Fabre in Sacheon's Tang

The night was pitch black, with thick clouds covering the sky.

As I stepped outside with Cho and Hyang, Sister Seol followed behind, her face full of concern.

"So-ryong, be careful. Scorpions are savage, ruthless, and cunning."

Behind her, Hwa-eun also nodded with the same worried expression.

"Huh? Cunning? Ruthless?"

I was taken aback by the sudden hostility towards scorpions. It wasn’t like Sister Seol or Hwa-eun to have such prejudices, so I tilted my head in confusion. Seeing my reaction, my sister spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well, haven’t you heard the saying about scorpions? That’s why you need to be cautious.

And considering that the Five Venoms Sect raised this one, it’s already proven dangerous enough to eat people."

"She’s right, So-ryong."

It was just a scouting mission, so their concern felt excessive. But more than that, Sister Seol’s words made me think.

This wasn’t just a problem with the Kunlun Sect’s prejudices—our own family had its own deeply ingrained misconceptions.

I had been thinking that the Central Plains needed a serious shift in perception regarding venomous creatures, but now I realized my own family wasn’t any better.

‘Sister Seol... you’ve been deceived by baseless rumors.’

I could understand where she was coming from.

Scorpions had a terrible reputation since ancient times.

They were often associated with snakes and other venomous creatures, labeled as cruel, malicious, and treacherous.

And this reputation stemmed from their behavior.

Scorpions tended to live in places that overlapped with human habitats—hiding under rocks or near homes.

Unlike more dangerous venomous creatures, most scorpions didn’t carry lethal venom, but their stings caused days of pain and discomfort.

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From a human perspective, that made them the worst kind of nuisance—creatures that appeared out of nowhere and inflicted suffering for seemingly no reason.

That perception had solidified over time.

A lurking monster, appearing suddenly in the dead of night to terrorize people.

But from a scorpion’s point of view, this was completely unfair.

In the world of arthropods, scorpions belonged to the order Scorpiones, which was often mistaken for lobsters or crayfish due to their appearance.

But in truth, they were more closely related to spiders.

Unlike insects, which had antennae, scorpions were part of the class Arachnida, just like spiders.

One of the easiest ways to tell them apart from crustaceans was by looking at the placement of their pincers.

Crustaceans had pincers attached to their main body.

But in scorpions, their pincers were attached to their head—an extension of their chelicerae.

And compared to spiders, there was one key difference: their temperament.

Anyone who had raised scorpions before would know this.

Unlike spiders and centipedes, which were notoriously aggressive, scorpions were surprisingly docile.

Among venomous creatures commonly kept as pets, spiders and centipedes were known for their erratic and hostile nature.

I loved my spider Yoha and treated my centipedes like daughters, but at the end of the day, spiders would attack anything that moved.

Scorpions, on the other hand?

They were as calm as cockroaches.

‘Maybe that’s why people find them a bit boring, but that’s part of their charm...’

Compared to centipedes or spiders, scorpions were rarely aggressive.

They were so passive that it was difficult to even witness them hunting.

A scorpion would only sting in absolute self-defense.

Among enthusiasts like myself, we often called them the Armored Gentlemen.

They looked majestic in their plated armor, but they were among the most relaxed creatures.

That very reason made them a popular pet choice.

While people recoiled at the sight of spiders and centipedes, scorpions were far more approachable.

And yet, Sister Seol had called them ruthless and cunning?

It was a ridiculous and unfair stereotype.

‘Now I feel personally offended.’

I decided I would clear up this misunderstanding after the mission.

For now, I needed to focus.

Stepping out of the house that Kunlun had provided, I moved toward the open field.

By now, the Five Dragon Peaks and Kunlun’s disciples had already taken up positions around Qinghai Lake.

I needed to head out as well.

After all, it was now prime scorpion hunting time.

"Alright, let’s get going."

Just as I was about to lift off into the air with Cho, a sulking chirp echoed from the darkness.

"...Tssrrr. Tsk..."

It was Bini.

Bini was upset.

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She had been pouting ever since I decided to take only Cho and Hyang on this mission.

She was perfectly capable of searching for things in the dark, so she couldn’t understand why she had to stay behind.

Even though she had been sulking in a corner earlier, she had somehow sneaked outside.

Looking thoroughly displeased, she bit down on the hem of my pants, making her feelings clear.

‘I can’t catch a break, huh?’

It was like a child throwing a tantrum because their dad was taking only their older siblings to work.

But I had no choice—I had to leave.

In the end, I had to resort to Bini’s ultimate weakness: the dad hug attack.

Scooping her up in my arms, I held her tightly.

Her antennae quivered uncertainly as she melted into my embrace.

[Be good, Bini. I’ll be back soon, alright?]

After a moment of comforting pats, she finally relented.

"Tsrrr..." 『Fine... but hurry back.』

And with that, I barely managed to secure her reluctant approval.

Lifting off into the sky, I took in the vast surroundings.

First, I checked the constellations.

Then, I pointed in the calculated direction.

"Cho, we’re heading that way."

I had learned navigation by the stars from Ji-ryong, and I used it now to determine our course.

We were heading straight toward the area where the Five Venoms Sect’s creature was most likely to appear.

Earlier in the day, I had preselected a few potential locations.

Rather than wasting time searching aimlessly, I had used my knowledge and the local reports to determine where the creature would likely emerge.

• Whoosh.

Cho began gliding in the direction I pointed.

Her body undulated in smooth, rippling motions as we moved through the air.

I hadn’t wasted time during the day.

Aside from gathering information, I had spoken with the nomads who had gathered near the village.

I had even worked out an arrangement to acquire additional sheep.

Now, all that preparation was about to pay off.

The area we were headed toward was where the creature’s tracks had vanished.

A vast, open plain under the dark, moonless sky.

"Cho, Hyang, stay sharp."

I quickly confirmed the positions of a few small lakes and then gave my companions a task.

I couldn’t see a scorpion’s fluorescence with my own eyes.

But Cho and Hyang?

They could see it perfectly.

If a scorpion was lurking beneath the sand, they would find it.

• Chrrt.

• Tssrrrt!

The two of them responded confidently.

At my request, Hyang and Cho enthusiastically waved their antennae, scanning the area. After all, centipedes had a specialized ability to detect light variations.

Scorpions emitted a glow at night because their exoskeleton contained a fluorescent chemical called beta-carboline.

When exposed to certain wavelengths of light, this chemical produced a bright cyan-green glow, which made scorpions visible even in total darkness.

There were many theories as to why scorpions glowed.

Some believed it was for mating, others thought it helped lure prey, and some claimed it was to confuse predators.

However, the latest research suggested that it functioned as a biological lantern—scorpions had relatively poor night vision compared to other nocturnal creatures, and this glow helped them navigate their surroundings.

Scorpions exposed to more ultraviolet light became more active, while those deprived of it {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} moved sluggishly. That had been the conclusion of recent studies.

‘Alright, it’s a dark night. Let’s light things up, shall we?’

While scanning the area with Cho and Hyang, searching for a glow, I heard a strange sound from below.

• Chrrr...

A long, whispering sound like wind rustling through grass.

"Is the wind picking up?"

The sound passed, and then—

A sudden, urgent voice rang in my mind.

• Tssrrrt!

Bini’s panicked cry flooded my consciousness.

Something was near her.

"Cho! Head back to the village!"

• Tssrrrt!

It seemed that Bini, frustrated by being left behind, had secretly followed us. At my command, Cho immediately shot toward the village at full speed.

Neck outstretched, body cutting through the air, Cho surged forward.

As we rushed back, I heard that sound again.

• Chrrr...

The whispering wind sound.

But this time, it was coming from the opposite direction.

‘What... is that?’

Something felt off, but right now, Bini was the priority.

Urging Cho onward, I soon saw multiple torches lighting up near the outskirts of Qinghai Lake.

That was where I sensed Bini’s presence.

"Cho, land there. Bini must be nearby."

• Chrrt!

Descending, I spotted the Kunlun elder, Taeheo, and Guseong Hyun standing with Bini, looking visibly unsettled.

• Tssrrrt! 『There was something here!』

Bini was frantically waving her antennae, trying to explain.

Since they couldn’t understand her, she grabbed the hem of Guseong Hyun’s robe and dragged it toward the ground, pointing at a spot with her mandibles.

"I... I’m sorry, Bini, but we don’t understand what you’re saying..."

• Tssrrrt! 『I said something was here! It’s not that hard to understand!』

"Let’s wait for So-ryong—"

Poor Bini looked like she was about to have a stroke.

I hurried over and called out to her.

"Bini!"

• Tssrrrt! 『Dad!』

"Yes, yes, I’m here. Now, what’s going on?"

Guseong Hyun still looked completely lost, but the one suffering the most was Bini.

She looked as if she had choked on something, desperate to explain but unable to communicate.

I quickly got to the point.

"Bini, why are you here? I told you to stay with Mom. And what exactly happened?"

Bini ignored my first question and focused on explaining what she had seen.

• Tssrrt, Tssrrrt, Tssr.

Something had moved quickly, snatching a sheep before disappearing.

"A creature took a sheep and vanished? Describe it in more detail."

• Tssrrt!

Bini, still exasperated, began reenacting what had happened.

She had gone out for a late-night stroll when she felt vibrations in the ground.

Something approached at high speed, snatched a sheep, and fled before anyone could react.

Centipedes weren’t the best at detecting light, but they excelled at sensing vibrations.

And Bini, being a burrowing species, was particularly sensitive to ground tremors.

Something felt off.

If it was a scorpion, Bini would have seen its glowing body.

But she only reported sensing vibrations.

"Didn’t you see its body glowing?"

• Tssrrt!?

Bini twitched her antennae, indicating she hadn’t.

She had barely glimpsed the creature, only catching a vague outline.

I frowned.

Based on what she described, this wasn’t a scorpion.

‘Wait a minute... A fast-moving predator in the desert?’

I turned to the Kunlun elder.

"Can I borrow paper and ink?"

"Of course."

We stepped into a nearby yurt belonging to the nomads.

Taking the brush, I quickly sketched the image forming in my mind.

A frontal, side, and rear view.

Once I finished, I held it up to Bini.

"Was this what you saw?"

• Tssrrrt! 『Yes! This is it!』

I felt a chill.

‘The Five Venoms Sect... actually raised this?’

The creature I had drawn—

The fastest, most aggressive arachnid known.

A camel spider.