I had just resolved to endure any hardship when it happened.

The two of them—flanking me on either side—officially started a full-blown fight.

Their forked tongues flicked out like whips, lashing each other with biting words.

-Shuuu! 『You’re so annoying!』

-Shiii! 『Look who’s talking!』

-Shuuuuu! 『Nine years ago! Remember? I asked you to scoot over on the rock, but you hogged the warm spot all for yourself!』

-Shiii? 『What, nine years ago? Oh! That time? I paid you back eight years ago, didn’t I?!』

-Shuuuuuuu! 『You absolutely did not!』

-Shiii! 『I did! And twelve years ago—remember the rainy day? I asked you to move because the rain was falling on my head, and you didn’t budge either!』

Nine years ago? Twelve? Are they actually digging up grievances from nearly a decade ago?

This wasn’t just a fight between spirit beasts—it was a grudge match of epic memory.

They weren’t just hissing. They were full-on summoning memories like necromancers calling back the dead.

At first, their sheer size and noble tone made them seem dignified, like elite guardian knights. But in private?

They were jealous, nitpicking young ladies. The kind who remembered everything—every slight, every skipped turn, every warm rock.

Probably because they were twins.

I had a friend in my past life who was a twin. He once told me that twins could be incredibly close... but also fight harder than anyone else.

Even if one was technically “older,” they were still born at the same time. So fights weren’t hierarchical—they were equal, which made them more intense.

Now imagine sisters who not only shared a birthday—but shared a body?

Yeah, definitely not getting in the middle of this.

I was just about to step back cautiously when the sharp hissing and bickering started to disturb everyone around us. Hwa-eun and Sister Seol’s panicked voices cut in.

“Um? What’s going on? Why are they suddenly fighting?”

“So-ryong, are they really... fighting? Say something!”

“Yeah, whatever it is, just try calming them down!”

Only I could understand what they were arguing about, so to everyone else, the sudden squabble must’ve seemed bizarre. They couldn’t understand that this was all about names.

I’d just resolved to stay out of it a second ago—and now here they were, asking me to intervene.

And I really, really didn’t want to.

Everyone knows the rule: never get in the middle of a fight between women.

But how could I say no? I was the only one who could talk to them. And there was no way I could act all spineless in front of Hwa-eun and Sister Seol.

Haa...

I sighed, spread my hands, and reached out to gently push their snouts apart.

At the very least, I had to pretend to try.

“Okay, okay, let’s all calm down—”

-Shuu? 『But So-ryong-nim, listen! She always insists on taking the warmer part of the rock when we’re resting. Every single time! And that’s not all!』

-Shiaa? 『Oh please, So-ryong-nim, don’t listen to her lies. She’s twisting everything! I swear, I’m the one who’s always been patient and reasonable. Just listen—』

-Shuuu! 『No! She’s lying! You have to hear my side!』

As expected, they immediately tried to drag me into their fight—each one trying to win me over.

I couldn’t afford to actively take part, so I gave them both vague nods, trying to appease them equally.

After all, they were both important to me. I couldn’t favor one and risk making the other feel hurt.

“Y-yeah... that must’ve been frustrating.”

-Shuuu? 『Right? You understand, don’t you, So-ryong-nim?』

-Shii. 『No! She’s twisting it again! Let me explain—here’s what really happened...』

“I-I see... that makes sense.”

-Shiii. 『So you agree I was the more upset one, right?』

“Uh? Uh... yeah...”

And that’s when everything went to hell.

I had tried to stay neutral—but in doing so, I had made both of them feel like I was taking the other’s side.

-Shuut? 『Wait—So-ryong-nim, are you saying you’re on her side now?』

“N-no, I wasn’t taking sides, I just meant—”

-Shiaa? 『Oh wow... So-ryong-nim, I’m hurt. I thought we had a connection. Sure, we haven’t known each other that long, but I took Hu’s words to heart. I told myself I’d serve you loyally. But now you’re not on my side? You’re on her side?!』

Oh God. This is the worst-case scenario.

Their tongues flicked angrily on either side of my face, brushing my cheeks as they hissed and growled.

I was smack in the middle of two arguing serpent heads—each trying to win my favor, each more offended than the last.

That’s when salvation arrived.

-Shiiiii! 『Enough! That’s enough, both of you! This is not worth fighting over. Sisters shouldn’t act like this!』

I had forgotten—there was one other who could understand them.

Cheong-yu Sojeo.

She stepped in like a dormitory headmistress, her tone sharp and firm.

Immediately, both heads fell silent and hung low, pouting but obedient.

After all, when the queen speaks, even serpents listen.

-Shuuu. 『Okay... fine, Hu-shi.』

-Shii. 『Fine. Hmph.』

Now that I thought about it, Cheong-yu Sojeo’s words were absolute among serpents.

And she wasn’t just a peacemaker—she was the perfect judge for dividing the names too.

If I made the final call, the one who didn’t get her preferred name would just start another fight. But if their queen made the decision?

They’d accept it without question.

Please, Cheong-yu Sojeo—assign the names. You’ll handle it better than I can.

『Shia. "Ah, got it."』

She gave me a knowing nod, then turned toward the two with a firm, no-nonsense expression.

With her hands on her hips, she glanced back and forth between them, then declared:

-Shii. 『Right head is Hwana. Left head is Hwanji. That’s final.』

She laid it down like law.

The two exchanged a brief look, puffed out their cheeks, and reluctantly nodded in agreement.

-Shuu... 『Understood, Hu-shi.』

-Shii... 『Got it. Hmph.』

And just like that, the Twin-Headed Red-Flamed Sunring Serpent was officially named:

Right head: Hwana.

Left head: Hwanji.

***

Once the commotion died down and Hwanji and Hwana had finished greeting the others, Hugae came sprinting out from inside the cave and ran toward me.

“So So-hyeop, we need you inside. Ji-ryong and the others found a facility belonging to the Five Venoms Clan. Ji-ryong said it was something only you should look at and asked me to bring you.”

“Oh? Got it.”

It sounded like they’d uncovered one of the Five Venoms Clan’s facilities deeper inside. I figured they wanted my expertise on it.

Honestly, after all the snake-induced drama, I could use a change of scenery. Time to head inside.

There was something about the venomous creatures around us—it felt like they were raising the cave’s yin energy. I needed fresh air, or at least a change of atmosphere, before it drained me further. So I hurried after Hugae into the cave.

-Tsrurur. 『Daddy.』

Just as I started to move, I heard Hyang’s voice.

I turned my head to where the sound came from—she had uncoiled from around Hwa-eun and was now climbing up my leg.

“Hyang? What’s up?”

-Tsrut. 『I’m coming too.』

“Sure. Let’s go together.”

I had really been looking forward to escaping all this yin-heavy air for a bit of manly warrior talk, but if your adorable daughter wants to come along, what can you do?

A dad endures.

We’d only taken a few steps when Hyang began feeling around my body with her legs, and asked:

-Tsrurur? 『Daddy, you’re not hurt, right? I heard you were in a fight and it scared me. You can’t get hurt, okay? I’d be really upset.』

I hadn’t expected to fight during this operation, so I’d asked Hyang to stay with Hwa-eun and protect her. But clearly, she’d heard about my scuffle and had been worried sick.

She probably wasn’t just tagging along—she wanted to check on me herself.

God. Is this what fatherly love feels like?

I’d thought I’d had enough of the draining yin energy—but if it was this kind of yin? I welcomed it with open arms.

Her words swept over me like a tidal wave /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ of emotion.

My daughter... worrying about me like this...

I could barely breathe from the overwhelming feeling of affection.

You’re all grown up now, Hyang. Daddy is so proud of you.

With a warm smile, I responded.

“Of course. Daddy’s fine. How about you, Hyang?”

-Tsrut. 『I took one hit from a bad guy while protecting Mommy, but I’m okay.』

“You got hit!? Where!? Let me see!”

Now, Hyang’s body was tougher than steel—she could bounce off blades and qi blasts without a scratch.

But still—she said she got hit. That meant full dad-mode panic.

“Here? Is this where?”

-Tst. 『Mhm. Right there.』

“You awful bastard!! Shoo shoo—pain be gone! Shoo shoo—pain be gone!”

I overacted, puffing warm air onto her spot like some overzealous healer, when I suddenly felt eyes on me.

Turning my head, I saw everyone watching me.

Cho, Bini, Yohwa, Sister Jeokwol, Dong, and the rest.

“...Huh?”

And one by one, they slowly approached... each holding out a body part.

-Chiiii.

-Kisit.

-Tsrurur.

-Ggyut!

“Wait... even Sister Jeokwol?!”

They expected me to do the same for all of them.

As I blew breath after breath, the thought occurred to me:

Grandfather used to say a man’s breath carries yang energy...

If I keep doing this, I’ll be completely drained.

And with all this yin in the air already?

Could I even... survive the wedding night with Hwa-eun later?

I silently recited a mantra.

Give me overwhelming strength! Strength like a snake! Like a lizard! Like a centipede!

I needed power.

***

“Are you alright, So So-hyeop?”

Hugae looked at me worriedly.

After all the exaggerated breath-blowing, my knees were starting to buckle.

“Y-yeah, I’ll be fine. Just need to catch my breath.”

-Chwaruruk.

Changcheon flapped its wings gently on my left shoulder, full of concern.

It seemed worried that we might find the corpses of its kind deeper inside.

Since Changcheon had insisted on coming along to check for that very reason, the wing twitch felt like it was asking if I was okay.

“I’m good.”

Still worried, Hyang uncoiled from around my body and wrapped her legs around my knees, giving them some support to steady me.

Immediately, walking became easier. As my breathing stabilized and the trembling stopped, I began to see light ahead.

“Is that it?”

“Yes, So So-ryong.”

As we entered, we came to a wide chamber inside the cave.

There, illuminated by torchlight, was a breeding structure—constructed with mesh-like cloth.

Standing nearby were Ji-ryong and the Dragon Fangs.

As I approached, I saw that the enclosure was completely empty—no locusts inside. They’d likely released them recently, leaving the facility vacant.

It appeared they had conducted all breeding from this single location—not in multiple facilities as I’d previously assumed.

-Chwaruk.

-Tsrut. 『What a relief.』

Changcheon seemed to be saying it was a relief that there were no corpses of its kind.

After all, we had sprayed venom from Bini and Ranghyang here earlier—with Changcheon’s permission.

Once a locust transformed into a Yellow Locust, it no longer listened to Changcheon. We had asked beforehand if it was okay to poison them.

Changcheon had agreed—saying those unnatural creatures, forcibly transformed by the Five Venoms Clan, deserved rest. But still, I could tell it had been worried.

After all, they were still its kin.

Looking around, I asked Ji-ryong:

“I don’t see anything too unusual. What did you want me to check?”

“Look closer, So So-hyeop.”

Ji-ryong moved a torch toward the floor—and that’s when I saw it.

Tiny things were jumping around on the ground.

“What the—!?”

It was baby grasshoppers—fresh hatchlings.

I got down and inspected more closely. From the thick soil layer covering the cave floor, tiny young grasshoppers were just starting to emerge.

They must’ve been eggs buried in the dirt—protected from the poison gas. Now, they were beginning to hatch.

-Chwarurur!

Changcheon fluttered in surprise.

I turned to it urgently.

We might be able to save these kin it so dearly wanted to protect.

“Changcheon, can you keep them from clustering together? They’re not Yellow Locusts yet—but if they swarm now, they’ll turn into them!”

Whether these hatchlings remained solitary or became swarmers depended on their environment—mainly population density.

Behavioral changes in locusts stem more from environmental than genetic factors.

If left like this, they’d go from solitary-type to gregarious-type—a full swarm.

I tore open the mesh of the breeding pen and carefully started moving the hatchlings outside.

“If they stay together, they’ll turn. We have to scatter them. Think you can do that? Spread them as far apart as you can!”

-Chwarurur.

-Tsrurur. 『We got this, Dad! They understand you.』

Soon, the little green specks began moving—separating from each other and hopping outward under Changcheon’s commands.

Following Changcheon in the lead, they made their way out of the cave.

Most of them could barely jump a centimeter, but they moved steadily toward freedom.

At the entrance—the cliff’s edge—dawn had just broken.

A perfect breeze blew across the rocky bluff.

“Changcheon, scatter them! Spread them everywhere!”

-Chwarurur!

The morning wind danced through the air.

The tiny green dots launched themselves over the cliff’s edge—leaping toward freedom.

Carried by the breeze, they scattered in all directions.

And just then, Hyang twitched her antennae and whispered to them—likely remembering my previous lectures.

-Tsrurur. 『Let’s meet again... in autumn, for the harvest season.』

Not as monsters—Yellow Locusts of famine and plague.

But as signs of prosperity—ordinary grasshoppers heralding a good harvest.