Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 197

Chapter 197
The sky was a deep, starless black, a heavy blanket of clouds smothering the moonlight. I moved outside with Cho and Hyang, and Sister Seol trailed after us, her expression etched with worry.
“So-ryong, you must be cautious. Scorpions are vicious, merciless, and deceitful.”
Hwa-eun stood just behind her, nodding in firm agreement.
“Huh? Deceitful? Merciless?”
I was startled by their intense prejudice. This was unlike Sister Seol and Hwa-eun, so I cocked my head, puzzled. Noting my reaction, my sister spoke as if stating a universal truth.
“Well, you know the stories people tell about scorpions. That is precisely why you should be wary.
And given that the Five Venoms Sect cultivated this one, it has already shown itself to be a man-eater.”
“She is correct, So-ryong.”
This was merely a reconnaissance mission, so their level of concern seemed overdone. But more than that, Sister Seol’s words prompted a realization.
This wasn’t solely an issue with the Kunlun Sect’s biases—our own household harbored its own set of deep-seated false beliefs.
I had been contemplating how the Central Plains required a major change in attitude toward poisonous beings, but I now saw my own family was no different.
‘Sister Seol… you have fallen for groundless tales.’
I could see her perspective.
Scorpions have been vilified for ages.
They are frequently grouped with snakes and other toxic animals, branded as brutal, wicked, and traitorous.
This infamy comes from their habits.
Scorpions often inhabit areas that border human settlements—concealed beneath stones or close to dwellings.
While most scorpions lack venom deadly enough to kill, their stings bring about days of agony and swelling.
To humans, this makes them the ultimate nuisance—beings that materialize from the shadows to cause pain without any clear reason.
This view has become entrenched over the years.
A hidden fiend, emerging without warning in the deepest night to bring fear.
Yet, from the scorpion’s perspective, this is wholly unjust.
Within the arthropod world, scorpions are part of the order Scorpiones, and their look often causes them to be confused for lobsters or crayfish.
In reality, however, their closer relatives are spiders.
Unlike insects with antennae, scorpions belong to the class Arachnida, the same as spiders.
A simple method to distinguish them from crustaceans is to observe their pincer placement.
Crustaceans have pincers connected to their primary body segment.
But a scorpion’s pincers are part of its head—an outgrowth of its chelicerae.
And when compared to spiders, there is one fundamental contrast: their nature.
Anyone with experience keeping scorpions would attest to this.
In contrast to the famously belligerent spiders and centipedes, scorpions are remarkably placid.
Among toxic animals often kept by enthusiasts, spiders and centipedes are known for their unpredictable and combative dispositions.
I adore my spider Yoha and consider my centipedes my own daughters, but ultimately, spiders will strike at anything that stirs.
Scorpions, however?
They possess the tranquility of cockroaches.
‘Perhaps that is why some find them unexciting, but that is also their appeal…’
Relative to centipedes or spiders, scorpions seldom show aggression.
They are so reserved that observing them hunt is a rare event.
A scorpion will only use its sting as a final measure to protect itself.
Among fellow aficionados like me, we sometimes refer to them as the Knights in Armor.
They appear grand in their segmented shells, yet they are among the most serene creatures.
This very quality makes them a favored choice for a pet.
Where people shrink back from the sight of spiders and centipedes, scorpions are considerably easier to accept.
And still, Sister Seol named them merciless and deceitful?
It was an absurd and unjust generalization.
‘Now I feel a personal slight.’
I resolved to correct this misbelief once our task was complete.
For the moment, I had to concentrate.
Leaving the lodging provided by Kunlun, I advanced into the open ground.
By this time, disciples from the Five Dragon Peaks and Kunlun had already stationed themselves around Qinghai Lake.
I needed to depart as well.
After all, the ideal time for tracking a scorpion was upon us.
“Alright, let’s move out.”
Just as I prepared to ascend into the air with Cho, a disgruntled chittering noise came from the shadows.
“…Tssrrr. Tsk…”
It was Bini.
Bini was displeased.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
She had been sulking since I chose to bring only Cho and Hyang on this assignment.
Fully skilled at locating objects in darkness, she could not comprehend why she was being left behind.
Even after moping in a corner earlier, she had found a way to slip outside.
Appearing utterly dissatisfied, she clamped onto the bottom of my trousers to voice her protest.
‘Is there no rest?’
It reminded me of a young child having a fit because their father was only taking the older children to the workplace.
But I had no alternative—I needed to go.
Finally, I employed Bini’s greatest weakness: the fatherly embrace.
I gathered her into my arms and held her close.
Her antennae trembled slightly as she relaxed into my hold.
[Be good, Bini. I’ll return shortly, okay?]
After several soothing strokes, she finally yielded.
“Tsrrr…” 『Alright… but come back quickly.』
And so, I just managed to get her grudging consent.
Rising into the sky, I observed the expansive terrain.
First, I studied the star patterns.
Then, I indicated the direction I had determined.
“Cho, we are going that way.”
Ji-ryong had taught me celestial navigation, and I applied it now to set our path.
We were moving directly toward the zone where the Five Venoms Sect’s beast was most probable to surface.
During the day, I had already identified several likely sites.
Rather ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) than expending effort on a fruitless search, I had applied my expertise and the accounts from locals to pinpoint the creature’s probable emergence point.
• Whoosh.
Cho started to soar in the direction I had indicated.
Her body moved with fluid, wave-like motions as we traveled through the air.
I had used the daylight hours productively.
Beyond collecting intelligence, I had conversed with the nomads who had congregated near the settlement.
I had even negotiated a deal to obtain more sheep.
Now, all that groundwork was going to be useful.
The region we approached was where the creature’s trail had disappeared.
A huge, barren stretch under the dark, starless sky.
“Cho, Hyang, remain alert.”
I swiftly verified the locations of several minor lakes and then assigned my companions a duty.
I could not perceive a scorpion’s natural glow with my own vision.
But Cho and Hyang?
They could detect it without any issue.
If a scorpion was concealed below the sand, they would locate it.
• Chrrt.
• Tssrrrt!
Both of them answered with assurance.
At my instruction, Hyang and Cho vibrated their antennae with zeal, surveying the region. Centipedes, after all, have a unique capacity to perceive differences in light.
Scorpions produce a glow in the dark because their outer shell holds a fluorescent substance named beta-carboline.
When this substance meets specific light wavelengths, it generates a vivid blue-green shine, rendering scorpions detectable in utter darkness.
Multiple ideas exist for why scorpions glow.
Some propose it is for reproduction, others think it attracts prey, and some say it disorients hunters.
But current studies indicate it acts as a natural light source—scorpions have fairly weak night vision compared to other dark-active animals, and this glow assists them in understanding their environment.
Scorpions that receive more ultraviolet light tend to be more energetic, while those with less move with less vigor. This was the finding of modern research.
‘Very well, it is a dark night. We should provide some illumination, don’t you think?’
While examining the area with Cho and Hyang, seeking a glow, I detected an odd noise from underneath.
• Chrrr…
A prolonged, sighing sound resembling wind moving through dry grass.
“Is the wind becoming stronger?”
The sound faded, and then—
An abrupt, desperate call filled my thoughts.
• Tssrrrt!
Bini’s alarmed shriek saturated my awareness.
Something was close to her.
“Cho! Return to the village immediately!”
• Tssrrrt!
It appeared that Bini, annoyed at being excluded, had covertly trailed us. Following my order, Cho instantly propelled toward the village at top velocity.
Her neck extended, her body slicing through the air, Cho accelerated forward.
As we raced back, I heard that sound once more.
• Chrrr…
The sighing wind noise.
But now, it originated from the other direction.
‘What… is that?’
Something seemed wrong, but for now, Bini demanded attention.
Pushing Cho faster, I soon noticed multiple torches being lit near the edges of Qinghai Lake.
That was where I perceived Bini’s presence.
“Cho, set down there. Bini has to be close.”
• Chrrt!
As we landed, I saw the Kunlun elder, Taeheo, and Guseong Hyun with Bini, all appearing clearly disturbed.
• Tssrrrt! 『Something was right here!』
Bini was waving her antennae wildly, attempting to communicate.
As they could not comprehend her, she seized the edge of Guseong Hyun’s garment and pulled it toward the earth, indicating a specific spot with her jaws.
“I… I apologize, Bini, but we cannot grasp what you are telling us…”
• Tssrrrt! 『I said something was here! It is really not difficult to understand!』
“We should wait for So-ryong—”
Poor Bini seemed on the verge of an outburst.
I rushed over and called to her.
“Bini!”
• Tssrrrt! 『Father!』
“Yes, yes, I am here. Now, explain what occurred.”
Guseong Hyun still appeared entirely bewildered, but Bini was the one in the most distress.
She looked as if she had swallowed something large, eager to explain but unable to convey her meaning.
I went straight to the heart of the matter.
“Bini, why are you here? I instructed you to remain with Mother. What exactly took place?”
Bini overlooked my initial query and concentrated on recounting her experience.
• Tssrrt, Tssrrrt, Tssr.
An entity had moved with great speed, taking a sheep and then vanishing.
“A beast took a sheep and disappeared? Provide a clearer description.”
• Tssrrt!
Bini, still frustrated, started to mimic the event.
She had been on a nightly walk when she detected tremors through the ground.
Something came at immense velocity, seized a sheep, and escaped before a response was possible.
Centipedes are not optimal for spotting light, but they are exceptional at feeling vibrations.
And Bini, as a digging species, was especially attuned to seismic shifts.
Something was not right.
If it was a scorpion, Bini would have noticed its illuminated form.
But she only mentioned sensing vibrations.
“You did not see its body glowing?”
• Tssrrt!?
Bini flicked her antennae, signaling a negative.
She had only caught a brief look at the creature, merely a faint shape.
I scowled.
From her account, this was not a scorpion.
‘Wait… A rapid hunter in the desert?’
I faced the Kunlun elder.
“Might I use some paper and ink?”
“Certainly.”
We entered a nearby yurt owned by the nomads.
Taking the brush, I rapidly drew the picture forming in my head.
Views from the front, side, and back.
When I was done, I showed it to Bini.
“Was this what you observed?”
• Tssrrrt! 『Yes! That is exactly it!』
A cold dread washed over me.
‘The Five Venoms Sect… truly cultivated this?’
The being I had sketched—
The most swift and violent arachnid known to exist.
A camel spider.