Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 260

Chapter 260
As Yeondu and I approached the pirates’ hut, the glow of three campfires came into view.
Over one, a pot of liquor was being warmed, while another was arranged for roasting meat.
Beside the second fire, Senior Brother Gyu-seong was in the process of skinning a creature.
“Still… is that a sheep? It appears somewhat unusual.”
Hearing his uncertainty, I moved nearer to inspect. It seemed Senior Brother, along with Gungbong and the other Dragon Fangs members, had managed to hunt mountain goats.
Three of them, precisely.
They didn’t quite match the Korean mountain goats I remembered, but their identity as a type of goat was clear.
“These are goats that inhabit the mountains. I’m not sure what the local name for them is, however.”
“Mountain goats?”
Just as Senior Brother tilted his head at my words, Sister Seol’s voice reached us from close by.
“So-ryong, here they are known as banryeong.”
I turned to find her walking up with Hwa-eun, both holding skewers of freshly cleaned fish.
Their banana leaves were laden with a variety of fish, from catfish to smaller snakeheads. It seemed they had taken over the third fire pit.
“Banryeong, Sister?”
“That’s right, banryeong.”
So, in Jongwon, mountain goats were referred to as banryeong. Sister Seol knelt by one of the bodies and looked it over carefully.
“This one seems rather distinct from the banryeong found outside Jongwon. Its coat is particularly dense and coarse. It must be a strain native to Yizhou. Quite endearing. They typically dwell in densely forested highland regions. Was it taken near here?”
Her tone was measured and informed, truly fitting someone from the Beast Palace.
“Ah, so this is a banryeong? We captured it by the riverbank.”
“Then it likely came down for a drink and met with misfortune.”
“Yes, ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) we intercepted it while it was drinking.”
A voice called out to us, announcing that the dressing of the game was complete.
“You can collect these now.”
“Understood, young master.”
The boatmen approached and gathered the prepared pile of offal that Senior Brother had set aside.
“Then, as agreed, we shall stew the innards and roast the meat.”
“Agreed.”
The goat entrails splashed into the simmering pot.
Then someone added ohYang—a staple spice in Jongwon cuisine—and the aroma instantly took me back to the smell of simmering pig’s trotters from my previous life. The rich, savory scent permeated the air.
As I gazed at the steaming offal, my mouth watering, Hwa-eun’s voice called out.
“So-ryong, where did you go earlier? I looked for you and grew concerned.”
Glancing over, I saw Hwa-eun next to Sister Seol at the unoccupied fire, grilling the skewered fish and sprinkling them lightly with salt.
Freshwater fish is often best in a stew, but prepared this way, it looked rather appetizing.
I decided I should probably sample the mountain goat as well.
“I was just surveying the vicinity with Yeondu. Since we begin our search tomorrow, I believed a preliminary glance would be useful. Yeondu appeared eager to go out as well.”
“I understand. Did you observe anything out of the ordinary?”
“Yes, there’s a wetland to the north.”
“A wetland?”
“Indeed. Roughly one li beyond the treeline. It covers a significant area.”
“There is a similar one in Sichuan, is there not?”
“There is also one in Yunnan, So-ryong.”
I hadn’t visited either location, but evidently both Sichuan and Yunnan were known for their marshes.
Hwa-eun and Sister Seol spoke of wetlands near their own homes, exchanging personal recollections.
“There is a stunning place in northern Sichuan named Jiuzhaigou,” mentioned Sister Seol.
“And the one in Yunnan is called the Beihai Wetland.”
Regardless, they were clearly familiar with such landscapes.
I had visited Korean marshes in my past life to gather amphibians and reptiles, but their accounts—particularly Sister Seol’s, who hailed from a comparable latitude—would be valuable for tomorrow’s venture.
True to expectation, upon hearing of the marsh, both women proposed ideas.
“In that event, perhaps we should prepare the small boat? Wetlands often have fragmented water channels. A compact boat could be ideal.”
“In Yunnan, the local tribes lash reeds together to create floating rafts. But since we possess a proper boat, it would be simpler to just deploy that.”
They recommended utilizing the small dinghy stored on our vessel.
While we were conversing, Ji-ryong and Eunbong approached from the north and came to join our group.
“We will join you here as well. Simply the idea of meat again brought back memories of Qinghai…”
“Indeed? I feel I can still detect the grease…”
It seemed they too had had their fill of meat. After months in Qinghai consuming little but meat and oily cheese, it was hardly surprising.
“Welcome.”
“That is why we brought these—fish.”
Sister Seol and Hwa-eun greeted them, and Ji-ryong and Eunbong smiled in appreciation.
Ji-ryong’s lips held a gloss in the firelight.
‘It seems she is still using the lip balm I crafted.’
Witnessing her wear the homemade lipstick I had gifted her filled me with a sense of accomplishment.
Ji-ryong settled by the fire and inquired,
“So, what was the topic of your discussion just now?”
“Oh, So-ryong did some scouting and mentioned discovering a wetland to the north.”
“A marsh, is it?”
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
“Yes. So we were considering employing the small boat for tomorrow’s search.”
“Conducting a search over water will certainly restrict mobility.”
“Yes, most likely.”
“Incidentally, young sir, which direction do you intend to commence searching tomorrow? We scouted downstream a short while ago, but found nothing of particular note.”
“I believe we will start at the wetland. I have a certain intuition about it…”
Just as we were agreeing that the following day’s search would initiate at the marshes, Sister Seol abruptly spoke up.
“Who is aboard the boat? It seems a lamp has been lit.”
At her words, we all glanced toward the boat.
Sure enough, a soft light emanated from the cabin.
In my previous life, boats were equipped with electric lights. But in this age, a light on a ship signified oil lamps or lanterns.
And those demanded the utmost care.
The entire craft was constructed of wood, with some sections treated with oil for waterproofing. A single accident could set the entire thing ablaze.
‘I have reminded them endlessly to be vigilant with fire on the boat! Can they not show my dear Number One a bit more consideration?’
Extinguishing flames before exiting the cabin was a fundamental rule.
I began complaining to myself, pondering who had neglected to douse the light this time.
Both Sister Seol and Hwa-eun turned their eyes toward Ji-ryong and Eunbong.
Which was logical—those two had been the last to enter the ship. To apply lipstick before the meal.
Under their collective stare, Ji-ryong faltered in her defense.
“Ah, now that you mention it… when we departed, a light was burning in young sir’s cabin. We presumed you were still within…”
“In my cabin?”
Ji-ryong’s justification was that they had noticed a light originating from my cabin.
‘But when Yeondu and I left before, the lights were off… Wait, it’s growing brighter… It cannot be—Cheongyu?!’
My mind instantly flew to Cheongyu.
A sudden notion struck me—was it possible the Ji-yeong Snake was nearby, prompting Cheongyu to begin her evolution?
But at that very moment, Cheongyu leaped from the boat and sped toward me like a flash of lightning.
–Shaaa! Shaa!
“It was not Cheongyu?”
I had supposed Cheongyu was the sole one on our vessel who might be undergoing evolution currently, but her alarmed demeanor and insistent tone suggested something else.
Sliding up to me, she seized my arm and started pulling me back in the direction of the ship.
–Shaaa!
“A-Alright, I understand!”
She plainly desired me to accompany her to the ship, so I promptly hurried off with her.
–Creak. Creak. Creakkk.
As we navigated the dilapidated harbor that had long been without maintenance, I heard Hwa-eun and Sister Seol calling out from behind.
“Wait for us, So-ryong!”
“I am coming as well, So-ryong!”
Hwa-eun, Sister Seol, Ji-ryong, and Eunbong were all pursuing me.
Upon reaching the boat and entering the passageway leading to the cabins, I observed a light pouring from the open doorway at the far end.
From outside, due to the window curtain, it merely seemed somewhat brighter than normal—but within the corridor, it was unmistakable.
I sprinted down the passage and entered the cabin.
There, nestled in the ceiling corners—two faintly glowing sources of light.
I lifted a hand to protect my eyes and peered toward the corner. Two forms shimmered in the shadows at opposite ends of the room.
With their plump silver bodies wedged into the corners, they were emitting radiant threads from the spinnerets located beneath their mouths.
It was Moji and Soji.
Inside, Cho, Bini, and the other children were observing them in silent fascination.
‘They are spinning their cocoons!’
They had been so subdued recently I had scarcely registered their presence.
Now I comprehended it must have been because they were making ready for this.
Silkworms favor confined, enclosed spaces with ample physical contact when spinning their cocoons. They had undoubtedly selected the ceiling corners of the cabin for precisely that reason.
And that implied just one thing: they were preparing to pupate.
After forming their cocoons and finishing metamorphosis, they would emerge as Silver Silkworms.
The long-awaited moment was finally imminent.
“What… what is happening?”
“Moji and Soji?”
The astonished voices of Hwa-eun, Sister Seol, Eunbong, and Ji-ryong sounded behind me.
I raised a finger to my lips, urging silence.
–Shhh.
These were not mere domesticated silkworms, bred by humans to spin silk irrespective of noise or disturbance.
These were spiritual beings. Untamed. Delicate.
“Wait, So-ryong, in the tales of Yoha and Qingling, silkworms do not spin silk from their mouths, correct?”
Hwa-eun inquired mentally after seeing my signal.
I pointed and softly clarified the process of silk spinning.
‘Silkworms possess an organ termed a tosa-gwan—a silk-spinning gland situated beneath the mouth.’
‘So it directly translates to “silk-spitting tube”? That is logical.’
I nodded at her remark just as Sister Seol’s voice entered my mind.
[So-ryong, but this one is spinning silk differently from Yoha, yes? From its mouth?]
[Yes, Sister Seol. Silkworms spin silk from a specialized organ under their mouths known as the tosa-gwan.]
[Ahh, so that is its name? Intriguing.]
I had just finished explaining to Sister Seol when Ji-ryong voiced the identical question aloud.
“Y-Young sir, so Silver Silkworms spin silk from their mouths? That is unusual…”
‘Please… someone else explain it next occasion.’
I sighed inwardly. I was the one who had requested everyone remain quiet, so this responsibility fell to me.
Just as I turned to clarify for Ji-ryong—
“So-ryong, look!”
Hwa-eun’s urgent mental cry reached me, and I shifted my gaze toward the corner.
An object fell from Moji’s rear and landed on the floor with a gentle plop.
–Plink. Plunk. Tap tap tap.
A shimmering orb, approximately the size of a small medicinal pill, rolled across the floorboards.
Then, from Soji’s rear, another—this one dark and foreboding.
Two radiant orbs, one from each.
I stepped forward and first retrieved the luminous one.
A peculiar energy coursed through my fingers—my hand immediately felt revitalized.
I extended my hand for the dark orb as well, but abruptly heard a sharp caution.
–Tssrrrk. 『Bad energy.』
It was Cheongyu, who had soundlessly slithered over and coiled herself around my ankle.
I paused, my hand suspended just before contacting the dark bead.
“So-ryong, what are those?” Hwa-eun asked.
I had a fairly solid hypothesis.
Caterpillars and moth larvae, immediately before forming cocoons, utterly purge their systems.
Since moths experience complete metamorphosis, everything inside them—save for essential organs—dissolves and is reconstituted.
Therefore, just prior to pupating, they expel all waste matter.
It is somewhat akin to fasting before an operation, to ready the body.
So technically, what Moji and Soji had just expelled… was waste.
But upon deeper reflection—it was not refuse at all.
Waste is the product of digestion. The remnant of what was ingested.
But Moji and Soji’s diets had comprised solely two substances.
Which meant, indisputably, the luminous orb was a refined inner elixir that enhances internal energy, while the dark one contained the antithesis—a potent toxic or malevolent essence.