Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 163

Chapter 163
Within the cavern, a frenzy of insanity swirled—a conflict not merely among men, but between different forms of life.
The heavy fragrance of coriander, a pheromone emitted by the parasites, saturated the space. Yet, rather than that oppressive, sharp odor, all I could detect was a subtle, sweet scent from something else entirely.
In contrast to the bedlam behind us, this spot held only the silent closeness of a man and a woman.
Or more accurately, Hwa-eun was the one holding tightly to me.
She had seized me the instant the terrible shrieks and the squirming heap of parasites commenced their grim ceremony.
So this is the reason they suggest bringing a date to a frightening film.
For the first time, I genuinely grasped the old wisdom—why they advised couples to view terrifying movies as a pair.
A part of me desired for this instant to extend a bit longer.
But sadly, my hope went unfulfilled.
The repulsive noises at our backs—the twisting, the disgusting wet impacts, the strained breaths—ceased suddenly.
Far too early.
Why must they be so quick!?
We had to light the torches again.
At that moment, the surviving male parasites were still lost in a pheromone-induced daze, their urge to mate stronger than their need to feed.
However, once the pheromones faded entirely, they would regain their senses—and begin hunting for a new meal.
Any further delay, and that meal would be us.
“Hwa-eun, we must light the torches. If we hesitate, they will turn on us.”
“Uh… A-alright, So-ryong.”
She faltered as I, with regret, withdrew from our hold.
But unlike her typical flustered response, she only gradually released her grip, her fingers remaining on my arm for a moment longer.
Even in the faint light, her voice was rich with feeling, like honey pouring slowly from a spoon.
Even if it began because of the parasites, it appeared my short declaration about not tolerating those who desired my woman had been very effective.
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee… Damn, So-ryong, good job.
With a self-satisfied grin, I swiftly moved away and rekindled the torch at my feet.
The moment the fire burst back to life, the parasites that had been inching toward us hastily retreated into the shadows.
That was close.
Another second of waiting, and we would have been in serious danger.
Pushing down a shiver at the idea, I faced Hwa-eun.
“I will retrieve the others.”
“Very well.”
I meant the two female parasites I had secured within the gloves earlier.
Holding the remaining males back with the torch, I recovered the creatures and moved towards the defeated warriors of the Five Poison Sect.
Step. Step.
Approaching the devastation left by the storm of reproductive frenzy, the full horror became visible.
The three Five Poison Sect warriors lay dead, their forms brutally disfigured and ripped open—drenched in a viscous, pale liquid.
Like a fruit salad overwhelmed by mayonnaise.
But the mayonnaise was not mayonnaise.
I myself recoiled at the vision.
Yeah… I believe I will be avoiding fruit salad from now on.
Just as I was scowling, Hwa-eun let out a shocked gasp next to me.
“W-what is this!?”
I had not detailed what I intended when I said I would punish them with what they cherished most.
Now, confronted with the monstrous result, she could only gaze in confusion.
I paused.
Should I… should I inform her?
That the dense, white matter covering them was not merely some odd parasite discharge, but their actual reproductive essence?
Before I could choose, Hwa-eun seemed to collect herself, drawing a poison needle and kneeling next to one corpse.
“Might this be another form of parasite toxin? But… how did you target only these three? It must relate to how you cast those parasites earlier… So-ryong, you are truly amazing.”
As anticipated from a Tang Clan daughter—she was already thinking of gathering a specimen.
I reacted quickly, grasping her wrist in alarm.
“T-that is not poison.”
“…It is not?” She frowned. “Then what could it be?”
I gulped.
“Well, ah… It’s… the parasites’ s-seed.”
“Seed…?”
For a heartbeat, she just stared at me, uncomprehending.
Then, understanding dawned.
Her entire face flushed a deep red as she jumped back, her arms waving wildly.
“Wh-what—!? But how—!? Why—!? What in heaven’s name occurred here!?”
She was short-circuiting.
Like a damaged mechanical toy, she continued to sputter, unable to comprehend the sight.
I let out a breath.
Without an explanation soon, the pure shock might cause her lasting mental harm.
So, using a soft tone, I started to clarify.
About the reproduction of bedbugs.
How male bedbugs do not distinguish between male or female.
How they do not even recognize separate species.
How, when drowned in female pheromones, they will drive their curved, spiked reproductive organs into anything.
And how, rather than combat these men directly, I had merely allowed nature to proceed.
When I concluded, Hwa-eun’s face was so radiant with heat I feared she might actually ignite.
“S-so… th-that is the truth?”
She still could not look at me directly.
She muttered in a ashamed tone:
“Th-thank you, So-ryong…”
Her voice was so faint, so tender, so completely endearing—it was the ideal moment.
A choice was required.
The atmosphere was perfect.
The environment was dark.
It resembled a cinema.
And in films, what does the hero do at such times?
He kisses her.
First kisses invariably occur in movie theaters.

And yes, the cave was… well, decorated with some distasteful views.
But if we simply shut our eyes, we would not notice.
This was it.
The flawless opportunity.
I smiled.
“There is no need for thanks. I only did what was necessary.”
Then, I moved a little closer, softening my voice.
“Because you belong to me.”
Hwa-eun inhaled sharply, her breath catching.
Her lips opened slightly—
—BOOM!
At that very instant, a thunderous blast erupted from the cave entrance.
I gritted my teeth.
Damn timing…
I had been that near.
That. Near.
Hwa-eun broke from her trance, her eyes growing wide.
“Oh! It must be Cho!”
I exhaled and massaged my forehead.
“…And Lady Seol.”
It had to be them.
As much as I wished to damn the skies for spoiling my chance, this was the event we anticipated.
Hwa-eun and I shared a look—
Then, engaging our light footwork, we sped towards the entrance.
It was evident that the leftover warriors of the Centipede Division were engaged in combat with Lady Seol and Cho, exactly as the division leader had threatened before he fell.
As I ran for the cave entrance, I nonchalantly threw the gloves crafted from Yo-hwa’s silk into a nearby open breeding pit.
Those gloves contained the final two female parasites.
By abandoning them there, the remaining male parasites would naturally congregate inside the pit. Once assembled, we could either poison them or ignite the whole chamber—guaranteeing total annihilation.
We had no shortage of paralytic poisons, thanks to Yo-hwa and Yeon-du. And preserving these Five Poison Sect-designed parasites as weapons? Far too hazardous.
For a fleeting moment, I thought of saving a couple—possibly to educate certain individuals later, like those who constantly ogled Hwa-eun. But I promptly rejected the notion.
Just as I got to the cave entrance, Cho’s angry roar resounded outside.
A moment later, Lady Seol’s authoritative voice cut through.
“Cho! Crush them!”
—THWACK! CRACK!
“Ghhkk…!”
“Maintain distance and engage with tactics!”
The edge in Lady Seol’s voice was clear.
As I burst from the cave into the open, my eyes automatically narrowed against the sudden light.
After adapting to the brightness, I finally saw them—
Lady Seol and Cho, in the thick of a violent struggle, encircled by roughly twenty Five Poison Sect warriors.
More than ten of their fighters were already fallen, lying still on the earth. Meanwhile, multiple ropes hung from Cho’s huge frame—evidence of the enemy’s attempts to bind it.
“Tsk.”
They ought to have known better than to try and restrain a beast like Cho.
“Hwa-eun! Now!”
With a swift motion, Hwa-eun released a shower of throwing needles at the enemies’ backs, creating an opening for us.
I followed right behind, blades ready, and together we advanced to Lady Seol’s position.
“Lady Seol, are you unharmed?”
“So-ryong! Hwa-eun! You are both safe!?”
“We are fine. And you?”
“We are managing. We were nearly finished here.”
Lady Seol barely looked our way as she issued her next order.
“Cho! Attack and shred that one!”
Hearing her, Cho sprang at a nearby warrior, seizing him in its mighty jaws and hurling him to the ground.
—CRUNCH!
The warrior died without a sound.
With that single move, the enemy’s structure broke.
The moment one was separated, Lady Seol dashed in and ripped out his throat with her hands.
“Aghhh—!”
“Inform the Lord of the Underworld that the White Panther of Beast Palace delivered you!”
Another warrior attempted to launch a concealed weapon at her, but I yelled a caution.
“Cho, intercept!”
Cho jumped before Lady Seol, protecting her from the projectile.
Their coordination was perfect.
It nearly envied me.
How is my daughter cooperating so seamlessly with Lady Seol? Where is our father-daughter connection?
And what became of the alleged secret weapon the Centipede Division leader boasted he had against Cho?
Nonsense.
Obviously, he was lying.
Watching Lady Seol’s strategy, I finally saw why she and Cho were controlling this fight.
Lady Seol had trained with wild animals since her youth.
If this were a battle of mechanized units, she would be the engineer who had operated a basic model her whole life.
And now, someone had given her a top-tier battle engine.
It was hardly equitable.
Cho’s immense power, paired with Lady Seol’s expert direction, was invincible.
She employed methods I had never imagined—
Directing Cho to bite and fling warriors into clusters, or ascend and drop them from a height.
Instead of mere chaos, Cho was battling with intelligence.
With every accurate order, another warrior fell.
As the fight shifted entirely to our advantage, Hwa-eun moved forward and gave the finishing strike—not with a blade, but with her declaration.
“The Centipede Division leader is dead! If you believe you will survive this, you are wrong!”
The enemy halted.
“D-Division leader… is dead!?”
—CRACK!
“Ugh…!”
Several paused just long enough for us to finish them.
The remaining warriors, understanding their leader was truly lost, shared looks—
Then, as if by unspoken pact, they fled in every direction.
“Retreat! Warn the main branch!”
And with that, the conflict concluded.
***
Lady Seol and Cho succeeded in killing a few more, but we could not catch every one.
Several Five Poison Sect members escaped.
At our base, I immediately composed a report. Using Yi Tae, I had it delivered to the Murim Alliance with all haste.
The Five Poison Sect’s main base was in a foreign land, so they could not reassemble here immediately. But we required the Alliance’s support to control the region.
The parasites would perish naturally, yet it was vital for the Murim Alliance to know the true threat the Five Poison Sect now posed.
Their deeds were much more evil than we had first believed.
After waiting nearly half a month for the ship to be repaired, a group from the Murim Alliance finally appeared.
Included were some known figures.
“So-ryong!”
“Young brother! You survived!”
“Wait… Ji-ryong? And all of you?”
Before me stood Ji-ryong, Jegal Yongcheon, Kwon-ryong, Sword Dragon, Sound Phoenix, and Bow Phoenix.
It seemed a gathering of old comrades.
After initial welcomes, Ji-ryong moved closer and murmured.
“So-ryong, answer me… do you still possess any of that Jepmungo for purchase?”
Jepmungo?
What sort of name is that?
Then, it hit me.
They were inquiring about the lip balm.
Even though it has a proper name—Yeonji—it had somehow acquired this absurd label.
I sighed.
“…You have exhausted your supply already?”
From how Sound Phoenix looked away, it was obvious she and Ji-ryong had entirely mistaken its proper application.
I would need to instruct them to use it on their lips—not consume it.