Chapter 104: The Enemy Within (4)
“Do you have any suspects in mind?”
At Shin Soo-jeong’s question, Chae Jin-young stroked his chin.
“Plenty.”
He thought back to everyone who knew about his Russia trip.
Starting from his younger sister Chae So-young, to Shin Soo-jeong right in front of him, Prophet Michelle, and Chairwoman Hannah.
Yoon Soo-ho had also gone on the raid with him, so Association Secretary General Myung Ji-yoon knew as well.
Naturally, Intelligence Department Director Jeong Bo-hoon and a very small handful of high-ranking NIS officials were aware of his absence.
He didn’t think Myung Ji-yoon was someone with a loose tongue, but suspicion alone couldn’t be used to judge everything.
Still, the most suspicious group was undoubtedly the NIS.
Of course, unless Jeong Bo-hoon had completely lost his mind, he wouldn’t have joined hands with GODS.
But even so, he might know something.
Tzzzzzt—
Chae Jin-young opened a portal and moved straight to the front of Jeong Bo-hoon’s office.
Knock knock.
No answer came after he knocked.
He had heard from Shin Soo-jeong that Jeong Bo-hoon had gone to Busan for the yakuza arrest operation.
But the operation should have ended by now—more than enough time to return.
Chae Jin-young was about to rip the doorknob off and enter but held back and tried calling instead.
— Agent Psycho, did you enjoy your vacation?
Jeong Bo-hoon’s voice came through the earpiece.
It didn’t sound like anything had happened to him.
“It was cool and empty—perfect. We should go together sometime.”
—I’ll pass.
“Anyway, you’re still not back in Seoul? You weren’t in your office.”
—Ah. I just got back, actually. But I’ve got a lot of fieldwork today, so I won’t be in the office.
“What’s keeping you so busy? Take it easy sometimes.”
—I wish I could.
“Got it. I’ll contact you later.”
Chae Jin-young ended the call briefly.
‘As expected of a veteran.’
Jeong Bo-hoon’s voice was as steady as always.
All those years in the NIS hadn’t gone to waste.
Even if he tried to probe indirectly, it wouldn’t work.
Of course, he could just torture him with psychokinesis or dominate his mind with tentacles and get answers easily.
‘But I can’t do that to our Director.’
Still, there were people he could do it to.
‘Busan, was it? The place the yakuza tried to attack.’
If they had chosen this exact timing to hit Busan, they definitely knew something.
Chae Jin-young immediately called someone.
“Hey, rookie agent.”
—Yes, Senior!
It was Eun Ji-eun, the rookie agent who had been deployed to the recent yakuza arrest operation.
“The yakuza are still in Busan, right?”
—Yes, I’ve got them locked down!
“Send me the coordinates.”
—…Huh?
“I’m coming there.”
—Uh… We were told to keep the yakuza alive for diplomatic reasons with Japan…
At her words, Chae Jin-young made an incredulous face.
“I’m not going there to cut their throats.”
—And Director Jeong ordered no one be allowed in…
“Is the Director above me? Or am I above him?”
—Well, obviously the Director…
“Rank and age aside.”
She immediately understood what he meant.
—I’ll send the coordinates in a message…
Chae Jin-young smirked.
Not because he had messed with the rookie.
But because her voice—rushed into the operation and still inexperienced with psychological warfare—couldn’t hide her panic.
He smelled something off.
Ding—
Soon after, a map with the coordinates arrived on his phone.
He had never been to Busan before, so he opened a portal to the nearest location: Gyeongju.
Tzzzzzt—
Chae Jin-young appeared in the middle of a quiet street.
He took out a white SUV from sub-space.
Who would’ve thought he’d end up taking a late-summer vacation to Busan?
‘When I already have so much to do.’
Things like installing the absorbed Nine City in hell, for example.
Research into the uses of the chalice, training Choi Hee-yeon with the Heavenly Thunder Divine Sword, and studying wrath energy through the red-haired subject.
All of it was being delayed because of that damned traitor.
‘Should I start by pulling out all his fingers?’
With that thought, Chae Jin-young set off toward Busan.
***
“Why on earth did Chairwoman Cheon betray us? Do you have any guesses?”
NIS Director Yeon Jae-won asked.
Park Jeong-jae, the floor leader of the Peace Party, pondered with a serious expression before answering.
“Maybe she got a better deal. Or she felt some ridiculous pang of conscience. I think it’s one of those two.”
“Pfft. A pang of conscience… that’s hilarious. Still, the first one seems more likely.”
Yeon Jae-won snorted and thought about the “better deal.”
It would have to be something significant enough for Cheon Ji-hee to take on all the risks.
But nothing immediately came to mind.
“Or perhaps there was backlash within the Future Party. Pushing for a merger with our Peace Party would mean losses for them.”
“No matter how much we speculate here, we won’t uncover the truth.”
At Yeon Jae-won’s words, Park Jeong-jae’s eyes gleamed as he asked,
“Do you have some sharp idea?”
“Who do you think I am? I’ll mobilize a secret agent in Busan to find out exactly what plot they’re cooking up.”
Yeon Jae-won raised the corner of his mouth in a smirk.
Park Jeong-jae nodded with a satisfied smile.
“As expected of the NIS Director.”
“And since Director Jeong might be up to something too… it’d be good to contact our partner as well.”
Yeon Jae-won had grown suspicious of Jeong Bo-hoon’s complete lack of contact.
He suddenly wondered if it might be connected to Cheon Ji-hee’s betrayal.
If Jeong Bo-hoon and the Awakener Intelligence Department had turned against him, he would need to put forward an Awakener as a shield to match.
“That partner… you said he’s a 1st Grade hunter?”
At Park Jeong-jae’s question, Yeon Jae-won answered with a relaxed smile.
“They say he can even draw out Zero-Grade-level power with a self-developed enhancer. He’s on a completely different level from the trash rumors like Black Rose from before.”
“Haha, that’s reassuring. Then I’ll leave everything to you, Director.”
***
“Yes, Director. I’ll contact you after completing the mission.”
Park Seung-geon, a secret agent of the NIS stationed in Busan.
After finishing his call with the Director, he stood up.
He had been spending idle time in Busan with nothing much to do.
Finally, a secret mission had come in.
The task was to investigate Busan Metropolitan Council Chairwoman Cheon Ji-hee’s background.
It wasn’t particularly difficult.
She was just an ordinary person, not an Awakener, and digging into politicians’ backgrounds was his specialty.
However, the scope wasn’t limited to Cheon Ji-hee alone—it included key figures of the Future Party who controlled Busan.
On top of that, he also had to track down the whereabouts of the yakuza who had entered Busan.
There was quite a lot to do.
Doing it all alone would be impossible.
“Speaker. A mission has come down from headquarters.”
He began communication with another counterintelligence agent codenamed ‘Speaker.’
Unlike the Awakener Intelligence Department, which consisted of Awakened personnel, the Counterintelligence Department was made up of ordinary people and mainly operated domestically.
That was why counterintelligence agents were spread across the country.
In the Gyeongsang region alone, there were quite a few.
—I’ll relay to the other agents to gather at the Busan safe house. Over.
While Speaker contacted the secret agents scattered across Gyeongsang Province, Park Seung-geon began packing various items into a black briefcase.
After finishing preparations, he drove toward the safe house on the outskirts of Busan.
Lately, the Counterintelligence Department had been compared unfavorably to the Awakener Intelligence Department and had suffered major budget and personnel cuts.
All overseas black agents had been recalled, and the remaining personnel were limited to domestic counterintelligence work.
Originally, the NIS Director had taken good care of the Counterintelligence Department, but this year they had been treated like leftovers.
All attention had been focused on the Awakener Intelligence Department’s string of successes.
And now, a solo mission had been assigned exclusively to the Counterintelligence Department—one that was absolutely not to be shared with the Awakener Intelligence Department.
‘I don’t know what it is, but it seems the Awakener Intelligence Department has fallen out of favor with the Director.’
If that was true, it was an incredible opportunity for the Counterintelligence Department.
They absolutely had to succeed.
Click.
Park Seung-geon had arrived near the Busan outskirts safe house.
He deliberately parked the car in a distant empty lot and walked through the tall grass.
After about five minutes, he reached the front of an abandoned building.
“Why is it so cold?”
Winter was approaching, but the weather wasn’t cold enough yet.
He hadn’t felt it when he first got out of the car.
But around this building, there was an inexplicable chill in the air.
Perhaps because it had been abandoned for so long.
Park Seung-geon tilted his head and entered the building.
The deeper he went, the colder it became.
The chill pierced through his trench coat and reached his skin.
He rubbed his arms to ward off the creeping goosebumps and slowly climbed the stairs.
‘There might be some firewood left upstairs.’
Since it was an abandoned building, heating was impossible—his only option was to gather and burn whatever wood he could find.
While searching for firewood—
Boom!
“Arghhh!”
A loud crash and something like a scream echoed from somewhere.
Park Seung-geon froze in place.
The eerie chill only heightened the tension; his neck muscles tightened instinctively.
Maybe he had grown too complacent with his easy life lately.
‘Don’t chicken out.’
He was, after all, an agent who had rolled around plenty in the NIS.
He had more field experience than most of the Awakener Intelligence Department hunters, except for Director Jeong Bo-hoon.
Having survived countless incidents, he quickly regained his composure.
He drew his pistol from inside his coat, kept his footsteps as quiet as possible, and cautiously moved toward the source of the sound.
If the opponent was a high-grade Awakener, it would be meaningless anyway.
But rushing in carelessly would be madness.
Like a stray cat, Park Seung-geon stealthily reached the door.
“Krrgh…”
A pitiful groan leaked from beyond the door.
He immediately operated his watch and sent a message to Agent Speaker.
Unknown intruders had infiltrated the NIS safe house in Busan—requesting immediate backup.
It could be runaway teenagers acting out, or gangsters using it as a hideout.
The worst-case scenario was Awakened villains occupying the place.
Since he couldn’t borrow the Awakener Intelligence Department’s strength right now, they might have to abandon the safe house.
‘They should be arriving soon.’
With Speaker and the others on the way, he planned to return to the entrance and wait.
Just as he was about to leave—
“Ya… what was it again? Anyway, these yakuza bastards were working with some politician named Cheon Ji-hee, right? And that Cheon Ji-hee was also…”
Park Seung-geon pressed himself flat against the wall beside the door and steadied his breathing.
‘Yakuza? Cheon Ji-hee? No way…’
If he hadn’t misheard, one of his mission targets—the yakuza—was right here.
And there was even a lead on Cheon Ji-hee.
He had no idea what was going on, but he wanted to hear more, even at the risk.
Furrowing his brow, Park Seung-geon focused every ounce of attention on listening.
Creak—
Suddenly, the door beside him opened on its own.
He nearly jumped and shouted in surprise.
He slipped his finger onto the trigger, ready for anything.
Then a voice came from inside the room.
“Hey, stop eavesdropping out there and come in.”
“……!”
It was clearly directed at him.
While he hesitated on what to do—
“Should I come out? Or do you want to come in?”
Decided, Park Seung-geon gripped his pistol tightly and stepped through the open door.
He aimed the gun and shouted,
“I’m an agent of the National Intelligence Service of Korea. Immediately—”
He intended to intimidate them by revealing his affiliation first.
But the scene before him stole his words.
Completely frozen yakuza members.
Among them, one had his limbs grotesquely twisted and was groaning in pain.
Standing in front of them were a man and woman in black suits, looking straight at him.
The woman wore a worried expression.
The man grinned and spoke to Park Seung-geon.
“Oh, NIS? I’m NIS too.”
“That’s ridiculous… Wait. No way…”
As Park Seung-geon’s mind spiraled into confusion—
The man in the black suit flicked his hand.
Crack-crack-crack—
With a horrific sound, the twisted-necked yakuza’s head snapped around completely, killing him instantly.
Gulp.
Park Seung-geon’s legs nearly gave out, but he barely held himself up.
The man in the black suit approached and asked in a low voice.
“So what brings an NIS agent all the way here? Did the Director send you for something?”
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