Mission
The stream of comments flooded the latest chapter of Joy Li Huan's ongoing webnovel.
[What bullcrap is this story!!]
[Is this only a romance?]
[Where are the cheats, the political intrigue, the gore? I am dropping this.]
[This story is so convoluted and all over the place; is there even a plot?]
Li Huan stared at the black lines of characters, the only source of light in the dark room. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, but she didn't type. Instead, she sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"Well, it is what it is," she muttered. At least her target for the day had been met. The voice had been pacified, and now she could dream without interruptions. She slammed her laptop shut before getting up to find her bed in the darkness.
Her feet trudged along the soft carpet, her muscle memory leading her through the familiar motions. She didn't need to see the empty space of her room. The darkness filled it just fine, alleviating all feelings of emptiness. She finally hit something solid, and with that cue, she dropped onto her bed. The soft mattress caressed her body, inducing a wave of lethargy that quickly pulled her into dreamland. "No probes today, I hope," she muttered as sleep overtook her.
Morning came sooner than expected, the rays of the rising sun shooting beams at her delicate face. A knock on her door woke her up.
"Miss Seol-hee-nim... It's time to wake up," the familiar voice of her maid rang from the other side. Li Huan groggily turned over. "I'm up, Soyeon-ssi," she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
Soyeon walked into the room. She opened the curtains fully, letting the harsh morning light spill into the room, chasing away the remnants of the night. Within moments, Soyeon was already preparing the bathroom for Li Huan's bath, leaving her to wake up in peace.
Li Huan still hadn't adjusted to her new life in South Korea. Yes, she was treated like a princess, but it did little to fill the vast emptiness inside her. Everyone around her treated her so differently, and she couldn't shake the longing for her old life in the States. Most of all, she missed her father dearly, trying in vain to fill the void his death had left through writing.
Li Huan's father was Chinese, and he had introduced her to the world of webnovels. He had a passion for historical novels, particularly wuxia, which he devoured endlessly. He also enjoyed a bit of Xianxia, but wuxia was his true love. While Li Huan had inherited her father's love for reading, her interests leaned more toward romance novels.
Three years ago, after her father passed away, Li Huan decided to become an author. She tried writing romance novels multiple times, but with no experience, all her projects ended in failure.
A year ago, her mother moved them from the States to Korea, where Li Huan knew little about her surroundings.
She had picked up a bit of Korean—thanks to her mother, who insisted on using it just as her father had insisted on using Chinese—but the culture was foreign to her. She had been raised in the U.S. her entire life.
Li Huan got out of the bath, did a bit of her skincare routine, and then put on her school uniform—something still foreign to her.
She looked at her reflection in the standing mirror, her freshly worn uniform as fitting as ever. A white shirt and a blue tie, all wrapped around a blazer and a dark blue skirt. The logo on the blazer marked her as a student of Baegun Academy.
Li Huan sighed as the image of her school came to mind. Another day, another battle. She put on a bit of light makeup before heading downstairs.
Downstairs, the familiar scents of a Korean breakfast greeted her—kimchi, rice, soup, banchan, and ginseng tea, as well as more Western-style dishes like fruit, croissants, scrambled eggs, yogurt parfait, and high-end coffee or juice. Her stomach growled, but she felt nothing. Not the way she used to, back home in the States, where breakfasts were quick and simple.
Li Huan took the coffee and croissants before leaving the dining table. She didn't like eating alone, having a meal brought to her. She missed the time when her small family would have cereal, maybe a bit of dumplings and rice at times, but what she missed most was the feeling of being with family.
Her chauffeur was waiting outside, greeting her with respect before opening the door for her. Li Huan entered the vehicle and sat in the back left seat.
"Why is today so quiet?" she thought. Usually, the voice would be all over, forcing her to write that stupid story, but today there was not a peep. She put her AirPods in just in case, playing music that she usually used to drown out that incessant voice.
A notification of another negative comment popped up just as she was getting into her groove.
Li Huan's fingers curled into fists, but she forced herself to ignore it.
I can't keep doing this, she thought, swiping the notification away. But... it's not my choice, is it? Her thoughts turned inward, and before she knew it, the car had pulled up to the school gates.
The moment she stepped out of the car, a hush fell over the crowd of students. As usual, everyone made way for her as if she were some kind of untouchable figure, and as usual, it didn't sit right with her. There were whispers behind her back, unsure if they feared her or envied her, but the result was always the same.
"Here is your daily strawberry milk chocolate, Seol-hee unnie," one of the girls from the group stepped forward.
"You look as elegant as ever, Seol-hee unnie," another girl chimed in, almost reverential.
Li Huan didn't even acknowledge them. She had long since grown used to the attention, but today, the unease in the air felt heavier than usual. Why was it that the other students were so afraid of her? Was it really just her wealth and status that made them tremble, or was there something more?
She didn't have time to think about it. The bell rang, signaling the start of the first period. But just as she walked toward the classroom, she felt the voice in her head.
"Let's continue from where we left off. Zhao Mingyao is still waiting," it said its tone mocking
