CLS-Chapter 415

Chapter 415:

“So you’re saying you came back alive and well?”

“……Yes.”

Zhuge Wen-in’s eyebrows furrowed into an inverted character. Seeing Zhuge Wen-in’s face with his brow deeply furrowed, Wu-il silently let out a sigh.

‘I knew this would happen.’

Returning alive from Wei Yan-ho’s room was nothing short of miraculous. The moment Wei Yan-ho discovered him, Wu-il had prepared himself for death.

‘No, I couldn’t prepare myself.’

It was strange.

Wu-il had always lived thinking that the moment he was caught would be the last moment of his life.

But… why did he beg? Why did he ask to be spared?

Wu-il himself couldn’t understand the reason.

So it was only natural that Zhuge Wen-in was looking at him with such eyes.

“Let’s, let’s organize this again.”

Zhuge Wen-in cracked his neck left and right before continuing.

“So, you infiltrated and were caught by Wei Yan-ho?”

“That’s correct.”

“But Wei Yan-ho let you go without saying a word?”

“That’s correct.”

“I see, I see. So you’ve learned that this Wei Yan-ho fellow is such a benevolent person that he’d just release an assassin who infiltrated his room. That’s quite an achievement. I should praise you.”

Wu-il quietly bit his lips.

It was sarcasm so cutting it was piercing.

“But no matter how much I think about it, there’s something I can’t understand.”

“……”

Zhuge Wen-in opened his fan and gently waved it toward his face.

“I’d like to believe your words if possible. But I can’t understand it. Look here, Wu-il.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Why are you still alive?”

“……”

Wu-il couldn’t answer.

He couldn’t answer something he himself didn’t know.

“What was the most appropriate response you should have made the moment your existence was discovered?”

“Suicide……”

“That’s right, you know. How much do you think that poison pill in your mouth is worth? Why do you think we go to the trouble of issuing such expensive poison?”

“For suicide……”

“No! No!”

Zhuge Wen-in’s voice became sharp.

“For certain death. No matter how great a master one might be, it wouldn’t be easy to forcibly open your mouth and extract that poison pill. We issued that poison pill so you could die more certainly than stabbing your throat with the dagger you carry. But… where is that poison pill now?”

“……It’s still there.”

“Right. You’re saying that the poison pill is in your mouth, not in your stomach. And you returned safely. Without even knowing if anyone followed you.”

“No one followed me.”

“Is that important?”

“……”

Wu-il lowered his head.

It didn’t matter how sharp the words reaching his ears were. What mattered was that there was nothing wrong with those words.

‘Why couldn’t I die?’

He lacked a sense of reality.

He should have known what would happen if he came out of Wei Yan-ho’s room unharmed. Even if he told the truth about what happened, no one would believe him.

“So you’re saying you were discovered by the enemy and returned perfectly fine. You didn’t bite the poison pill as you were trained, nor did you flee—the enemy released you and you returned here? Is that what you’re saying now?”

“……That’s correct.”

The fan began moving faster.

Wu-il could clearly see Zhuge Wen-in’s face reddening. He was someone who disliked revealing his emotional changes. For such a person to be blushing like that meant Zhuge Wen-in was angry beyond what he could control.

He understood.

Wu-il’s mistake was that significant. It wouldn’t be unreasonable if his head were cut off right now.

‘I barely made it back alive……’

Wu-il quietly closed his eyes.

Now his fate rested entirely in Zhuge Wen-in’s hands. He couldn’t refuse Zhuge Wen-in’s orders. If he were told to bite his tongue right now, he would have to bite his tongue without a moment’s hesitation.

If he ran away, the necks of others, not his, would fall.

Their lives were more important than his life.

“This doesn’t make sense.”

Zhuge Wen-in shook his head and gulped down his tea.

“I should say it’s impressive. You’ve surprised me. I’ve experienced countless things, but this is the first time I’ve encountered such an absurd situation. I never even thought such a thing could happen.”

“……I’m sorry.”

“No, no. This isn’t something to be sorry about. It’s just a bit regrettable.”

“Pardon?”

Zhuge Wen-in glared at Wu-il with cold eyes.

“What would you think if you were in my position? Could you accept that Wei Yan-ho is such a great man among great men that he captured you but obediently released you? And that he let you return without even attaching a tail? Could you believe it if you were me?”

Wu-il shook his head.

This wasn’t even a matter to think about.

What would he have said if he had heard such a story not long ago?

It was obvious.

He would have ordered the returned informant to be captured and tortured. Surely there must be some other intention, or he must have been brainwashed by the enemy. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense.

“Wu-il.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“I trust you.”

“……Thank you.”

“But I have something called a position. I’m not someone who can move emotionally.”

Wu-il quietly nodded. He could understand what the Young Master was saying.

‘I accept it.’

Whatever decision the Young Master made, he had to accept it. That was his fate.

“For me to trust you again, you need to prove your innocence yourself. There’s only one way to do that.”

“What method do you mean?”

Zhuge Wen-in quietly smiled.

“There could be various methods, but no method could completely prove your innocence. However, there’s exactly one way you can become innocent.”

Wu-il’s eyes filled with doubt.

‘Suicide?’

For a moment, that was the only thought that came to his mind.

But the answer Zhuge Wen-in gave was a bit more cruel.

“Go and complete your mission.”

“……Pardon?”

“Go and complete your mission. Then no one will dare to suspect you. Wouldn’t it work if you go and find out about Wei Yan-ho?”

“……”

“No matter what you say, no one will believe your words. But if you complete your mission, no one will be able to not believe your words. How about it? Isn’t it a good method?”

“But, but……”

“Yes, I know. Of course it will be difficult. But it depends on how you think about it. Just because you failed once doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily fail again. Rather, because you’ve experienced failure, you might succeed the second time. Do you understand what I mean?”

Wu-il couldn’t say anything.

There was so much he wanted to say.

But he couldn’t.

His mouth was forcibly shut by Zhuge Wen-in’s viper-like gaze.

‘It’s meaningless.’

No matter what he said here, it wouldn’t reach Zhuge Wen-in’s ears. It would only increase his suspicion.

Then there was only one answer he could give.

“I understand, Young Master. I will follow your orders.”

“Good attitude.”

“If I may be so bold… please, I ask of you.”

“Why do you say such things? You will naturally complete your mission and return. There’s nothing to worry about.”

“Yes.”

Wu-il slowly turned around and went outside. As his figure disappeared as if seeping into the ground, Zhuge Wen-in quietly clicked his tongue.

“Tsk.”

Zhuge Wen-in folded his fan as if displeased and tapped the table with the end of his fan.

“Pathetic thing.”

Swoooosh.

At the same time, another shadow operative revealed himself from behind him.

“Will this be alright?”

“It’s not alright.”

Zhuge Wen-in said in an irritated voice.

“But it doesn’t matter. Those without ability have no value in living. If he completes the mission, that’s good, and if he fails and dies, that’s also good.”

“Wu-il is capable.”

“Yes, he’s capable. But he’s unsettling. I don’t want someone unsettling by my side. Even if their ability is somewhat lacking, I only want limbs I can trust completely.”

“……You speak wisely.”

“What about you, Wu-hyeon? Can I trust you completely?”

The shadow operative bowed his head.

“I know of the Young Master’s favor toward Wu-il. But Wu-il is still just a greenhorn. No matter how much potential he has, if he can’t be an immediate asset, doesn’t it have no meaning?”

“Yes, you’re right. I should have listened to you long ago.”

Zhuge Wen-in shook his head.

‘Stupid fool.’

Whether Wu-il’s words were true or not didn’t matter. What mattered was that he could no longer trust Wu-il.

“But Young Master, isn’t there a possibility that fellow might spill things about us?”

“That won’t happen.”

“However……”

“That’s not for Wu-il to decide. If Wei Yan-ho had been interested, he would have found out one way or another. Wei Yan-ho is someone with sufficient ability to do so. Yet he just sent Wu-il back, which means it wasn’t necessary.”

“I find it difficult to understand.”

“He either already noticed that we sent someone, or it’s an expression of confidence that he doesn’t care who tries to monitor him. Sending Wu-il back deliberately was to convey that fact to me. It’s a provocation saying that he doesn’t even care about greenhorns like you.”

“Ah……”

“He’s more shrewd and cunning than expected. If we underestimate him, we’ll get our noses broken.”

“Then shouldn’t we avoid sending Wu-il all the more?”

“Foolish one. Executing someone who failed a mission with my own hands affects morale. ‘Words in the day are heard by birds, words at night are heard by mice.’ There’s no need to dirty my hands and damage my reputation. If the one who was monitoring comes back to monitor again, what do you think Wei Yan-ho will do?”

“……He’ll kill him.”

“Right. And my will shall be conveyed as well. The will that I won’t stop monitoring you even so.”

Zhuge Wen-in let out a cold laugh.

“He’s quite skilled at using provocation tactics. I’ll revise my evaluation of him. Perhaps that fellow is much smarter than the world knows. But he’s met the wrong opponent.”

“No one can escape from the Young Master’s grasp.”

“Let’s see how that fellow will react. Whether he’ll try to execute the Seven Varieties Seven Prohibitions with that lacking head of his, or whether he’ll kill Wu-il to vent that anger. Either way will be interesting.”

Zhuge Wen-in’s eyes sank.

‘People truly need to be experienced to be known.’

This is why information is important. According to the reported information, Wei Yan-ho was quite impulsive and stupid, but seeing how he handled Wu-il, his schemes were by no means simple.

‘Well, let’s see how you’ll react to the move I’ve made. It doesn’t matter how you respond. With that response, you’ll reveal more of yourself. The moment I read you completely will be your last.’

Zhuge Wen-in placed a stone on the Go board.

But Zhuge Wen-in didn’t know.

He didn’t know that Wei Yan-ho, whom he thought was sitting across from him, had no interest in the Go board at all.

Zhuge Wen-in was beginning a meticulous game against not Wei Yan-ho, but Wei Yan-ho’s ghost.