Chapter 145: The Dango Thief
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 145: The Dango Thief
I endured a humiliating time.
The majestic Divine Beast of the Gaegaek Cult was subjected to the indignity of flipping onto its back and acting cute.
If there was any silver lining, it was that my followers didn't see me like this.
“It seems you're not hungry.”
Seeing my desperate struggles, Baek Yeon-yeong seemed to realize how much I hated that giant worm.
Though she seemed to have misinterpreted it, thinking I was just not hungry.
Still, it was fine. She got that disgusting bug out of my sight.
“Let me know if you want to eat it later.”
“Kiaaaak!”
The Deathworm was caught in Baek Yeon-yeong’s hand.
The creature ended up inside a wooden drawer.
Why in the world does she keep something like that in her room?
“Gek gek.”
With that hideous thing gone, I felt much more at ease.
Now, it was just my master and me in this space.
Why did Baek Yeon-yeong bring me here?
Did she really bring me here just to feed me that worm?
I'd been eating plenty of tasty snacks from Tang Soyeong.
Baek Yeon-yeong fiddled with my body.
I didn't like it, but right now, I was in the body of a tiny lizard.
I had no choice but to do what a small lizard would do.
“Gegegek.”
I bit her finger repeatedly.
“This is just a personal wish, but I hope you grow bigger quickly.”
“Gek.”
Me too.
First, I plan to stuff Tang Soyeong's dumpling hair into my mouth.
“The inner cores of the Odusa and the Human-faced Bird are ready, but I can't give them to you when your body is in this state.”
“Gek.”
The Odusa's inner core.
And the Human-faced Bird's inner core.
I probably couldn't eat the Human-faced Bird's inner core right away.
A strange, dark energy was undulating out of it.
The Odusa's inner core was different.
Even back when I was a Green Basilisk, it was a safe inner core that I could observe as being of the highest quality.
Wait, what would happen if I ate the Odusa's inner core?
Wouldn't I grow a few more heads?
“Ge-ek…”
That would be kind of lame.
Or maybe not. If I think about it, it might be cool.
…It might look cool to others, but I feel like it would be inconvenient for me in many ways.
I have a feeling my body wouldn't move the way I want it to.
I'll just have to choose my evolution path carefully.
“Still, you seem to have grown a little bigger than before, so I suppose we just have to wait.”
Have I gotten bigger?
I was in Baek Yeon-yeong's arms the whole way here and back, so my master would know best.
If she says so, it must be true.
It seems my body might return to its original state more easily than I thought.
…Though, of course, I’ll need a sufficient amount of food.
I need to grow bigger quickly and think about the next step.
My level hadn't risen, but I could instinctively feel that I was on the verge of evolution.
What on earth could be the next stage after Gomodo-Lania?
If I grow normally, I'll have consumed the inner cores of three spirit beasts: the Jian Bird, the Odusa, and the Human-faced Bird.
The 'Lania' in Gomodo-Lania comes from Megalania.
Megalania was the largest lizard in the world—no, in Earth's history.
The path of the lizard. You could call it the final destination.
To become a creature equal to or greater than that, I'd either have to become a legendary lizard like a salamander, or abandon lizards altogether and become a dinosaur.
Since I have the Gaegaek Faith, my evolution will probably take the form of Gomodo-XXX.
Like Gomodo-T-Rex.
Or, as the Human-faced Bird kept mentioning, I might become a dragon.
Dragon scales, dragon blood. And my teeth, which Argentavis claimed were dragon fangs.
I'm probably something like a lizard containing 1% dragon essence.
If I devour inner cores in this state and walk the path of evolution, a dragon-related option might appear.
It's unlikely I'd become a full dragon right away; at best, it would probably be something like a wyvern.
“Huiya. Have you ever heard the term 'Dragon Gate'?”
As if reading my mind, Baek Yeon-yeong brought up the topic of dragons.
“There's a rumor that near Luoyang, on the Yellow River, there is a gate called the Dragon Gate.”
The Dragon Gate. It was a famous saying.
“There's a story that if a carp passes through that gate, it can become a dragon.”
Just as a carp becomes a dragon, it meant that passing through the Dragon Gate would lead to instant success in life.
Baek Yeon-yeong doesn't waste her words.
Which means this Dragon Gate she's talking about isn't just a rumor.
“I don't know much about the one there, but in these 100,000 Great Mountains, there is a similar place.”
“Gek?”
“There was even a spirit beast that truly climbed it and became a dragon.”
A dragon.
Wasn't that the being Quetzalcoatl was so obsessed with?
“Of course, it's probably not the kind of dragon you're thinking of. It looked like the Aryong that are so common in this land, but it had no Dragon Pearl and even had wings—a peculiar form.”
It doesn't sound like an Eastern dragon.
Based on Baek Yeon-yeong's description, it sounded closer to a Western dragon.
But still, that's something.
Besides, as a lizard, I'm closer in appearance to a Western dragon than an Eastern one.
A Western dragon might have less prestige than an Eastern one, but it's still far above a lizard.
“Though that creature has since left the 100,000 Great Mountains.”
Baek Yeon-yeong explained the Dragon Gate to me.
It was a kind of peak that powerful spirit beasts climbed to attain enlightenment.
Some are made of barren rock, while others are volcanoes spewing lava.
Some are adorned with beautiful flowers, and others are covered in white snow.
…Were the 100,000 Great Mountains really that vast?
Can lava and snow even coexist?
The thought crossed my mind, but there was no reason for Baek Yeon-yeong to lie to me, so I just accepted it.
“You are more than qualified to go there as well. Provided your body recovers, that is.”
Baek Yeon-yeong intended to send me there.
Certainly, when my body was whole, I was strong enough that most beasts couldn't even meet my gaze.
If Nephila's tree was the tutorial, the swamp the beginner's zone, and the jungle the intermediate zone, then the Dragon Gate would be the advanced zone.
It was the perfect region for me right now.
“Keep that in mind and focus on recovering your body. …And let me know if you want that worm from before.”
“Gek gek!”
No matter what, not that.
Seeing my firm refusal, Baek Yeon-yeong nodded as if she had no choice.
“Then at least get a good night's sleep.”
“Gek gek.”
That's my specialty.
“What are you doing?”
“Gek?”
Baek Yeon-yeong patted her bed.
“It's late.”
So, you're telling me to get in there?
“Do you think it's disrespectful to sleep in your master's bed?”
Of course not.
Swoosh.
I quickly slipped under the covers.
The feel of the soft, fluffy blanket.
It was the first time I'd felt such comfort since becoming a lizard.
“Gek gek.”
To think she'd give such a nice spot to me.
That's Baek Yeon-yeong for you.
Just as I was thinking that, Baek Yeon-yeong also got under the covers.
“…Gek?”
“Stay still.”
Then she cupped my body in her hand.
“I heard you need to be in a warm place. Is that right?”
“Gek…”
What in the world does Baek Yeon-yeong think of me as?
Considering she thinks about my food and sleeping arrangements, it really seems like she just sees me as a lizard.
“A master and disciple sleeping together. If word of this got out, we'd be scorned.”
But she talks to that lizard and teaches it martial arts.
When I think about that, it seems she sees me as a disciple, not a lizard.
“I was just joking.”
One might think she's just an eccentric person like Tang Soyeong, but she was on a different level.
Tang Soyeong grew up communicating with spirit beasts and animals since she was a child.
In other words, she'd talk to any beast or spirit beast, not just me.
She'd probably strike up a conversation with a unicorn if she met one on the street.
Baek Yeon-yeong is different.
She's quite kind to me, but she's merciless with other beasts.
She killed the Odusa, killed the Human-faced Bird.
She beat up the club-tailed dinosaur and plucked the feathers of a poor Utahraptor.
“It's difficult for this lady to sleep properly anyway, so just think of it as me staying by my disciple's side until you fall asleep.”
What's the reason for this special treatment just for me?
Was it because I was sitting in the lotus position when she met me?
She must have seen countless spirit beasts; is it possible she's never seen one practicing Qi cultivation?
“Huiya.”
Baek Yeon-yeong gently tickled me with her finger.
“Tomorrow, I shall prepare some carapace insects.”
Carapace insects?
Beetles?
“Gegegek!”
No, I told you I hate bugs!
Baek Yeon-yeong was breathing softly in her sleep.
She said she has trouble sleeping, but she's sleeping just fine.
I thought about getting revenge for her giving me bugs, but there was nothing I could do in this body.
The best I could do was stick my tongue out at her.
Rather than plotting such useless revenge, I should do something productive.
I carefully slipped out of Baek Yeon-yeong's grasp.
If I stayed put, I'd be served a super mix of bugs for breakfast tomorrow.
The early bird gets the worm.
Which must mean the lizard that stays up late doesn't have to eat worms.
The dead of night.
It was time to find food on my own.
I tiptoed outside.
To think a master of Baek Yeon-yeong's level didn't even wake up.
She's a really deep sleeper.
Late at night. A small body. Black scales.
I was in a state of constant stealth.
Now that I was out of the room, I just had to crawl to where Tang Soyeong was.
I need to go eat some of the leftover food.
Let's go sneakily without getting caught.
“…A lizard?”
I was spotted.
I was spotted the moment I took a step.
A woman was staring at me very suspiciously.
“What's wrong?”
“Look at that.”
“What? It's just a normal lizard.”
Thankfully, the woman next to her replied as if it were nothing.
“Gek gek.”
A lizard roaming the streets probably wasn't that strange of a sight.
“Huh?”
“That lizard is standing on two feet.”
Busted.
Pabababat!
“Kyaaaaak! The lizard is running!”
Using the principles of the Little Dragon's Sky-Ascending Steps, I scurried away.
“Ge-ek…”
I lost them.
Time to catch my breath.
“A lizard?”
Pabababat!
“I-It's a lizard!”
“Gecko Wall-Walking Art! It's Gecko Wall-Walking Art!”
Everywhere I ran, there were people.
Seriously, why are there so many people?
And why is everyone paying attention to me?
I'm just a normal lizard.
“Kyaaaaak! The lizard is flying!”
“For a lizard, it's handsome!”
“Keuk! I, a master of lightness skills, couldn't catch it?”
The crowd kept growing.
I ran with all my might and barely managed to shake them off.
“Geheeeek…”
I arrived at a small building.
It wasn't where Tang Soyeong was, but I decided to hide here for now.
I thought it was quite dark, but it seemed the people of the Divine Cult hadn't gone to sleep yet.
I'll have to kill some time here and move secretly when everyone's asleep.
…But first, I should check if this place is really safe.
Paaat!
I activated my Wild Eyes to the max.
Thankfully, there was nothing out of the ordinary.
I couldn't measure a human's level, but since a message would pop up saying they were unmeasurable, I could at least tell if someone was here or not.
No humans.
“Ge-eek.”
Just in case, I flicked my tongue out to smell the air.
None.
Perfect.
Let's rest here for a bit.
…But I smell something delicious.
Instead of taking the risk of going all the way to Tang Soyeong's place, should I search around here?
“Gek gek.”
I searched the room diligently with my short arms and legs.
Flicking my tongue, I was able to find the source of the sweet smell.
That wooden drawer over there.
It's definitely in there.
“Gegegek.”
Gekking, I climbed up the drawer.
Bracing myself in case a super ultra mealworm popped out, I opened the drawer.
Shwick!
“Gek!”
No way.
I've found something incredible.
Dango made with Okbong honey!
Besides that, there were dried persimmons and various other snacks inside.
“Gegegek!”
I quickly hopped into the drawer.
Okbong honey.
It reminds me of the Snake Queen laughing with an 'ehehe'.
Let's grab a few.
I diligently gathered the dango with my small hands and tail.
“Gek gek.”
Now this is what you call food.
I wonder how delicious it'll be.
But these are all sweet foods.
Not bad, but to recover my body, I need meat.
Just then, some dried meat caught my eye.
It was perfectly plump and looked very appetizing.
It looked just like a lizard's tail…
…A lizard's tail?
“It's been a while, Hui.”
A voice came from behind me.
A voice I'd definitely heard before.
Dango made with Okbong honey.
And my tail that was cut off before.
All this information told me who the woman behind me was.
“No, that's not right.”
“Should I call you the Dango Thief?”
Baek Seol-hwa was glaring at me.
“The fact that you came here yourself must mean you intend to proceed with our previous deal, right?”