Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 118

Chapter 118
For a bearer of the name Shintu, the idea of obtaining something without stealing it was simply unthinkable.
This was why, after buying provisions for the master silk artisans on her master’s behalf, Yeongryeon was struck by a sudden concern—would the two ducks she had prepared be sufficient?
If they weren’t, her master would simply help himself to more, as was his way. Even so, she preferred to avoid petty theft from common people.
Yeongryeon took no pleasure in stealing from the poor. Therefore, after procuring two additional ducks and several bottles of wine, she made her way to the ancient tree where Geolhwang was staying.
True to form, her master had already taken initiative—the empty bottles surrounding them were proof they had pilfered extra drink.
Just as Yeongryeon was about to deposit the ducks and alcohol quietly and slip away, her master, who was pleasantly drunk, called out to her.
“Yeongryeon, come over here.”
“What do you require, Master?”
“Indeed, I have a task. Yeongryeon, I want you to journey to the Tang Clan in Sacheon.”
“The Tang Clan, Master?”
Out of the blue, her master was ordering her to go to the most powerful clan in all of Sichuan.
Yeongryeon tilted her head in curiosity, wondering what this mission could entail. Noting her expression, her master gave a satisfied grin.
“Yes. Deliver a letter from Shintu to the Tang Clan.”
“To the Tang Clan!?”
Her eyes grew wide at this unforeseen command.
It was only natural to be shocked—in all her time as his disciple, Yeongryeon had never been sent to deliver a message to a major power like the Tang Clan.
Her heart began to beat rapidly.
The mere idea of infiltrating the stronghold of Sichuan’s greatest clan, one of the Seven Great Families, made her pulse quicken with excitement.
This was not like filching spare coins from peasants—this was about stealing from one of the most influential and affluent clans in the entire Central Plains.
Yeongryeon found the prospect utterly exhilarating.
The thought of evading hounds and sentries, of slipping into the compound unseen—it was thrilling. She was also deeply curious to see the inner workings of one of the Seven Great Families.
“Understood, Master! What shall the letter say?”
“Inform them I am coming to reclaim Wei Su Long, their adopted son-in-law. No, not reclaim—to steal him. For intelligence on the Tang Clan, Geolhwang has already arranged things with the Sichuan branch of the Beggars’ Sect. Go there and collect it before you depart.”
Yeongryeon committed everything to memory and answered at once.
“Understood, Master! I will see the letter reaches the Tang Clan before this night is over.”
As she turned to go, her master’s voice stopped her.
“One more thing—you are to bring back Wei Su Long yourself.”
“!”
Her eyes widened at the command. Thinking she must have heard incorrectly, she turned back to face him.
“M-Master, you mean by myself?”
Her master continued to smile as he spoke.
“Yes. You cannot spend forever performing minor tasks or trailing after me. You have already mastered the eighth level of our sect’s martial arts. Undertake this mission in the name of Shintu and see it through alone.
Here—Celestial Silk. For this task, I entrust to you both the name and a sacred artifact of Shintu. Perform admirably.”
“With—in the name of Shintu!? And a sacred artifact!?!”
Yeongryeon’s hands shook as she accepted the bundle of silk.
To be given both the name and a sacred artifact of Shintu meant that for this mission, she would not merely be acting as Shintu’s disciple.
She would *be* Shintu.
It was not the official bestowal of the title, but it signified her master’s trust in her to operate independently.
Her hands trembled.
“I-I understand! I will not disappoint you, Master!”
“Good. Do well. And… should you feel the wine’s influence—no, pay that no mind. Just be wary of Mandok Shingun, that is all. You can conclude this in two days, can you not?”
“Without a doubt, Master!”
Yeongryeon offered a deep bow and hurried off, but before she was too far away, she caught the sound of her master’s low chuckle.
“Haha, had I known she would be so eager, I would have sent her earlier. It seems Geolhwang was correct.”
“Naturally, you fool. Do you believe this is my first time instructing a disciple? Speaking of, do you still wear the Celestial Silk wrapped about your person?”
“Of course, I keep it wound around both arms at all times.”
“Does that mean insects cannot bite through it?”
“Insects? Not even blades can penetrate it. Why do you ask?”
“No reason. Let us drink more. She even brought ducks—you have taught your disciple well.”
Deeming the conversation irrelevant, Yeongryeon ignored it and employed her light footwork to head for the Sichuan branch of the Beggars’ Sect.
***
Chirrrp. Chirrrp.
The sun had descended, and the moon was veiled by dense clouds, leaving the peak of Tangga Mountain cloaked in profound darkness.
Having committed to memory all the documents obtained from the Beggars’ Sect, Yeongryeon utilized Shintu’s Shadowless Soundless Art to ascend to the highest point of Tangga Mountain, which offered a commanding view of the Tang Clan’s Four-Harmony Courtyard.
It was said this technique eradicated both one’s shadow and any sound—and indeed, her approach went entirely unnoticed.
Not by the owls perched in the trees, nor the rodents scurrying on the ground.
Yeongryeon had selected this spot for its optimal vantage over the courtyard where the Tang Clan’s direct lineage lived. It was also a perfect position to loose an arrow.
From her elevated perch, the sprawling Tang Clan estate below looked no larger than a clenched fist.
‘Very well… I am ready.’
She had delivered many letters before, but this time was distinct.
Perhaps it was because she was entirely on her own.
Yeongryeon drew a deep breath to steady her nerves.
Then, activating her Hundred-League Eyes, she sharpened her vision upon the lower sections of the compound.
Gradually, the distant view of the Tang Clan’s courtyard clarified. Finally, she fixed her gaze on an open window—the chamber belonging to the Tang Clan’s adopted son-in-law.
Twang.
The thrum of the bowstring resonated in the silent night.
Shiiing!
The arrow soared forward, cutting a path through the night air aimed unerringly for the open window.
At that very moment—
A woman materialized at the window and cried out.
A second woman burst from the living quarters.
Piiiiiik!
An alarm whistle shrilled through the darkness.
Almost instantaneously, warriors bearing torches flooded toward the Four-Harmony Courtyard, their movements as coordinated and fluid as blood coursing through veins.
Witnessing their rapid response, a chill traveled down Yeongryeon’s spine.
Compared to the minor families she had previously encountered, this degree of discipline and speed was in an entirely different league.
Her heart hammered in her chest.
“So this is the Tang Clan of Sichuan…”
For the first time, she entertained the thought of what it would be like to unleash her full skill and breach their defenses by force.
Ordinarily, when a letter from Shintu arrived, the recipients would simply leave the desired item in an accessible location.
This was why Yeongryeon had never before needed to truly infiltrate a fortress of this caliber.
She had evaded guards during thefts from manors, but those jobs had never stirred her excitement.
But this?
This was electrifying.
However, her exhilaration was brief.
The warriors who had initially converged on the scene began to gradually withdraw.
“…Ah.”
Finally, she returned to her senses.
Being granted Shintu’s name and a sacred artifact had made her excessively eager, but watching the Tang Clan’s fighters disperse served as a reminder that she had lost perspective.
The legacy of previous Shintus was so formidable that even the Tang Clan would not act rashly to oppose her.
If they simply yielded what was demanded, they could always request a favor from Shintu in the future. There was no benefit in losing their property and also forfeiting a future opportunity to call in a debt.
Judging by their reaction, they were probably preparing to make the adopted son-in-law easy to collect.
And just like that, her excitement dwindled.
“Well… I suppose I should focus on the fact that I am operating alone.”
She comforted herself with the notion that the true importance of this mission was acting independently under her master’s name and with Shintu’s sacred artifact.
Just as she prepared to depart, a sound split the night sky.
Flap!
Her head whipped toward the noise. She saw a banner being swiftly raised above the Tang Clan’s Main Hall and at the Nine-Tiered Gates.
The full moon chose that moment to emerge from behind the clouds. Activating her Hundred-League Eyes, she focused on the banner.
Two savage hounds faced each other, embroidered on the fabric.
“…Surveillance Arts!”
A tremor ran from the crown of her head to the soles of her feet.
Her eyes blazed with keen anticipation, and her competitive nature flared to life within her.
She had never had any interest in mundane theft, but the challenge of navigating such a formidable security system—that was something she had always longed for.
Then, her master’s words returned to her.
“This is why Master sent me alone!”
It suddenly became clear—her master must have foreseen this reaction.
He intended to test her present abilities against the Tang Clan’s surveillance arts.
“So… Wei Su Long, whatever your name is, just wait there! I am most certainly going to steal you away!”
Clenching her fists, Yeongryeon grinned fiercely down at the Tang Clan estate.
***
The Next Day – The Tang Clan’s Preparations
With their Surveillance Arts now active, they knew the thief would arrive ready for a challenge.
Therefore, they resolved to lay a trap.
First, Cho, the giant centipede, would maintain a vigilant watch from the sky. The instant the thief appeared, Cho would pursue and continuously report their position.
Even if the thief was swift, a centipede could sense heat.
With its infrared-like vision, detecting a thief in the night would be simple.
“Cho, you will remain aloft and follow the thief, understood? But you must not use your venom. The thief is a wrongdoer, but not an irredeemable one.”
Chrrr?
“Ugh, how to explain this…? Ah! They are a bad person, but we need to capture them alive. If they die, we cannot administer proper justice. Also, never employ venom unless I give the command, is that clear?”
Chrrt! Chrrt!
If Shintu were to be dissolved into a puddle by venom, it would trigger a significant crisis throughout the martial world.
Once sure Cho understood, the next step was to confirm if Yo-hwa had finished her preparations.
“Yo-hwa, are you prepared? Have you finished deploying them?”
Kiiiish!
Yo-hwa’s task was straightforward—weave a network of spiderwebs across the area.
Not only on the ground, but over the rooftops of the Tang Clan’s structures as well.
Grandfather had cautioned them—Shintu’s movement art eliminated both shadow and sound.
He himself had conceded that once the technique was employed, tracking would be futile.
However, no matter how fast one moved, they still had to make contact with a surface.
By laying down the webs, they would have a tangible means to detect the intruder.
“With Yo-hwa ready, that only leaves Yeondu. Yeondu, you will stay close to me. If the situation turns dire, you will bite them, agreed?”
Shhhhaaah!
Yeondu possessed a paralytic venom—the ideal tool for the task.
Other creatures had deadlier poisons, but since Yo-hwa could assume a human shape, she would be too conspicuous. Yeondu, however, could coil around his body and remain concealed.
With all elements in place, Tang Hwa-eun gave a nod.
“So-ryong, let us review the final strategy.”
“Yes, Hwa-eun.”
“First, Yo-hwa will detect the thief’s movements and relay that information to Hyang. Hyang will then use telepathy to inform me of the thief’s location.”
“Correct.”
“Once we have confirmed the thief’s position, Cho will track them from above.”
“Right.”
“Now, ideally, we will apprehend the thief immediately. However, if they manage to evade Yo-hwa’s webs or Cho’s pursuit, So-ryong, you will fall back to the lair of the Golden Wasp Kings.”
“Seol and Bini will be guarding the courtyard. Should the thief get past them and reach the Ancient Tree, the Golden Wasp Kings will seal the entrance and capture them.”
“If the thief still breaks through and lays a hand on you, Yeondu will bite them and induce paralysis.”
That was the essence of their plan.
After Hwa-eun finished her explanation, both Mandok Shingun and Tang Cheolsan laughed softly.
“Even for Shintu, this will present a serious challenge. Hahaha!”
“You should begin considering your three wishes, son-in-law!”
Then—
A worried voice came from the side.
“…But I fear Hyang may pose a problem.”
Everyone looked toward Tang Hwa-eun’s mother.
In the center of the round table, Hyang was straining, its antennae twitching as it hovered above twelve sheets of paper.
It appeared it had not yet succeeded in memorizing them.
“…Is it still having difficulty?”
I turned to Hwa-eun’s mother—who had confidently assumed responsibility for Hyang’s training—but now she offered a strained smile and spoke with hesitation.
“Hyang, Midnight!”
Hyang paused before drifting slowly toward Dawn.
Chrrr?
It then glanced up at us for confirmation.
When no response came, it anxiously shifted toward Insi.
Chrrt…?
“Aaaargh.”
I could feel my heart softening at its adorable struggle.
But Hwa-eun’s mother seemed resolute.
Hwa-eun spoke to Hyang with gentle encouragement.
“Hyang, you are just like your mother, so I know you can manage this. Everyone finds it difficult at first. Let us try again, all right? That one was Insi.”
The reason Hyang needed to learn the twelve hours was straightforward.
If everyone remained stationary, Shintu could easily pinpoint So-ryong’s exact location.
Instead, they intended to spread out. Yo-hwa would detect the thief’s position, Hyang would use telepathy to communicate it as one of twelve directional sectors, and Hwa-eun would direct the response.
And so, for the remainder of the evening, the pitiful sounds of Hyang’s efforts to memorize the twelve divisions of time echoed through the Tang Clan compound.
Chrr… chrrt…?