Prologue

About Wukong：

the one you know is the Monkey King， a superhero；

the one you don't know is a poor little monkey， gazing at the stars alone.

I was born amidst deafening thunderbolts, as if the very universe were shattering. 

A flash of lightning tore across the sky, striking a massive stone and splitting it open. From its broken heart, I came. I came into this world with both noise and silence.

People often call me an extraordinary monkey, born from nature's hand, yet they overlook the cruel truth: I had no father, no mother. 

I am an orphan— 

long before I became  Wukong, that mighty warrior，

long before I was crowned the Monkey King, 

long before the arduous journey to the West, 

I lived alone, ever since I was three.

Buddha warned that desires could disturb one's peace of mind and lead to endless suffering.

But how can one expect an orphan like me to stop longing for parents and a home?

There is no path for me to follow Buddha, cradled in the arms of his loving parents.

Thus, destiny knocks at my door, heavy with pain, cruelty, misfortune, and unexpected joy.

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Chapter One     A Furry Fish

"Excuse me, may I ask you a question?"

I turn toward the voice and see a little scarlet fish gazing at me, her eyes brimming with curiosity.

She is so beautiful that my gaze is immediately drawn to her delicately translucent skin. If she could pause for just a moment, anyone would swear she was sculpted from red crystal. Without a doubt, she is the most enchanting fish I have ever encountered.

For seven days, I have been swimming endlessly. It all began when I was pushed off the northern cliff of Huaguo Mountain (Flower-Fruit Mountain), plunging straight into this vast, unending sea.

Along the way, I have met fish, jellies, oysters, and octopuses—one by one, school after school. I always said hello. But they only watched me from a distance, whispering among themselves or even bursting into laughter. Not one of them responded.

She is the first to ever speak to me.

"Just one, please," she adds, flicking her tail playfully.

Just then, a ray of sunset hits her, and she shimmers in the blue-green seawater.

Around her, reflections of pink clouds ripple through the waves, making her look like a butterfly flitting through a sea of flowers.

I nod instinctively.

"Are you a fish?" she asks.

A fish? Oh, my heavens! You must be kidding!

How odd! In all my nine years, I've been called a stone, a monster—anything but a fish. I never imagined anyone would ever mistake me for one.

After examining my wet yet fluffy arms, I shake my head.

"Actually, as you have seen, I am a, a......"My heart pounds, my breath quickens. That word tangles on my tongue. I hesitate.

Then, at last, I swallow the truth.

I am not sure whether she can accept it. For years, I've NEVER been called what I really am——a MONKE at Huaguo Mountain, where I grew up.

I suppose I should call it my hometown, though I'm not sure if it ever felt like one. There wasn't much of a home waiting for me there—just a hollow tree to sleep in and an uncle who took care of me for three years when I was little.

As I'm lost in thought, she circles around me again and again, throwing questions at me faster than I can count.

"Why do you have fur? Why do you have limbs, hands, fingers, and even feet and toes? To be honest, I've never seen a fish like you."

For the first time, I start questioning whether I even understand what one means anymore.

"You said you only had ONE question," I mutter.

She either doesn't hear me or chooses to ignore it. "As far as I know, fish don't usually grow fur. Why do you have fur?"

She studies my left arm closely and keeps going. "Why are you so different? I suppose..." She squints at me, thinking hard, as if the right answer might just appear if she stares long enough.

My heart sinks—just like my body does—when I hear the word: different. Only the Heaven Lord knows how many times I've had to endure such a miserable label.

How do I escape this dreadful question forever? Where can I go? Is there anywhere in this world where I truly belong? Or is there anyone else cursed with the same ridiculous birth as mine?

I don't know.

Even I don't know if I'll ever find the answers to these questions before Yanwang (the Death God in Chinese myth) comes for me. In my experience, questions only ever lead to more questions.

"I got it!" Her voice jolts me from  drowning. "You must be from another sea—one far, far away! I once stumbled upon a strange book in my grandpa's library—the largest library in the underwater world. It was full of incredible stories about another world."

"A book?" I echo, just as a shooting star streaks across the pale pink twilight sky， vanishing in the blink of an eye.

"That book talked about birds with six legs but no head, horses with a single horn, foxes with nine tails, and goats with human faces. It made me realize—what we see and live in might just be a tiny part of a much bigger world. Someone or something that seems strange to me could be completely ordinary somewhere else.So, I guess there must be a place where furry fish grow, just like you.Oh! That reminds me—I haven't even said the most important thing yet."

"What's that?"

"May I have your name? And—so glad to meet you! You are very welcome here."

"Hi, I'm Stone," I finally answer one of her questions. "And just to clear things up, I'm not a fish. I hope that doesn't disappoint you."

"Not a fish?" she repeats, sounding puzzled.

"Maybe... you might think I'm a monkey?" I add cautiously.

I must be out of my mind. These words always got me into trouble back when I was still at Huaguo Mountain. Only heaven knows why I decided to say them again.

Now, I wait for her response, hoping for something different to unfold in this world, if such a thing is possible. I used to think it would never happen, but now, I'd pay any price to make it real.

"Wow, a monkey! That's amazing! I've heard monkeys can fish for the moon—can you really do that? I've never met a monkey before. Can we be friends?"

"Yes, of course! I... I'm afraid..."

I trail off, completely lost, barely aware of what I'm even saying. How is this happening? Am I dreaming? I glance around, trying to make sure everything is real.

As dusk fades, a drowsy full moon climbs over the horizon, as if struggling to surrender to a dream. Its light slips through gaps in the thick clouds, shimmering on the waves.

"But I've never played any moon-catching game."

"That's good enough—as long as you can be my first monkey friend." She extends her half-red, half-white left fin, grasping my trembling right hand. "We can reach for the moon in our own way. Hold on, Stone. You're going to love my welcome gift."

Before I can react, Redfish leaps from the water, aiming for the dim glow of the dark blue sky.

"Ah—— What are you doing?"

"Jumping onto the moon——"

A massive formation of clouds surges toward us, closing in with surprising speed.

"Oh no, no——" I exclaim, lost in the white mist, a dizzying mix of pleasure and terror flooding my mind.

Shortly, we begin to descend. It feels as though I'm plunging into an invisible, intangible sea—no waves, yet moisture clings to me at every turn. Then I realize I'm passing through a cluster of droplets. I reach out to grab a few, but they slip out of my palms, like tiny, elusive fish.

Finally, we land once more, but not where we started—far from it.

"It's... it's unbelievable! How can you fly?"

"Not flying, my friend. It's just leaping. I'm a carp; my whole family is famous for jumping."

"Wow, your family... that's amazing," I say, my voice softening, a pang of longing creeping into my chest.

"You look sad. What's wrong? You don't like my gift, do you? Where do you come from? Where are you going? Have you always lived in the sea?"

A barrage of new questions rains down on me before I can even answer the old ones, betraying her good intentions—she's trying to comfort me, but it only adds to the weight I already carry.

"Well, your gift is wonderful. I guess I just need a moment to figure out where to begin. You've asked a lot of questions."

To be honest, I'm reluctant to share anything about my miserable life with anyone.

Every fragment of those dark, cold memories torments me. The moment I fell off the cliff, I wished I could disappear, erase everything, and never have to return.

"Oh, I'm afraid I've asked too much...... Do you ......mind?" She falters, awkwardly noticing my silence.

"No." I quickly reassure her, not wanting to cause even the slightest discomfort.

"You're quite the enigma. My father once said monkeys usually live in the mountains. How is it you can swim for so long? Seven days without touching land—only fish can do that. You must have some magical power. Your story would be incredible."She continues, her voice full of wonder.

I roll onto my back, crossing my hands behind my head as I float, gazing at the distant stars scattered between the cracks in the thickening clouds.

"It's quite a long story. Might even be boring. Are you sure you want to listen?"

"Don't worry, I have a thousand years." A log drifts over from nowhere, wet but smooth. She leaps out of the water, perches on it, and grins.

"A thousand years? You've got to be kidding me. Only fairies and deities live that long."

We both chuckle at the moon, half-hidden behind the clouds.

"Who's laughing? Who's there?"

A hoarse, wild voice calls out, carried by the wind from afar.

I sit up abruptly, turning toward the approaching lights. They drift closer, flickering in the night. Soon, I make out torches mounted on large bamboo rafts, each raft carrying several strong monkeys and stacked high with piles of fruits and nuts.

Goosebumps prickle across my skin.

Why are they here? Are they chasing me? Are they going to kill me again?

I go rigid, anger and horror crashing over me as I stare at the approaching rafts. They draw nearer, their torchlight flickering across the waves.

One raft moves ahead of the others. The monkeys aboard are the first to shout—

"Sto—ne? Is that you?"

More voices join in, laced with disbelief and disdain—

"Stone? How can he be here?"

"That's impossible! He must be dead—buried in a fish's belly."

"He was pushed off the cliff seven days ago. No way he survived. I saw it happen!"

"He's not saying anything... Maybe it's just a ghost."

"What?"

"A ghost?"

I can hear them all suck in a breath, and even the rafts seem to jolt.

"That's terrifying. We should leave. Now!"

"A ghost? That's ridiculous! He is very much alive." Redfish protests, but her words are lost in the chaos around us.

"Wait. We can't simply leave this murderer like this."

I recognize the angry yet sorrowful voice. It belongs to Ninety-Eight, the eldest cousin of my best friend, One-Hundred-and-Sixty-Two, who has been missing for nearly ten days along with the other two boys.

"What do you want to do? Don't forget our mission. Stone has died because of his guilt. His uncle also..." One of them tries to stop him, but he interrupts sharply.

"That's not enough! I want to kill him a thousand times over."

My uncle? What happened to him?

My heart clenches, as if squeezed by an invisible hand. The world around me fades—I can't hear them anymore. I try to speak, but my tongue refuses to move.

More and more monkeys gather around him. Slowly, the fire in his eyes dims, his anger sinking into silent sorrow. Without another word, he turns, ready to row away.

"What have you done to my uncle?"

At last, my voice returns.

"What?"

They all turn back at once, nearly tipping the rafts over.

"Watch out!"

"Watch out!"

Their screams mix with the splashes of fruit hitting the sea, creating a deafening clamor.

Some monkeys dive in, scrambling to rescue their watermelons, peaches, plums, apples, and pears, while others cling desperately to the edges of the rafts, struggling to steady themselves.

At last, the chaos subsides. A collective sigh of relief spreads through the group.

Then, all at once, their torches turn on me, their flames blazing so brightly that I have to shield my eyes with my hands.

"Stone, you're not dead! How is this possible?"

"How can you still be alive? You were sentenced to death—you should have died!"

"Why are you here? Why haven't you died yet?"

Several voices crash over me like waves.

Without hesitation, I shout back at the top of my lungs, "I've told you—I never hurt anyone! Your cousin must be alive. None of my friends are dead. They might just be lost somewhere. Why won't you believe me?"

"Stop lying! You filthy liar! You murdered my cousin and the other two boys! No matter what you say, we won't be fooled!" Ninety-Eight snarls, his voice dripping with fury.

They refuse to listen. Not a single word of mine gets through—just like always.

Abandoned by both sadness and anger, my heart feels as hollow as the darkness stretching over the vast sea.

Arguing is pointless. The only thing I can do is find those three missing little monkeys. But before that, I must protect my uncle.

I take a deep breath.

"Let's make a deal. I'll bring your cousin back, but you must swear never to hurt my uncle."

"How long?"

"Ten years."

"Ten years? That's the biggest joke I've ever heard. Look at you—a half-drowned, pathetic monkey."

A monkey standing beside Ninety-Eight sneers. The torchlight flickers across his fluffy face, but no matter how hard I try, I can't remember his name.

"How dare you say that? You idiot! Do you think you're a fish?  A flurry "fish"? That you can just live in water forever? Without food or fresh water, you'll drop dead any day now!" another monkey scoffs.

To them, it's impossible. How could a monkey survive in this endless sea? No food to fill the stomach. No fresh water to quench the thirst.

Even Redfish turns to me. "That's what I wonder, too," she murmurs.

There's nothing left to say.

I have to go.

Thunder rumbles in the distance, low and menacing. A gale sweeps in, stirring the sea, as waves begin to tumble and crash.
The rafts, rocking wildly amidst the chaos of shouting voices, are soon washed away, completely out of control, while a surge of torrent carries me in the opposite direction.

They're finally gone!" Redfish exclaims, leaping from the water as if she appeared out of nowhere. Magic seems to follow her, and just like that, the wind suddenly dies down.

"Are you okay?" She peers into my face, eyes searching. Though she asks only one question, I can see a thousand more hidden in her gaze.

"Where have you been? Are you all right?" I don't know how to answer her, so instead, I ask my own question.

"I'm fine. Just went somewhere to get you a little wind at your back," she says with a playful glint in her eyes.

"Really?"

"Do you think I have that kind of magic? That I can command the elements?"

I shake my head slightly. "But... it came at just the right time."

"Perhaps that's because of me," she says with a grin.

We both burst into laughter.

In the distance, thunder fades. Behind the clouds, the moon peeks out. Beyond them, a few stars twinkle at me once more—like old friends greeting me after a long separation.

"Now, if you please," she says, settling onto a large, oval watermelon.

I meet her kind, clear eyes, and a strange, long-anticipated warmth spreads through my chest. For a moment, I feel both the urge to cry and the need to smile. All my emotions—joy and sorrow—melt into a single current, rushing through me, urging me to say:

"Well then, it's story time. Let's begin, my friend."