With his body hunched, the little furball monkey stepped onto the bridge, one careful foot at a time, a little timid despite himself. Under his feet, the metal was warm, as if it still remembered the sunlight from long ago.
All around, it was quiet. Only the deep rumble of the underground river could be heard below. A dim golden light fell from above, though no one could say where it came from. And there, an odd landscape unfolded before him.
Flowering trees grew between carved stones, and at the far end of the cave, fireflies danced with a soft orange glow. A large stone house, covered in ivy, blended seamlessly into the breathtaking scene.
The little monkey stepped forward to the center of the bridge. He looked up. There, standing tall on a stone pedestal, a stone stele awaited him. It looked ancient, yet the letters carved into it glowed as if freshly inscribed.
He read them aloud, not knowing how he could. How could he understand those symbols so naturally?
Blessed Land of the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits.
Paradise of the Water-Curtain Cave.
His heart skipped a beat.
A paradise? For him? For all his kind?
Overjoyed, he turned abruptly, shut his eyes, curled up again... and leapt back through the waterfall.
"By all the hairs on my tail! It's a miracle! Who would've thought? I've found a treasure hidden behind the water!"
Immediately, all the other monkeys rushed over.
"What's it like in there?" asked the baboon.
"Can we go in? Will we drown?" added the civet.
"Is it deep? Is it dark? Is it magical? Is it dangerous?!" shouted the others all at once.
The little furball monkey raised his eyebrows and said nothing. He was already grinning from ear to ear.
He straightened proudly and declared:
"There's no water at all in there. Not a single drop on the walls. There's a shining iron bridge, and beyond that... something marvelous. A real treasure from the Heavens!"
"What? A treasure? What's a 'Heavenly treasure'?" asked a young macaque, eyes wide.
The little monkey laughed heartily, his fur still slightly damp.
"The water flows under the bridge, like magic. And on the other side, there's a huge garden with flowering trees and a stone house covered in ivy. Inside, it's all ready for living: stone beds, stone benches, even a stone kitchen! Pots, pans, stoves... everything we need!"
"And then? What else?" cried an overexcited baboon.
"There's also a stele in the center. It says this place is a paradise... for us! Big enough for all the monkeys in the world, young or old, chatty or grumpy."
He shot a mischievous look at Shifu Houzi, who pretended not to hear.
"So? What are we waiting for? Why keep sleeping outside and getting soaked by the rain? We've found our home. Follow me!"
The monkeys stood there, stunned. Then they burst into cries of joy.
"You go first and show us the way!" shouted the baboon.
Without hesitation, the little furball monkey shut his eyes, curled up... and leapt once more through the waterfall.
"Come on, everyone!" he cried, his voice echoing through the water. "Follow me! Follow me!"
The bravest jumped right after him, one after another. The timid ones hesitated: poking their heads through the water curtain, then pulling back with whimpers; scratching their ears, rubbing their jaws, circling around while chattering nervously.
But in the end, they all jumped too.
Inside, chaos reigned.
They ran across the bridge, climbed the walls, grabbed dishes, snatched bowls, argued over stone beds, knocked over pots and stoves. One even tried to hide inside a cooking pot.
They only calmed down when they were too tired to twitch an ear.
Then, the little monkey climbed onto a high rock. He crossed his arms and declared in a clear voice:
"My friends! Do you remember what you said earlier? Whoever crossed the waterfall without getting knocked out, whoever found us all a shelter... would be honored as king."
He paused, looking at each of them.
"Well, I went in. I came out. I went back again, and I found you this wonderful cave. It's safe from rain, far from predators, and big enough to house all our families. So... why not honor me as your king?"
When the monkeys heard that, a powerful silence fell. Then, one by one, they crossed their arms over their chests, bowed low, and all prostrated together before the little furball monkey.
The youngest hurried to line up, clumsily. The elders knelt slowly, eyes shining.
And in a single voice, they all cried:
"Long live our great king!"
At that very moment, the little furball monkey became something more.
He dropped the word "furball" from his name. He was no longer just a little monkey born from a forgotten egg on the mountain.
He had become the Monkey King, radiant and proud.
Abel Maria : Royal Road & Webnovel