Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 404

Chapter 404
A cry was torn from the very core of my being the instant I saw the creature—an involuntary surge of sound, like water bursting from a desert well or lava exploding through the ocean floor.
It was a pure, knee-jerk reaction.
‘Gyaaahhhh!’
But the beast seemed furious, so I clapped a hand over my mouth and could only stare in silent, internal amazement.
‘It can’t be. That’s modeled after that one, isn’t it?’
What stood before us was a locust as long as a man’s forearm.
Its body was a shifting tapestry of black and orange, its wings textured like ancient bark.
Vivid orange spots dotted its dark armored plates, and a bright red hump on its back seemed to scream that it was venomous, like a proudly displayed badge of lethality.
Its appearance alone told me everything—this was a spirit beast. And a poisonous one, without a doubt.
Moreover, it was unmistakably inspired by an insect I recognized immediately.
That was why I felt so completely overwhelmed—by awe, astonishment, and deep admiration.
‘A genuine Rainbow Milkweed Spirit Beast?!’
Rainbow Milkweed.
It sounds like a whimsical name from a child’s storybook, but that is its real designation.
Rainbow Milkweed Locust. Its scientific name is Phymateus saxosus.
A toxic locust native to Madagascar.
Most people find the concept of a poisonous locust strange.
Aren’t locusts supposed to be harmless?
That’s a common misunderstanding. In truth, numerous locust species possess toxins—it’s simply a matter of potency.
“What do you mean, locusts have poison?” people might question.
Yet anyone who has ever caught one in their youth knows this: when you seize them, they eject a black fluid from their mouths.
That black liquid is their venom.
It’s a defense mechanism. The substance has a foul odor and taste—it contains digestive enzymes and chemical remnants from the toxic plants the locust consumes.
For the Rainbow Milkweed Locust, that toxin is powerful enough to be fatal.
The reason is straightforward: milkweed.
The “milkweed” in its name points to the Asclepias genus of plants—a group infamous for its high toxicity.
This is the same reason monarch butterflies are poisonous. Their caterpillars feed on Asclepias, accumulating its toxins.
‘Correct. Those plants contain cardiac glycosides.’
Certainly, other neurotoxins play a role, but the main agent is a type of toxin called cardenolides—powerful cardiac glycosides.
Consume too much, and your heart begins to contract violently until it finally gives out.
And then you pass on.
To where?
To the rainbow bridge.
‘Whoever named it… absolutely got it right.’
Seriously, the individual who coined the name Rainbow Milkweed Locust deserves applause.
Handle it incorrectly, and you’re headed for the rainbow bridge. It’s both poetic and horrifying, transcending cultural contexts.
Just as I was emerging from my daze, I saw Hu-gae Makgok flinch—his knee bent slightly as if he was preparing to jump back.
He was likely about to employ his light-step technique to create distance.
Chrrrrrrr.
The locust’s wings vibrated once more—this time more loudly and sharply, saturated with clear annoyance.
Hwa-eun and I yelled in unison.
“Don’t move!”
“Stop right there, Hu-gae!”
Without the children present to translate, we couldn’t comprehend the specific meaning of the sound, but we shared the same instinctive understanding—make no sudden motions.
Having been around the kids, Hwa-eun had likely sensed it as well.
The moment Hu-gae became still, the locust’s wings buzzed again.
Chrrr.
Looking more carefully, I understood that what I had mistaken for the sound of flight was actually something else—the locust was scraping its legs against its wings.
Locusts and similar insects have serrated legs; rubbing them against the veins of their wings generates sound. It is their method of communication.
This meant the spirit locust was attempting to speak to us.
We instantly signaled for everyone to remain motionless.
“Everyone, do not move a muscle.”
We had obviously committed a grave error.
The buried locusts… and this spirit beast emerging after we dug them up…
‘Could this be a burial site?’
We didn’t know who had interred the locusts, but if this spirit creature was responsible, everything fell into place.
Spirit beasts possess intelligence comparable to humans. Burying their deceased would be a perfectly natural act.
So I spoke to it in a careful, respectful tone.
“Excuse me… we are truly sorry. Was it you who buried these individuals? This appears to be a gravesite, correct? We were unaware—we will return them immediately.”
Silence.
Then the spirit locust inclined its head in a slight nod.
It had indeed understood me. Naturally—it was a spirit beast.
“You all heard that, correct? This is a grave. Let’s put the cordyceps-infected ones back.”
“Understood, So-ryong.”
“Yes, mister.”
“Amitabha. If it is a grave, then to disturb it is a profound disrespect—even if it belongs to simple insects.”
“Tch… such a pity.”
Despite their disappointment, my companions started placing the locust corpses back into the earth.
In my mind, I heard Hwa-eun’s voice.
『“It appears that truly is the Black-Wood Yellow Locust King, does it not?”
“I believe so, yes.”』
I concurred with her judgment.
With that confirmation, my heart—which had just settled from the initial shock—began to hammer once again.
The Black-Wood Yellow Locust King.
One of the Twenty-Four Venomous Beasts of the Floral, Wood, Herb, and Fruit Categories, documented in the Secret Compendium of Venomous Creatures.
It was reputed to be the sovereign of all locusts.
‘The monarch of every locust in existence, right? Incredible.’
If it was the equivalent of Cheong-yu—the supreme ruler of all snakes—then it was no wonder my pulse was racing.
『“They refer to it as the king of all locusts, correct?”
“Yes, Hwa-eun.”
“Then… are these the graves of its followers?”
“That is a reasonable assumption, yes.”』
Our mental exchange clarified the reason for the creature’s wrath.
If we had desecrated the graves of its people, then their king’s fury was completely justified.
We required a translator, so I reached out to Cho.
‘Cho, where are you now?’
-Tsrrrt. 『Orange located big brother and is still looking with the others. Oh! I just saw sister Yo-hwa.』
It seemed she and Yeondu were still searching for the remaining children, but we needed to communicate properly—so I requested that Cho come to me.
Before withdrawing, I wished to speak with the spirit beast.
Why was it guarding this grave? And if it was indeed the Locust King, it might know what was causing the recent locust plagues.
‘Let Yeondu manage the others. Can you come to me, sweetheart? A new spirit beast is here, and I cannot understand its language.’
-Tsrrrt. 『Okay, Daddy. I’m on my way.』
Just as I finished speaking with Cho, one of the men reported.
“So-ryong, we have re-buried them all.”
“The task is complete, sir.”
I turned to see the warriors brushing the dirt from their hands, having finished the job.
‘That was quick.’
Almost too quick. I had assumed we would need to pull back and return later with Cho.
So I faced the spirit beast again.
“We have returned the bodies to the ground. May we take our leave now?”
The Locust King scanned the area meticulously, apparently checking to ensure we had missed nothing.
Just as it seemed ready to nod in agreement…
Its head jerked around—its focus locking directly onto the guide.
Chrrrrr!
That sharp, abrasive sound of its wings returned—louder now, and more intense.
The guide shuddered under the force of that noise.
‘What’s happening?’
We had fixed the graves, hadn’t we? Why was the Locust King angered again? Why did the guide appear so anxious?
As I was puzzling over this, the Locust King surged into motion.
Chrrrrrrrrrrr!
It spread its wings and shot directly into the guide’s chest.
Its speed was so immense that not one of us could respond in time.
Not even the guide.
Thwack!
“Guh!”
The guide was thrown onto his back, and the Locust King landed atop him, using its sharp forelegs to slash open the front of his robe.
Riiiip!
The fabric was instantly torn apart by its claws.
And from within…
Several cordyceps-infested locusts spilled out onto the ground.
“What in the—?!”
At that precise moment.
Cho’s scream erupted in my mind like a thunderclap.
-Tsrrrt! 『Daddy! Mommy! Auntie! Move back!』
“Everyone, retreat!”
“Get back now!”
The instant Hwa-eun and I shouted our warnings, the Locust King released a rage-filled shriek.
A cloud of yellow mist billowed from its body like a tidal wave.
Fwoooosh!
In a heartbeat, the entire vicinity was engulfed in a golden haze.
***
“By the heavens, I’m dying!”
Hu-gae was racing for the riverbank, the guide draped over his shoulders and wailing as if death was upon him.
The unfortunate man had been struck by the Locust King’s poison.
“You utter fool! All this for a handful of stolen cordyceps?!”
“I-I’m sorry! Aghhh…”
They reached the river’s edge in seconds.
Without a moment’s pause, Hu-gae hurled the guide straight into the water.
Splash!
Then he plunged in after him.
He was using his internal energy to seal his own blood vessels while trying to rinse the poison off first.
“What about everyone else?” I asked, watching the two of them flailing in the river.
I had to confirm that no one else had been touched by the yellow mist.
“We moved back fast enough—we’re unharmed.”
“Yes, So-ryong. Your and Hwa-eun’s shout gave us the time we needed.”
“And your sister?”
“I am fine as well, So-ryong.”
“I was the farthest in, and I feel nothing—so unless someone was nearer than I was, all should be well. Except for Hu-gae, who brought him out.”
Since Hwa-eun and I had retreated immediately, and Seol was near us, she was also in a safe position.
The wind had been blowing away from us, and the person in genuine peril—besides the Locust King and the guide—was Gung-bong, who had been closest. But his proficiency in light-step technique had probably spared him.
After verifying the group’s safety, I turned to Hu-gae, who was now hauling himself from the river after braving the mist to rescue his man.
“Hu-gae, are you okay?”
Hu-gae dumped the drenched guide onto the shore and took a ragged breath.
“I’ll survive. But we need to address him first.”
“Understood.”
Hwa-eun and I moved forward to inspect the poison. We needed to identify its nature before any treatment could begin.
“This will be painful. Prepare yourself.”
Hwa-eun’s expression was severe as she produced a long acupuncture needle from her belongings.
“Am I going to die?” the guide moaned.
“Well… we must first determine what manner of poison this is.”
“Aghhh…”
“If you feared death, perhaps you shouldn’t have stolen those things! Do you call yourself a man?!”
The guide began to weep, which only served to inflame Hu-gae’s anger further.
He looked livid—his own subordinate had secretly taken cordyceps for himself and landed in this state. It was both shameful and infuriating.
“That’s enough. The deed is done—he is still a patient.”
“If you’re so skilled at theft, why not plead with Swift Walker to apprentice you? Why remain a wretched beggar?!”
“Let it be.”
Only when Master Jaheo intervened did Hu-gae finally restrain his temper.
Meanwhile, Hwa-eun had started probing the guide’s body with her needles. A confused sound then escaped her.
“Hm?”
“What is it, Hwa-eun?”
I asked, observing her as she dipped a second needle into her medicine pouch and withdrew it with a look of utter confusion.
“This… is not poison.”
“It isn’t?”
“No. There is no toxicity detectable whatsoever.”
The guide, who had been moaning as though at death’s door, began frantically feeling his own body.
A moment later, he stared in pure disbelief.
“W-wait… what? I’m okay? I don’t feel any pain?”
“You wretch! I sprinted all the way here with you shrieking in my ear!”
Hu-gae’s face contorted with renewed fury.
He had run at full tilt with this man on his back.
His hands began to shake with rage.
At that moment, Orange arrived, hauling a substantial tree branch—large enough to function as a cudgel. He wordlessly passed it to Hu-gae and gave a solemn nod.
Skrrk.
Hu-gae nodded back.
With that silent understanding between them, the punishment began.
Whack!
“Gyaahhh! P-please! Show mercy!”
***
That night, we made camp beside the river and ate a swift meal.
The Locust King had disappeared during the commotion. As the sun had set, we resolved to set up camp there and continue our search at first light.
Crackle, crackle.
The campfire popped softly while everyone rested inside the tent Yo-hwa had erected for us.
Rustle, scrape, scrape.
Somewhere amidst the fire’s gentle noises, I detected a strange sound.
It roused me from sleep before I was even fully conscious.
‘What is that?’
Was someone training in martial arts in the dead of night?
I complained to myself, questioning why anyone would choose to practice instead of sleep, and shifted slightly closer to where Hwa-eun lay.
Then Cho’s voice sounded in my head.
-Tsrrrt. 『Daddy, that man is acting strange. He’s consuming soil.』
‘What?’
I rubbed my eyes and looked around.
Cho’s head was visible beneath the tent’s entrance flap—the other children were clustered beside her, observing something outside.
I leaned over and peered in the direction Cho indicated.
‘What is it, Cho?’
-Tsrrrt. 『Over there.』
Bathed in moonlight, the guide was scrabbling at the dirt with his bare hands.
‘What in the world is this about?’
There was something deeply unsettling about the sight—him digging in utter silence, partially shrouded in darkness.
I rose and warily approached him.
“Excuse me… what are you doing?”
“Rrrrrrr…”
Snoring.
‘You have got to be joking. Is he sleepwalking? Of course. Why not?’
Evidently, the man was a somnambulist. I sighed.
I had heard it was difficult to rouse those who sleepwalk, but I couldn’t simply abandon him out here.
So I shook him several times.
After a few attempts, he finally began to stir.
“Huh? Master So-ryong? What…? What’s happening? Wait—my body!?”
He woke readily enough, but the moment he comprehended the situation, his voice became panicked—and then, he screamed.
“S-So-ryong! Help me! M-my body is moving by itself!”