Chapter 4: The Law of Karma
Minjun wept bitterly in his dream. His cries seemed to shake the heavens and earth.
"Do you understand now?" the Buddha asked. "Why did your descendants, the Korean people, have to endure so much suffering? Why were we invaded by the Mongol Empire, why were we forced to become a vassal state of the Yuan Dynasty and pay tribute with countless women, why were we trampled by the Qing Dynasty, why were we subjected to Japanese colonial rule..."
Minjun nodded. The tears continued to flow.
"But at the same time, you must understand this." The Buddha's voice softened slightly. "The reason the Korean people were able to survive all that hardship. Eulji Mundeok's Battle of Salsu, Yi Sun-sin's Battle of Myeongnyang, Gwon Yul's Battle of Haengju, the devotion of Samyeongdang and the Seunggun, General Kim Jwa-jin's Battle of Cheongsanri, and the sacrifices of countless independence activists..."
The images flashed by. The history of the Korean people unfolded. Stories of hardship, adversity, and the heroes who shone through them.
"These were all the fruits of your good deeds as Geobalhwan. The merits of benefiting the world with the ideal of Hongik Ingan have protected your descendants. Both good and bad deeds produce consequences. That is the law of karma."
The Buddha paused for a moment and then continued. "And we must also understand Japan."
"Japan?" Minjun asked.
"Japan refused to participate in the war against Atlantis. They disobeyed Hwanguk's orders. At the time, this was considered disobedience, but in reality... they were right." Minjun was shocked.
"That's why Japan was protected. When the Yuan Dynasty invaded Japan, the Shinpung and the Kamikaze protected them. And in modern times, Japan became a powerful nation. But..."
The Buddha's voice darkened again. "Japan also became arrogant. They thought they were the chosen people, and they invaded and oppressed other countries. Especially against Korea... They also committed great evil."
"The Imjin War, the Japanese colonial period, the comfort women, forced conscription, the distortion of history..." Minjun muttered.
"That's right. Karma is intricately intertwined. Your evil deeds created the suffering of the Korean people, but Japan's evil deeds created yet another. The same goes for China's Northeast Project. Everyone owes each other a debt. That's the karma of Northeast Asia."
Minjun fell into deep thought. "Then... how can we resolve all of this?"
The Buddha's eyes warmed. "That's why you were born in this era, Minjun. You have been given the opportunity to atone. And through that atonement, you hold the key to clearing the karma of all of Northeast Asia."
"What should I do with you?"
"First, you must realize. Then, you must repent. Then..." Buddha smiled. "You will find it yourself."
Chapter 5: Awakening
Minjun woke up in a cold sweat. It was 5 a.m. A faint light was streaming in through the window. He lay in bed for a while, staring at the ceiling.
"Was it a dream..."
But it wasn't just a dream. It was so vivid, so real. Above all, the inexplicable emotions he'd felt his entire life finally made sense.
The guilt he felt every time he looked at the ocean. It was the memory of sinking Atlantis.
The longing he felt when climbing a high mountain. It was the memory of coming down from Baekdu Mountain, from Hwan-guk. And the complex emotions he felt when he saw his mother...
Minjun jumped up and went to his desk. He pulled his mother's fortune-telling chart from a drawer. His mother had once shown it to him.
"May 12, 1955, lunar calendar, 10:00 AM..."
Minjun examined the chart carefully. And he discovered. His mother's fortune-telling chart contained a strong element of gold. And gold symbolized the sea in the Five Elements.
"Is my mother... the reincarnation of an Atlantean?"
Minjun's hands trembled. He thought of his mother, who had raised him like a precious jewel. After his father's early death, his mother had raised him alone. Despite all the hardships, she never lost her smile.
"I... in my past life..."
The mere thought was terrifying. Minjun ran to the bathroom and vomited. Only after a long period of vomiting did he finally calm down.
"No. It must have been a dream. It just..."
But his mind denied it, but his soul knew. It was the truth. Minjun sat in a daze all day. He couldn't write or eat. In the evening, his mother called.
"Jun, have you eaten?"
Hearing his mother's affectionate voice, Minjun burst into tears.
"Mom..."
"What's wrong? Is something wrong?"
"No... I just... want to hear your voice."
"What's wrong with you, kid? Take care of your health and make sure you eat."
"Yes, Mom. I love you."
After hanging up, Minjun cried for a long time. And that night, he dreamed again.
Chapter 6: Jesus' Visit
This time, it wasn't Buddha. A figure dressed in white appeared before Minjun. His eyes were filled with compassion, yet also with sadness.
"Minjun." It was Jesus' voice.
"Jesus..." Minjun knelt.
"Rise, son." Jesus lifted Minjun up. "I have not come to tell you about your sins. I have come to tell you how you can atone for them."
Minjun raised his head and looked at Jesus.
"What the Buddha showed you is the truth. You judged Atlantis, and in the process, you committed a terrible sin. But there is something you must know."
Jesus raised his hand and pointed into the air. The image unfolded again.
"God the Father judged Atlantis to be judged. And it was true. Atlantis was filled with arrogance and greed, oppressing countless other peoples. They were warned, but they did not repent."
In the image, the king and nobles of Atlantis appeared. They were flaunting their power and conquering other nations.
"But..." Jesus' voice grew heavy. "Judgment must be just. You received God's revelation, but you distorted it. God told you to judge the arrogant ruling class of Atlantis. But you went beyond that and massacred innocent civilians." Minjun lowered his head.
"What's worse is that you justified your evil deeds in the name of God. You told people this was Heaven's will. So people remembered Atlantis only as an evil empire, and your cruelty was disguised as righteous judgment."
Jesus placed a hand on Minjun's shoulder. "But Minjun, I have come to give you hope. Forgiveness is possible. Atonement is possible. That's why I was crucified."
"How... how can I atone?" Minjun asked in a trembling voice. "First, you must acknowledge the truth. You must acknowledge the sins you committed and confess them to the world. You must restore the history of Atlantis and prove that they were not simply an evil empire."
"But who would believe me? It was ten thousand years ago..."
"Truth has its own power." Jesus smiled. "If you confess with sincerity, people's souls will recognize it, especially those who have been reincarnated as Atlantean souls."
"And..." Jesus continued. "You must reconcile with your mother."
"I don't know how to treat her." Minjun wept.
"Love her. Just like you do now. Your mother's soul has already forgiven you. The fact that she became your mother in this life is proof of that. Now, it's your turn to forgive yourself."
Chapter 7: The Beginning of Forgiveness
Minjun awoke from his dream and made a decision. He decided to go see his mother that very day. She lived alone in a small apartment in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. "Oh my, Jun is here! What's going on? You didn't even call."
"Mom, I have something to tell you."
His mother greeted him with a worried look. "Have you eaten? I'll make you some kimchi stew."
"Mom, please sit down first."
The two sat across from each other on the living room sofa. Minjun was at a loss for words for a long time. Where should he begin? He couldn't say, 'Mom, I murdered you in my past life,' right?
"Jun, what's going on? What can't I tell you?"
Minjun took a deep breath and opened his mouth.
"Mom, this might be a strange question, but... do you believe in past lives?"
His mother looked surprised for a moment, then gave a gentle smile.
"Why are you suddenly asking me that?"
"It's just... I've been having strange dreams a lot lately. They're so vivid, I wonder if they might be memories from a past life."
His mother stared at Minjun for a moment before speaking slowly. "Mom believes, too. No, not that I believe... but you know."
"Yes?"
"Jun-ah." His mother took Min-jun's hand. "Mom, I've had dreams too. Since before you were born. No, since you were in my womb."
Min-jun felt his breath catch in his throat.
"In those dreams, Mom... lived in a different time. A beautiful island nation. But that nation was engulfed in war, and Mom... suffered a terrible fate."
Tears welled up in his mother's eyes. "But at the end of those dreams, a being always appeared. He said to her, 'Do not be afraid. You will be reborn, and so will those who sinned against you. And you will heal each other in this life.'"
"Mom..." Min-jun's voice trembled.
"When you were born, I knew. That you were that person. The moment I looked into your eyes, I knew."
"And yet... you raised me?" His mother hugged Minjun. "Then should I have abandoned you? Jun, the past is the past. In this life, you are my son, and I love you. That's enough."
"I'm sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry." Minjun wailed in his mother's arms.
"I already forgave you. The moment you were born." His mother stroked Minjun's head. "Now it's your turn to forgive yourself."
The two stayed like that for a long time. Outside, the evening sunlight streamed in through the window.
"Mom, I... I want to share this story with the world."
His mother nodded. "I should. This isn't just our story."
"What do you mean?"
"Jun, the spirits of the Atlanteans still live somewhere in this world. They need healing, too. And the Koreans, the Japanese, the Chinese... everyone needs healing."
Minjun nodded. "Mom, you'll help me, right?"
"Of course. I'll be by your side."