Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

The hunt for the insect began as evening fell.
I went into Yeong-yeong’s chamber, lit a lantern, and conducted a thorough search of the room.
The confiscated clothes and sweets that had been taken from her and given to the Peng family still sat on the table, ignored by people. Ants, on the other hand, had found them, devouring the sweets with vigor.
Witnessing this, my sister let out a breath.
“Ugh… I guess we’ll have to get the servants to take care of this. The ants have completely overrun it. With all the recent visitors, they must have overlooked it.”
The word for ants in the Central Plains was *ma-ui*.
I moved in quickly to get a better look at the mass of ants covering the table.
The one I was after was probably somewhere in their midst.
“Alright then… where are you hiding?”
While I was studying the ants, my sister spoke up from beside me.
“So-ryong, is the thing you’re searching for an ant? Are ants cousins to bees?”
Unlike my sister’s questionable grouping of centipedes with dragons, based on the classifications made by scholars in my past life, ants are insects of the order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae.
So, calling ants distant relatives of bees wasn’t completely wrong.
But I wasn’t searching for any ordinary ant.
I requested that my sister bring the lantern closer.
“Ants are related to bees, but the one I need is a specific type. Could you move the light a little closer here, please?”
“Of course.”
Wearing a puzzled look, my sister brought the lantern nearer to the table.
Concentrating intently on the seething mass of ants, I finally found it—a swift, glossy ant moving purposefully through the others, hunting them down.
“There it is!”
I reached out swiftly and pinched the ant’s body delicately between my fingers.
The tiny insect writhed, aggressively shaking its stinger.
I turned to show my sister and the Peng Clan head, holding the ant up for them to see.
“This is the one! This is what did it!”
“This is a bee’s cousin? Oh!? It truly does have a stinger on its backside!”
“What? Ants have stingers?”
The sharp stinger on the ant’s abdomen was clearly visible, and the others gaped at it in astonishment.
To be fair, when would most people ever look at an ant so closely? Ordinarily, one would just brush them away if they got too near.
I nodded at their questions and started my explanation.
“This is the very creature that caused Yeong-yeong’s collapse. It is named the *wangchim ma-ui*—the ‘stinging king ant.’ Its sting provoked the reaction.”
“The *wangchim ma-ui*!?”
“The stinging king ant… A most fitting name for something from the Tang Clan.”
“This is it!?”
The insect in my hand was unmistakably an ant, yet its stinger gave it the appearance of a wasp or a bee. Its most notable characteristic was the sharp, prominent stinger on its abdomen.
In Korea, this species, commonly called the *wangchim* ant (*Pachycondyla chinensis*), was uncommon. In China, however, it was found more frequently. If someone suffered anaphylaxis from an ant sting, this species was almost always to blame.
“Are you claiming Yeong-yeong was stung by this ant?”
“Yes, I am quite sure of it.”
“And this is a cousin of bees?”
I elaborated, “Yes, it is a close relative of the *hwangbong*.”
“*Hwangbong*?”
In the Central Plains, *hwangbong* meant wasps. These ants, equipped with stingers, were near kin to wasps.
“Aha! So when Lady Yeong-yeong fell ill earlier after being stung by the *se-hwang hobong* (small yellow hornet), you reasoned that this ant might be the cause?” my sister inquired.
“Precisely, Lady Hwa-eun.”
As expected of someone destined to be a wife, my sister was quick to understand.
Indeed, seeing Yeong-yeong’s anaphylactic response to the hornet sting had led me to suspect these ants.
The *wangchim ma-ui* (*Pachycondyla chinensis*) belongs to the Hymenoptera order, Formicidae family, and the Ponerinae subfamily.
While the idea of ants possessing stingers might be surprising, the reason is rooted in their evolution. These ants split off from a common ancestor they shared with wasps, retaining many wasp-like features.
From a taxonomic viewpoint, ants and wasps diverged from the same lineage, with wasps and ants forming separate families within the superfamily Vespoidea.
Scientists largely agree this split happened around 100 million years ago in the mid-Cretaceous period. Recent genetic studies have verified that ants and wasps are each other’s closest relatives.
Research on the venom of *wangchim* ants and wasps has also shown that patients who experience anaphylaxis from ant stings often have a similar reaction to wasp venom.
Taking care not to get stung, I continued.
“These ants have a particular habit—they hunt other ants. This one was likely attracted by the sugar from the sweets on the table and came to prey on the other ants, stinging Yeong-yeong in the process.
Since the sting marks looked like the welts already on her skin, nobody could identify the cause at the time. By the time Yeong-yeong woke up, the marks would have been mistaken for ordinary bumps.”
“Oh! So that’s how it happened?”
“Yes, Clan Head.”
The Peng Clan head, delighted by the explanation, seized my hands and asked, “To think something so small was responsible! Thank you! Now that we know the cause, can an antidote be prepared?”
He turned to my father-in-law and asked if creating an antidote was possible.
But my father-in-law shook his head.
“An antidote for wasp venom exists, but in situations like Lady Yeong-yeong’s, where the problem is an extreme sensitivity to the toxin, the antidote is ineffective.”
“What!? Then my daughter must spend her life in constant fear of such tiny things? How can this be!?”
The Peng Clan head’s voice shook with anger and grief.
He had doubtless hoped for a cure, but unfortunately, none existed.
Anaphylaxis isn’t caused by the toxin itself, but by the body’s extreme immune response—specifically, an overproduction of antibodies like IgE or IgG.
The antibodies in Yeong-yeong’s system weren’t combating the venom—they were overreacting to the foreign substance, making her own immunity turn against her.
“Well, at least we have identified the cause. That means we have removed the danger of her collapsing without warning, correct?”
“Hmm… I suppose you are right. Now that I consider it, I haven’t even thanked you properly. Thank you, young hero.”
Even though the source of Yeong-yeong’s condition was now known, the absence of a cure left the Peng Clan head looking disheartened.
But how could I, her brother in spirit, do nothing?
Speaking carefully, I turned to the Peng Clan head and said, “There is one potential way to treat Yeong-yeong…”
The clan head’s eyes went wide. He grabbed both my arms, shaking me with immense strength.
“What is it? Tell me, what is this method!?”
“It is called desensitization…”
“Desensitization!?”
“Yes. It entails gradually exposing her to minute amounts of the substance—”
“You mean we have to undress her again!?”
“No, no, not that!”
The Peng Clan head’s misinterpretation made me fluster. I hurried to clarify further.
Desensitization therapy, also known as immunotherapy, is a standard treatment for anaphylaxis patients like Yeong-yeong. It operates on the principle that a specific concentration of an allergen is required to cause a reaction. By administering small, controlled doses of the allergen over time, the body’s sensitivity is diminished.
In Yeong-yeong’s case, she would be given tiny quantities of wasp venom, with the dose slowly increased until her body stopped overreacting.
“Initially, the venom would be introduced once every seven days. After a period, the frequency would drop to once per month. This usually takes three to five years, but it is achievable.”
“Hmm… Reducing her sensitivity to the venom? That sounds possible. Indeed, even in the Tang Clan, we use small amounts of poison to develop resistance.”
Though the treatment would be lengthy, as long as Yeong-yeong could avoid severe reactions to stings, she could live without fear.
With my father-in-law concurring that the method seemed sound, the Peng Clan head’s face brightened with happiness.
“Thank you! Thank you so much! You have saved my daughter!”
Clutching my hands tightly, the Peng Clan head was overwhelmed with feeling.
Unable to hold back his gratitude, he declared, “I cannot allow such a great debt to go unpaid! Tell me, young hero, is there anything you want? Name it, and it shall be yours!”
It appeared to be customary here—offering a blank promise whenever someone received aid.
Smiling, I answered, “Yeong-yeong is like a younger sister to me now. How could I possibly request a reward for assisting family?”
“No, no, that is unacceptable! Our Peng Clan does not believe in modesty when it comes to repaying debts. Speak your wish!”
His earnest tone made it clear he would not accept a refusal.
Placing my hand over his, I gave a warm smile.
“In that case, since you have journeyed all this way to Sichuan, what would you say to a trip to a famous mountain together?”
“A famous mountain?”
“Yes. Mount Gongga in Sichuan is renowned for its stunning views and its mythical stone pillars. Would it not be a pity to visit a distant land and not see its wonders?”
After all, is sightseeing not one of the greatest pleasures of travel?
***
The Peng Clan head and their martial escort agreed to join us, and getting permission from the elders was simple. Given the Peng Clan’s peerless physical power and the group’s impressive combat skills, the risk was minimal, so both my father-in-law and Grandfather Mandok Shingun approved without any hesitation.
“Still, you must be careful. They say the energy here is potent enough to repel armies,” Grandfather cautioned.
“I understand, Grandfather,” I replied.
Since Yeong-yeong needed to remain at the Tang Clan for her desensitization treatment, I departed with my sister, the Peng Clan head, their martial escort, and the Poison Creature Unit. After five days of travel, we finally reached the base of a waterfall with Mount Gongga looming behind it.
The roaring cascade of water plunged downward, generating a white mist and spray that hung in the air.
The Peng Clan head pointed to the far side of the waterfall and yelled, “Is it over there!?”
“Yes, Elder!”
“Alright, come here!”
Standing at the water’s edge, the Peng Clan head motioned for me to come to him. I swallowed nervously and walked over, only for him to place my feet on his enormous hands.
“You said you don’t know the art of *Tappa Biyeon* (Stepping on Waves, Flying Swallow), so I’ll simply throw you to the other side. Ready? Here you go!”
Before I could object, he launched me across the gap toward the opposite cliff.
‘What a way to travel!’
“Ahhhh!”
Even though I’d never feared roller coasters in my previous life, watching the cliff rush toward me made me scream despite myself.
Regaining my senses just in time, I twisted my body in mid-air and managed to land vertically against the cliff face.
‘I made it.’
I quickly found my footing and climbed down to a rocky ledge. Moments later, the Peng Clan head’s huge form drifted gracefully through the air, landing lightly beside me as if he weighed nothing.
“Haha! You have good reflexes!”
“Th-thank you.”
Then, I watched my sister cross the river. Her form moved like crimson flower petals drifting on the wind against the backdrop of the waterfall.
From the opposite shore, the Peng Clan warriors stared in wonder, their mouths open at her elegant performance.
Once she reached our side, a few members of the Poison Creature Unit with superior martial abilities followed us across. Our journey then continued upward along the cliff face.
After some climbing, we arrived at a small cave atop a fist-shaped rock, just as the Martial Alliance soldier had said.
“This should be it,” I said.
We crawled into the cave and found ourselves in a cavernous room shortly after.
Up to this point, everything the soldier had told us had been correct. But the inside of the cave was completely different from his description.
“This is odd,” I muttered. “The soldier wouldn’t have lied, would he?”
“It doesn’t add up,” my sister agreed, frowning as she examined the chamber.