Chapter 145 Bustling and chaotic, geck-geck
“Gek gek.”
I lay still and opened my mouth wide.
“Kioooong!”
The spiders busily brought me a snack.
I wasn’t too fond of it, but I accepted the snack from Tang So-yeong’s arms.
“…Hehe.”
Tang So-yeong, who had been whining, smiled brightly because I stayed still.
I was staying here because I had no choice but to maintain my body temperature.
“As long as Go Dae-hyeop is okay, I can leave anytime….”
“Gek.”
That’s a bit too much.
It’s too stiff.
“It’s not stiff! I’m doing my best! …Why am I explaining this?”
Tang-whatever-her-name-was seemed dazed.
After giving her some time alone, I put the food the spiders brought into my mouth.
“Gekek.”
It was dried meat with spices.
The spice flavor was too strong and stimulating, but I actually liked it.
The only seasoning I’ve tasted since I arrived here was the salt Tang So-yeong sprinkled on meat.
The forgotten skill, Gourmet, seemed to be about to activate.
Waaang.
“Kiong!”
As I ate the food eagerly, the spiders waved their hands with joy.
“Gek gek.”
You guys were eating food like this behind my back, huh?
“Kieeeng….”
Toos and Pus glanced at me nervously.
No wonder their level rose so quickly.
“Kiooong….”
It was when I was enjoying the savory jerky.
Drrrrk.
The door suddenly opened.
“Kyah!”
Tang So-yeong let out a shrill scream.
Of course, the one who entered was my master, Baek Yeonyeong.
“What are you doing right now?”
“Well, that….”
Tang So-yeong couldn’t hide her flustered expression.
Currently, Tang So-yeong was holding a lizard in her arms while spiders took turns feeding it.
Just thinking about it made it a very strange sight, and fortunately or unfortunately, Tang So-yeong also realized how odd it was.
“What about the treatment?”
“Ah, this is the treatment method!”
Baek Yeonyeong stared at Tang So-yeong with a blank expression.
“Well… uh… eating well and resting well is the treatment….”
Tang So-yeong replied in a crawling voice.
“Eating well is the treatment, huh….”
Thanks for everything, Tang-whatever-your-name-is.
Still, since my master is kind, she’ll probably leave your head attached.
“It’s just as well.”
Luckily, it seemed my master wasn’t thinking of drawing blood today.
“Hiya. Come here.”
Baek Yeonyeong stretched her hand towards me.
Chorrr.
Plop.
“…I didn’t tell you to come this way, though.”
Even though she said that, she didn’t push me away.
“W-Why does she look so happy…?”
Happy face, you say.
It’s just because the lighting here is bright.
Tang So-yeong and the spiders glanced down at their chests, then looked at Baek Yeonyeong.
“Kiooo….”
The spiders seemed to be engulfed in an inexplicable sense of defeat.
“Today, I’ll be taking Hiya with me.”
Baek Yeonyeong’s declaration.
But no one could argue.
“Kiooong.”
“Kieeng.”
The spiders lowered their heads as if saying, “Of course.”
Tang So-yeong blankly stared at Baek Yeonyeong’s energy pouch.
“Even though she bit my hand so much….”
“Gek gek.”
Tang So-yeong.
I didn’t want to bite you either.
But pain is necessary for growth.
“Gekek.”
I wasn’t sure if my message got across, but I passed on a plausible proverb.
“Why do you keep burrowing in?”
Now, it finally felt like I was back home.
Baek Yeonyeong headed toward another building.
Being a disciple who faithfully followed my master’s words, I burrowed in deeper to avoid being discovered by others.
After walking for a while, we arrived at another building.
“Now, come down.”
“Gekek.”
It was quite a decent room.
The only difference from the previous room was that the furniture was a bit old.
The overall atmosphere wasn’t bad.
Even with my discerning eye, I could nod in approval.
Judging from the details, this seemed to be Baek Yeonyeong’s bedroom.
The bed over there, the subtle scent of Baek Yeonyeong that filled the room.
“That’s right. Judging by how you’re flicking your tongue, you must be hungry.”
“Gek?”
I was just flicking my tongue to catch a scent, but I didn’t bother correcting her.
I was enjoying my master’s scent in this room.
I couldn’t give such a perverted answer.
Besides, my words wouldn’t get through anyway.
“Gek gek.”
Since I was actually hungry, I nodded.
Given my original size, I needed quite a bit of food to feel full.
“Hiya.”
“Gek.”
“Do you know what I’ve prepared for you?”
She prepared food!
What did master prepare for me?
Could it be Dongpo pork?
Dumplings wouldn’t be bad either.
Even just plain noodles would be satisfying enough.
Whatever it was, it’s human-made food.
Gulp.
My mouth watered naturally.
“Are you that excited?”
Baek Yeonyeong took something out of the drawer.
“I heard this is a lizard’s favorite food.”
Any food is fine.
What was Baek Yeonyeong’s choice?
[Death Worm lv1]
“…Gek?”
I looked up at Baek Yeonyeong.
“You’re that happy, huh?”
You’re telling me to eat that?
It says Death Worm.
Of course, it’s low-level and looks like a baby, but it’s still bigger than me.
I stared at the Death Worm.
“Kieeeek!”
Shiver.
I quickly clung to Baek Yeonyeong’s leg.
“Gek gek gek gek!”
What is that?
It’s wriggling all over.
“Why are you acting like that?”
It has teeth too.
“Kieaaak!”
“Hiya, why aren’t you eating it?”
How could I eat that?
“Geeeek! Gekek!”
Of course, if I fought it to the death, I would win.
But eat it?
I might be a lizard, but I don’t really like bugs.
And more than anything, it’s just too gross.
Cling.
I tightly held on to Baek Yeonyeong’s leg.
“…Hmm, Seolhwa definitely said you would like it.”
Seolhwa?
Baek Seolhwa?
“Gekek!”
She’s finally getting her revenge for the honey.
“How strange. Ah, is it because of the lighting? I heard lizards eat better in the dark.”
“Geeek!”
Don’t turn off the light!
Don’t leave me alone with that super-great-giant mealworm!
*
The sky over the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains turned black.
The Central Plains were vast, but rumors had no legs.
In an instant, the news spread.
By the time Jang Bong and Baekwoon reached their destination, the string of incidents had already become the hottest topic.
The rumor that a bad omen appeared in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains had become common knowledge.
Some even seemed to know about the mystical creature, Komodo.
“…Jang Bong. How did the news about Komodo spread so quickly?”
Baekwoon glared at Jang Bong.
Only Baekwoon and Jang Bong knew about Komodo.
Though Namgoong Yeon, who left halfway, seemed suspicious, he shouldn’t know about Komodo either.
If he did, and if Namgoong Yeon was the source of the rumor, he must have extracted information from Baekwoon or Jang Bong.
“It wasn’t me!”
Jang Bong waved his hands in denial, startled.
No matter how much of a lowlife he was, he wouldn’t stab a benefactor in the back.
Baekwoon decided to trust Jang Bong’s words.
There was nothing to gain from suspecting Jang Bong over a rumor that had already spread everywhere.
“The situation is getting out of hand. I tried to keep the information hidden, but it’s no use.”
Baekwoon changed his mind.
“Spread the word about Komodo in the marketplace.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“The story about Komodo has already spread. Someone will surely covet that mysterious beast.”
The tales of mystical creatures like Komodo were known only to those in the know.
But now that the information had leaked, anyone could set their sights on the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains.
“If we spread the word that the creature is benevolent, it will take away their justification.”
Justification.
Something that those who bore the name of justice valued above all else.
Even if they rallied forces to storm the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, they wouldn’t harm Komodo, who was known to be benevolent and helpful to people.
“As expected of Baekwoon!”
Jang Bong marveled at Baekwoon’s strategy.
“I’ll do what I can, so you do what you can as well.”
Baekwoon didn’t particularly like the creature.
But it was a fact that it had saved their lives.
Revenge must be repaid like a sharp sword, but grace must be repaid like the vast sea.
It was a phrase Baekwoon liked, one he had read in a book he stumbled upon in the marketplace.
Thus, Baekwoon and Jang Bong each made efforts to
spread the word about Komodo.
However, despite their efforts, there were bound to be those who coveted Komodo.
*
The number of mystical creatures had recently exploded.
More precisely, the observation of mystical creatures had increased drastically.
The Five Great Sects and Nine Schools had been secretly raising mystical creatures long before.
To use them as secret weapons for each sect.
Even Shaolin, which followed Buddha’s will, was no exception.
“Summon the Arhats.”
The Arhats.
Also known as Nahans, they were the beings that allowed Shaolin to be called the “Taesan Bukdu” (the North Star of Martial Arts).
Among the eighteen Arhats, there was one particularly unique existence.
Kwaaang!
A being like a dragon smashing through a giant mountain.
The “Du” in Taesan Bukdu referred to the head.
A beast with an oval-shaped head that befit the name of Taesan Bukdu.
Clapping Jade Armor.
So named because it wore armor and struck fiercely with its jade-like head.
“Kurwarrr!”
The head of Shaolin believed that Clapping Jade Armor would be enough to take down Komodo.
Interest in mystical creatures like Komodo wasn’t limited to the Central Plains.
There was also the Southern Barbarians, referred to as Saewoe.
A group based in the jungle, where all sorts of beasts roamed, known as the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace.
“Kuhahahaha! Komodo, you say! Such a creature actually exists!”
The Palace Master of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace laughed heartily.
Beside him crouched a massive gray dragon so large it could be mistaken for a mountain.
“Sir Gi Dae-hyeop. Komodo, Komodo. What do you think? Does it pique your interest?”
The Palace Master spoke respectfully to a mere beast.
Yet no one dared object.
“Bunbunpawoo…”
Gigano.
A mystical beast on equal standing with the Palace Master of the Southern Barbarian Beast Palace.
“Gari gaekgaek!”
“Well, there’s no need to use a blade meant for slaughtering cows to kill a chicken. Kuhahah!”
Some, like these, were content to wait for Komodo to grow even further.
While others remained shrouded in mystery, their intentions unknown.
“…Cult Leader.”
A lake filled with blood.
“Grrrr….”
“Yes, yes.”
A red dragon could be seen among the blood-filled lake.
The blood flowed from the countless corpses of mystical creatures.
The lake was filled with the blood of mystical creatures.
Without taking their cores, they only hunted mystical creatures for their blood and madness.
“All is according to the will of the Blood Demon.”
They, too, were aware of Komodo’s existence.
In addition to them, countless other mystical creatures and groups had their eyes on Komodo.
Some worshiped Komodo as a sacred being.
Some sought to claim Komodo’s core.
Some, driven by the thrill of battle, wanted to fight a powerful mystical creature.
Others wished to see who the true dragon was.
For different reasons, many had become interested in the mystical creature known as Komodo.