Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 264

Chapter 264
– Ts, Tchkit!?
The creature released a sharp, startled cry as Cho materialized directly before it.
It flinched backward, trembling, clearly frightened.
Watching it retreat, Cho felt a surge of confidence and started to press forward, applying pressure—until Hyang’s urgent voice cut through the air.
– Tsurut! 『Sister, watch out! It fires poison from its rear!』
– Tsururur? 『From its rear?』
– Tch! 『Yes! It twisted and sprayed from its backside!』
Cho, who had been about to move closer, halted immediately at Hyang’s warning.
She maintained her distance instead, observing the creature carefully.
It had a small head, numerous legs, and a notably round, full body—so plump it reminded her of Yoha Sister. That bulbous form made it easy to picture something being launched from its hindquarters.
It didn’t seem the type to spit venom from its mouth. Probably, much like Yoha Sister concentrated her bulk in her abdomen, this thing stored its toxins in its swollen back end.
That meant she needed to be cautious.
Without knowing the reach of its spray, a reckless charge would be far too dangerous.
Cho hesitated for a second and concluded that her best approach was to frighten it into submission.
She couldn’t appear vulnerable in front of her sisters—not after Hongdan had already been hit. She had to project authority, the way Cheongil Sister always did.
She refused to sacrifice the respect she had only recently gained as Sister.
『Tchut. 『I absolutely cannot be humiliated in front of my sisters.』』
Cho wound her large body through the air, contorting dramatically to appear even more immense.
Then, she pointed her antennae toward the creature and demanded again.
– Tsururur. 『I asked if you were the one who poisoned my sister.』
Just as she predicted, the creature cowered further, even more terrified.
Its antennae shivered. Its eyes wavered. Its very shell seemed to vibrate.
See, sisters? she thought with satisfaction. This is the influence of an elder sister.
She turned her head to cast a triumphant look at the two riding on her back—
– PrrrRRRRK!
A sudden, buzzing noise ripped through the air.
Snapping her head back, Cho saw the creature’s trembling shell crack apart—unfolding into wings.
It shot toward her face in an instant.
It hadn’t been shaking in fear—it had been preparing to take flight.
– Tch! 『You trickster—!?』
Shocked, Cho threw herself backward, her wings snapping open to lift her and evade the sudden lunge.
– Pooook.
With a loud report, a thick white cloud burst from the creature’s rear.
Exactly as Hyang had said, a dense, smoke-like poison gushed from its lower body and billowed out like a fog, enveloping the trio in the air.
Acting on instinct, Cho curled her wings and limbs around her sisters, shielding them.
A wave of heat and a foul odor washed over her shell.
– Tsururur? Tsururur? 『Are you both unharmed? Are you alright?』
She checked the two nestled against her, and they both nodded rapidly.
– Tsururur? 『And you, Sister?』
– Kki, kkii… 『Th-this smell…』
It was only after being sprayed herself that Cho truly grasped what Hongdan had meant by “stinging.”
It genuinely felt like leaning too close to a fire—a fierce heat followed by a sharp, prickling pain across her shell.
This poison was undoubtedly heat-oriented, akin to flames.
– Tsururur. 『I’m alright.』
After reassuring her sisters and confirming they were safe, she turned her head.
In the far distance, the creature was fleeing.
It sprayed them—and then ran?!
The same electric-blue rage she’d felt upon hearing about Hongdan’s ordeal now flooded through her again.
Cho carefully set Hyang and Hongdan down on the ground.
– Tsurururur. 『You two, return to Bini! I will not allow that thing to escape!』
With that, she catapulted into the sky in fierce pursuit.
She could not let it get away.
– Tsurut! 『Sister! You must wash the poison off in water!』
– Kkii! 『Big Sister! Wash the poison away!』
Their voices trailed after her as she vanished into the heavens.
***
The creature beat its wings frantically in the distance.
It had gained considerable ground, but its wings caught the moonlight with every flap—making it simple to follow.
Cho shadowed it silently, and once it flew near enough for its back end to be visible again, she dipped down toward the closest pond.
She plunged in and out of the water to cleanse the poison, just as her sisters had advised.
She couldn’t risk fighting while still coated in it.
The creature, likewise, couldn’t fly indefinitely. It eventually weaved downward and settled into the undergrowth.
Likely to rest or conceal itself—perhaps believing it had shaken her off.
Cho immediately dropped her altitude and slid into the brush, keeping herself hidden.
The creature, assuming it was safe, began to leisurely clean its antennae.
It must have thought it had made a clean getaway.
But Cho remained vigilant.
It hadn’t even closed its wings yet and was still tidying itself. She searched the vicinity for a heavy object to drop on it.
– Tsurut. 『A rock would be ideal, but there’s nothing suitable here…』
Then her eyes landed on its still-open wings.

Cho’s eyes scanned the area—then she lunged toward a nearby puddle.
She gathered up a large mass of thick mud and water and launched back into the air.
If it was a spirit beast, dropping a branch on its head wouldn’t achieve much… but coating its wings in mud would ground it.
Even better, if she could bury it entirely, it would be unable to spray any more poison.
Cho held her position above the creature, taking aim.
A few gloops of wet mud dripped down from her underside.
They landed directly on the creature’s head.
It glanced up, startled, wondering why mud was falling from the sky.
But all it saw was… additional mud.
– Thud. Splatch.
– Pooooook.
A sizable wad of mud landed squarely on top of it.
Its antennae, its face, its wings—all were spattered with heavy sludge.
Cho allowed herself a smirk at the pleasing sight—
But then, something unexpected occurred.
Jolted by the impact, the creature instinctively let loose another cloud of poison.
– 『Tsurut!?』
The instant Cho witnessed it, a clever plan ignited in her thoughts.
Poison—it required a great deal of inner energy to generate.
And for any creature, the supply of poison was finite. That held true for Cheongwol Sister, and for Yoha Sister as well.
So if this runt kept expelling it so carelessly, it would inevitably exhaust its reserves soon—and once it did, Cho could discipline it with ease.
A creature devoid of poison posed no danger whatsoever.
With this reasoning, Cho stationed herself above a neighboring puddle and began pelting the fleeing creature with more mud.
Judging by its earlier crash, the first onslaught had sufficiently drenched its wings to keep it earthbound. It now required little effort to continue the dousing.
– Splat.
– Pooook.
– Splat, splat.
– Pooook, pook.
Every time a mud clump struck its head, the creature reflexively expelled more poison.
And soon, a putrid stench saturated the area—only for the creature’s discharges to begin weakening.
The once-powerful poison clouds became feeble and sputtering.
– Pfft. Splat.
After several more repetitions—precisely as Cho had intended—the creature ceased producing poison entirely.
Its stores were evidently empty.
Descending with slow triumph, Cho announced,
– Tsururur. 『It seems you require a firm lesson today.』
– Ts, Tchki…
Caked in mud, its antenna pasted to the back of its head, the creature peered up at her with one eye, plainly pleading for mercy.
But Cho didn’t waver—she zipped forward and twisted herself around it firmly.
– Tski!
– Pfft…
The creature shrieked and made a final attempt to spit poison… but all that emerged from its rear was a feeble puff.
– Tsurururur. 『All out of poison, are you? Now you can’t cause any more trouble!』
– Tski…
A single sharp sound from her, and the creature fell silent at once.
Capture: successful.
– Tsurururur!
Cho’s cry of victory resounded through the night sky.
***
With the creature securely bound in her coils, Cho flew proudly back to where her sisters were waiting.
They were at the swamp’s border—she had instructed Hyang and Hongdan to reunite with Bini there, so they should all be assembled by now.
Cho’s antennae arched in graceful, self-assured curves.
She had captured the thing entirely on her own. Her antennae involuntarily swelled with pride.
Her sisters’ esteem for their Sister was now firmly established.
Gliding under the moonlight, Cho reached the spot by the riverbank where the swamp began.
Below, she saw her sisters clustered together, looking about.
– Tsururur. 『It’s Sister!』
– Tsurut!? 『Where are you!?』
Bini noticed her first and alerted the others.
Descending gently, Cho deposited the captured creature in front of them.
– Thud. Roll roll roll.
The round object landed in the grass and tumbled slightly before halting in front of the trio—who promptly leaped back in alarm.
– Tsurut! 『Poison! Poison!』
– Kkiit! 『Yikes!』
They were obviously still on edge from the previous incident—but Cho smiled serenely and stated,
– Tsururur. 『Do not fear. It has exhausted all its poison.』
Hearing this, the three broke into cheers.
– Tsurururur! 『Sister, you’re incredible!』
– Tsururur. 『Sister, you’re so impressive!』
– Kkiit! 『Sister, you’re the greatest!』
Soaking in their adoration, Cho lifted her antennae in a conceited little curve and answered offhandedly,
– Tsururur. 『Well, it was hardly a challenge.』
Her sisters gazed at her with shining eyes full of reverence.
Turning to Hongdan, Cho added with theatrical flair,
– Tsurut. 『Hongdan, it poisoned you as well, correct? Since it had the audacity to poison my sister, it warrants the same in return.』
– Kkiit! 『Understood!』
Enthused, Hongdan crouched and aligned the yellow stripe on her belly with the creature.
She didn’t especially relish foul-smelling poison, but she was, after all, a venomous being.
– Kkiiiit! 『You poisoned me when I merely inquired who you were! Now it is your turn to be reprimanded!』
As she yelled and got ready to strike—
– Rustle, rustle.
From the direction of the pirate village, an abrupt rustling in the bushes—
And then, a figure emerged into view.
Hair as black as soot. Red garments.
It was… Mom.
Of all the individuals who should not have appeared—Mom was the most disastrous.
All four sisters shrunk back in dread, emitting shocked cries.
– Tsururur! 『M-Mom!?』
– Tsurut! 『Why is Mom here!?』
– Kkiit! 『Aaaah!』
– Tiring. Tiring.
But then, the sound of light footsteps—
A spidery figure came into view, and they all exhaled in relief.
It wasn’t Mom.
It was Yoha Sister.
– Tsururur… 『O-oh… it’s Yoha Sister?』
Cho was the first to speak, her relief palpable as Yoha drew near and inquired,
– Kishat! 『What are you children doing out here? You’ve been slipping out every night, so I trailed you and—wait, what is that?!』
– Tsururur. 『Sister, the situation is…』
Cho swiftly recounted all that had transpired.
Fortunately, Yoha Sister was gentle—unlike Mom—and she comprehended their predicament.
But when she peered down at the trembling round creature lying amidst the group, she tilted her head in puzzlement.
– Kisha! 『Hold on… isn’t that what Oppa has been seeking? The Seogwa?』
Seogwa. The creature Dad had been hunting.
Could it truly be?
Cho blinked and looked at Yoha, questioning,
– Tsururur. 『Sister, are you certain? Dad has been searching for this thing? But it isn’t even red!』
– Kishat. 『Ah, the red part is revealed when it is cut. Normally, it just appears as a round thing with stripes.』
– Tsurut? 『Is that so?』
– Kishat. 『Yes. Although… this one looks ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ somewhat different. I am uncertain. For something like this, we ought to show Dad directly.』
All five of them fell quiet, staring at the small round creature in their midst—now quivering with fright.
***
At dawn, an acrid, pungent odor seeped into my half-conscious mind.
Something reeked.
As I drowsily sat up and turned toward the source of the smell, I noticed… some gigantic, stink-bug-like creature thrashing on its back right beside me.
“…What in the world are you?”
It was utterly strange.