Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 199

Chapter 199
As I gazed at the knotted grass, deep in contemplation, the sound of Tang Hwa-eun’s voice broke through my thoughts.
“So-ryong?”
“Oh… yes, Hwa-eun.”
I blinked, returning to the present, and noticed her face was now only a short distance from mine.
She had knelt down before me, peering intently into my eyes.
My intense focus on devising a method to trip the camel spider had clearly sparked her curiosity.
“What’s going on with you all of a sudden?”
“It’s nothing—I just came up with a solid plan to capture that creature.”
“Really? What is it this time? It has to be clever, doesn’t it? Something unusual…”
The moment she heard I had formulated a strategy, Tang Hwa-eun grew visibly excited.
Maybe still feeling uneasy after being discovered by Cho earlier, she began chattering without pause.
I looked at her, then leaned forward abruptly and softly pressed my lips to hers.
–Chu.
For an instant, surprise flashed in her eyes, her pupils expanding like dark pools under a moonless sky.
Before she could respond, I pulled back and hurried off toward the campsite.
It was only her forehead, but still—a kiss is a kiss!
Even I found the moment intensely awkward and somewhat embarrassing.
“I owe this one to you, Hwa-eun! I need to go find Elder Tang Mu-seong now!”
Saying that, I sprinted in the direction of the tents.
From above, Cho’s voice reached me.
Her tone was brimming with curiosity.
–Sluuurp. Sluurp. “Huh? Mommy, why did Daddy just headbutt you? And why does your face look so strange?”
She was asking in complete seriousness why I had headbutted Hwa-eun.
A straightforward question, yet it struck me with the force of the most critical test I’d ever faced.
Or maybe the most perilous situation of my life.
“…No, well, that’s not what happened, Hwa-eun. I mean… how do I explain this…”
I had given Cho forehead kisses before, so she likely interpreted this as nothing more than a “headbutt.”
Since insects often nudge their young, she probably saw it as similar behavior.
Damn. This is what happens when you aren’t mindful around children.
Knowing I was cornered, I rapidly formed a response.
This ought to suffice.
“Ah! It wasn’t a headbutt, Cho. It’s a particular gesture to tell someone they’re very beautiful! It’s like patting someone’s head, but even more caring. Mommy is beautiful, right?”
“So Mommy is flustered because you said she’s beautiful?”
–Sluurp?
Cho made a puzzled noise, clearly unable to grasp why being called pretty would cause embarrassment.
Trying to bolster my argument, I continued,
“Well, Hwa-eun is just easily shy. But remember, this is only for people who care for each other deeply, alright? You shouldn’t try this with just anyone. Understand?”
I gave a self-assured nod, rather pleased with my on-the-spot tutorial about showing affection.
But then—
All at once, Cho thrust her head directly toward my face.
Her glossy exoskeleton shimmered, and I could sense her antennae gently touching my hair.
–Cho.
Then she made her appeal.
“My turn.”
“…You want me to do it for you too?”
–Chorut!
Cho nodded eagerly, making the case that since she and Daddy loved each other, she deserved the same gesture.
Why does she only show brilliance at times like these?
Honestly—why do my daughters become so perceptive in these situations?!
“This is exactly why people say you must watch your every move around children…”
I felt a little rattled, but honestly, what was wrong with a father kissing his daughter’s forehead?
“Well… alright. If that’s what Cho wants, then Daddy will do it.”
Nodding, I bent forward and gently kissed her forehead.
–Chu.
Her exoskeleton felt firm and smooth, like polished stone, giving the impression of kissing a chilled metal surface.
But this was about love, not how it felt.
Seeing Cho wiggle her antennae contentedly, I decided my answer had been acceptable.
–Chorut!
With that, the dilemma was over.
Just as I prepared to seek out Elder Tang Mu-seong, believing all was well—
I committed a serious error.
I thought the chaos had concluded.
I was completely mistaken.
–Chorut?!
–Kishaaa!
–Chorut?!
I turned and saw Bini with Hyang perched on her head, both watching me.
And Yo-hwa was there too.
They had just awakened and come to find me—
Only to witness me kissing Cho’s forehead.
All three looked expectant, awaiting an explanation.
Then—
With utter innocence, Cho eagerly filled them in,
–Chorut. Chorut. Trurururu.
She recounted how Daddy had kissed Mommy’s forehead earlier, and how it was a more meaningful way to show fondness than a head pat.
And then—
Right in front of me—
Three heads promptly leaned in.
Their meaning was unmistakable.
“No playing favorites. We want forehead kisses too.”
In that moment, I promised myself to be far more cautious from now on.
If it had been anything more than a forehead kiss… good grief…
That could have led to catastrophe.

***

After discussing the plan with Elder Tang Mu-seong, we assembled the nomads close to where the sheep had vanished the previous night.
I had some concerns about securing their cooperation, but the moment they learned we were tracking down the beast behind the attacks, every one of them volunteered.
If this persisted, their entire herd could be lost.
Their enthusiasm exceeded my expectations.
“Is this arrangement going to be effective?” inquired one of the nomads.
“Yes, it should work well. Just make sure these silk threads are fastened more firmly.”
“How far out should we lay them?”
“This distance is adequate!”
“Tying grass isn’t too hard. We simply need to ensure it holds.”
Additional ropes and Yo-hwa’s silk threads were strung across the grassland, forming an extensive entrapment zone.
On one end, taut lines were set, while sticky substances were smeared on the other.
If the camel spider charged through, its limbs would become ensnared, causing it to trip and collapse.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
By noon, the plains were laced with hidden traps, supplemented by lengthy silk tripwires spread over the terrain.
“To improve our chances, let’s set out three sheep as lure.”
“Agreed. That seems like the wisest approach.”
With the bait in position, everyone had an early supper and rested briefly before rousing at nightfall.
We then converged near where the sheep were secured, concealing ourselves and waiting quietly.
Hunkering down in the thick grass, we took careful positions.
“If anything besides the sheep gets trapped, stay vigilant. We can evade if we see it coming, but if someone gets caught in the threads, they could end up as prey.”
“Understood! {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} We’ll remain very cautious!”
“Yes, Elder!”
“Everyone heard him? So-ryong said to be careful, so keep your eyes open!”
“Yes, Leader!”
I positioned the Kunlun warriors, the Beast Army, and the Martial Alliance members at key points across the area. Yo-hwa and Bini were stationed farther back for protection.
“Yo-hwa, stay especially watchful. If that thing heads your way, take to the air, understood?”
“Bini, don’t approach this area either. You could get snared in the traps.”
–Kishaaa!
–Chururrr!
With everyone deployed, I took Cho and Hyang and lifted into the air to survey the entire scene from above.
–Chorut. Churut.
Everyone held their positions, listening to the insect hum as we waited in anxious quiet.
The stars were just starting to emerge when an odd rustling sound met my ears.
–Choyaya.
It had arrived.
Where is it?!
There was moonlight tonight, so visibility wasn’t zero.
Concentrating toward the noise, my Murim-honed eyes detected something shifting at tremendous speed in the distance.
What in the world?! That thing is enormous!
From its gait, I could tell it wasn’t merely large—it was monstrous.
Judging by the grass height, the creature stood over five meters tall.
Even though Cho was sizable, this beast overshadowed her completely.
It wasn’t only tall—its body’s breadth and bulk amplified its imposing appearance.
The nearer it came, the more it evoked the image of…
An actual elephant.
It wasn’t as stout, but its sheer magnitude instinctively brought that comparison to mind.
Can we actually halt something this size…?
Spiders aren’t usually heavy, but this one’s scale was staggering.
Would our tripwires and silk traps be sufficient?
For a heartbeat, uncertainty seeped in.
But it was too late to retreat now.
Before I could reconsider, the beast’s huge legs entered the first tripwire trap.
–Chayaaahh!
The grass yielded under its weight, yet it hardly decelerated.
Rather than becoming entangled, it plowed ahead as if the obstacles were absent.
Just as I began to fear we might fail to capture it—
The creature made a dash for the tethered sheep, its enormous pincers spreading wide—
Then abruptly, its legs caught on something.
Its whole body lurched forward, skimming over the grass.
–Sakaaaaaaaah!
Excellent!!!
It completely missed the sheep, sliding more than 100 meters across the field.
Its tremendous velocity, paired with the thick grass, made it slide unceasingly.
It didn’t appear seriously hurt, but at least it was halted for the moment.
“Cho! Let’s move!”
Even as I descended, I heard shouts rising from the ground.
“Did we get it?!”
Oh, for heaven’s sake!
Who would yell something like that at a time like this?!
I mentally noted to identify the culprit later and have a firm word.
Looking back at the camel spider, I saw it had recovered its footing and was beginning to move again.
Damn it!
We had to end this tonight.
If it escaped, the Five Venoms Sect would become warier in the future.
Before it could regain speed, I shouted to the fighters below.
“Stop it from getting away!”
“Yes, sir!”
The martial artists activated their qinggong, springing toward the creature.
I had also supplied ropes and strengthened webbing, so if they reached it, they could hopefully subdue it.
But as Cho and I approached—
A sudden cry echoed in my mind via telepathy.
–Chururrr!?!
“Bini?!”
Then came the frantic shouts of Seol-nim and Tang Hwa-eun.
“So-ryong! Bini—Bini needs help!”
Whipping my head around, I saw—
Bini entangled in Yo-hwa’s silk, being pulled along by the racing camel spider.
“Bini!!!”
When the creature had slid across the field, it must have collected some of the webbing—and somehow, Bini had become ensnared.
Even as a spiritual beast, Bini was outsized by the spider.
Perhaps she had only just noticed her predicament and hadn’t had time to break free before being hauled off.
Seeing Bini flailing, skidding across the ground, I turned to Cho.
“Cho! Intercept it! Bini’s being pulled!”
–Chururrr!
Cho bolted ahead, pouring all her effort into blocking the spider’s route.
The instant the creature passed us, I threw myself onto Bini’s body, attempting to anchor her.
–Churrr!
Though not fully overturned, she was still being hauled helplessly.
She released an irritated, alarmed cry, clearly furious at the circumstance.
Even with the three of us now holding onto Bini, the creature’s pace hardly diminished.
At this point, I needed to sever the webbing before she was dragged farther.
Realizing this, Cho bit into Yo-hwa’s silk—
But despite her venomous fangs, the webbing proved too resilient to break.
Hyang joined in, gnawing at the strands, but her fangs weren’t designed for cutting.
The silk was too durable to chew through.
Acting swiftly, I took a loose piece of Yo-hwa’s silk and scraped it against the webbing that held Bini.
If Yo-hwa’s silk was this strong, it could cut through itself.
In my previous life, I’d used a similar trick to open tough packaging.
As we slid over the field, I desperately worked the strands against each other.
Then—
–Tick!
The thread gave way.
“We’ve done it!”
Bini was finally loose.
Or so I believed—
Because just then, I abruptly felt myself being hauled backward.
Now I was the one being dragged.
As I was yanked into the shadowy grasslands, I heard the distressed cries of Bini and Cho.
–Chururrrrrrrr!
Looking down, I saw Yo-hwa’s silk coiled around my leg.
At some point, I had become tangled.
And now, I was being hauled directly into the heart of the night—
With only Hyang holding onto me.
Damn.
If I didn’t act quickly, I was going to have an unplanned encounter with the Five Venoms Sect.