Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

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Hebei Peng Clan (Chapter 2)

-Flap.

The owl that had flown to the Blood Cult’s branch swooped back through the window as the sun set.

On the small piece of paper tied to the owl’s foot, there was a single line.

“Be careful not to reveal your identity since the mission has failed.”

The assassin known as Bloodmae quickly stuffed the paper in her mouth and swallowed it whole.

This was to eliminate any evidence.

She reflected on whether she’d revealed anything suspicious.

To mask her identity, she had melted down the woman whose identity she had taken with Hua Bone Mountain and had placed a Soul Capturing Technique on the woman’s parents, making them believe she was truly their child. There shouldn’t be any reasons for suspicion.

She also had no worries about the information she had inadvertently acquired, as many people in the Martial Forest Alliance were already aware of it.

Thus, she decided it was time to retire for the night and was in the midst of loosening her clothes to prepare for bed when—

-Tinkle.

The bell connected to the leader’s room began ringing.

Wondering why the elderly man, who usually didn’t bother anyone, would call for her, Bloodmae quickly retied her clothes and hurried towards the leader’s chamber.

“Leader, is something the matter?”

As she inquired from outside, the elder’s voice rang back.

“Can you prepare a cup of West Mountain White Dew?”

“Understood, Leader.”

Bloodmae’s face lit up with a smile at the leader’s late-night request for West Mountain White Dew.

The reason Bloodmae had infiltrated the Martial Forest Alliance was all to puppet the leader.

Ever since the Blood Cult’s turmoil, they had been chased by martial artists, seeking refuge in the Great Yue Kingdom.

They had been growing their power as they exploited the small villages at the borders of Great Yue to harvest blood for strength.

But now, thirty years later.

Inside the cult, the predominant opinion was that they needed to return to the Central Plains. To do so, they had to somehow blind the Martial Forest Alliance, which saw them as enemies.

Thus, it had become her mission to act as the leader’s servant and employ the Soul Capturing Technique on him.

Naturally, casting this technique on a master like him wasn’t an easy task.

So, she had used her memory of that elderly lady’s face from thirty years ago and, through disguising techniques, replicated it as closely as possible while secretly feeding the leader West Mountain White Dew laced with Dream Soul Drug to gradually erode his rationality.

All in order to lower his guard and find a chance to cast the Soul Capturing Technique.

However, it was rather tedious since the elderly man rarely sent anyone for tea by himself, and with him looking for tea alone at night, her lips couldn’t help but smile.

This way, she would be able to ensure he would consume as much of the drugged West Mountain White Dew as he desired.

So, Bloodmae quickly headed to the small room beside the leader’s chamber, lit the heater, and boiled water for tea.

And then she entered the leader’s chamber with a cup of West Mountain White Dew brewed with the Dream Soul Drug.

-Clink.

“I present the West Mountain White Dew, Leader.”

Steam wafted up from the cup placed in front of the leader.

Just as Bloodmae set the tea down and tried to withdraw, the leader’s voice called her back.

“You resemble her…?”

“What?”

“Come closer.”

As he beckoned her closer, Bloodmae felt a surge of joy inside while trying to feign shyness on the outside.

“Uh, how…”

“Stay still.”

As she approached him with a shy demeanor, the leader stood up, grabbing her wrist with one hand and bringing another hand to the back of her head.

And then he began leaning in to close the distance between their faces.

“Ugh…”

Feeling embarrassed, Bloodmae squeezed her eyes shut, while the elderly man thought to himself that a man is still a man, feeling pleased.

She had thought she could fulfill her mission sooner than expected.

The Soul Capturing Technique depended on how much one’s reason had been deteriorated and how open the target was to the technique.

But something felt odd.

She had been waiting with her eyes closed for quite some time, yet just as their lips were supposed to meet, they did not.

As Bloodmae cautiously opened her eyes, she heard the leader’s chilling whisper in her ear.

“I can smell the filthy blood of the Blood Cult on you.”

“!”

Startled by the leader’s words, Bloodmae’s eyes widened.

But then, a surge of heat flooded from the back of her head.

Bloodmae’s eyes immediately rolled back, and soon, warriors from the Martial Forest Alliance rushed into the room.

“The military officer mentioned bringing something fun, so don’t let her commit self-harm. Restrain her and lock her in the brain prison!”

“Yes, Leader!”

Grabbing the unconscious Bloodmae by her hair, the warriors dragged her off to the Martial Forest Alliance’s brain prison.

*

“I greet the head of the Peng Clan from the Four Heavenly Houses.”

“I greet the head of the Peng Clan.”

The people from the Hebei Peng Clan stood like thugs here to collect a debt in front of the Nine Entrance Gate.

As my sister and I bowed in greeting, the one who looked like a bandit captain stepped forward with a hearty laugh.

“Ha ha ha, isn’t this Hua Eun?”

“It’s been a while.”

“Indeed, it has been a while. We last met when you were this small. By the way, who is this beside you?”

Since he seemed curious about who I was as I stood next to my sister, I quickly introduced myself.

“Yes, it’s already been five years. This is my…”

“Nice to meet you. I am Wei So-ryong, the fiancé of Hua Eun.”

“Oh! Fiancé!?”

At the mention of ‘fiancé’, the head of the Peng Clan stepped closer, scrutinizing me intensely.

He then gave my important area a playful slap with the back of his hand, nodding in appreciation.

“Cough!”

“I thought it was questionable you seemed so young, but you’re more than enough of a man. I expect great things from you in a few years’ time! Ha ha.”

I was puzzled at my sister’s remarks about not being bound by manners or decorum, perhaps because the head of the Peng Clan was this type of character.

A bit of an impolite and informal style.

I was somewhat taken aback, yet I thanked him for his compliment, as it wasn’t a bad one for a man.

It was the kind of praise that made one feel a bit inflated.

‘Hehe. Only men can recognize a man, after all.’

“Thank you for the praise, Head of the Peng Clan.”

As I smiled and expressed my gratitude, the head of the Peng Clan opened his eyes wide and laughed heartily while patting my shoulder.

It was as if he truly liked me.

“Hmm? Ha ha. You’re different from the precious young masters of other clans. You know how to express your thanks! I am Peng Muhwan, head of the Peng Clan.”

As we exchanged these pleasantries, my sister, her face flushed, asked the head of the Peng Clan a question.

“B-but, did you come all the way from Hebei to assist our family? How did you get here so quickly?”

Hebei was at the very diagonal end of the Central Plains map.

I thought it quite remarkable, as my sister stated, to arrive so quickly from such a distance when the head of the Peng Clan tilted his head, as if hearing something for the first time.

“Huh? Something happened in your clan? What happened to the Tang Clan?”

The head of the Peng Clan, appearing entirely ignorant of the events that transpired in the Tang Clan, returned the question to my sister, who also tilted her head in confusion.

What the heck had he come here for, then?

“Didn’t you come after hearing about the assault by the Elder of the Blood Cult on our clan? Then, what about the Tang Clan?”

“What!? The Blood Cult!?”

Once again, his reply sounded as if he were hearing it all for the first time.

However, upon hearing the mention of the Blood Cult, he rolled up his sleeves.

And he shouted towards the warriors lining up behind him like a bandit.

Without responding to my sister’s question of why he came.

“Where are those Blood Cult bastards!? If they’ve shown their faces again, I, Peng Muhwan, won’t sit idly by! You guys, it’s time for a good stretch! Hahaha!”

“Yes, Clan Head!”

“Now! Lead the way!”

It appeared he had arrived for an entirely different reason, but upon mentioning the Blood Cult, the Peng Clan members rolled up their sleeves.

As they even spat on their hands and prepared themselves for excitement, my sister looked flustered and exclaimed.

“The Elder of the Blood Cult has already been killed, Clan Head!”

Her words left the head of the Peng Clan looking disappointed.

“Huh…? Oh no, it seems we might be late. Should have come a bit earlier. Ugh. I missed out on some fun. Which scoundrel made us late?”

“Didn’t you say to take your time, Clan Head…”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Well, then what was the reason for your visit…?”

Once my sister asked why he had come if not for the Blood Cult, only then did the head of the Peng Clan realize he hadn’t mentioned his purpose for coming.

He smacked his forehead and replied.

“Ah, I forgot to say! Actually, I came to ask for your clan’s help.”

“Help?”

Just then, elders hearing that the head of the Peng Clan had arrived rushed out.

“Why, head of the Peng Clan, what brings you here?”

“Did you, Clan Head, rush over upon hearing about the Blood Cult?”

The two who rushed out were my father-in-law and the military officer Zhuge Hu.

With their surprised looks, the head of the Peng Clan bowed slightly in greeting.

“I, Peng Muhwan of the Tang Clan, pay my respects. Ah? Military officer, you’re here too? It’s been a while.”

“Indeed, it has been a while, but how is it that you’ve come all the way from the distant Hebei?”

“How can you arrive so quickly? It doesn’t seem feasible from Hebei based on your message.”

Responding to their questions, the head of the Peng Clan glanced back at the warriors he had brought along and instructed them.

“Bring her. I must greet the elders as well.”

At his command, one warrior stepped forward.

He walked up to the side of the head of the Peng Clan, crouched down, and called to the figure behind him.

“Lady, you may come down now. The Clan Head says we’ve arrived.”

“Lady?”

“Lady?”

At that mention, my sister, myself, and even my father-in-law and the military officer blinked in confusion, followed by the sound of a warrior patting his back.

Then, a high-pitched voice that sounded like a sharp child’s voice began to emerge.

“My legs hurt…”

Peeking out from behind the warrior like two dumplings, a girl around seven years old with her hair styled into dumpling shapes was stepping forward, holding some sweet candy.

She had shiny black hair, round eyes, and looked so cute that one would want to pinch her cheeks. After licking the candy once, she suddenly realized we were all staring at her and quickly hid the candy in her sleeve as she bowed her head.

“Hello. I’m Peng Young-young from the Peng Clan.”

And then came the incredulous words from the head of the Peng Clan.

“She’s my daughter.”

“Whaaat!?”

“You mean your daughter!?”

Such an appearance entirely contradicted his bandit-like persona.

It felt as if one would have to request a paternity test if this were a story about fantasy, as if an orc had brought home a fairy and declared her his daughter, leaving everyone staring at him in disbelief.

Scratching his head, the head of the Peng Clan chuckled.

“People always give us those looks because we resemble each other too much! Ha ha.”

I initially thought he was just a bit impolite, but apparently, he had no shame either.

At his words, my sister looked at me with an expression that said it didn’t make sense.

She was asking for sympathy.

“I completely agree, sister.”

If I could send telepathic messages, I would have sent one right there.

Soon, he lifted his daughter and placed her on his shoulder, then asked my father-in-law for a favor.

“My daughter has been feeling unwell, and I brought her hoping you could take a look at her.”

“She’s feeling unwell?”

Looking at the perfectly healthy child, everyone gazed at the little girl with expressions of disbelief. But I felt like I could vaguely understand why she was unwell.

She was continuously licking the candy she had pulled from her sleeve.

It was a sight that made one worry about childhood diabetes.

‘Isn’t that childhood diabetes?’