ENG
Wrinkles on his skin so snug,
A whiff of air, a fishy hug.
Legs that spring to heights above,
From the dirt and muck they love.
In the lands west of Black Wind Mountain, within a kingdom named Hhami, stood a small town. Every day before dawn, a humble market would gather just outside the town gate. It was a place where peddlers exchanged goods while waiting for the gate to open, but due to the prices, even the townsfolk began to participate. Thus, this market gradually gained its reputation.
A few months ago, an odd oil peddler arrived at the market. Garbed in robes of a pearly turquoise color and with eyes that gleamed like copper bells. He had a voice that rang out with a boom, and his breath was foul and pungent. Yet, he happened to be a keen talker and naturally was disliked by everyone. The oil he produces, on the other hand, was sought after by everyone. Who would not prefer the oil clear and smooth, and not to mention its price: one could exchange but a pinch of fragrant powder for a large gourd of such oil.
One day, a wandering Daoist passed through the town and decided to visit the market. He enjoyed his experience until he sensed an eerie green mist emanating from that old peddler-a guai, no doubt. The monk chanted, and before the peddler could manage a decent struggle, it revealed its true form-a green-skinned giant frog.
The bystanders were startled and grabbed whatever they could use to attack. The frog kicked the ground with both legs, leaped higher than a tree, and swiftly fled toward the mountains. In pursuit, the folks arrived at the marshes, where they witnessed countless small frogs scraping mucus from each other's bodies, collecting it in a large barrel. They then applied fragrant powder to themselves, hugging and sniffing each other in sheer delight.
Silently, the people approached and peered into the barrel. The mucus inside gleamed with clarity, just like the oil they had favored. At the sight, they were occupied by bouts of nausea and began to vomit. None had the strength to pursue and kill guais. All the frogs noticed this and hastily fled, leaving the marshes filled with a rather unique scene.
This story takes place in a small town west of Black Wind Mountain, in the kingdom of Hhami. Every morning before dawn a market forms outside the town gate where peddlers and townsfolk trade. Over time the market became popular because one product—an unusually clear, smooth oil—could be bought for almost nothing: a pinch of fragrant powder would buy a large gourd.
A few months before the main events, an odd oil seller arrived. He wore pearly turquoise robes, had eyes that gleamed like copper bells, a loud booming voice, and foul breath. People disliked him, but they loved the oil he sold because it was cheap and looked perfect. That combination made him a regular at the market despite his personal oddness.
A wandering Daoist came through town and visited the market. He noticed an eerie green mist around the peddler and recognized that something supernatural was happening—a guai. The Daoist chanted, and when the peddler tried to resist, he was forced to reveal his true form: a giant frog with green skin.
When the crowd realized the seller was a frog, they grabbed what they could to attack. The frog kicked off the ground with both legs, leaped higher than a tree, and escaped toward the mountains. People chased it into the marshes and found many small frogs working together. The frogs were scraping mucus off each other and pouring it into a large barrel. They used fragrant powder on themselves and behaved as if enjoying the smell, hugging and sniffing one another.
When the people quietly looked into the barrel, they saw that the mucus was clear and gleaming like the oil they had been buying. At that sight they were overcome with nausea and began to vomit; none of them had the strength to keep fighting or to kill the guai. The frogs noticed this, fled quickly, and the marsh was left in a strange, unsettling state. The clear implication is that the popular oil came from these frogs’ mucus and that the peddler was a demon exploiting the town—yet the townsfolk could not stop the guai once they discovered the truth.