Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 507

Chapter 507
A thick, syrupy liquid dripped in sluggish drops from the side of the white pouch—an object that bore a curious resemblance to a child’s shoe bag from elementary school.
This leakage was not due to a flaw in the pouch’s construction, a creation of Yo-hwa’s. The opening was there by design, serving as an entry and exit point for the children.
The true cause of the dripping was the two Ho-ye, Seom and Byeok, who had thrust their heads out to gaze at the landscape unfolding beneath them.
Initially, their fear had been so intense they resisted entering the pouch entirely. Yet, the way their eyes now shone with wonder suggested their opinion of flight had greatly improved.
They had grown so comfortable with the experience that any earlier terror was forgotten, replaced by complete absorption in the view.
I smiled at them warmly and asked,
“So, what do you think? It’s not too terrible, is it?”
—Waaae.
—Wae.
Perhaps it was just a remnant of their previous anxiety?
I had anticipated a happier response, but instead, I was met with these somewhat complaining cries.
However, since neither of them pulled their gaze from the scenery, their whining seemed to be little more than a force of habit.
“You rascals.”
We had made two stops after departing the Tang Clan to let the children warm up, but we successfully crossed the coldest region in a single day.
The chill was no longer bitter enough to require another halt, so after tonight, we would be able to pick up the pace considerably.
“The sun is going down. We’ll set up camp over there.”
As the evening light began to bleed across the western sky, I chose a spot by the water to spend the night.
I needed to allow the Ho-ye, Seom and Byeok, to immerse themselves in fresh water and also replace the contents of their pouches.
Their viscous secretions had mingled with the water to such a degree that it was difficult to describe the pouch’s contents as merely water anymore.
Cho and Yeondu were also in need of a rest.
Though they are spirit beasts capable of going without sleep for days, the strain of carrying water-heavy pouches and two Ho-ye would fatigue them without proper respite.
—Tsrururu. 『Understood, Daddy. Let’s head down there, Sis.』
—Shaaa. 『Alright.』
At my direction, Cho and Yeondu worked in unison to begin a gentle descent.
With care, I submerged the pouches, with the Ho-ye still inside, into the stream.
The instant they made contact with the water, Seom and Byeok shot out and stretched their bodies as if tasting freedom for the first time.
Being confined together in such a tight space must have been uncomfortable for the pair.
“Don’t wander off too far, understand?”
—Waaae.
—Wae.
“Right, time to get a fire going.”
After cautioning them to stay close, I collected a large pile of dry wood and built it up to create a substantial fire.
The air was above freezing now, but this was still Sichuan—hardly a temperature one would call warm.
—Whoosh. Crackle. Pop.
Once the flames were burning strongly, I took a seat beside them, and the others settled in around me.
Cho nestled against my right side while Yeondu pressed to my left, both seeking the fire’s warmth.
“Now then, let’s have dinner.”
I retrieved a pouch from the pack on my back.
Inside was jerky.
This was to be my meal. I was on the verge of taking a bite when—
The cries of Seom and Byeok, who had wandered nearer, reached me.
—Waaae.
—Waaaeaaae.
—Tsrut. 『Daddy, they are asking you to wait.』
“Wait?”
Did they mean I should hold off on eating the jerky?
I tilted my head, confused by their request.
Then the two of them vanished beneath the water’s surface.
A moment later, they emerged with something in their mouths and tossed it toward me.
—Plop.
It had a speckled body and sharp spines on its back.
The undeniable ruler of freshwater fish: the Korean perch.
“Well now! Korean perch! Thank you!”
There were three of them, each about four ja in length.
More than sufficient for one person—a single fish would be enough for a full meal.
“This is too much for me to finish alone.”
Smiling, I quickly found a flat, broad stone nearby and scrubbed it clean in the stream.
Had they been smaller, I would have speared them on sticks to roast, but these were much too large for that.
My plan was to use the rock as a cooking surface.
The idea of grilling Korean perch on a hot stone was appealing.
I didn’t bother to clean them—I just placed one directly onto the heated rock and waited.
Soon, fat started to render out.
—Sssssss.
Oil bubbled up from the fish’s flesh, slicking the stone and filling the air with a deeply savory and rich smell.
“Mmm. That aroma is incredible.”
The scent alone was enough to make my mouth water.
After a short while, I turned the perch over—one side was perfectly crisped to a golden-brown color, reminiscent of the best scorched rice.
The other side wasn’t fully cooked, but… this side looked ready to eat.
I’m no professional chef—why wait for perfection?
I quickly fashioned a pair of chopsticks from twigs and plucked a piece of the golden skin.
And then came that wonderful sound—
—Crunch.
The crispy skin shattered audibly, releasing a flow of hot oil across my tongue.
“Heavens, this is unbelievable.”
In my past life, the Korean perch was known as the king of freshwater fish—today, I truly grasped why.
The flavor was absolutely extraordinary.
As I relished the taste, a new idea came to me.
Until now, on my searches for spirit beasts, I typically left the Ho-ye at the Tang Clan, as their aquatic nature made them difficult to manage around people.
Traveling with them was a challenge unless a water source was always at hand.
But reflecting on our route… much of our travel had followed rivers regardless.
Perhaps it would be fine to bring them along more often from now on.
If they joined our usual group, then companions like Heukjeom and Geumdo might feel less isolated.
And with Seom and Byeok here, we could enjoy catches like this whenever we wished.
A Murim warrior might know how to fish, certainly—but not like this. Not fish of such impressive size and quality.
“These two… I believe I will start keeping them with me. Oh, that’s right—I should check on Yo-hwa as well.”
While savoring the rich, hot flesh of the Korean perch, I suddenly remembered Yo-hwa.
She was responsible for monitoring the glue bug each morning and evening.
I normally checked with her regularly, but I had become distracted while cooking.
So I quickly reached out to her with my thoughts.
‘Yo-hwa, how is everything there?’
***
Yo-hwa stared ahead, but each of her eight eyes held a different scene.
In her four forward-facing eyes, she saw Tang Hwa-eun, Gun Hye-rin, and Sister Seol sharing tea.
In the other four, she observed the views from the spiders suspended from the cave ceiling, each relaying its own perspective.
Beneath the dark water, everything appeared calm.
There seemed to be no issues.
As she maintained her focus, Yo-hwa absently shifted her legs, mirroring Hwa-eun’s crossed posture in reverse—simply to stretch a little.
It was then that she felt it—a red thread brushing against her ankle.
Yo-hwa had been concentrating on the spiders’ visions, but now her mind turned elsewhere.
To the owner of that red thread.
Her Brother usually spoke to her around this time, but today he was somewhat late.
‘Brother… you are a little late today…’
She was just thinking of contacting him first—
As if their hearts were linked, the voice she had been waiting for sounded deep within her mind.
‘Yo-hwa, how are things over there?’
Yo-hwa immediately replied with a bright smile.
He had remembered to speak to her privately, just as she had requested the previous day.
‘Yes, Dear Brother. All is well here.’
Ordinarily, her Brother communicated with everyone through the group channel.
But each time he spoke, the others would overwhelm the connection with questions, making a proper conversation impossible. So Yo-hwa had asked for these one-on-one talks.
In truth, the complaint about “noise” was merely a pretense—she simply wanted to speak with him alone.
After giving a brief answer, Yo-hwa quickly asked the question she was most eager to have answered:
‘Brother, how much farther have you come?’
The news was disappointing—he still had three days to go.
‘I’m just reaching the border of Yunnan now. It should take about three more days.’
‘Still? Please hurry, Brother. I miss you…’
‘Y-Yes. I’ll hurry.’
‘Do you not miss me as well, Dear Brother?’
‘Uh… w-well. I do.’
His flustered, embarrassed response only made him more endearing to Yo-hwa.
He always told her she was beautiful—not in the stolen, borrowed form she wore, but in her true appearance—and yet he still became like this whenever feelings were involved.
—Growl.
Yo-hwa rubbed her complaining stomach.
But she assured herself she could bear it—so long as she could hear his voice.
It had been six days since her last feeding of yang energy.
She had fed on the day he left and had not had a single drop since.
Normally, Yo-hwa required yang energy every three days. This meant she was now two feedings behind.
Her Brother had arranged for some of his close friends to supply her with substitute yang energy in his absence.
But Yo-hwa did not want it.
She had sampled it a few times after first arriving at the Tang Clan, but it was neither pleasing to the taste nor carried the comforting warmth of her Brother’s energy.
To her, only yang energy infused with his essence was worthy of being her sustenance.
Thinking this, her mind went a step further: when he returned, she must ensure she fed from him before Hwa-eun had the chance.
‘Yo-hwa, if anything occurs, tell me immediately.’
‘Yes, Dear Brother. I remember.’
Just as she sent this reply and scanned the cave with her other four eyes—
She saw it.
The dark surface of the water rippled.
She widened her eyes and concentrated.
Below the surface, in the shadowy depths of the cave’s central pool, she saw a huge mother parasite twisting along the rocky walls.
Two mothers, circling the pond like enormous black shadows.
At first, Yo-hwa thought they were preparing to hunt.
But no—this was not their hunting behavior.
They had never done anything besides catch prey to feed their young. This… this was different.
Then, abruptly, the two mothers—still circling—churned the water into a violent whirlpool. The young parasites, caught in the surge, began to toss and drift.
And the mothers started driving them out—pushing their own offspring from the nest.
The current threw the young against the walls and swept them toward the cave’s entrance, out into the open world.
Yo-hwa sprang to her feet, shrieking inwardly to her Brother.
‘Dear Brother! They are moving! The mothers are expelling the young from the cave!’
‘What!?’
It had to be it.
The event her Brother had called “independence.”
The moment the fully matured young were released into the wild.
“What is it, Yo-hwa?”
“Yo-hwa, has something happened?”
Hwa-eun and Sister Seol were already rising, alerted by the sudden urgency in Yo-hwa’s movement.
Without a second thought, Yo-hwa switched to the group channel and reported what she witnessed.
『—Kishishi! (Sister Hwa-eun! The mother parasites are driving the young from the nest!)』
“What!?”
Hwa-eun cried out in alarm.
“They’re moving—the parasites are beginning to move!”
“Truly!?”
“Yes!”
“I will alert Father and the warriors!”
Sister Seol sprinted outside—and soon, the deep toll of a massive bell began to ring.
The great bell of the Beast Palace echoed urgently.
—DONG. DONG. DONG.
The entire palace burst into frantic activity, warriors yelling and running in all directions.
“Make directly for the water routes!”
“Move out, now! We have confirmation the parasites are on the move!”
Her Brother’s voice also came through the group channel, rushed and tense.
『“Follow Hwa-eun’s orders. Do everything as we planned. I will get there as quickly as possible!”』
“Understood, So-ryong!”
“So-ryong, how long until you arrive?”
“I will attempt to make it in two days, but three at the most.”
He had told Yo-hwa three earlier—but now he was striving to reduce it to two.
Yo-hwa felt a pang of concern over whether he could achieve such a thing safely.
Just then, Gun Hye-rin cracked her neck with a sound like snapping twigs and said:
『“Then we merely need to hold for a maximum of three days, correct?”』
“Take care not to reveal your demonic energy, Gun Hye-rin.”
“Naturally. Do not worry and take the time you need. They are mere lowly beasts. A fine opportunity to stretch my limbs.”
With that, Hwa-eun and Gun Hye-rin sprang into action.
Yo-hwa followed closely, sending a final, fervent thought to her Brother.
‘Dear Brother, please… be safe on your journey.’
‘I will, Yo-hwa. You must not let the web break!’
‘Yes, Dear Brother!’
And just as he asked, Yo-hwa vowed to herself: she would never allow the web to snap.