Chapter 26 – Elixir (4)

“Isn’t there some other way? Soryong? There has to be, right?”

“Soryong-nim, isn’t there another solution?”

With no resolution in sight, all gazes turned toward me.

Nunim, and Vice Commander Gu Pae were all looking at me with expectant eyes.

It seemed that because I was the one in charge and had already proven myself a few times, they were naturally assuming I would come up with a solution.

After all, it was an insect-related issue, and I had been talking non-stop about being an “expert” ever since arriving here.

「“By the way, will we be okay on our own?”

“Do not worry, Young Miss. Isn’t Young Hero Soryong with us? I, Gu Pae, trust in Young Hero Soryong. You should have seen how I awestruck back on Haenam Island because of him.”

“Ahem. Warrior Gu, that’s a little embarrassing. And Young Miss Hwa-eun, don’t fret too much. Isn’t that why I’m here? I am an expert, after all.”」

‘Damn it. I never anticipated such a mess…’

Even as a specialist in venomous insects, there wasn’t much I could do in this kind of situation.

My initial idea had also involved using smoke, as was planned when we came here to collect honey.

The best way to harvest honey was indeed like the Tang Family’s method: using mugwort smoke to calm the bees.

While it might seem like the bees were pacified simply because of the acrid smoke, the process was actually quite scientific.

This was because it utilized the evolutionary traits of bees.

According to biologists, bees that live in tree hollows or rock crevices are naturally vulnerable to wildfires, and over time, they’ve undergone an evolutionary adaptation to deal with such situations.

The result of this adaptation is that when bees are exposed to smoke, they all immediately rush back to their hive and begin consuming honey.

The first thing a bee does upon encountering smoke is to eat honey. This behavior exists so they can prepare for relocation.

To escape the fire, the bees have evolved to store as much honey as possible in their bodies before abandoning their hive.

As a result, when exposed to smoke, bees stop all other activities and obediently cling to their hive, which is why I initially considered using smoke as part of the plan.

“I’ll need to think this through a bit more.”

However, we were now facing a scenario outside my original assumptions.

In the end, I could only awkwardly smile and admit that I needed time to come up with a solution. Everyone nodded in understanding, for the time being.

“Well, I suppose coming up with a solution would require some time.”

“Haha, we seem to have been a bit too impatient. Of course, Soryong-nim will resolve this matter for us.”

“I couldn’t see it in Haenam since we headed to the Tang family first, but this time I’ll get to see that miraculous method Gu Pae talked about?”

But despite their reassurances, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to come up with a solution quickly.

I was being forced into an unbearably stressful situation.

‘Why the hell did those bastards have to show up!?’

***

Using the excuse of needing time to think, I continued observing the bees starting the next day.

If I wanted to devise a new solution, I needed to understand the bees better. On a more selfish note, since I’d come all the way here, I also wanted to take a few dead specimens of the bees with me.

A honeybee’s lifespan is typically five to seven weeks.

While most of them die outside the hive, the ones that die inside are disposed of by other bees.

So, if I waited long enough, I could collect a dead bee or two as specimens.

I didn’t know the exact lifespan of the Golden-Furred King Bee, but if I waited, I’d likely find at least one or two dead bees.

Considering it was a newly discovered venomous creature of intermediate level, I had to secure at least one specimen.

‘It’s not just for me; it’s for the family. Imagine displaying one of these as a specimen in the Myriad Poison Hall. How impressive would that be? Guests would be blown away, no doubt.’

On a familiar rock.

I was covering myself with the large leaves of a tropical plant, keeping an eye on the bees as they flew in and out of their hive.

-Thud.

The sound of something landing on the rock was followed by a whispering voice.

[Soryong, it seems the little ones have finished eating. They kept wandering around, so I brought them back.]

When I rose slightly from beneath the tropical leaves, I saw Nunim lying flat next to me, watching me closely.

The centipedes crawled from her body onto mine.

I had asked Nunim to feed them earlier, and now that they had finished eating, it seemed they were trying to come back to me, crawling across her body.

The centipedes slithered into my sleeve and coiled around my arms and waist.

As I waited for them to settle in, Nunim’s voice reached me.

[Have you made any progress?]

The moment the centipedes had all climbed over to me, Nunim asked if I had come up with any clever ideas.

[I—I still need to organize my thoughts a bit more.]

[I see. I’m sorry if it feels like I keep pressuring you, Soryong. Don’t feel too burdened, and take your time.]

[Of course, Young Miss Hwa-eun. No need to apologize.]

Nunim told me not to feel burdened, even though I was under immense pressure. Her words added to my inner conflict as I tried to figure out how to interpret her meaning.

At that moment,

[Oh! Look over there!]

Suddenly, Nunim pointed toward the cliff where the Golden-Furred King Bee’s hive was located.

Following her hand, my gaze shifted, and I saw several creatures crawling down the cliff.

[It’s monkeys.]

‘Monkeys?’

Since my inner strength was still weak, I lacked the sharp eyesight Nunim had. I couldn’t clearly see the figures, but what I could make out were several shapes descending the cliff.

They appeared to be a family of monkeys, and soon, their cries began to echo off the cliff.

-Ooh ki ki ki ki.

With their loud cries resonating, the monkey family reached the bottom of the cliff.

Some loose stones embedded in the cliff began tumbling downward.

-Thud. Thud thud.

It felt like the monkeys dislodged some loose rocks as they passed.

One large stone struck an old tree at the bottom of the cliff.

-Thunk!

Immediately, a sweet fragrance began wafting through the air from the direction of the old tree.

[Huh? This fragrant smell…!]

[Ah, this scent? Where is this-…]

Forgetting to keep my voice down, I called out to Nunim at the sweet scent drifting in from somewhere.

A red warning light flashed in my mind, growing brighter and brighter.

“Young Miss Hwa-eun, we need to get out of here! The bees will swarm like mad soon!”

“What!? We need to escape? Understood!”

Without hesitation, Nunim, as swift as a true martial heroine, grabbed me under her arm and used Qinggong to leap away.

Immediately, the sound of a insane propeller-like buzz erupted from the hollow of the old tree behind us.

-Woooong!

-Buwoong! Bwoong!

As we dove into the bushes beyond the clearing where the old tree stood, the sky darkened.

The monkey family froze like mice before a cat as countless Golden-Furred Bees swarmed into the sky.

The bees immediately descended upon the monkeys.

[Oh my goodness!]

Moments later, the monkey family was stung by the bees’ stingers and left dead, their bodies swollen like balls and discarded far away.

It was a horrifying scene of carnage left in the wake of the bees’ frenzy.

From the bushes, I placed my hand on my chest, trying to calm my pounding heart, and checked on Nunim.

I wanted to see if she was all right and not too shaken by the ordeal. Though, truthfully, I think I was more shaken than she was.

“That was a close call. Are you all right?”

Perhaps startled by the ferocity of the mid-tier venomous creatures, Nunim wiped the cold sweat from her temple and let out a deep sigh.

“Phew… They must have been enraged by the monkeys. But you seemed to know in advance that they’d attack so fiercely, didn’t you?”

“Uh? Y-yes, that’s correct.”

“How did you know? You warned me to run even before we could hear the sound of the swarm. I couldn’t sense anything with my Qi perception, either.”

When Nunim asked how I had known the bees would attack so viciously, I pointed to my nose and replied.

“It was because of the fragrance.”

“The fragrance?”

“Yes, well…”

As I was about to explain the scent to Nunim in response to her question, she tilted her head slightly and asked again.

“Ah, you mean the scent of the Michelia Flower? I thought it was blooming nearby, but was it not?”

“Michelia Flower?”

“Ah, or is it the Banana Plant instead? Their scents are quite similar, so I must have been mistaken.”

Nunim’s mistaken recognition of the scent suggested she had encountered it before.

I grabbed both of her arms and asked urgently.

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

“W-wait a moment, Young Hero. Please, let go for a second. Calm down. I’ll tell you. Ugh… But still, I’m older than you, you know…”

‘Huh? What’s she talking about…? Ah!’

Her words brought me back to my senses.

Startled, I quickly released her arms and apologized immediately.

“I-I’m sorry! I got a little too excited.”

“Excited!?”

“No, no, not that kind of excitement…”

A moment later, after we both calmed down.

Nunim spoke while rubbing her still-flushed cheeks with the back of her hand.

“There’s a flower that smells exactly like the Michelia Flower. I know it well because I have a friend who loves it. Also, the fruit of the Banana Plant gives off the same scent.”

So not just one, but two plants were familiar to her scent-wise.

Overjoyed, I quickly asked again.

“Banana plant and Michelia? Can we find those around here by any chance?”

“Hmm? Well, Banana Plants are common in the jungles of Yunnan, so they shouldn’t be too hard to find… As for Michelia Flowers, we should be able to find those too if we look around. But why?”

Nunim asking suddenly why I was looking for those flowers.

I answered with a smile.

“If we find them, we might be able to do something that Miss Hwa-eun likes.”

“Something I like?”

Nunim tilted her head, puzzled, as she processed the notion that I was trying to do something she enjoyed.

“Yes, Miss.”

“What is it that I like?”

“Cleaning.”

“Cleaning?”

‘Yes, Nunim, human cleaning.’

If I could find the plants she mentioned, it might actually make “human cleaning” possible.

***

Five days had passed since we arrived at the jungle near Mokli to acquire the honey of the Golden-Furred King Bee.

That evening, as the sun was setting, the sect leaders of Feng Yuan Sect, Yuan Hou Sect, Overlord Dragon Pavilion, and White Jade Demon Slaying Sect sat around drinking. They had butchered a deer their subordinates had caught, setting up a feast.

It had been days since the Tang Family’s people made any movements, so they had ventured to Mokli to get some liquor for their gathering.

“Ah, this is good… But when do you think the Tang Family will make their move?”

“Who knows? They were wandering all over the place three days ago, but I’m not sure why they’ve gone quiet. Still, they’ll make their move soon, won’t they?”

“Is it really true that even the beehive alone is worth a fortune?”

“Ha, have you been living under a rock? The candles made from the Golden-Furred King Bee’s wax are a rare luxury even used by the imperial family. That’s why it’s just perfect for the four of us to split the profits evenly. The Tang Family will probably just take the honey and leave. And if they fail and die, well… ahem…”

At the last comment from the White Jade Demon Slaying Sect’s leader, the other three sect leaders exchanged glances.

Their eyes carried unspoken agreement, and soon, all four burst out in laughter.

If the Tang Family were wiped out, even recovering their corpses would fetch a hefty sum of money.

“Kehehehe.”

“Kahaha.”

“Kuhuhuh.”

“That would be nice. By the way, there’s also the Poison Flower. We should keep an eye out and try to get her, shouldn’t we? Who knows, one of us might become the Tang family’s son-in-law? Hehe.”

“That’s not a bad idea either. That girl’s figure is… hmm hmm.”

The four sect leaders were drinking while imagining the beautiful Poison Flower instead of focusing on their food.

Just as they took a big bite of the deer meat they had cut and grilled over the campfire, it happened.

“Sniff, sniff. Where’s that lovely fragrance coming from?”

“Indeed, a pleasant aroma is wafting on the breeze. Could it be the scent of that Poison Flower’s body ? Hehe.”

The floral scent, drifting in as if blessing the four sect leaders’ dreams, filled the air.

The four of them continued drinking, savoring the sweet floral fragrance that had suddenly started to spread from somewhere.

And just as they had almost finished eating the meat they had first bitten into.

-Buwoong. Buwoong. Bwoong.

The sky had grown dark without them realizing it.

Then, an eerie sound reached their ears.

When the four dazedly looked up at the sky, they saw Golden-Furred Bees filling the space above their heads.

-Clatter. Splash splash splash splash.

The sect leaders, stunned, dropped their bowls to the ground in utter shock.

“Th-this! Wh-what!”

-Wiiiiiiiiing!

As if their cries of alarm were the signal, the pitch-black swarm of bees that covered the sky began to dive toward the ground.

A storm of bees crashing down from the heavens like a deadly hail.

The sect members scattered madly in all directions, desperately trying to survive.

“““Aaaaargh!”””

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – 에르훗]

[Translator – bjgoofy]