BRDM 140

chapter 140

Kim Min-jung let out a hollow laugh as she unclasped her brooch.

“A command like a senior’s,” she muttered.

Most orders had been obscured by the magical storm, but understanding the content wasn’t difficult:

Hold your position to protect civilians.
Assist even the enemy if necessary.

Clear and straightforward.

Without hesitation, she reopened communications to the entire channel.

“This is Cloud 1. Command is as follows: hold your position. I repeat, hold your position.”

Crackle.

“If the overlap continues to spread, civilians could be affected. From now on, the mission is changed to the assault on the Ice Palace and the assassination of Jade. Over.”

Jade, meaning “jade,” was Shi Changyou’s old codename.

“…Understood.”
“…Confirmed.”
“…Acknowledged…”
“…That.”

Fortunately, her command seemed to have been properly received by all team members. Astra’s reply was also brisk.

Kim Min-jung brushed her hair back.

Her mana was nearly depleted, and fatigue hit her hard, but she suppressed it and refocused her eyes through the scope.

Rumble!!

Across the base, she spotted Pingshin’s squad fleeing in panic, lucky enough not to be swept up by the ritual.

Their faces pale, hands raised high in a desperate plea not to be shot.

Behind them, the Ice Legion charged forward.

A scene reminiscent of four years ago.

Her fingers trembled involuntarily, but she exhaled slowly.

“…Hoo.”

Kim Min-jung steadied her breathing and rested her hand on the trigger.

Meanwhile, at that moment…

Dungeon “Present World Gyration.”

Sun Wukong’s eyes snapped open at a strange voice suddenly emanating through the mouth of Wuyong King.

Bungma Wang and Sa Oh-jeong, standing behind, also stiffened.

“To speak to me like this, knowing who I am… you have quite the nerve.”

Sun Wukong’s voice dropped low.

The Fiery Golden Eye glimmered sharply, as if trying to locate the exact position of its target.

He was using a skill called Tashintong (Telepathy).

A supernatural ability from Buddhist and Taoist traditions.

[Tashintong]
One of the six supernatural powers (Rokushintong) that can be obtained by practitioners enlightened in Buddhism.

• Type: Supernatural Ability, Divine Power

• Origin: Scripture “Abhidharma-kosa”

“Heh. I’m just an old man, worrying about survival at this stage of life. If I were truly brave, I would have paid you a visit in person, wouldn’t I?”

Peng Jinghao chuckled awkwardly, brushing off Sun Wukong’s anger with a friendly smile, as if to earn his favor.

“No need to go through the trouble of finding me, Great Sage. I am already not where you are looking.”

And it was true.

Sun Wukong’s Fiery Golden Eye pierced through all spells.

Even the Guardian Deities couldn’t escape here, yet Peng Jinghao’s presence appeared blurred.

No, his eyes were visible—but they were not truly his own.

He borrowed the power of another to dare look at the Fiery Golden Eye.

Something resembling glasses.
Could it be a sacred relic?

“Oh-jeong!”

“I understand!”

Sa Oh-jeong struck the ground with his staff, disappearing with the wind to get a clearer read on the situation.

The power afflicting Wuyong King carried a familiar scent.

Sun Wukong growled.

“You… what is your connection to Hyeon-jang?”

Bungma Wang’s eyes widened.

Hyeon-jang?
The name of Tang Monk.

Wuyong King twisted his lips.

“By chance, I came to serve him. Call me a disciple, perhaps? From the monk’s perspective, I am still a mere rustic, far from capable.”

“…!”
“…!!”

Sun Wukong’s eyes flared.

Bungma Wang pressed her lips tight.

“I receive much guidance from the monk. Through the Nine Spirits Great Sage, I even get to meet the Great Sage of Heaven I longed to see. This, too, is the karmic chain Buddhism speaks of.”

Though he spoke in circles, it meant he had Hyeon-jang in his grasp.

The reason he could restrain Wuyong King, use Tashintong, and evade precise Fiery Golden Eye detection was all because he had delved into Hyeon-jang’s myth.

Sun Wukong clenched his fists.

Bungma Wang felt suffocating anger radiating from him.

Rumble…

The dungeon trembled faintly.

“This coward wishes to meet the Great Sage of Heaven only to dare request a deal.”

“Deal?”

Sun Wukong’s eyes twisted.

Peng Jinghao smiled faintly.

“Yes. My situation is rather… peculiar. Therefore, I present this proposal:

“…?”

“Would you grant me the chance to inherit your Douzhen Style?”

“…!!”

“If so, I will disclose the remaining locations of your brothers. How about it? Doesn’t it tempt you?”

Sun Wukong pressed his lips tight. Anger streamed from the corners of his eyes.

Bungma Wang stayed silent.

The evil grin on Wuyong King’s face widened.

“Ah, of course, the Nine Spirits Great Sage present here will be returned unharmed. And I will provide the treasure law of the Golden Cage too. Quite a fair deal, I think.”

Bungma Wang could not intervene.

Her brothers’ whereabouts mattered, but she also knew how crucial the Douzhen Style was to Sun Wukong.

The discipline he perfected even after renouncing the Buddha seat.
His life was encapsulated within it.

The reason the Guardian Deities wanted Sun Wukong dead.

And now, someone dared demand it in exchange for his brothers?

“Fourfold! Find him fast! This is dangerous!!”

Yet, a sense of unease kept gnawing at her.

“Where did you hear such things? Do you even know what you’re asking for? Trying to become a god, are you?”

“If I could become a god, yes. No treasure can grant immortality or perpetual youth. I am already ugly and old. If I can enjoy eternal life, why not?”

Sun Wukong smelled the stench of rotten old desire emanating from him.

“No matter how much I squeeze the Great Sage of Heaven’s brothers, it is not enough. So I sought…”

“The Douzhen Style?”

“Yes. It allows one to leap beyond the reality of the world into ideals. I need it desperately.”

Peng Jinghao smiled evilly through Wuyong King’s face.

“I have sought you for a long, long time, Great Sage of Heaven. Much longer than you think.”

Wuyong King’s gaze rolled toward Bungma Wang.

“That may be better known by the Confused Great Sage over there.”

“…So you are the true master here!! The one from back then!”

Bungma Wang’s eyes flashed with the spark of past oppression.

A lifetime of irreparable resentment.

She had even lost a brother because of it.

Yet that anger fueled Peng Jinghao’s pleasure.

“Heh. You think this is the only place? The Great Sage of Fukha hidden somewhere in the Pacific Trench, the Isan Great Sage being devoured by such creatures, even the untraceable Pyungcheon Great Sage—all were hunted under my command.”

“…!!”

Fukha Great Sage was the second Kyoma King, Isan Great Sage the fourth Sata King, and Pyungcheon Great Sage the eldest Uma King.

“Your claims of gods and Logos were merely fuel for this rustic’s pursuit of immortality.”

Flames erupted from Bungma Wang, spinning into a whirlwind, turning the sky blood-red.

“But I also learned much. Your arrogant rule, thinking you controlled the world, was far weaker than expected.”

There was only one emotion in Peng Jinghao’s tone: contempt.

“I also learned what secrets you tried to hide.”

Bungma Wang inhaled sharply.

Wuyong King’s fangs gleamed.

“Outer seas.”

“…!”

“You tried to hide them from us, didn’t you? Outwardly, you excuse it, saying mortals will only create confusion, but truly, you feared the collapse of your petty order and your vested interests.”

“…”

“But you are different, Great Sage of Heaven.”

Wuyong King’s gaze fixed on Sun Wukong.

A fire of reverence blazed in his eyes.

Not contempt—but worship.

“The more secrets I uncovered, the more I realized… you were a true god and king. Unlike the other false Great Deities, your vision was on an entirely different plane.”

Peng Jinghao worshiped Sun Wukong as an idol.

“So I searched for you all this time, to find even the smallest trace.”

In the Fiery Golden Eye’s vision, over Wuyong King’s sharp fangs appeared another face—a kindly old man, but to Sun Wukong, it was a demonic grin amidst hellfire.

“So you seek the Douzhen Style?”

“You are different from the other gods. Hence, I need it. My dream lies beyond heaven.”

Sun Wukong did not answer immediately.

The true target of this fiend was far beyond this world or heaven. His wrath reached the Great Heavenbreaker.

“You bear the visage of a demon. A vile, rotten one at that.”

The Fiery Golden Eye flashed.

“Demon? Haha! Perhaps it appears so. It came naturally while pursuing you as my idol…”

“No. You can never become me. You claim to pursue me but do not truly know me?”

“…?”

Wuyong King tilted his head, confused.

Sun Wukong hissed coldly.

“You seek to borrow another’s power to become a god, and you think you resemble me? How laughable.”

“I am a king, yet I do not claim to be. A king is never truly free.”

“Your threefold grasp of Douzhen Style cannot comprehend this.”

Peng Jinghao said nothing. Shocked.

Sun Wukong stood.

“I accept your offer.”

“Wukong!”

Bungma Wang tried to call him back, but he raised a hand, signaling it was fine.

“My condition: Hyeon-jang comes with it. He is no one to be bound by someone like you.”

Bungma Wang extinguished her flames quietly, biting her lower lip.

The tension was palpable.

Though she knew Sun Wukong had made a huge decision, there was no hesitation in his eyes.

To him, his brothers’ safety outweighed a lifetime’s pursuit of Douzhen Style.

“…I did not begin this journey to gain your approval, but being directly denied sparks rebellion nonetheless.”

Wuyong King chuckled, gazing steadily at Sun Wukong.

A new thought arose: greed. Ambition.

“You called me the visage of a demon, yet you hold two visages yourself, do you not?”

The Demon King and the Buddha.
Great Sage of Heaven and Douzhen Buddha.

Sun Wukong had two symbolic faces.

“This rustic shall assume the Demon King visage. Then I will pull you from that position and take it for myself. Only then will you acknowledge me as your successor.”

Sun Wukong crossed his arms, scoffing.

“Your dream is laughable.”

“I did not intend to go this far, but you inspired this dream in me. Whether to thank you or curse you…”

“Arrogant.”

“And one must reach this degree to truly be called a demon, yes?”

“You know not your place.”

Sun Wukong realized that Peng Jinghao, though mortal, had a scale and ambition far beyond ordinary. Few in heaven could stare him down and speak such nonsense.

“Too many fools wish to resemble me, everywhere.”

Tsk!

Just then…

‘He seems to have used a clone technique. Master. Only a mental projection detected; the original is nowhere.’

Sa Oh-jeong’s voice came spiritually.

‘Clone technique?’

‘Yes. It closely resembles your original teachings, master… Any ideas?’

Sun Wukong briefly recalled the face of his first teacher, Subhuti, who taught him the Killing Technique and Transformation.

‘No. None.’

‘As expected, you would have no other successors.’

‘So the result?’

‘It seems impossible. The mental projection was spun around several times to evade tracking. This one is far more cunning than expected.’

Sa Oh-jeong’s laughter carried anger.

‘We can pursue a bit more, but I doubt you will get a satisfactory answer.’

‘No. It’s fine now.’

Sa Oh-jeong’s voice froze.

But Sun Wukong laughed lightly.

‘I mean literally fine. Thanks to you, I now know what to do.’

A thought had been crossing Sun Wukong’s mind. If he guessed correctly, Peng Jinghao…

‘Master, your tone has completely changed. A good idea?’

Sa Oh-jeong laughed too, then severed spiritual contact.

“It seems the Golden Cage failed.”

Peng Jinghao’s voice entered at a perfect moment.

“Now it will be easier to decide. What will you do? I will not accept the conditions you set, Great Sage of Heaven.”

Sun Wukong silently stared at Wuyong King, then waved his hand in the air.

Lines formed into a scroll, rolling up naturally into his palm.

“A skillbook detailing the Douzhen Style.”

Wuyong King grinned, gripping the scroll.

Finally…

Exhilaration flashed across Sun Wukong’s eyes.

But,

“One warning before you take this,” he muttered.

“You claim to take the Demon King visage from me? But the world balances yin and yang. Where the Demon King rises, a Buddha shall follow.”

Peng Jinghao said nothing. Reflected in Wuyong King’s eyes, Sun Wukong smiled.

Fangs bared.
A cruel, ruthless smile.
Once, the laughter of the Great Demon King who plunged the world into chaos.

“That Buddha will soon come for you… better clean your neck and wait.”

Sun Wukong’s will struck Peng Jinghao’s mind.

“When it comes, your neck will break.”

Bang!!

An invisible brand was etched into his soul.

“Heh… speaking like that while bearing the eyes of the Great Demon King is absurd.”

Sun Wukong drew a circle in the air.

“The Demon King and Buddha differ by a mere hair’s breadth.”

“I see… I shall remember your words, Great Sage of Heaven.”

“Good.”

Sun Wukong released the scroll. Wuyong King did not take it back but stared blankly, reflecting.

Then,

Rustle!

He unfurled the scroll fully.

Characters filled the world. Peng Jinghao’s gaze tried to see them, and suddenly…

“Argh!!”

Wuyong King clutched his eyes, writhing in agony.

The pain was as if his eyes were being torn out.

The immense imagery contained in Douzhen Style struck Peng Jinghao’s soul via Tashintong.

Too heavy for a mere mortal.

‘This… this…!!’

Through slightly parted fingers, bloodshot eyes wept tears of blood toward Sun Wukong.

He smiled coldly, like the Great Demon King.

“Great Sage of Heaven… Great Sage of Heaven…!!”

“The eyes are the windows to the soul. Seek beyond your station and you will suffer.”

Sun Wukong reached out slowly.

“Though I cannot kill you while your body hides like a mouse, I shall claim your eyes for your crime of coveting the forbidden.”

“…!!!”

“Guard that neck well until the Buddha comes for you.”

Peng Jinghao had no chance to resist. His screams were silenced.

Sun Wukong had used the Fiery Golden Eye to pluck out the eyes via Tashintong.

A horrific tearing of muscles.

Peng Jinghao was flung from Wuyong King.

The Golden Cage stopped rotating and fell to the ground, turning to ash shortly after.

“…Wukong, you…”

Bungma Wang rushed over.

Sun Wukong casually opened his hand, revealing two eyes belonging not to Wuyong King, but another.

A folded note lay beside them—the locations of the brothers, originally exchanged after the deal.

Snap!

He destroyed the eyes, keeping only the note.

And…

“Tell me.”

“Yes. Speak.”

“There’s something else behind him. Different from the human committee.”

“What…?”

“It seems they…”

Sun Wukong’s eyes deepened.

“…are the true culprit who scattered our brothers.”

“…!!”