Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 224

Chapter 224
Hwa-eun’s implication was that the victims might have encountered a toxin so potent it could paralyze or anesthetize them to the point of ceasing their own breath.

So, did that imply a neurotoxin was involved?
For breathing to halt entirely, it couldn’t have been a hemotoxin—it had to be a neurotoxin.
Only a powerful neurotoxin, one that could immobilize the central nervous system, would cause respiratory arrest so swiftly.
When struck by a neurotoxin, both breathing and heart function fail.

“A potent neurotoxin… Among venomous beings, the well-known carriers are cobras, scorpions, sea snakes, and pufferfish.
But this is a lake. Perhaps a freshwater snake with comparable venom? Or a spirit beast akin to a pufferfish?
No… that still doesn’t align.”

Considering neurotoxic species, there are cobras, sea snakes, scorpions, and pufferfish.
Scorpions aren’t aquatic, so they’re ruled out.
Setting aside cobras too, only sea snakes and pufferfish are left.
But both of these creatures carry tetrodotoxin.
And that didn’t fit the evidence.

“But, Hwa-eun, you mentioned earlier that no poison was found in the body, correct?”
Sister Seol, noticing the odd inconsistency, asked Hwa-eun with a puzzled look.
She had clearly stated before that no traces of poison remained in the deceased.
True. Even though tetrodotoxin is fiercely potent, it should leave detectable remnants behind.
It’s renowned for its stability—so much so that hours of boiling won’t fully destroy it.
Meaning it couldn’t have simply vanished from the bodies.

“That’s correct. There was definitely no poison. That’s what struck me as unusual.
Is there any method to determine precisely when they departed to fish?”
Tilting her head, Hwa-eun turned toward Officer Ye, who was standing close by.

“I’ll verify that immediately.
It seems a relative arrived to identify the bodies. I’ll go speak with them.”
Ye Masahun hurried off toward the magistrate’s office, and while he was gone, Hwa-eun directed the examiners to the next step:
“Now that the lungs are examined, proceed to the stomach.”
“Yes, my lady. What should we search for in the stomach?”
“Look for any remains of food. If present, gauge how much is left.”
“Understood.”
The quiet sounds of scraping and cutting resumed from within.

Just then, Ye Masahun returned, slightly out of breath.
“I’ve just obtained confirmation from the family.
The two were cousins who earned their living by net fishing.
They left at first light to inspect the nets they had set the previous day.
It seems fishermen usually gather their nets at dawn…”
“I see.”
“They were discovered around noon today.
Another fishing crew saw their boat adrift and found the bodies floating nearby.”
As we acknowledged his report, a voice called out from the autopsy room.
“My lady!
A significant amount of undigested food remains in the stomach.
It appears they ate dumplings and stir-fried vegetables for breakfast—it’s still largely whole.”
“So they must have perished soon after setting out at dawn.”
From the state of the undigested food, Hwa-eun deduced the time of death.
The examiners inside expressed their admiration.
“Oh! That clarifies it!
If the food is still intact, it means they died shortly after their meal—early morning, then.”
“Remarkable, truly the mastery of the Tang Clan…”
Hearing the compliments, I felt a surge of pride,
though a shiver also ran down my spine—this was, after all, concerning the dead.
I shot an uneasy glance toward Hwa-eun, and she answered with a gentle smile.
That alone dissolved my anxiety.
Yes… consider her like a healer or a physician from these times. That is her role.
Certainly, her knowledge of corpses was extensive,
but then, doctors and nurses also understand such matters, don’t they?
The distinction was that Hwa-eun learned this not to preserve life, but to end it.
Yet I convinced myself she was this world’s equivalent of a nurse or doctor.
Moreover, she is beautiful.
And we are betrothed. If I don’t adjust to this now, when will I?
She is simply… exceedingly clever. That is all. Exceptionally bright. Nothing more.
Just as I was using her beauty to suppress my worries, Hwa-eun gave her next instruction.
“Finally, inspect the liver.”
“Yes, my lady!”
“It is situated deeper within. Will you manage?
Once extracted, place a fragment into the reagent and inform me of any color change.”
“Understood.”
As the officer moved back into the examination room,
Hwa-eun turned to Sister Seol and me to elaborate:
“My suspicion is that a toxin paralyzed or anesthetized them almost immediately.
If this occurred near dawn, then after roughly three hours, the poison would likely have metabolized fully.
But even if the toxin has cleared from the blood and other organs,
it still travels through the bloodstream—
so traces should linger in the liver.
That should identify the poison.”
Even poisons that vanish from elsewhere often leave evidence in the liver.
The reagent she used was probably designed to detect hepatic residues.
Soon, a voice came from within:
“My lady, the color has turned red. Is that the expected result?”
“Red? Could you bring it out here?”
“Yes, my lady.”
The door opened, and the officer emerged with a bowl of water.
Inside was a piece of liver. The water had a reddish hue, probably from blood—
but there didn’t appear to be any distinct or unusual alteration in color.
Hwa-eun introduced a few more reagents,
but her expression gradually shifted to one of bewilderment.
“It… truly seems there was no poisoning whatsoever.”
It was an utterly perplexing situation.

***

We were left puzzled, and the Seochang Magistrate seemed equally troubled after receiving Hwa-eun’s conclusions.
“It seems they drowned, yet there’s no poison? But… if their lungs held water, it implies they were conscious yet paralyzed when they drowned.”
“Yes, Magistrate.”
“Sigh… what a strange affair…”
“I regret we couldn’t provide more answers.”
“No, not at all. Lady Tang, your assistance has been invaluable.”
After delivering the autopsy findings and Hwa-eun’s expert analysis, we exited the magistrate’s office.
It was then that Sister Seol turned to me and proposed,
“Why don’t we simply go and locate it ourselves?”
Finding the creature directly did seem the most logical approach.
But at this, Hwa-eun’s expression tightened slightly, showing clear concern.
“We cannot charge ahead recklessly without knowing what we face.
If it truly is a spirit beast with an unfamiliar venom, we would be unprepared and vulnerable.”
She was right. If it was something even Hwa-eun hadn’t encountered, caution was essential.
Venomous beings were never to be treated carelessly.
Even with known species, one error could be fatal.
Let alone an unknown one.
“I agree with Hwa-eun,” I stated.
“So what, should we disregard this and return to the Tang Clan?”
“What? Absolutely not.”
Turn back? What kind of sudden, clear-sky betrayal was that?
I didn’t journey all the way to Sichuan for the fiery cuisine only to withdraw now.
“Whatever it may be… I will capture it,” I announced with resolve.

Sister Seol shot me a provoking grin, clearly aiming to challenge me.
“Is that so? And how do you plan to accomplish that?”
“Well, there are many fishermen here—surely someone has witnessed something.
Even a vague description would suffice. Let’s inquire at the fish market before returning to the dock.”
“Very well. I’ll join.”
We hastened our steps toward the market.
By the time we reached its entrance, the lake was a stunning vision.
Dusk was settling, and the scarlet sky mirrored on the water’s surface, casting the sky and shore in a deep, crimson glow.
It lent the entire landscape an almost supernatural quality.
We paused for a moment, silently admiring the view—
then decided to separate and conduct our inquiries before nightfall.
“Let’s regroup in front of that eatery from earlier, in about an hour.
We’ll need supper anyway, and the food was quite good.”
“Alright, So-ryong. That works.”
As Hwa-eun acknowledged my plan, Sister Seol’s enthusiastic voice chimed in beside us.
“Okay! Let’s turn it into a contest—the one who finds the best clue wins!”
“…What?”
“Beginning now!”
“W-wait, Sister Seol!”
“Unnie!”
Honestly! If you’re starting a competition, at least state the terms!
You can’t just shout “begin” and sprint off like that!
Seeing her dash away, I couldn’t suppress a laugh.
She really had her endearing moments.
Hwa-eun smiled as well, evidently sharing the thought.
“So-ryong, then… perhaps the winner should earn the right to have that wish you objected to granted?”
“…Seriously!?”
“Yes.”
Perhaps Hwa-eun had been secretly inclined to agree to that wish all along?
Regardless—this was ideal.

Your fiancée offers to fulfill a wish if you win a competition?
Naturally, I’m accepting.
“Agreed!”
I stood to gain regardless—
If I lost, it would still mean a charming dinner for two.
And if I won… the mere idea sent a thrill through me.
“Then… starting now!”
Mimicking Seol, Hwa-eun swiftly turned and hurried off in the other direction,
prompting me to act quickly.
I began with the nearest location: the fish market adjacent to us.
Approaching the first stall, I inquired,
“Pardon me.”
“Oh! Greetings. Seeking some fish?”
“Ah, no. I’m not here to purchase fish. I wished to ask you something—”
“Eh? Not buying? Hmph… well, if you want answers, you ought to buy something first…”
Ah—of course.
To get information from a merchant, you need to appear as a customer.
No wonder he seemed displeased.
Among our trio, only Hwa-eun possessed any funds.
Sigh… was this contest biased from the outset?
It started to seem like Hwa-eun held the advantage.
Then again… Sister Seol was not to be underestimated either.
Upon reflection—she likely had no money on her either.
But she belonged to the Beast Palace, which commanded respect among the local tribes.
Sigh… am I the sole one completely outmatched in this game?
And all for a kiss as the intended prize.
If I desired that, perhaps aiming for a romantic ambiance during dinner was the better strategy.
Wait a moment… I’m also from the Beast Palace, aren’t I?
Exactly!
I promptly scanned the area for a stall operated by a member of the Black-Clad Tribe and approached a man there.
“Excuse me. I am So-ryong of the Beast Palace.
The Lord of the Palace is my father. Might I ask you something?”
“Gasp! The son of the Beast Palace Lord!? P-please, step right this way!”
Ha! It seemed the Beast Palace’s reputation truly held sway here!
Just as I was inwardly congratulating myself, a powerful voice interrupted:
“You think you can deceive us!?
How dare a Han youth, not even in proper attire, claim to be from the Beast Palace!”
Ah, disastrous.
Unlike Seol, I wasn’t dressed in the traditional garments of the Beast Palace.
…Blast it.

***

“Huff… Huff…”
I fled at the man’s furious outburst.
Without Sister Seol present, I had no means to validate my Beast Palace affiliation.
Perhaps I should start carrying proof of lineage…
As I regained my breath beside a fish stall,
a familiar voice suddenly reached me.
“Well, well, if it isn’t our young master.
What brings you here, breathing so heavily?”
I glanced up to see the fish stall proprietor—the amiable woman from the earlier restaurant—observing me with curiosity.
Looking about, I realized, of all possible retreats… I had landed precisely at our designated meeting point.
Her establishment, which served as both a fish market and an eatery.
“Ah, I—I’m merely here to meet someone,” I replied, offering a strained smile.
I certainly wouldn’t admit to a panicked escape.
“Oh, is that so? Come inside, come inside!”
She warmly ushered me into the shop.
“Didn’t you relish the meal this morning?
You’re drenched in sweat—here, have some water.”
Still catching my breath, I accepted the water she offered,
when I suddenly sensed someone’s gaze upon me.
I looked up—and seated within the shop, staring directly at me—
was the elderly sangmu, the mourning shamaness from the harbor.
“…Huh?”
“What is it?”
“That woman…”
“Ah, she is our tribe’s sangmu.
Today is her day to be honored with a meal.
In the Black-Clad Tribe, we rotate in providing food for the sangmu.”
“Oh… I understand.”
This was ideal.
If anyone possessed knowledge of the lake’s alleged “spirit,”
it would be her.
A shaman would surely be informed about the entity she venerates.
“You’re the young master who was with the ladies from the Beast Palace and the Tang Clan, correct?
Why such interest in the lake spirit?”
“I was merely… curious. You referred to it as a spirit, so…”
“Hmph. Your eyes. They brim with avarice.
I cannot disclose anything to one with such a look.”
Ouch.
Avarice? My eyes?? These are eyes of innocent curiosity, I assure you…
Fortunately, the shop owner, possibly appreciative of my morning transaction, spoke in my support.
“Come now, elder. This young man purchased five why-why fish from me this morning—
and insisted they be spared, kept alive.
He said it pained him to think of them being consumed.
He doesn’t strike me as having ill intentions.”
“The spirit, you say?”
“Yes, elder.”
“Hmmm… so, you have an affection for creatures, do you?”
Her look remained doubtful, but I sensed her stance softening.
Time to deploy my decisive evidence.
“I acknowledge my current attire doesn’t reflect it,
but I am from the Beast Palace.
The young lady you observed earlier is my sister,
and I am So-ryong, son of the Beast Palace Lord.”
Yet, unlike the Black-Clad man before, this wasn’t sufficient.
With her tribal perspective, the elderly shamaness remained unconvinced.
“You? The son of the Beast Palace Lord? Hmmm…”
“Please, wait just a moment!”
I left her and raced back to the vessel,
where my companions were still at leisure in the cabin.
I seized Yeondu, the most discreet among them.
Bringing Hwayang would have been more striking, certainly—
but a massive, luminous toad atop my head would attract undue notice.
Returning to the shop, I gently set Yeondu before the sangmu.
Her demeanor transformed instantly.
“Ohhh… To command a serpent with such tranquility…
You truly are the Beast Palace Lord’s son, aren’t you?
No wonder you hold such regard for living beings.”
Presenting Yeondu while reaffirming my Beast Palace lineage succeeded.
Now the sangmu placed her full trust in me.
She likely reasoned: If he values animals so deeply, and he is the Beast Palace Lord’s son, his intentions must be genuine.
The shamaness reached into her garments,
withdrew a meticulously folded cloth, and carefully unfolded it before me.
“This… is the lake spirit.”
Embroidered on the fabric was the depiction of a sizable, yellow, salamander-like being—
its body adorned with prominent, black stripes.
I inhaled sharply.
“That’s…!”
It was Ho-ye.
There was no doubt.