It's Not Over Till It's Over - Part 1
Before the things in Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i's bellies could reflux, the ship—which had been tossing wildly on the waves—safely arrived in Guangxi.
Kki-ing!
Kki-ong!
Seasickness turned out to be more serious than expected, so before the ship had even fully docked, Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i leaped toward solid ground. The sight of the two white deer bolting from the ship at the same time was quite the spectacle. No wonder every dockhand stared in astonishment.
'Sorry about that...'
I couldn't exactly scold them for causing a ruckus in such a crowded place—after all, I bore some responsibility for their seasickness. I'd fed them something unnecessary, leaving these sturdy creatures groaning. Rather than reprimand, I just apologized inwardly.
"Looks like creatures born on land really belong on land after all. I never imagined Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i would get seasick."
Ak I-yeon giggled at the flashy "Guangxi Port White Deer Jump" she'd just witnessed.
"Buong-i got seasick at first too, didn't he?"
"Yeah. Seems like he's adapted now, though."
Buooo!
At my words and Ak I-yeon's, Buong-i swung his horn triumphantly, letting out a triumphant honk—as if boasting that he was perfectly fine. True enough, when Buong-i first boarded the ship, he'd been sweating bullets and honking pitifully. Seeing him now frolicking even on deck was downright heartwarming. It was like watching a frail child grow up strong; tears welled up naturally.
Ppiae.
"Had fun out there?"
Ppiae!
Soon enough, Ppiae's head poked up over the railing, having leisurely cruised the seas. With all the people on the dock, it looked like he planned to hide in my arms for the landing.
'How the hell did he climb up?'
A fundamental question arose at the sight. How does a sea turtle haul itself onto a ship unaided? Did Ppiae have suction cups on his flippers or something? I was genuinely curious, but I shook my head and dismissed it. Ppiae was already known as the unrivaled weirdo among spirit beasts. After all I'd seen, this was nothing to marvel at.
'He spits acid saliva, so climbing aboard is par for the course.'
A turtle spitting acidic saliva versus climbing aboard under its own power—which was stranger? Anyone would say the former.
"Let's head down too. They've worked hard; time to feed them."
"Their stomachs must be a mess. Wouldn't a little rest be better?"
"They look fine now, though?"
Spirit beasts born on land seemed to recover faster on solid ground. Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i, who'd jumped to the dock, gazed up at us with bright, sparkling eyes.
"Hee-hee, you're right."
Ak I-yeon laughed again at their insistent stares urging us to hurry down. I smiled too. She'd been worried about their seasickness, but seeing them back to normal eased her concerns.
"White deer, huh? Spotting deer at a port is rare enough, but pure white ones like that?"
"And those eyes—aren't they like staring into the sea?"
"The male's antlers are impressive too. You can tell the owner grooms them with care."
"Two white deer together, though... Rings a bell somewhere."
As we disembarked under their stares, the dock's clamor hit us full force.
'Better move quick.'
Our sudden arrival had the rough dockhands merely murmuring from afar for now. But give it time, and they'd swarm just to touch a spirit beast. Sailors were a superstitious bunch. Even with the censor's authority, if their eyes collectively glazed over, it'd get messy. Best to slip into an inn fast—
"Blue-eyed white deer—gotta be spirit beasts! When else am I gonna get to touch one?!"
'Ah.'
One sailor who'd kept his distance suddenly charged toward Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i. Turns out there were some with exceptional initiative. Luckily, not everyone rushed in. The bold one managed to stroke Kki-ing-i's fur, but the rest hesitated when they saw the owner—me—step off, eyeing the official badge in my hand.
"If I weren't an official and was just traveling the Central Plains as a private citizen, there'd have been a hundred riots by now."
After finding a suitable inn, I let out a small sigh. Good thing I was Left Deputy Censor-in-Chief; traveling without the title would've meant hearing desperate pleas like "Please let me crawl under the spirit beast's legs!" hundreds or thousands of times everywhere I went. Sure, I'm Giwang's grandson, but flashing the badge was easier than proving that.
"Still, this'll probably be the last time we go through something like this, right?"
"Maybe?"
"Your expression right now is the brightest I've seen lately, young master."
I touched the corner of my mouth at her words. Unbeknownst to me, it had risen all the way to my ears.
"You've been through a lot, young master."
Ak I-yeon beamed at me with encouragement and congratulations, making my smile widen even more. This Guangxi stop was the last for me, Ak I-yeon, and Jo Wi-cheo. We'd already covered Yunnan to the west; Guizhou to the north and Hunan wouldn't differ. So, this was it. We'd barely set foot here, but once we toured Guangxi, this damned Central Plains pilgrimage would finally end.
"You and Wi-cheo suffered more than I did."
"Suffer? I joined midway, so it hardly counts."
"All the hardship fell on you, my lord. I just swung my sword carefree, while you handled the chaos alongside local officials everywhere."
Jo Wi-cheo's modest expression and tone were warmer than usual compared to normal. Unlike Ak I-yeon, who'd joined mid-journey, he'd stuck with me from start to finish. He'd felt my pain, endured my ordeals—so he must share this sense of liberation too.
"You're both making me blush. I'd have dropped dead ages ago without you."
Shiiik, shiiiik!
Buooo!
"Yeah. I held on thanks to you all too."
I burst out laughing at Samshik and Buong-i's cries. Honestly, when the spirit beasts first gathered around me, I wondered what the fuss was about. But over time, I deeply appreciated having companion animals. Life without them now would feel empty and lonely. Animals really do wonders for mental health.
Of course, they caused mishaps now and then. But those were early on—or at least manageable. Compared to murim folk trouble, their antics were child's play. Except for the Hengshan incident, excluding Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i. No amount of positive spin could cover that disaster.
"So, young master. Have you planned the final itinerary?"
"Rest here a bit, then head to Namyeng. After that, Gyeirim, and wrap up at Shiwandaishan. Perfect."
I answered Ak I-yeon's question without hesitation. Guangxi was notoriously rugged—80% mountains, they said—so major cities were scarce. Aside from Namyeng and Gyeirim, there wasn't much. Yuju between them, maybe? If I had to add one more, Shiwandaishan where the Baekryeon Cult Leader resided. But he kept it secure, and it was near the Vietnam border, so no rush. It was more like paying respects to an elder statesman anyway.
"Shiwandaishan..."
Ak I-yeon murmured at my flawless plan.
"Hits home how far into the Central Plains fringes we've come. I heard Shiwandaishan guards the border and checks Wolnam..."
"The fringe is right in front of us—pretty surreal, huh?"
"A little."
I nodded, fully understanding. I'd felt the same my first time there. The difference? Her excitement at seeing a famed spot in person; my dread at having to work the boonies.
"The Cult Leader will be thrilled to see you. He lives out on the frontier, so he's always delighted when kin of acquaintances visit."
"Ah, you've been to Shiwandaishan before, young master?"
"Didn't want to, but yeah."
She chuckled softly, taking it as a joke. The port we'd landed at was Geomju-bu, Guangxi's southernmost tip—a plain harbor town with no standout features. So, we'd catch our breath here then head straight to Namyeng. Inspecting Guangxi's biggest city mattered more than lingering in unremarkable Geomju.
'There shouldn't be anything here.'
But I was wrong. Regrettably, Geomju lacked features or sights—but not incidents.
"What the hell is this?! This isn't what we agreed!"
"You're the one who prepared the goods late! I said I'd buy if you delivered fast!"
"I couldn't have been faster! Unless you'd prepped what I asked for ahead of time!"
Merchants arguing was commonplace, but this felt more heated than elsewhere.
"You don't know the ways of trade?! Opening shop right in front of mine!?"
"Ha, you've monopolized long enough—time to eat your fill! If you'd run a proper business, customers wouldn't come to me!"
Beyond merchants, innkeepers and restaurant owners were on the verge of grabbing collars. Force a positive spin, and you'd think, 'Geomju folk are full of passion.'
'Damn it.'
Stop the optimism for a second, and you'd realize Geomju's atmosphere was off.
'Was heading to Namyeng...'
Damn it all. Looked like we'd be stuck in Geomju after all.