Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

A strike out of nowhere.
No, more like a cudgel in the dead of night.
I had been relishing a rare chance to sleep in a proper bed for once, instead of on the hard ground.
I had initially dozed off while sitting up, but a warrior from the Tang Clan had considerately moved me to a room.
Truthfully, I had woken up during the move but chose to pretend I was still asleep.
I was simply too exhausted to react.
But was Cheolsan jealous of my deep rest?
I was jolted awake by a sharp slap to my face, administered by none other than Cheolsan himself.
And the sight that met my blurry, sleep-filled eyes was a bug that looked like a stink bug—the notorious Jeopmunchung (Kissing Bug).
Its name, which translates to “kissing bug,” might sound humorously indecent, inspiring lecherous and suggestive ideas. But in my previous life, this insect was no laughing matter—it was indeed known as the Kissing Bug.
‘Why… why is this thing here?’
While varieties of kissing bugs exist all over the world, the one trying to bite me displayed a distinct pattern of alternating orange and black bands across its abdomen.
This particular type was among the most hazardous and one to be greatly feared.
My irritation at being slapped vanished in an instant.
If Cheolsan had just saved me from this bug’s bite, then that slap was nothing less than a lifesaving gift.
This creature, in my past life, was ranked as one of the top ten most poisonous insects globally.
‘Wait! Swollen eyes, slight fever, local reactions, heart complications, irregular heartbeat! How did I not put it together sooner?!’
The moment I recognized the kissing bug, the reason for the villagers’ strange sickness became obvious.
The kissing bug, part of the Triatominae family, gets its name from its tendency to bite sleeping people around their eyes or lips to suck their blood.
The bug itself isn’t the primary danger.
Silent as a mosquito, it can drink a person’s blood without them ever waking. Most of the time, the bite location isn’t a major concern.
This is why it’s also been dubbed the “vampire bug” or “assassin bug” for its quiet, stealthy attacks.
The true danger is the pathogen the bug carries: Trypanosoma cruzi, a parasitic protozoan.
In my past life, it was believed that about half of all kissing bugs were infected with this parasite, which causes Chagas disease.
These bugs defecate while feeding, and the parasite within their waste then infects humans.
While bites alone could sometimes spread the infection, the disease was primarily transmitted through the bug’s feces.
“Elder, I need baijiu (white liquor), right now!”
“Baijiu? What? I know you’re startled, but you are much too young for—”
Cheolsan looked bewildered by my sudden request for liquor, thinking I wanted to drink it.
But I didn’t want the alcohol to consume—I needed it for sterilization.
Baijiu, being distilled, might not be a perfect disinfectant, but it was the best option available.
In the modern era, crushing a kissing bug was strongly discouraged because it could spread parasites. The advised method was to capture it in a jar and freeze it to safely kill the parasite.
“It’s not for drinking, Elder. This bug carries poison, and we must use the baijiu to cleanse it away!”
“What? This insect is venomous?”
“Yes! Please, hurry and get some!”
“Hmm… I will be fine, but you are at risk. Gu Pae! Go quickly and get baijiu from the village chief!”
“Yes, Clan Head!”
One of the Tang warriors dashed out and returned moments later with the village chief and a bottle of baijiu.
“Here it is, Young Hero!”
“My thanks!”
I promptly drenched a cloth with the baijiu and wiped my still-smarting cheek, as well as Cheolsan’s hand, which had made contact with the bug.
Then, using a small stick, I gently lifted the kissing bug and deposited it into a container.
“This is my first time seeing an insect like this. Is it truly so dangerous? You appear unharmed.”
Cheolsan and the other warriors watched with intrigued expressions, and even the village chief looked on in bewilderment.
It was, admittedly, quite a scene to cause such a midnight commotion over a bug.
“Yes, but I suspect this bug is the source of the villagers’ illness.”
“What?! The girl’s sickness is due to this bug?”
“Young Hero, can that be true?!”
“Are you saying… our Meijin is suffering because of this insect?!”
Their faces were etched with disbelief as they stared at me.
The next step was to verify the link between the bug and the disease, so I addressed the village chief.
“Chief, have the dogs in the village been showing similar signs? Trouble breathing, lack of energy, or perhaps even dying?”
“How could you know that?!”
His answer confirmed it: the dogs were also affected. This was unmistakably Chagas disease.
‘But why is this happening here? These bugs and this illness should only be found in South America!’
In my past life, Chagas disease began in South America and later appeared in North America.
Though types of kissing bugs live all over the world, only the varieties from the Americas carried Trypanosoma cruzi.
Back then, with constant global travel, such diseases sometimes emerged in unexpected places, but in this time period, such international movement was impossible.
“Then… can you not save her? Can you not save our Meijin?!”
To be honest, while Chagas disease is serious, its early stages are easily treated with antiparasitic drugs.
The issue was that I had no knowledge of how to produce such medicine.
I knew of benznidazole and its purpose, but I had no clue how to synthesize it.
Facing the village chief’s desperate plea, I could only respond with a look of profound regret.
“Well, you see…”
Noticing my hesitation, Cheolsan asked with concern.
“What is the matter, Young Hero? If this bug is the cause, why do you seem so troubled?”
Unsure if Cheolsan would comprehend, I decided to explain anyway.
“To be clear, the villagers should understand why a cure is beyond my ability. Elder, the bug itself is not poisonous.”
“Wait, you said earlier that it was! We even cleansed with baijiu!”
Their confusion was expected, so I nodded and continued.
“Yes, but the real threat isn’t the bug—it’s the microscopic creatures living inside it. These parasites enter a person’s body through its waste, usually after a bite near the mouth or eyes. Once inside, they multiply and take root in the heart.”
“Parasites? Ones you cannot see?”
“They are similar to roundworms (Hui).”
“Ah, roundworms!”
Roundworms were something Cheolsan knew of, so he nodded in understanding.
“Yes, like roundworms, but these parasites invade the heart, disrupting its rhythm and ultimately leading to death. But… I do not know how to create the medicine that can cure it.”
Hearing my explanation, the village chief broke down, his cries of despair filling the night air.
“Then… then Meijin cannot be saved? Is that it, Elder?! Oh, my Meijin!”
But cutting through the chief’s anguish, Cheolsan’s voice rang out, full of assurance.
“Gu Pae, did you witness that? This is our Young Hero’s true worth. Did I not tell you?”
“You were right, Clan Head. I was a fool to doubt your judgment. I will willingly accept my punishment later.”
After this mysterious exchange, Cheolsan clapped me on the shoulder and announced with pride:
“Young Hero, why are you so worried? We are the Tang Clan of Sichuan!”
“Huh?”
“Because we are the Tang Clan of Sichuan.”
‘So what?! Honestly, why does he keep bringing up the Tang Clan? What good is boasting about some distant clan from Sichuan?!’
Here I was, admitting I couldn’t save anyone, and Cheolsan was still touting his clan’s reputation. Right then, I was prepared to give him the lowest possible score for personality in my mental assessment.
But then Cheolsan inquired with a knowing smile, “Young Hero, are you familiar with gu (蠱)?”
‘Gu? Like in those cursed card games? No, probably not…’
The sudden mention of gu caught me off guard. I blinked, pretending ignorance, and waited for him to continue.
“Gu is what vile individuals in the martial world cultivate. Sometimes named mugu (巫蠱) or godok (蠱毒), it refers to venomous creatures, often insects, used in dark sorcery. They vary in size and, if ingested by a person, can infest their body, causing recurring torment—or even permitting the user to dominate them.”
“Control a person? That’s astonishing!”
A parasite that could control people? This was certainly a different world. Though I couldn’t ignore the parallels to the kissing bug—it made the bizarre presence of these creatures here somewhat understandable.
“Yes, astonishing,” Cheolsan replied, his expression turning grave. “But countless martial artists have met their end because of gu. Some, under its sway, have murdered their own children, taken their own lives, betrayed their clans, and become slaves to evil men.”
“Horrifying…”
“Meijin! My poor Meijin!”
Even as the village chief’s sobs continued, Cheolsan carried on with his explanation, his demeanor calm.
“Therefore, martial artists strove for years to develop antidotes to fight gu. Medicines that could expel the gu from the body or dissolve it completely.”
“That is logical, given the destruction it causes.”
“Precisely.”
‘It’s basically antiparasitic medicine. It seems that, regardless of the era or world, people’s minds work in similar ways,’ I thought to myself.
Then, Cheolsan posed another question.
“But if martial artists were to create such medicines, where do you believe they would be developed?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
I wasn’t knowledgeable enough about the martial world to answer, but Cheolsan smiled as he produced a small box from within his robes.
“Why, naturally, in the great Tang Clan of Sichuan (Dae Sacheon Tangmun)! If we can dissolve a gu the size of a fist inside a person, what challenge is a creature so small you cannot see it?”
“Surely you don’t mean…”
“That is correct. The Tang Clan has devised countless remedies to counteract gu. For example, a single pill of our Mugoyonghwadan (巫蠱熔化團) can melt away even large parasites like hui (roundworms). It may not work on every form of gu, but for something as minuscule as these invisible pests, a portion of our Mugoyonghwadan will be more than sufficient.”
“Mugoyonghwadan!”
It was essentially antiparasitic medicine, but the name carried such power and grandeur.
Who wouldn’t feel a thrill from a name like “Gu-Dissolving Elixir”?
There’s a certain unspoken excitement that men share over such things—the same thrill that compels them to play soccer in a downpour, laugh hysterically, or secretly aspire to be the strongest. It was that brand of inexplicable coolness.
With a newfound respect for the Tang Clan, I followed Cheolsan to the room where the ill girl, Meijin, was resting. He carefully broke off a small piece of the elixir and placed it into her mouth.
The pill melted at once, flowing down her throat like a liquid.
Shortly after, the girl’s chest, which had been shuddering unevenly, began to rise and fall in a steady rhythm. Her eyelids trembled slightly.
“Meijin!”
“G-Grandfather?”
“You’re alive! My Meijin!”
The village chief’s voice was thick with emotion as he held his granddaughter, tears rolling down his face.
The sight made my own chest ache.
And in that moment, a thought insinuated itself into my mind: perhaps enlisting with the Tang Clan permanently wouldn’t be such a terrible idea after all.
‘That… was actually quite cool.’