Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 141

Chapter 141
Geolhwang reported that a plague of unidentified insects had overrun Yueyang, inflicting severe suffering on its citizens. Consequently, the new prefect—who was also Princess Gwan-do’s husband—now found himself in grave peril.

During such ancient eras, calamities of this sort were frequently interpreted as divine signs or attributed to the failings of a specific person, making the newly appointed prefect a target for blame.

Ultimately, their intention was for me to intervene.
By doing so, the princess—a favorite of the Emperor—would extend her support to the Martial Alliance, which was presently hampered by imperial restrictions and unable to deploy its full strength.

From the Martial Alliance’s viewpoint, this proposition was a gift in a time of dire need. Given the imperial family’s involvement, they had dispatched none other than Geolhwang, one of the Three Grandmasters, to make the appeal in person.

“So what you’re saying is, you need me to travel to Yueyang, determine the reason behind this explosive surge of Black Bugs, or at the very least devise a method to control them?”

“Precisely.”

In essence, through the referral of the Martial Alliance, they wished for me to answer Princess Gwan-do’s appeal and offer my specialized knowledge concerning the insect problem.

It was, for all intents and purposes, a consultancy.

“They’re hiring me as a consultant now? Hah… I only revealed a sliver of what I can do, and already they’re seeking my professional opinion. Do I really seem that capable?”

I’d demonstrated just a minor portion of my skills, and now they were requesting my advisory services. The idea gave my ego a brief boost, yet the circumstances were fraught with complications.

I was not currently in a good position to embark on a lengthy expedition.
With the imperial family’s influence at play and Geolhwang himself making the request, turning it down felt unwise. However, a significant problem remained—I could not leave behind Moji and Soji, my concealed venomous beings, as they would become wild and unmanageable if separated from me.

This meant I would have to bring them along. To make matters more delicate, Sera was nearing the time to lay her eggs. A long journey under these conditions was highly inconvenient.

It felt like only a moment had passed since my return from the Martial Alliance and my assistance with Shintu’s case, but in truth, a month and a half had slipped by.
If the mating I observed wasn’t their first, it was entirely possible Sera could lay her eggs today.

I propped my chin on my hand and released a heavy sigh.
Without a clear strategy, my options felt limited.

“Haa… but what am I supposed to do about this…”

“Is something the matter?” Geolhwang asked, tilting his head in puzzlement.

I offered him a regretful smile and elaborated.
“I want to assist, but I have creatures that are on the verge of giving birth, and I also keep venomous beings that grow agitated when apart from me.
Furthermore, the creatures I’m raising now refuse to be separated from me, so I would have to bring them all along.
I simply cannot take them into a populated area, which creates a serious difficulty.”

I omitted the detail about Moji and Soji releasing lethal poisons when distressed, choosing instead to focus on the practical challenges.

Geolhwang, however, merely smiled and responded,
“Set your mind at ease. Since we must build trust with Princess Gwan-do, it would be advantageous for you to bring some of your venomous creatures. The Martial Alliance’s strategist, Zhuge Hu, has already secured a ship from the Zhuge family for your use.”

“A… ship!?”
“Wait, they arranged a private vessel just for me?”

My eyes widened in astonishment, and Geolhwang continued.
“Indeed. It is among the swiftest and largest ships in the Zhuge family’s fleet, built for navigating the Yangtze River. It should significantly reduce the strain of travel.
Moreover, you will be the only passenger aboard.”

A large ship would mean a smoother ride and a more stable temperature in the cabins.
Most importantly, with only myself and my creatures onboard, I wouldn’t need to worry about unexpected encounters.

It was clear they had made considerable efforts to suit my needs.
But Geolhwang’s next words truly took me by surprise.

“And, as a token of gratitude for your past help, they are prepared to gift you the ship should you require it. The crew included.
Given that the Blood Cult affair will demand your repeated presence at the Martial Alliance, they reasoned that transporting your venomous creatures would otherwise be a persistent difficulty.
They are also willing to refit the vessel to your specifications, if needed.”

“What!?”

A personal transport for livestock.
No—a personal transport for venomous creatures.
This was an offer I could not decline.
I still had seven of the Ten Supreme Venomous Creatures left to locate.
I was already aware of who possessed one, and I had even faced the sovereign of all poisonous beings, the Zhenbird.
That left just five that I had yet to encounter.

If I was to hunt them down, a ship would be an invaluable asset.
Owning a vessel would allow me to carry my other creatures in safety, concealed from public view.
Besides, the last creature I intended to secure was undoubtedly the Zhenbird.
And for that, I would need a ship to reach Hainan Island.

“Certainly, my father-in-law could procure a ship for me… but acquiring one through my own merit feels far more rewarding than depending on my in-laws.”

It was an exceptional offer, so I glanced toward my father-in-law, Tang Cheolsan.
This wasn’t solely my concern—it involved the imperial family, making it a matter for the Tang Clan as well.

Then, a message reached me through sound transmission.
[*“Son-in-law, if it is within your power, I believe you should accept. Although you are formally part of our family, gaining the favor of the imperial household is a rare chance.
It may not yield obvious benefits now, but one day, in some form, it will prove valuable.”*]

If the leader of the Tang Clan himself viewed this positively, then refusal was hardly an option.
The principle of the martial world avoiding imperial entanglements didn’t appear to apply to a favor of this nature.

Now that I thought of it, I had once sent the governor of Sichuan a tonic for his confidence…

By this point, my thoughts were completely captivated by the prospect of a venomous creature transport ship.
“Well, becoming involved in situations like this is simply how life goes. I can’t turn a blind eye entirely. Perhaps I should leave Sera and Bingi in Hwa-eun’s care and make a brief trip?”

I was anxious about missing Sera’s egg-laying, but a personal venomous creature transport ship was too compelling to refuse.

Still, I needed to confirm that this mission was within my scope of knowledge.
If I went and discovered I couldn’t resolve the crisis, I would feel remorseful for accepting the ship.

“I am leaning toward accepting… but can you tell me more about the insects involved?”

Geolhwang’s expression brightened as he nodded.
“Oh! You will go? That is a relief. Ah, regarding the insects, I am told they are black and possess wings.”

It was an exceedingly general description.
How many kinds of black, winged insects could there be in the world?
To an inexperienced observer, many distinct species might appear identical.

I had no option but to methodically inquire.
To most people, insects probably all looked the same.
“Very well, as the specialist here, I must be thorough.”

“So, black insects with wings… Could they be flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, or perhaps grasshoppers?”
Those are the types that typically swarm in great numbers and wreak havoc on human settlements.

When I asked if it was one of those four, Geolhwang shook his head.
“No, it is none of those. If it were, they would have identified it as such. They specifically said it was a bug unlike any they had encountered before.”

“A bug they’ve never seen before…?”
A black, winged insect… what species could possibly proliferate in such overwhelming numbers?
Nothing immediately came to mind.

It seemed I would have to see them for myself to know for certain.

Just then, a voice called from outside.
It was Hwa-eun.
“Father, forgive my interruption.”

“What is it?”
“I realize you are discussing urgent matters, but this cannot wait. May I borrow So-ryong for a short time?”

I had assumed someone was merely bringing more tea for our guest, but instead, Hwa-eun was asking for me.
Her voice was thick with urgency, as though she was fighting to stay composed.

Me?
My father-in-law looked in my direction.
Even though he knew Geolhwang had come to see me, whatever was happening was critical enough that Hwa-eun was willing to intrude.

I decided to take my leave and investigate.
“I will go see what this is about.”
“Very well.”
“Yes, son-in-law.”

Once I had permission from both, I opened the door to the guest hall.
There stood Hwa-eun—her face pale, biting her nails as she stared at me.
Her hands were shaking. Martial artists seldom perspire, yet beads of cold sweat were forming on her brow.

Then, the moment she spoke, the emotions she had been holding back erupted.
“So-So-ryong! Come quickly! Now!”

She seized my wrist and tried to pull me away, utterly frantic.
“Hwa-eun, take a breath and tell me what’s wrong. I was in the middle of talks, so I need formal leave before I can go.”

I had already stated I would check the situation, but I still required approval before dashing off.
At my words, she stared at me blankly for an instant.
Then, she cried out.

“S-Sera is having her babies!”
“Having her babies!?”

Hwa-eun’s sudden exclamation made my eyes go wide.
Her explanation tumbled out in a rush.
“S-Sera was holding onto Bingok after you left for the guest hall earlier! At first, I believed she was just eating, but it seemed unusual, so I kept observing…
Then Sister Seol came by, took a single look at Sera, and said something was wrong—she even suggested Sera might be laying eggs!”

Seol was no authority in this area, but she had a profound affinity for animals.
Furthermore, since her youth, she had assisted with the births of numerous puppies and wolf cubs.
If she suspected Sera was laying eggs, it was highly probable.

Hwa-eun, quivering with anxiety, gripped my hand tightly.
At this juncture, requesting permission was irrelevant.
The priority was to reach them in time.

“Let’s go!”
I dashed to Hwa-eun’s quarters.
The instant we rushed in, I saw Sera coiled tightly around Bingok on the table, perfectly motionless.
Bingi was in a frenzy, circling the table again and again, anxiously licking Sera’s face.

“Ryong! Hurry! She’s definitely giving birth!”
Seol sprang to her feet the moment we entered.
Bingi dashed over to me, desperately tugging at my sleeve.
—Kkukku! Kkukkku!
She had witnessed me save Sera once before.
She trusted I could do it again.

“I know, Bingi. Move aside for now.”
I gently nudged her away, but I felt a wave of nervousness myself.
I had assisted with countless egg deliveries in my past life, but this was unfamiliar.

Roughly two hours had passed since I’d gone to the guest hall.
That meant Sera had been in this state for two hours.
Egg-laying can be a lengthy process, but for first-time mothers, there was always the danger of egg binding.

Egg Binding is a frequent issue in egg-laying birds, turtles, lizards, and snakes.
If the egg is too large or it is the first clutch, it can become lodged within the body.
When that occurs, the creature’s system begins reabsorbing uric acid and toxins, which can cause organ failure and death.

“Please, let it not be egg binding.”
“It’s all right, Sera. It’s me—Dad is here. Let me take a look, okay?”
—Kuuu…

Ordinarily, it is risky to disturb an animal during labor.
But if it was egg binding, I needed to intervene swiftly.
With great care, I lifted Sera’s tail.
—Drip.
A clear fluid dripped out.

“Fluid?”
Some fluid is normal during egg-laying, but this seemed excessive.
Was it because she was a spiritual creature?
As I pondered this, Sera’s vent opened wide, and something emerged.

My eyes widened.
It wasn’t an egg.
It was a baby.
“A… baby!?”

“So-ryong, it’s not an egg—it’s a baby!”
“It’s absolutely adorable!”

Sera had not produced an egg.
Encased in a translucent membrane, a miniature lizard bearing a perfect resemblance to Sera and Bingi had been born.
I had presumed Sera and Bingi would lay eggs, but like certain lizard species, Sera had delivered live young.

“Quickly, Hwa-eun! A cloth!”
“H-Here!”

As startling as this was, the newborn was still enclosed in its birth sac.
I swiftly used the cloth Hwa-eun provided to remove the membrane and clear its tiny nostrils.
For the first time since its birth, the baby drew breath.
—Kkyut.

A sound so endearing that all three of us nearly melted from the overwhelming adorableness.