The very next day, at the exact same hour, Yeon Jagang returned to Tae Muryong’s office.
“To get straight to the point: Lord Yong refused.”
Yeon Jagang moistened his dry lips with his tongue.
“He said putting such a promise in writing could cause problems for him later.”
If it ever came to light that Yong Myeong had traded with Tae Muryong for evidence that Seon Woojin was a spy, even if it wasn’t a grave crime, it would deal a fatal blow to the man’s reputation.
“Then there’s nothing more to be done.” Tae Muryong replied coldly. “Let us consider this matter closed. Clerk Yeon, please continue searching diligently for your evidence.”
“Instead, we settled on this.”
Yeon Jagang hurriedly continued.
“No written document, but a private audience where Lord Yong will personally give you his word.”
“A private audience?”
“Lord Yong has agreed to meet you alone and confirm with his own mouth that everything I told you was true.”
Tae Muryong thought for a long moment, then nodded.
“Very well. It cannot be helped.”
“Then may I see the evidence now?”
With an air of resignation, Tae Muryong drew a small wooden box from his inner robe.
“Look with your eyes only. Do not touch it.”
His expression was grave.
“If I detect even the slightest intent to seize it, I will destroy it instantly.”
To Tae Muryong, this was the lifeline that could save his men.
If Yeon Jagang took it by force, Yong Myeong would have no reason to honor their agreement, and everything would collapse.
“Do not worry. Eyes only.”
Yeon Jagang produced a transparent bead from his sleeve, held it before his eye, and carefully examined the letter inside the box.
‘It’s real.’
Through the glass bead, he could clearly see the secret mark he had once placed on the envelope.
“It is genuine.”
“What on earth is that thing?”
When Tae Muryong asked, Yeon Jagang tucked the bead away and answered.
“It is called a Seal-Intent Pearl. When sunlight strikes a letter through this bead, the paper is subtly scorched, leaving a trace that cannot be seen by the naked eye.”
“…”
“And that trace can only be revealed again by looking through the same pearl.”
“Such a thing exists?”
Tae Muryong’s mouth fell open.
He had never even heard rumors of a Seal-Intent Pearl.
If what Yeon Jagang said was true, even the most perceptive master would never notice the mark.
“I have heard there are many strange treasures in the martial world, but this is the first I’ve learned of such a bead.”
“There are countless hidden marvels the world knows nothing about.” Yeon Jagang pointed at the letter as if something had just occurred to him. “But why did you keep this particular letter separate? You said yourself there was nothing suspicious about it at the time.”
“When I received it from the Captain to deliver to him, the envelope was stained with the special oil used by demonic spies when writing coded messages.”
Tae Muryong’s face darkened with sorrow.
“The Captain must have been deeply shaken or in great haste that day and forgot to wipe it clean.”
“Is that so? I would need to confirm that myself.”
“You absolutely may not touch the letter.”
Yeon Jagang raised a placating hand. “Relax. My own neck is on the line here. I won’t do anything rash.”
“Very well.”
Yeon Jagang examined the letter in the box once more.
It was unquestionably the same letter sent by the Sunflower Merchant Guild long ago… and just as Tae Muryong claimed, it carried the faint scent of the finest creeping-vine oil used by demonic agents.
“Heh heh heh… Hahaha!”
Having confirmed everything, Yeon Jagang burst into triumphant laughter.
“It was true. Seon Woojin really is a demonic spy!”
The laughter died abruptly as he ground his teeth.
“Then my failure back then must have been his doing as well.”
“What will you do now?”
“I will immediately request the Vice-Alliance Leader to convene a full Assembly of Hall Leaders.”
Tae Muryong frowned. “Why request a full assembly from the Vice-Alliance Leader?”
“Seon Woojin is trusted not only by Hall Leader Yuk but by Commander Gongsun herself.” Yeon Jagang narrowed his eyes. “He is close to the highest echelons. If I simply hand the evidence to the Tribunal, they might quietly bury it.”
Then, in a sinister voice: “The evidence must be revealed before every Hall Leader, and verified by someone of higher standing than either Hall Leader Yuk or the Commander.”
The Martial Alliance ran on hierarchy and favors.
Even with solid proof, presenting it carelessly could see it suppressed.
Thus Yeon Jagang planned to force Vice-Alliance Leader Buk Ri-seung to host a full Assembly of Hall Leaders, where he would publicly expose Seon Woojin’s crimes and present the evidence before all.
“Then Lord Yong will attend as well?”
“Of course not. He will only request the assembly.”
In the end, Yong Myeong intended to stay in the shadows; Yeon Jagang had to topple both Yuk Jangcheon and Seon Woojin himself before the promises would be honored.
“How convenient. Those in high positions need only give orders to those beneath them.” Tae Muryong’s words dripped with sarcasm.
Yeon Jagang merely snorted.
“Isn’t that obvious? That is precisely why we all claw tooth and nail to climb higher.”
His gaze grew distant.
“The view from above and the view from below… the difference is simply too great.”
He was a man who had risen from the lowest warrior to Hall Leader.
He knew the intoxicating sweetness of power too well—that was why he struggled so desperately to climb back up.
“And to achieve that… I’m afraid I must take this with me.” Yeon Jagang’s eyes sharpened as they swept over Tae Muryong. “Once the full assembly is convened, what if you change your mind? Lord Yong would be placed in a difficult position.”
He was no easy mark.
He intended to secure an ironclad safeguard in case Tae Muryong betrayed him at the critical moment.
“Are you breaking your promise right now?”
“Not at all. This is proof that I fully intend to keep it.” Yeon Jagang said calmly. “Let us be honest—there is no trust between us. If you suddenly decide not to present this evidence at the assembly, both I and Lord Yong will sink.”
“…”
“Do not worry. I will keep the evidence safe until the day of the assembly and reveal it myself.” He thumped his chest. “This evidence is as much my lifeline as yours. I will never act recklessly—trust me on that.”
Tae Muryong pondered a moment, then spoke in a low voice.
“In that case, I will forgo the private audience with Lord Yong. Instead, write me a single promissory note stating that you, Clerk Yeon, will honor the agreement.”
“A promissory note?”
“Exactly. Lord Yong would break his word the moment he got what he wanted anyway—just as you are doing now.”
Tae Muryong stared at him with absolute certainty.
“Isn’t that right?”
“You have finally learned the true nature of power.”
Yeon Jagang admitted without hesitation.
“You’re correct. Even if I deliver the evidence, Lord Yong would never keep his promise.”
He stared at Tae Muryong for a long moment, then nodded.
“Very well. I will give you the note.”
From his sleeve he produced an envelope bearing the personal seal of Yong Myeong of the Dragon Coiling Hall.
“This is the promissory note Lord Yong gave me.”
‘That sly old fox… he’s been deceiving me all along.’
Tae Muryong’s brow furrowed.
So Yeon Jagang had already obtained a written promise from Yong Myeong.
“Both envelope and letter bear Lord Yong’s seal. You may keep the envelope.”
“That alone is not enough. Write a single line of the agreement on the envelope itself.”
“You are a suspicious one.”
“Didn’t you teach me to be?”
“No choice, then.” Yeon Jagang gave a wry smile. “I am no longer a person of consequence; I must earn trust however I can.”
Using the ink and brush on the desk, he wrote a short promissory note on the envelope.
Yet even there, he carefully avoided any mention of Yong Myeong—never leaving evidence that could implicate the Division Master.
“Is this satisfactory?”
“It is.”
Tae Muryong took a deep breath and pushed the wooden box forward.
“Take it.”
“A wise decision.”
As Yeon Jagang accepted the box, Tae Muryong added, “That is our lifeline. Guard it well.”
“Do not worry. Until the day of the assembly, I will show it to no one—not even Lord Yong. It will never leave my person for an instant.”
“I will trust you.” Tae Muryong nodded.
Yeon Jagang smiled and shrugged.
“Then let us set things in motion.”
Yeon Jagang was a sinister man, but he kept his word when it suited him.
He immediately visited Yong Myeong, informed him that the evidence was secured, and allowed the man to confirm it with his own eyes—eyes only.
—It is genuine.
Yong Myeong was extremely pleased and demanded the evidence be handed over at once, but Yeon Jagang refused.
He did not trust Yong Myeong completely either.
As Tae Muryong had said, their lives depended on this single piece of evidence.
—Until the promise is fulfilled, I cannot surrender it. I ask for your generous understanding, my lord.
Yong Myeong was inwardly displeased, but he could not let this golden opportunity slip, so he swallowed his anger and nodded.
—I will immediately request the Vice-Alliance Leader to convene the full assembly.
The moment Yeon Jagang secured the evidence, Yong Myeong sought a private audience with Vice-Alliance Leader Buk Ri-seung and relayed exactly what Yeon Jagang had asked him to say.
“I granted him a private audience out of old acquaintance, and he brought me this evidence. I could scarcely believe it… but it is undeniable.”
Yong Myeong repeatedly emphasized that he was merely acting on Yeon Jagang’s request—protecting himself in case anything went wrong.
“If this is true, even the Ten Justices Assembly would not suffice to judge the punishment.” Buk Ri-seung spoke with a bewildered expression. “There is no need to convene a full Assembly of Hall Leaders for something like this.”
Seeing the Vice-Alliance Leader’s skepticism, Yong Myeong pressed his case.
“Captain Seon enjoys the deep trust of not only Hall Leader Yuk but of Commander Gongsun herself, does he not?”
He continued with a troubled look.
“A disciplinary hearing hosted by the Tribunal Master’s Ten Justices would likely be insufficient to punish him.”
“Hmm.”
“If you do not preside, Vice-Alliance Leader, there is a chance Commander Gongsun herself might take charge of the full assembly.”
Buk Ri-seung frowned deeply.
“But is the evidence truly conclusive? Do you have material proof that Captain Seon must be punished?”
“Yes. I have seen it clearly with my own eyes.”
At Yong Myeong’s firm reply, Buk Ri-seung let out a heavy sigh and nodded.
“It cannot be helped. Very well.”
Five days later, under Buk Ri-seung’s authority, the full Assembly of Hall Leaders was convened—ostensibly to discuss the rooting out of spies within the Martial Alliance.
The grand hall of the Justice Pavilion buzzed with low voices.
Every Hall Leader-level figure in the Alliance was present.
The assembly had been called with extreme urgency, and only the vague explanation of “spy hunting” had been given, so the atmosphere was heavy and dark.
The Hall Leaders continually whispered among themselves.
“Let the assembly begin.”
Buk Ri-seung swept his cold gaze across the room and spoke.
“Evidence has surfaced that a high-ranking member of our Alliance is a demonic spy.”
The hall erupted in murmurs.
At Buk Ri-seung’s unexpected declaration, the noise swelled.
“This full Assembly of Hall Leaders is a disciplinary council convened to examine that evidence and determine punishment.”
At those words, the hall fell deathly silent, as if cold water had been poured over it.
The existence of demonic spies—or agents connected to outside forces—within the Alliance was no great secret.
Though kept from the outside world, even the Master of the Secret Edict Pavilion, who drafted the Alliance’s laws, had recently been exposed as a spy by Martial Law Enforcement Officer Jongjeong Yak.
“If there is solid evidence of a demonic spy, is it not sufficient for the Tribunal Master to handle the punishment?”
Nak Seungcheon, Master of the Three Lives Hall, seated near Buk Ri-seung, tilted his head.
“With evidence in hand, why convene a full assembly?”
“I will explain.”
At that moment, a man who had been standing respectfully in the corner stepped forward.
It was Yeon Jagang.
“You…”
Nak Seungcheon’s face twisted uncomfortably.
“Yeon… what are you doing here?”
Though now demoted to a mere clerk in the Blue Spirit Pavilion, he had once been Hall Leader of Dragon Might Hall under the Intelligence Division.
Facing him here again, no one knew whether to address him as Hall Leader or Clerk.
“The suspected spy enjoys the deep trust of high-ranking officials.” Yeon Jagang answered politely, ignoring the awkward stares. “If the evidence were sent directly to the Tribunal, there is a high chance the matter would be quietly buried.”
“The trust of high officials?”
“Precisely. That is why I requested this full assembly.”
“Who exactly is this spy?”
At Nak Seungcheon’s question, Yeon Jagang replied calmly.
“The Captain of the Supreme Branch—Seon Woojin.”
In that instant, the hall exploded into uproar.
Seon Woojin was the most outstanding rising star of the Martial Alliance.
For him to be a demonic spy?
Moreover, he had already passed countless investigations by the elders when he rose to first-rank captain.
“If it is indeed Captain Seon… then yes, a full assembly is warranted.”
At Nak Seungcheon’s words, the other Hall Leaders nodded.
Not only was he Hall Leader Yuk’s favorite, rumors had long circulated of his close ties with Commander Gongsun.
If he truly were a spy, she might try to suppress the matter.
Only a full assembly could ensure a fair judgment.
“Clerk Yeon.”
Buk Ri-seung addressed him directly.
“Have you brought proof that Captain Seon is a spy?”
“Of course.”
Yeon Jagang produced the wooden box from his inner robe—the very one Tae Muryong had given him. He had not let it leave his person for a single day since receiving it, not even showing it fully to Yong Myeong.
“Herein lies proof that Captain Seon exchanged messages with demonic agents.”
He respectfully presented the box to Buk Ri-seung.
“Please examine it yourself.”
Buk Ri-seung opened the box with a calm expression.
After staring inside for a long while, he deeply furrowed his brow.
“What exactly am I supposed to see?”
“The letter is stained with the highest-grade creeping-vine oil used by demonic spies when writing coded messages.”
“Oil?”
“Yes.”
Buk Ri-seung stared harder into the box, then frowned again.
“Clerk Yeon. Can you yourself detect any oil on this letter?”
“What do you mean?”
“See for yourself.”
He pushed the box back toward Yeon Jagang.
“What am I supposed to confirm here?”
Yeon Jagang received the box—and his eyes shot wide open.
The letter that had been perfectly intact just yesterday had almost completely rotted away.
“This… this was clearly…”
As he stammered and examined the remnants, he finally noticed something strange about the box itself.
Ordinary wooden boxes were made only of wood.
But the interior of this one was lined with metal.
‘Could it be…’
A chilling thought flashed through his mind.
Tae Muryong had deliberately chosen this box—one rigged with a delayed mechanism to dissolve the paper at the appointed time.
‘To create a trap from which I could never escape?’
At that moment, Buk Ri-seung spoke in a grave voice.
“Clerk Yeon. Explain this.”
“It… this is a conspiracy!”
Yeon Jagang desperately protested.
“Look at the remains inside the box! The letter was clearly dissolved by a special chemical. Why would I lie at an assembly like this?”
“Clerk Yeon, this is not the place to debate whether you are lying or not.”
Buk Ri-seung’s face grew terrifyingly stern.
“Have you forgotten where you stand?”
Only then did the full realization strike Yeon Jagang like lightning.
This was a disciplinary council where every Hall Leader of the Alliance was gathered solely to verify evidence and judge its authenticity.
If there was no evidence at all, not even the Leader himself could impose punishment.
“My apologies for the interruption.”
At that moment, a woman in deep indigo martial robes entered slowly.
She was breathtakingly beautiful, yet her eyes held a chilling sharpness.
It was Jongjeong Yak—former Martial Law Enforcement Officer, recently promoted to Vice-Captain of the Tribunal.
“What is this about?”
“The Vice-Captain of the Supreme Branch has submitted a written confession of his crimes.”
“A confession?”
“Yes. He insisted this be delivered before the disciplinary council began.”
Buk Ri-seung’s expression turned strange.
A confession from the Supreme Branch’s Vice-Captain? What on earth was going on?
“This is…”
As Buk Ri-seung read the letter, his eyes grew impossibly wide.
“Clerk Yeon.”
Setting the letter down, Buk Ri-seung spoke with utmost gravity.
“Did you fabricate this evidence in order to deliberately bring down Captain Seon? Did you coerce and threaten the Vice-Captain of the Supreme Branch?”
“What are you talking about?”
“See for yourself.”
Buk Ri-seung handed him the letter Jongjeong Yak had brought.
As Yeon Jagang read, cold sweat poured down his face like rain.
[Foreword omitted] …Unable to refuse the former Hall Leader Yeon Jagang, I conspired with him and fabricated this evidence.
However, I could not bring myself to frame false charges against the Captain who truly cherished me and my men, so though late, I confess the truth to set things right… [Afterword omitted].
Yeon Jagang rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
At the very end of the confession, it even stated that there seemed to be someone above Yeon Jagang who had ordered this entire affair and begged for a thorough investigation.
‘Tae Muryong!’
Only now did Yeon Jagang realize he had been thoroughly played. His eyes blazed.
‘He intends to take all the blame upon himself alone?’
Even knowing Seon Woojin was a demonic spy, he would shoulder every crime?
Why show such loyalty to a demonic agent?
“Based on this confession, I request the immediate arrest and investigation of Clerk Yeon Jagang of the Blue Spirit Pavilion.”
At Jongjeong Yak’s words, Buk Ri-seung nodded.
“Proceed with a strict investigation.”
“Understood.”
Her subordinates seized Yeon Jagang.
“This is unjust! It is all Tae Muryong’s scheme!”
“If you are innocent, you may prove it in the Tribunal.”
Facing Buk Ri-seung’s solemn gaze, Yeon Jagang lowered his head.
No words would help him now.
The more he shouted, the worse he would appear.
“…Understood.”
In the end, Yeon Jagang bowed his head and was dragged away by the Tribunal warriors.
Never expected that