Chapter 240

Chapter 240
Chapter 240. Unmasking the Secret Saboteur (5)

The Mantongbu of the Murim Alliance.

This was a space where staff members usually shrieked and withered away under the crushing weight of relentless administrative backlogs.

Ordinarily, the room was a chaotic void of perpetual noise, filled with drifting scrolls and the vocal frustrations of exhausted members, yet today, a strange and unsettling hush had settled over it.

Jegal So-myeong pressed his aching temples with his fingertips, his expression weary.

“Is there still no word back from the Tae-won Branch?”

“……No, sir.”

The factions of the Black Path lingering near Sichuan were acting increasingly erratic and suspicious.

They surely understood that the Murim Alliance had been pushed to its breaking point by the ongoing crusade against the Blood Cult.

The current maneuvers of the Black Path were essentially a thinly veiled declaration of an impending clash.

With the destruction of the Blood Cult nearly within their grasp, the Murim Alliance faced a agonizing dilemma: push forward to finish their mission or pivot their forces to confront the insolence of the Black Path in Sichuan.

They had sent repeated inquiries to the Tae-won Branch to uncover the true intentions of the Black Thought Alliance, but their messages went into a void.

Tap, tap.

“Hmm……”

Lost in grim reflection, Jegal So-myeong drummed his desk, trying to align his thoughts.

“And there has been no communication from the Heavenly Eye Pavilion either, correct?”

“That is correct. The deadline for their update passed some time ago, but…… we have received nothing.”

Carrier pigeon dispatches always carried a degree of uncertainty regarding delivery.

Normally, such a silence might be understandable, but considering that even the specialized agents of the Heavenly Eye Pavilion were failing to report, he could only conclude that someone was actively stifling the flow of intelligence out of Shanxi Province.

“Could it be the Black Thought Alliance?”

Freeze.

At that moment, the fingers Jegal So-myeong had been rhythmically tapping against the wood stopped dead.

He stared silently at the subordinate who had dared to pose the question.

“Why…… Is there something on my face……?”

“Hmm……”

Maeng Ju-won would never have blurted out such an obvious, amateur question.

Jegal So-myeong gave a slow shake of his head.

“No.”

Even though the staff here were hand-picked for their potential, there remained a vast chasm in raw competence.

He had managed to scrape by with Maeng Ju-won thus far, but even that stability was reaching its limit.

When a crisis demanded he send Maeng Ju-won out into the field, Jegal So-myeong was forced to carry the entire burden of the Mantongbu alone.

This was hardly the sort of labor suitable for a man of his years.

‘I must find a way to station that scoundrel Jin So-un here in the Mantongbu as soon as possible.’

It was a headache, but until that happened, his options were nonexistent.

Jegal So-myeong turned his gaze back to the subordinate.

“There is no possible way the Black Thought Alliance, an organization that has barely managed to lay its foundation, possesses a secret intelligence network of that caliber.”

Honestly, the sheer fact that a group so hastily assembled had achieved this level of status was impressive in its own right.

Still, they had rallied their people and crossed the first threshold.

‘Dam Ak of the Cheongwa Academy…… We truly lost a gifted individual.’

He had long known that Dam Ak was destined for a path within the Imperial Court, so he had never expected a connection to the Murim Alliance.

Yet, for the man to suddenly emerge as the head tactician for the Black Thought Alliance.

The move was entirely unforeseen.

He desperately wanted to investigate the underlying motives, but the Murim Alliance lacked the luxury of time.

After all, the warriors stationed in Sichuan were already on the verge of mutiny due to the lack of necessary logistics.

At this rate, the Alliance wouldn’t be brought down by the fierce resistance of the Blood Cult, but rather by an internal insurrection from its own ranks.

Of course, these kinds of logistical crises were not new; they were a chronic symptom of their existence.

The Murim Alliance would undoubtedly face similar trials in the years to come.

That was exactly why they needed people capable of upholding their mission.

They needed individuals who could look past their own sect affiliations and honestly yearn for the tranquility of the Jianghu.

This was the core reason Jegal So-myeong remained obsessed with grooming new talent.

‘Maeng Ju-won and Jin So-un……. Those two will serve as the foundation.’

He rubbed his weary eyes, feeling the room tilt as if the world were losing its balance.

Yet, even that sliver of respite was denied to him.

“Grand Strategist! An emergency dispatch from the Heavenly Eye Pavilion has arrived.”

“……!”

At that announcement, Jegal So-myeong, who had been longing for a moment of sleep, shook off his exhaustion and shot to his feet.

This was a crimson-sealed missive, sent directly to him without undergoing the standard screening processes of the Heavenly Eye Pavilion or the Mantongbu.

Inside, only a single, haunting sentence was inscribed.

[Mission failed]

Confronted with the stark, brief nature of the message, both Jegal So-myeong and his subordinate stood in stunned silence.

The subordinate finally forced his voice out.

“Grand Strategist. This is……”

Reports from the Heavenly Eye Pavilion always followed a rigid, established protocol.

A structure designed to convey critical intelligence with the absolute minimum of wasted words.

The fact that they had abandoned even that format told a deeper story.

It implied that the operative assigned to the task had not only failed but had likely been cornered in a life-or-death struggle.

“Could it be…… that Dam Ak anticipated our move?”

Jegal So-myeong slowly shook his head.

‘Even if Dam Ak is the finest mind under the heavens, he should not be able to thwart the Heavenly Eye Pavilion without significant preparation.’

What was the Heavenly Eye Pavilion, really?

They were the ears and eyes of the entire Murim Alliance.

They were veterans who had undergone the Alliance’s most grueling, specialized conditioning from the start.

Their individual martial arts might vary, but when it came to clandestine infiltration and the delicate handling of information, they were so superior that no group among the Nine Sects and One Gang, or the Five Great Clans, could compete.

It was illogical to suggest that Dam Ak could simply neutralize such highly trained operatives—even those specialized in lethal assassination—without a monumental effort.

Tap, tap.

“What could have happened……?”

This was far beyond the question of whether a mission succeeded or failed.

The true dilemma was that they had no idea what was occurring in Tae-won, Shanxi, where the Black Thought Alliance resided.

The critical issue now was identifying who was blocking their intelligence and for what purpose.

Jegal So-myeong, who had been drumming the desk, suddenly gripped his fist until his knuckles whitened.

‘Could it be……. those dogs from the Demonic Cult!’

If it wasn’t the cult, the events in Tae-won remained inexplicable.

The real danger was their underlying goal.

If they were manufacturing a war between the Black Thought Alliance and the Murim Alliance, then the situation was grave indeed……

The mission of the Envoy Delegation would become impossible to complete.

Better yet, the mission was no longer the priority; the very lives of the Envoy Delegation were at stake.

‘Did I entrust them with a task too dangerous?’

He had assigned it with the casual expectation that it would be a success if things went well, but now that the tides had turned, deep anxiety took root.

“Should we wait for more information?”

At the suggestion, Jegal So-myeong stood up once more.

He didn’t know who the enemy was, but they lacked the luxury to simply sit and wait.

“Grand Strategist?”

“I am going to the Hall of the Alliance Leader.”

Jegal So-myeong found himself unable to stay put.

As news broke that the fourth of the Five Dogs of Xiping had been a sleeper agent utilizing a Human-Skin Mask, a wave of terror rippled throughout the entire Black Thought Alliance.

The upper leadership, in particular, was severely rattled.

The fact that Do Bong-su and the other brothers had remained ignorant of the deception only highlighted how incredibly skilled the infiltrator had been.

Simultaneously, the leaders grew paranoid, fearing they were next on the hit list, leading many to keep their closest allies at a cold distance.

“The real question is who dispatched this spy.”

“Obviously, the Murim Alliance sent him.”

“You idiot! Are you still spouting nonsense about war? Unless the Murim Alliance has completely lost their minds, would they attempt such a thing at a time like this?”

“……”

The realization that the spy was so capable suggested that the organization that produced him was equally formidable.

But where, under the heavens, outside of the Murim Alliance, the Black Thought Alliance, or the Blood Cult, existed an organization capable of forging such operatives?

Furthermore, when considering who possessed the cruel, manipulative ingenuity to murder a target and have an assassin take their place, the list of suspects became even shorter.

Within the Black Thought Alliance, the demand to purge any remaining hidden agents became deafening.

“We must identify the moles immediately.”

“But we have no idea who the hidden agents are.”

“Could we not use…… the technique that the Black Flame Dragon employed?”

They were, however, terrified of the actual implementation.

Everyone had witnessed how Jin So-un had exposed the spy, but no one possessed the nerve to attempt it themselves.

If they failed to properly identify a spy, or if they slipped up even slightly, they risked executing an innocent brother-in-arms.

The leadership, including the militant faction that had been clamoring to have the Envoy Delegation dragged out and beheaded, fell silent.

Everyone waited to see what the Black Flame Dragon would do next.

Jin So-un, who had been the target of false accusations for so long, sauntered through the Black Thought Alliance as if finally shedding the weight of his indignation.

Not that he had ever walked around with his head bowed in the first place.

BANG!

The entrance to the pavilion housing the Four Dragons Sect shattered, and the disciples of the sect narrowed their reptilian eyes, instinctively reaching for their weapons.

“Who goes there! How dare you trespass upon the Four Dragons Sect……”

“It is me, you snake-brained fools!”

The person who announced his arrival in such a shockingly disrespectful manner was none other than Jin So-un.

“……”

At the sight of him striding in with such arrogance, the Four Dragons Sect disciples, who had been ready to erupt in rage, froze.

Jin So-un, accompanied by Gun Yu-hyeon and Blood Battle, pulled a chair over without a moment’s hesitation and sat down as if he were in his own home, then commanded.

“Round up all the guards while I am still being polite.”

“……”

The Four Dragons Sect disciples, sensing the reason for Jin So-un’s visit and exactly what he was planning, hesitated, watching the situation with dread.

He had come to the Four Dragons Sect to uncover the spy who had murdered Gal Mun-jeong.

To the Four Dragons Sect, who had insisted until this moment that the infiltrator was Il-myeong of the Envoy Delegation, it would not have been strange for them to be overcome with fury. However, after Jin So-un exposed the spy who had killed Do Bong-su, the entire dynamic had shifted.

Since Jin So-un had discovered the existence of a mole that no one else suspected, tracked him down, and finished him, his authority was absolute.

No one could challenge a man who held the explicit permission of the Alliance Leader.

In that moment.

“Black Flame Dragon.”

As if anticipating his move, the Deputy Sect Leader of the Four Dragons Sect, Wang Ju-bal, rose from his seat.

He spoke in the most measured tone he could muster.

“You have come to search for a hidden agent, have you not?”

He then made his stance clear.

“We have conducted thorough internal interrogations and confirmed there is no such agent among us. You may search elsewhere.”

Jin So-un looked at Wang Ju-bal, tilting his head with a mocking expression.

Internal interrogation?

“Lies.”

“……”

At the insulting nature of Jin So-un’s words and demeanor, the corners of Wang Ju-bal’s eyes spasmed.

“We conducted a rigorous investigation……”

“Then why is the spy still standing right here?”

“What?”

Jin So-un gestured toward the Four Dragons Sect disciples with his chin.

“Are you planning to leave the real agent alone? If so, the Four Dragons Sect will have to shoulder the blame for every assassination that occurs from this point onward……”

He looked back at Wang Ju-bal and flashed a grin.

“Are you prepared to take that responsibility?”

For a heartbeat, Wang Ju-bal’s gaze sharpened.

“How can you be so certain?”

“Are you still questioning my talent?”

“……”

A savage clash of glares passed between them.

It was a test of iron-willed pride between Wang Ju-bal, the newly established leader of his sect, and Jin So-un, who had to keep the Envoy Delegation alive and ensure their safe return to the Murim Alliance.

The air in the room grew suffocatingly dense under their mutual intensity.

At that moment.

“Cough, cough.”

A soft, thin cough echoed through the silence.

Jin So-un’s eyes flared with brilliance.

“Who was that? Who dared to cough!”

“……”

A second later, Jin So-un surged out of his chair.

“This Seat is currently using the Mind-Reading Art, so who dared to interrupt!”

At Jin So-un’s shout, the Four Dragons Sect disciples began shifting their eyes toward a specific point in the room.

The face of the man standing where their gazes converged turned deathly pale.

Hic.

“Was it you?”

“I-I apologize.”

Jin So-un strode toward the man, widening his eyes as he peered into the man’s face.

“This Seat is currently using the Mind-Reading Art, so how dare you cough, you foolish thing!”

“Hic! Hic! Hic!”

“Now that I look closely, your head is infested with Mara demons.”

“Hic…… I-I thought the Taeul Sect was a Daoist order, though……”

The sturdy man, covered in a thick beard, curled up as if he had been reduced to a trembling child.

Jin So-un barked, his voice rising in anger.

“Since you are talking back to me, you are most certainly the hidden agent!!!”

“Wh-what is that supposed to mean!!!”

The man who had merely coughed couldn’t fathom that his life was suddenly hanging by a thread because of a single throat irritation.

Finally, Wang Ju-bal let out a long, weary breath and stepped forward.

“Enough, Black Flame Dragon.”

If he allowed Jin So-un to continue, he didn’t know what kind of humiliation he would have to endure.

He didn’t know much, but it had become common knowledge throughout the Black Path that the Black Flame Dragon possessed a truly atrocious disposition.

Wang Ju-bal looked at Jin So-un and requested.

“Do you only require us to gather the guards?”

“Gather all the guards and the Elder Council.”

“I am to be included as well, correct?”

“No. It matters not if you skip it.”

“Hm?”

Jin So-un crossed his arms and looked him over.

“This Seat has already verified through Mind-Reading Art that there are no Mara demons in your head.”

“……”

Wang Ju-bal struggled to maintain a neutral expression.

As the disciple earlier had noted, was the Taeul Sect not a Daoist tradition?

He wanted to question why Buddhist Mara demons were suddenly involved, but he sensed it would only lead to further trouble, so he kept his mouth tightly shut.

“……”

Gun Yu-hyeon and Blood Battle, witnessing the spectacle, could only stand with their mouths agape, wide enough to swallow a bowl.

Blood Battle let out a dry, incredulous laugh.

“He really is a madman.”

“……”

“You agree, don’t you?”

Rather than speak, Gun Yu-hyeon gave a subtle nod.

He quietly considered the possibility that Jin So-un’s head might truly be filled with Mara demons of his own.