Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 516

Chapter 516
“So-ryong!”
“Young Master!”

Just as I allowed myself a grin of triumph after securing Hoja, figures emerged from both banks of the river downstream. My adoptive father, the Dragon Fangs, and a host of Martial Alliance warriors poured onto the scene.

They advanced with swift lightfoot techniques, quickly surrounding our position. As they came, they dispatched the fallen Five Venoms Sect scoundrels littering the ground with thrusts of their swords and spears. Their numbers appeared to be at least two or three hundred strong. It seemed they had assembled a dedicated strike force and crossed the border once the spirit beasts moved to aid me.

“Father!”
“So-ryong, are you unharmed? Is the bride injured!? Let me see her!”
“I’m fine.”
“It’s nothing serious, Father-in-law. Only a slight wound.”
“Hwa-eun, are you all right? What happened!?”
“Yes, unni, I was struck on the shoulder, but it is not a deep injury.”

My adoptive father and Seol-noona were visibly alarmed by the wound on Hwa-eun’s shoulder. As I was assuring them of our condition, Ji-ryong rushed over, his eyes sweeping the area as he asked,

“Young Master, what became of our foes?”

I replied with a confident smile. It was, without a doubt, a significant victory. I didn’t know if they awarded medals in this world, but this certainly deserved one.

“I gravely wounded the Five Venoms Sect Lord, but when the children closed in on him, he managed to escape in that direction. It hasn’t been long since he fled.”
“You inflicted a serious injury on the Sect Lord himself!?”
“Yes. He was pierced by the venomous stinger of the Crimson Poison Harpoon Snail. Regardless of his mastery over poisons, and even as the leader of the Five Venoms Sect, countering that toxin will be tremendously difficult for him.”

I had essentially placed the sect leader in a state akin to Schrödinger’s cat—neither definitively dead nor alive. If that wasn’t a notable achievement, what could be?

‘It might not deliver a killing blow immediately, but his survival is far from guaranteed.’

While the Five Venoms Sect are specialists in venom and poisonous creatures, their expertise is traditionally confined to five specific categories: snakes, toads, spiders, lizards, and centipedes. With poisons, the most effective method for creating an antidote is prior exposure. However, Yeonji and Yeoncheon had only just awoken from their long hibernation. The likelihood that the Five Venoms Sect had any prior knowledge of the Crimson Poison Harpoon Snail’s unique venom was extremely remote. However profound their toxic arts, they would find that particular venom nearly impossible to manage. Even if he clings to life, he is assured a period of immense suffering.

And that was not the full extent of our success. We had also decimated the combined forces of the Five Venoms Sect and the Blood Cult.

While I was privately relishing our accomplishment, several men who had arrived with Ji-ryong gazed toward the path of the enemy’s retreat and began to shout.

“This could be an opportunity that will never come again! We have to go after them!”
“He speaks the truth! We must pursue!”
“Ji-ryong! What is your opinion!?”

They seemed to be high-ranking officials within the Martial Alliance, and they were all fervently advocating for a chase, believing this was a moment too crucial to ignore. With the Five Venoms Sect Lord currently afflicted by a spirit beast’s poison, pursuit did indeed appear to be a sound tactical decision. In the warfare of my old world, landmines were not designed to kill, but to injure. wounding one soldier forces another to aid him, effectively removing two from the fight. The Five Venoms Lord would be incapable of channeling his inner energy or moving with agility, meaning someone would have to carry him. If we gave chase using our fastest lightfoot techniques, we stood a real chance of catching them.

‘But wouldn’t a pursuit be dangerously risky?’

There was a significant complication. Even though we were aware of the Five Venoms Sect’s base and possessed superior numbers, we had refrained from a direct assault. Wasn’t the reason precisely because they were situated across the border, within the lands of the Daewol Nation? Provoking Daewol could potentially ignite a war. The mere fact that several hundred of our forces had already crossed the border meant we had transgressed the limits set by the Imperial Court.

Ji-ryong stroked his chin, falling into deep contemplation. But before the time it takes to finish a cup of tea had passed, the assembled crowd began to press him for an answer.

“Ji-ryong! We require a decision!”
“There is no time to stand here pondering!”
“We must act first and think later!”

Anxious, eager voices filled the air. Fortunately, Ji-ryong emerged from his thoughts more swiftly than anticipated and addressed everyone.

“You are correct. We may not get another chance like this. It is true that too many of us have crossed the border, but I believe this is a risk we must take. Let’s move! From this moment, we pursue them! Those with slower movement techniques, remain here to assist with clearing the area. Everyone else, with me!”

“A sound judgment!”
“The Martial Alliance’s Flash Tiger Unit will commence the pursuit immediately!”

The warriors instantly propelled themselves forward, heading in the direction the Five Venoms Sect had disappeared. Watching them go, I turned to address the children.

“Yo-hwa, please tighten the bindings on Hoja, will you? Pay special attention to his jaw—make sure it is completely secure. He might be able to sever your threads.”
—Kssit. 『Understood, Brother.』
“Moji, Soji—tend to anyone who is injured. Also, provide some basic medical care for our guest, Hoja.”
—Myuu, myuu.
“Cheong-yu Sojeo, would you please watch over this little one for me?”
—Shia. 『I’ll take care of it.』

I instructed Yo-hwa to make Hoja’s restraints more secure, and asked Moji and Soji to treat any wounded children and also see to Hoja’s injuries. Next, I requested that Cho and Yeondu fly ahead of the retreating Five Venoms and Blood Cult forces and spread venom to hinder their escape. If we were committing to a serious pursuit, we needed someone to fly ahead and disrupt their movement. I decided to join them.

“Cho, Yeondu, let’s go. We will fly ahead of them and either rain venom down from above or obstruct their path.”
—Tssrrrr. 『Okay, Dad!』
—Shaaa! 『Yes, Master So-ryong!』
“So-ryong!”
“I will only be releasing poison from above!”

Leaving a concerned Hwa-eun behind, I ascended into the sky. Below, I could see the warriors of the Martial Alliance and the Beast Palace racing across the terrain using their lightfoot skills. Further ahead, the small, distant shapes of the fleeing enemy were just visible.

‘It was entertaining for you when you were the hunters, wasn’t it? Now the roles are reversed.’

Cho and Yeondu followed closely behind me as we advanced from the rear—and, moving without a sound, Jeokwol noona trailed silently after us.

***

*Boom!*

“What is the meaning of this!? I authorized a border crossing to rescue your young master, and you instigate a full-fledged pursuit on foreign soil!?”

After the chase concluded and we had returned to the Beast Palace, we were met by a general of the Imperial Iron Cavalry. He was in a state of pure fury—absolutely livid. He hammered his fist on the table as he yelled at us.

I was uncertain how he had learned of it, but he was already fully aware that we had pursued the enemy beyond the border and was incensed by our actions. I cautiously asked Ji-ryong using sound transmission:

[Who is that man?]
[Ah, that is General Jo Cheol-ung, the White Tiger General of the Imperial Iron Cavalry. After the princess was assaulted by members of the Five Venoms and Blood Cult, the Imperial Court officially branded both groups as heretical sects and called for their open eradication. General Jo was sent here to provide support at the border—though officially he is here to assist us, his other duty is to monitor our actions. To ensure the martial world does not instigate a war by crossing into foreign territory.]
[I understand. That is logical.]

Currently, both the Five Venoms Sect and the Blood Cult had been declared heretical by the Imperial Court—any identified member could be executed immediately. This was entirely because the princess had stated that she was attacked by their members. This was also why, even in Sichuan where the Tang Clan was located, operations were coordinated with the Imperial Iron Cavalry. This man appeared to be the commanding officer for this region. While he offered support due to the border unrest, his primary function was clearly one of oversight.

“I offer my apologies. My son dealt a critical blow to the enemy leader—it was not a situation we could simply disregard and walk away from.”
“Indeed, General Jo. How could we show restraint when presented with the chance to strike at the throat of the very individual who dared to attack the princess? As loyal servants of the Emperor, we could not ignore the one who threatened Her Highness.”

My adoptive father and a senior representative from the Martial Alliance offered their apologies, invoking the princess and sentiments of loyalty—

Yet General Jo remained stern and unmoved, his tone sharp and unyielding.

“Even so, the potential for diplomatic repercussions from the Daewol Nation remains! If they lodge a formal protest, His Majesty could become enraged… and I would be the one held fully accountable!”

At this, Ji-ryong asked me through sound transmission:

[Young Master, would you be opposed to sharing some of the credit?]
[Credit?]
[Yes, the merit for wounding the Five Venoms Lord—what if we allow the general to claim a share?]

Ah, so he meant letting the general dip his spoon into the pot. In my previous life, politicians and high-ranking officials adored this practice. Arriving after all the hard work was done just to be photographed and take a portion of the glory. Since the general was essentially a state official, this was about offering him the same opportunity. I wasn’t anticipating receiving any formal honors anyway, and I had already secured Hoja—so I had no objections.

I promptly sent my reply to Ji-ryong via sound transmission.
[Go ahead.]
[Understood. Thank you.]

Hearing my agreement, Ji-ryong turned to the general with a well-practiced smile and began to speak.

“General Jo, I comprehend your anger, but what is done cannot be undone. Perhaps I might propose an alternative strategy?”
“What sort of strategy?”
“If the Daewol Nation does protest, we can report that, yes, a limited number of our forces did cross the border—but they did so only in pursuit of invading enemies who were responsible for creating horrifying biological weapons. We can also state that the incident has been conclusively resolved and the perpetrators punished. We have the corpses of those very creatures. We can preserve them in salt and send them to the capital as evidence. That should help to mitigate any blame. And if no protest is made, we simply report that a minor skirmish occurred at the border, and thanks to your decisive leadership, the enemy’s leader was severely wounded and is now missing. What is your opinion of this?”

As Ji-ryong elaborated, the general’s severely furrowed brows gradually relaxed. The proposal clearly resonated with him. He took a sip from a teacup that had lost a third of its contents during his earlier outburst, then cleared his throat with a somewhat awkward expression.

“Ahem… It’s not that I am concerned with receiving credit… It is merely that if a war were to break out, it is the common people who would suffer. My only intent is to prevent that, you must understand.”
“Naturally. Is there anyone more dedicated to the welfare of the people than General Jo?”
“Precisely! Everyone here is well aware of that.”
“I have also heard my father speak very highly of you on many occasions.”

After this round of flattery from all present, General Jo finally allowed himself a smile.

“Haha, so you have heard of that, have you? Ah, I suppose you can hardly be called a ‘young master’ any longer with your wedding approaching. Regardless, it would be discourteous to cause a disturbance at a household deep in wedding preparations… Very well, we will proceed with that plan.”

It was a textbook bureaucratic response. Just as I thought we had successfully navigated the worst of it, I overheard the general mutter to himself with a tone of regret.

“Still… not capturing their leader… We truly should have managed that. It would have perfectly secured the credit. Tsk.”

‘Yes. Politicians and bureaucrats are the same in every world.’

Recalling the events of the chase, I couldn’t help but concur. It really had been unfortunate. We had caught up to them remarkably quickly. With me releasing poison from above and disrupting their route, the Martial Alliance’s pursuit team was able to narrow the gap in short order. But perhaps because the members of the Five Venoms Sect knew their own lives were forfeit if their lord perished, they fought with desperate determination. They sacrificed portions of their remaining force to slow us down and continued their flight to the very end. Then, just as we caught up to them again, one of them suddenly produced a strange object.

“Unleash the Apocalypse!”

On the command of the Five Venoms Lord, one warrior drew an item from his robes and charged directly at the Martial Alliance lines. Sensing imminent danger, our warriors quickly overwhelmed him—but in that same moment, the porcelain jar he carried shattered. The instant it broke, a perfect sphere twenty meters in diameter around him dissolved into a corrosive haze of venom, as if wiped away by a massive eraser. The Martial Alliance sustained heavy losses and was compelled to break off the pursuit.

“General Jo, since we are all gathered here, shall we share a drink?”
“Let’s.”
“I have some excellent wine I was saving for my son’s wedding. Please consider this a preview.”
“Wine? That sounds agreeable.”

As the adults transitioned to discussing drinks, I quietly excused myself and headed for my quarters. I still had to extract the venomous stinger from Hoja’s head, after all.