“Hah... hah...”
Behind me, I could hear Yeong-yeong’s labored breathing.
She hadn’t completely lost consciousness yet, so I shouted urgently to her, “Yeong-yeong, don’t panic. Take a deep, slow breath.”
Judging by her reaction, this was undoubtedly anaphylaxis.
Anaphylaxis, also known as anaphylactic shock, is a severe allergic reaction caused by an overactive immune response. It usually occurs immediately after exposure to a triggering substance. There wasn’t much time—left untreated, it could lead to a drop in blood pressure, blocked airways, and even death.
I redirected my steps, heading straight for the patriarch’s hall instead of the medical quarters.
The only ones capable of saving a child struggling to breathe were the clan head, my father-in-law, or Grandfather Mandok Shingun. And the patriarch’s hall was the closest of the three.
“Hah... brother... hah...”
“Hold on, Yeong-yeong. Just a little longer!”
Her frail voice called for me from behind, and I pushed myself harder, using my light-footed martial arts to dash toward the patriarch’s hall.
The moment it came into view, I shouted loudly toward it, “Father-in-law! Lady Peng has collapsed!”
“What!? Again?”
“What happened, So-ryong?”
“Yeong-yeong!”
It seemed the clan head had been present in the hall by coincidence. Good.
I skidded to a stop, carefully placing Yeong-yeong on the stone floor to check her condition.
Her face was pale, her lips were turning blue, and a wheezing sound came from her throat, indicating her airways were narrowing.
Quickly, I took off my outer garment, rolling it up to support her neck and keep her airways open. Then I shouted toward the clan head, “She’s struggling to breathe, Clan Head!”
“I understand. Hand her over—I’ll infuse her with energy.”
“Yes, sir!”
The clan head, who had clearly dealt with this situation before, moved swiftly and confidently. He began infusing his energy into Yeong-yeong.
Her pale face was dotted with raised, red welts, her entire body drenched in a cold sweat. It was a dire situation, but as the clan head worked, I saw the color slowly returning to her face.
‘Energy treatment really is incredible,’ I thought, watching in awe.
What the clan head was performing was a type of energy-based treatment. In my previous life, energy healing seemed like something only scam artists peddled, but here, it was a legitimate and remarkable method of care.
In cases of anaphylaxis, emergency treatment focuses on raising blood pressure and ensuring open airways. Typically, epinephrine, steroids, or antihistamines would be administered, followed by intubation and oxygen therapy.
But here, everything was resolved with the use of internal energy. They could open airways or accelerate the heartbeat with nothing but their martial prowess.
After a moment, as the clan head infused more energy, my father-in-law checked Yeong-yeong’s pulse and turned to me.
“Her symptoms are the same as last time. So-ryong, you were with her when she collapsed—did you see what caused it?”
“Yes, did you identify the cause this time?”
Both men focused their attention on me, and I nodded confidently.
“Yes, I saw exactly what happened.”
I had witnessed what caused Yeong-yeong’s anaphylaxis up close.
“What was it?” the clan head asked urgently.
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Lifting Yeong-yeong’s swollen left wrist for them to see, I answered, “She was stung by a bee.”
“A bee?”
“A bee!?”
Both men blinked in confusion at my answer.
My father-in-law, who had been expecting more, looked slightly disappointed as he said, “Hmm... stung by a bee, was she? It’s rare, but I suppose such a reaction could happen. Still, I don’t think this explains why she collapsed before.”
If a bee sting was the cause, surely the Peng Clan or others would have identified it during previous incidents. A child being stung by a bee would cause enough commotion to be noticed.
“Then, you’re saying the cause wasn’t identified—this time it’s just bee venom?”
“Most likely. Some people are especially sensitive to bee venom, and it seems Lady Peng is one of them.”
The clan head and my father-in-law exchanged concerned glances as they discussed the matter.
But I smiled as I interrupted them, “No, Father-in-law. Because of this bee sting, I think we can figure out why she collapsed previously.”
“Hmm? You think you can figure it out?”
“Yes, are you saying you’ve deduced the cause? Why did Yeong-yeong collapse before!?”
Both men stared at me with astonished expressions.
Taking a cautious step back to avoid another round of collar-grabbing, I replied carefully, “Before that, we need to examine Lady Peng’s body thoroughly. Is that alright?”
The clan head’s face twitched for a moment, but he quickly sighed and asked, “Hah... and what’s the reason this time? Please explain your purpose clearly before making requests like that. Every time my daughter collapses, you insist on undressing her—it’s becoming difficult to hear, even if I trust your intentions...”
“Ah... I-I was in a hurry...”
He was right. I had a bad habit of stating the action first and explaining the purpose later, likely a leftover quirk from my past life as a YouTuber. Back then, I’d hook viewers with statements like, “Tomorrow, I’ll catch Korea’s deadliest snake!” before providing context.
Scratching my head awkwardly, I tried to clarify.
“Well... uh, I’ve heard Yeong-yeong sees you like an older brother, right?”
“Yes, she does.”
“Then why must she undress this time? It’s becoming harder to believe there’s no ulterior motive...”
“No, no! That’s not it!”
I waved my hands frantically, explaining, “We need to check her body thoroughly to find something.”
The clan head clenched his fists, his tone icy. “I told you to explain first...”
Sensing imminent danger, I quickly blurted, “It’s because I need to find something!”
“Find what?”
The clan head blinked, clearly intrigued.
***
As always, her face was calm and emotionless, betraying nothing.
Unable to discern the results from her expression, my father-in-law and the Peng Clan head rushed over to her, bombarding her with questions.
“Well? Did you check Lady Tang? Was it there? Truly?”
“Hwa-eun, did you confirm it? Was So-ryong right?”
Turning her gaze toward me, my sister gave a faint smile and nodded.
“Yes, as So-ryong said, it was definitely there.”
“Oh! Truly!?”
“Was it really!?”
“Yes. Although it was difficult to distinguish due to the numerous welts on her body, I found two old marks and one recent mark on her back.”
Hearing this confirmation, the two elders lit up with excitement.
But their excited chatter was interrupted by a voice from inside the room.
“The child has not regained consciousness. Please, keep it down,” came my mother-in-law’s sharp yet steady tone.
“Ah, of course, Madam Tang.”
“Understood, Ma’am.”
The reason for their excitement was that my sister had found the evidence I had asked her to look for on Yeong-yeong’s body.
Although I had strong suspicions, we needed concrete proof to be certain.
“You said there were marks. Then stop delaying and tell me—why has my daughter been collapsing all this time? You said once we confirmed the marks, you’d explain everything,” the Peng Clan head demanded, his expression making it clear his patience had worn thin.
Glancing briefly toward Yeong-yeong’s chamber, I replied, “Yes, it’s almost certain that Yeong-yeong has been suffering from bee venom poisoning.”
“Bee venom?”
“Bee venom, you say?”
The three of them frowned in confusion.
“But... earlier, Clan Head Tang said it wasn’t bee venom. And if it were bee stings, we would have noticed. Our courtyard has no flowers, and the ground is paved with stones—there’s no reason for bees to be around,” the Peng Clan head pointed out, his tone skeptical.
It was a fair question. If Yeong-yeong had been stung by a bee, her parents—who doted on her immensely—would surely have noticed.
“Yes, that’s true. But while it is bee venom, it wasn’t caused by a bee sting, which is why it went unnoticed,” I explained.
“What? Bee venom, but not from a bee?”
“Bee venom... but no bee?”
The three stared at me, bewildered.
I nodded with a small smile. “Yes. As those in the Tang Clan know, poisons don’t affect everyone the same way.
For some, a single droplet on the tip of a needle is enough to be fatal, while for others, even ten times the amount won’t cause harm.”
My father-in-law chimed in, nodding in agreement. “So-ryong is correct, Peng Clan Head.”
“Yes, yes, I understand that. But enough with the riddles—explain it clearly. You’re far too skilled at testing my patience,” the Peng Clan head grumbled.
Responding to his urging, I continued, “Yeong-yeong was born with a body that is particularly sensitive to bee venom. You saw it yourself earlier, didn’t you?”
“Yes, that’s true.”
“Exactly. While other things might not affect her, she is undoubtedly vulnerable to bee venom. So the cause of her collapses has been bee venom all along. But if she wasn’t stung by a bee...”
I trailed off, leaving the room silent for a moment before adding, “It’s because she was stung by a distant relative of bees—a cousin, if you will.”
“A cousin of bees? A distant relative?”
“There’s such a thing?”
Their expressions were a mix of confusion and disbelief.
Pointing toward the direction of the mountain where the Peng family was staying, I declared, “Then, shall we go and capture the culprit responsible for nearly killing Yeong-yeong? The bee’s so-called cousin.”
After all, isn’t tracking and eliminating dangerous culprits my specialty? Whether it’s a distant Tang family branch or a distant relative of bees, they all fall silent when Spicy Fabre is on the case.