Savory Death 2
Mealworms were originally pests you found a lot in grain warehouses and the like, but the reason they got used so heavily in raising reptiles and insects came down to how easy they were to keep and how cheap they were to feed.
Raising mealworms was easier than almost any other insect, and their food was dirt cheap. That food was wheat bran—the leftover scraps after milling wheat. Just pour a decent amount of it in, and the mealworms grew just fine on their own. Even with wings, they never tried to fly off as long as there was enough food, so all you had to do was line a suitable container with bran and leave them be. Once they reached adulthood, the only extra care was the occasional fresh vegetable leaf. Difficulty barely went up at all. For people like me who kept venomous creatures and reptiles, they were pretty much essential livestock.
So I prepared ceramic jars, laid bran in the bottoms, and started raising the adult mealworms Yeong-yeongi had caught. What she brought alone wasn’t enough, of course—I ransacked the Tang Family’s grain warehouses and secured a proper number.
While I was at it, I added cricket breeding as well. They were insects too, and crickets could be raised on the same wheat bran as mealworms. Mealworms alone would have been plenty, but I raised crickets because insect-eating reptiles reacted far better to them. Fast-moving crickets got a much stronger feeding response from venomous insects and bugs.
As I began properly raising both insects at the Poisonous Creature Garden, I started my martial training on my own schedule. I had to master the Five Poisons Martial Arts and the Fist King’s exclusive technique, the Iron Safe Technique. That wasn’t all. I also had to learn how to distinguish poisons by scent and study the Tang Family’s poison lore. Little So-ryong of the murim had way too much to learn.
Being part of this family is way too hardcore.
“Poison Snake Coveting Spring!”
A sweat-soaked hand coiled gently around the wooden dummy’s arm.
The Tang Family training grounds. My shout rang out as my hand, drenched in sweat, wrapped smoothly around the wooden training dummy’s arm.
The Five Poisons Martial Arts: Ogongdokajo, the Centipede Poison Fang Claw; the Poison Snake Life-Greedy Hand; the Scorpion Tail Swift Leg; the Lizard Gecko Body Step; and Seomseobokryeoljang, the Toad Explosive Palm.
Of the five, the one I had to learn first was the Poison Snake Life-Greedy Hand. Grandfather had explained that the Centipede Poison Fang Claw was built from finger techniques—joint locks and claw methods—so I had to master the hand technique of the Poison Snake Life-Greedy Hand before I could progress. Only after learning it could I link it into the palm technique of the Toad Explosive Palm or the claw technique of the Centipede Poison Fang Claw.
The Poison Snake Life-Greedy Hand used the hands to block or strike. When the enemy defended, it coiled around their arm like a snake and went for the vital points. An excellent art.
“Good. That’s how you do it. Next!”
Grandfather nodded—apparently my form was decent enough. I moved straight into the next motion.
“Poison Snake Coveting Peach!”
Uncoiling from the log and striking for the center of the body.
After Poison Snake Coveting Spring came Poison Snake Coveting Peach. I released the arm that had been coiled around the log and struck toward the exposed center of the body. As the wrapped arm uncoiled in a flash, the arm-thick wooden limb was shoved aside, baring the dummy’s chest.
Grandfather’s explanation followed at once.
“Just as a venomous snake seeks spring water and fruit, you seek the enemy’s vital points. Understood?”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
Several more repetitions. By the time sweat was streaming from my forehead down my body, Grandfather’s voice came again.
“That will be enough for today.”
“Thank you for your hard work, Grandfather.”
“Mm. You worked hard today as well.”
I had risen before dawn for energy circulation and breathing, eaten breakfast, then trained. It was already lunchtime. I wiped my soaked forehead with the back of my hand, and a cloth was offered from the side.
“Here, So-ryong. You’ve worked hard.”
I turned my head. Noona stood there smiling, towel in hand.
“Thank you, Hwa-eun.”
I accepted the towel with gratitude. It seemed to carry a faint trace of her scent. I quickly wiped the sweat from my brow.
Yeah. This is what keeps me going.
The only thing that let me endure the grueling martial training was Noona’s care. She tutored me through the parts of the martial manuals I didn’t understand, like a pretty older sister giving private lessons, and once training ended she brought towels and medicine. She even managed my schedule like a secretary.
“Wash up first. Today we need to stop by the Poisonous Creature Garden. Commander Gu specifically asked for you—something isn’t going well. After that we’ll study scents.”
I nodded to myself at Noona’s dual roles when her voice cut in.
“So-ryong?”
“Ah, understood. I’ll wash quickly and come. Shall we meet at the pavilion?”
“Yes, So-ryong.”
The afternoon would take us to the Poisonous Creature Garden with Noona. I answered her and hurried to the bathhouse to wash.
After changing clothes I reached the pavilion, where Noona was waiting with the kids. Half of her body was claimed by Ogongi on the right and the lizards on the left.
—Tsururu!
—Kkukku!
They greeted me the moment they saw me. The instant I rested a hand on Noona’s shoulder, they all piled onto me at once and began rubbing their faces against both my cheeks. Cool, rough texture on either side.
“Alright, I get it, you little brats. Enough.”
Afraid my cheeks would get worn away, I settled them down and decided we should head for the Poisonous Creature Garden right away.
“Did he not say exactly what the problem was, Hwa-eun?”
“Ah, it seems the cricket numbers aren’t increasing well. Apparently they’re eating each other.”
“Ah, so that’s it.”
Crickets were insects that looked like nothing special, but they were insanely aggressive. Fighting among themselves was common, and cannibalism happened all the time. I had suffered the same problem back on Hainan Island, and it seemed the same thing was happening here.
We arrived at the Poisonous Creature Garden. The moment we stepped inside, Commander Gu Pae greeted me with an apologetic face.
“I am truly sorry, Young Master So-ryong. I failed to carry out the duty entrusted to me.”
His expression was strangely grim. I gave a short laugh and answered. It wasn’t as if the warriors had been snacking on them. Strictly speaking, the fault was mine for not teaching the proper breeding methods thoroughly enough.
“You’re looking that solemn over the cricket numbers not going up? Let’s take a look first.”
I checked the cricket facilities. Large jars had been cut in half to lower the height, filled with wheat bran for feed, and packed with leaves for hiding places. It was the same method I had used on Hainan Island, so nothing looked wrong on the surface. But cricket legs lay scattered all over the jars. Cannibalism was happening a lot.
“I ran into the same problem when I raised them on Hainan Island… Hmm…”
The reason I didn’t know the exact cause was simple: I had no know-how for mass-breeding crickets. I was rock-solid on venomous insects, reptiles, and poisonous creatures, but ordinary insects were a bit outside my specialty. I was a spicy Fabre, not a regular Fabre. My expertise leaned hard toward poisonous bugs, venomous snakes, and reptiles.
When I cleared the leaves, even more cricket legs appeared. The situation was a little worse than it had been on Hainan.
“I don’t know crickets that well myself, so this is a bit frustrating.”
I rubbed my chin, wondering whether to change the feed or expand the environment, when one of the warriors standing behind Commander Gu Pae spoke up in a hesitant voice.
“Um…”
“Do you have something to say?”
He clearly had something on his mind, so I asked. The answer that came back was not what I expected.
“I… think I know people who know a lot about crickets.”
“About crickets?”
A warrior who knew cricket experts. At the unexpected reply everyone looked at him, and he scratched his head, embarrassed. Commander Gu Pae explained while patting the man’s back.
“Ah, Hwanggeon. Young Master So-ryong, Hwanggeon is the only other man who volunteered for the Poisonous Creature Squad with me.”
“He volunteered?”
I had thought Commander Gu Pae was the only volunteer for our Poisonous Creature Squad. Hearing there was one more piqued my curiosity. I gave the man a few extra first-impression points and asked again.
“So there are people who know crickets well?”
Warrior Hwang nodded.
“When I’m bored I sometimes go to the cricket-fighting pits for a little pocket money… Not a lot, of course. Just enough for drinks, really.”
“Right, and? Cricket fighting?”
I tilted my head at the unfamiliar term. Noona explained.
“It’s gambling where they make crickets fight each other and bet money on the outcome.”
“Crickets fighting each other? Ah!”
Thinking back, I was sure I had heard of it in my previous life. Cricket fighting had been popular in China since ancient times. It supposedly started as a pastime for bored palace maids, spread into a whole culture, and winning crickets sold for tens of millions of won. The custom dated back to the Tang Dynasty. I wasn’t sure exactly what era we were in now, but those people would definitely be experts.
I immediately cleared the schedule and decided to head for Chengdu in Sichuan. I could feel the aura of talent nearby. From the rough explanation, they worked hard to raise big, strong crickets and even had professional cricket keepers. A cricket keeper would be a true expert. Our Poisonous Creature Squad listened well and worked hard, but the biggest weakness was the lack of experienced people. We needed to recruit someone—an expert.
It wasn’t a long distance, so I had planned to use lightness skill, but we took a carriage instead. Since it was a gambling house, the advice was that it would be better to dress up a little and arrive by carriage. So Noona, Commander Gu, and Hwanggeon, who would guide us, all dressed in silk clothes and headed for Chengdu. A few skilled warriors rode alongside because of the recent Blood Cult incident, of course.
“This is the place, Young Master So-ryong.”
The street Hwanggeon led us to was lined with tall multi-story buildings. According to him, this was the mecca of Chengdu cricket fighting. The moment we stepped down from the carriage, provocatively dressed women were out on the street luring people in.
“Come on in and take a look.”
“Young master, over here, over here.”
It was a street packed with gambling dens and pleasure houses, giving off a vaguely Gangnam-from-my-previous-life vibe. I tried not to look, but my head turned on its own—until I felt a touch on my left arm. Looking up, I found Noona smiling while clinging to my arm. A kind smile, yet somehow chilling. Only an idiot would miss the meaning, so I nodded quickly. Keep my eyes on Noona.
Of course. Eyes locked!
With my gaze fixed firmly on Noona, we reached the entrance of the three-story building ahead. Two massive bouncers stared blankly at Noona for a second before blocking our path.
“Apologies. Without a guarantor—”
“I am escorting Lady Hwa-eun of the Tang Family and her fiancé, Young Master So-ryong. Stand aside!”
“H-heok! The Tang Family’s direct line! One of the Three Flowers of the Murim!”
“S-sorry, Warrior Hwang!”
We passed the guards and entered a gambling house that was extremely lavish. Women in sheer mesh clothing served wine, and large tables everywhere hosted gambling games I didn’t recognize. The moment we stepped inside, the noisy hall fell silent. The instant Noona entered, every other woman in mesh clothing seemed to shrink into herself. If they were fireflies, Noona was practically a flashbang.
No—maybe the sun itself?
“W-welcome! It is an honor that you have graced our Golden Phoenix Gambling House!”
In the sudden quiet, a rat-whiskered man who looked like the owner came running out. Hwanggeon stepped forward.
“This is Lady Hwa-eun of the Tang Family and her fiancé, Young Master So-ryong. They have come to see the cricket fighting. Show them the way.”
“W-what an honor! As it happens, the General Cricket match is being held today. Please, come up to the third floor.”
The owner’s mouth stretched ear to ear, clearly thinking we had come to spend big money. Following his lead, we watched the cricket fights. There was even a commentator, and it was surprisingly entertaining. According to Hwanggeon, the General Cricket match decided the champion cricket of a month-long tournament. In other words, a title match.
A man who looked like a dealer placed one cricket on each side of a round bowl divided by a wooden board. He used a brush made from cut cat whiskers to enrage the crickets, then removed the board. The furious insects launched into a fierce brawl, biting and thrashing inside the bowl. After a tangled struggle, one of them lost its nerve and showed its back. The winner let out a triumphant little chirp.
—Chirrr-chirrr.
The dealer-like man’s booming voice rang out.
“The General Cricket has been decided!”
As the match ended, joy and despair crossed the faces of those who had bet. Some smiled; others downed liquor with ruined expressions. The General Cricket was auctioned off on the spot and sold for the enormous price of thirty silver taels—for a single cricket.
I could sell crickets later for profit, couldn’t I?
I was thinking about raising crickets as a revenue stream for the Poisonous Creature Garden when I turned to the owner hovering nervously beside us.
“May I meet the cricket keeper here?”
“The cricket keeper, you say? Some people do ask to see them now and then, but we don’t have anything special. We don’t care who wins, so we just have a kid who feeds them and cleans the droppings…”
At the request to see the cricket keeper, the gambling house owner’s tongue grew long. He seemed to hesitate, so Hwanggeon stepped in.
“Young Master So-ryong, shall we go to the Yellow Dragon Gambling House next door instead? As the one who brought you, I am thoroughly embarrassed.”
“A-aiyo, why would you say that! I-I’ll show you. This way, please! It wasn’t that I didn’t want to show you—it’s just a little awkward… The person is only useful for cricket care and is rather gloomy besides…”
We descended into a damp basement filled with the sound of crickets. A woman in her late twenties or early thirties, with a dark and gloomy air, rose from a corner pile of straw to meet us, looking disheveled.
“What are you doing! These are honored guests from the Tang Family—greet them properly!”
The conversation began with the gambling house owner’s scolding. At the words “Tang Family,” the woman’s pupils seemed to widen for an instant in the underground shadows, then dulled back into empty, lifeless eyes. Instead of waiting for the silent woman who only bowed her head, I first addressed the owner—after pressing a few silver taels into his hand, of course.
“I raise crickets myself when I’m bored, and something has me curious. May I ask the woman a question?”
“Aiyo, so the young master raises crickets? Of course! Answer whatever the young master asks!”
The owner’s face brightened as he pocketed the silver. I turned back to the woman staring blankly at the floor.
“When I keep many crickets in one place, they keep eating each other. Do you know why?”
—Chirrr-chirrr.
The woman answered in a voice almost lost under the cricket song.
“Meat… They’re short on meat.”
“Meat? Ah!”
The word meat sparked a sudden realization. Crickets were omnivorous insects. Her answer made me think that the cannibalism might simply be from a lack of protein feed.
This is a real cricket expert!
Her answer made her look definitely worth recruiting, so I nodded to Noona as we had planned beforehand. What emerged from Noona’s sleeve was a single gold tael. She dangled it in front of the owner and asked,
“Can we buy this woman?”
“O-of course…”
Since it was a gambling house where it didn’t matter which cricket won, his earlier assessment that she was just someone who fed them and cleaned droppings seemed accurate. When asked if she could be bought, the owner looked ready to nod without a second’s thought.
But the woman cried out urgently.
“Ah. No!”