Chapter 135
Chapter 135
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Theseus's Ship (2)
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The Heavenly Demon's gaze was fixed on Song Byeong-ho's skin, which was covered in metal.
“If you replace even the brain, then nothing original remains in the White Silver Witch's body.”
“Is it really necessary to replace the brain as well?”
“If you don't replace the worn-out brain, you reach a point where you can no longer maintain intact memories.”
“Hmm.”
“As time passed, the White Silver Witch gradually lost her memories. After much deliberation, she finally resolved to replace her brain.”
But after that, the Heavenly Demon clamped his mouth shut.
Song Byeong-ho, who had been listening with keen interest, urgently asked.
“So. So what happened?”
“I don't know.”
“What? You don't know?”
Song Byeong-ho's mouth fell open. So there was no conclusion after all?
The Heavenly Demon narrowed his eyes and said.
“Because after replacing her brain, the White Silver Witch never appeared in the Murim again. It was as if she had never existed in the world—she completely vanished without a trace.”
“Why did she vanish?”
Unable to contain his curiosity, Song Byeong-ho asked, and the Heavenly Demon answered flatly.
“There are two theories passed down about that. The first is that the brain is the vessel containing a person's soul.”
“Soul?”
“That's right. Because she replaced the brain that held her soul, the White Silver Witch became the soul of the brain's original owner. And upon learning everything, that owner ultimately retreated to the deep mountains and took her own life—that's one theory.”
“And the second?”
“The second reaches a conclusion similar to Old Man No's doubt. Once she replaced the last original part, her brain, the original White Silver Witch ceased to exist, and an entirely new being was born.”
The Heavenly Demon wore a subtle smile.
“Since every component inside her body had been replaced with new ones, the being that could be called the White Silver Witch had vanished.”
Song Byeong-ho savored the story for a moment, then nodded.
“Hmm. Both tales sound plausible.”
“No one knows the exact truth. The White Silver Witch truly vanished completely.”
Song Byeong-ho fell into deep thought for a while.
The Heavenly Demon's words carried not only lingering resonance but also profound truths.
Fixing his gaze into empty space, Song Byeong-ho asked in a heavy voice.
“I find it an interesting story, but I have one lingering doubt.”
“What is it?”
“Whether the woman known as the White Silver Witch truly existed.”
Song Byeong-ho fixed a sharp gaze on the Heavenly Demon.
“You didn't just make it up on the spot to persuade this old man, did you?”
The Heavenly Demon responded with a subtle smile.
“In truth, whether the White Silver Witch actually existed or not is unimportant in this story.”
“Why?”
“Because it is the answer to the question Old Man No himself posed.”
“I don't follow.”
“Did the White Silver Witch exist? Or did she not? The one harboring such doubts is precisely Old Man No's own essence.”
In that instant, a flash like lightning seemed to pass through Song Byeong-ho's eyes.
“You...”
As if guessing Song Byeong-ho's realization, the Heavenly Demon nodded.
“All is created by the mind alone. In the end, everything depends on one's state of mind. The only difference lies in how one accepts such concepts. Isn't that right?”
The Heavenly Demon had reached the supreme realm of martial arts that humans could attain.
He was versed not only in Demonic Sect techniques but also in the core arts of the Orthodox Faction, the Ineffable Divine Arts and the Immeasurable Great Law of Buddhism.
“Hah.”
Song Byeong-ho let out a sigh as the Heavenly Demon cited the philosophy of the Avatamsaka Sutra.
“I see. I was harboring needless doubts.”
Song Byeong-ho had wandered the battlefields of the world for a long time.
He had continuously suffered injuries, replacing his skin and organs. As that repeated over time, he had long questioned his very existence.
“I'm glad the answer satisfied you.”
Seeing the Heavenly Demon's steadfast gaze, Song Byeong-ho nodded.
“I owe you one.”
Was it because he realized it didn't matter whether he attached metal skin or artificial skin?
Song Byeong-ho's face, which had always seemed stern, now appeared somehow softer.
“Do you truly think you owe me?”
“Yes. You've enlightened my foolish thoughts up to now...”
“Then I have something to say.”
“Go ahead.”
“Ahem.”
The Heavenly Demon cleared his throat. Now he was getting to the main point.
“This room has a lot of moisture. So rather than installing deco tiles, which are vulnerable to water, it would be better to install vinyl flooring.”
Only then did Song Byeong-ho grasp the Heavenly Demon's true intent and burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! Is that why you listened to this old man's ramblings all along?”
At this point, even the Heavenly Demon couldn't play innocent.
“Yes. And it also served to explain things.”
“Ho ho ho ho, you had it all planned out, didn't you?”
Wrinkles bloomed across Song Byeong-ho's metallic face as he laughed heartily.
“I'll leave it all to you, so do a good job.”
Vroom.
With a worn exhaust note resounding, the Heavenly Demon's Lamas pulled away from Song Byeong-ho's detached house.
He had installed vinyl flooring instead of deco tiles as intended. Even though he had perfectly handled Jang Chaewon's sudden construction request, his expression was not good.
It was because of what Song Byeong-ho had said before he left.
-Come to think of it, I have one thing I'm curious about.
As the Heavenly Demon finished the work and packed up the materials, Song Byeong-ho suddenly posed a strange question.
-I heard you came from another world. So isn't it possible that your original self is still in that world?
Song Byeong-ho blinked repeatedly with his human-made eyeball and his metal-covered one.
-It's possible that not the original, but a copy, came here.
In that moment, the Heavenly Demon felt a faint crack in his steadfast spirit.
He had long believed himself not human, but a new existence transcending human limits.
But a mysterious being had severed his meridians. And it had even executed the Heaven and Earth Infinite Heavenly Palm, which he alone thought he could perform, sending him to another world.
Until now, he had merely thought it was someone who surpassed him in the realm of Demonic Arts...
But hearing Song Byeong-ho's words made him think differently.
“Am I truly myself?”
Awakening from his reverie, the Heavenly Demon murmured lowly.
Nameless, riding quietly in the car, blinked its eye sensors.
[What are you suddenly talking about?]
“I've come to a new world. So perhaps I'm not the me from the Murim, but a newly created being.”
It was a bizarre tale at first glance.
Nameless refrained from speaking rashly and remained silent.
Though it didn't fully understand, it could guess that the Heavenly Demon was currently confused.
[Why are you suddenly thinking that?]
The Heavenly Demon briefly recounted the conversation he'd had with Song Byeong-ho.
Nameless pondered deeply, then silently asked.
[So you're saying that you, Heavenly Demon, might not be the original, but a newly created being due to a rift in space-time?]
“That's right.”
Nameless stared straight into the Heavenly Demon's eyes.
In that moment, Nameless was certain that the Heavenly Demon wasn't thinking this way simply because he'd lost his internal energy and had his meridians severed.
[By any chance, before you came here, was there anything unusual?]
“Nothing.”
“Not a big thing, but even something very trivial.]
At those words, the Heavenly Demon raised one eyebrow.
A shift in state of mind.
The Heavenly Demon had discarded his frail flesh and even emotions like joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure.
Because various feelings hindered the growth of martial arts.
As a result, a new existence transcending human limits was born: the absolute warrior known as the Heavenly Demon.
But he realized that unexpected changes had arisen in the Murim because of it.
“There is one thing.”
[What is it?]
“I realized I was bored.”
[I don't understand.]
“I had accomplished everything a human could achieve.”
A solemn light flowed from the Heavenly Demon's eyes.
“I could control anything as I wished. If I wanted, I could have swept the Murim clean without leaving a single ant.”
Recalling that time, a lonely smile played on the Heavenly Demon's lips.
“So I let opposing forces breathe, without nipping them in the bud.”
At that time, the Orthodox Faction had raised the exceptional figure Jeong The Heavenly Demon as Murim Alliance Lord to oppose the Heavenly Demon.
The sacred ground of the Murim, the Wuyuan Silent Sect, constantly tried to restrict the Heavenly Demon's actions.
But the Heavenly Demon did not eliminate them. Instead, he watched over them, allowing them to grow even larger.
[After hearing you, I suddenly have this thought.]
Nameless, deep in thought, cautiously said.
[Perhaps you, unable to endure the boredom, erased your own memories, reduced your martial arts, and came to this world of your own accord.]
The Heavenly Demon was silent for a moment.
In truth, he had harbored such doubts for a long time.
-There is no one in the Murim who surpasses me!
After toying with Jeong The Heavenly Demon and the Eight Young Lords like a cat with mice, returning triumphantly to the Ten Thousand Demons Palace—then suddenly being sent to this world by someone who mysteriously severed his meridians.
Who else but the Heavenly Demon himself could make such a thing possible?
“That could be. I've thought that myself at times.”
The Heavenly Demon, fiddling with the gear stick with his right hand, shook his head.
“But... somehow, it doesn't feel like that's the reason.”
[I see.]
Nameless nodded.
The Heavenly Demon's intuition was the best in the world. If he said no, then it definitely wasn't.
“Thinking about it now, it all feels strangely unfamiliar.”
Suddenly, the Lamas steering wheel in his grip and the road scenery outside the window felt alien to the Heavenly Demon.
“The place I was from wasn't like this.”
Seeing the Heavenly Demon try to suppress the faintly rising emotion once more, Nameless spoke with a worried expression.
[I can't fully understand it all, but I can understand that you're confused, Heavenly Demon. But... wouldn't the 'All is created by the mind alone' that you explained to Song Byeong-ho be the answer to this confusion?]
“True. But his situation and mine are completely different.”
The Heavenly Demon said with a serious expression.
“That old man merely grew confused about his existence after replacing parts of his body over a long period. That's why I could convince him with 'All is created by the mind alone.'”
A profound light emanated from the Heavenly Demon's eyes as he gripped the steering wheel.
“But I am a being who came from an entirely different space-time.”
The Heavenly Demon was a being who had crossed from another world.
With just the philosophy that 'it all depends on one's mindset,' he couldn't be certain he was the original.
[But you are you, Heavenly Demon.]
In the end, that's all Nameless could say.
The Heavenly Demon is the Heavenly Demon. There couldn't be two such people in this world.
“I see.”
The Heavenly Demon let out a wry chuckle as he gazed at the roadside beyond the windshield.
Nameless's words were sincere.
This tiny machine was trying its best to ease even a bit of his confused heart.
[Heavenly Demon. How about a drink after work for once today?]
At Nameless's out-of-the-blue suggestion, the Heavenly Demon furrowed his brow.
“You can drink alcohol?”
[I'll just keep you company. Jang Chaewon, Kim Chanwon, and Go Eunjin will drink together. It's been a while since we had a company dinner, hasn't it?]
Nameless spoke in an excited voice.
[You've wrapped up today's job, so treat us to some expensive Three Blessings Brew. Soju's fine too, of course.]
“Hmm.”
Recalling the rich aroma of the Three Blessings Brew, the Heavenly Demon unwittingly swallowed.
Strong liquor, delicious side dishes, lively atmosphere...
For the first time since coming to this world, he earnestly craved a drinking session.
* * *
Late evening, at the bar Old Soldier.
Jang Chaewon, sitting at the corner table by the window with arms crossed, nodded.
“You have a point.”
Having heard the full story of the Heavenly Demon's troubles from Nameless, she wore a serious expression.
“Movies and novels these days are all about the multiverse anyway.”
Multiverse.
A term meaning multiple universes, often referring to stories sharing the same worldview in films or novels, unfolding various tales.
“If there are two Heavenly Demons, that'd be fun in its own way. Right?”
Kim Chanwon, drunk, guffawed, and Go Eunjin, sitting beside him, scowled.
“Two Muscle Monkeys? That's just a disaster.”
-Kyuu. (Agreed, Sea Kitten).
[It's a truly serious dilemma from Heavenly Demon's perspective.]
Though Nameless spoke in a serious tone, everyone was drunk and brushed it off lightly.
“Hmm.”
The Heavenly Demon silently downed his Three Blessings Brew.
In truth, he had been a little expectant.
Jang Chaewon, who possessed a mysterious power even he couldn't fathom.
Kim Chanwon, with vast experience in society and years of wisdom.
Perhaps these two could understand his inner turmoil?
He had hoped they might empathize with the agony of falling from an infinitely high realm to the mortal world.
But upon arriving at the bar, far from empathy, the two ate and drank furiously as if by prior agreement, quickly becoming dead drunk.
“Ah! Speaking of multiverse, I just remembered something.”
Jang Chaewon suddenly exclaimed as if making a huge discovery, her eyes widening.
“Heavenly Demon, doesn't he totally look like that purple destroyer-of-universes character?”
The Heavenly Demon scowled.
He didn't know what it was, but he could tell it had nothing to do with his turmoil.
“Ehey, Manager Jang.”
As if reading the Heavenly Demon's feelings, Kim Chanwon chided her.
“Look at Heavenly Demon's face. You think that's appropriate?”
But his follow-up words were no different from Jang Chaewon's nonsense.
“Whether by face or muscles, he's a green muscle man. Ain't he?”
“Nah, Heavenly Demon was king of the cucumber world. Scale and deeds are closer to that.”
“Anyone hearing would think Heavenly Demon quit a bloody life and came here. Heavenly Demon's got such refined character.”
Kim Chanwon spoke to the Heavenly Demon with a mix of concern and jest.
“He probably didn't do anything too bad, right? Right, Heavenly Demon?”
The two seemed to view the Heavenly Demon—Murim's ruler and the supreme warrior of all ages—as merely the boss of a thug gang.
“Hmph.”
As the Heavenly Demon's face crumpled, Kim Chanwon waved his hand.
“Heavenly Demon. Forget the past. Who hasn't had their glory days? Me too, back in the day, beauties lined up saying they'd die if I didn't marry them. Ho ho ho ho.”
Go Eunjin made a retching sound as he bared his yellowed teeth and laughed boisterously.
“Not beauties, witches. Witches with all their teeth fallen out.”
“Eunjin, you can't judge people. I'm Kim Chanwon, Kim Chanwon. Want to see pics from my youth?”
“No thanks.”
“Hey, just take a look. Back in my day...”
The Heavenly Demon drank with unfocused eyes amid the endless chatter once more.
On one hand, it was novel.
No one had ever babbled so drunkenly before him, nor had he seen his companions get this wasted.
[You're all going too far!]
Nameless, who had been standing between the window and the table, finally shouted.