Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 119

Chapter 119
The sun sank lower in the sky, stretching long, dark fingers across the courtyard.
A palpable tension hung in the air during this last test.
Light was fading fast, yet Hyang was still having trouble telling Chen Hour from Xu Hour.
They were entirely distinct characters, but to Hyang, they probably seemed too much alike.
Perhaps it was because both had an enclosed top?
“Damn… Learning these ancient characters is seriously difficult. Are we going to push our daughter to her breaking point with this?”
A sliver of doubt wormed into my thoughts—was Hyang going to end up with anxiety from this?
In my previous life, I recalled a saying: “For every ten new English immersion preschools, a new child therapy office opens.”
Right now, I couldn’t tell if Hyang was under that same kind of English-learning pressure, or if she genuinely needed a therapist.

“You can do this, Hyang! One more time—Chen Hour!”
Hwa-eun’s soft, encouraging voice coaxed Hyang, while Grandfather, Father-in-law, and Mother-in-law watched, barely breathing, to see which character she would choose.
Chrr… chrrt…
But Hyang wavered again, her focus drifting uncertainly between Chen and Xu.
Seeing this, Cho suddenly extended an antenna and gave the Chen Hour tile a light tap.
Tuk…
That was a serious error.
At Cho’s meddling, Hyang flew at him in a fury, screeching her indignation.
Chrrr! Chrrr! Chrrt!
The meaning was unmistakable: “I already knew that! I KNEW IT!”
After all, when you’re deep in concentration, solving a problem or trying to remember your times tables, there’s nothing more irritating than an older sibling butting in to show off.
Backseat studying is the absolute worst.
“Hold on… doesn’t that technically make Cho a ‘backseat bug’?”
To be precise, centipedes are arthropods, not insects, but in this world, they all fell under the category of bugs.
So yes, Cho was absolutely being a backseat bug.
As Hyang continued to snarl at Cho, the bewildered centipede turned to me, wiggling his antennae in a clear plea: “What in the world did I do?”
Seeing a squabble about to erupt, I figured it was best to take Cho outside for a while.
“Okay, Cho, you’re with me. Let’s get some air.”
Chrrt.
Maybe Cho was just restless from being left out of the lesson.
Or perhaps he was feeling neglected with all the focus on Hyang.
Whatever the reason, I gave Cho’s head a comforting pat.
“You’ve already memorized all twelve hours? That’s really impressive, Cho.”
Chrr… Chrrt…
Embarrassed by the praise, Cho gave an awkward nod.
It’s amusing how people can struggle to learn something deliberately, yet pick it up effortlessly just by being around it.
“You did well, Cho. But for now, let’s allow Hyang to work it out herself, alright?”
Chrrt.
After making sure Cho felt appreciated and wasn’t slighted, I went outside and sat on the steps of the Main Hall to wait.
Then, from inside the hall—
“Well done, Hyang! Your mother is so proud!”
“Haha, to think the little one memorized everything in a single day. Remarkable.”
“She’s every bit as sharp as Hwa-eun was.”
From the sounds of the celebration, it appeared Hyang had finally passed her test.
Which could only mean one thing—it was time to catch a thief.
I gave Cho’s head a final pat.
“Alright, Cho, the moment the sun disappears, I need you to fly up and wait for my signal, understand?”
Chrrrt!
After explaining his part, I hurried back inside.
There was Hyang, perched proudly on Hwa-eun’s shoulder, her antennae standing tall.
She was the picture of smug triumph.
The way she thrust her head toward me all but shouted: “Tell me I did well.”
So I reached out and scratched under her chin, giving her the approval she so clearly desired.
“Aww, you were fantastic, Cho.”
Chrrt!?
“…I mean, Hyang.”
The immediate, sharp feeling of betrayal was unmistakable.
The icy stare that followed was a potent reminder of how intense rivalry between siblings could be.
I vowed never to make that error again.
“Damn… How did my own parents manage to raise me and my sister in my past life?”

***
The Night of the Heist
The warning letter from Shintu had specified the thief would come after Xu Hour—sometime after 7 in the evening.
As arranged, the warriors and elders of the Tang Clan assumed their posts the moment the sun vanished.
Here in the mountains, darkness descended swiftly after six.
We held our positions until full dark, as moving while it was still light could have alerted the thief.
“Move without a sound!”
“By your command, Clan Lord!”
“We will take our positions as well.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Understood, Grandfather.”
Mandok Shingun, Father-in-law, and Mother-in-law took their places at the heart of the estate.
The elders fanned out across the surrounding area.
The majority of the warriors—save for a few crucial rapid-response teams—hid themselves throughout Tangga Mountain, lying in wait for Shintu.
As for me, I was concealed within Yo-hwa’s nest, nestled in her webbing alongside her.
Yo-hwa’s silk could block infrared sight, which also meant it was incredibly effective at containing warmth.
I’d felt it before, but I was once again struck by how snug and comfortable it was.
“A tranquil moment inside the warm nest of my spider companion… If we weren’t lying in ambush for a thief, this would be an ideal spot for a nap.”
The wait felt interminable.
The unending quiet made my eyes grow heavy.
And just as I began to doze off—
Dong!
A temple bell sounded far away, marking the beginning of Zi Hour.
Kiish!
Shaaa!
“Crap—I fell asleep!?”
“Chuuurp… Hey, I was totally awake!”
Yo-hwa and Yeondu, both wrapped around my neck, hissed in clear annoyance.
The bell’s low, resonant tone echoed from a distance.
I was still young, so my body naturally got tired after 10 PM.
I lightly slapped my own cheeks to fight off the weariness.
“Ugh, when is this thief going to show? Please don’t tell me they’re going to do the worst thing possible—come at 3 or 4 in the morning?”
During my army days, the night watch between 3 AM and 4 AM was pure misery.
This thief wouldn’t possibly be that merciless?
But, as fate would have it—
The very moment the bell began to toll for Yin Hour—
Dong! Dong!
Yo-hwa signaled to me at once.
Kiish!
The thief had arrived.
From the direction of Tangga Mountain.
Coming from the exact direction of Zi Hour.

***
“Hoo…”
Yeongryeon exhaled deeply, attempting to release the building strain.
Below her, the imposing walls of the Sacheon Tang Clan stood tall.
Beyond those walls, not a soul could be seen. Every lantern had been doused.
The unnerving feeling of a deliberate, prepared reception put her on edge.
But if this was all a test devised by her master to evaluate her abilities—then she had no option but to succeed.
Clenching her fists, Yeongryeon propelled herself toward the wall.
Soaring over the Tang Clan’s defenses, she melted into the darkness using the Shadowless Silent Movement Technique. She had taken no more than two steps inside when—
—Fweeeeee!
A shrill alarm whistle cut through the silence.
“What!?”
There were no sentries close by. No one had seen her from afar.
Yet, just two steps after crossing the wall, a warning whistle shot into the air right above her.
That could only mean…
The instant she entered, something—or someone—had sensed her.
Her eyes widened in shock.
From everywhere, warriors poured out, hunting for her.
Something was very wrong.
She quickly withdrew back outside the wall, scrutinizing her environment.
“Did you spot them!?”
“Nothing yet!”
“They have to be close! Keep looking!”
From their shouts, it was clear they hadn’t laid eyes on her.
But they still knew she was there.
Moving back toward the mountain, Yeongryeon swiftly snatched two rabbits from a nearby hole and threw them over the wall.
“Let’s find out how they’re sensing me.”
Most believed Shintu relied solely on speed and stealth to steal.
But that was only part of it.
The true art of Shintu was in dissecting security and finding its flaws.
The second the rabbits landed inside the wall—
—Fweeeeeee!
—Fweeeeee! Fweeeee!
“How!?”
The moment the rabbits made contact with the ground, two more alarm whistles were triggered.
And predictably, warriors charged onto the scene immediately.
Anything that touched the earth within the walls—be it a person or a simple rabbit—was instantly detected.
Yeongryeon narrowed her eyes and activated her Hundred-League Eyes to scrutinize the inner grounds.
Because the Tang Clan’s compound was near a river, a heavy mist had begun to form as the night wore on.
And in the gentle light of the moon—
She saw it.
A subtle, shimmering white gloss covering the ground and climbing up to the roofs.
“That… what is that!?”
Sharpening her gaze, she made out slender threads strung across every walkway and rooftop—glistening with moisture.
That was their method.
These fine threads, almost impossible to see in the dark, were everywhere.
A single touch on any one of them—and the alarm would sound.
Yeongryeon allowed herself a smirk.
“Naturally. You have to expect something this clever from the Sacheon Tang Clan!”
A thrill of excitement coursed through her.
Her heart beat faster.
But she quickly steadied herself.
If the ground and roofs were woven with threads, then her path was clear: use Grass-Stepping Flight.
Her feet skimmed lightly over stray pebbles, discarded leaves, and rocks as she floated forward, evading the threads.
She had just made it past the outer ring when—
—Chrrrrr!
A new noise came from overhead.
It wasn’t like the earlier alarm whistle.
And in the next instant—warriors were running toward her once more.
“There! Right there!”
“What is it now!?”
Her Shadowless Silent Movement Technique rendered her utterly silent and unseen, so how could they still be following her?
She glanced up—
And her blood ran cold.
“A… dragon!?”
For a heartbeat, she thought she was seeing the legendary Azure Dragon flying across the moonlit sky.
But as her vision adjusted—she understood.
It wasn’t a dragon.
It was an O-gong.
A centipede that could fly.
And it was tracking her from the air, emitting a sharp, chattering noise to direct the guards.
“Unbelievable—The Tang Clan has a spirit beast!?”
The reports from the Beggar’s Sect had said nothing about a spirit beast.
And yet, here it was—hovering above, pinpointing her location.
The one small consolation?
It wasn’t particularly swift.
She’d been surprised, but if she was being tailed, she could lose it.
A powerful burst of energy erupted from her core.
She unleashed the advanced form of the Shadowless Silent Movement—Rapid Wind.
Her body elongated, becoming a blur in the shadows—
And in a flash, she disappeared from the Sacheon Tang Clan.

***
“You lost them!?”
Cho’s psychic message had been certain—Shintu was right there.
And then, abruptly, gone.
Even Yo-hwa’s webs had been discovered.
The thief had unquestionably gotten inside, but now—there was no way to trace them.
“The greatest thief in the Central Plains, no question…”
“We can’t assume anything. Yo-hwa, we should head to the Golden Wasp Kings’ hive as a precaution.”
The plan required securing the last line of defense.
I jumped onto Yo-hwa’s back and we sped toward the ancient tree that housed the Golden Wasp Kings.
Sliding down from Yo-hwa, I addressed Seol and Bini, who were stationed at the training grounds.
“I’m relying on you two, Seol, Bini. Just be careful, okay?”
—Gggukku!
—Kyuuu!
Leaving them to guard the outer area, I ducked inside the beehive.
The hum of vibrating wings instantly enveloped me.
—Bzzzzz!
“It’s just me, everyone.”
The bees had been warned earlier not to sting, so the threatening buzz soon subsided.
Crouching in the hollow of the old tree, I continued to wait—
The noise of confusion and pursuit persisted outside.
And just as the first hints of dawn started to lighten the sky—
A voice called from the entrance to the training grounds.
“So-ryong! We have them!”
It was Seol.
They had captured Shintu.
I bolted from the beehive toward her.
“Truly, Seol!?”
“Yes! They’ve just taken them to the Main Hall. Come on!”
“I’ve been dying to see the face of this legendary thief!”
As I moved past Seol—
Her expression shifted suddenly.
The warm, knowing look was gone, replaced by the face of a stranger.
A cold, quiet voice whispered—
“Caught you.”
My neck tensed up.
My legs gave way.
Pressure points were sealed under a expert touch.
The woman seized my wrist—but in that same moment, Yeondu struck, driving its fangs into her hand.
—Shaaaaaa!
“Got you too!”
The woman collapsed, falling directly on top of me.