Unveiling the Storylines Behind Chapter One

The Mystery of the Six Roots: A Meticulously Designed Game of Chess

Looking at the big picture, the process of collecting the six roots reveals numerous anomalies. These peculiarities become increasingly apparent as the story progresses, leading to a conclusion: This "retracing of the Journey to the West" is more akin to an intricately designed game of chess, where each character has their own script, waiting for the Destinated One to take the stage.

For instance, in the prologue, the Old Monkey tells the Monkey Descendant:

The Great Sage's six roots have transformed into spiritual objects, concealed in the world. Alas, no one has laid eyes on them for centuries.

The word "concealed" suggests that the Old Monkey did not disclose the specific locations of the six roots.

The Origin of the Destinated One: Divine Guidance in the Shadows

The Destinated One's journey from Flower Fruit Mountain to Black Wind Mountain seems far from coincidental. Consider this: Flower Fruit Mountain is located in the Aolai Kingdom of East Sacred Land, while the Great Tang of the East is in South Goodness Land, as is Black Wind Mountain.

The two lands are separated by a vast sea. In the original "Journey to the West," Sun Wukong traveled across the sea on a raft to learn his skills.

The wolf demon at Black Wind Mountain says:

You look familiar. That monkey has come again.

This indicates that more than one Destinated One has visited this place, and it's highly likely that there are divine beings guiding them from behind the scenes.

From Black Bear Demon's shadow talisman, we know that he was ordered by the Bodhisattva to retrieve the six roots.

The same applies to Sudhana's father, the Bull Demon King.

At the end of the first chapter, Black Bear Demon says,

I was coerced by the Heavenly Court. If I weren't forced into this, who would dare to lay hands on that plague god who once wreaked havoc in Heaven?

It seems that the Destinated One's whereabouts are no secret. Black Bear Demon is also waiting for the Destinated One at Black Wind Mountain under orders from the divine beings.

That's why Black Bear Demon says: "The King (referring to the Black Wind King) foresees events as if divine."

True and False Destinated Ones: The Great Sage's "Divine Consciousness"

In the game, each map has an Earth God Temple as a respawn point. Each time you respawn and face the boss again, it triggers different dialogues.

For example, the Black Wind King might say: "Why seek death when life is good?"

Black Wind King

When fighting the Red Boy, he even says: "We've died hundreds of times. Even with bodies of iron, dying a hundred times or so is reasonable."

When the Earth God teaches the Destinated One the Immobilization Spell, he says:

It's been a while since I've used it, but this Life-Fixing Spell still works well. Even for an old acquaintance from Flower Fruit Mountain, teaching you one move won't hurt.

This hints at our difference from other Destinated Ones. Many monkeys have come from Flower Fruit Mountain, but those monkeys weren't qualified to be taught the Immobilization Spell by the Earth God. Because there's only one true Destinated One, not those ordinary monkeys, but the Great Sage. This is also why we can trigger the Earth God Temple.

This is also the first time the Earth God has seen the true Destinated One, not just someone with an empty title.

That's why he says: "You look so alike, truly alike!"

That's why he says: "You may not remember this place, but something here remembers you."

That's why he says: "This monkey, still mischievous as ever."

In the original story, when Wukong arrived at the Guanyin Temple, there was also a bell-ringing scene. The Earth God is again hinting that the Destinated One is the past Sun Wukong.

Subhuti's Grand Plan

In the divine beings' arrangement, the Earth God isn't responsible for teaching the Destinated One magic. So why does he say, "Teaching you one move won't hurt"?

This is because Subhuti (Sun Wukong's first master after his birth, who taught him the 72 transformations) had instructed the Earth God in a dream to teach the Destinated One magic. Subhuti said:

I have an old acquaintance with a poor temperament. Although he's currently down on his luck, with his arrogant nature, he's bound to have trouble settling down. If you encounter him in the mountains, you may pass on this technique to him.

This indicates that Subhuti had foreseen that Wukong would scatter his six roots and retrace the Journey to the West.

The Divine Beings' Conspiracy: Reshaping a Puppet Great Sage

The Earth God's words reveal a deeper meaning:

After the Great Sage's death, he transformed into the six roots. Collecting the six roots will rebuild the Great Sage of Equaling Heaven. But if the Great Sage's true nature has died, what use is this shell without will?

The divine beings' goal is to make the Great Sage's "will" wear the tight band again, turning him into their puppet. The Earth God is hinting that we should break free from "destiny" and reclaim the Great Sage's true nature.

There's an interesting character in the game, a small demon named Guangmou encountered in the bamboo forest. Upon meeting, he bluntly says: "If I die by your hand, please pass a message to my master."

This shows that Guangmou is well aware that he might die, but is powerless to change it, hence his calm demeanor. Many demons know about the roadblock characters, and even small demons like Guangmou know that a monkey will come looking for them.

But while he appears calm on the surface, he's actually quite treacherous, as he suddenly launches a sneak attack while talking. This not only shows his cunning nature but also reflects his hidden desire to fight for his life.

Destiny, destiny. Why are you the Destinated One, and I have to wait quietly for death?

Ironically, these small demons will die, but the Demon Kings won't perish, they just disappear after being defeated. You can see this with characters like Elder Jinchi and the White-Robed Scholar.

Erlang's Secret Assistance

Erlang sends the White-Robed Scholar brothers to test the Destinated One, aiming to verify whether the Destinated One can break free from the divine beings' control. The White-Robed Scholar says:

I deeply understand how arduous your destiny as the Destinated One is, but I empathize with you, and we share a similar fate.

Erlang not only concealed the Great Sage's true heart but also provided safe refuge for beings like the Six Ding and Six Jia through the scroll world, allowing them to secretly assist the Destinated One.

Storylines and Character Relationships Overview

At this point, let's do a comprehensive review of the storylines and world-building in the first chapter:

Character Relationships

The Destinated One (Protagonist): The game's main character, believed to be the reincarnation or successor of the true Sun Wukong, destined to complete the Journey to the West.
Old Monkey: The character who reveals information about the six roots to the Monkey Descendant (Destinated One), seemingly knowledgeable about the Destinated One's destiny.
Guangzhi: Guangzhi initially doubts the Destinated One's identity but later confirms that the Destinated One is "the one the King spoke of," indicating that higher powers are monitoring the Destinated One's progress.
Black Bear Demon: Coerced by the Heavenly Court, suggesting that the Destinated One's whereabouts and journey might be controlled by the Heavenly Court. This is crucial for the Destinated One to understand the truth behind their destiny.
Erlang: Observing and testing the Destinated One from behind the scenes. His third eye secretly retains the Great Sage's memories, significantly influencing the Destinated One's destiny.
Red Boy: A character who interacts with the Destinated One. His father, the Bull Demon King, is also connected to the six roots.
Earth God: Appears in multiple maps throughout the game, providing help and guidance to the Destinated One. Closely tied to the Destinated One's destiny.

Main Storyline

The Destinated One embarks on a journey to retrace the Journey to the West, aiming to collect the six roots, which have been transformed into spiritual objects hidden in the world.
During the journey, the Destinated One encounters various demons and divine beings who either help or hinder them, but all contribute in some way to advancing the Destinated One's journey.
The Destinated One needs to grow through various trials and battles, ultimately facing the Black Wind King and uncovering the truth behind the journey.

Side Storylines

The Destinated One's encounters with various small and large demons, which often serve as tests of the Destinated One's identity.
The Earth God Temples as respawn points reveal that the Destinated One might not be the first to embark on this journey, and other "Destinated Ones" may have existed before.
Collecting the six roots is not just a physical search but also a process of inner growth and self-discovery for the Destinated One.

Hidden Storylines

Erlang's secret assistance and tests. He possesses the Great Sage's memories and might be key to the Destinated One reclaiming their true nature.
The true purpose of the Earth God Temples and the Earth God's real intentions. They might not just be for resurrecting the Destinated One but for guiding them towards their true destiny.
The Black Bear Demon, Red Boy, and other characters might have deeper divine arrangements behind them. Their actions and existence profoundly impact the Destinated One's destiny.

Story Background Analysis

The story background suggests that the Destinated One might be a pawn selected by the divine beings, with their destiny pre-arranged to complete a larger game of chess.
The Destinated One's choices and actions may determine whether they can break free from this chess game, reclaim their true nature, and become the master of their own destiny.

How Events Aid the Main Quest

Finding the Six Roots: The Destinated One needs to locate the six roots hidden in the world, which is key to completing the journey. Old Monkey's hint and the wolf demon's confirmation both push the Destinated One to search for these spiritual objects.
Battling Demons: The demons in the game are not just combat opponents but also trials for the Destinated One to prove their strength and determination. Defeating them helps the Destinated One grow and progress in their journey.
Divine Beings' Manipulation: Understanding the divine beings' manipulation of the journey helps the Destinated One better comprehend their destiny, enabling them to make wiser choices.
** Erlang's Tests and Aid**: Erlang's tests might be to confirm the Destinated One's identity, while his secret assistance could be crucial to the Destinated One's success.
Earth God Temples as Respawn Points: The Earth God Temples serve as respawn points, providing the Destinated One with opportunities to retry, which is vital support for completing difficult tasks.
Uncovering the Truth: Through interactions and battles with various characters, or their support, the Destinated One gradually unveils the truth behind the journey.

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