He’s also flatly refused to bring the baby to Okhwang. As Hwanin’s closest living relative who’s (a) not imprisoned in the depths of Jeoseung for crimes against humanity, (b) currently awake and has not been sleeping for thousands of years, and (c) not a proponent of patricide (at the moment), Seokga can claim legal guardianship of Hwanin—and claim it, he shall. For some absurd reason, the thought of the child being out of his sight sends anxiety shooting down his spine. By Seokga’s side is the safest place for Hwanin to be.

He’s told himself not to think of whys—but as Yeomra finishes up his phone call to one of the seven hells, the one where they’ve decided to relocate Soo-min—Seokga can’t help but long for an explanation. Why kill Hwanin? Why kill Captain Lee? The two murders hardly even seem connected save for the murderers.

How were Soo-min and Hwanung involved? How did they know each other? How did they meet?

It doesn’t matter, he tells himself. Soo-min is clearly set on playing the denial game, although her voice was blared across the entire ship and she matches their suspect’s profile perfectly. Hwanung’s number was found stored on her phone, although any texts and calls had been scrubbed. There were times in the New Sinsi haetae precinct when the officers had to let go of the whys and focus on the evidence they had. Chief Shim had hated it, but back then, Seokga had never given a damn. Now, he understands Chief Shim’s lingering confusion. It gnaws on him like a leech.

“When this cruise ends,” Yeomra says, pocketing his phone, “the girl and her friend can head toward the nearest DAR. They’ll be given a fast pass to the front of the line.” He grabs Soo-min’s shoulder. The woman sobs around her gag, pleading incoherently. Both gods steadfastly ignore her. “The ship can’t go anywhere until I find another fucking captain, and it was so much work getting the first—”

“You didn’t think to kidnap a co-captain?” Seokga demands, but his heart isn’t in it. The sooner the ship starts moving, the sooner he must say goodbye to Kisa. He’d be fine if the ship remained stagnant forever, floating upon the red waters with nowhere to go, nowhere else to be.

The death god’s mouth opens…and closes. With a grimace, he seems to admit defeat. “I don’t like it, but you have a point. It’s what I get for short-staffing.” Yeomra’s dark glitter-dusted eyes narrow. “I’ll find one quickly enough.” He pauses before reaching out a hand to Seokga. “I’m not going to say that you did a great job, because you sure as fuck didn’t. It was passable detective work at best. But still, thanks.”