Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

Xintu’s troubled voice was quickly followed by Seol’s dissatisfied tone.

”We can’t take three people. If it were men, I could carry two on my back, but both of them are women. Yeongryeon isn’t strong enough to carry two people while running.”

”I don’t want to ride on her back anyway! I’d rather just walk.”

”I—I’m sorry! But I already apologized, didn’t I?”

”Does saying sorry just erase everything!?”

Even after another round of apologies, Seol’s anger hadn’t subsided.

The humiliation of having her pressure points sealed and her clothes stolen still weighed heavily on her.

Technically, there wasn’t much difference between her original outfit and being stripped, at least in terms of fabric coverage, but psychologically, it was an entirely different story.

”But no one else saw you, right?”

”What!? You saw me!”

”I—I’m sorry!”

With tensions still high, finalizing who would be traveling to the Martial Alliance was turning into a mess.

The final traveling party included:

Me (to explain the poison situation).Seol (who had to bring both the Tang Clan’s recommendation letter and her adoptive father’s formal request for alliance membership).Hwa-eun (representing the Tang Clan as a proper delegate).Neither Grandfather (Mandok Shingun) nor Father-in-law (Tang Cheolsan) could go, not for lack of ability—but because it would look ridiculous. The only way to travel in three days was riding on Xintu and Yeongryeon’s backs.

But that meant...

No elder could ride on a young woman’s back.No elder could ride on Xintu’s back, either.Thus, Hwa-eun had to go in their place. I also couldn’t refuse the offer—Seol and Bini might lay their eggs while I was gone, but I’d have enough time to return before that.

Still, there was one major issue:

There were only two available ”taxis.”

Martial world express rides were one-seaters, and right now, only two vehicles were in operation.

That meant one of us had to stay behind.

”Then... should Hwa-eun be left out?”

”If Hwa-eun stays, then So-ryong will be going in without knowledge of proper etiquette. The Beast Palace’s application to the Martial Alliance is a formal matter, and he needs to be properly prepared.”

”That’s right, Father.”

Grandfather was correct. Neither Seol nor I knew proper martial world diplomacy.

If Hwa-eun wasn’t there, we could end up offending people without realizing it.

As I was thinking hard, something landed from above.

—Tssrrr?

It was Cho, hovering overhead.

She must have noticed the tense atmosphere, so she came to check on us.

”No, Cho, we’re not fighting. We’re just talking. Nothing to worry about. Go play for a bit.”

I patted her head reassuringly.

As she spun in the air, an idea suddenly hit me.

”Oh, right! That could work!”

I found a way to take Hwa-eun with us while ensuring Seol wouldn’t have to ride on Yeongryeon’s back.

I immediately turned to Xintu.

”Master Xintu, do you know how to fly a kite?”

”Kite?”

”Yes, but it needs to be big and long...”

”This is the kind of kite that would make you an instant legend if you flew it at Han River Park.”

***

”...So, does everyone agree now? We even tested it out.”

”Yeah, yeah, I get it, So-ryong. Tsk.”

”Then let’s depart immediately.”

Now that everything was settled, Xintu was eager to leave without wasting a second.

”Wait a moment, Master Xintu! I need to say goodbye to my creatures first.

If I don’t explain things to them, they’ll all try to follow me.”

”Ah? Oh, right, the creatures... yeah, I suppose that makes sense.”

Even Xintu, after seeing my creature army, understood the necessity.

Of course, I was only bringing Cho and Hyang.

Seol was preparing to lay eggs, so she had to stay behind. And if Seol was staying, Bini automatically had to stay as well.

Snakes could go a month or two without eating, but it was only a last resort.

Yeondu, however, needed to eat juvenile koi fish every few days, so bringing her along was impractical.

Seol, perhaps sensing that Bini needed to remain behind, simply nodded obediently.

Yeondu, still not deeply attached to me, didn’t make a fuss either.

But then, there was Yo-hwa.

”Yo-hwa, just ten days, okay?”

—Ksss...

Yo-hwa crossed her arms, clearly sulking.

Perhaps because of the Yang energy she absorbed from Yang Seong-hu, she had become less resistant to other types of Yang-based auras, so she reluctantly agreed.

However, despite saying she’d stay, she still refused to let go of my sleeve.

”At this rate, we’re never leaving.”

At that moment, Yeongryeon unexpectedly stepped forward.

”So-ryong So-hyeop, can I have some of that silk from earlier?”

”Silk?”

”Yes, that thick thread from earlier.”

She was referring to the Yo-hwa Silk I had extracted earlier.

I wasn’t sure if she wanted it as a souvenir or had some other purpose, but I nodded and pulled two short strands of silk from Yo-hwa.

”Okay, now both of you, give me your wrists.”

”Huh? Our wrists?”

—Ksss?

Both Yo-hwa and I hesitated before slowly holding out our arms.

Without a word, Yeongryeon tied the silk around our wrists, binding them together.

Then, looking at Yo-hwa, she spoke.

”Yo-hwa, listen. Now, you’ve tied So-ryong to you with your own silk.

Even if you’re far apart, you’ll still be together. So now, you can let him go, right?”

At that, Hwa-eun smiled knowingly.

”Oh, is this like the Red Thread of Fate?”

”The Red Thread?”

”Yes.

There’s a legend about the Moon Elder—he ties a red thread around the ankles of two destined people, ensuring they will always meet again.

By tying it to their wrists, it’s like a promise that they’ll reunite.”

”Ah, like the Red String of Fate?”

I had heard of that before, so I nodded in understanding.

I turned to Yo-hwa, wondering if she would accept it.

However—

—Ksss!

She angrily snapped the thread.

Both of them.

”Ah—! I—I thought you’d like it...”

Yeongryeon immediately apologized, flustered.

But Yo-hwa’s reaction wasn’t just anger—she was doing something strange.

She suddenly started spinning more silk.

This time, however—

The silk was bright red.

”...Red?”

He had never spun red thread before, yet now it came out as if it had been dyed.

As I stood there, surprised that he could produce red thread, a thick strand of it wrapped around my leg and Yo-hwa’s leg—who had taken the form of Hwa-eun.

No, rather than tying us, it looped around like a ring.

Without a visible knot.

Satisfied, Yo-hwa gave me a push on the back, making a gesture as if to say, Go on, then.

— Kishishishi.

“Eh?”

“Huh?”

“What?”

Hwa-eun, Seol, and Yeong-yeong stared at Yo-hwa and then at my ankle, their expressions filled with shock.

I raised my hands awkwardly as I looked at the three of them.

After all, we weren’t even the same species.

“N-no way. That’s not... That’s not what this means, right?”

No way, right, Yo-hwa? That’s not it, right? We’re... We’re from different species! This is a love that can never be!

I loved venomous creatures, but my mind went completely blank.

Because if this was real—

What the hell was I supposed to do?

***

Flying a Giant Centipede Like a Kite

A massive centipede soared through the sky, carrying a person in its coils.

Dragging it behind me like a kite, I arrived at the entrance of the Martial Alliance, where a massive crowd had gathered.

“O-O-gong!?”

“O-gong is flying!?”

“Isn’t that a Qinglong instead!?”

As expected, Shintu was now an undeniable social phenomenon.

The reason we ended up in this ridiculous spectacle was simple: Seol refused to be carried by Yeong-yeong, and there were just too many people who needed to travel.

So, I had Cho wrap Seol up, then tied Yo-hwa’s thread around Shintu and Yeong-yeong’s legs, and told them to run while dragging Cho along.

Since Cho could use Yeogi Chongso (御氣衝溯) to float in midair, he barely felt any weight at all while suspended.

The overwhelming welcome we received was, in fact, the result of sheer panic—because from a distance, something monstrous had seemed to be approaching.

It wasn’t until Shintu presented proof of his identity that the commotion died down, and the crowd quickly dispersed.

“Is the Alliance Leader here!? This is urgent—send word to the Alliance Leader immediately! I am Shintu!”

He flicked his wrist, and the thread binding my ankle swayed through the air, causing the surrounding warriors to recoil.

As the divine artifact Tianjian Silk caught the light, scattering luminous reflections all around, the warriors immediately prostrated themselves.

“S-Shintu!”

“We greet Shintu, the God of Martial Strategy!”

***

Bang!

The Alliance Leader, having received the urgent message about our arrival, slammed the table in shock and anger.

He had just received a report that all personnel sent on an intelligence mission had perished.

“What!? A-all of them died!?”

“T-this is...!”

Even the familiar strategist, Elder Zhuge Hu, looked stunned.

“Yes. Almost all twelve operatives, including Vice Pavilion Master Bang Sun of the Flying Dragon Pavilion, are presumed to have suffered the same fate. As we retreated to the Central Plains, we searched the entire area, and even Mandok Shingun scoured the border region... But we found no survivors.

The only ones left are Yang Seong-hu, Seon-hwa, and Do-ryong, who happened to join us along the way.

Even they are gravely injured and will need at least three months of recuperation at the Beast Palace.”

“Damn it... We should have sent stronger warriors... This was my mistake.”

It seemed that this operation had been devised by Elder Zhuge Hu, and now he lowered his head, his face dark with regret.

However, the Alliance Leader firmly shook his head.

“Now is not the time for blame! Strategist, don’t speak like that.”

“Here, take this.”

I handed over a piece of paper to the two grieving men.

Their sacrifices had not been in vain.

“What is this?”

“Vice Pavilion Master Bang Sun handed this to us before charging into certain death. It contains records of locations suspected to be the stronghold of the Blood Cult.”

Seon-hwa presented the bloodstained, punctured document—damaged when he had been pierced by a spear.

With trembling hands, the Alliance Leader accepted the paper.

“Thank you... Once again, the Martial Alliance owes you a great debt.”

Afterward, we introduced ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) my sister to the Alliance Leader and relayed the news that the Blood Cult had formed an alliance with the Five Venom Clan.

We also explained that, as a result, the Poison of the Blood-Drinking Tree may have lost its effectiveness and that a new poison had likely been developed.

“This time, it blocks blood circulation?”

“Yes, Strategist. Alliance Leader.”

“Hah...”

“This is a blessing for the martial world.”

The entrance of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace into the Martial Alliance was warmly welcomed.

As the faction closest to the borders of Daeyue, where the Blood Cult was likely hiding, they would serve as an excellent forward base to monitor the cult’s movements.

Thus, their membership was approved without hesitation.

The agreement was reached to send envoys through Sichuan soon, and as we left the Alliance Leader’s hall, a voice called out.

“Dok-hwa, it has been a while.”

Turning around, I saw two women and three men standing there.

Hwa-eun greeted the man who had spoken with a respectful martial salute.

“It has been a while, Ji-ryong.”

Ji-ryong?

He seemed to be from the same faction as Do-ryong.

Hwa-eun introduced the man to me and Seol.

“So-ryong, this is Ji-ryong, one of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes. Ji-ryong, this is my fiancé, So-ryong, son of the Beast Palace Lord of the Southern Barbarians. And this is Lady Seol, daughter of the Beast Palace Lord.”

“Pleased to meet you, young warrior, Lady Seol. I am Ji-ryong, Zhuge Yongcheon. My uncle is Elder Zhuge Hu, strategist of the Martial Alliance. These here are Kwon-ryong and Geom-ryong, and behind me are Yin-bong and Gung-bong.”

As expected, the man was the nephew of Elder Zhuge Hu and a member of the Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes.

Ji-ryong and his group greeted us politely.

The men included the tall and pale Zhuge Yongcheon, the thick-browed Kwon-ryong, and the quiet Geom-ryong.

The women were the dazed-looking Gung-bong and Yin-bong, who had blood-red lips as if she had devoured something sinister.

“What brings you to us?”

When I asked why they had stopped us, Zhuge Yongcheon pressed his temple as if battling a headache and answered.

“Well... I was curious about Do-ryong, Yang Seong-hu , and Seon-hwa. My uncle said that Dok-hwa had brought word of them, so I rushed over...”

“Ah...”

It seemed they were worried about their fellow Five Dragons and Three Phoenixes.

Since I couldn’t just outright say that the entire intelligence team had perished, I vaguely replied that they were doing well.

The details would be handled by the strategist and the Alliance Leader.

“I can’t say much, but they are safe. You need not worry.”

“...I see. Understood, then.”

Perhaps because he was Elder Zhuge Hu’s nephew or just particularly perceptive, Ji-ryong nodded without pressing further.

Since he wasn’t particularly close with Hwa-eun, the group simply exchanged farewells and disappeared.

So they’re not that close to Hwa-eun?

***

That evening.

While sharing stolen wine and food from Wuhuan with Shintu, an urgent disturbance arose.

“Here, try this. This is ten-year-old Shaoxing wine.”

“...Did you steal this too?”

“Of course. Do you think I, Shintu, would buy it?”

Then, Elder Zhuge Hu came rushing in, looking desperate.

“Shintu, forgive me for disturbing you, but Dok-hwa—could you help me!?”

He wasn’t asking me—he was asking Hwa-eun.

Hwa-eun tilted her head.

“Me, Elder?”

Zhuge Hu nodded frantically, his face pale.

“My nephew Yongcheon has collapsed! The Martial Alliance’s doctors suspect poisoning!”

“What!? Yongcheon—Ji-ryong!? Poisoning!?”

The strategist’s nephew had nearly been assassinated by poison—inside the Martial Alliance itself.

The commotion outside grew louder.