Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 228

Chapter 228
—Splash! Splish-splash!
As arranged, Cho deposited the two into the spacious water tank I had originally prepared for Hwayang. The tank’s previous occupant, an ordinary wae-wae-eo giant salamander, had already been returned to the lake.
This was a deliberate decision.
We only had one tank of this size. Faced with the option of keeping a common giant salamander or an Electric Giant Salamander, the selection was clear.
Granted, giant salamanders were scarce in my previous world—but here on the Sect Grounds, they were plentiful enough to be a meal if one desired. I could always capture another standard specimen later.
But these—these were SSS-tier electric salamanders, even if they didn’t quite reach EX-rank.
The challenge of capturing them is on a completely different level.
So, when Cho released the two Ho-ye into the vacant tank, the Electro Giant Salamanders instantly thrust their heads above the water and began to shriek.
After all, they had just been abducted by a fearsome spirit beast. Anyone would be frightened and disoriented. To make matters worse, they were now encircled by a group of strange and menacing creatures.
—WAEAAAAH!
—WAEAAK!
I approached them with a reassuring smile, attempting to soothe them.
“It’s alright, settle down. No one here will harm you.”
—WAEAAAAH!
—WAEK!
But their screaming did not cease.
Their calls were painfully loud, and Sister Seol covered her ears.
“Ugh! They are unbelievably noisy! My ears are ringing!”
“They’re simply frightened, that’s all. Once they realize—”
—WAEAAAAK!
I attempted to speak softly a few more times, but each time I began, their cries only grew louder. Finally, the other spirit beasts in the cabin had reached their limit.
As if to say, “What sort of novice makes such a racket instead of offering a proper greeting?”
they gradually moved in around the tank.
—Zzzrrrp.
—Ksssht…
—Kkukkkuk!
—Pyooii!
Cho, Bini, Hyang, Yohwa with Seol perched on her shoulder, Bing, Moong, Yeondu, Hongdan—and even little Hwayang, standing on her toes, peering into the tank with a scrunched-up face.
All of them were gazing at the new arrivals with clear disapproval. The Ho-ye instantly recoiled, shaking as they squeezed themselves into the tank’s corner.
—Wae…
—Wae, wae…
—Zzzrrrp.
They still let out occasional sounds, but every time one escaped, Cho would let out a soft, hissing noise, akin to a person saying “Shhh.”
Just like that, the two intertwined salamanders cautiously raised their heads from the water, trembling as they looked anxiously at the assembled group.
“Finally… some quiet. Now then… where is the shaman grandmother?”
With the situation finally settled, I glanced about. She was still standing by the cabin entrance, observing the Ho-ye with a profoundly concerned look—as if worried they might have been injured or severely distressed.
“Do not fret, Grandmother. Cho was gentle. They are unharmed. Please, come closer. They are waiting for a proper goodbye.”
“O-Okay, So-ryong.”
I led her forward for the farewell.
She had dedicated her entire life to these spirits of the lake—
She had earned the right to bid them farewell.
I had already given my word that the Black-Clad Tribe would always be welcome at the Tang Clan should they wish to visit the Ho-ye. Even so, this was a parting. She needed this moment of closure.
Standing before the tank, she was silent at first—only gazing deeply into the salamanders’ eyes.
Finally, she spoke.
“I am sorry… This was our only path. We can no longer shield you with our own strength. Please, follow young master So-ryong and find joy. Let the Poison Garden—the paradise meant for spirit beasts—become your new home, your sanctuary.”
Oddly, the two Ho-ye, who had been utterly terrified moments before, now appeared significantly more composed.
Perhaps it was because they recognized her—they no longer seemed nearly as afraid as they had been.
With eyes glistening, the grandmother continued:
“And if that day should arrive—if, someday, enough time passes that spirit beasts and humans can coexist peacefully once more… then please, return to the lake. Watch over our Black-Clad Tribe again.”
She slowly extended her hand toward the tank.
“No—Grandmother! The lightning!”
Sister Seol cried out in alarm, but I raised a hand to halt her.
Because in that instant—I witnessed something I had once seen in a documentary.
One of those rare, profound moments of connection between a lifelong student of nature and the creatures they study—
A chimpanzee, a lion, a gorilla—those instances where the animals genuinely welcome the human into their world.
The moment where the watcher and the watched share the same space as equals.
This… was such a moment.
They had been taken by Cho, it was true—but as the grandmother finished speaking, the trembling in the two Ho-ye subsided.
One of them slowly swam closer. It raised its head, met her gaze—and tenderly licked her outstretched hand.
As if to say, I understand. Do not worry. I will return one day.
The grandmother bowed her head, tears dripping onto the floor.
“Th-Thank you… sniff…”
It was like observing a nature documentary in real life. Deeply moving, beautiful, and unforgettable.
***
We devoted another day to helping the Ho-ye adjust. Then, the next morning, as our vessel departed from the harbor—
From a military ship also setting out to sea, we heard the yelled commands of soldiers.
“Any beast that brings harm to a human is to be captured and slain! Is that clear!?”
“YES, SIR!”
Archers stood ready on both decks. The commander was positioned rigidly at the prow. They appeared entirely prepared to destroy a target immediately.
I rested against the cabin window and gestured outside, speaking to the two Ho-ye.
“You see that? That is the reason we had to take you away. You understand now, don’t you?”
—Wae!
—WAE!
Whether they truly comprehended or not, I couldn’t be sure—but they offered some manner of response.
Since they seemed to grasp the communications of the other creatures to some degree, I assumed they could follow my meaning somewhat.
But they displayed no fear of me. No significant reaction, only vacant looks.
What I required… was connection. Some physical interaction.
But with these two? It was not going to be simple.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
I let out a sigh as I watched them drift idly, and turned to go find Hwa-eun. If I was to raise them properly, I needed to speak with her.
Knock knock.
Not the cabin I shared with the spirit beasts—but the very last room on the ship, situated right beside Sister Seol’s.
I rapped gently on the door.
“Hwa-eun? Are you inside?”
A gentle voice replied at once from within.
“Yes, So-ryong. What is it?”
“I wished to speak with you. Alone. May I enter?”
There was a short silence from inside. A sound of hurried movement.
Then her slightly flustered voice came—
“P-Please, come in.”
When I opened the door and entered, a subtle floral fragrance greeted me—it must have been because this was Hwa-eun’s room.
She was standing before the bed to receive me. Her lips were an unusually vivid red… it seemed she was wearing the lipstick I had created for her.
The color red truly becomes her. It made me think of a rose, a thought interrupted by her voice.
“W-What brings you here?”
Her cheeks held a faint blush, her ears tinged with pink. I looked toward the window, thinking the room might be warm, but it was open.
I couldn’t just linger awkwardly, so I moved closer and said,
“Shall we sit and talk?”
“W-What? Oh—yes, of course, please sit here!”
As I settled on the edge of the bed, she sat down beside me almost immediately. Fanning herself gently at the base of her neck, clearly feeling warm, I came to the point.
“The reason for my visit is… well, there is a matter we must discuss in confidence.”
“C-Confidence?”
The word made her stiffen noticeably for a second, then she lowered her head as if bracing herself.
“P-Please continue, So-ryong. I am prepared to listen.”
And she certainly seemed to be—so I nodded and went on.
“It concerns the Ho-ye we brought aboard.”
Hwa-eun tilted her head slightly, a look of confusion on her face.
“The Ho-ye?”
“Yes, the Ho-ye.”
“You came here to speak about them?”
“Yes.”
“…I see.”
She looked down at the floor and released a long breath. Perhaps it was my imagination, but I thought I detected a faintly cool tone when she said,
“Very well… proceed.”
“So, the Ho-ye… they discharge lightning qi, correct?”
“They do.”
“Well, the others—like Cho or Bini—carry venoms that can be neutralized with antidotes, and they do not release their toxins indiscriminately, making them relatively safe to keep. But with the Ho-ye, we will need to exercise far greater caution. And that is why there is something I must learn.”
“Learn?”
Her expression instantly transformed into one of keen interest—Hwa-eun possessed a powerful thirst for knowledge. The moment I mentioned learning something, her attention was captured.
“What is it you need to learn?”
“Well, when lightning qi strikes a person, it can induce paralysis, as happened with the fish. But if it strikes a person’s heart directly, it can cause it to cease entirely. They could literally die instantly.”
“Is that so? But you were unharmed last time?”
“Last time, I was fortunate—or perhaps the lightning traveled through Cho first and was diminished. But the Ho-ye can release lightning directly into a person, which makes it perilous.”
“Then… should we fashion protective garments from Yohwa’s silk?”
She proposed a practical solution quickly, as was her habit. But that would not suffice.
Yohwa’s silk—like all spider silk—is an exceptional conductor of static electricity. In fact, certain spiders evolved specifically to use static charge to trap their prey. Wearing her silk would exacerbate the problem, not solve it.
Unless we could obtain rubber trees and treat materials with latex, we were without options—
But those trees are indigenous to the Amazon in Brazil.
In this world? It was impossible to know.
“It would not help. Spider silk conducts electricity extremely well.”
“Then what should we do? You said you need to learn something—so I assume you have a plan?”
“Yes. What we must learn is how to restart a heart that has stopped. In other words… resuscitation.”
“Resuscitation!? You mean reviving the dead!?”
Her eyes widened in astonishment. To her, it likely sounded like a mythical, miraculous art, but in reality, it was not so monumental.
I was referring to CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Data indicates that over 95% of electrocution victims can survive if they receive proper CPR and artificial respiration promptly.
So, if we were to raise the Ho-ye safely, we had to learn it.
Especially Hwa-eun.
After all, I could be shocked and killed at any moment—If anyone was to revive me, it would need to be her.
That was the reason for my private visit.
“Yes. If a person’s heart stops due to drowning or an electric shock, they can be revived— Provided it is done within three and three-quarters minutes.”
The critical window for restarting the heart is four minutes. The survival rate is over 90% if help comes within the first minute. Three and three-quarters minutes was sufficient.
Hwa-eun asked warily.
“You… you intend to teach me such a technique?”
“Naturally. You must learn it.”
It was obvious. Otherwise, I could die.
At my response, she seized my hand firmly and said,
“Thank you, So-ryong. For placing such great trust in me.”
She was slightly misinterpreting my motives, but well—with that level of dedication, instructing her would be more straightforward.
So, I decided to begin without further delay.
“Well then, it is often said that a demonstration is worth a thousand words. Let us perform a practical example.”
“Right at this moment?”
“Yes. It will not take long.”
“O-Okay. What should I do?”
“Lie down first. Pretend you are the one who has lost consciousness. I will show you what the technique entails. This is a skill learned through physical practice.”
“Alright!”
Initially, I was composed—believing I was doing this solely to ensure my own survival.
But once Hwa-eun lay back upon the bed—
That was when I understood I might have erred.
To properly demonstrate, I would need to place my lips on hers. I would need to apply pressure to her chest, between her breasts.
My mind went blank.
“What is the matter?”
Hwa-eun tilted her head, puzzled by my sudden stillness.
I stumbled over my words.
“A-Ah… I may have misjudged this.”
Hwa-eun looked somewhat wounded.
“Oh… I see. I suppose a technique this vital might be too advanced for someone like me, who has not yet finished her formal studies…”
“No, no—that is not it—”
“It is alright, So-ryong. Saving a life is a serious matter. I understand your hesitation.”
She sat up, clearly disappointed, and shut her eyes tightly.
“To save a life… you said one must breathe into the person’s mouth… and press upon their chest, correct?”
“Y-Yes…”
She blinked, and then her face flushed a deep crimson.
“I-I suppose then… as your fiancée, I am the only one who can be taught this.”
I had only intended to go through the motions roughly, perhaps explaining the theory. But of course—this was Hwa-eun.
Where learning was concerned, she was unstoppable. And as the Tang Clan’s motto stated: Train as if it were real.
Which implied… we would have to practice the entire procedure.
Repeatedly.
Until she was perfectly accustomed to… that intimate, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.