Fabre in Sacheon's Tang-Chapter 221: Qiong Lake (1)

Peeking out from Cheongwol’s back, I leaned forward and looked down at him.

“It’s been a while, Do Sagong.

This is Cheongwol, our newest family member.

We’ll need to make room for him to board. He probably can’t fit inside the cabin, so he’ll have to stay on deck.

Would that be alright?

Maybe with the Night-Climbing Technique, he can get on, but...”

Our boat was less than two zhang wide—roughly 8 meters across.

Cheongwol, when curled up, was around 4 meters, and when stretched out, he was just shy of 5 meters.

It wouldn’t be an easy task to get him onboard.

However, even though I had asked the question, Do Sagong remained silent.

He stood frozen, seemingly lost in thought, as if time itself had stopped for him.

It wasn’t until one of the other boatmen nudged him in the ribs that he snapped back to reality.

“Ugh! Huuuh! I-I’ll figure something out!”

He exhaled deeply, as if he had been holding his breath the whole time, his face still in shock.

It seemed they had grown accustomed to Cho and Bini, but the sight of a massive scorpion had shaken them.

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

Do Sagong quickly gathered the boatmen and rushed off toward the boat.

As they disappeared into the tall grass, I turned to Cheongwol.

“Let’s go over there too, Cheongwol.”

Krurrr.

As Cheongwol moved forward, following the boatmen, the trees in his path toppled over.

Rustle. Crash!

Amid the fallen trees, a clearing emerged—its worn-down state revealing clear signs of past human activity.

Though the grass had grown considerably since I last saw it, it was still more organized than the rest of the wild terrain.

“Uh, so... what should we do first?”

“We should start preparing the cargo!”

“But Do Sagong, what about the weight...?”

“Ah, right. We need to check the weight first. But how do we even measure it?”

As soon as Cheongwol entered the clearing, the boatmen started panicking.

It seemed they weren’t sure what to do first, as their voices grew frantic.

I figured I should help, so I jumped down from Cheongwol’s back.

At the same time, the rest of our party also began dismounting their horses.

“F-finally, we’re here!”

The first loud complaint came from Gungbong, who immediately rubbed her sore backside after getting off her horse.

Soon after, members of Oryong, the Beast Palace, and the Martial Alliance warriors trickled into the clearing.

“Alright, as we discussed, we’ll rest here for the night and set out tomorrow. So-so, you’re in charge.”

Ji-tong, who had quietly approached, confirmed the plan for the night’s camp preparations.

I nodded in agreement.

Riding for long distances was exhausting, and we had already decided that we would rest here for a full day before continuing our journey.

“That sounds good, Ji-tong.”

Once I gave my approval, Ji-tong got to work setting up camp.

Meanwhile, I turned my attention to the flustered boatmen.

They had all gathered around Cheongwol, unsure of what to do.

“Uh... S-Spirit Beast, sir... May we measure your size?”

One of the boatmen, holding a coil of rope, cautiously asked.

It seemed they intended to take Cheongwol’s measurements to ensure he could fit onto the boat.

However, as expected, Cheongwol wasn’t allowing anyone near him.

Krurrr.

Hiiiik!

With a low, guttural growl, he intimidated the boatmen.

While my other companions would at least allow some level of contact, Cheongwol was different—

He wasn’t letting anyone approach him.

As I walked closer, he turned his head and spoke with clear irritation.

Krut. “Those people tried to touch me!”

‘I thought he was quiet and indifferent, but... is he actually a bit picky?’

Amused by his cat-like reaction, I smiled and explained through my thoughts.

“They just need to measure you so we can get you onto the boat.”

Krung. “I refuse! Let me do it myself!”

It seemed like he hated the idea of someone else's hands touching him.

Even though his outer shell was covered in rock-like mineral deposits, meaning no one’s hands would actually come into direct contact with his flesh, he detested the thought regardless.

Turning to the boatmen, I spoke up.

“Looks like I’ll have to do it myself. I just need to tie the rope and pass it to you, right?”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Alright, Cheongwol, just stay still for a bit. You might have to remain like this for quite a while.”

Krurrr. “That’s fine. I’m used to staying still.”

Though I had been slightly worried about him fitting onto the boat, he actually seemed surprisingly calm about the whole situation.

Feeling relieved, I took the rope from the boatmen and handed one end to Cheongwol, asking him {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} to hold it in his pincers.

Then, I carefully moved along his body, tying the other end near his tail.

“Here you go, Do Sagong.”

“Thank you very much, Young Master!”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

As soon as I handed the rope over, the boatmen rushed toward the ship, eager to get things ready.

From the deck, Do Sagong tested the rope’s strength to see if Cheongwol could board the boat.

Then, after a few moments of verification, he called out excitedly in my direction.

“It should be possible for him to get on! But... that spirit beast, what should we call him...?”

“Cheongwol.”

“...Excuse me?”

“His name is Cheongwol.”

“A-ah, I see... Cheongwol. Then, Cheongwol, would you be able to board the ship on your own?”

Scorpions could climb not just trees or rocky surfaces but also stone walls, though it depended on the species.

Since Cheongwol was a desert-type, I wasn’t sure how he would handle it.

I turned to him and asked,

“Cheongwol, do you think you can climb up there?”

Krung.

Cheongwol tilted his head slightly as he gazed at the deck.

It seemed he wasn’t entirely sure himself—

Which made sense. He had lived his whole life in the desert, so he had never really climbed high places before.

‘Should we test it out? Want to give it a try?’

Krur.

“It looks like we’ll have to test it. Give us a moment.”

Cheongwol responded with a short growl of affirmation before approaching the ship.

“Everyone, step back for a moment!”

I shouted at the boatmen, warning them to move.

Cheongwol placed his two massive pincers on the ship’s railing and began to lift himself up—

CRACK—!

The ship tilted violently.

CREAK! CRACK!

“H-heeeeek!!”

“W-wait! Cheongwol, hold on!!”

The boatmen screamed in panic, clutching the ship’s railing for dear life.

In the end, I had to pause Cheongwol and quickly ask Yo-hwa to reinforce the ship with extra silk strands to keep it from moving.

After securing it, we resumed the climb—only to encounter another issue.

Even though Cheongwol could climb up on his own, the moment he crossed over the railing, the entire side of the ship broke apart.

Despite being reinforced with silk, the ship still rocked violently due to being on water.

Cheongwol stumbled slightly, causing the railing to completely shatter.

CRACK!

‘M-my ship...!’

At that moment, my brand-new ship was instantly wrecked.

First, Hyang had burned the deck.

Then, there had been a minor collision incident.

But this?

The entire midsection of the railing had been completely torn off.

‘My B-pillar... My ship has officially become a wrecked vessel...’

It was like buying a new car and getting a scratch on it—except my ship wasn’t just scratched.

It had turned into an accident-prone disaster.

“...Oh. Did I... break something?”

Cheongwol looked at me, his face full of guilt.

For a moment, I hesitated—then quickly shook my head.

“No, it’s not your fault. The ship was just too weak. We can fix it.”

Yeah... We can fix it.

Or I could work for decades to buy a new one.

But was the ship more important, or was Cheongwol more important?

If someone asked me that, the answer was obvious.

After taking a deep breath, I turned to Do Sagong, who still looked completely stunned.

“Let’s just... cut off the rest of the railing.”

A brand-new ship, and yet one side of the railing was completely destroyed.

But what else could I do? It was already broken.

Besides, even if we repaired it, Cheongwol would break it again while getting on and off.

Better to remove it entirely.

“...You want to cut off the handrails?”

“Yes. If we fix it, it’s just going to break again every time he gets on or off.”

“But without the railings, people could fall overboard.”

One of the boatmen voiced his concern, but I simply shrugged.

“That’s not a problem. Yo-hwa’s silk can replace them. Just cut them off.”

Instead of wooden railings, we could just use silk barriers.

In the end, the railings were removed, and after much struggle, Cheongwol finally settled onto the ship.

***

“We’ll need about two days to restock supplies.”

“Understood. We’ll stop in Xichang and leave in three days.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

It had been several days since we followed the Yalong River downstream.

Now, we had arrived at Xichang, a beautiful city situated around a large lake.

Since we hadn’t originally planned to carry this many warriors from the Martial Alliance and the Beast Palace, we had to stop for supplies.

As we docked in Xichang, I noticed something unusual—

The city’s population had a distinct appearance.

Curious, I turned to Hwa-eun for an answer, but before she could respond, sister Seol answered instead.

“Who are those people?”

“They’re the Yi Tribe.”

The Yi Tribe—I had met them before, so I frowned slightly and asked,

“But... the Yi people didn’t dress like that last time I saw them.”

As I recalled the Yi people I had encountered before, they had worn white pants, blue tops, and enormous white-and-red hats that resembled the elaborate wigs of court ladies.

However, the Ji-tong here was dressed in black garments and wore a black cap similar to a court official’s hat.

Noticing my confusion, Seol nodded, indicating that she would explain.

“Oh, that’s because those were the Bai Yi (White Yi), while these are the Hei Yi (Black Yi).

Their social status is determined by color—Hei Yi are the nobles, while Bai Yi were historically slaves.”

“...I see.”

As we disembarked from the boat, the boatmen headed straight into the marketplace to resupply, and we followed closely behind.

At the entrance to the market, near the lake, I immediately noticed a row of fish stalls.

Since we were far from the sea, they likely only sold freshwater fish caught from the lake—

Yet, despite that, the variety was impressive.

The stalls displayed huge freshwater fish, turtles, and a wide assortment of species.

The lake was clearly large and abundant, as even the crabs looked plump and delicious.

After spending so long traveling between Qinghai and Kunlun, we had only been eating mutton, horse meat, and venison—

At this point, we were sick of meat.

Just the thought of eating fresh fish and rice made my mouth water.

“Shall we have some fish and rice for a change?”

“That sounds good! I’m in.”

“I’m honestly getting tired of eating meat too.”

Both sister Seol and Hwa-eun agreed instantly.

Even if it was pork, eating nothing but meat was starting to feel unbearable.

“Alright, let’s find a good place to eat.”

As we wandered through the market, examining the stalls, we were suddenly stopped by a cheerful-looking Yi woman.

She was wearing a black cap, similar to the other Hei Yi.

With a bright smile, she called out to us.

“You should try the fish from Qiongchi (邛池)! I’ll cook it for you right away!”

Following her gesture, I looked behind her stall—

There was a small restaurant attached to it.

It seemed like one of those places where you could buy fresh fish from the stall and have it cooked on the spot.

In the large tanks behind the stall, various fish swam around, still alive and fresh.

Unlike most of the dead fish we had seen while walking through the market—many of which were already swarmed with flies—these looked exceptionally fresh.

“All of your fish are still alive?”

“Of course! Fresh fish makes the best meal.

Those other stalls only sell dead ones, but if you want to taste real fish from Qiongchi, you’ve got to come to my shop!”

The pride in her voice was undeniable.

I exchanged glances with Hwa-eun and Seol—and at the same time, we all nodded.

“Let’s eat here.”

“Agreed.”

“Sounds good.”

With a unanimous decision, we stepped up to the stall to choose our fish.

“Alright, we’ll leave it to you.”

“You made the right choice! Now, pick whatever you like, and I’ll cook it fresh for you.”

Along with Hwa-eun and sister Seol, I approached the tanks the woman pointed to.

The first tank contained massive carp.The second tank was filled with a type of crucian carp.The third tank had freshwater crabs and shrimp, swimming about.And the fourth tank...“...H-HOLY SH—!”

“W-what?! What’s wrong?!”

“Tong-ah, what is it?!”

Both Hwa-eun and Seol flinched at my outburst.

Without hesitation, I rushed forward and pressed my hands against the glass of the fourth tank.

“These—give me all of them!”

“...All of them?”

“...ALL of them?”

“Yes, every single one!”

The stall owner, Hwa-eun, and Seol all widened their eyes in shock.

They were stunned by my sudden enthusiasm—

But how could I not be?

Inside the fourth tank were giant Chinese salamanders—known as E or Wawa.

These were Chinese Giant Salamanders—one of the largest amphibians in the world.

‘There’s no way I’m passing this up!’