Chapter 51: Hui
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 51: Hui
I nibbled on Baek Yeon-yeong's finger.
Is this really okay?
I mean, I have poison in my fangs.
Crunch.
Unsurprisingly, my teeth failed to pierce Baek Yeon-yeong's skin.
I started to feel a little competitive.
I'd surpassed the Crocodile Monitor and reached the level of a Gomodo, yet I still couldn't break the skin on a single finger?
Waaaaang.
Secret technique: Biting two fingers.
Chomp.
The effect was minimal.
[The faith of 【Tang Soyeong】 has increased dramatically.]
Huh?
What's that all about?
I pulled my mouth away from her fingers and turned to look at Tang Soyeong.
She was trembling uncontrollably.
With her spider friends on her shoulders, she just stared at me.
"Who told you to stop?"
Baek Yeon-yeong was being weird, too.
Did she need my poison for some reason? I could produce some if she wanted.
Still, the sensation of biting her finger wasn't bad.
How should I put it? It was like it satisfied some hidden desire of mine. I felt a satisfaction similar to taking a huge bite out of a large chunk of meat.
The only difference, of course, was that my teeth weren't sinking in.
Should I try biting Tang Soyeong?
I bet my fangs would sink into her just fine.
And since she's from the Tang Clan, the poison should be okay, right?
Just as I was thinking that and about to bite Baek Yeon-yeong's finger again…
"H-Hero Go!"
Tang Soyeong, her faith now fervent, came running toward me.
Her short legs meant she wasn't very fast.
The word 'scurrying' would be more fitting.
Running over like a little chick, Tang Soyeong puffed out her chest as if fluffing up her feathers.
Was she trying to make herself look bigger? Since her chest wasn't very large, the effect seemed minimal.
And just like that, Tang Soyeong wedged herself between me and Baek Yeon-yeong.
You're happy to see a human after so long too, right?
Alright, let me introduce you.
"Gek-gek-gek."
This is Baek Yeon-yeong.
She's my master.
That was the kind of conversation I had in mind.
But what came out of Tang Soyeong's mouth was the complete opposite of my expectations.
"Q-Quickly, run away!"
Tang Soyeong's body trembled violently.
In her hand was a small bead.
I could tell at a glance that it was some kind of poison-related object.
But why was she holding it and shaking like this?
"Hoh."
It seemed Tang Soyeong thought the Baek Yeon-yeong-saurus that had just appeared was an enemy.
Well, seeing her send that huge beast flying with one hand, it was understandable to think she was dangerous.
She must have thought I was being attacked and came running.
I might have complained a little, but being a Divine Beast has its perks.
Still, you're gravely mistaken.
Baek Yeon-yeong is my master.
She might be a bit extreme, but she's a good person at heart.
"Gek-gek-gek."
I should introduce you two.
I have a feeling you'll get along.
After all, you're the only two humans who talk to lizards.
"Hero Go! Q-Quickly, y-you have to run! I'll somehow hold her off here…"
"Hero Go? How strange. This Lady has not yet bestowed a name upon you, so why are you being called by such a bizarre title?"
You just call me 'little lizard'.
'Hero Go' is better than that.
Baek Yeon-yeong paid no mind to Tang Soyeong and seemed to be deep in thought.
"Power like the sun. A leader who wields it."
Baek Yeon-yeong was spouting nonsense.
"What about Huiraksu (爔烙率)?"
What's a Huiraksu?
Don't tell me she just came up with that as my name.
I'll just stick with Gomodo, thanks.
"Gek-gek."
I let out a gek-gek of refusal.
"Hmm…"
Resting her chin on her hand, she once again seemed lost in thought.
"H-Hero… Q-Quickly, we have to go…"
It's no use.
Whatever you're planning, it'll be pointless.
Even if we run, she'll catch us instantly.
And there's no reason to run, anyway.
"Your claws are like flames that tear through enemies, and your body is a shield that blocks all things."
Has she written poetry before?
She recited a rather impressive line.
"Huirano (爔攞櫓). How is it? Do you like it?"
I hate it.
"Gek-gek-gek!"
I let out a gek-gek of fierce opposition.
"Yes. It must be a difficult choice. My apologies."
She may have no naming sense, but at least she has a conscience.
"Both are such outstanding names, it is understandable you would have trouble choosing."
She has no conscience either!
"Gek-ge-ge-gek!"
"Huirano. Huiraksu. They have good meanings, but they are difficult to pronounce."
If you know that, why would you suggest them?
Gomodo is way better than that.
'Old Death with a Tail.'
How cool is that?
"Hui."
Huh?
"You are Hui."
Hui…
It was actually pretty good.
Much better than being called Huiraksu or Huirano.
Wait a minute, did she suggest weird names on purpose just to lower my expectations?
To make me accept the name Hui?
"Do not use strange names like 'Hero Go.' You shall be called Hui."
Tang Soyeong.
Say something.
At this rate, she's going to steal the name 'Hero Go'.
I gek-geked and nudged Tang Soyeong.
"Uu… Uuuu…"
Tang Soyeong was trembling like a leaf in the wind.
She seemed so determined a moment ago, what happened to her?
First, put down whatever that is in your hand.
I don't know what it is, but it looks like you're about to crush it.
"Huiya."
Baek Yeon-yeong called to me.
She turned her head slightly to look at Tang Soyeong's face.
Tang Soyeong trembled even more.
"What is this tiny being standing between you and me?"
Her expression was one of pure arrogance.
Before Tang Soyeong had intervened, she'd shown no interest at all. Her attitude now was as if she had only just now become curious about this creature's existence.
No wonder the kid is terrified.
Tang Soyeong.
Don't worry too much.
Baek Yeon-yeong might talk like that, but she's actually nice.
She has a kind face, doesn't she?
Though her personality does seem a little strange.
"Gek-gek."
I have no choice.
I'll have to mediate.
"Gek-ge-gek."
Communication was a bit difficult, so I'd just have to help her along as she explained.
Alright, hurry up and explain.
I'll nod for you.
"H-Hero Go… T-This poison is dangerous, so quickly…"
Tears started to stream down Tang Soyeong's face.
…Something was strange.
No matter how timid she was, was this situation really that dire?
Could it be that Tang Soyeong knew who Baek Yeon-yeong was?
"Huiya."
Baek Yeon-yeong turned her head to look at me again.
A piece of information suddenly came to mind.
The fact that this place, where I was right now, was the 100,000 Great Mountains.
The 100,000 Great Mountains was the stronghold of the Demonic Cult.
Except for special cases like Tang Soyeong, ordinary people wouldn't be able to approach it.
And Baek Yeon-yeong was walking around this place like it was her own backyard.
Baek Yeon-yeong was a member of the Demonic Cult.
A high-ranking one at that.
"No matter how I look at her, this wench appears to be a daughter of the Tang Clan. Is that correct?"
I realized my mistake.
Tang Soyeong was from the Sichuan Tang Clan.
In other words, a person from a prestigious orthodox family.
And Baek Yeon-yeong was from the Demonic Cult.
A phrase she had told me before came to mind.
'The kid next door died for messing with one of the Five Great Families.'
Would Baek Yeon-yeong look favorably upon Tang Soyeong, a member of the Sichuan Tang Clan?
No, there was no way.
"How audacious. Who does someone from the Five Great Families think they're messing with?"
Even if Baek Yeon-yeong viewed me favorably, there was no way she would see Tang Soyeong in the same light.
A killing intent so potent it made my body tingle was radiating from her.
"H-Hero Go…"
Tang Soyeong's arm went limp.
The bead in her hand must have been her last resort, just in case.
But in front of Baek Yeon-yeong, it was meaningless.
Uprooting mountains and overwhelming the world with her spirit.
She was controlling everything with her aura alone.
I had to stop her.
At this rate, Tang Soyeong would die at her hands.
"Krrrrrr…"
I let out the lowest, most threatening sound I could muster.
Baek Yeon-yeong saw me in a good light.
I had to use that.
"Huiya. To whom are you baring your fangs?"
Baek Yeon-yeong's characteristically emotionless face felt even more chilling.
But it was working.
"Fine."
The oppressive pressure crushing us from all sides weakened, if only slightly.
"Does This Lady have any reason to let this wench live?"
Yes, many.
So many.
But I had no way to convey that right now.
First, I had to get Tang Soyeong to her senses so she could explain how we'd been together.
To do that, I had to get through this situation safely.
It was a touch-and-go situation.
I needed something to quell Baek Yeon-yeong's anger, even for a moment.
"Kieek!"
At that moment, a spider that had been clinging to Tang Soyeong's back wiggled and crawled forward.
It was Nephila Jurassica.
Tus and Pus also started jumping around on her shoulder, making noises.
This is dangerous.
At this rate, they might all disappear along with Tang Soyeong.
Nephila Jurassica wore an expression of resolve.
Tat.
Amazingly, she walked perfectly fine even within this oppressive aura.
No, it would be more accurate to say that Baek Yeon-yeong hadn't been directing her pressure at the spiders in the first place.
All I could do now was growl and keep Baek Yeon-yeong's attention on me.
I had to trust the spiders.
Nephila Jurassica crawled right up to Baek Yeon-yeong's face.
And she offered it to her.
A single shed skin from a gecko.
Baek Yeon-yeong stared at the shed skin with a blank expression.
One second, two seconds.
And three.
Pfft.
The corners of Baek Yeon-yeong's mouth curved into a smile.
It seemed she recognized what the shed skin was.
And then.
"Ahahahaha!"
She burst out laughing, louder than I ever thought possible for the usual Baek Yeon-yeong.
She laughed so hard that tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.
Color began to return to her deadpan expression.
After laughing for a long while, Baek Yeon-yeong accepted the shed skin from Nephila Jurassica.
"Now this is quite interesting."
The killing intent that had been pressing down on me and Tang Soyeong vanished in an instant.
"So there was a form I did not know about. If not for the spiders (Jiju), I might never have known."
Is she really that happy just to get my shed skin?
Baek Yeon-yeong is a serious case.
"What's more interesting than anything is that the spiders are protecting the Tang girl."
Oh, so it wasn't because of my shed skin.
How embarrassing.
"Even though they must know they were nearly used as ingredients for Gu-poison."
Tang Soyeong collapsed to the ground.
"Heok… Heok…"
It seemed the tension left her body as soon as Baek Yeon-yeong withdrew her power.
"I suppose it's worth hearing the story."
Baek Yeon-yeong casually sat down on a suitably sized lizard nearby.
She means my back.
"Girl of the Tang Clan. Tell me what has transpired."