Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 177

Chapter 177
“I’m afraid that is the extent of my knowledge. I cannot provide the precise location within Sichuan where it was discovered. Will that suffice?”

General Maeng of the Iron Cavalry wore a somewhat regretful expression, as if he believed his information fell short of matching the worth of the elixir.

While he did not possess exact details regarding the salamander’s location, what he did offer was still immensely valuable. Simply having a verified account was far superior to possessing no leads whatsoever.

In all this time, I had inquired with numerous individuals about spiritual beasts, yet the sole person to ever provide a helpful clue had been the princess.

“Yes, General. Thank you. This is an enormous help to me.”

“Are you certain it is sufficient? It still feels like an insufficient reward for the elixir.”

“Not at all. It is more than enough. I am truly grateful.”

‘Beginning tomorrow, I’ll need to bother my father-in-law to discreetly gather more information.’

My first step would be to question the fishermen and the hunters who pursued Crying Salamanders, to learn if any had heard tales of the Tiger Salamander.

If that yielded no results, I could always seek the assistance of the Beggars’ Sect.

I recalled Geolhwang mentioning that the Beggars’ Sect operated the finest intelligence network in the Central Plains. Given my recent, consistent shipments of locusts to him, I highly doubted he would deny me a favor.

As I settled my plans, a broad, involuntary smile stretched across my face. Noticing this, General Maeng released a robust laugh.

“Hah! Do you truly enjoy such matters that deeply? I believed it to be a mere trifling tale, yet you are radiant as a youngster.”

His face showed he didn’t fully grasp the reason for my exhilaration.

But how could I not be excited?

I already cared for three lizards, but lizards and salamanders are entirely distinct creatures.

To be frank, in Korean, both are referred to as *domaebam* or *dorongnyong*, which doesn’t sound particularly remarkable. However, the English word ‘salamander’ carries a far greater allure.

In tales of fantasy, salamanders are portrayed as spirits of fire—mystical, flaming lizards that are the very essence of flame. They possess an entirely different mystique.

And crucially, these fire lizards are not merely figments of imagination; they are real.

They are part of the newt family, a type of amphibian with smooth black skin and vivid yellow spots.

Even in my previous life, fire salamanders ranked among the most sought-after exotic pets in Europe.

Now, if this Tiger Salamander was similar—but vastly larger, with a brilliant yellow body adorned with tiger stripes—then it would essentially be a gigantic fire salamander.

‘A colossal, tiger-striped fire salamander? Absolutely.’

The mere thought intensified my fervor to commence the search.

Just as I was beaming with delight, the Governor of Sichuan suddenly spoke.

“Hmm… If we are discussing such stories, I believe I know one as well.”

“You do?!”

The Governor possessed information comparable to General Maeng’s?

This was proving to be an extraordinary day. I pricked up my ears, captivated by his every syllable.

‘It stands to reason that those in high positions have access to superior intelligence.’

Their stature alone ensures they have been privy to a wide array of stories throughout their lives.

Resolving to pay close attention, I straightened my back.

The Governor laughed softly upon noting my intense concentration.

“Haha! Observe how keen and focused you are. If you applied yourself to studies with such zeal, you would undoubtedly excel in the imperial examinations.”

“Haha, certainly.”

“…”

It was a remark I had heard innumerable times in my past life.

My own parents would say something similar whenever they saw the dedication I poured into studying venomous creatures.

“If you studied your schoolwork this hard, you could get into SNU!”

It appeared that regardless of the era or the world, adults always made the same observations.

As I lost myself in the memory, the Governor knit his brows in concentration, dredging up the particulars of his account.

“Let me think… Was it two years past? There is a village named Seokjip on the border between Sichuan and Qinghai. In the vicinity of that place, a most peculiar event occurred.”

“A peculiar event?”

“Indeed, I remember it well due to its bizarre nature.”

“What sort of event?”

I tilted my head. If he deemed it strange, it must have been beyond the ordinary.

The Governor’s demeanor grew solemn as he recollected the details.

“The village’s livestock began to vanish. One after another.”

“Livestock?”

“Yes. Initially, it was the rats. Then the chickens. Followed by cats, dogs… and even pigs. The odd part was that they disappeared so silently that their absence went unnoticed until later.”

“That is unusual.”

It is one matter for a large predator like a tiger or leopard to carry off chickens, dogs, or pigs. But rats?

That was unprecedented.

Rats reproduce so rapidly that their population doesn’t just dwindle away. If every rat in a village disappeared overnight, it implied something had either terrified them into fleeing or eradicated them in an inexplicable manner.

Nodding in comprehension, I said, “So it was not the deed of a tiger or a wolf.”

“Just as one would expect from an expert on venomous creatures—you comprehended at once.”

The Governor smiled before addressing my father-in-law.

“Tang Clan Leader, might I trouble you for some paper and ink?”

At his request, my father-in-law gave a nod and instructed his servants to bring a writing set.

Once the paper was provided, the Governor swiftly sketched something. Finishing his drawing, he slid the paper across to me.

“This is a mark discovered by military officers near the village—an impression left in the mud at the water’s edge.”

I accepted the paper and studied the sketch.

It resembled… a peace symbol of sorts, though it was missing one of its central arms.

It was more like a Y-shaped print.

The stem of the Y appeared unusually elongated…

‘What is this meant to be? It’s a chaotic scribble…’

Truthfully, the Governor’s artistic skill was poor.

I couldn’t discern what he was attempting to draw, so I inspected it more carefully.

For some reason, the shape seemed oddly familiar.

‘It does look like something I have encountered before… But what?’

As I rotated the paper in my hands, a realization abruptly hit me.

I inhaled sharply and looked up at the Governor.

“How… How large was this?!”

“The drawing is made to scale.”

“WHAT?!”

The footprint sketched by the Governor of Sichuan was approximately the size of a grown man’s palm.

I immediately snatched the paper, hurried outside, and laid it on the ground. Then, using a stick, I began to extrapolate the creature’s full size from the footprint.

If my intuition was correct, this would be a find of monstrous proportions.

-Scratch, swipe.

‘This should be the final segment and the claw… If it is of this scale, then depending on the species, the total length must be at least… The middle segment ought to be roughly this size…’

As I drew, the form of an unrecognizable leg started to take shape.

When I was done, the result was a grotesquely large insect leg, about as thick as a man’s forearm.

The Governor of Sichuan’s eyes bulged in astonishment.

“W-what is this?!”

Evidently, he had not anticipated that the print belonged to a creature with legs of such magnitude.

‘Well, unless one is a specialist, it would be impossible to tell.’

“This is most probably the footprint of a gigantic arthropod, Your Excellency.”

“An arthropod?!”

“You mean… an insect?”

“You are saying an insect has legs that large?!”

Their astonishment was understandable.

The leg I had drawn was comparable in size to an adult human’s arm.

Even larger than the legs of Cho and Bini.

“This is only a rough approximation, so the exact size may vary. But it should be close.”

“And since the print was located near water, the creature likely favors damp surroundings. Judging by the leg’s form, it is designed for grasping, though not necessarily for direct predation…

This suggests it may employ venom or another means to subdue its prey silently.

And given that it never assaulted humans, it might possess the intellect to distinguish between people and animals… implying it could be a spiritual beast.”

“Hoho! So your interest in raising insects is not a mere hobby—you are profoundly knowledgeable about them.”

“Precisely. Just as a swordsman learns to use his blade and comprehend its essence, he has mastered the essence of insects and poisonous beings.”

“Haha! I have never before witnessed a talent such as this.”

The elders were visibly admiring my expertise.

Feeling a touch self-conscious, I rubbed the back of my neck.

“In any case, the disappearances continued for approximately a month before ceasing abruptly.
By that time, however, not a single animal remained in the village.”

“How dreadful… The villagers must have endured great difficulty.”

“Yes, it was a severe trial for them.
So, what is your opinion? Is this information worthy of the elixir?”

The Governor smiled as he posed the question.

I smiled back.

Whatever this entity was, the information was unquestionably ample payment for the elixir.

“Yes, Your Excellency. More than worthy. This is priceless.”

Now I had two significant targets—one enormous insect and one giant salamander.

The true predicament?

‘Which one do I pursue first?’

Both were irresistibly appealing.

The giant arthropod was a total enigma—I felt compelled to identify it.

But the Tiger Salamander? That creature was essentially a living Fire Salamander, and I could not possibly disregard it.

Just as I was utterly absorbed in this delightful quandary, the Head of the Qingcheng Sect, who had been quiet until then, suddenly clapped his hands.

-Clap!

“Ah, yes! There is one more matter!”

“?”

All eyes turned toward him.

General Maeng arched an eyebrow.

“Have you also recalled something of elixir-worth?”

“Yes, yes! It just came back to me.”

‘Hah! Another one?!’

When I was in dire need of information, none was to be found.

And now, suddenly, I receive three leads simultaneously?

Was today a particularly fortunate day?

‘Wait… It isn’t my birthday… Perhaps I should simply designate today as my birthday.’

I had not celebrated a birthday since being reborn into this world, regardless.

It seemed as good a day as any.

Just as I resolved to consider this day my new birthday in my mind, the Head of the Qingcheng Sect went on.

“Some time ago, I was approached to lend an expert tracker to the Kunlun Sect.”

“Tracking?”

“You refer to someone proficient in following trails?”

“Indeed. The tracking methods of our Qingcheng Sect are famous, as you know.”

“I see… It is true that the Qingcheng Sect’s tracking arts are unmatched in the martial world.
But why would the Kunlun Sect require a tracker?”

I had been unaware of Qingcheng’s renown in tracking, but the elders’ nods of confirmation persuaded me. Thus, I simply nodded in agreement.

“In Qinghai Province, where the Kunlun Sect resides, there lies a desert known as the Badain Jaran Desert.”

“The Badain Jaran Desert?”

“Yes, it is a distinctive desert, home to more than a hundred lakes. Some of these are salt lakes.”

‘Oh? That is a fascinating habitat.’

A desert… containing lakes? And some are salt lakes?

The combination of desert and lakes sounded exceptionally rare.

Such environments often give rise to highly specialized creatures, so my interest was thoroughly aroused.

Isolated ecosystems like deserts frequently lead to strange evolutionary developments.

Struggling to contain my enthusiasm, I asked, “Does something inhabit those lakes?”

However, the Head of Qingcheng shook his head.

“No, it is not about that.
The Kunlun Sect sought a tracker because merchants journeying through the Badain Jaran Desert—along with their camels—have been vanishing during the night.
Vanishing? In the desert?”

“Yes.
It is not unheard of for people to disappear in deserts occasionally. But of late, the frequency has increased significantly.
The Kunlun Sect, based in Qinghai Province, found it necessary to intervene.
However, tracking across shifting sands is immensely challenging, hence they sought our aid at Qingcheng.”

‘Merchants and their camels, disappearing in the heart of the desert…’

There were no definite signs of an animal or insect yet, but if something was the cause…

And if it had evolved within the desert’s isolated conditions?

Then, whatever it might be, it had to be unique.

Now, three paths lay before me.

I released a deep, contemplative sigh.

Naturally, I intended to investigate each one.

But the crucial question remained: Which one to choose first?

It was like deciding between black bean noodles and spicy seafood soup.

Like being forced to choose between Mom and Dad.

I would undoubtedly experience them all eventually, but selecting the sequence was agonizing.

‘It is like choosing between Hwa-eun, Cho, or Bini… This is a profoundly difficult decision.’

My mind felt ready to burst from an excess of joy.