Devil's Seed (6)
After handing my business card to Malttugi, I immediately shifted into my Spirit Body form, slipping through the shadows and scaling the walls of the dorm to reach my destination.
Creak.
"You're back? Good work... guk?!"
I opened the window, slipped inside, closed it behind me, and immediately pinned Jumo down.
[Betrayal?]
"W-what are you talking about?!"
[A Hwalbindang guy named Malttugi showed up at the place I went to raid. What the hell is going on?]
"Hwalbindang? Wait, I seriously have no idea what's happening here!"
Jumo looked genuinely flustered. It could still be an act, so I didn't release my hold.
[Right now, I've got three possibilities running through my head. One is pure coincidence—both factions hitting the same spot at the same time. Another is that Hwalbindang tailed you while you were gathering intel. And the last...]
"You think I betrayed you? No way...! I'd die before betraying Imae Mangnyang!"
[So it was just a coincidence that our paths crossed? Doesn't feel right.]
Malttugi had shown up right after I'd smashed the facility and dealt with the devils. Unless he'd timed it perfectly, no way he'd appear at such a precise moment.
[I don't believe in coincidences. Especially not in a situation like this.]
"I'm telling you, I'm innocent...!"
[Are you being sincere?]
"Yes! I was just following orders from above!"
[Then there's only one possibility left.]
A flicker of irritation rose in me.
[Who was it that first assigned you the mission and told you to gather intel?]
"What? You don't think there's a traitor in Imae Mangnyang, do you?"
[Answer me.]
The intel had leaked. If Jumo wasn't the traitor, then something was rotten higher up the chain.
[Asking about this in Imae Mangnyang is bad manners, but which legion do you belong to?]
"Gung-gi Legion! Under Gung-gi herself!"
[Which unit in Gung-gi Legion? Blackwing Squad? Zhuque Squad? Phoenix Squad?]
"...Night Raven. Ugh, spilling everything like this."
Revealing her full affiliation as an intel operative was basically asking to be fired. Just like how National Intelligence Service agents never specify their units, Imae Mangnyang members don't spill details. But her doing so now meant she was proving her innocence her way. Telling an outsider like me her unit was tantamount to staking her life on it.
That's how it worked in Imae Mangnyang.
[Good. I'll trust you. But I can't trust your superiors.]
"N-no way. Night Raven is Gung-gi's direct unit. They wouldn't betray Imae Mangnyang."
[We'll see.]
I released my transformation.
"We'll know for sure once we check directly."
I slipped on the hotel robe I'd prepared, tied the belt, and strapped the Taeguk Watch from the desk back onto my wrist.
"You gonna call the Night Raven captain?"
"Nope." I pointed upward with my finger. "Korean specialty. When shit hits the fan, we don't go after underlings—we hit the boss, the top brass."
"...No way, you're...?"
Beep.
The phone rang about three times.
[Ah, hello!]
"Hello, Director."
[Director? Oh, right. Yeah, I can talk now.]
Jumo's face, watching me, twisted in shock. Probably because the "Director's" voice was nothing like what she was used to hearing.
"I'm in the middle of a mission with a Night Raven operative, and something weird just went down."
[......What?]
Unlike her bubbly tone seconds ago, her voice turned icy, and Jumo's expression shifted too.
"Here's the rundown."
I recounted everything that had happened, down to the last detail.
[Hand the phone over?]
"You can say it now. She's right here."
[Name and rank.]
"Sir, yes sir! Night Raven Second Generation, Agent Celestia reporting!!"
Jumo, huh? Not a very Jumo-like name.
[Celestia.... Celestia.... Hmm, got it. Section Chief, give me three minutes? I'll check right now.]
"Take all the time you need."
[Stay on the line. Checking now... done.]
The director let out a hollow chuckle.
[Looks like someone's in Night Raven itching to join up with Hwalbindang. Lost their damn mind. Messing with Dokaebi of all people.]
"This woman's got nothing to do with it?"
[Poor thing got used. Want a replacement? I'll send one over right away.]
"Nah, she's fine. If there's blame, it's that her boss had shady plans and she didn't notice. Or... maybe there are still folks in Imae Mangnyang who don't like me."
[N-no, that's not it! Section Chief Do is so capable and amazing!]
"That's exactly why I'm saying it."
Who in the organization would be thrilled about a lowly grunt rocketing straight to Total Leader's direct subordinate in just six months? Especially since I wasn't even attached to any team—operating solo like a lone wolf.
"Anyway, be careful, Director. Lots of Koreans under you, so beyond this leak, there might be others connected to Hwalbindang by blood, mentorship, hometown ties, schoolmates, whatever."
[Got it. Can't just chop everyone's heads off at once, but I'll look into it carefully. And you there, Celestia.]
"Yes, Director!"
Celestia snapped to attention, her voice dripping with discipline.
[Keep doing your job like you have been. Don't skip any sudden missions or orders that come your way.]
"Pardon?"
[Dokaebi's not the type to flip sides just because Hwalbindang or whoever makes contact.]
She was right. I had no reason to betray Imae Mangnyang, no intention of it. Not even if they offered triple the pay.
[But using Imae Mangnyang's intel network to keep pulling Dokaebi to their side? That's crossing the line. So play dumb and take every order. Whether it comes through Night Raven or indirect support requests from other units.]
"If something like this happens again... you'll handle it personally, Director?"
[Me, personally? I'm not that free. HR will take care of it themsel— you know.]
I mouthed the translation to Jumo: We'll fuck them up ourselves.
[Section Chief Do. Keep this from the other directors, especially that shady one.]
"Of course. I wouldn't dream of putting you in a tough spot. Oh, and sorry for the small talk on the job."
I held out a hand to stop Jumo, cleared my throat, and gave the Taeguk Watch a light kiss.
[...Huh?]
"Thank you, Director. You cleared up the misunderstanding."
[Uh, y-yeah...! It's the least I could do for a mess from my team! Call if anything else comes up. C-click, bye!]
Click. The call ended.
I tapped the Taeguk Watch to turn off the screen, stood, and bowed politely to Jumo.
"Sorry about that. Thought you were an Imae Mangnyang traitor colluding with Hwalbindang."
"N-no, it's fine."
"Talk casual like before the mission. Knowing your identity doesn't change what you have to do."
"O-okay, got it... Um, but..."
Her tension easing a bit, Jumo pointed cautiously at my Taeguk Watch.
"That was... Gung-gi?"
"Yeah."
"...You're on direct calling terms with Gung-gi?"
"Executive level—the 'Four Great Cadres'—we've got each other's direct lines. Don't call often, though."
I could call them, but they couldn't call me directly. Total Leader's orders.
"Sorry for the rudeness, but let's get along from here. We're a bit desperate hiding our identities too."
"N-no, it's okay. I took the order from above without even checking where it came from—that's on me. Y-you're not mad... right?"
I was the one who'd twisted her arm, but Jumo was clearly worried, gauging my mood.
"How about we grab a drink to make up? Clear the air, celebrate the mission success. Wash off the heat from killing all those filthy bastards—a little purification ritual."
"Chicken and beer?"
"...Ah."
Jumo's face lit up with a bright smile—then froze.
"......I just drank the last beer."
"No helping it, then, Jumo." I pointed at her Taeguk Watch. "Order delivery."
"Ah."
"Places sell late-night snacks and beer even now. I'll shower in the meantime."
"Got it. I'll order quick—take your time. Um... can I just ask one thing? You don't have to answer."
"Shoot."
"What's your deal... with Gung-gi?"
"......"
A complicated relationship.
"She might seem cold and ruthless to you, but to me, she's warmer-hearted than anyone."
"Whoa...."
She really was. Gung-gi had a truly warm heart.
"After my shower, we can crack open the chicken and chat. Doesn't matter to me who gives you your future missions."
"Then...?"
"Devil-related ones."
Lucky that the first mission lined up with what I was after.
"Anything devil-related—Devil's Seed, whatever—take it, no matter how suspicious. Especially... Pandemonium."
The massive organization where every named devil gathered.
"We gotta kill 'em all."
For world peace. And smooth sailing on Imae Mangnyang's world conquest.
And so, I'd handled the 'first' Devil's Seed.