WuKong: The Monkey King

Chapter 2 A flash of inspiration

The expressions of monkeys are as rich and varied as those of humans. For instance, the monkey encircled by others on Mount Huaguo right now is wearing a wry smile: it had only pondered the possibility, yet it had truly turned into a monkey and arrived at Mount Huaguo. It seems that traversing worlds is indeed possible!

Was it the strength of its own thoughts that had brought it here? These days, it had constantly fantasized about playing the role of Sun Wukong, dreaming every night of embarking on the journey to retrieve the sacred texts. Unexpectedly, while the opportunity to play the role in reality was lost, it had ended up in the world of Journey to the West to perform as Wukong! It's like looking at flowers in the fog, unable to distinguish what's real and what's not.

The distance between reality and dreams, it turns out, is merely a single thought away.

Now, the Stone Monkey—no longer a human but should be called as such—listened to the surrounding monkeys chanting, "Stone Monkey, Stone Monkey," and saw their eager eyes. Nodding in agreement, it declared, "Yes, I am the Stone Monkey!"

Life on Mount Huaguo was carefree and colorful.

The Stone Monkey, self-taught, constantly sought what set it apart from other monkeys, to no avail. Despite being born from a mystical stone, it found itself no different in physical abilities—heartbeats, pulse, feeling cold or heat, pain or itch. Running, jumping, climbing, and peach-picking, it was no more skilled than the others.

Holding a large peach in its hands, the Stone Monkey pondered silently about its unique origin.

A monkey named Afei approached, pointing at the peach and demanded, "Don't eat it, give it to me."

The Stone Monkey handed over the peach, watching Afei devour it messily, juice splattering everywhere, feeling a pang of distress.

The Stone Monkey felt hunger, but believed peaches were not solely for consumption. If one must eat, it should be done respectfully. The remaining peach pit should be buried deep in the soil, as a seed, ensuring the peach's life continues in another form.

Disgusted by Afei's gluttony, the Stone Monkey turned away, heading down the mountain.

Not far off, Afei caught up, excitedly suggesting a bath in a creek below.

From a distance, Mount Huaguo resembled a giant peach, split into east and west halves by a stream. With the monkey tribes led by two gibbons in the east and two red-bottomed monkeys in the west, the Stone Monkey, newly born and solitary, had yet to align with any faction.

Reaching the creek, it saw hundreds of monkeys frolicking. Scanning the crowd, the Stone Monkey discerned the hierarchy. Four elderly monkeys sat in the center, their stature twice the size of ordinary monkeys, exuding an air of arrogance, engaged in a conversation unknown to others. Only a select few monkeys were allowed near them to assist in bathing, while the rest kept their distance, lacking even the privilege to serve.

Drinking from the creek, the Stone Monkey found the water sweet and refreshing, invigorating its spirit.

Suddenly, a gibbon shouted, "Who does that monkey belong to, showing no manners like this?"

Before the Stone Monkey could react, it was seized by smaller monkeys and brought before the gibbon.

As the surrounding monkeys gathered, curious about the commotion, the Stone Monkey realized that onlookers were not exclusive to humans.

Accused by the gibbon of drinking upstream, the Stone Monkey faced a situation reminiscent of the "wolf and the lamb" tale, contemplating its rightful place in Mount Huaguo. If it couldn't stand up to this challenge, what was its purpose here?