Chapter 3

Chapter 002: Kim Seungho in a Strange Land (1)

"When I was young, I had a dream where a divine being appeared and gave me a golden ruler, saying, 'Measure the land of the Three Han with this golden ruler.' Later, when I grew up and visited Mount Mae in Jinan, I found that the scenery of the mountain was exactly the same as the place where the divine being appeared and gave me the golden ruler in my dream."

- Excerpt from the Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty -

"It's already been three days..."

Originally, I should have uploaded a video the day before yesterday, but I'm in a place where there's no Wi-Fi, not even any electronic devices, and I can't do anything.

"But, uploading a video isn't the most important thing right now..."

Looking around, all I see are mountains, and more mountains. Behind me, two massive stone peaks stood prominently, and the air was crystal clear, but it was clear that this mountain was not Namhansan.

"Where am I, exactly?"

Judging by the attire, it looks like a monk from the Joseon era, but I can't understand what they're saying, except for some Sanskrit. And with the countless piles of stones, it doesn't seem to be anywhere near Seoul.

"Alms! Alms!"

A young novice monk, who looked like a little kid, called out to me. I finally turned to look at him and smiled.

"Ah, right."

The cute kid, with his head shaved and a runny nose, called out to me, so I gently patted his head.

"Alms... I guess it means what I think it means."

From what I can hear, it sounds like Korean, but I wondered if I was in a Korean-Chinese autonomous region. However, the weather is too mild to be in the Jilin area.

"Wag wag! Rice!"

"I understand 'rice,' little one."

Since we can't communicate properly, we've been using body language and onomatopoeia to communicate, but this novice monk has been the one taking the best care of me here.

"His dharma name is Shinmi... It can't possibly be that Shinmi, can it?"

Shinmi, a high-ranking monk with great spiritual power who was associated with King Sejong in the early Joseon period, was known as Shinmi the Great Master. In a certain movie that was heavily criticized for its historical inaccuracies, he was even portrayed as contributing to the creation of the Korean alphabet...

"From the looks of it, this Shinmi isn't the same one, and he's probably just a namesake."

"@#! [email protected]?"

It's really hard to understand, but it definitely sounds like Korean.

I've heard this before while researching video materials... but I can't possibly be having the kind of trip I only read about in novels, can I?

"The natural scenery here is something you wouldn't see in the 21st century. There's not a single power pole in sight, which is impossible. So, where am I, and who dropped me here?"

For the first few days, I denied the reality of the situation, but all the evidence around me was telling a different story.

The only fortunate thing is that I have my laptop and a charger.

Rather than the joke that "those who don't have an Apple laptop can't drink coffee at Starbucks," I bought this Apple laptop because the video editing software available in the store was really good. I also bought a solar charger to use for editing videos outdoors, as the battery drains faster than expected. I never thought I'd be using it here.

The solar charger is a high-performance, latest model. I had no choice but to succumb to the temptation, but that's the fate of those who use Apple products.

"Still, who brought me here?"

For what reason? I'm not important enough to be the subject of a Truman Show-like hidden camera.

While thinking, I ate the light temple food and swallowed the tough grass side dish, and I resolved to leave this place and find an embassy as soon as possible.

"I was a bit naive for the first two days, but I can't be like that anymore. I'm grateful to the monks who didn't drive me away when I first woke up here, and I'll set out on my journey tomorrow."

I only have my laptop and about 30,000 won in cash, but there doesn't seem to be a supermarket nearby, so the cash is useless.

I watched myself eat, and when Shinmi suddenly started giggling, I patted his head.

***

"A young man who can't speak the language of the late Goryeo... Is there anyone among the barbarians who speaks such a language?"

"No, Great Master. If you listen carefully to the young man's words, there are parts that seem to connect with the late Goryeo language..."

A young man suddenly appeared in the center of the pagoda, accompanied by a light, and was found lying there. When he regained consciousness, he looked around in great confusion, first laughing, then getting angry, and finally begging with his hands.

He spoke in a difficult-to-understand language, neither the language of the Central Plains nor that of the Yuan Dynasty, but the monks only learned that his name was Kim Seungho and that he had a strange device.

"A young man who has a device that produces text when he taps its fingers..."

"Moreover, that device emits light even in the dark and produces a woman's voice."

The head monk of the pagoda, while warning a young monk who was unknowingly revealing his greed, said:

"Juyoung, are you coveting something that is not yours?"

"No, Great Master!"

"The device itself follows its owner. Even Shinmi, who was right next to it, couldn't use it even when told how to activate it. How can you, with your selfish heart, covet the property of a person living in this world?"

"Forgive me."

"Sit in meditation and suppress the greed in your heart."

"Understood."

The head monk was greatly surprised by the device, which only emitted light when the young man's right thumb touched it. He muttered to himself, seeing the young monk's greed:

"Juyoung, your studies are not light, yet you are captivated by a device and a barbarian youth who can use it..."

The young man, with his relatively fair and clean skin, looked like a noble's child, but he had no topknot, and his attire was completely different. His chest had a long, inverted human figure embroidered in white, and his black attire exuded a certain dignity.

"Is it called 'sweatpants'? The material is soft, and it doesn't seem to be a cheap item... But, whose child could he be?"

Given his inability to speak properly and the lack of a topknot, he might be a child of a high-ranking family who was taken to the Yuan Dynasty...

The more I looked at him, the more mysterious he became.

"By the way, didn't you say that the son of the commander of the Twin Star General Office, Yi Jachun, would visit the pagoda today?"

"Come to think of it, he was supposed to visit today."

"He is said to be extraordinary from birth. I wonder how extraordinary he will be today... Sigh."

However, the head monk and the monks who knew Yi Jachun's son were sweating profusely.

He was bold, brave, and intelligent, and after growing up, he became an excellent military officer. However, the irregular troops under his command were not ordinary rough characters. Moreover, Yi Jachun was a well-known warrior in the north and the commander of the Twin Star General Office.

With the Wokou and Red Turbans rampant, Yi Jachun's son, 'he,' was already a young Goryeo general with a growing list of commendable achievements.

They hoped that today would pass without any trouble, but the pagoda now had a device called a 'notebook' and its owner.

"Amitabha..."

***

"@#?"

"Yeah. I can't stay here forever."

I already realized that this isn't the 21st century.

However, to rule out the possibility that this is a show orchestrated by a truly malicious person, I need to go out and check the surroundings at least once.

"I don't have a habit of bowing to Buddha. I trust my own limbs, even if they're weak."

Shinmi, who was nervously watching me, but my only belongings here are a backpack with my laundry, a notebook, and a pair of Adidas slippers and Reebok sneakers.

I smoke a bit, so I have a few lighters in my bag. I decided to leave one as a gift for this temple.

"A Dunhill lighter would be better, but it's too expensive."

I'm getting frustrated. I had some channel earnings and ordered a Dunhill lighter for men, but I was kidnapped right after receiving it.

Still, in a remote temple without electricity, a lighter would be quite useful.

I noticed they were using flint to make fire, so this would probably be a good gift.

"@#? I'll [email protected]# today."

Shinmi's behavior was a bit strange.

He was shocked when he saw me trying to leave, and he was fidgeting, trying to tell me something, but we need to communicate to understand each other...

"Whatever I hear, it sounds like late Goryeo or early Joseon language."

If I really had a trip, knowing which era I'm in is important. If it's the late Goryeo or the early Joseon, my life could be in danger.

"Yoyo~ Cute little monk! If you scare the grown-ups, the mountain spirits will get you! Roar~!"

"Mountain spirits!"

When I mentioned mountain spirits, the kid was startled, and I was taken aback too.

...The more I doubt, the more it turns into certainty. 'Mountain spirits' was a term used for tigers until the late Joseon period, and the fear in Shinmi's eyes was real.

Seeing the kid, who was trembling and on the verge of tears, I felt I had said something too scary and patted his head.

"Just kidding, little one."

If Shinmi's acting, he's a genius child actor.

I loosened up, took off the smelly temple clothes, and put on the fresh, sun-dried Reebok sweatpants.

Since I might have to walk a long distance, I decided to wear sneakers instead of slippers. After tying the laces, I felt the temple suddenly become busy.

"Don't leave. Don't leave! Stay in the room! Meditate!"

Since I can understand some words when they are spoken slowly, I could tell that Shinmi was desperately trying to tell me something.

"Don't leave the room?"

Shinmi, who seemed to understand, nodded vigorously, and his big eyes were filled with tears.

"Is something going to happen?"

But I need to confirm if I really had a trip first.

If I really did, my survival would be at risk.

I tried to send a message through the laptop, but it didn't connect.

"I really have to go, little one."

I can't just sit and wait. You, a young novice monk, might not understand, but life as an adult isn't easy. I can't give up the hope that this is the modern era and I'm being secretly filmed.

If possible, I want it to be true.

"Aah! Don't leave!"

As I was trying to calm Shinmi, who was clinging to me and desperately trying to stop me from leaving, a well-built young man suddenly appeared in front of me.