Chapter 340: Wrapping Up & the Outbreak
Chapter 340: Wrapping Up & the Outbreak
A week had already passed since I first visited Istantel Low Clan’s clan house.
I had agreed on how to handle the Vagabonds I brought in that day, and as planned, Han Soyoung held a trial five days later. Of course, it was an internal trial, and since it wasn't about determining right or wrong, there was nothing particularly special about it.
To get straight to the point, every single one of the Vagabonds was sentenced to death. And I didn't say a single word in front of them. The death sentences were carried out solely based on Istantel Low Clan's judgment. Besides, given Han Soyoung's thorough nature, there was no chance she would have let the Vagabonds live.
The Vagabonds' reactions to their sentences were... how should I put it? Quite varied.
Some screamed, “Didn't you say you'd let us live?” while others calmly tried to persuade us that they could be useful. There were also those who appealed to emotion, shedding tears, and those who seemed to have given up from the start, allowing themselves to be dragged away in silence.
But with Baek Seoyeon's defection, the other Vagabonds had lost all their value.
Han Soyoung never reversed a decision she had made, and in the end, every last Vagabond was executed.
All but one, that is. Baek Seoyeon.
Strictly speaking, Baek Seoyeon was also sentenced to death. However, there was one difference: unlike the others, she wasn't executed immediately. There was a reason for this—Han Soyoung had asked if we could keep her alive for just a little while.
And Han Soyoung's request was for none other than...
“...Confirmed: Internal Affairs Officer Jang Haeyoon and four others.”
Just then, a heavy voice suddenly reached my ears, pulling me from my thoughts. I slowly looked around.
I was in the Goryeo Clan's internal meeting room, the same one I had visited during the call to arms. It hadn't been crowded then, but there were even fewer people now. Most of the seats were occupied by Goryeo Clan members; besides them, I was the only outsider.
The atmosphere in the meeting room was dark and heavy. Everyone seated in their chairs was casting icy glares. Following their gazes, I saw four or five Users kneeling in the center of the room, their arms bound.
“Confirmed. Then let's begin immediately.”
The Goryeo Lord's dignified voice echoed through the room. His voice sounded quite calm, but the magic contained within it held an undeniable rage. Jo Seongho, a Goryeo Clan diplomatic officer sitting next to him, must have sensed it too, as he carefully spoke up.
“Clan Lord. What are your orders? I can handle the interrogation...”
“No, that's fine. This won't be difficult, so I'll do it myself.”
The Goryeo Lord shook his head and quickly rose to his feet. Then, he addressed one of the bound Users below.
“Jang Haeyoon. You've always been a smart man, so I trust you know full well why you've been dragged here.”
“Thank you for the compliment. But I'm afraid I'm not as smart as you think. I'm quite curious as to why I've been suddenly brought here and put in this position.”
“You bastard...”
“So I trust you'll provide an explanation that allows me to fully understand the situation.”
Although he was clearly in a situation he couldn't escape, Jang Haeyoon answered calmly without so much as batting an eye. He was one of the spies who had infiltrated the Goryeo Clan, and the first person Baek Seoyeon had named.
“Hmm. But I don't believe you would do something like this without a reason, sir. In any case, if there's a misunderstanding, it's only natural that we clear it up.”
At Jang Haeyoon's nonchalant words, I could see the Goryeo Lord's fists clench tightly. He seemed to seethe for a moment as if trying to swallow his anger, then spoke in a low voice.
“I saw you glance at Baek Seoyeon when you were brought in. You should be on your knees begging for forgiveness, yet you act so brazen. It makes my blood boil.”
“I'm the one who's confused. I heard a rumor that the Mercenary Lord had captured Baek Seoyeon, but this was my first time seeing her in person. I was just curious, there was no other meaning behind it.”
“Ha. Even after your name came out of that bitch's mouth?”
“What? My name? But why...”
Jang Haeyoon tilted his head, his face a mask of genuine confusion. Just as the Goryeo Lord was about to flare up again at the sight, Jo Seongho placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Clan Lord, please compose yourself. This is just a pointless war of words. It would be better to end this quickly than to keep going around in circles.”
“...”
As if he had a plan, Jo Seongho shot a sharp glare at Jang Haeyoon as he spoke. At his intervention, the Goryeo Lord managed a nod, let out a long sigh, and sat back down.
Jo Seongho slowly stepped forward and continued.
“Jang Haeyoon, Internal Affairs Officer of the Goryeo Clan. I won't waste time with a long-winded explanation.”
“Say whatever you want, but at least explain the situation first. Honestly.”
“...A while ago, the Mercenary Lord captured Baek Seoyeon. During her interrogation, we learned a shocking piece of information: that the Vagabonds' spies have infiltrated various places across the Northern Continent.”
Jang Haeyoon tilted his head as though considering the accusation. Watching him, I was briefly impressed. If he had been an actor in the modern world, his performance would have been convincing; on the surface, he looked utterly unaware of everything.
After a moment, Jang Haeyoon frowned and spoke.
“Are you saying that I'm a spy?”
“That's right.”
“Ha... To be honest, I had a feeling this might happen, but hearing it directly is still quite bewildering.”
“Shameless to the very end. It's disgusting.”
At Jo Seongho's sharp rebuke, Jang Haeyoon stared at him for a moment. Then, a shadow seemed to fall over his face, and he replied in a somber tone.
“This is unfair. I am not a spy.”
“Anyone can say that.”
“Are you two really going to believe the word of a mere Vagabond over me, someone who has been with you for years?”
“I knew you'd say that. Which is why I came prepared.”
The Goryeo Lord had been somewhat swayed by Jang Haeyoon, but Jo Seongho was clearly not one to be trifled with. He cut off Jang Haeyoon's emotional appeal without leaving any room for argument and rummaged inside his coat, pulling out a palm-sized crystal. The moment I identified it, I felt my eyes focus.
Crystal of Truth.
While not completely nonexistent, it was one of the rarer pieces of equipment. Only then did I understand the source of Jo Seongho's confidence. After all, the Goryeo Clan was now the undisputed top clan; it made sense they would possess at least one Crystal of Truth.
Without delay, Jo Seongho tossed the Crystal of Truth in front of Jang Haeyoon. The crystal rolled across the floor and stopped right in front of him. He slowly lowered his head to look at it. Before Jang Haeyoon could even lift his gaze, Jo Seongho's relaxed voice followed.
“You know what this is, don't you?”
“This is... Ha. Sir! Do you really have to go this far?”
“Like you said, out of respect for our past, I won't drag this out. If you're truly innocent, this Crystal of Truth will prove it.”
“...”
The game was over. When Jang Haeyoon raised his head again, his face was still composed. But the frantic shaking of his eyes betrayed his inner panic.
“We'll have to undo one of your restraints so you can inject your magic. I'm coming down now, so don't get any funny ideas, Jang Haeyoon.”
Watching Jo Seongho descend to the center of the room, I secretly yawned.
*
My business with the Goryeo Clan was finished. Afterward, the Goryeo Lord and Jo Seongho expressed their gratitude for my help. They asked me to join them for a meal, but I declined, using the excuse that I had a prior engagement with my brother. Honestly, I would have normally accepted, but the Goryeo Lord looked so unwell that I deliberately gave him some space. It seemed that confirming with his own eyes that Jang Haeyoon was a Vagabond had been a tremendous shock.
So, I really did go to see my brother. He hadn't contacted me once since I'd gotten angry with him during the call to arms. It wasn't so much that he was sulking, but rather that he was trying not to get on my nerves. Ever since we were kids, whenever I got mad, he would always awkwardly walk on eggshells around me. So I figured I'd go and smooth things over.
Just as I expected, my brother greeted my visit to the Haemil Clan with a delighted expression. And when I suggested we go out for a quick meal, he readily agreed. I felt a little bad for Lee Junseong, who was busy organizing documents with him, but my brother was the one who took the lead and dragged me out, so I couldn't even say a proper goodbye.
After finding a suitably spacious and quiet restaurant, we sat at a table in a corner. Only after we ordered our food did we start with simple pleasantries.
“So. Have you been well?”
“More or less.”
“What brings you here?”
“I had some business with the Goryeo Clan. So I stopped by since I was in the area.”
I took a sip of the water the waitress brought and briefly explained what had happened at the Goryeo Clan, from my first visit with Baek Seoyeon to the final reveal of the Crystal of Truth. My brother listened intently, not showing the slightest bit of boredom.
“Hmm... So the Goryeo Clan didn't say anything else to you?”
“Just that they were grateful for my help. They asked me to eat with them, but I refused because the Goryeo Lord looked terrible. He seemed like he really needed to rest.”
“I see. Well, considering it was Jang Haeyoon, that makes sense.”
My brother nodded and exhaled as if he knew something. I stared at him, curious about his cryptic answer, and he must have noticed my expression because he smacked his lips and began to speak.
“I don't know the details, but Jang Haeyoon was known as the Goryeo Lord's loyal confidant. So when the news came out that he was a spy, a lot of people were shocked.”
My brother gave a bitter smile before continuing.
“That man, Jang Haeyoon. I was slightly acquainted with him, you know? He was a pretty decent guy, well-respected too...”
I see. So that was why Han Soyoung had made the request.
Rooting out spies was harder than it sounded. They were proceeding step by step, but several obstacles remained. As my brother had said, Jang Haeyoon was well regarded and had a number of Users who followed him. Arresting him without warning would inevitably provoke resistance.
And to minimize that backlash and provide a justification, they needed Baek Seoyeon.
If even my brother said that… perhaps some people had already been won over by Jang Haeyoon.
“Anyway, thanks for coming. I was planning to visit you soon, actually.”
“Huh? At Mercenary?”
Just as I was lost in thought, my brother's voice drifted from across the table. I looked up to see him wearing a rather serious expression.
“Soohyun. There's something I really need to tell you. And I hope you'll listen.”
“What is it?”
“It's about the upcoming war.”
“...”
“Ah, of course, I know what you're thinking right now. But could you just hear me out first?”
If he had just bluntly told me not to participate in the war, I might have gotten angry again, but I could hear the sincerity in his tone, so I couldn't just dismiss it. In any case, there was no harm in just listening, so I nodded in agreement.
“Thanks. By the way, have you heard anything from the southern clans?”
“Nothing. Why?”
“I see...”
My brother trailed off for a moment, then lightly waved his hand. I felt an invisible barrier form around our table. He glanced around as if to confirm it had activated properly, then spoke in a much lower voice than before.
“Soon... it seems the East is planning to mobilize its Users, as early as next week. On a massive scale.”
“Next week? That fast?”
My brother didn't react to my question. Instead, he tapped his index finger on the table as if organizing his thoughts, then continued in a low voice.
“Listen carefully. I'm going to explain everything calmly. This war... I think it's going to be bigger than you think. Bigger than you can possibly imagine.”