Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 347

Chapter 347
Of course. Here is the paraphrased chapter, adhering to all your specified requirements.

***

If it had been any other kind of deception, the approach might have differed, but this involved insects and poisonous beings—my particular field of knowledge. The most effective method to uncover a fraud in this area was direct observation.
I needed to see the precise manner in which they repelled the millipedes to be sure of the exact nature of their trick.
Whether it involved a substance the creatures detested, an attractive pheromone, a martial arts method akin to my own, or something else entirely.
Consequently, my first step was to verify if the Taoist was still located at the giru.
Based on the intelligence Ji-ryong and I had pored over, the man relocated approximately every month, suggesting his next action was imminent.
Our strategy, therefore, was to follow him once he made his move and observe his activities.
“Geom-ryong, Kwon-ryong, I’m counting on you.”
Ji-ryong entrusted the task to the two assigned to scout the giru.
Geom-ryong and Kwon-ryong were the ones designated for the reconnaissance mission to the giru.
They responded to the duty with grins that seemed overly cheerful for the assignment.
“Leave it to us. Have we ever botched a job like this?”
“Right. You can rely on us.”
Although the task was scouting, it was evident they planned to savor every moment of it.
The rationale was straightforward—gathering information from the giru required them to pose as patrons.
This meant entering the establishment, drinking, and casually inquiring the courtesans about the Taoist’s movements—a plan which essentially boiled down to socializing with the courtesans over drinks.
Their visible excitement was hardly a surprise.
The reason they were chosen was simple: they were the only unmarried men aboard our vessel.
‘Though… why does the sight of my hyungs being so joyful bring a slight sting to my eyes?’
Brother Gyu-seong, Yang Seong-hu, and Ji-ryong were all spoken for, making them unsuitable for entering a giru.
Even if they had offered, their respective partners—Geom-bong, Eum-bong, and their wives—would have never permitted it.
When you’re in a relationship, your personal freedom diminishes, doesn’t it?
Even Hwa-eun had immediately stiffened at my mere mention of the word “giru.” The others required no further explanation.
“Ryong, we’re off.”
“Take care.”
“Why so polite?”
Dressed smartly, the two departed the boat with broad smiles.
The women watched them go with distinctly unimpressed expressions, and once the two were out of view, the muttering began.
“Look how thrilled they are.”
“Honestly, men.”
“Completely shameless.”
“If you dislike it so much, why not liberate Gung-bong while you’re at it?”
“What was that!? I do have some standards, you know!”
Hyung interjected with a useless remark and immediately earned a sharp glare from Gung-bong.
As the conversation wound down, Hwa-eun drew me aside and whispered in my ear.
[So-ryong, you must never act like that.]
[O-of course not. My attention belongs only to you, Hwa-eun.]
Appearing content with my response, Hwa-eun gave a pleased nod and smiled.
Gazing in the direction the two had gone, I murmured.
“Incidentally, when do you suppose they’ll return?”
It was now evening; we had anchored near Goaechon the previous night and waited for the giru to open for business.
We had coordinated their entry for when the establishment opened.
When I asked for estimates on their return time, Hwa-eun predicted they would likely come back very late, after a night of enjoyment.
“Well, judging by their expressions, I doubt we’ll see them before midnight, correct?”
“It appears so.”
“Indeed, they didn’t look like men planning a swift return.”
“Quite true.”
Given their earlier gleeful faces, it was a safe assumption they intended to make the most of the evening.
I turned to the group assembled by the boat’s railing and proposed,
“Shall we share some tea while we wait?”
“Hmm. Not a bad idea.”
“I agree.”
“Let’s do that, Senior.”
Thinking it a pleasant way to pass the time until their return, I suggested we have some refreshments.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
-Bubble bubble.
As the kettle began to steam over the brazier, time drifted by.
While waiting for the water to boil, Sister Seol, surveying our surroundings, suddenly pointed toward the village.
“Eh? Isn’t that Geom-ryong and Kwon-ryong?”
All heads turned toward the village, and indeed, there were Geom-ryong and Kwon-ryong, running frantically in our direction.
“Ryong!”
“Ryong!”
It hadn’t even been the duration of a full meal—barely half an hour by my previous life’s reckoning—since they had left for the giru.
It was peculiar.
Seeing their faces, which were filled with dismay and dejection, a notion crossed my mind.
‘Wait… why are you returning so soon? Could you have been… turned away at the entrance?’
In my past life, certain exclusive clubs or high-end lounges sometimes denied entry based on attire or appearance, a situation colloquially called an “ip-bbaen.”
Observing my two hyungs in this state, I wondered if even the giru had refused them admission.
‘Just how pitiable is this situation, hyungs!?’
Swallowing the sympathetic tears that threatened to well up, I asked, feigning innocence.
“What occurred, hyungs?”
After catching their breath on the deck, they responded.
“Huff, huff… So-ryong, it’s about that Taoist!”
“Yes? What about the Taoist?”
“The Taoist has gone to exterminate millipedes in a village closer to the Shaolin side!”
“What!? Is that accurate?”
So it wasn’t a case of being refused—they had actually acquired genuine information!
The two continued their explanation.
“Yes, we overheard some villagers discussing the Taoist near the entrance, and when we asked, they said… what was the name again?”
“Sosangchon.”
“Right, Sosangchon! A swarm of millipedes appeared there, so he went to drive them out. They said it happened yesterday evening!”
“He’s already moved on? Then we must act quickly as well.”
“Agreed. Ji-ryong.”
Upon hearing that the fraudulent Taoist had traveled to a neighboring village, we resolved to set out for Sosangchon immediately.
***
“Everyone, you remember to hide immediately if you see people, correct?”
At my reminder, the kids nodded with firm determination.
-Tsrrr.
-Kssit!
-Kkukku.
We proceeded along the mountain path leading to Sosangchon.
The trail was populated by both people and venomous creatures.
Those journeying with me included Gyu-seong hyung and his wife, Ji-ryong, Gung-bong, Hwa-eun, and Sister Seol—but that wasn’t the entire group.
Since we were departing after nightfall for a change, all the kids had insisted on joining us.
Yo-hwa, Cho, Hyang, Bini, along with Cheongyu, Seol, Bing, Dong-i, and Jeokwol Sister, even Moji, Soji, Hwayang, Hongdan, Yeondu, and Orange.
Everyone was present except for Cheongwol.
The reason for our enlarged party was simple.
Having been confined to the boat for an extended period, the kids were feeling fidgety and enclosed, and they clamored to come along.
Under normal circumstances I would have refused, but since we were traveling along the slopes of Songshan, which offered ample hiding spots, and moving under cover of darkness, I consented.
Mostly, I felt a pang of guilt for them—being stuck on the boat for so long must have been terribly stifling.
‘Once this task is finished, we ought to return to the Tang Clan.’
Now that I had mastered the Five Poisons, it was time to allow the kids to relax comfortably at home.
Just then, Cho’s voice resonated in my mind.
『-Tsrr! Daddy, something approaches!』
-Tsrrr.
-Kkukku.
-Piiiii!
Following Cho’s alert, the others in the group chat also sent warnings, and everyone swiftly concealed themselves in the woods lining the path.
With the kids hidden, we couldn’t simply continue marching openly, yet halting completely was not feasible either.
I reduced my pace and pretended to amble forward nonchalantly, just as a man emerged from the opposite direction, carrying a lantern.
He wore a Taoist robe.
His face had a greasy sheen.
In that instant, all of our eyes met in the dim light.
It was obvious the same thought struck everyone—this individual had to be our target.
“Hmm?”
The impostor Taoist started slightly upon noticing our group approaching from the shadows.
“Who might you be, skulking about in the darkness?”
Hearing this, Ji-ryong promptly offered a smile and inquired,
“Ah, what a relief. We lost our bearings after nightfall during our travels. Might I trouble you for information? Do you happen to know the way to Sosangchon?”
“Ah, travelers who’ve lost your path? I’ve just come from Sosangchon myself. Simply follow this path and you will arrive.”
“Thank you. It seems we did not wander too far afield then. By the way, we heard a strange incident occurred in Sosangchon. How fares the village?”
Ji-ryong continued speaking adeptly, his expression unwavering.
At his question, the Taoist stroked his beard and replied.
“Ah, you must mean the issue with the millipedes.”
“Yes, precisely.”
“Worry not. I am Taoist Taiheo, the one who handled the millipede infestation in Sosangchon at their behest.”
The man’s face, brimming with self-importance, seemed to gleam even in the weak moonlight.
“Oh! You are the renowned Taoist Taiheo?”
“You’ve heard of me?”
“Indeed, we are arriving from Goaechon. We’ve heard your name spoken frequently there!”
“Ahem. I asked those people not to publicize my deeds so widely. Regardless, what brings your group to Sosangchon?”
“Ah, we intend to ascend Songshan by passing through Sosangchon. The people in Goaechon indicated this was the route.”
“Ah, sightseeing on Songshan, is it? Well, a slight odor from the millipedes still lingers, but do not be concerned. I incinerated them all, so it should be perfectly safe.”
“Thank you, Taoist. We will continue on our way then.”
Concluding the exchange briefly, we proceeded in opposite directions. Once the light from his lantern had vanished from view, we all came to a stop.
Ji-ryong spoke, his tone tinged with slight disappointment.
“It seems the task is already completed.”
“Yes, it appears so.”
We had hoped to catch him in the act, but according to his account, the matter was already settled.
“So what is our next move? Do we wait until he acts again?”
If we turned back, we would likely have to wait a full month, based on his pattern of movement.
I shook my head and responded,
“Let us proceed to Sosangchon first. Perhaps some evidence remains.”
A month’s wait was too long; we decided to search for any lingering clues first.
“Understood. So-ryong, Do-ryong, could you shadow him and ascertain his destination?”
“Understood. I will pursue him with Sister Seol.”
Leaving the fake Taoist to be tracked by Hyung and Sister Seol, we summoned the kids from their hiding places in the brush and continued toward Sosangchon.
Upon reaching Sosangchon,
We concealed the kids within the forest, a safe distance from the village lights, and the adults proceeded into the village.
“Ugh, the stench.”
The moment we arrived at the village entrance, Sister Seol wrinkled her nose in distaste.
Just as the fake Taoist had indicated, the air around Sosangchon still carried a foul odor.
-Woof woof woof woof!
As we hesitated, repelled by the smell, dogs began barking aggressively.
Accompanied by the barking, several men holding torches hurried toward us.
“Who is there, arriving so late at night?”
A few clutched clubs, clearly suspicious of strangers appearing at this hour.
Ji-ryong moved forward and offered a courteous salute.
“We were dispatched by Shaolin to inquire about the situation in Sosangchon.”
“Shaolin?”
“Shaolin?”
Hearing the name Shaolin, the men, taken aback, swiftly moved to conceal their clubs behind their backs.
Ji-ryong nodded and continued his explanation.
“I am Ji-ryong of the Martial Alliance, sent by Shaolin to look into the reported trouble within your village.”
“Ji-ryong? Ji-ryong…? Aah!?”
“Ji-ji-ji-ryong!?”
At the mention of Ji-ryong’s name, one man sprinted into the village. Soon after, an elderly man rushed out, huffing and puffing, to welcome us.
***
The village chief, having arrived in a fluster, lamented that if he had delayed just one more day, he could have avoided a significant expense.
He had been compelled to pay five silver coins to have the millipedes removed.
That sum was crucial for their winter survival, and now, without it, enduring until spring would be challenging. His face was etched with regret.
As we listened to his grievances, I used the pretext of “assessing the results” to persuade the chief to show us the site where the millipedes had been burned.
Since we were searching for any remaining traces, the burning location was the primary area to inspect.
“This way, please.”
“This is where you collected and burned the millipedes?”
A faint scent of ash hung in the air.
The location he led us to was a sizable clearing near the village, now merely a mound of ashes.
Nothing else remained.
Although along the path from the village, numerous crushed millipede carcasses were visible, trampled underfoot.
“Yes, young master.”
“You may go, village chief. We will manage from here.”
“Understood.”
Once the village chief departed, we commenced a thorough examination, but the burn site yielded only ash.
They had burned the millipedes along with straw, which combusts completely, leaving behind no residue but ash.
“I will check for any unusual remnants.”
“I will inspect the deceased millipedes.”
“I will examine the leftover talismans.”
While Hwa-eun sprinkled reagent solutions around the area to detect any poisons or unusual substances, and Ji-ryong looked over the talismans, I concentrated on studying the dead millipedes.
I needed to confirm there were no manufactured clues left behind.
From the Taoist’s bold manner, it seemed unlikely he was from the Five Venoms Clan, but I had to be meticulous.
‘Hmm. Trigoniulus corallinus.’
Every one of the deceased millipedes belonged to the species Trigoniulus corallinus.
Commonly known as the rusty millipede or Asian millipede, it is recognized by its reddish hue and can grow up to 7 centimeters.
This species is known for occasional population explosions in Asia, becoming a nuisance.
“Discover anything unusual, So-ryong?”
“Not as yet. And you, Hwa-eun?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary. Everything is too thoroughly burned to determine.”
“So it appears.”
Hwa-eun had returned promptly.
She had applied various reagents but found no indications of poison or strange compounds.
We shared a sense of disappointment with the village chief, having arrived a step too late.
Had we been sooner, we might have witnessed the act itself—but now only ash remained.
Nonetheless, we were determined to inspect everything meticulously.
The first millipede I checked was too severely crushed to offer any information beyond its species, so I arranged dozens of others on leaves for closer inspection.
After examining twenty or thirty of them, I noticed an odd consistency.
“Huh?”
Observing a shared trait among several specimens, I turned others over to verify—and as I collected more samples, the pattern became undeniable.
“What is it? Did you find something?”
“Did you find something, So-ryong?”
“So-ryong, what did you discover?”
Everyone began to question me when they noticed my altered expression.
Cupping my chin, I nodded and answered.
“Yes. They are all male.”
Curiously, every single one of the millipedes was male.