Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

"Isn’t there another way, So-ryong? There must be, right?"

"So-ryong, is there no other way?"

When no solution was forthcoming, all eyes turned toward me.

My older sister and Deputy Commander Gu Pae, both looked at me expectantly, as though they were hoping I'd figure it out.

I was the one in charge, and since I had been the one to solve problems a few times already, they seemed to think that it was only natural that I would fix this one too.

It was about bugs, and I'd been blabbering on about being an 'expert' the whole time I’d been here.

"By the way, is it really safe for us to handle this ourselves?"

"Don’t worry, Miss. So-ryong, the expert, is with us. Gu Pae trusts So-ryong. You should have seen how much he was shaking when we were in Haenam."

"Ahem. It’s a little embarrassing, but don’t worry, Hwa-eun. I’m here. After all, I’m the expert."

‘Damn it. I didn’t expect trouble like this...’

But what could I, the expert in venomous creatures, do in this situation?

They were suggesting going for honey, but my idea had also been based on using smoke, so it wasn’t entirely out of the question.

The best way to harvest honey is the method used by the Tang Clan—smoking bees with mugwort to calm them down. It’s the most effective method.

One might think that the smoke simply calms the bees, but it's actually a very scientific approach.

It works because it taps into the evolutionary instincts of the bees.

According to biologists, bees living in trees or cracks in rocks are naturally vulnerable to forest fires, so over time they evolved to respond to smoke in a specific way.

When bees encounter smoke, the first thing they do is rush back to their hive to gather as much honey as possible.

This behavior evolved because bees associate smoke with fire, and to survive, they would rush to store the honey and move to a new hive.

So when smoke is present, the bees instinctively cling to their hive and start feeding, which is why I had thought of using smoke as a solution.

"I suppose I’ll need to think this through."

But now, something unexpected had happened.

With an awkward smile, I could only answer that I would need some time to figure it out. Others nodded in agreement, understanding for now.

"Well, to come up with a solution, I guess some time is needed."

"Haha, it seems we were too hasty. Surely, So-ryong will figure it out for us."

"I didn’t get to see it when we left Haenam, but I hope I can finally see the mysterious method Gu Pae mentioned."

Still, it seemed that I needed to come up with a solution quickly.

I was being pushed into a damn uncomfortable situation.

‘Why the hell did they have to show up!’

***

I continued my observation of the Golden-Fur Bee King (금모봉왕) starting the next day, using the excuse of needing to think of another method.

I needed to know more about the Golden-Fur Bee King, but honestly, my personal interest was in collecting a few specimens of the dead bees while I was at it.

The typical lifespan of a honeybee is about five to seven days.

Most bees die outside of the hive, but those that die inside are disposed of by the other bees.

So I thought I might be able to collect one or two dead bees as specimens if I waited.

The Golden-Fur Bee King was a new species, and I had heard it was a mid-level poisonous creature, so I was determined to grab one if I could.

‘It’s not just for me. It’s for the clan too. Imagine hanging one as a specimen in the Mandok Hall. How impressive would that be? Just think—show it to guests, and they’ll be in awe.’

On top of the stone.

As I covered myself with the large leaves of a tropical plant, observing the bees flying in and out, a sound came from above, followed by a whispering voice.

[So-ryong, the kids have finished eating. They kept wandering, so I brought them over.]

I raised my body from behind the tropical leaves, and my sister, flat on her stomach beside me, looked at me.

The O-Gongs were crawling from her body to mine.

I had asked her to feed them earlier, and now that they were done, they were coming to me, crawling all over her.

The O-Gongs slithered into my sleeves, wrapping themselves around my arms and waist.

I waited for a moment for the O-Gongs to settle before my sister’s voice came again.

[Have you come up with any solutions yet?]

As soon as the O-Gongs had made their way over, my sister asked if I had come up with any good ideas.

[I... I think I need to organize my thoughts a little more.]

[Alright. I'm sorry if I'm rushing you. So-ryong, take your time and think things through.]

[Of course, no rush, Hwa-eun.]

My sister’s words, telling me not to rush despite the pressure of the situation, made me wonder how I should interpret that.

Just as I was thinking about it, my sister suddenly pointed toward the cliffs, where the Golden-Fur Bee King's hive was located.

[Look over there!]

I followed the direction of her pointed finger and saw several creatures climbing down the cliff.

[Monkeys.]

‘Monkeys?’

I wasn’t able to make out the details like my sister, due to my weak inner power, but I could see several lumps crawling down the cliff.

They seemed to be monkeys, and their calls echoed as they climbed down the rocky face.

• Ukkikikiki.

The loud sounds of the monkeys filled the air, and just as the family of monkeys reached the cliff’s edge, several loose rocks tumbled down below.

• Thud. Thud-thud.

As the monkeys passed by, some loose rocks fell off the cliff, and one large rock hit a decayed tree.

• Thunk!

Immediately, a sweet fragrance began to waft from the area near the decayed tree.

[Hmm? What is this pleasant smell?]

[Ah, this scent? Where is it coming from...?]

The sweet fragrance, which seemed to have drifted in from somewhere, caused me to forget to speak softly as I called out to my sister.

My warning light in my mind was already flashing bright red.

"Hwa-eun, we need to get out of here! The bees will swarm in a moment!"

"What!? We need to get out!? Got it!"

At my warning, my sister, moving with the grace of a skilled fighter, immediately tucked me under her arm and leaped into the air.

As we jumped toward the bushes beyond the decayed tree, the sound of propellers spinning madly started to echo behind us.

• Whoooooo!

• Whooo-whooo! Whooo!

As we dove into the thick grass, the sky quickly darkened.

The family of monkeys stood frozen like mice in front of a cat, while countless Golden-Fur Bees appeared in the sky above.

The bees immediately descended upon the monkeys.

[Oh my!]

Soon, the family of monkeys was overwhelmed, their screams echoing as they were stung by the bees, swelling up and turning into bloated bodies, discarded far away.

It was a horrific scene where the bees’ madness had left its mark.

As I brushed my chest with relief, I checked on my sister to see if she was okay, hoping she wasn’t too shaken.

Though, honestly, I was probably more shocked than she was.

“That was close. Are you alright?”

My sister, perhaps startled by the bees’ madness, wiped the cold sweat from her temple and sighed deeply.

“Phew... I guess the monkeys were angered. But you knew they’d attack like that, didn’t you?”

“Eh? Yes, that’s right.”

“Then how did you know in advance? You warned me to dodge before the sound even came. I couldn’t feel anything in my senses.”

My sister asked how I knew the bees would attack with such ferocity.

I pointed to my nose and replied.

“It was the scent.”

“The scent?”

“Yes, you see...”

As I started to explain about the scent, my sister tilted her head in confusion.

“Oh, you mean the scent of the Hamsuhwa? I thought I smelled it nearby, but was it not that?”

“Hamsuhwa?”

“Oh, maybe it’s not Hamsuhwa, but Bacha? Their scents are so similar, I must have confused them.”

My sister seemed to have smelled the scent before, so I quickly grabbed her arms, eager to ask more.

This seemed like the key to solving our current dilemma.

“Hwa-eun, where have you smelled this scent before?!”

“Wait a moment. So-ryong, calm down. I’ll tell you. Ugh... I’m older than you, you know...”

‘Huh? What is this... Ah!’

I suddenly realized what she meant.

Startled, I quickly let go of her arms and immediately apologized.

“Sorry, sorry. I got excited all of a sudden.”

“Excited!? You mean that kind of excitement!?”

“No, not that kind of excitement…”

After a moment, we calmed down.

My sister, still blushing, wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and spoke.

“There is a flower that smells just like that. A friend of mine loves it, so I know it well. And the fruit of the Bacha also has the same fragrance.”

My sister had smelled the scent from two different plants before.

I smiled brightly and asked again.

“Bacha and Hamsuhwa? Do you think we can find them around here?”

“Yes? Of course, Bacha grows widely in the jungles of Yunnan, so it wouldn’t be hard to find... Hamsuhwa, if we look, we should find it too. Why do you ask?”

My sister, puzzled at my sudden question, looked at me.

Smiling, I answered.

“If we find that, I think I might be able to do something that Hwa-eun would like.”

“Something I would like?”@@novelbin@@

My sister’s head tilted as she wondered what I meant by that.

“Yes, Miss.”

“Something I would like? What is it?”

“Cleaning.”

“Cleaning?”

‘Ah, yes. Sister... human cleaning.’

If we could find those plants, I thought maybe I could give her a proper 'cleaning.'

***

Five days had passed since we arrived in the jungle near Mokri to gather the Golden-Fur Bee King's honeycomb.

The leaders of the Wind Plains Sect (풍원문), the Yuan Hou Sect (원후문), the Overlord Dragon Hall (패룡각), and the White Jade Ghost Slayer Sect (백옥귀살파) were having a drinking feast that evening, having been served deer meat that their subordinates had caught.

It had been a few days since the Tang Clan had been inactive, so they decided to bring in some alcohol from Mokri, which wasn’t too far away.

"Heh... this is good. By the way, when do you think the Tang Clan will make their move?" one of the sect leaders asked.

"I’m not sure. Three days ago, they were all over the place, but now they’ve gone quiet. I think they’ll try soon, though."

"Really? Are you sure that the bee’s honeycomb is worth that much money?"

"Heh, have you been living under a rock? The wax from the Golden-Fur Bee King’s honeycomb is a rare, precious item, only used by the royal family. So we should just divide it among the four of us, right? The Tang Clan will probably just take the honey and leave. And if they fail and die... well..." The leader from the White Jade Ghost Slayer Sect trailed off with a sinister chuckle.

The other three sect leaders exchanged looks and then burst into laughter.

If the Tang Clan was wiped out, they would just collect their corpses and make a fortune.

"Hahaha!"

"Hehehe."

"Heh heh heh."

"It’d be nice if that happens. By the way, we should also keep an eye out for the poisonous flower. We must get it, right? Who knows, one of us might end up becoming a son-in-law to the Tang Clan. Hehe."

"That’s not a bad idea. That girl’s figure... heh heh."

The four leaders were sipping their wine, imagining the beautiful poisonous flower instead of their meal.

Just as they were cutting the roasted deer meat, preparing to take a big bite, the air shifted.

"Sniff sniff. Do you smell that? Something smells good."

"Yeah? It’s a pleasant scent carried by the wind. This must be the scent of the poisonous flower. Hehe."

A sweet floral scent seemed to surround them, as if to bless their dreams.

As the four sect leaders took in the fragrant smell, they continued to drink, and by the time they had nearly finished the meat they had started, the sky began to darken.

• Whoooosh. Whoooosh. Whoooom.

The eerie sound echoed as the sky grew dimmer.

The four sect leaders, frozen, looked up and saw the sky filled with Golden-Fur Bees.

• Clank. Rattle, rattle.

The leaders of the four sects dropped their bowls in horror.

"What! Wh-what is this!?"

• WEEEEEE!

Their panic seemed to signal the attack, as the swarm of bees, blackening the sky, began to descend toward them.

A hail of bees fell from the sky.

The sect leaders scattered in all directions, desperately seeking escape.

"AAAAAH!"

The air was filled with the screams of the sect leaders as they fled from the incoming swarm.