Soma Village of Samul Gaya was the closest fishing village to Baekje within the Gaya region, yet it did not lie on any major trade route. It was a small coastal settlement on the border between Samul Gaya and Baekje, where nearly all of its inhabitants were engaged in fishing.
However, the village's primary source of wealth came from the occasional visits of Baekje's trade fleet. When the fleet anchored nearby, Soma's transport ships would supply them with fresh water and provisions, receiving various gifts in return.
These gifts, though not the most luxurious—those were reserved for the royal courts of Gaya—were still valuable. Furs, hemp cloth, farming tools, and pottery were common, but occasionally, Soma would receive rarer items—cinnamon and cloves from Funan, scholarly texts from Han, elephant hides from Saja Island, Buddhist scriptures and spices from the Kushan Empire, or even wine from Roma. These items were highly sought after across Gaya, and the village officials took charge of distributing and selling them, ensuring that even this remote western village lived comfortably.
Captain Damun, helmsman of the Soma transport ship Burari, had been negotiating with a Baekje official, only to be repeatedly denied. He was not even asking for a prized Buddhist scripture from Kushan—just a related text would have sufficed. With that, he could trade for enough rice to feed the village for three months. But the Baekje official was unyielding.
"Be satisfied with the timber we obtained from Yabada," he had said.
'Damn it. Do they take me for some country bumpkin? Yabada is famous for gold and silver, yet they expect me to accept a mere pile of wood? I should have pissed in their drinking water...'
Though frustrated, Damun forced a smile. If he angered an official managing the Baekje trade fleet, Soma Village could be left with nothing.
"Understood, my lord. I yield. But please, I ask you to consider it next time."
The Baekje official merely shook his head and retreated to his cabin.
Turning toward Burari, Damun was about to leave when he noticed a young man standing on the deck, gazing toward Soma Village.
The man carried two swords—expensive-looking ones at that—but his plain gray clothing seemed out of place.
Before Damun could say anything, the young man turned to him.
"That village over there—"
Before he could finish, Damun interjected with a grin.
"Ah, my lord, you find our Soma Village beautiful, do you? Might I ask what business brings you here?"
"My lord?" The young man shook his head.
"Please, I am no noble. I am merely a traveler seeking passage to Gaya."
"So you're from Baekje, but not a nobleman," Damun mused. "That's a relief. I'm Damun, captain of the Burari. And you are?"
"I am Goi," the young man replied with a slight bow. "Simply a wanderer."
His gaze drifted to Burari, and after a brief hesitation, he frowned. Then, turning back to Damun, he remarked,
"I may not be an expert, but that official was quite generous to you. The timber from Yabada is exceptionally valuable."
Damun blinked. "Is that so? Precious, you say?"
Goi nodded.
"For the amount they gave you, I estimate its worth to be around one hundred sacks of rice."
'A hundred sacks? That could feed our entire village for a hundred days! And all that from just a few logs weighing no more than three grown men?'
Overjoyed, Damun masked his excitement and asked, "Do you have an interest in our Soma Village?"
"I believe I may have to stay here for a while," Goi replied.
"Then you shall board my ship," Damun declared, beaming.
"Seeing your handsome face reminds me of my younger self. No need for fare."
Following Damun's lead, Goi disembarked from the grand Baekje ship and stepped onto Burari, a vessel rowed by four men.
As they rowed toward Soma, Damun regaled Goi with tales of his life: how he first went fishing with his father at twelve, how he began trading with the Baekje fleet at sixteen, and how he once drifted at sea during a storm. Goi listened politely, but his eyes drifted toward one of the rowers—a young man who seemed unusually tense.
Noticing Goi's gaze, Damun remarked, "Ah, that lad? That's Haemu. Born mute. A real shame—another boy lost his life for saving him."
No sooner had Damun finished speaking than Goi suddenly moved. Sensing something, Damun halted the rowing and turned around.
Haemu stood with a broken oar in his hands, his eyes filled with murderous intent. Goi had drawn a steel blade. It was clear—the young man had sliced the oar cleanly in two.
"Captain! Haemu just tried to strike you!" one of the rowers cried.
"What? Haemu?" Damun's voice wavered. "Is it because I mentioned Hoya? The boy who died saving you?"
Haemu's lips trembled, then parted. "You… you left me… to die. You killed me!"
The crew gasped. The boy had never spoken before.
Before anyone could react, Haemu lunged at Damun. The other rowers tried to restrain him, but he grabbed one of them and hurled him into the sea.
Damun stood frozen in shock. "Haemu... talking? How is this possible?"
Goi sheathed his steel blade. "I was uncertain at first. But now, I am sure. It's a vengeful spirit." Goi drew his bronze gladius, its golden hue gleaming in the sunlight.
Damun stammered, "A spirit? A ghost? Possessing Haemu?"
Haemu's expression grew twisted with rage.
"I am Hoya! The Dragon King has granted me this chance! I will take you with me!"
The moment Goi's bronze blade shone upon him, Haemu shrieked in pain, covering his eyes. Goi called out, "There must be a misunderstanding! Captain, quickly!"
Damun's breath hitched.
"Hoya... is that really you? The boy who drowned saving Haemu during that winter storm?"
"Yes! The very one you abandoned in the black depths of the sea!"
"I had no choice! I saved Haemu first and searched for you, but you were gone!"
"Lies! I called for you! You left me to drown!"
Haemu—or rather, Hoya's spirit—howled in fury and charged. Goi swung his bronze gladius, and a radiant golden arc cut through the air. The light passed through Haemu's body, and a piercing scream shattered the air. The possessed boy collapsed onto the deck.
Damun rushed to Haemu's side, his eyes brimming with tears.
"Hoya... I never abandoned you. I searched, but you were lost to the sea... Furthermore, I lost my own friend, your father, to the sea. Do you know how much I grieved for you?"
The crew members, now weeping, gathered around, offering apologies and prayers for Hoya's peace. For a while, only the sound of the waves remained.