Daldal: Main story

Chapter 135

The next morning, Eun-oh briskly walked along the shortcut the hostess had pointed out. His pace was faster than the previous day, aiming to reach Haemyeong before sundown.

Around noon, Eun-oh found himself seated by the tranquil riverbank, his feet dipped into the cool water as he shared jerky with Yeoul.

The jerky, an offering from their gracious hostess, proved to be a flavorful indulgence, albeit a tad tough for their liking. "Tasty, but a bit tough, don't you think?" Eun-oh said, to which Yeoul nodded in agreement, flicking his ear in acknowledgment.

The savory jerky was quite challenging to chew. As Eun-oh ate, his thoughts drifted to Chae Ga-won. The jerky he had in Chae Ga-won was both delicious and tender. Yeoul seemed to share a similar sentiment, judging by his contemplative expression. Both of them stared into the flowing river, diligently chewing on the tough meat.

After a brief rest around one o'clock, they resumed their journey, with Yeoul expressing discomfort in the hat. So they walked together for a while.

Through their diligent efforts, they surprisingly reached their destination earlier than expected.

"Wow!"

Eun-oh, entering the city, marveled at the vibrant and unique scenery filling the bustling streets.

A city draped in the scent of fish and crowded with people-this was none other than Haemyeong, the largest port city in western Province, nestled on the banks of the West Geum River.

Haemyeong was vast and bustling, reminiscent of Changhyun. However, unlike Changhyun's somewhat ordered streets, there was a complete absence of such order here. From buildings to the clothes people wore, everything varied in shape and color without any unified theme. The streets were strewn with debris and trash, and the air vibrated with the pungent smell of fish and the salty sea. Moreover, the city was teeming with people, creating a constant buzz.

In this diverse city, what captivated Eun-oh the most were the stalls selling skewers of unexpected items like frogs and
locusts-things he never considered as food.

As Eun-oh was lost in contemplation, the vendor enthusiastically extended a skewer of locusts, claiming it to be a tonic for men, boasting the ability to invigorate one's stamina. Uninterested in such claims, Eun-oh declined with a shudder.

Afterward, he aimlessly wandered through the bustling crowd for quite some time. Like the first time he visited the unfamiliar streets of Changhyun, he observed the diverse scenes around him in a daze. As the streetlights began to illuminate one by one, Eun-oh finally recalled the purpose of coming to this port city.

Eun-oh's purpose in coming here was something specific: to board a ship. Instead of sightseeing, finding a place to board a ship was the right course of action.

In an unfamiliar place, there was one way to find one's destination: asking.

"Excuse me...!"

Eun-oh, among the passersby, grabbed a person who seemed relatively approachable. The person he caught was a middle-aged woman. As Eun-oh met the woman's gaze, he nervously lowered his head.

"Om Mani Padme Hum"

"Yes, venerable monk. Please, go on."

The exclamation that hadn't impressed the hostess seemed to work this time. Assuming Eun-oh was a monk, the woman readily offered her help without any suspicion.

"I wish to board a ship. Could you please tell me where I should go?"

"Venerable monk, there's not just one or two places here where you can board a ship."