Zhu Bajie

It had been a long time since they'd had a day this idle.

Sanzang had finished his meditation and was eating the meal Wukong had offered. Sha Wujing attended to their master while, in the intervals, making sure the White Dragon Horse had his fodder. Sun Wukong lay sprawled before the campfire, one leg crossed over the other, whistling.

It was a peaceful scene.

Except for Zhu Bajie.

"Hey, Brother Sun. Why am I stuck like this?"

Buried up to his neck in the hard-packed earth, only his head poking free, Zhu Bajie lamented.

Sun Wukong didn't even glance over. Still on his back, he said,

"'Cause you got completely suckered by a bunch of spider demons and nearly wrecked everything."

"Come now, Brother Sun. That's a little harsh. I, Zhu Bajie, Marshal Tianpeng, merely slipped up for a moment — those demons tricked me with their arts, that's all."

"Ah, I should've buried that mouth of yours too. All talk and no shame. You telling me a nobody like you got taken in by some cheap seduction spell?"

At the sound of Wukong's tongue clicking, Bajie couldn't bring himself to talk back.

Once, he had commanded the entire navy of the Heavenly River. Marshal Tianpeng — that had been his past. His martial power rivaled the Four Heavenly Kings who guarded the celestial realm, and his yoryeok ranked among the greatest of the great demons. Wukong's dressing-down left him with nothing to say.

"You were enjoying yourself, weren't you? Having a grand old time soaking in the hot springs with those spider demons while Sanzang nearly got eaten by that Hundred-Eyed Demon. And this bastard still won't even reflect on it."

"Tch."

Zhu Bajie snorted. Clearly Wukong had no intention of letting him off, no matter what he said. Bajie gave up cleanly and turned his gaze elsewhere. There was Sanzang, eyes closed in meditation.

"Master, I was completely in the wrong. Forgive me, won't you? This Zhu Bajie hasn't eaten a thing — I'm going to starve to death like this."

"Wukong is right. Bajie, you need to reflect on your actions."

"But Master! You got charmed and kidnapped by those demons too!"

Sanzang's face flushed red and he cleared his throat. Wukong snickered and cut in.

"Sanzang's a human. A human. How's a person supposed to resist a demon's arts?"

Composing himself, Sanzang spoke in a grave voice.

"Bajie. Your appetite for food will devour you — but your lust will drag you into the abyss just the same. Restrain yourself. And then restrain yourself again."

"Hmph!"

Zhu Bajie scoffed. He was the sort who normally bowed his head at Sanzang's words, but today he seemed thoroughly fed up. He jerked his chin up stiffly.

"I was born this way. I like to eat. I lust after beauty. I was born like this — why should I have to suppress what's natural?"

"Is that not why you were banished from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Heaven?! You were cast out for harassing Lady Chang'e of the moon — and that, Bajie, was your lust!"

Wukong, who had been listening, cackled. Watching Bajie get scolded by Sanzang never got old. At Wukong's laughter, Bajie glared, thoroughly pissed off.

"What's so funny, Brother Sun? Lusting after women is only natural for a man. What, you don't feel desire?"

It was essentially calling him a eunuch, but it didn't land a scratch on Wukong.

"I don't know a thing about that. Who do you think I am? I'm Sun Wukong, the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, born of myself. You think some filthy, base desire like that could ever take root in this Great Sage's heart?"

Sanzang added to Wukong's words.

"Wukong is a being who came into existence of his own accord on Flower-Fruit Mountain, forged from the essence of Heaven and the essence of Earth. He has no parents."

"Hmm. Saying he has no parents makes it sound like I just hurled some kind of unfilial insult."

Sha Wujing poked his head in. Sanzang shot him a look. Wujing turtled his neck and looked away.

"In any case, Wukong is a self-formed being. He is not a life conceived through the union of man and woman, and so the feeling of lust cannot take hold in him."

At Sanzang's explanation, Zhu Bajie gazed at Wukong with a strangely wistful look. Wukong was incredulous.

"What's with those eyes? Why are you pitying me?"

"What a pitiful existence."

"Me? I'm better off than you. Better than getting kicked out of Heaven because you couldn't control some cheap desire."

"...Well. Maybe you're right."

Bajie's voice was gloomy. Wukong, who had fully expected him to raise his voice and snap back, flinched.

"Wujing, what's wrong with Bajie?"

"The moonlight's lovely tonight. Perhaps Brother Bajie's heart is restless."

Zhu Bajie paid them no mind and lamented on.

"Because of this lust, I don't know what love is."

Wukong fell silent. He couldn't quite grasp what Bajie meant. Lust, love — these were feelings Wukong simply did not know.

"It's only natural. Born with this hideous, pig-like face — how could I ever know love? All I can do is slake my lust."

At Bajie's complaint, Wukong suddenly recalled the first time they had met.

Zhu Bajie, who had transformed into a human and married a mortal woman. It had not been a happy marriage. No one regarded him as a husband, or as a son-in-law. The bride lived in fear that her husband would devour her at any moment, and her family felt the same. Because Zhu Bajie was a hideous demon, a repulsive being, a monster to be feared.

Zhu Bajie could not love. He was not allowed to. All that was permitted him was to sate the lust that burned in him.

"That still doesn't make it right to disguise yourself as a human, deceive people, and force a marriage vow."

"Yeah. I know."

Something about that resigned look irritated Wukong. He sat up abruptly and yanked Bajie out of the ground. The massive body came free in a single pull, the corpulent bulk dangling from Wukong's hand.

Bajie stared blankly and said,

"Brother Sun. Have you ever wanted to be human?"

Wukong paused.

Memories of the past flashed rapidly before his eyes. Standing before his first master, Patriarch Subodhi. The whispering voices of his fellow disciples behind him.

Wukong wore a bitter smile.

Zhu Bajie chuckled.

"Well, you're the King of Demons, so of course you'd say that. If I could be reborn, I'd want to be born human."

"Beats being a pig, I guess, but why bother?"

"To be born a person, and try the kind of love this body can never have."

"That's a hell of a joke. Wouldn't it be better to go back to Heaven and have celestial maidens wait on you than to be born human?"

"You don't understand!"

Bajie raised his voice and suddenly spread both arms wide.

"...What a load of crap."

Wukong clicked his tongue.

"Even if you were born human, huh? You think you'd actually manage to get married properly?"

"Just you wait. I'll be born as an absolutely stunning beauty."

"A beauty? Not a handsome man — a beauty?"

"Do you have any idea how many beauties have enchanted me all this time? A beautiful woman is a terrifying thing. She possesses a magic more potent than any demon. I will be born as a beauty so exquisite I'll steal the heart of every man in the world!"

Wukong let out a sigh. This thick-headed idiot. This complete fool. He wasn't even thinking about going back to Heaven and reclaiming his rank. He wanted to be born as a person — and a woman, at that. What a ridiculous thing to dream about.

Perhaps he felt the look in Wukong's eyes. Bajie snorted.

"When that day comes, you watch too, Brother Sun."

"Watch what?"

"I'll be born as the greatest beauty under heaven, and I'll wrap you right up in my skirts!"

"Ha..."

Lunatic.

Wukong just laughed, so dumbfounded he couldn't help it.

"You really were born beautiful."

"...Excuse me?"

Muhwa dropped the spoon she'd been lifting to her mouth, congee and all. Her eyes went wide.

What? She must have misheard.

"Never mind."

"No... didn't you just say something?"

"It's nothing."

"Mm."

Muhwa swallowed a questioning sound. She wanted to press further, but her gaze drifted to the bowl of its own accord. A hunger so fierce it felt like her stomach lining was glued to her spine.

I've always been a bit of a glutton, sure.

But this was worse than usual. Muhwa inhaled the congee as if she were vacuuming it up.

Is it because I'm hurt?

It had been an extreme poison, a synthesis of every toxin imaginable. Even with luck on her side, as a martial artist ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she should have suffered fatal internal injuries. She was a little tired, a little worn — but she was fine. She knew exactly whose doing that was.

This energy...

The alien energy lingering in her body. It was the distinctive energy that belonged to Sun Wukong. Muhwa tilted her head.

But why?

Saving her life — that she could understand, as a fellow martial artist of the jianghu, as an ally, and as something like a friend who had shared a bond. If Wukong had been poisoned, Muhwa would have done whatever it took to save him too.

The question came from somewhere else.

Why is he bringing me congee too?

He treated her. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠He saved her life. And now he was nursing her through her recovery?

"Mm."

"What's the matter?"

"Ah — it's nothing."

Muhwa glanced at Wukong's eyes and quickly looked away. She had a feeling that if she didn't, some strange thought would take root in her head. Maybe it was the medicine, but she felt a flush of heat rising through her body.

As the atmosphere grew awkward, Muhwa hastily changed the subject.

"Ah. Teacher Sun — how did you know?"

"Know what?"

"My... name."

"Your name?"

"You called me Oh Neung."

"That's the Law Enforcement Hall Master's name, isn't it?"

"No, I mean — how did you know that?"

I only just heard it in a dream myself.

Muhwa was certain that those two syllables her mother had called her in the dream — Oh Neung — were the name she had forgotten. Perhaps a memory buried in pain had surfaced. But she hadn't said a word about the dream. How could Wukong possibly know?

Wukong smiled, a meaningful glint in his eye.

"My name is Wukong, and that little brother of mine is named Ojeong — so of course the Hall Master would be Oh Neung."

"What?"

"Fellow disciples under the same master ought to share a generational character."

Confusion flickered across Muhwa's face. Wukong just snickered, apparently with no intention of explaining further.

Not just strange — this man is downright bizarre...

Her body sagged from the poison, she had no energy, and her head was far too cluttered to find the strength to ask anything more.

Then another dream surfaced. A golden monkey, fighting a yeti.

"A golden monkey..."

"Hm?"

"Ah, I had a dream. Some golden monkey in full armor called me Oh Neung."

"..."

"He was fighting a yeti on a snowy mountain — the thing must have been ten feet tall — and it was so vivid."

Wukong looked at Muhwa with an odd expression. He was always like this. There ought to have been a clear distance between man and woman, but sometimes he acted as if that distance didn't exist at all. The way he was staring at her now was one such example.

Muhwa suddenly found that gaze embarrassing and glanced away.

"I'm tired. I think I should lie down for a bit."

Wukong left her there, pulling the covers over her head, and stepped outside.

Once outside, Wukong's expression was far from ordinary.

A yeti demon on a snowy mountain... that wasn't a dream. That actually happened.

She had seen the past.

Wukong thought of the yoryeok remaining in Muhwa's body.

Don't tell me the yoryeok stimulated her past-life memories?

Bajie had been a demon, after all. It wasn't out of the question. Wukong stroked his chin.

So yoryeok can act as a stimulus. I'll need to test this.

He started walking.

The inner courtyard of the Namgung Clan Estate. A place so deep that even among the areas only blood relatives could enter, it lay further still.

The Namgung Clan's dungeon.

Wukong walked in as if it were nothing. The Namgung martial artists standing guard made no move to stop him.

"Alright. You and I have some things to talk about, don't we? Hundred-Eyed Demon."

His pressure points sealed, bound in iron ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chains, the Hundred-Eyed Demon's eyes flashed a dull red.

Wukong smiled faintly.