Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 225

Chapter 225
When the elderly woman revealed the cloth embroidered with the creature she believed to be the Ho-ye, my mind instantly flew back to General Maeng, the commander of the Iron Cavalry—how he had been served a beverage known as Royal Jelly Liquor of the Queen Wasp and had later presented me with a gift.
—“It’s a creature you may only encounter once in your life, but they say it is called the Ho-ye and carries venom within its glands.”
“You mean the Ho-ye?”
—“Indeed, the Ho-ye. Its markings resemble a bee’s, and legend claims that anyone who draws too near or makes contact will perish. Strangely, the bodies never display any wounds or evidence of poisoning. That is what I was told.”
That’s right, I recalled. Even back then, the general mentioned the victims died without any injuries or signs of venom. Reflecting on it now, his description matched exactly the state of the bodies discovered today. There were no marks or indications of poison.
Damn. It hadn’t occurred to me. But then again, even a fool gets lucky once in a while, dreams or no dreams.
I had merely stopped to replenish our supplies, and the Ho-ye just happens to appear here?
If anyone in this unit has sheer dumb luck, it must be me. I swiftly turned to the old woman. This coincidence was far too significant to dismiss.
“Could this be the Ho-ye? That’s the name used in the Central Plains. Have you heard of it?”
Her expression tightened almost imperceptibly, despite her being a clear member of the Black-Clad Tribe. I sensed that something in my question had chipped away at her trust in me—though not enough to make her an enemy. The shaman elder gazed at me with a concerned look and inquired cautiously,
“Where did you learn that name, Ho-ye?”
“Why does that matter?”
She shot a quick glance toward the entrance of her shop before answering in a hushed tone.
She then began to elaborate on why she seemed so uneasy, and why the Black-Clad Tribe holds the Ho-ye in such spiritual reverence.
“The Black-Clad Tribe has various guardian spirits, depending on the clan.
Some revere the Rain Dragon, others the Rain itself, or the Flower Dragon.
But our people—our tribe—worships the Spirit of the Lake.
Long ago, when our ancestors faced annihilation at the hands of foreign invaders,
the Spirit emerged and drove them all off.
That is why we honor it.”
Ah, I understand. That makes sense.
Naturally, if something appeared from nowhere and saved you from certain death, ancient people would view it as a heavenly savior. It’s the same reason other cultures end up worshipping animals.
In Southeast Asia, for example, some tribes venerate bears or elephants because one once appeared suddenly and saved a life.
I nodded as she went on.
“And so, our Black-Clad Tribe has venerated the Spirit ever since…”
She explained that because of this, the tribe had followed the Ho-ye for generations, moving wherever it went.
The Ho-ye, which once dwelled near a tributary of the Yangtze, eventually made its home by this lake—in Seochang. And when it did, the Black-Clad Tribe chose to settle here for good.
That was centuries ago. Since then, most residents around this lake in Seochang have been from the Black-Clad Tribe. The area almost functions as a self-governing tribal territory.
But recently, as more outsiders have settled here, sightings of the Ho-ye have grown rare. The tribe is working hard to suppress rumors and prevent them from spreading.
While most lakeside inhabitants are still Black-Clad, the increasing number of newcomers is making it difficult to control information.
She spoke with deep concern, clearly fearful that rumors of the Ho-ye might spread, drawing crowds of curious onlookers under the mistaken belief it was safe.
“And now, would you answer the question I asked earlier?”
I nodded and responded.
If that was the situation, then of course Spicy Fabre would cooperate.
These people—guardians of the habitat and a rare species—were exactly my kind of people.
“There is a man named General Maeng of the Iron Cavalry.
I understand he has a taste for exotic delicacies, so he frequents a particular vendor.
That vendor shared tales of this creature—how one might never see it in a lifetime, and that an encounter without caution could be fatal.”
“Hmm… that seems plausible.”
The old woman appeared somewhat reassured by my explanation.
But as I considered what she had told me, I grew increasingly certain:
the Ho-ye was unmistakably a protected creature under the guardianship of the Black-Clad Tribe.
Initially, I thought it was merely a superstitious totem they worshipped blindly.
But if they were taking measures to control rumors, it meant they were effectively its caretakers.
My curiosity was replaced by a sharp, cold understanding.
Capturing the Ho-ye would be impossible.
This was a being revered by the entire tribe. There was no chance I could simply take it. Even if I tried, they would never permit me to leave with it.
What kind of madman would surrender something their whole tribe considers sacred?
No… If I cannot take the protected species with me, then I must content myself with observing it closely.
The moment I resolved to build a rapport with the old woman to eventually catch a sight of the Ho-ye, I softened my expression and asked her directly.
“I have many questions. May I ask them? I have a real fondness for salamanders…”
I had already established my credentials as a beast handler from the renowned Beast Palace, and the fish market owner had spoken for me. That, combined with our agreeable conversation, seemed to win over the old sangmu. She offered a gentle smile and nodded.
“Is that so? Well, naturally. If you are from the Beast Palace, I should tell you.”
With her consent, I went straight to the point.
“So it is the same species as the salamander, only a different color? They are charming enough as is, but a yellow one must be utterly delightful.”
“It is commonly called the Golden Tangerine-Stripe. And to hear you call them charming… you must be quite fond of them, aren’t you?”
“Without a doubt. I adore them!”
It wasn’t just salamanders—I loved all such creatures, so it wasn’t a lie. Hearing my eager response, the old woman smiled once more.
“Heh heh… similar, yet not identical. The color is one aspect, but its eyes are considerably larger, which makes it even more endearing.”
“Oooh! Large eyes and adorable? Ah, I truly wish to see it.”
“Catching a glimpse is not simple. It seldom appears by day. Mostly at night, it might emerge briefly to feed. Heh heh.”
“Oh, it’s nocturnal and only comes out after dark?”
We continued our exchange, and just as I felt a genuine connection forming—
“I don’t understand. They know I’m from the Beast Palace, yet they told me to ask the sangmu myself. If they knew something, they could have just said so. They didn’t even tell me where to find the sangmu!”
“Unni, I bought all sorts of things and still couldn’t get a single clue from anyone.”
Hwa-eun’s arms were laden with fried insects and other provisions—she had been out gathering supplies like a diligent steward. Fish, vegetables, everything.
‘Hmph… It seems I’ve won?’
Victory appeared to be mine. I could almost savor the reward—my special team dinner menu, which Hwa-eun had been anticipating eagerly.
But as they stepped into the shop, they uttered the one thing they should not have.
“Seems it will be difficult for So-ryong to obtain that spirit creature, whatever it is. That old woman wouldn’t talk even if someone located it.”
“Right? He’s likely to be very disappointed.”
At that, the old woman sitting across from me widened her eyes and shouted at me, her voice thick with suspicion.
“You—surely you are not attempting to capture the Spirit—”
Ah… and just like that, the rapport I had painstakingly built was destroyed in an instant.
I fumbled to explain, but it was no use.
“N-no, it’s not that, you’ve misunderstood, truly—”
“Even when others suggested it, I refused to believe. But to deceive an old woman like this—!”
She was livid, stamping her feet and ranting. Both Hwa-eun and Sister Seol stared in stunned silence as the shopkeeper hurried in to soothe her.
Even when her shouting subsided, the misunderstanding lingered.
It was obvious: unless I resolved this, I would never get permission to see the Ho-ye.
“I am afraid this is unacceptable. Please, accompany me to our ship.”
“And why should I do that?”
“There appears to be a serious misunderstanding. If we go there, I can provide an explanation.”
When you have been entrusted with someone’s secret, the best way to build trust is to offer one of your own in return.
Somehow, I persuaded her. The old fishmonger woman kindly accompanied her to our boat.
By then, the sun had sunk below the horizon and the lake was shrouded in darkness. Lanterns glowed here and there on the ship.
Our crew and guards were eating a late supper on the deck. Due to Cheongwol, we could only use half the space, so everyone was seated rather closely.
“This way, please.”
I guided her past the sailors and warriors toward a cabin. In a low voice, I turned to Yang Seong-hu.
“Whatever you see inside—keep it confidential. Kids, Daddy’s coming in.”
“Daddy?”
“Daddy?”
Naturally, they were perplexed. I was far too young to be calling myself ‘Daddy.’
–Creeeak.
As the door opened, darkness welcomed us. My creatures didn’t require light, so we kept the cabin dark at night.
I entered and called out,
“One moment, let me get some light. We have a visitor.”
–Sssrrrk?
–Sssssk?
–Chiiihih.
–Keh-kehk?
At the mention of a ‘visitor,’ the creatures lifted their heads, tilting them in curiosity.
I lit the first lantern. Immediately, from behind me, came sharp intakes of breath and muffled cries.
“Huuhhh!”
“Eeeeek!”
Well, of course. It was utterly dark, and now in the faint glow of a single red lantern, I was surrounded by ominous, venomous beings. Anyone would be terrified.
The crimson light made their shapes even more spectral.
Picture a five-meter centipede, a six-meter one, spiders, toads—all gazing from the shadows.
Who wouldn’t be frightened out of their wits?
***
Building trust with the shaman of the Heukyi tribe had been a risk—I thought I might have given her a heart attack. But as usual, nothing forges a bond like introducing someone to your “children.”
After I showed her the kids and explained about the Poison Beast Sanctuary, her trust soared.
“So you are saying… you have created a place like this, where these spirit beasts can live free from human persecution?”
“Yes. We call it the Poison Beast Sanctuary.”
“Poison Beast Sanctuary?”
“Precisely. It is a refuge for venomous beasts—those who have been hunted, displaced, or abused—where they can live tranquilly. A place where they are secure and content.”
“Ah… I understand.”
The shopkeeper seemed sincerely touched. The old shaman fell into a pensive silence. Stroking Cho and Bini beside me, I gently reiterated my request.
“You have seen them for yourself, so you know I am not here to capture anything. I am simply deeply curious—might I see the Ho-ye, just once?”
The old woman hesitated a moment longer, then gave a slow nod.
“I will meet you at the pier at midnight.”
Excellent!
Even if I couldn’t take it back, I would get to see the Ho-ye in its natural habitat, up close. I clenched a fist in victory, but then—
“But is it safe? I heard it is venomous.”
“That’s right, So-ryong. You said you wanted to understand the venom first.”
The old woman smiled serenely and answered, “Do not worry. If you follow my instructions, you will not be poisoned.”
As expected—since it was their sacred spirit beast, the Heukyi tribe must know how to evade its venom.
***
Creak. Creak.
The full moon shed a silvery pallor over the lake’s dark surface. It was so luminous—it almost felt like dawn had come early. Our small rowboat moved silently across the placid water, gentle ripples spreading in our wake.
[The Spirit of the Lake is timid. You must avoid making loud sounds.]
Beneath a sheer cliff on the lake’ far side, the old shaman whispered her cautions.
As we neared the calmest waters, everyone instinctively lowered their heads. Even the sound of the oars ceased, and the boat drifted forward on its own momentum.
Just as we were about to reach the base of the cliff—
[Do not touch the water under any circumstances.]
– Plop.
The instant her second warning was uttered, a soft splash sounded just behind our path. Then, something broke the surface of the water.
Round, gleaming eyes. A golden-yellow body.
Black stripes.
Our eyes locked.
‘M-my goodness… it’s incredibly cute!’
Far surpassing anything I had imagined—adorable was an understatement.
I was completely captivated by the creature’s charm when—
– Thud.
The boat lightly knocked against the cliff, the sound echoing over the water. Startled, the creature vanished instantly with a splash.
– Plop.
Then, abruptly, dozens of dead fish bobbed to the surface.
[It’s the venom! Take care!]
The old shaman’s warning echoed—but in that moment, a realization dawned on me.
‘Wait… this…?’