Journey to the West: Life Simulation of Sun Wukong

"The monarchs of dynasties are worse than monsters and demons!"

When it came to the King of Han, Hai Feng was even more unsparing in his curses.

He loathed monsters and demons as one would hate a mortal enemy.

But after a few years at Three Lives Academy, he had come to understand why the common folk lived such hard lives; it was all because their rulers did nothing but indulge in luxury.

Furthermore, the greed of the ministers, who squeezed the wealth from the hands of the people, sucking their blood, gnawing at their bones, was simply more detestable than monsters and demons!

Monsters and demons consume only the flesh and blood of humans; but emperors and officials, they yearn for the very souls of the people!

Zhang Liang felt even more ashamed, "It is for this reason that I wanted to invite you all to join Korea, to set right what is wrong."

"You mean to start a rebellion?" Su Yonglin suddenly asked.

"What?"

Zhang Liang was puzzled.

"If you want us to join, it's not impossible, as long as you can find a way to replace the emperor, or perhaps you yourself become the emperor," Su Yonglin spoke dispassionately, "After all, you should feel secure using us, right? We don't want to play games of wits and courage with a foolish emperor. Rather than that, it's better to rise from insignificance, strategize step by step, and overthrow the Kingdom of Han."

Zhang Liang's face turned awkward.

He naturally wouldn't dare to rebel; he was a loyal supporter of King of Han's lineage and could not betray it, but—

"The current King of Han is indeed somewhat foolish, but we will indeed try to have a new emperor replace the existing King of Han, using a more gentle approach."

Zhang Liang proposed his own candidate, "For instance, the son of the King of Han, Han Fei."

Su Yonglin was already thinking of seeing him off, "You still haven't grasped the situation. It's no use talking any further, you won't understand. Since you believe Han Fei is capable of bearing the responsibility, why doesn't he come himself? At the very least, he should have come with you. Or are you saying the King of Han has only that one son?"

The King of Han, of course, would not have only one son like Han Fei.

Zhang Liang fell silent for a moment before saying, "Han Fei is different from the King of Han..."

"Different how?" Su Yonglin interrupted Zhang Liang, "Nothing more than being able to empathize with the people's hardships, assist the commoners—that he has such a character suggests that he isn't highly used by the King of Han, and moreover, it seems his brothers don't really care for him, unable to get along."

"It's a bit insulting to Han Fei perhaps, but in Korea, it's impossible for him to inherit the throne unless he has the power to force an abdication and eliminate all his brothers."

Zhang Liang's eyes widened while his pupils abruptly contracted.

"Han Fei should have the ability, whether it's in an open and honorable way or through assassination, but by the looks of it, he's also somewhat indecisive... Perhaps he might leave a significant mark in the history books, but it won't change anything," Su Yonglin finished speaking.

With that, Su Yonglin said his goodbyes to Zhang Liang, taking Hai Feng and others, leaving behind the open-air resting table, alone with his dejection.

"So, did you manage to recruit anyone?" Mao Xue approached at this moment, seeing Zhang Liang's despondent expression, she already knew the outcome but still asked with a smile.

"Not a single person is willing to follow me away," Zhang Liang said, disheartened, "I know Korea has myriad flaws, the King of Han likewise is dim-witted and Wudao, lost in debauchery, only indulging in pleasure."

"But I cannot accept this!"

"How can Korea fall?"

This version is sourced from MV3L3MPYR.

"Mao Xue, are you willing to leave Huaguo Mountain with me, to go to Korea?"

He placed his hopes in Mao Xue.

This rabbit lady, if she was willing to follow him back, would surely be able to help Korea endure.

But Mao Xue shook her head, a hint of disappointment showing in her eyes, "It seems that Miss Mao Xue and I are fated but not destined. That you could come here is already an extraordinary blessing—why still think of Korea? And even if you are thinking of it, you should be considering your own Korea, not that of the Han Clan, foolishly settling for the lesser."

Zhang Liang sighed, "I know, but I was born there; I can't change that."

"Is it that you can't change, or is it that you lack the courage to?" Mao Xue stared straight at Zhang Liang, who, feeling ashamed, lowered his head.

"Change!"

Mao Xue uttered the word "change," and cast an Illusion Technique on Zhang Liang's face, transforming his appearance—his hair turned dry and withered, his skin became sallow, and wrinkles appeared on his face.

Then, she handed Zhang Liang a mirror.

"Yikes! How did I turn into this?" Miss Mao Xue, please don't joke with me!" Startled by his reflection, Zhang Liang leaped up from the stone bench, touched his own cheeks, still plump and in no way as aged as in the mirror, and he sighed in relief.

But if his skin hadn't changed, why did the reflection in the mirror look so aged?

"This is an Illusion Technique, not truly transforming you into another appearance; I don't have that kind of mana," Mao Xue explained.

"Miss, please change me back immediately, don't jest with me!" Zhang Liang, not wanting to keep that face any longer, pleaded with Mao Xue, "If I return with this face, who would recognize me?"

"Exactly, it's so others won't recognize you." Mao Xue handed Zhang Liang a book with "Ruddy Radiance" written on it, "Although the furthest place I've been to is Ao Lai, from what I've heard from the students of the Three Lives Academy, I can roughly guess the situation in Nanshan Continent. This book should be useful to you."

Zhang Liang flipped through it and immediately threw it onto the table, "This book is the height of treachery!"

This book, incredibly, taught people to rebel!

The Three Lives Academy actually had such books, reducing princes and generals to nothing, utterly preposterous.

"This is the most suitable book for you that I've copied from the Tower of a Myriad Books," Mao Xue pouted, "Now that you have changed into another appearance, once you return, your relatives and friends won't recognize you, and you will truly understand the hardships of the common people. This book is very useful."

"You must first break free from your class!"

Zhang Liang caught his breath, "Class?"

Mao Xue said, "That's what is described in this book, just take a good look, I will go now."

Watching Mao Xue hop and skip away, Zhang Liang was somewhat puzzled but still shakily picked up the book from the table and took a closer look. To his surprise, he found some sense in it.

"No, no! How can I find it sensible? These are clearly the words of a great traitor!"

Zhang Liang cursed loudly, even slapping himself, hoping to awaken from his error. But he truly learned a lot from it and even understood the methods by which officials, the gentry, and landlords oppressed the common people.

It was a hierarchical system.

"Are the gentry and landlords all parasites?" Zhang Liang seemed to suddenly realize, for he had once helped Han Fei to rid of some corrupt officials and was beloved by the people of Korea, but the lives of the people had not improved.

So that was the reason!

It was just that he, too, was born into the gentry, and usually only read the texts of sages; he never considered this aspect, or perhaps he had thought of it, but since he was among those who benefited, he did not ponder in this direction.

"Yes, I was the benefiting noble... now, perhaps not."

Disguised by the Illusion Technique, losing his original appearance, could he still live his life as before?

No.

Even if he returned to Korea, he could only be treated as a madman by his former friends.

Even if his friends could still recognize him, since he had "lost" his original handsome appearance, they would shun him, and he could no longer enter the same social circles.

"Is this your intention, Miss Mao Xue, to let me truly experience the life of the common folk?"