Yeon Jagang, former Hall Leader of the Dragon Might Hall under the Martial Alliance’s Intelligence Division.
Once, he had been the most promising figure in the Intelligence Division and the closest confidant of the Sixth Elder, Yuk Jangcheon.
But the moment Seon Woojin appeared, Yeon Jagang was reduced to a forgotten relic.
Seon Woojin was not only brilliant in strategy, he possessed overwhelming martial prowess that Yeon Jagang lacked, along with the vigor and ambition of youth.
Yet fate finally tossed Yeon Jagang a lifeline.
The death of the Iron Commander, Noh Dokcheong, created an opportunity to hold both Hell’s Blood Fortress and Majeon accountable.
Yeon Jagang was chosen to lead the negotiations.
Though the Division Leader forced the thorn in his side, Seon Woojin, to accompany him, Yeon Jagang was confident.
‘This time I will earn great merit and regain the complete trust of the Leader.’
But contrary to all expectations, Yeon Jagang lost everything because of that mission—honor, position, everything.
In what should have been an overwhelmingly favorable negotiation, he suffered catastrophic losses.
Majeon’s Vice Strategy Lord, Dan So-ok, stripped him of the entire Cheonsu region.
It was an irreparable blunder, impossible to justify by any means. Especially since he had ignored the warnings of Supreme Corps Captain Seon Woojin, who had sensed the danger in advance, all because he wanted the credit for himself alone.
When that fact became known, Yeon Jagang was humiliated so thoroughly he could no longer show his face within the Martial Alliance.
In the end, half by choice and half by coercion, he stepped down as Hall Leader and became a mere clerk in the Blue Spirit Pavilion, sorting letters and intelligence reports that arrived at the Alliance.
‘There is something about Seon Woojin.’
Yet Yeon Jagang had a plan.
He had accepted the lowly clerk’s post in the Blue Spirit Pavilion precisely because he sensed that every misfortune that had befallen him was connected to one man: Seon Woojin.
‘He must be a spy planted from the outside.’
Because of Seon Woojin’s sudden rise, Yeon Jagang had been condemned far beyond a mere failed mission and cast into the abyss. However, regardless of his conviction, Seon Woojin had already been investigated countless times by the Alliance elders.
No matter how thoroughly they searched, no evidence of espionage surfaced.
Yeon Jagang refused to give up.
‘It is not that Seon Woojin is clean; they simply failed to find proof.’
He trusted his instincts.
He believed the man was merely extraordinarily meticulous, leaving no traces.
Thus he deliberately became a clerk in the Blue Spirit Pavilion and resumed his private investigation of Seon Woojin.
And at last, he discovered something strange.
‘Who handles ordinary letters with such secrecy?’
From time to time, the Sunflower Merchant Guild sent casual greeting letters addressed to Seon Woojin.
Yet every time such a letter arrived, Seon Woojin disposed of it with the same caution one would use for top-secret documents, leaving not a single trace.
Of course, the letters might contain private matters, and given Seon Woojin’s meticulous personality, such caution was not impossible. But to destroy every single incoming letter so perfectly that even Yeon Jagang—the former leader of an intelligence organization—could only click his tongue in amazement…
Something was fishy.
‘There is definitely something.’
Convinced that Seon Woojin was compromised, Yeon Jagang began intercepting every letter addressed to him faster than anyone else and marking them with secret signs only he could recognize.
After repeating this tirelessly, he finally obtained decisive circumstantial evidence.
By chance, the Vice-Captain of the Supreme Branch, Tae Muryong, had destroyed a letter addressed to Seon Woojin in his stead.
That letter bore none of the hidden marks Yeon Jagang had placed.
‘Tae Muryong—he has discovered the same rot in Seon Woojin that I have!’
Yeon Jagang grinned with ecstatic joy, feeling he had finally caught the tail.
He immediately began planning to approach Tae Muryong.
Meanwhile, Seon Woojin continued racking up achievements.
Before long, he was no longer merely Yuk Jangcheon’s favorite; the entire Martial Alliance regarded him as a rising star.
In such circumstances, approaching Tae Muryong carelessly would only expose that he, Yeon Jagang, was investigating Seon Woojin.
He could even be silently assassinated by that very man.
‘So that’s the way!’
After much deliberation, Yeon Jagang devised a brilliant scheme.
Yong Myeong, Master of the Dragon Coiling Hall.
Yong Myeong was Yuk Jangcheon’s equal and rival, currently striving to claim the vacant position of Martial Heaven Corps Commander. But when Baek Museong suffered an unexpected injury during a mission and temporarily left the Alliance, Yong Myeong’s position became precarious.
Now, if it were revealed that Seon Woojin was an external spy…
Not only would Seon Woojin fall, but Yuk Jangcheon himself could be forced to step down for failing to supervise his subordinate.
And Yong Myeong would never let such an opportunity pass.
Dragon Coiling Hall, Yong Myeong’s office.
“A plan that could topple the Supreme Corps Captain in one stroke.”
Yong Myeong eyed with suspicion the man bowing before him—Yeon Jagang, once Yuk Jangcheon’s trusted aide, demoted to a mere clerk in the Blue Spirit Pavilion after a grave mistake, now suddenly requesting an audience and claiming to offer a way to destroy Yuk Jangcheon.
“You were a Hall Leader under the Intelligence Division and, as far as I know, utterly loyal to Hall Leader Yuk.”
“That is correct.”
“And after that recent blunder that harmed Hall Leader Yuk, you were sent to the Blue Spirit Pavilion.”
“Correct again.”
Yong Myeong stared at the calmly answering man and made a dumbfounded expression.
“And now you come to me offering to topple the Intelligence Division Master? Why not just admit you are acting on Hall Leader Yuk’s orders to entrap me instead?”
“Of course you would suspect as much.”
“Then leave. I am busy.”
“Please at least hear me out.”
As Yong Myeong turned to leave, Yeon Jagang spoke boldly.
“My proposal brings only benefit to you, Lord Yong. There is no risk.”
“Only benefit, no risk?”
Yong Myeong frowned.
Though fallen, Yeon Jagang had been the Intelligence Division’s chief strategist—a famously cautious man. For such a person to block his path and boast so confidently piqued Yong Myeong’s curiosity.
Stroking his chin, Yong Myeong finally nodded.
“Very well. Speak.”
“Seon Woojin, under Hall Leader Yuk—he is a spy planted by an external power.”
“Seon Woojin? That Supreme Corps Captain?”
“Precisely.”
“Hah… So Supreme Corps Captain Seon is a spy?” Yong Myeong let out a hollow laugh of disbelief. “Investigations into him were completed even before he became a first-rank captain.”
“I am aware.”
“I see. You were demoted for ignoring his advice… so you have harbored resentment all this time.”
Instead of answering, Yeon Jagang placed a booklet on the table.
It listed every letter that had ever come to Seon Woojin.
“Nothing special here.”
“Please look again, carefully.”
At Yeon Jagang’s urging, Yong Myeong examined the booklet once more.
One letter was missing—one that had been handled and destroyed by Vice-Captain Tae Muryong of the Supreme Branch.
“A letter addressed to Seon Woojin was forged and destroyed by his own Vice-Captain?”
“Exactly.” Yeon Jagang declared confidently. “I entered the Blue Spirit Pavilion solely to investigate Captain Seon. I personally managed every letter addressed to him.”
Yong Myeong’s mouth fell open.
The Blue Spirit Pavilion received and sorted all correspondence arriving at the Alliance in bulk.
To single out and manage only Seon Woojin’s letters was like searching for a needle in a desert of sand—yet this man had marked each one with secret signs.
“So because you always managed them separately and left hidden marks, you noticed when one was replaced midway?”
“Correct.”
“You’re insane. Do you know how many letters flood into the Blue Spirit Pavilion? And you tracked only his?”
“There was no other way.”
Yong Myeong clicked his tongue.
He had heard that the former strategist of the Intelligence Division possessed extraordinary intellect, but he never imagined such terrifying obsession.
“Yet you know as well as I do that this is not conclusive proof.”
Leaning back in his chair with intrigued eyes, Yong Myeong looked down at him.
“What exactly do you want from me?”
“I need the authority to recruit Vice-Captain Tae Muryong.”
“Authority?”
“Vice-Captain Tae Muryong must have noticed something strange about that letter and quietly disposed of it.” Yeon Jagang continued in a low voice. “There can be only one reason: if the Supreme Corps Captain is a spy, the entire Supreme Branch will cease to exist.”
“He might simply be a loyal man covering for his superior.”
“If it were out of true loyalty, he would have reported it to Seon Woojin.”
“Hmm.” Yong Myeong frowned. “And?”
“If I let Tae Muryong know that I am aware of this, he will be gripped by unbearable anxiety.” Yeon Jagang went on. “He will realize he can no longer protect Captain Seon even if he wishes to.”
Yong Myeong grew more interested with every word.
“And then?”
“Then Tae Muryong will have no choice. He will calculate which side benefits him more. At that moment, I will simply make him an excellent offer.”
“An offer?”
“Yes. Tell him that if he brings proof that Seon Woojin is a spy, we will give him a second-rank captain post under the Dragon Coiling Hall and allow him to bring all his men with him—something along those generous lines.”
Yeon Jagang spoke earnestly.
“But I lack the power and position to make such an offer. That is why I have come to you, my lord.”
In short, he wanted to borrow Yong Myeong’s authority to tempt Tae Muryong and obtain the evidence.
‘Interesting.’
So the rumors were true: the man once trusted as Yuk Jangcheon’s strategist truly possessed remarkable cunning.
‘And indeed, there is no downside for me.’
If they proceeded as Yeon Jagang boldly claimed, Yong Myeong stood to lose nothing.
“Very well. Let us do this.” Yong Myeong finally opened his mouth. “If you obtain conclusive proof and bring down both Seon Woojin and Hall Leader Yuk… I will grant Tae Muryong a second-rank captain position under my division and allow him to bring all his subordinates.”
When Yeon Jagang hesitated, Yong Myeong smiled and nodded.
“And to you, I promise the position of Hall Leader of the Silver Shadow Hall.”
Only then did a wide smile bloom across Yeon Jagang’s face.
“Thank you, my lord.”
“However, if this fails or word leaks out… I will have had nothing to do with it.”
“Of course.” Yeon Jagang replied with a strong voice. “I will surely bring proof that Seon Woojin is an external spy and make the Intelligence Division Master answer for it as well.”
Tae Muryong’s daily schedule was relentlessly busy.
Since the Captain, Bu Eunseol, spent most of his time away in the martial world, Tae Muryong single-handedly oversaw training, command of the men, and overall management of the division.
Jeong Jongdo helped considerably with training and personnel, yet the workload still piled up like a mountain.
“Phew.” Having finished the day’s duties, Tae Muryong entered his study and sank deep into his chair.
His only pleasure was to meditate briefly in the study after work.
But today that small joy was shattered by an uninvited guest.
“Come out.” Tae Muryong spoke in a low voice toward the long shadows filling the study. “You’ve made no effort to hide your presence, so I assume you have something to say.”
A gaunt shadow stepped out from the darkness—an old man with a rat-like face and somehow sinister eyes.
It was Yeon Jagang.
“What brings the former Hall Leader here?”
“Former indeed.” Yeon Jagang smiled thinly and sat across the tea table. “I am now just a clerk in the Blue Spirit Pavilion who handles other people’s letters.”
“You already know that, yet you entered my office uninvited?”
When Tae Muryong’s expression hardened, Yeon Jagang shook his head.
“No need to be so cold. I came quietly like this precisely for your sake.”
“What do you mean?”
“You have suffered much heartache lately, haven’t you?” Yeon Jagang narrowed his eyes and smiled unpleasantly.
“Because of Captain Seon.”
Tae Muryong’s brows knitted tightly as he answered in an icy voice. “If you have no real business, please leave.”
“A letter from the Sunflower Merchant Guild.” Yeon Jagang spoke in the lowest possible whisper. “You forged an identical one and destroyed the original yourself, did you not?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You thought you disposed of it perfectly.” Yeon Jagang wore a leisurely expression. “But this old man has been separately managing every letter addressed to Captain Seon, marking each with secret signs.”
He smiled faintly and stared straight at Tae Muryong.
“You had no idea.”
In that instant, Tae Muryong’s face froze.
He had been tracking and marking every single letter that came to the Captain?
“You have probably already guessed, but Captain Seon is a spy sent from outside. Those letters from the Sunflower Merchant Guild must be coded messages.”
“You speak nonsense.”
“Are you denying it?” Yeon Jagang said coldly. “Even though the evidence is clear?”
“Heh heh.”
Instead, Tae Muryong let out a low laugh.
“Did I seem that stupid to you? Or merely laughable?”
Then in an icy voice: “If you truly possessed proof that Captain Seon is a spy, you would have marched straight to the Tribunal. There would be no reason to come looking for me.”
If Yeon Jagang really had evidence, he would already have submitted everything to the Tribunal; there would be no need to confront him like this.
“Heh heh heh. They say no coward serves under a brave general—you must have learned much from him.”
Yeon Jagang burst into hearty laughter instead.
“But I never looked down on you.”
“Then leave my office at once. Your very presence here is already an insult.”
“I will leave if you insist. However…” Yeon Jagang smiled darkly. “Because of your foolish decision, your men will lose their home and scatter to the winds. Perhaps before long they will be dragged to the Tribunal for questioning.”
“…”
“How long do you think you can keep hiding the truth?”
Yeon Jagang continued in a sly tone.
“Once I am certain, it is only a matter of time. Eventually I will find irrefutable proof.”
“Then search diligently.”
“Lord Yong of the Dragon Coiling Hall has made a promise.”
Seeing that simple persuasion was failing, Yeon Jagang came to the point.
“He will grant you second-rank captain status and accept all your men unchanged. You know that, don’t you?”
Yeon Jagang was a master negotiator and an eloquent speaker.
Without hurrying, he gently prodded Tae Muryong’s sense of justice.
“You already know what will happen to your men—not just you—if Captain Seon is exposed as a spy.”
For a moment, Tae Muryong’s eyes wavered.
He himself did not matter.
But he could not allow the bright futures of the men who followed him with blind loyalty to be destroyed.
“Did you meet Lord Yong in person?”
“I did.”
As if reaching a decision, Tae Muryong spoke.
“Did he truly promise to preserve the positions of me and my men?”
Yeon Jagang smiled.
From investigations using the Dragon Coiling Hall’s intelligence network, Tae Muryong was known to be upright and overflowing with righteousness. As expected, the moment he mentioned the safety and future of his subordinates rather than personal gain, the man’s resolve began to crack.
“Of course.”
“How can I trust that?”
“You do not trust the man—you trust the position.” Yeon Jagang declared firmly. “Do you think the elders of the Martial Alliance are loyal to individuals? Nonsense. They are loyal only to preserving their own seats.”
Tae Muryong gave a faint nod.
Most high-ranking officers in the Alliance were desperate to protect their positions.
Few showed true loyalty without regard for rank—almost none, in fact.
Yeon Jagang himself was proof of that.
“Very well.”
Tae Muryong spoke in a low voice, as though he had no choice.
“I will bring you proof that Captain Seon is a spy.”
“A wise decision.”
“However, first put in writing that my men and I will be protected.”
“That… is impossible.”
Yeon Jagang shook his head.
“Lord Yong has stated clearly that until conclusive evidence is presented, he will not involve himself in this matter.”
“The hunting dog is boiled once the hunt is over.” Tae Muryong said coldly. “From Lord Yong’s perspective, even if I keep my promise, it would look better and be far easier for him to punish me together with Captain Seon.”
A sharp observation.
For the Dragon Coiling Hall Master, accepting subordinates loyal to Seon Woojin would be troublesome; punishing everyone who ate from the same pot as the spy would be cleaner and draw less criticism.
If Tae Muryong handed over evidence too eagerly, Yong Myeong would never honor any promise.
“And there is also the possibility that you, Clerk Yeon, are simply using me to secure your own position.”
“What are you saying?”
“You might have decided to guarantee only your own seat while exploiting me.”
Another keen point.
No one could know whether Lord Yong had truly made such promises, or whether Yeon Jagang was lying to profit alone.
“You are right. That is entirely possible.”
Yeon Jagang readily acknowledged and nodded.
“I will discuss this again with Lord Yong and obtain a firm guarantee.”
“A guarantee?”
“A promise that you will not change your mind and will definitely deliver the evidence.”
“Understood. If you secure that promise, I will immediately present the evidence.”
Yeon Jagang inwardly shouted with joy.
At last, the chance had come to topple both the spy who had cast him into hell and the superior who had discarded decades of loyalty like an old shoe—in one fell stroke.
Suppressing the urge to dance with excitement, he took a deep breath and nodded.
“Then I shall see you again soon.”
