Chapter 72

72

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“How about it!”

At the sudden declaration of 10 billion won by the well-built man, Gangseok looked up at him blankly. Gangseok's expression was utterly expressionless, as if to say, "So what if it's 10 billion won?"

“I can even give 11 billion, no, 15 billion if 10 billion is not enough!”

“......?”

“Huh! You're selling this to me for my lady. Is 15 billion not enough?”

His Korean, which seemed out of place for the era, echoed loudly. His voice was as large as his build. Yang Seongu, who had been watching from nearby, stroked his beard. Yang Seongu, the only one dressed in silk hanbok among those in monastic and everyday clothing, shook his head.

“Damn. Damn.”

Judging from Gangseok's face, it seemed he was going to reject the offer of 150 billion won as well. This was quite something. A look of amazement appeared on Yang Seongu's face.

As far as I know, Gangseok is only nineteen, yet how can he be so resolute?

Every time someone suggested selling the statue through the Bloom Art Museum or me, he ignored it, showing a deep attachment to the work. Now, seeing him take the same attitude towards , it seemed he had confidence in all his works.

What will happen this time?

Yang Seongu, unable to hide his curiosity, stroked his beard.

‘Did he act this way because he anticipated such a situation?’

Yang Seongu recalled a week ago, looking straight ahead. His expression changed subtly. It was indeed a strange scene.

The monks, who had come to the academic conference to present or listen to papers, were standing in the peaceful and moving atmosphere as if they had arrived at a holy site, with their hands clasped. Next to them, Gangseok was surrounded by people, listening to desperate pleas to sell .

On one side was a scene of peace and emotion, and on the other, a battlefield where people fought with money as their weapon.

How could such things happen in one place?

Yang Seongu clicked his tongue.

“Ahem! Cough! Cough!”

While Yang Seongu was lost in thought, the well-built man let out a fake cough. It seemed he was retreating after being harshly rejected.

Not even blinking at 150 billion won, he was a scary guy. Yang Seongu blinked in admiration as the well-built man, who had introduced himself as working for some wealthy benefactor, walked away.

He had been holding his chin high when introducing himself, but now he was walking with his head almost touching the ground.

Gangseok, who had been watching him retreat, turned his gaze away, showing no interest. Then, the people in Korean Buddhist robes who had been surrounding Gangseok approached cautiously.

This had been a recurring situation since Gangseok was introduced to the organizers as the creator of the promotional Buddha statue. Yang Seongu, watching Gangseok handle the situation skillfully, recalled a week ago.

That was when Gangseok had just completed .

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The moment Gangseok stepped back to admire the newly completed .

Sitting cross-legged, his right hand raised to shoulder height with the palm facing forward in the Abhaya Mudra (fearlessness gesture), and his left hand resting near his knee with the palm facing outward in the Varada Mudra (wish-granting gesture), the statue was revealed through the camera lens.

The statue of Buddha in meditation, seated on a lotus pedestal, commonly known as the lotus throne, with a thin-eyed Buddha covered in a robe that draped over both shoulders, met the eyes of the viewers, who forgot to type in the chat and just stared at the statue.

The pedestal, not a simple straight platform, but shaped like a spindle, made the Buddha's gaze even more striking.

It was both terrifying and beautiful.

The viewers, who had been quietly admiring the eyes filled with truth, finally began to type in the chat after a long while. The speed at which the chat messages poured in, like waves, was still vivid in his memory.

Most of the chat messages asked for the location where the statue would be exhibited.

That's when it happened.

Gangseok, who had just completed the sculpture, moved towards the laptop where the chat messages were appearing in real-time. He was next to Yang Seongu. After wiping his face roughly with a towel, Gangseok quickly read through the chat messages.

He nodded slightly and then stood in front of the camera again. With his face still damp with sweat, he spoke calmly.

“This work is for the benefit of all Buddhist believers and scholars, so I cannot provide an address. Please understand.”

Yang Seongu, stroking his beard, chuckled. What a selfless kid, he thought.

Of course, the value of would be well known to those in the Buddhist community, and making a promotional Buddha statue was for their benefit, so it made sense to refuse individual fans who wanted to see it.

However, every artist, deep down, harbors a desire for attention.

They want interest in their work and, by extension, in themselves. Yet, Gangseok had refused to reveal the address, preventing the scholars and enthusiasts who would appreciate the work from seeing it.

“Then, this concludes the live broadcast of the sculpture process. If there's an opportunity, I'll see you again soon.”

And he ended the broadcast without hesitation.

Now, he looked satisfied with just this.

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At that moment.

If Gangseok had announced the address, what would this place be like now?

Even without the address, the scene was already filled with people from Buddhist countries like China, Myanmar, and Thailand, who had heard the rumors and were raising their voices to buy . If there were also ordinary visitors, the situation would have been even more chaotic.

Yang Seongu shuddered at the thought. The Seoul campus of a Korean university, easily accessible by public transportation, would have been swarmed by people. It could have even attracted tourists.

In that case, the current scene, where the emotional atmosphere and the market-like environment coexist, would not have been possible.

In the worst-case scenario, the World Buddhist Academic Conference might have been canceled due to the inability to control the crowd.

‘Did he think all this through in that short moment? Or did he just want the monks and Buddhist scholars to see his work, and it turned out well?’

I don't know. Yang Seongu stroked his beard.

“By the way, are you not planning to sell ?”

While he was lost in thought, many people had been turned away by Gangseok. The offers ranged from 10 billion to 100 billion won, but Gangseok remained indifferent to all of them.

What was he thinking...? Just as Yang Seongu couldn't contain his curiosity, a group of monks in gray robes and colorful kasayas approached Gangseok. Yang Seongu's eyes widened.

Bongeunsa Temple, which had played a significant role in bringing the World Buddhist Academic Conference to Korea, was approaching. The abbot, Beopgye, with a smile like a Hahoe mask, led the Korean monks in a procession. It was a march.

The people, who had been raising their voices like in a market, stepped back. Beopgye, without a single gesture or glance, walked straight to Gangseok.

“It is an honor to meet you, Sir.”

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Sir.

A scholar who has not taken office and lives in seclusion.

A common term used by monks to address a non-Buddhist male.

Gangseok slightly bowed his head in response.

“It's nice to meet you, sir.”

“I heard you are a student at Cheonghua Art High School.”

“Yes.”

“The beautiful bud, Cheonghua. When I heard that you are a student at Cheonghua Art High School, named by my teacher and former abbot of Bongeunsa, Wolgok, I felt a connection.”

Wrinkles formed around his eyes, like a Hahoe mask. He must be a man who always wears a smile. Gangseok, following the wrinkles with his eyes, nodded.

At that moment.

The eyes hidden in the Hahoe mask-like wrinkles rolled towards the statue behind Gangseok's shoulder.

It was beautiful.

The statue, with its vibrant colors and the gentle glow like a lantern, made him feel a surge of greed.

‘If I place this in Bongeunsa, where should I put it? Should it be somewhere the devotees can see it often? With this, Bongeunsa will be the most splendid during the lantern festival and the next celebration...’

And this splendid statue would be the throne that would secure his position as abbot, and even the glory of the thousand-year-old Bongeunsa.

The calculator in his mind clicked as he quietly laughed.

Someone once said:

A temple is grand in its grandeur and humble in its humility, and a space for offering to the Buddha is sufficient as it is.

But that is both true and false.

For Bongeunsa to survive in the heart of Seoul, it cannot rely solely on its long history. It must be old enough to be sought after, valuable enough to be cherished, and have a splendid appearance to attract people.

New footsteps bring new followers.

Why were there so many cardinals and popes commissioning magnificent paintings during the Renaissance?

Worship.

Masses were difficult.

The concentration of ordinary believers was short, and their lives were hard, so during worship, they could look at and interpret the divine messages embedded in the splendid scenery. At least, that's what Beopgye believed.

While subtly revealing his power, Beopgye smiled kindly and looked at Gangseok.

“Sir, the statue you created for the World Buddhist Academic Conference is truly... I am very grateful. It is a statue that embodies the Buddha's teachings of self-illumination and the illumination of others.”

“...Thank you.”

Gangseok felt a sense of déjà vu from the kind face. It reminded him of someone he knew. But who? As he tried to recall, Beopgye bowed deeply and clasped his hands.

“Sir, once again, I am deeply grateful for creating the promotional statue for the World Buddhist Academic Conference, which Bongeunsa is preparing for as part of the committee.”

“Ah.”

Before Gangseok could respond, Beopgye stood up and pointed to the people behind him with a benevolent smile.

“Therefore, I suggested to our Bongeunsa monks that, even if it means some hardship, we should take the initiative to ensure that this statue is not left neglected or poorly managed, and that it does not lose its luster, causing many Buddhist scholars and monks to grieve.”

The monks standing next to Beopgye nodded vigorously. Their eyes, as if they had seen a deity, gazed at the statue in a daze. Some of them, even with Gangseok in front of them, were rolling their prayer beads and bowing.

Although smaller than the main Buddha statue in Seokguram, which is 3.78 meters tall including the lotus throne, this statue, including the pedestal, was a massive 4 meters tall.

Considering the spindle-shaped pedestal, the height of the statue itself was not much different from the 3.78-meter-tall Seokguram Buddha.

The statue's exquisite balance, the unique patterns of the white onyx that resembled clouds, and the effect of the statue glowing as if it were a lantern, all made it feel as if it contained centuries of truth, despite being created in just a week.

It was bound to become an irreplaceable statue, whose value could not be measured by money as time passed. Most importantly, even if it meant being called greedy, he wanted to place this statue in the temple he lived in.

He wanted to see it every day, bow to it, and sometimes perform 108 prostrations. He felt his body would not be satisfied without it. He wanted to forget his afflictions and empty his mind of the 108 sufferings that torment sentient beings across past, present, and future.

The statue seemed to make that possible.

So when Beopgye casually suggested that Bongeunsa buy the statue, everyone nodded vigorously. No matter the cost, as a monk of Bongeunsa, there would be no regret.

“Everyone agreed. As Bongeunsa, which has a long history, we must also consider the new history that will come in the future. We have decided to act with one heart and one mind.”

After saying this, Beopgye bowed again, and the monks behind him followed suit.

Gangseok simply watched the entire process with an unreadable expression.

It seemed like a standoff between a smiling and a non-smiling person, but then Beopgye spoke.

“While it is difficult for us to put a price on the value of the statue you sculpted, after much deliberation, we have cautiously decided on a price. Would you like to see it?”

Beopgye, the abbot of Bongeunsa, quietly handed over a piece of paper.

It was a sum he was reluctant to mention in public.

Gangseok nodded and took the paper from Beopgye. As Beopgye's fingers released the paper, the number of zeros on it was revealed.

One... two... three... four... five...

33,000,000,000.

Nine zeros and two digits in front.

33 billion won.

The news of a statue from the Ming Dynasty being auctioned for 32.7 billion won to a wealthy benefactor building a museum in Hebei, China, flashed through his mind. This was 300 million won more.

Gangseok quietly lifted his head from the paper.

Beopgye, with his usual Hahoe mask-like smile, quietly murmured.

“We have recently received some money... It seems it was meant for this moment.”

The compensation of 41.75 billion won for the 748 pyeong of land in Gangnam, which had been Bongeunsa's property but was now owned by someone else due to a past crime involving document forgery by officials, had just come in.

The Buddha's teachings say that there is a cause (因) and a condition (緣). This must be what they mean. Beopgye smiled.

33 billion won.

It was not a waste.

With the statue, Bongeunsa would become the best temple in Korea. Beopgye, who had grown up with Bongeunsa since childhood, regarded it like his own body. If he could make it the undisputed best temple, he would pay 33 billion won, twice, thrice, or even more.

As the thought of a ruler rather than an abbot burst in Beopgye's mind,

Gangseok showed his first expression.

A look of difficulty.

“I'm really sorry, but... selling the statue to Bongeunsa might be a bit difficult.”

“...What?”

What did you just say? The smile on Beopgye's face broke for the first time. His eyes narrowed into a line, and his lips flattened.

Gangseok, scratching his nose, said,

“I have a place where I really want to lend the statue.”

“...Lend? You mean lend?”

Gangseok nodded.

For the first time, his eyes revealed his heart. They were eyes filled with desire, not inferior to Beopgye's.

Beopgye recognized those eyes.

The eyes of someone with a grand vision. What, exactly, was this person planning? Was there a reason he wouldn't budge even for 33 billion won?

Beopgye, confused, slowly and reluctantly nodded. If the highest offer didn't move him... there was nothing more he could do.

‘I could forcibly take the statue from Sir Gangseok, but if I do, I'll lose future opportunities.’

Gangseok was still young.

At nineteen, he had created . He could create even more magnificent statues in the future.

And since he said he wanted to lend it somewhere, the opportunity to obtain the statue was not lost.

Think long-term.

Think broadly.

Think big.

Beopgye calmed his inner thoughts, nodded, and slowly retreated. He watched the Bongeunsa monks, including Beopgye, quietly retreat for a long time before slowly turning around.

It was the first time he moved.

Gangseok's eyes, unwavering, were fixed on one direction.

With a clear target in his eyes, Gangseok took a step forward without hesitation.

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Gangseok's footsteps stopped behind two figures not long after.

The two figures were the Thai monks, Ananda and Phandit. They were simply gazing up at the statue in awe. Just looking at it filled them with reverence and a sense of healing.

They were so absorbed in the statue that they didn't even notice the commotion nearby. In that moment, with the statue and the world outside it ceasing to exist, they stood with their hands clasped in prayer.

Gangseok's quiet voice pierced their ears.

“Hello. Do you speak Korean?”

Of course, Gangseok had the translation app ready in case they didn't speak Korean. At that moment, Phandit, who knew a little Korean, turned his head in response to the voice.

His face was still dazed.

“A little. I know a little. What is it?”

Phandit, turning to answer, tilted his head and then looked