The relationship between Kim Soo-hyun and Lee Hyo-eul is a peculiar one. They aren’t exactly friends—in fact, they’re more like adversaries. Yet, Kim maintains a precarious connection with Lee because he respects one particular quality: Lee’s decisiveness and ability to get things done. While they often clash during discussions, once a decision is made, Lee is unwavering in his support and execution.

In the latest incident, Lee Hyo-eul demonstrated his capabilities without reservation. Just after Shin Hyuk was dragged into the central administration, Lee publicly exposed the incident before the Koran Union could even react. Naturally, the Eastern Clan took the lead in this revelation.

“The central administration officially announces that the Mercenary Clan’s assault on the Dragon’s Sleeping Mountain was not of their own volition. It was orchestrated by the Koran Union, who manipulated them into a notorious region…”

Initially, users were bewildered by the sudden announcement, especially since the Mercenaries and the Koran Union were thought to be on good terms just a day prior. However, when a recording crystal containing the conversation was released, revealing the Union’s internal power struggles and their manipulation of the Mercenaries, the reaction was explosive.

“This crystal is the evidence, and instead of apologizing to the surviving Mercenaries, the Union has once again deceived them. First, let’s examine this crystal…”

The Northern Continent was thrown into chaos.

In such matters, the narrative is crucial. Often, factions fight tooth and nail to control the narrative, but this time, the Mercenaries had it from the start. The roles of victim and perpetrator were already defined.

Once the footage was made public, user reactions shifted dramatically, and vehemently. Thousands, even tens of thousands, began to direct their outrage solely at the Koran Union.

Initially, the Union chose silence. Without a narrative to defend themselves, they had to endure the criticism. They planned to wait for the uproar to die down before issuing a public apology and distracting the public with unrelated events.

However, within a week, they realized they had to abandon this plan. The situation hadn’t calmed; it had escalated beyond control. The incident had snowballed, dragging in past grievances and exposing the Union’s previous manipulations.

The Koran Union had many enemies, and once the fire was lit, the users didn’t stop. Some were genuinely outraged, others were secretly incited, and some saw this as a rare opportunity to openly criticize the Union.

Regardless of their motives, the result was the same. Users attacked like rabid dogs, tearing into the Union’s reputation, which plummeted day by day. Even in Koran, the Union’s stronghold, protests erupted, demanding their withdrawal.

It didn’t stop there. Records detailing the Union’s misdeeds spread across the Northern Continent, shocking users who read them.

The Union had always promoted Koran as a family, but the records revealed a different story—one of internal strife and sabotage, far from any notion of fair competition.

The resurfacing of the long-buried Kim Yong-man disappearance case only added fuel to the fire.

The Union was on the brink of madness.

What started as a plan to deal with a single clan had spiraled into a crisis threatening the Union’s very foundation. The term “inferiority complex Union” was now being replaced with “degenerate Union.”

As the situation worsened, even their allies began to turn away. Internal dissatisfaction grew, with members criticizing the leadership’s inept handling and leaving in droves.

With no sign of the storm abating, the Union finally decided to break their silence. It wasn’t a choice made willingly; they were forced into action, lest their silence be seen as an admission of guilt.

At Barbara’s warp gate, a massive crowd had gathered. Park Tae-jin emerged from the portal, surveying the scene with a hand to his forehead.

The Union’s position was precarious. They needed to make an official statement, but the situation was dire.

The unfiltered release of the video by Jo Sung-ho was a devastating blow. Without it, they could have feigned ignorance and pinned everything on Shin Hyuk. But now, the accusation that “you knew all along” implicated the entire Union.

So, they decided to buy time. They hadn’t admitted guilt, but neither had they denied it.

Having coordinated somewhat with the Mercenaries, they announced an investigation to distance themselves from the incident. Later, they planned to shift the blame onto Shin Hyuk and issue a public apology.

But the users wouldn’t leave the Union alone. Protests in Koran were relentless, and somehow, they knew Park Tae-jin was coming to Barbara.

As users clamored for answers, Park Tae-jin closed his eyes tightly. He was about to be thrust into an impromptu press conference.

He tried to quickly cross the entrance, intending to avoid questions, but users blocked his path. His entourage managed to clear a small space, but dozens of arms holding recording crystals thrust forward.

“Mr. Park Tae-jin! What do you think about the incident?”

“Nothing has been confirmed yet. We’re working to uncover the truth at the Union level.”

“So you’re saying you were unaware of this incident? That it was the work of the Southern Road alone? But the video suggests other clans in the Union were aware.”

“As I said, nothing is confirmed. The conversation was incidental. I’m here in Barbara to meet the Southern Road and get more details. We’ll announce everything once the truth is clear. Let’s stop here. I’m very displeased right now.”

“Mr. Park Tae-jin, you’re running away.”

“Stop shoving those crystals in my face! Don’t record this! Damn it, I said don’t record!”

Finally, Baek Doo-san pushed back the crowd with harsh words. The fallen users protested, claiming their right to know, as Park Tae-jin hurried away.

Shin Hyuk was being held in the central administration’s underground facility, once the clan house of the Golden Lion. The underground prison, originally for Western Continent prisoners, now housed vagrants and criminals.

But Park Tae-jin had to stop again. On the path to the central administration, users with white headbands were waiting, watching him intently.

As soon as their eyes met, the leader beat a drum and shouted.

“Why is the Southern Free Union silent on this matter? The Union no longer deserves to lead Koran! Inferiority complex Union, step down! Step down, step down!”

“The Union must apologize to the Mercenaries! Degenerate Union, step down! Step down, step down!”

The protesters from Koran had followed him to Barbara, and their chant was catching on with the crowd. Park Tae-jin bit his lip, suppressing his anger, and pushed through the street before more users could gather.

But the users didn’t let up, trailing him with drums and chants. Park Tae-jin gritted his teeth.

“These bastards…”

The central administration’s underground prison had a unique layout, unlike typical prisons. A central corridor ran straight through, with cells on either side visible through reinforced crystal walls—a remnant from when Western Continent prisoners were sold as slaves, allowing buyers to view their options like a red-light district.

In one of these cells, a man sat hunched in the corner. His face was hidden in his knees, but the oppressive aura around him was unmistakable.

That man was Shin Hyuk.

Since being dragged into the underground prison, Shin-hyuk had denied all charges during several interrogations. He clung to the hope that the Alliance would somehow manage to quell the situation while he maintained his innocence. In truth, it was the only path left for him. Admitting to the charges could have led to a public execution by now.

Yet, Shin-hyuk was drowning in despair deeper than anyone else in the world. Park Tae-jin had visited under the guise of a meeting and delivered the grim news.

The situation was far worse than Shin-hyuk had anticipated. It was beyond repair unless someone took the fall. Overcome with frustration, he had shouted, demanding to know why things had been allowed to deteriorate so badly. But Park Tae-jin’s retort, echoing back like a harsh slap, pulled him further into the mire.

“Do you even have the right to say that? Who do you think is responsible for this mess? It’s not just the Nambeol Clan’s problem! Do you have any idea what’s happening within the Alliance? More than half of the subordinate clans have turned their backs, and over a hundred members have left! Do you get it? And now there are even calls for you to step down from Koran! And that’s not all! The Haemil Clan is openly challenging us to a clan war, all because of your ridiculous ambition! Everything’s in chaos!”

“Just stay quiet and wait. We’re not sitting idle either. But if I were you… I would take responsibility for this mess. For the sake of the Alliance.”

Park Tae-jin’s parting words were laden with meaning, and as Shin-hyuk grasped their full weight, his despair deepened. The best solution to the crisis was for him to take the blame.

But Shin-hyuk couldn’t bring himself to do it. Having climbed so high, the thought of giving it all up was worse than death. He had fought tooth and nail to secure his position as the second-in-command. The top spot was within reach, just a stretch away. If he could seize it, the Nambeol Clan would undoubtedly rise to the pinnacle of the Alliance.

But how did it come to this?

“How…?”

Muttering to himself, Shin-hyuk leaned weakly against the wall, clenching his fists so tightly that his skin broke.

He was on the brink of breaking, yet a sliver of hope remained. He wanted desperately to get out, to find and kill the one who recorded the video, to crush the Mercenaries, to curse the Alliance for letting things get this far, and to resent Park Tae-jin for urging him to confess.

He hated everything.

Blood trickled from his hand before he knew it.

Then, a sound.

Clang.

“Hey. You’ve got a visitor.”

The guard opened the door and announced the visit. But Shin-hyuk didn’t even lift his head. The guard clicked his tongue and, accustomed to the routine, hoisted the restrained Shin-hyuk to his feet. As he was forcibly led out, Shin-hyuk finally found his voice, simmering with anger.

“Who is it? The Alliance?”

“No.”

“Then a reporter. I refuse. I have nothing to say.”

“Not a reporter either, so stop complaining and come along. I’m tired of this.”

A flicker of life returned to Shin-hyuk’s eyes. In the past, he would have scolded the guard for his insolence, but that wasn’t important now. If it wasn’t the Alliance or a reporter, then who could it be?

The mystery was solved when he reached the visitation room. Shin-hyuk blinked in disbelief at the person sitting calmly on the other side of the glass. Though it was their first face-to-face meeting, he recognized the face from records.

As he confirmed the red emblem of a sword and shield on the visitor’s right chest, a low, cold voice, tinged with amusement, drifted through the glass.

“It’s our first time meeting like this. Are you Shin-hyuk, the Nambeol Lord?”

And instinctively, Shin-hyuk responded.

“Mercenary… Lord…!”

---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=

『Northern Continent Chronicles.』

(Content: Currently, the Haemil Clan is openly expressing its intent to engage in a clan war with the Koran Alliance. This is more of a provocation than a mere statement of intent. But why is the Haemil Clan, which has no direct ties to the incident, so outraged? The reason lies in the relationship between the Haemil Clan Lord and the Mercenary Clan Lord.

These two users are rare cases, having joined two years apart as brothers…

…Some criticize the Haemil Clan’s actions as hasty. However, since the handsome faces of the two users became widely known, the Haemil Clan’s stance has gained considerable support. Interestingly, most of this support comes from female users, with male support being a minority. Notably, fan clubs and gay clubs are enthusiastically cheering for Haemil’s position…)

PS. The fall of the Nambeol Clan? No, the answer lies in the subtitle of this part. :)