Chapter 111

Welcome To (3)

Language.

The alpha and omega of civilization.

If human standards were applied directly to animals, one could argue that animals possessed no language.

But what if communication itself was considered a language?

Could one truly say that animals had none?

Their linguistic systems were simply less complex and less segmented than those of humans.

However, the greatest difference between humans and animals was intelligence, and that gap was clearly reflected in their use of language.

That difference gave rise to many things.

Even when humans encountered a foreign language, they could understand it to some extent as long as they made an effort to learn it.

Animals could not.

Language wasn’t something that merely needed to be memorized. Its true value could only be realized through complete comprehension.

In that sense, one could say that animals had failed to grasp the ultimate essence of language.

And right now, all that common sense came crashing down through the mouth of the gorilla chief.

Was this what it felt like to have the entire universe unfold inside one’s head?

Human words had emerged from the chief’s mouth—a language completely removed from an animal’s cries.

Could the person who had taught the gorillas martial arts have taught them language as well?

However, separate from the act of teaching them language, the important point was that they had acquired human methods of communication.

The chief had given me bananas as an apology and even bowed politely.

It undoubtedly possessed intelligence comparable to that of a human.

’Now that I look closely, it has a lot of wrinkles too.’

Its face was far more wrinkled than those of the other gorillas, giving it an air of considerable age and experience.

Then who in the world was the person who had taught it language?

After thinking for a moment, I decided to pick up the bananas first.

Judging by its polite manner and the overall atmosphere, it had clearly offered them as an apology.

Even if it launched a surprise attack, I had Namu-Ppareumbo with me, so I wasn’t worried.

"Ni chou narira?"

"...What the hell are you saying?"

When I picked up the bananas, the gorilla chief spoke again.

However, I didn’t know any of this world’s languages, so I couldn’t understand it.

’Judging by the intonation, it sounds somewhat similar to Chinese...’

This world had a place called the Central Plains, a nation resembling those found in martial arts stories.

If it was anything like the martial worlds I knew, it wouldn’t be strange for its people to speak a language resembling Chinese.

That didn’t change the fact that I had no idea what the words meant.

This was precisely when I needed the Gallery.

I opened the Gallery and began recording a video. I planned to upload it.

"Could you... say that again?"

I made a circular gesture with my hand to indicate that I wanted it to repeat itself.

I had unconsciously spoken politely, but I didn’t bother worrying about that.

Fortunately, it seemed to understand my gesture.

The chief stared at me before repeating the same words.

"Ni chou narira?"

"Just a moment, please."

I immediately uploaded the recorded video to the Gallery.

I desperately hoped it was the language of the Central Plains.

If so, the Heavenly Demon could translate it immediately.

***

Title: Emergeeeency!!! The Gorilla Can Speak!!!

Wild Grylls

(Video of the gorilla chief speaking a human language)

I’m starting to get really scared. Does anyone know what it’s saying?

Gorillas in the Forest of Four Seasons can speak human languages. Can anyone translate this?

└ Heavenly Demon: ??? Why is a gorilla speaking the language of the Central Plains? Is this truly happening?

└ Wild Grylls: I’d broadcast it live if I could, but that isn’t possible right now. This is really happening.

└ Heavenly Demon: Hmm... I do not know where that gorilla learned it, but it is indeed speaking the language of the Central Plains. It is even using an archaic form of the language.

└ Wild Grylls: An archaic form?

└ Heavenly Demon: This lady means that it speaks as the elders do.

└ SwordMaster: Aren’t you an old fossil yourself?

└ Heavenly Demon: Did this lady not say that she only recently entered the prime of her youth?

└ SwordMaster: How can you say that while talking like some ancient relic? ;;

└ Allfather: Oh. My. God. By Aragorn, what am I looking at?

└ Wild Grylls: A video of a gorilla speaking a human language.

└ Allfather: Oh. Fuck. This must be an omen of the world’s destruction.

└ Wild Grylls: Are you okay? ;;

└ Allfather: I shall go relieve my urges for a moment.

└ Wild Grylls: Dude... ;;

└ Wait, can that gorilla seriously speak?

└ Monsters capable of human speech appear occasionally. Orc shamans and goblin sorcerers, for example.

└ Sure, but have you ever seen a gorilla speaking a human language?

└ Of course not. Lmao. What the hell is that? Lmao.

└ It even seems to have learned the language of the Central Plains. Lmao.

└ Who the hell taught it?

└ Judging by the way it speaks, that dialect is ancient as hell. It sounds like something people would’ve used during the Righteous-Blood War.

└ When did the Righteous-Blood War happen?

└ About sixty years ago, I think.

└ Why is it wearing clothes too? Lmao.

└ Looks like it’s wearing a dead person’s clothes.

└ Gorilla fashion. Lmao.

***

Countless comments appeared in less than a minute.

Most people said it was unbelievable or accused me of using ventriloquism.

They offered all sorts of wild theories, but this was the reality in front of me.

’Anyway, it asked where I came from, right?’

It was time to answer.

If I kept it waiting, I might ruin its first impression of me.

However, I didn’t know a single word that it could understand.

[Heavenly Demon: Do you wish for this lady to teach you what to say?]

[Wild Grylls: Huh? How did you know?]

[Heavenly Demon: Considering the situation, that much is easy to deduce. However, although the Gallery can convey written words, it cannot transmit spoken language. Unless this lady knew your native tongue, it would likely be difficult.]

[Wild Grylls: Then could you show me how to write "Republic of Korea" in the language of the Central Plains?]

[Heavenly Demon: That is easily done. Wait a moment.]

While the Heavenly Demon wrote down the words, I attempted to converse with the gorilla chief.

Of course, the chief merely reacted as though it had no idea what I was saying, so I accomplished nothing.

It had only been an attempt to buy time, so I waited patiently.

[Wild Grylls: Heavenly Demon. Heavenly Demon. Could you help me?]

[Heavenly Demon: (Photo of "Republic of Korea" written in the language of the Central Plains on a sheet of paper) Will this suffice?]

[Wild Grylls: Thank you!]

[Heavenly Demon: Ask whenever you require assistance. From what this lady can see, you will continue to need her.]

I copied the characters from the Heavenly Demon’s photograph onto the ground.

I would have preferred to write them in the notebook inside the cave, but I didn’t know what might happen while I went to retrieve it.

When I began writing on the ground, the gorilla chief shifted its gaze toward the characters.

It tilted its head before looking back up at me and speaking.

"Buchidao."

I recorded it and immediately sent the video to the Heavenly Demon.

According to her, it had answered, "I don’t know."

Naturally, it couldn’t have known.

The Republic of Korea was a country from another world.

"Yao. Shabi?"

"Bu."

"Kai. Zama. Jubeo?"

"Junja tungpeo."

The chief then began conversing with one of the spear-wielding gorillas beside it.

Judging by their behavior, the spear-wielders seemed to be something like its personal guards.

Unlike the gorilla chief, who spoke fluently, the guards spoke in short, broken phrases.

I recorded their conversation and sent it to the Heavenly Demon.

[Heavenly Demon: That ape is asking whether they may kill you. It says you are the enemy who slew its kin.]

[Wild Grylls: What?]

[Heavenly Demon: The chief says there is no need. Finding the bodies of their kin takes priority.]

The bodies of their kin.

They seemed to be referring to the gorillas I had killed yesterday.

Still, perhaps an ape remained an ape even after learning a language, because they openly discussed killing me while I stood right in front of them.

Or perhaps they had deliberately spoken where I could hear them.

I waited for their response.

"Ssŭchi dorenma?"

According to the Heavenly Demon, it was asking where its dead kin were.

Since they were the bastards who had stolen my food, I didn’t want to tell them so readily.

Moreover, if I conceded too easily, they might look down on me. I needed to proceed cautiously.

Scritch—scritch—

I wrote some characters on the ground.

They roughly meant:

What if I don’t want to tell you?

The chief carefully examined what I had written before responding.

"Hwiurulseda."

According to the translation, it meant:

There will be blood.

I could tell from its half-threatening tone even before receiving the translation.

’It can even use figurative expressions?’

The figurative expression was surprising enough, but the fact that it could convey nuance through its tone was even more astonishing.

Just how intelligent was this creature?

I narrowed my eyes and stared back at the chief’s ferocious gaze before glancing at the gorillas beside it.

’Assuming the chief is as strong as Namu-Ppareumbo...’

There were approximately five other gorillas, including the guards.

We were at a numerical disadvantage.

If we fought, we would inevitably lose.

It was best to avoid battles with such poor odds whenever possible.

In particular, the fact that the chief had offered me bananas meant that it was willing to resolve the situation peacefully.

’Let’s avoid fighting.’

I imposed a condition.

I would show them where their kin were buried, but they had to leave immediately afterward.

When I wrote the condition on the ground, the chief nodded.

I didn’t know whether it would honor its promise, but reaching an agreement was still the best choice available.

"They’re here."

When I showed them where the gorillas had been buried, the chief jerked its head.

One of the gorillas—an ordinary soldier rather than a personal guard—stepped forward and began digging.

It dug with its bare hands.

However, given a gorilla’s physical capabilities, it excavated the ground as rapidly as a mechanical digger.

Before long, it began pulling out the buried corpses one by one.

Since I had only buried them yesterday, they were still intact, without any signs of decomposition.

’Will this satisfy them?’

I watched the gorillas carry away the bodies before glancing at the chief.

It remained standing in place, silently observing until the other gorillas disappeared into the forest.

Once every one of its subordinates had vanished, the chief addressed me.

"Shincha."

"Huh?"

"Shishin pangeol laotera."

As expected, I had no idea what it was saying.

However, I always kept the Gallery open.

I sent the recording to the Heavenly Demon.

[Heavenly Demon: It says that it is time to discuss a personal matter.]

[Wild Grylls: A personal matter?]

[Heavenly Demon: That is not a particularly good sign. In the murim, when someone distinguishes between public and personal affairs, a fight usually follows.]

Was I going to have to fight this creature?

I slowly retreated.

The chief saw my reaction and spoke impassively.

"Chinpalli lyushi eomeon kwoeo."

"..."

"Sunzŭ shi billa. Ni shie jeungpandeo."

Invading your territory was our fault.

My grandson was discourteous. Your actions were justified.

"Keoshi baenzhu join shien shin. Haio sso kong."

However, this Sovereign is the leader of the troop—and the boy’s grandfather.

The moment I heard the translation this Sovereign, I couldn’t help but stare dumbfounded.

The Heavenly Demon seemed equally astonished, immediately revealing her feelings after translating it.

[Heavenly Demon: How arrogant. A mere ape dares to call itself "this Sovereign." Who in the world taught it that?]

[Wild Grylls: Maybe the person who taught it used that expression?]

[Heavenly Demon: Whoever it was taught the creature improperly. None but the greatest under heaven may refer to themselves by that title.]

More importantly, the chief’s aura was becoming increasingly ominous.

Even its personal guards gradually retreated, creating the unmistakable atmosphere of an imminent fight.

I slowly circulated the mana within my body and infused the Heavenly Demon’s sword with aura.

Unless I took it by surprise, defeating the chief seemed impossible.

"Ssuai."

Therefore...

"Na joi ikeubeo."

I shall take one of your arms.

The instant the Heavenly Demon finished translating, I charged.

Aura shimmered around the Heavenly Demon’s sword like a heat haze.

No—it had far surpassed the level of an ordinary heat haze.

Flames.

The sword’s aura surged like raging flames.

If I struck the gorilla chief with it, its body would be cleaved in two.

Don’t call me a coward.

This was the best I could do.

What wouldn’t I do to survive?

This was a place where the one who survived was the strong one.

’Good. I caught it completely off guard!’

The chief didn’t react even when the sword entered striking distance.

Perhaps it had failed to respond in time.

This was my chance.

If I continued forward and cleaved through its torso—

That never happened.

Instead, an unbelievable sight unfolded before my eyes.

Aura blazed like fire around the Heavenly Demon’s sword.

It was a strike capable of effortlessly slicing through an animal’s flesh and bones with the slightest contact.

Yet the gorilla chief casually caught it.

Not with one hand.

With only three fingers—its thumb, index finger, and middle finger.

As I stared in disbelief, the chief spoke with a serene expression.

"Hao chil reo."

I didn’t know what it meant.

Even so, I was now certain of one thing.

The gorilla chief was far stronger than I had ever imagined.