"As the saying goes: the compassionate should not command troops, the sentimental should not handle affairs, the righteous should not manage money, and the 'good'..." General Lee lifted his head and glanced at Marshal Silver from afar, then patted General Curtain on the shoulder and sighed, "...should not be officials. So it is in Heaven, and so it is in the mortal world. No power can change this rule. Since it cannot be changed... it must be obeyed."
"The 'good'...should not be officials?"
Hearing this, General Curtain was momentarily dazed.
Marshal Silver furrowed his brow slightly, his expression unchanged.
"Enough, enough. The more said, the worse it gets." General Lee smiled, then turned to Monkey and cupped his hands, "Great Sage, my task here is done. I should return to Heaven now."
Monkey glanced at Marshal Silver and General Curtain, then said leisurely, "Not going to chat with them a bit more?"
"No need." General Lee laughed awkwardly. "Both of them are dragons among men. I’m sure they understand what I mean."
Monkey nodded slightly and cupped his hands, "Then let me thank you here, General Lee, for your help this time. Though the Jade Emperor gave the order, what I, Sun Wukong, remember is your personal favor."
At this, General Lee was flattered and quickly bowed with cupped hands, "I dare not accept such praise."
"Then, let me see you off."
"Great Sage, please stay. I shall take my leave first."
With that, General Lee bowed and retreated a few steps. He saluted Tripitaka, Marshal Silver, and General Curtain, then turned and soared into the sky. In moments, he had vanished without a trace.
Out on the lake, many fishing boats were already busy. On the shore, the refugees had scattered, leaving only a single squad of guards surrounding Tripitaka and the others.
General Curtain was still muttering something in a daze, while Marshal Silver stood expressionless.
From a distance, Monkey saw Clara Heart standing all alone, a hundred yards away.
All the way here, she had followed them—Monkey was well aware. But why was she trailing him? What did she want?
"Great Sage, what are you thinking?" Following Monkey’s gaze, Aiden Ao quickly spotted Clara Heart too and was taken aback.
"The Jade Emperor made her Imperial Envoy, in charge of all matters related to me." Monkey stroked his chin and mused, "I’m wondering—just now, I was so polite to General Lee. If he reports back to the Jade Emperor, will the Emperor revoke her post and give it to General Lee instead?"
"Someone from Crescent Star Cave getting a Heaven post? Now that’s something new."
Monkey snorted coldly. "Who knows what scheme that broad is plotting."
With that, Monkey shot Clara Heart a glare from afar.
Immediately, Clara Heart’s face flushed bright red.
Though Monkey kept his voice low because of the distance, Clara Heart could read lips—so she knew exactly what he’d said. Most crucially, Monkey deliberately stretched out the word 'broad,' making sure she caught it.
At this moment, Clara Heart wished she could crawl into a hole and disappear, but from start to finish, her feet never moved an inch.
Watching her, Monkey couldn’t help but furrow his brow.
Aiden Ao half-covered his mouth and whispered, "Do you think she was sent by someone to sabotage the Scripture Quest?"
"Who do you mean?"
"Uh... I mean your master, Master Sage Subhuti."
Hearing this, Monkey gave a wry laugh. "I’d believe anyone in this world might try to wreck the Quest—except him."
With that, Monkey shook his head and walked off, leaving Aiden Ao standing there, utterly confused.
By now, Monkey no longer felt the slightest trust for his master—but he absolutely didn’t believe Master Sage Subhuti would send Clara Heart to sabotage the Quest.
Many things have come to light now, and Monkey understands clearly why Master Sage Subhuti did what he did in Crescent Star Cave, and why he later hid Belle’s true identity.
Six hundred years ago, Lord Buddha may have set it all in motion, but Master Sage Subhuti was hardly innocent—he was complicit. In truth, both of them were puppet-masters behind the scenes, both turned Monkey’s life into a game. The only difference was their ultimate goals.
Most of the time, this was something Monkey would rather not talk about.
For Tripitaka’s enlightenment, Master Sage Subhuti helped Lord Buddha set the trap—and in the end, Monkey really did walk right into it, heading west as they intended. You had to admit: his master was the sharpest strategist under Heaven.
The worst part was, he happened to be Monkey’s master. Kill him... Monkey genuinely couldn’t do it.
Some things, maybe forgetting is the only way out.
Thinking this, Monkey couldn’t help but mock himself: "A so-called killer god who shakes the Three Realms—actually just hollow bravado. Once someone hits my soft spot, I’m nothing."
"What?" General Curtain looked at Monkey in confusion.
"Nothing. I was just asking if you’ve really decided to head west with me."