EP.37
The second reason why Tang So-young, despite being an oddball, was not ostracized from the Tang Family.
It was because not only did she possess knowledge, but her talent for handling spirit creatures was also exceptional.
From a young age, she had a good rapport with animals, especially with spirit creatures that dealt with poisons.
At first, it was merely a level of good communication.
However, the members of the Tang Family could not overlook even the hints of such talent.
Instead of training in poison and martial arts, they focused on her knowledge and abilities.
With the support of the Tang Family, her talent blossomed into the skills she has now.
Her ability to ascertain the condition of spirit creatures surpassed that of the elders in the Tang Family. It was only natural that she was put in charge of managing the spirit creatures.
Her capabilities were not limited to just observing the condition of the spirit creatures.
Seeing heart images was not her ability. Her limit was determining if there were any changes to the inherent energy, or what could be called the lower Dantian.
She could only see heart images if the spirit creature itself allowed it or if there was a good resonance between them.
However, even then, she could only catch fragmented glimpses.
Flickering flames, crashing waves, falling lightning.
Such things were the limit of the heart images she could perceive.
Interpreting them was entirely up to her.
Yet, the heart image she perceived this time was different from anything she had seen before.
It was too specific.
No, it would be more accurate to say it was blatant.
There was no intent to hide it. While ordinary heart images were vague, what she saw was strikingly clear.
Every claw, every texture of the skin.
The harmony between a suspicious spirit creature and an even more suspicious human.
She vaguely realized she would never forget what she witnessed today.
And that, indeed, it would awaken a new preference within her—she would eventually come to understand that.
*
It’s unfair.
Is that my mission?
No. That must be a malicious edit.
Just before I was about to die, I had a deep wish.
To gain the power to burn all the magic books on my hard drive.
So, it seems the task to erase the images that Tang So-young witnessed is my mission.
I cannot tolerate being belittled for merely being caught in a glimpse.
And to think she could know that just by touching me.
It’s clearly a scam.
I don’t look like a worthy individual to wield such noble abilities.
“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry! Please don’t eat me. I hate being wet…”
I spat out Tang So-young, who was halfway swallowed.
It was a warning not to speak of that incident again.
“Phew! Whew… As expected of Master Go. Even though I was drenched in saliva, not a bit of poison touched me! Your deep martial prowess allows you to control poisons as well.”
This is a big problem.
Now she doesn’t fear me as much.
Perhaps it was seeing the maid-dressed Spinosaurus and the School Miz Therizinosaurus that raised her threshold of fear.
Tang So-young wiped the saliva off her slightly flushed face.
“Your, your heart image is truly remarkable, Master Go…. So this is what it means to reach a certain level. A criminal like me should just be satisfied with the present…”
Thud.
“Ugh! It’s wet!”
With that, the incident concluded, and Tang So-young dried her soaked body by the campfire.
“I was in doubt, but it really is true that Master Go is Master Komodo.”
I am neither the Go family nor a Komodo dragon.
What could possibly make her mistake me for that?
And it’s odd that she went from uncertainty to certainty so quickly.
Judging by her speech, it seems she was certain after seeing the Spinosaurus and Therizinosaurus mix.
Is there even a rumor that Komodos collect pictures of Spinos and Therizinos?
What a dreadful tale.
If there is a being that collects such pictures, it would be a devil, not a human, a devil.
“The heart image I just saw… If it weren’t for Master Komodo, I would have never been able to see it.”
Somehow, Tang So-young is staring intently at me.
I am not a Komodo; I am an alligator lizard, so I don’t really care.
“It was more shocking than any heart image I’ve ever seen. Master Dal’s heart image was just ordinary…”
She tilted her head, seemingly about to take another look inside my mouth.
EP.37
Master Dal.
I was curious about the identity behind that strange name.
“Oh, I just spoke about something only I know.”
Komodo is Master Go.
Then what about Master Dal?
“There is a spirit creature that the Tang Family manages, called Dal Lopo.”
Dal Lopo?
…Could it be referring to the Dilophosaurus?
The dinosaur that sprays poison?
“Actually, I didn’t come here alone. I came with Dal Lopo, but… we ended up separated after encountering the Demon Cult Leader.”
Oh dear, that’s unfortunate.
But why is the Demon Cult Leader here?
This is not even Shiman Mountain.
“Though Master Go’s power is formidable… upon seeing the Demon Cult Leader, you must run away immediately.”
Of course, one should escape.
“There are rumors that he bathes in the blood of martial artists, so you can imagine how cruel and twisted he is.”
Ugh.
There’s nothing more pitiful than getting involved with someone like that.
“Ah, it might be better to continue discussing Master Dal. Dal Lopo has gone out of my control. I thought we had a decent relationship, but I guess that wasn’t the case. You might meet Master Go.”
I really don’t want to.
“Upon seeing Master Go, he might suddenly charge at you. Even though he has the power of poisons, he will be tempted. You need to be careful.”
“Growl.”
“Ah, no, I’m not saying Master Komodo would eat you… Yes, that’s right. You mentioned poisons earlier, right? This is a secret, but Master Dal Lopo is a master of poison arts.”
Is it really a secret?
I can vividly picture him spreading his frill and spraying poison.
“If it’s Master Komodo, he should be able to withstand the poison. Even if they meet, he could capture him! …Though realistically, that might be difficult. He has a nasty personality, so it feels as if he wants to gobble me up…”
Tang So-young briefly glanced at my teeth.
“If I lose Dal Lopo, my position will become very dangerous, but if I can obtain the master’s poison…”
She seems to have a fantasy about my poison, but it’s not that impressive.
It’s just a common toxic bite. However, the effect of a true bite could be greater.
“Still, the best option is to capture him! Do you understand?”
No, the best option is to not meet him at all.
I don’t want to fight a dinosaur that uses poison.
Let them resolve their issues between themselves.
I quickly turned my head.
That was a sign I had no interest in this matter.
“Master, Master Go!”
Tang So-young clung to me.
“Aren’t you curious about Dal Lopo’s poison? I can explain it to you!”
No, I’m not curious.
He spreads his frill and sprays poison, right?
I’ve seen that plenty of times.
“When he is calm, he folds his frill back, but suddenly he spreads it and goes ‘Splat!’ How about that? Oh, and there are other poisons, too. Should I say it’s similar to the maiden’s poison? It can induce hypnosis or hallucinations… Master Go? Are you asleep? Please wake up! This is important!”
*
Jang Bong lay in the grass and spoke.
“Hmph… Are you all alive?”
All five martial artists were still breathing.
“Primordial Celestial, Primordial Celestial…”
It was a stroke of luck.
When the turquoise dragon was chasing us, I thought at least one of us would die.
When I used the Equilibrium Technique and the Wall Climbing Technique, I thought three would perish.
Finally, when I confirmed I had a sword in my mouth, I thought it would be a miracle if even one survived.
Yet they all remained alive.
Not a single straggler.
“…All of you are alive because of me.”
No, there was actually one straggler.
Tang So-young. The name of the woman the Blood-Letting Saboteur abandoned.
The Blood-Letting Saboteur continued in a threatening tone, glaring fiercely.
“We’re accomplices now. If you happen to escape and speak about the Tang Family’s daughter… do you believe you will suffer the consequences?”
The other martial artists nodded at his words.
The Blood-Letting Saboteur pushed the daughter of the Tang Family to be eaten by a beast.
If this fact gets out, the Blood-Letting Saboteur will surely die.
And it will be a painful death.
But will anyone else survive?
No, that’s not the case either.
They too will die for failing to intervene and save Tang So-young.
So, if someone reports this fact before anyone else, can they survive?
No, that’s not it.
Initially, they will offer a hefty reward for the information.
But the moment you try to use that money for something, you’ll end up dead.
Whether you’re drinking, eating, or sleeping.
The Tang Family is such a presence.
“Would we go crazy for that? We can hold a memorial later.”
Tang So-young’s death is an unavoidable occurrence.
The martial artists rationalized it this way.
“Hmm. Still, it seems safe enough now, so I think we can take a rest.”
The martial artists agreed with Jang Bong’s words.
They had no strength left to move.
If they hid their bodies in the tall grass, the chances of being discovered by other beasts would be low.
They found a spot and settled down to rest.
“Blood-Letting Saboteur, aren’t you a bit hungry?”
“What are you talking about at a time like this?”
“I thought I saw some fruit on the way; why don’t we go together?”
“Ha, is there a reason to go together?”
“My hand is like this…”
Tsk.
The Blood-Letting Saboteur clicked his tongue.
Does that man have no sense of pride at all?
Yet he still stood up.
He had sins to atone for.
Though he wouldn’t report to the Tang Family, it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared.
The Blood-Letting Saboteur followed Jang Bong into the thicket.
“Eh, it was right in front of me. Let’s go together.”
It was a fruit he had never seen before.
Even without knowing its name, the fruit looked quite appetizing as he picked it.
“Is it good now?”
“No, just a bit more.”
The Blood-Letting Saboteur walked further according to Jang Bong’s words.
He spotted a massive tree.
It had feather-like leaves scattered throughout.
“Jang Bong, but there are no fruits here; what were you talking about?”
“You’ll find out if you go a little further.”
What is this doing?
The Blood-Letting Saboteur spat on the ground.
And when he lifted his head again, he questioned his own eyes.
A huge spirit creature was staring right at him.
It was larger than the turquoise dragon he had seen earlier.
For a brief moment, he was shocked, but the Blood-Letting Saboteur soon realized the creature’s identity.
“Ah! It was sent by the Tang Family!”
What was its name again?
Right, Master Dal.
He felt a strange sense of familiarity.
He had seen Tang So-young taking care of its food.
Though she was dead, that spirit creature wouldn’t know.
The Blood-Letting Saboteur’s mind raced.
If that small woman could control such a spirit creature, what couldn’t he do?
Although it was larger than the spirit creature he had just seen, he didn’t feel the same sense of danger.
Its scales were glossy, and the feathers lightly clinging around its neck looked fluffy.
A desire to touch it welled up within him.
Yeah.
Let’s touch it once.
Just as he was about to reach out his hand,
“Snap out of it!”
He heard Jang Bong’s voice from a distance.
Wasn’t Jang Bong right next to him?
He remembered that he was supposed to pick fruits together since his arm was injured…
Had Jang Bong injured his arm?
“Why are you over there! Quickly run away!”
He was mesmerized.
Very thoroughly at that.
The realization came far too late.
“I’ll run away! Run away!”
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