Man vs. Wild - 6
Spirit beasts can unleash physical abilities far superior to ordinary animals because their bodies serve as vessels for qi. Just as a martial artist who has learned techniques is stronger than a commoner, a spirit beast harboring qi is inevitably more powerful than a regular beast. Of course, not even a spirit beast can wield martial arts like a human warrior, but the pure natural qi they embody boasts doping-level potency on its own. That's why, in theory, even Silence Hell can be used on spirit beasts. If you temporarily seal a spirit beast's qi, it devolves into just an oddly shaped animal—and odd animals are easy enough to catch.
In theory, Silence Hell should land a solid hit on it, no problem...
'Why the hell is that thing so fast?'
I couldn't find an opening to deploy Silence Hell. Unfortunately, among the many constraints on using it, one is that the caster—me—has to stand still, and another is maintaining an appropriate distance. It's not exactly useful during a furious chase like this.
Tssst! Tzztztzzt!
Thanks to that, I'd been pursuing the human-faced spider—which was fleeing without so much as glancing back—for a solid thirty minutes.
I'd tried luring it with bait, but it wouldn't even look our way, so that was a bust. Honestly, this might be the normal reaction. Samshik getting distracted by food was the weird part; any spirit beast living in the wild would naturally be wary of humans.
"My lord."
"Yeah, what?!"
As we raced after the human-faced spider without pause, Jo Wi-cheo spoke up.
"It seems wary of me. Rather than chasing directly from behind, I'll circle around and block its escape route."
"Yes, that sounds good! We have to stop the human-faced spider from venturing deep into Wolnam territory first!"
Jo Wi-cheo's suggestion, backed by Ji Wi-pyeong. It wasn't wrong, so I nodded quickly.
The human-faced spider's desperate flight was likely because a super peak master was hot on its tail. In that case, station the super peak master somewhere distant for a bit, wait for the spider's speed to slacken, and cut off its path.
If it slipped into Wolnam territory far enough to be noticed, the whole capture op would go up in smoke.
"Inspector. Give me the eggs!"
Just before Jo Wi-cheo peeled off, Ji Wi-pyeong—who'd taken custody of the eggs—turned and started backtracking.
"I'll scatter them all the way to the border! Then, once the human-faced spider realizes its escape is blocked, it'll head back toward the border!"
Sound logic again, so I approved. If it veered off in some weird direction after we'd blocked its inland push, that'd be a bigger headache.
And so, two out of the three in our pursuit team—me, Jo Wi-cheo, and Ji Wi-pyeong—split off.
Tzzt...?
Sensing the departure of a super peak and a peak master, perhaps, the human-faced spider glanced back.
Then, its speed noticeably slowed as it gritted its teeth and bolted.
'Damn it.'
It was going according to plan, but the feeling was weird. From the spider's perspective, I must look like easy prey.
'If I catch you, you're done for.'
I'll toss you right into the middle of the Baek-su-mun elders and let them gnaw and nibble to their hearts' content.
We successfully captured the human-faced spider, more or less.
Spotting Jo Wi-cheo suddenly blocking its path, it freaked out, whipped around, and backtracked. I let it go without a fight since we were already on its reverse route. Capturing it by force in Wolnam territory wouldn't do us any favors.
Tt... Tzzt...
"We've got it at last."
Plus, its new escape route was exactly what we'd hoped for.
The human-faced spider had ignored the eggs at first, but hunger from the frantic flight won out—it scooped them up off the ground. We'd coated them with sleeping drugs in advance, so the moment it crossed the border, it collapsed like a lie.
Tzztzt...
Instinct must have told it that dozing off now would be disastrous; all eight eyes fluttered as it fought desperately to stay awake.
"Haha! Kid, fighting sleep when you're tired is bad for your health!"
"Sleep soundly. You'll wake up in your new home."
"Grr, these sleek legs...!"
But the Baek-su-mun elders waiting beyond the border crushed its will.
They tucked it in warmly with straw, gently stroked its body and legs to ease the tension, and even sprayed water on its parched form from the life-or-death flight.
Tt...
Under that top-tier treatment, the human-faced spider finally closed its eyes.
Sounds kinda like it died, put that way.
"Let's move it now. No telling when it'll wake—hurry."
"Yes, my lord."
At any rate, we'd successfully captured the human-faced spider on Song soil, not Wolnam's. Now, transport it safely to Baek-su-mun, then ship it off to Nang-jung Wang. Or ask him to send someone to pick it up. For a human-faced spider, he'd oblige that much.
"Hoo, to touch a human-faced spider before I die."
"Once we get the poison bird too, we'll have touched every venomous one out there."
Meanwhile, the elders exchanged some chilling banter.
You maniacs.
'Even a Hwa-gyeong master could drop dead from a poison bird if they're careless.'
Records say fields and orchards wither beneath a flying poison bird, and anyone hit by its droppings corrodes or dies in seconds. The stuff of legends—but shockingly real in this world.
That's why even the top poison expert, Nang-jung Wang, never mentions hunting one. Poison birds are that vicious and horrific.
Yet somehow... these folks looked like they'd embark on a grand quest for one.
"The poison bird isn't something man seeks first. It's a being heaven must guide us to before we meet."
Ji Wi-pyeong apparently thought the same; he stated firmly to the elders that they shouldn't even dream of going after it.
'Do I really have to spell this out...'
It felt like telling grown adults, 'Don't follow strangers offering candy.' Like, do you need it said out loud?
We transported the human-faced spider wrapped in massive hides. Even a docile one was spider-huge—bigger than an ox. Parading it openly into Sama Bu would terrify the locals.
"Set it down gently. Imagine waking up sore—how heartbreaking."
"Careful not to bend the legs! The bigger they are, the longer recovery takes!"
Thus, safely past the people's eyes, we reached Baek-su-mun's stronghold, and the spider went into a massive enclosure inside.
It hadn't stirred once, so the sleeping drug must've been potent. Kinda worried it'd never wake up.
"Thanks to Baek-su-mun's cooperation, we captured the human-faced spider safely. I won't forget this merit—expect fitting rewards."
"You're too kind. It's an honor to aid the Left Vice Inspector and His Highness Nang-jung Wang."
After safely relocating it, Ji Wi-pyeong bowed deeply at my encouragement.
Obviously just polite formality, so I didn't take it to heart. Even if sincere, lapping it up with 'Right? It's an honor for you!' would be pathetic.
"Baek-su-mun's noble cause is well-known to Yunnam's officials, but sadly, rumors don't reach the capital easily. Even the loftiest ideals can't breach the walls of distance."
"We act not for recognition, but to witness change in ourselves and those around us."
Textbook reply; I gave a textbook smile in return.
Sects that follow protocol like this? The bureaucracy's happy to embrace them.
"Well said. But if the righteous go unrewarded, who would pursue righteousness or aspire to it?"
With that, I handed him the pre-written scroll.
"Baek-su-mun's cause aligns perfectly with the world's peace and the people's happiness—echoing the bureaucracy's efforts to uphold the realm founded by Taizu. Thus, the state guarantees and cherishes Baek-su-mun's actions."
"For the realm founded by Taizu! We shall strive harder!"
Ji Wi-pyeong knelt and accepted the scroll reverently.
Fancy ceremony, but basically nothing major. Put crudely, it's like a foodie influencer slapping an 'This place is great' endorsement on a restaurant.
But in this realm, countless eateries lack even a business license, let alone endorsements. For a new sect to gain official recognition and protection? That's a monumental feat.
Yeah, truly monumental.
"Oh, its breathing sounds like this when it sleeps."
"Maybe its breathing differs asleep versus awake."
"Haha, look at this one—smacking its lips even in sleep."
"Krr... Still some egg in its mouth?"
The only issue: the sect that just achieved this feat was fixated solely on the human-faced spider.
A bit bittersweet.
Any other sect or clan would've wept with joy at this endorsement. But Baek-su-mun was full of 'real ones'—they wouldn't care even for something great.
"...My apologies, my lord."
Catching my wry look, Ji Wi-pyeong cautiously apologized.
"No, it's fine. Your steadfastness is reassuring, actually."
I shook my head, forcing positivity.
Seeing their antics, at least Baek-su-mun wouldn't turn rogue or stab the bureaucracy in the back.
If relations soured, it'd be when the state hunted certain animals to extinction.
'Wonder if Jeom-cheongpa's the same.'
That'd hurt.
Two irredeemable sects in one region? Horrific.
"Sect Leader."
"Yes, my lord. Speak."
"Anything you know about Jeom-cheongpa?"
So I asked Ji Wi-pyeong about them.
"Ah... Jeom-cheongpa, you say?"
His expression and tone turned ominous.
Shit.
Jeom-cheongpa's messed up too.
'Yunnam's cursed or something.'
Come to think of it, this was Yunnam—the last holdout for Mongol royals. Plenty cursed enough for demonic influence.