Poison and Medicine Are a Hair's Breadth Apart - 2

The three-headed snake was quite the picky creature, a total hikikomori that hated showing its face and preferred dark places. The Prefectural Governor had received it from Nang-jung Wang in a jar and kept it stored there, but it was small enough to tuck into a sleeve or against the chest without any issue. In fact, if sunlight slipped into my clothes while I moved, it would burrow even deeper. That was why I'd trusted its hikikomori nature and kept it on my person. There was no safer storage than my body, and it had no reason to leave of its own accord.

But that trust had been shattered.

The three-headed snake, which had shown no sign of leaving my bosom for 24 hours straight, had pulled off the escape of the century.

Caught by me, it thrashed its three heads and tail, throwing a fit to be let go. The unexpected situation left me a bit flustered and awkward, but—

"What are you gonna do if you keep flailing?"

It wasn't much of a threat. The three-headed snake was a tiny thing that had been peacefully chilling in its jar, only coming out a few times when the Prefectural Governor handled it. Far too frail to escape human grasp. It was reacting lively to the egg Mun-gyeong had pulled out, sure, but it was still only as long as two finger joints. What harm could such a little guy do, even thrashing?

I didn't even flinch when one head nipped my hand. If this had been a full-grown specimen, I'd have bolted the moment I spotted its scales from afar. But this was a hatchling too young to even call a baby. Its venom might ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠give a mosquito a slight disadvantage at best—a baby viper in every sense.

In the end, refusing to let go no matter how it bit, I wore it down until it went limp, exhausted.

"Tch."

Mun-gyeong clicked his tongue at the sight and tucked the egg back into his sleeve. "A shame. If it were just a bit bigger, it might've had the strength to slip from Your Excellency's grasp."

His demeanor shifted from the smiling, lighthearted face and voice of moments ago to something grave. The sudden change made sense after witnessing the three-headed snake's escape attempt—I could guess his intentions now.

"You were stalling for time."

"Yes. I needed to confirm if the three-headed snake was in Your Excellency's bosom or somewhere else. Fortunately, as someone sensitive to poisons, it was easy for me to tell." Though personally, I was hoping it was somewhere other than Your Excellency's person, he added, subtly stepping back to put distance between us.

"Trying to run now?"

"No choice. My one shot at snatching the three-headed snake just vanished. I can't very well twist Your Excellency's wrist and steal it outright."

Fair point. Stealing was stealing, but snatching something dropped on the ground was worlds apart from inflicting physical harm to take it. Even in the modern world, petty theft and aggravated robbery were strictly distinguished.

Hit-and-run type, I thought.

I'd suspected as much from how they'd thrown Cheongseongpa and Amipa into chaos, but Mun-gyeong and Mun-won weren't the type to stick around stubbornly in one place. They struck fast like this, and if it failed, they cut their losses without hesitation. Made sense for thieves—lingering only raised the odds of getting caught.

Lucky it's so small, I mused, glancing down at the three-headed snake, still hissing pitifully with lingering attachment to the egg Mun-gyeong had shown it. As he'd said, if it were any bigger, it might've wriggled free and crawled toward the egg. Then he'd have vanished leisurely with both prize and snake in tow. Of course, I'd have stored it elsewhere if it were larger.

"Go on, then."

My calm reply furrowed Mun-gyeong's brow, as if trying to read my intentions.

"If you can."

With that, Jo Wi-cheo—who'd been on standby—and Kki-ing-i and Kki-ong-i—who'd been watching—surged in from three sides.

"...Huh?"

Mun-gyeong, coiling to leap away, let out a dumbfounded voice. His eyes widened in genuine shock—a truly pitiful sight.

Three seconds later, he'd suffer a traffic accident at the hands of Jo Wi-cheo and the two spirit deer. Pity, but what could be done?

You're not the only one who stalled for time.

I hadn't chatted idly or suggested surrender out of boredom. As a descendant of Gi Chung Mu Wang and a member of the Giwang household, I had my ways to restrain experts.

"Wi-cheo. Give him a moderate beating."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

At my not-quite-advice, Jo Wi-cheo began pummeling Mun-gyeong without hesitation.

"Ow! Aaaagh! What the fu— Aaaaagh!"

Thrashing in confusion at his inexplicable plight, Mun-gyeong soon fell silent. Silence Hell indeed—flawless effect.

We were to capture the Dang duo alive, not kill them. This was the Prefectural Governor's top priority, agreed upon by Cheongseongpa and Amipa as well. Nabbing fleet-footed types alive rather than killing them wasn't easy, but the reasoning was simple.

To recover the stolen poisons, we need them breathing.

The myriad poisons slumbering in Cheongseongpa and Amipa's private grounds. The toxins Amipa had procured and stored from across the Central Plains. The duo had mercilessly looted them all, stashing them in their lair no doubt. To find that stash, we'd need to capture them and wring out the info.

We could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eventually track the lair even if we killed them, given time. But most poisons were living creatures that needed feeding. Without their caretakers, the lot would starve to death.

"We must recover them at all costs. Those poisons are Amipa's rightful property."

"Creatures native to private lands belong to those lands. Not procured for a price like Amipa's, but rightfully Cheongseongpa's all the same."

To avert a mass die-off, the Sword Tooth Witch and Sword Truth Daoist had agreed on capture. Killing the duo might sate rage, but losing the poisons permanently as the price? Unacceptable. Sect leaders prioritized faction assets over personal grudges.

"I'm here too, brother."

"Come on in. You got off lighter than him."

Thanks to that, we reunited the fainted Mun-gyeong—beaten senseless by Jo Wi-cheo—with Mun-won, who'd fled and fled until finally caught. A touching brotherly reunion in jail.

The whole of Sichuan had been in an uproar to nab these two.

"Brothers look alike, sure enough. Side by side like this, the resemblance is clear."

As I spoke, eyeing the siblings returned battered from separate pursuits, Mun-gyeong looked mildly displeased.

"I look far more intact than this guy."

"Brother...?"

Mun-won, dissed out of nowhere, wore a more desolate expression than when imprisoned. I casually took a seat before the cell. With their persons secured, we could chat leisurely.

"Looks aside, you're both deranged inside. Just two of you turning all Sichuan upside down."

"We couldn't shake the world as great men, but making a name in one region? That's a successful life, no?"

"Nonsense."

By that logic, Jin Paeryeong of the Yangtze Waterway Eighteen Bandits or Ma Ik-won of the Green Forest Seventy-Two Strongholds were unparalleled paragons. Fame had to be proper to count.

"Your official charges: trespassing on private property and theft. Theft by the letter, but the scale and victims being major sects disqualify you as petty crooks."

Anyway, I addressed the pair of lunatics again.

Their formal crimes: unauthorized entry into Cheongseongpa and Amipa grounds, theft of the sects' poisons. No other charges stuck—they hadn't beaten civilians or wrecked buildings. If stretching, night prowling to terrify the populace...

"And attempted theft of the three-headed snake."

"That'll be the biggest, yeah. Daring to target an item in the crown prince's care."

I nodded at Mun-gyeong's words, though my mood was oddly complex. He knew about it and still went for the snake...?

"We'll humbly abide by Your Excellency's decision. A gamble where we staked all and lost means death is natural. Still, seeing the three-headed snake up close satisfies me enough."

"Brother, I didn't get to see it, so don't decide for me."

Sensing their doom from capture, they spoke of their fate. But they were gravely mistaken.

"I don't decide your punishment."

The three-headed snake theft attempt wasn't mine to judge.

"Ownership belongs not to me, but to His Highness Nang-jung Wang."

It was merely in my care temporarily. The true master was Nang-jung Wang.

"...Pardon?"

"What does that—"

They whispered among themselves, visibly rattled. Because they'd targeted a king's possession, not the crown prince's? Having already approached me, that shouldn't faze them now. More likely, because Nang-jung Wang was a poison arts supreme master—revered and envied by all who walked the path of venom.

"His Highness knows of the uproar you caused. He'll descend upon this city soon enough to inspect you personally."

At news of the poison warriors' superstar arriving, neither Mun-won nor Mun-gyeong could speak.

"But His Highness is a man of manifold duties. For him to come meet you in person is honor enough—delaying the answers he seeks would be grave sin indeed."

I drew closer to their cell.

"So spill everything. Your lives from birth to now, how you learned poison arts, why you're obsessed with toxins, where you've hidden your collected poisons, the results of your research. All of it."

"...And in exchange, you'll let us end it by suicide or hanging?"

"Couldn't say."

Nang-jung Wang decides, not me.

"But the kings are firm on merit and demerit. Your crimes are grave, but offer achievements to offset them, and who knows?"

Cheongseongpa and Amipa might object, but that's not my concern. If Nang-jung Wang forgave them, he'd handle it—perhaps gifting his warehouse treasures ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠or leveraging kingly privileges.

"Since you've steeled for death, show His Highness utmost courtesy and sincerity."

With that, I rose. My piece delivered—

"Your Excellency."

"What?"

"Since we're resolved to die anyway, if it's not too rude, may I ask one thing?"

I stroked my chin briefly, then nodded.

"When Your Excellency caught me, I couldn't use any martial arts. More precisely, I couldn't control the energy in my body."

Mun-gyeong hesitated, lips twitching, before continuing.

"Was that Your Excellency's doing?"

"A legacy of Gi Chung Mu Wang. That's all I'll say."

"That's enough, Your Excellency. Thank you for answering."

I turned and walked away, leaving Mun-gyeong bowing his head. Even facing possible death, his curiosity about my art must've burned ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fierce.

It is a wondrous technique.

Truth be told, even I was shocked learning it first. Sealing an opponent's energy entirely? How did Gi Chung Mu Wang devise such a thing?