In the Unorthodox World, Only the Mad Survive
In the unorthodox world, madness was the only way to stay alive.
— A hidden-camera segment from a certain cooking program. The ensuing uproar permanently cancelled the show, and the producer in charge received a life-or-death duel challenge from the Minister of Education.
"Un-rang. Even you calling me a freak is a little hurtful, you know. Granted, I am a bit ignorant when it comes to a martial artist's sensibilities."
But Gong Ryun was no heartless monster who failed to understand other people. He still respected the feelings of martial artists. And to some degree, he made his own unique brand of effort.
"Sure. I may not understand the sentiment. But I respect it. And for those who fear San-gong-cho, I've been making a special effort of my own."
"Oh? Gong Ryun. In what way, exactly?"
"They say the root of fear is ignorance, don't they?"
"And what does that have to do with anything all of a sudden?"
"Humans fear what they have never seen with their own eyes. So if they can observe it directly, right in front of them — wouldn't they cast off their fear and pain, and find happiness?"
"Gong Ryun. I am suddenly terrified of whatever you're about to say next."
"So I thought it over, and the answer is simple: show them with my own hands that San-gong-cho is harmless. Not Sangongdok — San-gong-cho powder. Once they've seen it, touched it, and enjoyed it for themselves, they'll understand! That San-gong-cho is safe! That your internal energy just vanishes for a little while, that's all! You don't lose your fortune, you don't suffer, you don't get wounded — it's nothing but a brief absence! In other words, you throw off the fear. And then you realize: San-gong-cho is safe! Safe enough to eat, even!"
?
Un-rang's CPU seemed to freeze for a moment.
"Hah! Hahahahahaha! So that's why you've been handing out free San-gong-cho powder to your acquaintances? Like homemade cookies!?"
"It's the kindness of my heart! Casting off fear and stepping forward anew! And for the record, it's delicious sprinkled over rice! Sharp and tangy!"
Gong Ryun beamed with pure, sunny innocence.
He was defending the honor of San-gong-cho — the plant that carried the memories of his hometown!
Un-rang clapped a hand to the back of his neck. As if that weren't enough, he pressed his other hand to his forehead.
If he'd been distributing it as poison powder for combat use, I could live with that. That would at least be martial-artist-like. But no — a San-gong-cho brand ambassador? I only learned today that he had such a devilishly profound purpose. Aah. I should have beaten him senseless and stopped him sooner. Amitabha.
Only a few minutes ago, Un-rang had been thinking how admirably well Gong Ryun was adapting to the martial world.
"…Aah… and even after all that, you still feel wronged? You still think the nickname San-gong-dok Goe-in is baseless slander?"
"Of course I do. Someone like me is normal, isn't he?"
Wasn't "poison-scattering maniac" a bit much for a nickname? He was just a virtuous little citizen, living a constructive life and trying, in his small way, to correct the nasty misunderstandings that had spread among people.
Gong Ryun wore a benevolent smile.
Un-rang gripped the back of his neck even harder.
And as for Loro, who had been listening to the whole conversation—
He was absurdly terrified. His hands and feet were trembling.
Gong Ryun's bright, pure expression somehow seemed steeped in madness.
How did that kind of pure insanity even happen? The man loved San-gong-cho. You could see the affection. Loro didn't know Gong Ryun's past, but looking at him now, he seemed like someone who had spent his entire life living for San-gong-cho.
What kind of life had he lived? What kind of harrowing past?
A maniac who said, Don't be afraid! Up close, it's adorable! Eat it and cheer it on! — and in that conviction there was not a shred of doubt or hesitation.
"Hiiik…! S… such a deranged lunatic…!"
A lunatic of the most blatant, undeniable sort.
Ordinarily, the correct response would have been to recoil in disgust and cut ties…
But these were people of the unorthodox path. They were mercenaries.
"Eheheheh…!"
Loro laughed like a madman. And he raved.
"This is the unorthodox path!!! This is what it means to be a Named!!! Doing utterly outrageous things like it's nothing!!! So cool!!! It scares me so much I revere it!!!"
And a young man's recklessness could not be stopped.
"This is exactly the level you need to reach to become a Named…!!! A freak!! The San-gong-dok Goe-in!!"
Someday I'll become a maniac Named just like that!
Loro howled with laughter.
A name like "Hawaiian T-Shirt Madman" would be good. That was exactly why Loro always wore Hawaiian shirts — to cultivate a personality and become a Named as fast as possible.
No. Thinking about it now, that wasn't enough. A Hawaiian fashion gimmick alone was a weak resolve.
Look at the Three-Sword Style Madman. Anyone who refused to acknowledge three-sword style as the greatest swordsmanship in existence, he "persuaded" via life-or-death duel. Look at Arm-Maxed Jason. He literally cut off one arm and grafted it onto the other side like a tree branch. That was the level you had to reach. That was the mettle of a martial artist.
"Sangongdok Punch! Sangongdok Punch!"
Loro's eyes had gone completely unhinged. And he made a great decision.
"Gong Ryun hyung-nim!!! This won't do!!! Now that I've steeled my resolve — I have to receive that too!"
"Kwahaha! Exactly the attitude of a man casting off fear! Excellent! Loro! I'll share some with you! Handmade by me, local-style!"
Pure white San-gong-cho powder.
Grown with care by Gong Ryun himself, thoroughly dried and ground — packed with a local farmer's wisdom and the taste of his hands.
Sharp, tangy, full of umami. The kind of thing you could sprinkle on when you had no appetite and polish off a whole bowl of rice. Good in soup, good in fritters, good dusted over bread.
Always carried on Gong Ryun's person, sealed in a small, transparent medicine pouch.
Nam Gong-ryun Special Handcrafted San-gong-cho Powder, made with love.
He held it out with casual ease. To an outsider, he looked exactly like a drug dealer.
Loro received it with both hands, reverent as a pilgrim.
"Ooooh…! So this is…! The San-gong-dok Goe-in's handmade Sangongdok…!"
"San-gong-cho powder."
"Ah, right, San-gong-cho powder…!"
"Heh. And so another soul sheds their prejudice. Warms the heart, doesn't it."
"Cast off fear and grow stronger!!!"
— Hahahahaha!
— Dwahahahaha!
Warm, companionable laughter rang out.
Un-rang heaved a great sigh.
What am I supposed to do with these kids?
Back in his temple days, was this how the abbot had felt watching Un-rang go off the rails?
Aah, Abbot. Your face comes to mind more than usual today…
Un-rang sank into sentimentality.
Here, he was the only normal person left.
Was the unorthodox world truly this irrational…?
Aah… I suppose I share some blame for how these children turned out… I should have looked after them better from the side…
He felt genuine guilt. Genuine lament.
A dizziness bloomed in his heart. What was he supposed to do with this feeling?
Yes.
As one who walked the Buddhist path, when the heart was shaken like this, one was naturally meant to empty it out.
How could a face be reflected in a trembling cup of water? What was needed was the mindset of still water, a clear mirror.
The heart must not be allowed to waver.
For a clean inner self, what must one do? Aah. What to do?
In the end, there was only one inevitable answer.
I shall have to go to the pachinko parlor.
Afflictions had bloomed in the heart; they must of course be resolved.
What was done was done. The bird that had flown was already gone from the hand. What more could those who remained do? Simply empty the heart, and cheer them on.
And for emptying the heart, nothing beat pachinko.
If I hit 777, I feel like my heart would empty right out.
Ah. Too worldly? Unbefitting a monk? Hmm… he briefly summoned the Buddha in his mind.
He saw it. A golden statue, the Buddha's benevolent smile. And that distinctive hand mudra of the statue, thumb and index finger forming a circle. Ah. A circle. "Okay," was it?
Okay…! If the Buddha himself says so… this unworthy disciple will go place just a small bet and return.
Aah. He'd meant to stay away for a while, but destiny was pulling him along. This, too, must be the will of the Tathagata…
All of it was simply part of casting off worldly attachments.
If you throw away water, you throw it into the river; if you hide a tree, you hide it in the forest. To cast off a worldly heart, one must go into the secular world… Amitabha…
Un-rang, the sole normal person among the unorthodox, resolved to visit the pachinko parlor later.
And so another ordinary day in the unorthodox world went by.
Evening came.
After finishing the Sangongdok giveaway, they had scattered to their respective reading rooms to study for a while. Before long it was time to head back, and they gathered in the first-floor lobby.
"Hehehe. I have business to attend to, so I'll be heading toward the city center."
With that, Un-rang went off toward the entertainment district, while Gong Ryun and Loro headed south, the same direction as their lodgings.
Along the road home, the sunset was fading, little by little.
They were nearly at the outskirts now; the buildings grew sparse, and fewer and fewer people passed by. The quiet almost felt like a spoonful of countryside charm had been stirred in. The sunset licked clearly across the roadside trees. Dry leaves tumbled along the path.
Against a backdrop that could have been a scene from a western, two martial artists walked on.
And then.
A suspicious figure blocked their path.
A man in a worn robe, his face hidden from view.
At a glance, he was clearly not a normal person.
Of course, the unorthodox path was crawling with people like that, so they nearly walked past without a second thought — but the man was so blatantly barring their way that they had no choice but to realize he had business with them.
"Hmm? What is it? Got something to say to us? Are you a mercenary too, by any chance?"
"Uuhm? What's this about?"
The man spoke in a cracked voice.
"San-gong-dok Goe-in. That you?"