Every Hilichurl in the world was, to Gu Baizhou, untapped productivity.
This trip wasn't just for money—it served his small, persistent ambition as well.
"Of course," the Millelith guard said, pulling a few coins from the pouch at his belt. "Five hundred Mora. Will that do?"
"You call that payment?!" Zhang Richu blurted.
"My daily wage is barely a thousand," the soldier protested, frowning. "If that's beggar's money, then I'm the beggar on duty."
"You—" Zhang started again, but Gu pressed a hand to the boy's head, accepting the Mora with an easy smile.
"Please don't mind this silly kid. I'll take the job. Keep an eye on him for me, will you?"
Across the River
Gu rolled up his trousers, slipped off shoes and socks, and waded into the chill water.How to dry them later could wait—though he'd probably regret it.
"Olah!"A chorus of Hilichurls stood on the rocky islet, crossbows in hand.
"Olah!" Gu called back.
A Geo Hilichurl shaman stepped forward, voice deep and commanding.
"Would you consider leaving this barren island?" Gu asked politely. "North of here, I've built a Hilichurl settlement where you won't fear humans or hunger."
The shaman hesitated, then slowly nodded. Hilichurls were simple folk; persuasion wasn't hard.Gu secured their promise to move north when he returned, then splashed back across.
Zhang Richu handed him a coarse linen towel. "That guard gave me this for you."
"Thanks." Gu dried his legs and feet. "Let's go."
Wangshu Inn
Ahead loomed Wangshu Inn, a giant ship marooned on a mountain, sheltered beneath a sprawling golden tree.Evening shadows stretched long as crowds bustled below.
"You've been here before?" Gu asked.
"A few times," Zhang nodded.
"Food any good?"
"Delicious—but pricey. One meal costs enough to keep that guard begging five days."
Four thousand Mora… not too bad, Gu mused. If he'd come with family, the price might drop.
Inside, they stepped into a round, gold-filigreed lift. Ropes creaked and the platform rose.
At the top, a bearded man in a gray-white coat greeted them."Welcome. I'm Huai'an, the innkeeper."
"Hello," Gu replied.
"You're a traveler, aren't you? Your clothes are so novel," Huai'an observed.
"Something like that," Gu said, puzzled.
"Could you check the situation at Yaoguang Shoal for me?" Huai'an asked suddenly.
Zhang piped up, already savvy: "Any reward?"
"Free meals and lodging here," Huai'an promised, "plus some Mora."
Gu cared less for the payment than the risk. "What's wrong out there?"
"The coast has been restless—sea demons about. A white-robed exorcist who eats here went to purge them but is late returning."
Zhang's eyes lit up. "Is that exorcist named Chongyun?"
"Yes, that's him," Huai'an said, surprised. "Do you know him?"
Chongyun… Gu turned the name over in his mind. What a strange surname. I don't remember the characters in this game at all.
"I'll take a look," he said at last, deciding he wouldn't mind meeting this exorcist—and it was safer to let the boy tag along than leave him.
"Thank you," Huai'an said. "Just observe whether monsters remain. Your safety first."
"I understand," Gu assured him.
Toward the Shoal
As they descended, Gu asked, "Afraid?"
"No," Zhang answered confidently. "Brother Chongyun has a pure-yang body—evil can't touch him."
"He's skilled in martial arts?"
"Of course. He and Brother Xingqiu are both amazing."
Gu nodded, mind already churning. Learning another man's swordplay isn't a crime, right?
They followed the path Huai'an described, across grasslands and around a quiet lake, until they reached the coast.A broad wooden bridge stretched over the sea—except in the middle where something massive had snapped it clean in two.
Floating planks bobbed in the dark water.
"How do we get across?" Zhang asked, peering at the gap.
Author's Note:Main and side quests will be freely adapted to fit this novel's story. Events follow the characters, not the game script.