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chapter 114
“…Colonel.”
“What are your plans now?”
Dnobhan and the other agents let out deep sighs.
At this rate, they wouldn’t even be able to make a proper scouting proposal for the former Cheongrae members, let alone check the committee effectively.
An awkward silence lingered between them.
However,
“I’ll take responsibility for this matter.”
“That’s not what we mean—”
Michael Shepard shook his head, pulled out his phone, and made a call somewhere.
The agents had no time to stop him. His expression as he held the phone was extremely solemn.
Click.
“Understood. Report to me.”
A deep, calm voice came from the other end.
Some agents tensed up immediately.
It was Caleb Boon, the director of Astra.
A former Deputy Director of the NSA, he had secretly moved to Astra, monopolizing superhuman surveillance and operational approval authority.
Almost nothing about him was publicly known, and only a few people knew much.
Michael Shepard was one of the few who could communicate with him directly.
“The mission you ordered has failed.”
“I see… It can’t be helped.”
The agents swallowed hard.
His reply was far too calm.
Meanwhile, Michael’s expression remained serene.
“So he already suspected it to some extent.”
Michael wasn’t the only one unable to read the future with the vision of revelation. Caleb himself had faced that limitation before.
“What about the person called Jett?”
“He seemed very solid.”
“Solid?”
“Yes. There was no opening to exploit.”
“What did you see?”
“The Demon King was there.”
Michael recounted everything he had seen calmly, the indescribable horrors of the infernal scene.
The agents stared in disbelief, trying to make sense of it.
“I see… I had a feeling… and it turned out just as expected.”
“Do you have any idea what might be going on?”
“Roughly, yes.”
Director Caleb chuckled lightly and posed a testing question.
“Good. Then what is your recommendation, Operations Officer? What should we do now?”
Michael hesitated, swallowing hard before speaking. He reviewed his judgment several times, ensuring it was the best choice for Astra and national interests.
Finally, he spoke slowly.
“I believe we should reconsider our relationship with Cheongrae for the time being.”
“Why?”
“The revival of Cheongrae seems inevitable. Attempting to block them recklessly like before will only create troublesome enemies.”
Michael shared his thoughts that had come up during his final conversation with Lee Hyun. The words about loyalty to his own people and surroundings kept ringing in his ears.
“A Cheongrae blessed by the Mountain Spirit will be like a tiger with wings, as they say. Therefore, I request that we consider a proposal for alliance.”
“If we cannot subdue them, we should at least maintain good relations.”
“The Mountain Spirit and Jett’s momentum cannot be broken lightly. It will require careful, long-term effort to win them over to our side.”
He was suggesting acknowledging Cheongrae as an equal partner.
“They haven’t even been formally re-established yet, and they will likely be just one team under White Burn. Isn’t this being too deferential?”
“I believe it’s worth it. Astra’s true strength, as the enemies see it, lies not in rigidity but in flexibility.”
“Flexibility, huh.”
“I apologize if my opinion seemed arrogant.”
“It was arrogant, yes. You tried to teach me something.”
“Sorry—”
“But you did what you were supposed to do. You are the Operations Director, after all, not just someone scribbling away in a back room.”
“Thank you.”
Michael could sense the trace of a smile in Caleb’s voice, letting out a relieved sigh. He also realized that the director had already arrived at the same conclusion as he had.
“So he already knew the level of Jett and Cheongrae… Is he running other intelligence networks too? Truly… a terrifying man.”
Even the unknown legacy of Lee Hyun, which Michael and Gabriel couldn’t figure out, seemed to be roughly understood by Caleb.
“And it seems he knows something deeper about Jett as well. Could they have met before?”
Michael’s mind wandered with various thoughts.
“Very well. We will improve relations with Cheongrae. If necessary, engage with them…”
Caleb issued additional orders.
Michael straightened his posture and replied,
“Roger that. I will carry out the new orders.”
“Good luck.”
Click.
The call ended.
“Phew.”
Michael exhaled, putting down the phone. He felt years older.
“What did the director say?”
Dnobhan and the agents leaned in.
“For the time being, remain on the Korean Peninsula and provide full support to Cheongrae.”
“Full support!?”
“I thought it would be lucky if we came out of this without getting our heads cracked…”
“Cheongrae will become an important partner, then.”
“So we just beat the committee together with Cheongrae?”
Michael nodded, thinking Dnobhan’s rough phrasing was perfectly fitting.
“For now. Additional resources will be provided as needed, so we’ll join White Burn temporarily.”
“Roger that.”
“Roger that.”
A strange feeling filled Astra’s agents. Meeting Cheongrae as allies… they were very curious.
And they silently vowed not to be defeated as easily as before.
“Senpai, what’s changed?”
“What sudden question is that?”
“You have all these new skills now. You seem much stronger than four years ago.”
The Z-Team, reunited after a long time, enjoyed an informal dinner at a nearby meat restaurant.
Kim Minjung scrutinized Lee Hyun from head to toe with sharp eyes.
Smirk.
Lee Hyun smiled lightly. Having a junior who knew him so well could be troublesome, but fortunately, he had a comeback this time.
“I had a week-long vacation. This is expected, right?”
“Wow… damn.”
“But Kim and Eom don’t seem to have changed much?”
Kim Minjung fumed.
“That’s unfair compared to senpai!”
“It’s been quite some time since we visited Hae and Dal’s Hwagog.”
“Ah, that’s…”
“Aren’t you struggling to fully utilize the opportunities you’ve had?”
Kim Minjung hesitated; Lee Hyun’s meaning wasn’t about simple training.
Ranker.
Why had they not yet crossed the threshold?
Eom Giseon remained silent. He had been stuck at the threshold for years.
Even after encountering a turning point, he remained stagnant. Just one edge… one small edge was missing.
“Don’t say you’re still organizing things. Seo has already risen from B to A rank.”
Seo Aeri quietly scratched her cheek.
Kim Minjung sighed.
“What are you trying to say?”
“Come to the training room for the rest of your vacation. I’ll be showing up every day too.”
“Senpai…?”
“Keep sparring, and something will come out eventually.”
“Really, Team Leader!? You’ll help us train continuously?”
While Kim Minjung was flustered, Eom Giseon’s eyes shone as he leaned closer. He had been reflecting a lot after clashing with former colleagues and younger rivals.
Kim Minjung gave multiple “No” signals, but he didn’t notice, eyes sparkling.
Lee Hyun smiled.
“You’re not failing to become rankers because you’re unprepared. You just haven’t had the trigger. Once it comes, you’ll develop on your own.”
“Does that mean you’ll make me a ranker…?”
“One week. Just that. But the difficulty will be high, so keep up.”
“I’ll drink poison if you ask me to! Thank you, Team Leader! I’ll give you my lifelong loyalty!!”
Eom Giseon seemed ready to swallow air if Lee Hyun commanded it.
Kim Minjung, however, wanted to grab him by the collar.
“That man… endured that hardship for two weeks already… Hell is coming… Hell is coming…”
During Cheongrae days, Lee Hyun’s training periods were nicknamed Hell Week.
“Is there no way to escape…?”
“Kim, don’t even think about running. I’ll follow you to the end of hell.”
“…I shouldn’t have said that…”
While Kim muttered in despair, Lee Hyun continued.
“And, I’ll inform Eom and Seo—soon, there will be a large influx of personnel into the team.”
Eom Giseon’s eyes sparkled.
“Four people isn’t enough for a team. Who’s coming?”
“Not confirmed yet, but from outside. If you’re not diligent, you’ll get eaten alive. They’re all veterans.”
Eom and Seo’s gazes sharpened.
“So that’s why you want us to become rankers quickly. Understood.”
“Can I participate in training too?”
“Of course. If the team wants to grow stronger, I’ll help.”
As they talked, heaps of meat arrived.
“Let’s eat well for now. Tomorrow we run again.”
Lee Hyun smiled as he placed meat on the grill.
After dinner, Lee Hyun and Kim Minjung parted from the two juniors, strolling through the park with ice cream in hand.
“…I, um,”
Kim Minjung kept glancing at Lee Hyun.
Smirk.
“You wanted to say thanks, right? Just relax.”
Kim Minjung gave a wry smile.
“Did you notice that?”
“Roughly.”
“Thank you, senpai. For what you said when sending Michael.”
She couldn’t forget what Lee Hyun said during his argument with Michael Shepard—the promise not to question rudeness since a Soma was given.
“If it hadn’t been for you, things with Astra might have worsened. So don’t stress too much.”
“But still… thank you very much.”
“How’s Minyul lately?”
Lee Hyun also knew Kim Minjung’s younger brother. He was a student of the same private academy and had aspired to Cheongrae. An accident had left him hospitalized.
“He’s still the same. Unconscious… costs a lot.”
Most of Kim Minjung’s income went to hospital bills.
“This is the last medicine. We have to try it.”
Lee Hyun nodded.
“I hope it works.”
“Me too.”
Kim Minjung quietly inspected the bottle of Soma before putting it back in her pocket.
“Oh, and the alumni meeting—like I said earlier, everyone plans to attend. They just want to see your face, so don’t be late.”
She meant the Cheongrae alumni meeting on Friday.
“Scary… I wonder how much they’ll pick on me.”
“That’s called getting what you deserve.”
“Not wrong.”
Lee Hyun paused.
“How many will follow me?”
“Not sure. They all have lives and work. You’ll have to persuade them; you’re the leader.”
A playful answer. Lee Hyun laughed as well.
“Right. I’m the leader, so I’ll persuade them.”
He tossed the finished ice cream stick into the trash. Goal achieved.
“I’ll do my best.”
His eyes darkened deeply, but a faint smile lingered.
And… time passed, and the day of the alumni meeting arrived.
It was early May, with spring winds blowing.
