Daldal: Main story

Chapter 139

In the shroud of early morning, draped beneath a veil of dark clouds, Chae Yoon-sa made his arrival at the dock.

He carefully surveyed the calm, settling dock.

As he anticipated, there was a single ship anchored - undoubtedly the one Eun-oh had sailed.

The ship's presence meant Eun-oh had already departed. Despite swiftly inquiring about the destination from the dock manager and rushing here, he couldn't catch up with the ship's speed, driven by a favorable wind.

Bearing down, he clenched his teeth, the sting of frustration lingering as he narrowly missed his mark for the second time.

Fury consumed him, and his head spun with anger, yet the confirmation of Eun-oh being alive was enough for now. It was just a matter of time until he'd be captured. He had never failed to achieve his intended goals before, and he didn't fret over missing this time. Still, he felt significantly angered and impatient.

With a cold, piercing gaze, he stared across the river and recalled Eun-oh's figure at the Haemyeong's pier.

"He's alive."

A tumultuous wave of emotions surged through Chae Yoon-sa as he locked eyes with the one who had lived. A vivid joy ignited within him, rekindling long-dulled senses, while a fierce rage blazed, consuming his entire being.

Without hesitation, he aimed the gun at Eun-oh.

The first shot was to see the face of the one he already knew but yearned to see once more.

Yes, he wanted to see Eun-oh face.

As for the purpose of the second shot, it couldn't be clearly defined. It was an impulsive act.

However, it led him to a realization- the proposition that he couldn't kill him was still valid. He had failed again. Despite being within a distance where he could blow off Eun-oh head or chest, the bullets missed, and Eun-oh slipped away from his grasp.

Unable to kill him, even though he was a Yokai, and witnessing him escape alive, fueled his anger towards that proposition. To quell these raging emotions, he needed Eun-oh. He would get him back, tie him down, and methodically unravel the reasons behind these emotions-what triggered them, what to call them, whether they were right or wrong, and how to handle them.

As thoughts of Eun-oh's escape churned within him, the simmering desire to reclaim what was lost bubbled to the surface once more.

Calmly, he began organizing what needed to be done next. He had learned Eun-oh's destination from the Haemyeong Pier-Sahan. Although he was well versed in geography, he did not know all the roads leading to Sahan.

His immediate task was to ascertain the general direction Eun-oh had taken.

Given that Eun-oh never ridden a horse, and he's likely traveling on foot. And the blind man accompanying him posing a potential challenge, meeting them before they reached Sahan seemed plausible with the right guidance.

The moment he turned his horse's head toward the port to find a witness, his gaze met a man standing at a distance who had been watching Chae Yoon-sa.

The man, who had been observing him, hesitantly approached and subtly inquired

"Excuse me, are you looking for those who arrived here by boat yesterday? The merchant and the young monk...?"

The man accurately described Eun-oh and his companion.

"Yes, did you see them?"

"Yes, I was the boatman who brought them here."

Chae Yoon-sa had anticipated the ship would still be docked, assuming the boatman would linger in wait. However, the sight of the man standing before him, having found his own way to this place, caught him off guard.

An unforeseen stroke of luck.

"If you know anything, speak freely. I'll compensate you adequately."

"Well, the truth is, I received a request from the merchant and have been waiting here to meet you on his behalf."

"What's the request?"

"Before that, may I confirm Sir, if your name is Chae Yoon-sa?"

The boatman, entrusted with something by the merchant, accurately pronounced his name. It felt oddly peculiar to Chae Yoon-sa, an unexpected verification process.

"That's correct."

"Ah, good. The merchant asked me to convey this message to you."

"Go on."

"Yes. The merchant requested that you..."