Entomologist in Sichuan Tang Clan Chapter 366

366
Ice and Vortex 5

“Why are there so many peaks?”

While talking to Hwa-eun, I started hearing Seol’s sister’s voice from behind.

When I turned my head, I saw Seol’s sister wrapped around Cho’s body with a large moon in the background.

My sister had the same bewildered expression on her face as we did.

Perhaps they had been following us and had only just now checked out the peaks.

“Why is the mountain so big?”

Well, not only the peak, but Yeosan was a truly enormous mountain.

It seemed to be about the same level as Jirisan National Park, which I visited during a biological exploration in my previous life.

“Sister, we’re a little confused about that too.”

At a glance, it looks like there are about a hundred peaks.

The three of them stared blankly at the dark peaks for a moment.

Because I was at a loss as to how to find it there.

‘No, Eunbi Rooju, the person handling the information, how can the information be so inaccurate?’

I was grumbling to myself that the information the person handling the information was too vague.

At that moment, Seol’s sister’s question broke the brief silence.

“Haomen’s silver bead just said that there was ice on the top of the mountain?”

“Yes, Sister Seol.”

“Then, since you just said the top, should I just look for the highest peak?”

“Is that so?”

“Oh! That could be true.”

“But looking from here, I can’t even tell which is the highest point.”

Sister Seol’s words sounded very plausible.

Yeah, the person handling the information wouldn’t have given vague information.

Since it said the top, it was likely the highest peak.

I quickly apologized to Eunbi Rooju in my heart, and since it was the top, I decided to go find the highest peak as Seol said.

“Let’s go down a little bit and see where the highest point is. If you put it at eye level, you’ll be able to find it right away. Yeondoo, Choya, go down a little bit over there.”

-Tsk tsk. “Okay, Dad.”

-Char. “I understand, Little Dragon.”

At the request of Cho and Yeondoo, we moved to a position where we could see the mountain peaks horizontally while looking at the whole mountain at a glance, rather than the direction we had come up from.

I flew down nearby and looked around, comparing the peaks.

Let’s take a quick look at the peaks, the towering peaks that stand out in the distance in the darkness.

I looked around but couldn’t see any higher peaks, so it was clear that it was the highest peak.

“Is it over there?”

“I think that’s the right place.”

“Let’s go, Little Dragon.”

“Let’s go.”

Now that the goal has been set, we decided to get moving right away.

So we quickly flew towards the mountain peak that was visible in the distance, but when we arrived nearby, we all looked at each other with bewildered faces.

This was because the highest peak was a sharp rock that jutted out, with grass and trees growing between the crevices, barely large enough for one person to climb.

I didn’t notice it from afar, but when I got closer, that’s what it looked like.

But aside from the small peak, there was another problem.

“Are you sure this is it?”

“I guess so.”

“But there’s no ice? Did it melt in the meantime?”

Yes, the ice wasn’t frozen.

No matter how I looked at it, it wasn’t frozen.

“Is that so? But in a place like this, I don’t think anything more than a bird would be able to come up?”

“Hmm.”

As Hwa-eun said, a place like this would be a place where new spirits could build a nest, but there was something Hwa-eun overlooked.

If a bird can fly up a peak, then lizards, spiders, and winged insects can easily climb it.

If there had been any traces of something in such a place, it would most likely have been a spider, a lizard, or a winged insect, but apart from that, I had a feeling that this wasn’t the place.

As Sister Seol said, the ice did not freeze and then melt.

It was because it seemed as if the ice had never frozen at all.

“If the ice had frozen, the grass would have dried up and died. But judging by the fact that the grass is still alive, I don’t think this is the place.”

If the ice had frozen and melted, the grass and trees growing here and there on the rocks would have suffered cold damage.

But the grass and trees I touched felt very fresh.

Even sprouts are sprouting.

That means there has never been ice here.

That means this isn’t the place.

‘The vague information is correct!’

It was clear that Eunbi Rouge’s information was vague.

“Oh, is that so?”

“Hmm. Then where is it?”

Seol-nu and Hwa-eun looked around in regret, but the frozen peaks around them did not come into view.

If we had just a rough idea of ​​the location, we would have had Yeondoo, so there would have been no problem in searching.

The search was difficult with the information available at the time.

As you know, Yeondu is a snake that can detect infrared.

The hole located under a snake’s eyes is called a pit hole, and special cells called Golay cells located there detect infrared light and allow the snake to visualize it.

Golay cells are very sensitive cells that can detect temperature differences of up to 0.003 degrees, so anywhere there is a temperature difference, Yeondu can easily detect it with his infrared vision.

So, if there is a place where the ice has frozen and the temperature has dropped, there is no way Yeondoo wouldn’t notice if he just approaches it.

But that also requires a certain degree of proximity, as the farther away you go, the less sensitive the infrared vision becomes.

Since Yeondu couldn’t see the entire Mt. Yeosan, which was the size of Jirisan National Park, from afar, he had to roughly pinpoint the location.

For that reason, there is now only one way.

Seol, Hwa-eun, and I spoke at the same time.

“Let’s ask Ji-ryong if there’s another way.”

“Let’s ask Ji-ryong if there’s any other way.”

“Ask Ji-ryong if there’s any other way.”

‘I almost screamed ‘Jjijjippong.’

And then they all smiled together.

As expected, we had similar thoughts about being family.

Isn’t that why we have dragons?

Our clever pocket dragon.

I felt like I should get some money back for giving me a free meal after such a long time.

‘Ji-ryong, give me something useful from your pocket!’

***

-Knock knock knock!

“Ji-ryong, are you by any chance….”

-Bam bang! Bang bang!

I just knocked on the door and heard something smashing inside.

“Ugh···.”

“Are you okay, Yongcheon?”

And then the low screams of the dragon and the voice of the phoenix are heard.

Anyone could tell what was going on inside.

This is Ji-ryong’s room, and Eumbong came to visit at this late hour of the night.

“Little Dragon, there must be something fun going on inside. Gyaarrr. What will the two of you do? I wonder.”

Seol’s sister giggled and clung to the crack of the door, and Hwa-eun’s face turned red.

I quickly shouted inside in an apologetic voice, spread my arms, and pushed Hwa-eun and Seol-nu out of the front of the room.

“Oh, dear. I’m sorry, Ji-ryong. I had something I wanted to ask you, but I’ll come back later. Please do your business.”

Although it was late, and it was not yet time to go to bed, I came here, but it seemed like history was taking place inside.

I tried to quickly retreat, feeling like I had interrupted an important event, but then I heard another loud crash and the cabin door flew open.

“So, so, so, so-hyeop-gwae, it’s okay. Nothing happened. I couldn’t sleep for a moment, so I was talking to Eum-bong and Dae-,

“What brings you here at this late hour?”

Ji-ryong said that nothing happened even though the lights were off inside.

Even though the area around Ji-ryong’s lips was dyed red by the light from the lantern held by Seol-nu.

‘What are the two of you talking about with your lips together?’

“Just wipe it around your mouth and say nothing happened.”

At Seol Nu’s comment, Ji-ryong quickly wiped his mouth with his sleeve, then checked his red-stained sleeve and his face turned bright red.

Ji-ryong said, wiping his mouth area with his sleeve again.

“Uh-huh. It’s, it’s just been a while…”

“I’m sorry for interrupting such a good time.”

Ji-ryong became serious as he apologized again to the embarrassed man.

“Oh, no. By the way, what’s the matter?”

At the same time, a yin yang that had been wiping around the mouth and cleaning the body from the inside came out to greet us.

“Oh, yeah. Nothing happened. I just couldn’t sleep for a while and was chatting. It seems like something’s wrong. Come in. I’ll prepare tea.”

“No. I’ll try again in the morning…”

Honestly, I wanted to discuss it right away, but I thought it was an insensitive thing to do, so I decided to back off.

But the voice that sounded like it would cry if it didn’t go in continued.

“Hey, come in!”

I went inside, pinching the arm of my giggling sister.

And then, while being treated to tea by Eumbong, he began to talk.

“Actually, didn’t I come to Yeosan to look for spirits?”

“That’s right. Didn’t you say that you gave me information on the day Haomen’s Yeongcheonbu branch office stopped by?”

“Yes, but the information given by the Yeongcheonbu Buntaju is not accurate.”

“Oh, you didn’t get the exact location?”

“That’s right. I just heard that the top of Mt. Yeosan was frozen, so I should go there.

At first, I thought it would be easy to find. If it were a mountain, wouldn’t it have one highest peak? But it wasn’t Mt. Yeosan.

But if you think about it, the top would probably refer to the highest peak. But it’s not a place where anything can live.

So I was wondering if I could pinpoint the location with the information I got···.”

Ji-ryong nods his head as he explains why he came.

“I thought I had heard the exact location, but if it was really the exact location, they wouldn’t have just given me that information. They caught me and took me out.”

“That’s true too.”

“surely.”

I flinched at the thought of taking out my inner self, but when I thought about it, it definitely was true.

If they knew my exact location, would they let me go and capture me instead of just stealing me?

As I nodded, Ji-ryong began to explain in earnest.

“First, let me tell you what I know about Yeosan.

Yeosan has one hundred and seventy-one peaks, twenty valleys, fourteen ponds, sixteen caves, and twenty valleys.

“Sochonji (小天池) and Daecheonji (大天池) are very famous, and Orobong (五老峰), Samcheopcheon (三疊泉), and Yongsuae (龍首崖) are known for their spectacular views.”

“One hundred and seventy-one···.”

“There are a lot.”

I thought there were many peaks, but when I heard the story, there were 171.

If we were to search each one, we would have to check all 171 peaks.

The explanation continues when I thought about searching them one by one, but then I thought it was a good decision not to.

“And there are many days when the mountain is obscured by fog rising from the middle of the mountain. So it is a place where it is difficult to find anything.”

“okay.”

I didn’t know it was there when I arrived, but it’s foggy almost every day. It seems like finding something isn’t going to be an easy task.

Because there are many peaks, and it seems like there are days when the peaks are not visible.

But since it was so big and foggy every day, I thought it would be a good place for spirits to live.

Because it’s good for hiding your body.

So, the anticipation grew even higher, and Ji-ryong asked.

“You said that the information was that the top of Mt. Yeosan was frozen, so you should go there. Did you?”

“That’s right, Ji-ryong.”

“Since it is information from the mountain, there are two possible sources of information. Herbalists or people who have come to Yeosan to tour. If it weren’t for them, there would be no reason to go up the mountain.

And this information would have started from the mouths of people who came to see Yeosan.

“They are people who do not know the mountain well, as the exact name of the peak is not included in the information. So, they are people who came to the mountain to tour.”

“Oh my.”

As expected, the clever dragon.

In a word, Ji-ryong extracted information one by one.

Very satisfying, indeed.

“We’ll stop by the village where there are many herbalists tomorrow and ask if anyone has seen the frozen mountain peak.”

“Anyone who sees the frozen peak is a tourist on a tour of Yeosan and goes to the herbalist?”

“They would have already left, and if the tourists had seen them, the herbalist would have seen them too. They should meet the herbalist, who knows the place names and geography better.”

Wow, what an impressive conclusion.

I thought it was a good idea to come here and told Hwa-eun and Seol-niu.

If someone receives a favor, shouldn’t they repay it?

“Oh, I understand! Thank you, Ji-ryong! Then, please continue what you were doing. Sister, let’s go without disturbing Hwa-eun.”

“Yeah. Okay, then have a good time.”

“Hmm… Have a nice time.”

“Oh, no, that’s not it···.”

When I told him to finish what he was doing without being disturbed because I was grateful, Seol Nuni smiled brightly and waved at Eumbong.

Hwa-eun called out for help, clenched her fists, and wished him good luck.

-thud.

The moment I greeted them and dragged Hwa-eun and Seol-nu out to the room, I heard a loud thud.

When everyone turned their heads, Eumbong was lying face down on the table, stomping his feet.

But wouldn’t the shame only last a moment?

Joy is eternal?

***

“Oh, the frozen mountain peak? Is that what they say?”

“Oh! Do you know?”

“sure.”

As soon as the morning dawned, fog was pouring down from the mountainside just as Ji-ryong had said.

The first village we visited in the smoky fog.

I stopped a herbalist who was just leaving the house after washing up and asked him about it, and it was a huge hit from the first guy.

Because it was like seeing a frozen mountain peak.

“Can you tell me where it is?”

When I asked if he could tell me where, the man nodded nonchalantly.

“Of course. It’s Biryongbong.”

“Oh! Biryongbong! Here is the case!”

“Oh, no, why two silver coins!?”

“I give it to you out of gratitude. Well then, that’s it. Let’s go! Hwaeun!”

“Yes, Little Dragon.”

I was about to run out in excitement, but then I heard the man’s voice again, grabbing me from behind.

“Master, I think the rumor is wrong.

“It’s not the peak that’s frozen, but the strange rock formation of Biryong Peak, Biryong. The mouth of that Biryong is a cave, and it’s frozen. Please be aware of this before you go.”

If you give money, you will receive detailed information and even politeness.

I quickly turned around and asked again.

“Are you talking about a cave!?”

“Yes, originally, out of the seventeen caves, the seven caves high up on Mt. Yeosan froze one by one, as if the ice was moving, but now the dragon’s mouth on Mt. Biryong is frozen. It started to melt strangely a few days ago, but it probably hasn’t completely melted.”

“thank you!”

I tried to run again, but the voice continued.

“By the way, do you know where Biryongbong is?”

“Ouch. Khuum.”

‘I was so excited I didn’t ask that.’

After hearing the man’s detailed location again, I quickly ran to the boat.

As the sun rose, the fog started to pour down, so I thought it would be possible to search with the kids in this kind of fog.

‘If it’s a dragon, then it’s a reptile?’

My mind was filled with all kinds of imagination.

I’m just imagining that there might be a real dragon or something like that.