won't see my daughter's face again. So, one final request: could you pass on my last regards to her?]
His 'final request' came through. Sheesh, he could've just sent it as a straight command—what if I refused?
But I nodded gladly and accepted. His figure, looking relieved, began to fade.
"Farewell, Master."
[I leave it to you, my disciple.]
…If only a disciple this outstanding became my daughter's husband, it'd be perfect.
I decided to ignore the addendum tacked onto his last words.
It felt like just yesterday I'd been brutally NTR'd by the woman I thought was my lover. What the hell made him think I'd set myself up for that again?
I was grateful for the connection, but I'd politely decline.
Just like that, our long bond ended as hollowly as it felt—Hendrick's form scattered like mist on the wind after those final words.
Only then did the completion chime ring in my ears.
Feeling a mix of refreshment and reluctance, I surveyed the new space inside the captain's cabin when—clunk—a chunk of wood fell from the ceiling.
What the hell? Peering inside, there in the hidden nook were two books radiating an aura of priceless value.
◈ A tome compiling the principles and theories of all gunpowder weapons from East and West. This book is a living treasure, constantly updating with knowledge reflecting the current era. Its value and danger rival the secret manuals of any great sect's martial arts.
◈ First Read Effect: Grants supreme firearm crafting techniques and firearm operation skills. Fire attribute resistance maxed out.
◈ A compilation of East-West knowledge on cultivating stamina and tempering the body. Crafted for those seeking the limits of external martial arts.
◈ First Read Effect: Further raises the limits of physical training.
"Jackpot."
If I'd gotten these right when I first arrived on the island, I might've been disappointed—"What the hell is this?" My knowledge of firearms was lacking then, and after hitting the wall of external arts hard, I'd have raged, "Who're you kidding?"
But for me after completing this opportunity, no reward could be more perfect or fitting.
Come to think of it, following the Spanish Hendrick led to the Joseon Sage Cannon—I figured it was the devs' lazy convenience. But seeing this book, maybe not.
Anyway, total jackpot. Per the original game's lore, the "first read" effect—a cheat bonus only for the first player to read a martial arts manual—seemed alive and well in this world.
"I'll put 'em to good use."
No need to save them. I cracked open the items right there and read straight through till nightfall.
Supreme Firearm Crafting Technique acquired. (Skill level not proportional to experience.)
Supreme Firearm Operation Technique acquired. Firearm malfunctions in extreme situations drastically reduced.
Fire attribute resistance maxed out.
External arts limit breakthrough.
Even though I just skimmed through them lightly, the relevant knowledge seeped into my mind like it was engraved there.
Where else in the world is there freebies like this? If I'd had this ability in my past life, I'd have risen fast, no doubt.
Tsk. Smacking my lips in regret at the thought, I prepared for my final moments on the island.
*
"Oh? This could come in pretty handy."
Along with that, I'd snagged various odds and ends from the captain's cabin: a telescope, a torn nautical chart, and more.
Creak, creak. Twisting the telescope's lenses adjusted the view distance—fun to play with.
No gold coins or silver ingots for quick cash was a bummer, but hey, this was plenty.
"…Now I get why Hendrick said what he did."
Only after seeing the nautical chart did I grasp how far this uninhabited island was from Thousand Hands Cliff in Hangzhou where I'd crashed.
"How the hell did this body swim that distance without drowning?"
Even the chart's compressed scale showed a couple finger-widths. …Seriously, how? No matter how tough my body was, it didn't explain it. Ugh. No point dwelling on unsolvable mysteries—it'd just give me a headache. Whatever, it worked out. Shelving the question, I turned to what came next: how to get back to land.
But I wasn't too worried, despite myself. Unlike the reckless raft plan I'd mentioned to Hendrick, I had something to rely on. And as expected,
After looting the reward room—now empty as a gutted fish—the small space warped with an anomaly.
A cluster of light, like a game portal linking spaces, rose from the floor. Just as I thought.
In Red Heart Flame Flower, these opportunities were infamous for their convoluted paths in remote areas. Clear it somehow, then backtrack the whole twisted maze? Players would riot.
As a bare minimum mercy, the devs added an exit portal upon completion.
And that applied here too.
"It's a game world, after all."
With spoils bundled in cloth and weapons jammed barrel-first into the Sage Cannon like a golf bag, I was ready to leave the island.
My gaze naturally drifted to spots around the Hwelrofun. Leaving this place I'd grown attached to felt regrettable.
Probably never coming back. I pulled out a small charcoal lump and scrawled on a corner of the bridge wall.
/Yujin was here./
"See ya—I'm out!"
Caw, caw. I could almost hear the seabirds screeching when I'd first arrived.
Gazing one last time through the window at the uninhabited island's vista I'd grown fond of, I strode without hesitation into the portal.