The Central Plains' Premier Exile Island - 1
All the tasks in Gwangju were wrapped up. The stubborn fools who resisted the bureau's final recommendations had been rounded up and thrown into national defense duties, while the murim factions that submitted would fall under the leadership of Jin-gwangmun leader Jin Gwang. The liaison between the government and Jin-gwangmun would be I Pil, who had evolved from a wandering ronin into an official. Jin Gwang, who had danced on a tightrope so skillfully that he stayed off the bureau's radar while amassing a fortune. I Pil, with his decade of ronin life giving him encyclopedic knowledge of Gwangju's murim scene. If those two were used right, the government could maintain overwhelming dominance in Gwangju and greater Gwangdong.
If they still failed to control murim with that double-headed carriage, well, that would just mean the Gwangdong bureaucrats were only that capable. Pojeongsa and I had done our part.
Time to head to the next region.
Anyway, it was about time to move on, so I spread out a mental map. There were plenty of cities west of Gwangju in Gwangdong, but with Gwangju secured, the smaller ones could be skipped. Gwangdong was Gwangju, and Gwangju was Gwangdong.
That meant heading straight to Gwangseo to cap off my Central Plains pilgrimage. But... What about Haenam?
The massive island off Gwangdong's southwest coast. Daesong's legitimate territory at the southernmost tip. So distant from the traditional Central Plains heartland that you had to cross the sea, it was a miracle land prized as an exile destination. The island loomed large on the Central Plains map in my mind.
Do I really have to go there too?
Honestly, I didn't want to. Even if Haenam was close to the mainland, taking a boat was a hassle, and there weren't any real cities there anyway. It was more efficient to push straight to Gwangseo than drag myself to Haenam.
But Haenam was the largest island under Daesong control, and historically a go-to exile spot, so it needed regular oversight. Dismissing it with 'Gwangju's locked down, so skip the other Gwangdong spots' felt wrong—its uniqueness and otherness were too pronounced.
Visiting an exile island on my own two feet feels off, though.
I rubbed my forehead and let out a small sigh.
Haenam was the undisputed number one—best and worst—exile ground. Daesong's vast territory offered plenty of banishment options, but shipping someone to that southern island was basically telling them to die there. And it wasn't just the distance. Haenam was hot, humid, and plagued by typhoons. No wonder Su Dongpo, exiled there, died on his way back north after amnesty. The environment was brutally harsh.
"Samshik."
- Shiiik?
"Come out for a sec?"
After agonizing, I called out to Samshik in my sleeve. He slithered his head out smoothly.
It was too big to ignore, but my body and soul rebelled at going. I couldn't decide alone, so I'd leave it to the heavens.
"Eat what you want first."
I placed two dumplings from the plate at opposite ends of the table. Left one first meant straight to Gwangseo; right one first meant Haenam.
Divination via three-headed snake meta.
Even I thought it was a weird way to decide, but what could I do? Without this, I'd stall for days. Besides, Samshik was a heaven-sent spirit beast. His choice was heaven's will, right?
That settled i—
- Buo!
"Ah."
Buong-i, prowling under the table, snagged a dumpling with his horn.
Our Buong-i. I'd given him several plates already... Guess he polished them off.
Growth spurt, huh.
No wonder he felt heavier lately. He was eating big and shooting up.
- Shiiik, shiiiik?
"...Just eat what's left."
- Shiiik!
At my words, Samshik crossed the table toward the remaining dumpling. Buong-i had taken the left one, so Samshik's was automatically the right.
Haenam it is.
The process was a bit off, but Samshik ate the right one first, so Haenam. Invalidating because of Buong-i's meddling wouldn't fly—he was heaven-sent too. I'd committed to fate, variables included.
Damn it.
In my mixed feelings, I pinched Buong-i's nose as he munched away.
Who knew he'd pull this on me?
- Buoong?
"Want another one?"
- Buong!
Still too cute to stay mad. Haenam bound with heavy heart, but better than Taiwan—mental victory activated.
Well, technically not a mental victory. Anyone would agree Haenam beat Taiwan. Unlike Taiwan, still foreign territory, Haenam had been Central Plains since antiquity. Taiwan was subtly far from land, tough to travel, and storms cut off ships. Haenam was only about 30km from shore—relatively easy access.
Didn't make going any less unwelcome, though.
"Swimming well."
I murmured, watching Ppiae-k swim vigorously beside the boat, staring blankly at the sea.
The turtle who got seasick. So we'd let him swim free to Haenam, and he looked happier than on land, keeping pace with the ship.
Loves water yet clings to land-dweller me. Did my body have some spirit beast-attracting scent?
"What the hell is this!"
Now what...
As Ppiae-k waved his right flipper, sensing my gaze, I waved back—then a crewman's bellow echoed.
I sighed reflexively. Trouble mid-voyage to Haenam, not even there yet.
"What happened?"
"Ignore it. We're almost at Haenam anyway; the crew'll handle it."
Ak I-yeon reacted to the shouting but I brushed it off.
Just 30km. Hold out a bit, dock, disembark. Whatever it was, none of my business.
"How the hell did the inspection miss this! Why's there a person in the booze barrel instead of booze!"
"But it was definitely booze three shifts ago...?"
Even if it was thieves caught stowing away illegally.
"More importantly, how'd a kid like this sneak aboard?"
"Jeez. Lid was sealed tight, but they managed."
Even if the thief was some young punk not even full adult.
"Kid!? I'm a proper adult, early twenties!"
Even if it was just a petite woman.
None of my business. Stowaways without fare weren't rare.
"Adult with that build."
"Starved growing up, probably. Makes sense if they're stowing away."
"H-Hey! I'm just short by nature—wait, no, my situation's fine! I planned to pay the fare several times over on arrival!"
"Says the one caught. No credibility now, missy."
I steadfastly watched Ppiae-k, ignoring the woman's argument with the crew.
Show interest, get dragged in. My instincts, honed over time, screamed it.
"I-I... couldn't enter Haenam openly..."
"No money?"
"I said several times over! Are you insulting Yu Bok-tong's daughter, Yi Beon!?"
?
What?
A ominous name hit; I whipped around.
Who'd she say was her father?
"Ga-Gasp."
"...I didn't mishear?"
"I heard Yu Bok-tong's daughter too."
Ak I-yeon looked stunned at the woman.
"What now? If true, we can't ignore it."
"Yeah..."
My neck ached. Never imagined this crap on a mere 30km trip.
Yu Bok-tong. Early rebel with the Emperor, solid contributions, but exiled to Haenam for "delusional army delusions." Tragic merit subject who died there, never returning.
'No contact forever, even after death, unless family punished'—yet his daughter heads to his tomb on Haenam?
"What's the commotion."
If the mad woman's nonsense, fine. If true, couldn't ignore.
"L-Left Vice Inspector General, sir!"
"Sorry for the disturbance! Found a stowaway... W-We’ll toss 'em overboard right now."
The crew bowed low as I approached.
"No need. Sneaking aboard without fare is brazen, but harming folk even on this narrow sea would anger the waters."
"You're right, sir!"
The lead crewman bowed deeper.
"Left Vice Inspector General...?"
The self-proclaimed daughter paled at the censor.
Her reaction screamed Yu Bok-tong blood.
"Yi Beon, was it?"
"Y-Yes?"
"Heard everything. Don't think you'll slip by. Unless you want a warning escalated to execution."
She nodded frantically at my blunt warning. Seemed reasonable.
I paid her fare generously, then on Haenam landing, booked an inn.
"Important business. Clear everyone out."
"Yes, sir!"
Cleared the first-floor guests and staff for the talk with Yi Beon. Sudden eviction, but extra coin turned it polite request. Diners loved the windfall.
Couldn't hassle folks unilaterally as a bureaucrat; this was fair.
"No ears left now."
People's joy aside, Yi Beon was priority.
"So. What brings Yu Bok-tong's daughter to Haenam?"
A family forbidden contact with a criminal even post-mortem. Her reason for coming here mattered greatly.