Chapter 50. The Wind Blows (5)

The atmosphere in the office became tense.

Taekyung's face showed a look of bewilderment.

"What, what do you mean?"

Crack!

Yeonhojeong crushed the teacup. Despite breaking it with his bare hands, not a single scratch appeared on his hand.

Taekyung involuntarily swallowed hard at this threatening action.

"At first, I was somewhat puzzled."

Yeonhojeong opened his hand.

Crack.

The broken teacup fragments fell to the ground.

"In general, when planting a spy in another organization, three rules are followed: First, an inconspicuous location. Second, an inconspicuous position. Third, an inconspicuous personality."

Taekyung's eyes wavered.

He was a man thoroughly trained to maintain his composure even if lightning struck before his eyes. But now, he couldn't do it.

The eldest son, who openly called him a spy, had a gaze as intense as lightning and as hot as lava.

It was impossible to distinguish whether it was murderous intent or authority. The moment the teacup broke, Taekyung's calmness shattered. And Yeonhojeong's murderous aura promptly seeped into the cracks of his broken heart.

"A first-rate spy strictly follows these rules. People don't suspect those who are inconspicuous. Countless organizations in the martial world have been destroyed because of such spies."

"......!!"

"But a special-grade spy is different."

Yeonhojeong pointed to himself with his thumb.

"A special-grade spy shows a completely opposite pattern. They have a conspicuous personality, hold a conspicuous position, and loiter in conspicuous places."

"......!!"

"A person who can be suspected by anyone when something happens, but also has many ways to avoid suspicion. They know that once they dodge the arrow of suspicion, they will never be caught."

Yeonhojeong smiled.

Taekyung couldn't smile back.

"However, you are unique. You're not a first-rate spy, and it's awkward to classify you as a special-grade spy. You don't have a conspicuous personality, but you hold a conspicuous position and work in the organization's core."

"Eldest Son! If you suspect me of being a spy... …"

"Misunderstanding? I'm certain."

"......!"

"At first, I was also puzzled. No matter how I looked at it, this guy doesn't seem to be from the Myeong family. Then, where from? Are there other people trying to devour the main family besides the Myeong family?"

Taekyung involuntarily clutched his thigh.

'Myeong family? What is the Myeong family? Is the Myeong family also targeting this place?!'

Even in a critical moment, he gathered new information. Instinctively, he memorized the content to be conveyed to his allies if he managed to escape.

Yeonhojeong chuckled.

"Didn't the head of the Murong family tell you? That he had allied with the Myeong family?"

"......?!"

"You have quite the skill. It seems you've raised a spy with great care. Even if caught, it's easy to cut ties and pretend to know nothing, right?"

"......!!"

"The Murong family... It's really interesting. Targeting the back of the back? In the end, the main family was just observing public sentiment in the arena of the sharks, knowing nothing."

Now, Yeonhojeong could infer what had happened in the past.

Both the Murong family and the Myeong family had targeted the Yeon family.

They didn't act separately. The Yeon family was not a family that could be swallowed by a single organization. This was even more true for the Seven Great Families, who had many enemies.

So, the Myeong family and the Murong family formed an alliance. They planned to destroy the Yeon family and split Jiangsu Province in half.

The former Yeon Wei opposed the business proposal until the end.

So, the Myeong family took action. If a family couldn't be swayed, they would sweep it away by force and then take over, the most barbaric yet effective choice.

What was surprising was the Murong family's choice.

The high probability was that the Myeong family's sudden and unnoticed destruction was the work of the Murong family.

A family that had claimed the glory of the First Family under Heaven with a short history.

Of course, it would have been difficult to bury the Myeong family with the Murong family's power alone. However, the Murong family must have played a leading role. Otherwise, the Murong family wouldn't have been called the First Family under Heaven.

In the end, everyone was deceived by the Murong family.

"That's how the world works. Whether it's the black path or the white path, they are all the same in the end. The good guys suffer, and the bad guys grow fat."

"......"

"Seeing this, isn't the head of the Murong family really great? You don't seem like a good guy, so what kind of trust did you give to such a person to risk your life?"

Yeonhojeong smiled slyly.

"Why? Did he promise to let you look down on the world from his side when he rules the world in the future?"

Cold sweat trickled down Taekyung's neck.

"I, I don't understand what you're saying, Eldest Son..."

"I knew you would say that."

Yeonhojeong glared at Taekyung and shouted.

"Houkai!"

Swoosh.

Taekyung was startled.

He didn't know when he had arrived. Gadeok was standing in the corner of the office, right in front of the shadowy bookshelf, with his arms crossed.

"Tsk, I didn't want to get involved in someone else's family affairs."

Gadeok's gaze, which glared at Taekyung, was extremely cold.

"Your actions are so despicable. I lost all desire to receive the commission."

Yeonhojeong extended his hand. Gadeok handed him a neatly folded letter.

Taekyung's eyes widened.

'How did he...?'

This letter was sent to the Murong family through the Tongtian Sect.

The problem was that it wasn't sent in the name of the Yeon family. After serving as the head of the Yeon family for a considerable time, he had also made some members of the Tongtian Sect his own people.

"It was written in code. It was quite complex, but not difficult to decipher."

Taekyung felt his vision go dark.

If it were anyone else, it might be different, but for the Kai Bang, deciphering codes was a breeze. The larger the organization that handles information, the higher the level of codebreakers.

The Kai Bang was the pinnacle of the white path's information network, a massive organization with countless top-tier codebreakers.

Yeonhojeong waved the letter.

"Let's stop the pretense. Haven't your facial muscles been paralyzed from hiding your true intentions?"

He was right.

With the coded letter exposed, there was no point in denying it. Moreover, he had already failed to maintain his composure in front of Yeonhojeong.

'Damn.'

Taekyung sighed.

"How did you know?"

Yeonhojeong's eyes sparkled. He was certain Taekyung was a spy, but he didn't expect him to admit it so readily.

"How did I know?"

"I'm curious about the reason you suspected me."

Yeonhojeong snorted.

"Do I need to think about it? I'm not a fool; I can see it at a glance."

This statement made most people in the martial world seem like fools.

Taekyung forced a bitter smile.

"You don't intend to tell me."

Even if he wanted to, he couldn't. Even if he did, he didn't have a credible past.

"Surprisingly anticlimactic? I thought you would deny it until the end."

"Even if I denied it until the end, would you believe me?"

"Of course not."

"That's why I admitted it."

It was a strange statement. At least, it sounded strange to Yeonhojeong.

"I misjudged you. I thought you were a mediocre martial artist desperate to become the head of the family."

"You played your role well."

"It was a great performance. As someone aiming to be a military strategist, I couldn't see through a young man's true intentions, so I must still have a long way to go."

Yeonhojeong sensed a subtle sense of pride in his voice.

'As expected, it's as I thought.'

Taekyung's eyes deepened.

"You couldn't have acted alone. The head of the Yeon family must know."

He called the head of the Yeon family by name without hesitation, even after several years.

At least, his audacity was first-rate. It wasn't easy for any spy to do this.

Yeonhojeong shook his head.

"My father doesn't know."

"In this situation, there's no need to lie."

"That's what I'm saying."

Taekyung frowned.

'He doesn't know?'

He carefully examined Yeonhojeong's face.

"......Is it true?"

"Once you catch a fish, you start by removing the scales. Do you want to waste time with jokes?"

"Why didn't you tell him?"

Yeonhojeong laughed coldly.

Seeing that smile, Taekyung suddenly realized.

"You... Your ambition to become the head of the family was real!"

"I don't think a genuine act would work in front of someone who has been a spy for nearly ten years."

Taekyung sighed softly.

"My arrogance led to this situation. Even though I saw the essence, I was completely deceived by the packaged expression."

No matter what help he received, the main actor in this affair was Yeonhojeong.

In other words, he had caught the spy and proven his ability. He hadn't told anyone for that reason.

As Taekyung sighed, he also felt a sense of joy.

'What an idiot!'

The head of the family doesn't know?

If he knew, he could somehow escape, but if he didn't, it would be easier. Taekyung couldn't help but sneer at Yeonhojeong's ambition.

Yeonhojeong stood up.

"Thank you for being a stepping stone for my future."

Taekyung glared at Yeonhojeong with a venomous look.

"Be careful. Greedy people often make mistakes in unexpected places."

"Those who lack ambition do that."

"Under a greedy person, there is a cautious one. That saying is true."

"You're not the one to lecture me, a mere spy."

Yeonhojeong pointed to the door with his chin.

"Will you walk out on your own, or be dragged out?"

A moment later, Taekyung was surrounded by warriors and led to the prison.

Yeonhojeong, who had been watching his back, said,

"Mr. Houkai."

"Yes, sir."

"Tell my father that we will take care of the rest, so he can rest easy."

* * *

Creak!

The solitary confinement cell door opened.

Thud!

Taekyung stumbled into the cell. It was a small room that would be filled if one person lay down.

The eyes of the head of the Beopin Pavilion were extremely fierce.

"I never thought you would do such a thing."

Taekyung remained with his back turned, looking at the wall. His posture seemed detached at first glance.

"Did you dare to mock us with that audacious face?"

"......"

"Have nothing to say!"

"......"

Taekyung remained silent.

The head of the Beopin Pavilion, who had been muttering, coldly said,

"You won't die a peaceful death."

The head of the Beopin Pavilion closed the solitary confinement cell door.

Bang!

The sound was so intense that the steel door shook.

Thus, Taekyung was left alone in the solitary confinement cell, with only a faint moonlight seeping in.

"......"

How much time had passed?

Taekyung, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, spoke.

"Chingin (Listener)."

Surprisingly, a voice came from the small window outside.

"Hwain (Speaker)."

"......"

"Hyunchun (Mystic Heaven), Hotian (Vast Heaven)."

"Hotian."

Chirring.

A small, dark key entered through the small window.

It was too dark to see where it fell. Taekyung felt around the floor and finally found the key.

'Got it.'

From now on, it would be easy. He felt around the wall opposite the door with the key.

'Left lower point, up three, right two.'

No matter how well a prison is built, there must be gaps between the stones.

But what Taekyung was looking for was not just a gap. He needed to find a metal hole that the small key would fit into.

Click. Click.

It was hard to insert it in the dark.

Cold sweat trickled down his forehead. He had practiced many times when no one was watching, but in the actual situation, it wasn't as easy as before.

'Hmm.'

He calmed his mind as much as possible and tried again.

A moment later.

Whoosh.

Surprisingly, the center of the floor sank.

The ground sank without making any sound. Taekyung cheered and entered the hole.

Swoosh.

After Taekyung entered, the floor returned to its original state.

Thus, the solitary confinement cell was left empty.