CHAPTER 23: THERE IS NO PARADISE

No matter how hungry for EXP he appeared, he would never let anyone get away with hurting his only friend. It didn’t matter if that friend was just a goat; since he had called him a friend, he saw him as one. Besides, from what he had already seen, goats in this world were far closer to humans—capable of showing expressions, caring, talking—and in no way inferior.

Bojo hesitated for a few seconds before finally giving in. He opened his mouth and told the whole story.

"I-I cant remember when it happend," Bojo began. While Lin was sleeping, a few yearlings came searching for him. They asked Bojo about Lin. Bojo thought they didn’t have any good intentions. Not only were they asking about Lin, they were searching the area.

Seeing those yearlings searching the area, Bojo panicked. There wasn’t much going on in his head—he had to think of something immediately and come to a decision. In the end, he chose to run to attract attention.

Luckily, those yearlings had also followed after him. But Bojo was too slow. The yearlings caught up to him quickly.

After that, they began interrogating him. At first, he tried to lie, but his cover was blown—he had been seen with Lin. In the end, to protect Lin, he lied and said Lin had already left, and he didn’t know where Lin had gone.

They didn’t believe him and continued to interrogate him. When he kept silent, they started bullying him. They even forced Bojo to headbutt a few rocks, and because of that, he lost one of his horns.

"After that, I can’t remember anything," Bojo murmured, eyes cast downward.

But in the next instant, his face lit up. "No—I remember something," he said, voice steadying. "I remember how a god picked me up in his embrace, ruffled my hair, kissed my forehead, and told me, ’Bojo, don’t you worry, my boy. In the future, you will become very strong—so strong that no one will ever be able to bully you, no one will ever be able to hurt your friends. You will protect them.’"

Lin ignored Bojo’s last sentence and kept recalling what Rokan had said. Rokan had said he had 15 to 20 days—and in that meantime, he should hide and become strong—but those yearlings were searching for him the next day.

"Argh, those motherfuckers. Just wait—if I get out of here, I’ll cook biryani with them."

Still, Lin was surprised by what Bojo had done. Once again, it was proven that goats in this world were very different—their emotions matched humans’. How goats came to this position was something worth digging into.

"By the way, Lin, how did you come here?" Bojo asked.

Suddenly, a grumpy voice cut through the confusion. "Can the two of you shut up for a second? I’m trying to have a good dream over here."

Lin turned, startled. The voice wasn’t coming from another cell; it was right there, inside theirs. He squinted toward the source. That voice... he knew it. Bram. Of course, it was Bram. Because why wouldn’t things get even weirder tonight?

"You two yap too much. ’Chosen by God, this is a paradise—relax, eat, shit, and sleep. Be free.’" Bram’s gravelly voice bounced off the wall, thick with the kind of scorn only a bored old goat can summon. He stretched his long legs, eyelids drooping like rusty shutters, and sighed as if this dim cage were a sun-drenched meadow. "When will this generation learn to respect their elders?"

Lin flicked an ear. Paradise, really? The place reeked of sour hay and iron; flies circled lazily above dried dung, and the bars still bore flecks of a stranger’s fur. Yet the herd lounged as if they’d checked into a spa.

Naturally, Bojo’s curiosity burst its banks anyway, eager to learn about this place. From Bojo’s perspective, this was paradise, and he started asking all sorts of questions. Like, how did Lin come here? Did the god also choose him? Did he also die? Does he know anything about this paradise?

"Bojo, when you think about paradise, what comes to mind first?" Lin asked softly.

Bojo’s ears flicked. "Umm, I don’t know... maybe good food, really nice goat who wants to play with me. Flying in the sky- I remembered something, I once saw a flying god."

Lin didn’t answer. Instead, he swept his gaze around the pen, letting the silence stretch. He wanted Bojo to see the truth for himself.

Bojo’s eyes moved over the rusted bars, the straw matted with something dark and sticky, and the wall where a cracked skull sat half-buried. His tail drooped. "This is really not paradise?"

Lin’s voice rose, sharp enough to cut through the sleepy herd. "No. This is just a place where humans do their experiments. We have to move; we don’t have much time," he said the last part a little louder, to make sure others lisitened to what he said.

"Bojo, join me. We have to gather as many people as possible."

"B-but God won’t he be upset? This is blasphemy."

"Bojo, there is no god—well, there probably are," he added silently. He changed his words at the last moment. "There is no god on the farm; they’re just normal human beings. They also eat shit and have sex."

"So where is the real god?"

"Up in the sky. The real god is up in the sky."

"In the sky? Can I reach paradise if he is in the sky?"

"Yes, but you’ll have to do good deeds."

"Will there be food? Do we have to chew it, or will it go directly down into the belly? Do we just have to think about food for it to appear? Can I eat tree skin there?"

Cough. "Yes, there are lots of things. I’ll explain later, but first you have to help—God is watching. All you have to do is follow my words as I help these innocent people and guide them to the real god."

With Bojo’s nod, he started preaching to the goats:

"There is one heaven and earth and one ruler, the Creator. Oh, beloved creatures of God, do you think God will walk into a jungle, shit there, and wipe His stinky ass with a leaf? No—that’s not the true God. Follow me to break free from here."