Vol. 3 Chap. 120 Stand Up Guy
The laughter bubbled up in Truth from the bottom of his belly, tickling his guts and squeezing his lungs. What could he do but laugh? He wanted to fight a higher reality entity that was compounding the torture of humanity inflicted by a literal stellar eminence, all while God disdained to look on. There would be no miracles. There would be no divine intervention.
He was a guy with a sword. A thug with a spell and delusions of grandeur. A rat can bite a cat, but he needs somewhere to stand and fight, right? What do you do when the ground you stand on is one enemy, and the other is beyond your reach?
Only a fool would fight under those conditions. Only a fool would take that fight rather than running all the way to Siphios and Etenesh.
Well. Fine. He could be the fool a little longer. He would be the silly rat that forgot what good rats know and try to live instead like a human. Accepting natural stress, ignoring or avoiding the unnatural.
It occurs to me that the higher you cultivate, the fewer of those stresses, natural and otherwise, apply. You dont need to eat as much, not as worried about shelter, or sleep. Even old age is less of a thing. Truth said, once he could speak again.
True. And dont forget fertility. Higher level cultivators have superb control over their own reproductive capability. Its why you dont see cultivator clans running the world. The higher level cultivators basically cant be bothered to reproduce anymore. The Abbot agreed.
I dont suppose you know how to have a polite conversation with the eminence of this planet?
No. I wouldnt even know where to begin looking for the person who would know. The Abbots antlers swished through the air violently.
Any idea how to chain down and fight a higher dimensional spirit?
With another higher dimensional spirit? Sorry.
Ah well. It had been a long shot.
No worries. That discreet place to make a call?
You can borrow my communication altar. If it becomes a problem, I will just say you stole it. But kindly do not transmit from here. If you will permit me, I will lead you to a discreet place. One that is hard to surveil.
Oh? Not sending a little brother? Truth asked.
No, I would rather remain your hostage. That brought an awkward pause to the conversation.
Ah, you know, even before we chatted, I wasnt going to hurt anyone here.
Mmm. I believe you. And yet, I think we will both be happier if I am close by. The Abbot seemed indifferent.
We both will?
Yes. You will feel more secure, and therefore less likely to take regrettable but necessary steps. By putting myself in a little more danger, I spare my brethren and myself a great deal more danger.
Truth laughed softly. Odd how that works sometimes. Alright, let me grab my bag and Im ready to go when you are.
I packed some food, just in case you need something to eat. The Abbot stood. A good breakfast brightens up the whole day.
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The abbot was quick on his feet. They moved through the woods silently, the monks robe not so much as flapping in the wind. Quickly, gently, barely bending the grass with their steps. Truth enjoyed running through the woods. It felt freeing. He didnt have to pretend to be normal. That his body was the same as everyone else's.
He supposed the demon would know a lot more about that than he would, but he didnt want to disturb the silence by asking. He would just enjoy feeling his body move through the forest. Playing the fool. Playing the hero. Playing the ascetic, or the mystic wanderer. Becoming a person without thought, and only existing through their body.
He stretched his arms upward, smiled, and leapt off a rock for the sheer joy of it. Why not? He would call Merkovah and lay it all out, and if the old monster disagreed, he was free to come here and yell at him.
Over here. The Abbot had elected to carry the altar. Its not that Truth wasnt strong enough, its just that his arms werent long enough to make carrying convenient. The demon set down the altar in a little rocky nook, surrounded by mature trees.
This spot is where we buried the peaceable Holy Child. Odd fellow, but an excellent neighbor.
Because he never bothered you? Truth asked.
We never even saw him, most of the time. He wasnt hiding. He just didnt move much beyond his meditation chamber.
How did he eat? Before he starved himself to death?
I have no idea, the Abbot shrugged. We never caught him eating. Our best guess was some form of body cultivation that let him forgo food for long periods.
Truth nodded. It would be his guess too. Why should I set up my ritual here in particular?
Young man, do you know how much sex a body can have in six hundred years? I have done all the fetishes. All of them that are not actual crimes. All. Of. Them. Even the ones I knew I would hate. And I did hate them, but after six hundred years, you want to try SOMETHING new. Exhibitionism? I was bored of that before your great-grandfather ten times over was an alarming scrotal twinge.
The old exorcist must be under a lot of stress, Truth thought. Now, would that be artificial stress or natural stress? Meh.
Oh? Let me guess. Now you have a fetish for loving-
No, stopping you there. Ive already got Nag Hamadi digging FAR too deeply into my love life, Im not getting into it with you.
So many jokes to work with. How do you leave me hanging like that?
Sounds like Im in not good company, but company. Hows the breeze where you are?
Quite nice, actually. Im in a quiet place outside Harban. Headed north again.
You didnt get through much of my list. Barely any of it, in fact.
True. On the other hand, I would die if I hung around Harban, and lets face it. How much more damage could I do? And how useful would it actually be to our goal? Say I blew up an apartment building. Which, just so you know, I wont be doing. But say I did. Does Starbrite even notice? Does the System Astrologica give any more of a damn than it already does?
Merkovah went silent for a moment. You are swearing less.
This time it was Truth who got thrown for a loop. I am?
You are.
Oh. I dont know why.
I do. Hmm. North. You want to raid Army Forge.
Yes. So why
Oh, Im not going to tell you. I just dont want you to feel like I was lying by omission. No need to go to Army Forge. She probably was there, but isnt now.
Oh? Where, then?
Everwhite Mountain.
Where? Truth had never heard of such a place.
Ah I think in Jeongo it's the Great White Mountain?
Truth started sputtering. The national birthplace?!
I can assure you-
Teacher, I can one hundred percent tell you that not a single person in Jeon cares about the literal truth of the national foundation myth. Not a single one. Anywhere. Top to bottom. Nobody.
Thats nice, but what I was actually saying was I can assure you that multiple, independently verified sources indicate a major research facility has been set up either under Heavens Lake in the caldera, or inside the volcano proper. And that there is a great deal of circumstantial evidence which leads us to believe that the Shattervoid girl was moved there.
Ah. Right. So. Off I go then.
Oh good. I do think we have a few more minor items to go over. Such as why you tried to murder someone even I regard as a living saint.
Who? Truth tried to think, but was drawing a complete blank.
Doctor Sun Ri. He has personally saved so many children, he was proposed as a separate category in the Jeons childhood mortality statistics. Saved by Dr. Sun. I must know at least twenty people who were personally saved by him. And saved again by his loving, kind bedside manner. Merkovah sounded tired and sad. I am long past trying to sort innocents from villains, but Dr. Sun-
Oh we are definitely going to talk about HIM. But first, I had a small, real quick, question. On the subject of murder
Yes?
How, exactly, did you expect me to kill the System Astrologica when it exists in a higher dimension?
There was a short pause. Then-
How in the Hell did you figure that one out?