Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 407

Chapter 407
The distant yellow swarm of locusts was steadily increasing in size.
This indicated it was advancing directly toward our position—myself, Cho, Sister Jeokwol, Moji, and Soji.
For a heartbeat, I went completely still.
It wasn’t terror that held me. It was the realization that the locusts’ path complicated everything.
Our mission was to find the Locust King to save the translator, yet if we focused solely on that and lost the swarm, the locusts could pour into the Central Plains and kill thousands—perhaps tens of thousands.
Tracking the swarm had been our primary objective from the start.
“I must recall everyone to camp. This isn’t a choice for me to make by myself.”
After a moment’s consideration, I stopped the search and summoned the entire group back to camp.
This wasn’t a matter of quitting the hunt for the Locust King or writing off the translator’s life.
Even with innumerable lives in the balance, how could I disregard the one life right before my eyes?
Years ago, in the early 2000s, a question about the nature of justice had spread across the globe.
It originated from a Harvard professor’s lecture, posing whether it was right to sacrifice one person to save a greater number. Did the math of lives saved make such a sacrifice acceptable?
But that philosophical debate wasn’t why I refused to abandon the search for the Locust King.
It wasn’t about ideals—it was because I required the Locust King for myself.
I intended to enlist him. He was a venomous spirit beast—a locust, of all things.
How could Spicy Fabre possibly ignore an opportunity to acquire such a specimen?
“Walking away? Impossible. Naturally, lives carry more weight… but even so.”
Furthermore, the timing for a regroup was ideal.
We had been searching since daybreak—roughly six hours—and evidently, no one had located the Locust King.
We had a pact that the group who sighted him would alert the others via our mental connection. The ongoing silence was proof that no one had.
It seemed the right time to gather, talk about the swarm, and strategize our next steps.
I sent a thought into the shared mental link:
『“I assume no one has found the Locust King?”』
The channel had been quiet all morning, so prospects were dim—but I posed the question to be certain.
Replies from Hwa-eun and the spirit beasts came at once.
『“Not yet, So-ryong.”』
— Tsrrr. (Nothing on my end, Dad.)
— Tssrt. (Still no sign. Where is he hiding?)
— Guu. (Father, we haven’t seen him either. The archer complains incessantly about her aching legs.)
— Gyuit. (Haven’t found him, Grandpa.)
— Guuu. (Nothing here as well, Father.)
Their answers were immediate, as if they had been anticipating my query.
As I expected, none of the search parties had found the Locust King.
Time to address the real issue.
『“Hwa-eun, I believe we should all regroup now. So—”』
“As you wish. But, So-ryong, are you sure you aren’t hungry? You barely touched your food this morning.”
Hwa-eun was gently ensuring I had eaten, perhaps feeling remorseful that I’d only had a small bite earlier.
“Ah, so this is the legendary care of a devoted Central Plains wife from the Confucian era.”
A rare, genuine experience of traditional spousal devotion.
Feeling thankful, I pressed on.
『“No, I’m alright. Something more critical has come up. Can you send Yeondu to my location?”』
“Something critical?”
“Yes. The locusts are here.”
“Wait, the Locust King? But you just said—”
She naturally thought I meant the king. After searching for him all day, her mind didn’t immediately jump to the greater swarm.
『“No, not the king. The entire locust swarm has arrived.”』
“Whaaat!?”
Once I corrected her, her astonishment reverberated sharply through our mental connection.
But she composed herself swiftly.
『“Understood! I’ll dispatch Yeondu immediately!”』
There would be a short wait for Yeondu’s arrival, and it still seemed we had time before the swarm reached us.
In the interim, I instructed Cho and Sister Jeokwol on what to do once Yeondu came.
We couldn’t simply let the swarm move unobserved while we regrouped.
I decided to have Cho and Sister Jeokwol follow the swarm from the air.
“Cho, you and Sister Jeokwol will shadow the swarm. When I contact you mentally, send her to me at once. Sister Jeokwol, the task of tracking them is yours.”
— Tsrrr. Understood, Dad.
— Chii!
Soon, a green snake could be seen speeding from the camp.
— Shaaa! 『So-ryong-nim!』
Yeondu arrived and caught me with remarkable accuracy mid-flight. Sister Jeokwol then jumped from Cho’s back onto Yeondu’s, executing a perfect transfer in the air.
“My thanks, Sister Jeokwol, Cho! I rely on you!”
— Chii!
— Tsrrt!
Yeondu coiled around me and sped toward camp, while behind us, Cho and Sister Jeokwol gained altitude, flying high above the approaching swarm.
They resembled a dragon adorned with butterfly wings.
***
Having come from the most distant sector, I was the last to return to camp; everyone else was already there.
After three hours of dashing about using the Lightfoot Technique, the group was utterly spent, lying collapsed on the ground.
Muttered grievances rose from where they rested.
“Honestly, where in the blazes are these cursed locusts?”
“Indeed, it’s as if they’ve disappeared into thin air.”
“Why don’t we just rip out all the Cordyceps and call it a day?”
“Gungbong, attempt that once more and you can forget about ever saving the infected man.”
“Ugh, very well…”
From their tired looks and conversation, it was clear Hwa-eun had not yet informed them of the swarm’s appearance.
I shared a glance with her and moved to explain my reason for calling them back.
“Everyone, gather round, please. I have an announcement.”
“Of course, So-ryong. Everyone, assemble.”
“Come together, all of you.”
“Understood.”
One by one, they gathered near the infected man, who remained drowsy and unfocused.
He was still unconscious, probably due to me sealing his blood points.
After quickly checking his state, I spoke to the assembled group.
“I’ve called everyone back because a locust swarm has been sighted. I saw it during our search.”
A collective gasp went through them.
“A l-locust swarm has been seen?”
“You mean the locusts are actually here!?”
“Yes. I confirmed it myself to the west.”
Every eye turned toward the unconscious translator, the infected man.
Just as I had, they were likely grappling with what our course of action should be now.
Hu-gae’s expression was profoundly grave as he asked,
“Then… what is our move? We cannot simply overlook the locusts…”
“For the moment, I will track them with Cho. I’ll assign the other flying beasts to each team. Everyone else must press on with the search for the Locust King.”
It was then that Ji-ryong spoke up unexpectedly.
“It seems the infected man may have more luck than we imagined. We could be nearer to finding the Locust King than we think.”
I turned to him, taken aback by the assured smile on his face.
“What are you implying, Ji-ryong?”
“Yes, explain yourself,” others added.
I was equally confused, so I waited for his explanation.
Ji-ryong elaborated with a keen expression.
“I refer to the locust graveyard. The Locust King was protecting it—and given the Cordyceps sprouting from the corpses, isn’t it likely he was involved in their demise?”
“If the swarm is emerging now, it suggests the Locust King himself may appear soon.”
His words struck me with the force of a physical blow.
Of course.
It was peculiar. All those locusts had perished in a single location, and all were host to Cordyceps?
Perhaps the Locust King buried their bodies, and the fungus grew later… but the more plausible scenario was that he had infected living locusts, much like the translator, and consigned them to the earth.
That second theory was far more logical.
“Ohhh…”
“So, if all those locusts had Cordyceps emerging from them…”
As was typical of Ji-ryong.
If we simply followed the swarm, the Locust King was sure to reveal himself.
***
Ji-ryong’s logic was sound, but I chose to adhere to my initial strategy: I would follow the locust swarm alone with Cho, while distributing the other flying spirit beasts among the search teams.
This was due to Ji-ryong’s own prudent warning—what if we all pursued the swarm, yet the Locust King never materialized?
“I could be incorrect, so we should continue with young warrior So-ryong’s search plan.”
“A wise precaution. We must allow for the possibility of error.”
“Then I will return, leave Cho in place, and bring back Sister Jeokwol. Having aerial scouts with each team will greatly improve our odds.”
“Understood, young warrior.”
During the initial search, I kept all the flying beasts with me to maximize our coverage. But now that we were tracking the locusts’ movement, there was no reason to keep them all.
I left the group to wait and flew towards Cho’s position, communicating with her mentally.
‘Cho, are the locusts still there?’
—Tsrrt. 『Yes, Dad. They are moving slowly, carried by the wind.』
‘I’m coming to you.’
—Tsrrrr. 『Alright, Dad.』
As I raced toward Cho on Yeondu, her voice sounded again in my mind.
—Tsrrt! 『Dad, the locusts are beginning to descend!』
They were dropping down into a valley. At this altitude, over 2,000 meters high, it made sense. These creatures fly until they are weary, then land to feed. They were likely exhausted and seeking sustenance.
‘I’m nearly there.’
As Yeondu brought me to the location, Cho saw me first and flew to meet us.
She indicated a direction with her tail.
—Tsrrr. 『Over that way, Dad.』
‘I see.’
“Yeondu, my thanks. Sister Jeokwol, I am grateful for your assistance. Cho and I will handle things from here. Please rejoin the others and aid them. Follow Yeondu—Hwa-eun will provide full instructions.”
Chii.
Shaa. 『Very well, we shall return. Come, Lady Jeokwol.』
As Yeondu and Sister Jeokwol flew off toward camp, Cho and I proceeded to where the locusts had settled.
It was a basin-shaped valley—not too far—with a thin stream cutting through it and rich grass covering the earth.
“Cho, we’ll take a low position over there. Remaining in the sky might allow the Locust King to detect us.”
We stealthily moved to the ridge overlooking the basin. From that vantage point, concealed by rocks, we could watch without being seen.
—Rustle. Rustle.
By the time we arrived, half the grass had already been consumed.
The remainder was disappearing at an alarming rate.
From the air earlier, the swarm had appeared as large as a stadium’s dome. Now, on the ground, they were stripping an area the size of a football field. The only sound was the relentless grinding of countless mandibles.
“No one would need a lawnmower with these creatures about.”
Cho and I lay flat on the ridge, observing the swarm’s feast.
Then I heard it—that unique, unmistakable sound of wings.
A wingbeat I had heard only once before, resonating through the valley.
—Chwarrr.
There was no question. It was the wingbeat of the Locust King.
“So soon!?”
I ducked lower, peering from behind a rock—and then I saw him.
He descended from the ridge on the far side.
This time, I had a perfect view—not just of his landing, but of his immense, unfolded wings.
And, by the heavens.
Wings that glimmered with a dazzling spectrum of colors.
Brilliant, iridescent membranes scattered light in every direction.
“Naturally. That is the appearance befitting a king.”
He truly carried the grandeur of a monarch.
Although he landed at the swarm’s rear, not a single locust started or interrupted its feeding.
Ordinary swarms are easily spooked—the slightest approach sends them into a chaotic scatter.
“Perhaps it is because he is one of them… or their sovereign. Similar to Cheongwol, who commands others of her kind. Or maybe, like me, he releases a pheromone or an aura that soothes his own.”
—Chwaar!
As I contemplated his connection to the swarm, another powerful wingbeat shuddered the air.
Cho conveyed his words into my mind.
—Tsrr. 『He is enraged, Dad.』
“He’s angry?”
—Tsrrrt. 『Yes. He cried out, ‘Are you all the same as well!?’ His voice was full of fury.』
“What could that mean…?”
I was puzzled, tilting my head in confusion.
Then another furious wingbeat followed.
—Chwarrrrrrr.
And Cho began translating once more.
—Tsrrrrr. 『Every kinsman I have waited a lifetime to encounter… and all of you, like this. Mindless creatures that chew on the flesh and shells of your own kind. You who have forfeited even your reason—perish here!’』
Abruptly, his meaning became clear.
Locusts undergo a metamorphosis when they turn into plague locusts—their bodies alter, and they consume everything voraciously.
But there is another, more sinister characteristic.
They acquire a hunger for protein.
These insects, originally plant-eaters, start to display carnivorous madness.
They don’t hunt living animals—but they cannibalize their own, particularly the weak or the young.
It is a method to quickly gain energy and control their numbers, boosting the swarm’s overall chance of survival.
Focusing my gaze into the basin, I saw what he meant.
Some locusts had fallen—maybe from fatigue after their long journey—and the moment the grass was gone, others descended upon them and began to eat.
One after another, the weakened locusts were pulled apart.
Some were attacked from behind even as they devoured others.
It looked like a nightmare scene from a tale of walking dead.
And observing the Locust King’s face as he witnessed this… I felt I could comprehend his despair, if only a little.
To me, this was simple ecology—the way of nature, of evolution.
But from his outburst, I could sense he had likely dwelled here in solitude for a very long time.
This was not a region friendly to locusts. These were probably the first of his kind he had seen in an age.
And this was how they appeared?
The first subjects to arrive in your kingdom, and they are all monsters.
No one else possesses a mind.
A solitary king, cursed with consciousness.
That, I imagined, was his anguish.
—Fwoosh.
From his back, a yellow mist began to emanate, curling upward like ritual incense.
The mist of peace—an offering to usher his departed kin to their rest.