Her mother was a mber of the highest ranks of the Communist Party.
I kept my surprise hidden as I thought.
‘Is there even a woman among the current top leadership?’
As far as I rembered, there wasn’t.
Seeing my puzzled look, Woo Youngsik added,
“Ah, I misspoke. To be precise, her maternal grandfather is among the top leadership.”
“I see. That’s unexpected. Considering your ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) age, that would have been before diplomatic ties were established with China.”
“That’s right. Back then... we couldn’t be together.”
There was unmistakable longing in his eyes.
“Interesting. Did you et her while studying in France?”
He looked startled.
“How did you...? Hah. They say your information network is better than the National Intelligence Service. I suppose it’s true. Yes, we t while studying abroad. We fell for each other at first sight. But we couldn’t be together. I returned to Korea. She returned to China... Only later did I learn she had given birth to my daughter.”
He began explaining slowly.
After returning from overseas study, he married a woman chosen by his family and had two sons.
“The suspicious traces you ntioned earlier were probably my attempts to find her. But I couldn’t.”
It was a story that fit together.
In fact, it fit too well.
“Then have you ever t your daughter?”
He shook his head.
“What would I gain from eting her? It’s better for her not to know... to live her life unaware.”
At the very least, there was no falsehood in his eyes.
The regret was real.
“When did they approach you?”
“It was quite so ti ago. When I was working at the prosecution, shortly after diplomatic ties were established. A man ca to see . That’s when I learned she had already died. Instead, I learned of my daughter’s existence. From then on, I searched desperately. And eventually, I found her.”
There was only one record of him traveling to China.
After that, his movents had been untraceable. That single trip had been the basis for suspecting he might be a spy.
There had been no official reason for him to go to China.
“That’s when I t her grandfather.”
“Who?”
“...Ye Xianping.”
“What? Ye Xianping?”
He was an even bigger figure than I had expected.
Ye Xianping’s father was Ye Jianying, one of the Ten Marshals who founded the People’s Republic of China.
“You know him?”
“Yes. More than Ye Xianping, I know his father.”
“Ye Jianying, the Standing Committee mber. Ye Xianping is his son.”
“I understand now why you weren’t concerned about your daughter’s safety.”
“Ye Xianping asked to serve as a bridge between Korea and China. In exchange, he said he would tell my daughter about my existence.”
“You refused.”
He nodded.
“Yes. I don’t want her to know about . So I refused. But I didn’t reject the proposal entirely. I wanted good relations between the country where my daughter was born and raised and my own country. That hasn’t changed. But I never handed over state secrets. That’s a different matter.”
I already knew he had favored resolving this crisis peacefully.
I hadn’t known these details.
That was precisely why I had suspected him.
“I’ll verify your story. Tell your daughter’s na.”
“....”
“You don’t have to. I’ll find out within a few days anyway. But until then, you’ll remain here.”
“...Ye Xiaotong.”
“Ye Xiaotong.”
The na felt strangely familiar.
‘Where have I heard that before?’
Then it struck like lightning.
‘Ye Xiaotong. China’s greatest lobbyist.’
A woman who road the world with extraordinary beauty and eloquence.
There had even been rumors she was Xi Jinping’s lover.
‘And she’s Woo Youngsik’s daughter?’
I fell silent, lost in thought.
He frowned.
“You recognize the na?”
“No. I just found it interesting that she took her mother’s surna. Ye Xiaotong. I’ll know within a day whether your story is true.”
“You’re even more capable than I heard.”
I responded with a faint smile.
After studying my face, he asked,
“Let ask one thing.”
“Go ahead.”
“Was this at the President’s request? Or did you act on your own?”
“Does that matter?”
“If you acted independently without the President’s approval, then you and I would be enemies. Tell .”
Few people would dare say such a thing to my face.
I looked at him with interest.
“The President did request that I investigate. But using these harsh thods was my decision. Because I don’t have ti. He suspected there were Chinese spies inside the Blue House.”
“I see.”
“You won’t ask further?”
“If the President asked you, that’s enough.”
His loyalty ran deeper than expected.
“I heard you’re close to the President. Your faith is strong.”
“He must have his reasons. When Yoon Changho was sent down to the Busan District Prosecutors’ Office, I thought he was finished. But he survived—and beca President. I trust him. And I knew you were backing him. Perhaps that’s why I closed my eyes.”
According to his file, he had strong ambitions.
He had been locked in a fierce struggle with Minister of Justice Choi Taemin to control the prosecution.
Yoon Changho had allowed it.
I decided I needed to look deeper into Woo Youngsik.
“I’ll confirm your story. Then I’ll release you.”
“Very well.”
I left him behind. It felt very different from dealing with Ban Jangwoo.
* * *
Yoon Changho was speaking with his Chief of Staff, Lee Giho.
“Ban Jangwoo was a spy.”
“What? Is that true?”
Lee Giho nearly dropped his teacup.
“He confessed personally yesterday.”
“If the National Security Advisor was a spy, a great deal of sensitive information must have gone to China. This is serious.”
Yoon Changho nodded bitterly.
“I don’t know the details yet. Kim Muhyuk uncovered it.”
“If President Kim uncovered it, then it’s true. He doesn’t act carelessly.”
“He detained three senior secretaries at once. Civil Affairs, National Security, and Public Relations.”
“What? So that’s why they didn’t co to work today...”
Lee Giho’s expression darkened.
“This isn’t sothing we can quietly bury. If word leaks...”
“I know. But it was the fastest and surest thod. Apparently there may be more Chinese dogs among the secretaries.”
“Do you know who?”
“Not yet. He said he’ll confirm first. No solid evidence.”
“Detaining three senior secretaries without evidence... President Kim is more radical than I heard.”
Yoon Changho burst into laughter.
“Radical? You don’t know him yet. This is him being gentle. If he truly moves, even I couldn’t stop him.”
“But...”
“Why? You don’t believe a President couldn’t stop him?”
“Still... you’re the President.”
“Yes. But Kim Muhyuk isn’t soone who cares about that.”
A thin layer of caution settled in Lee Giho’s eyes.
“Isn’t he too dangerous?”
“Has anything he’s done ever hard us? It’s extre—but it benefits . North Korea. The Russian pipeline project. Thanks to him, I’ve kept high approval ratings while barely lifting a spoon.”
Lee Giho couldn’t hide his shock.
“That’s because of your policies—”
“Alone, it would’ve been impossible. You know that. Japan, China, Russia, the United States. The powers surrounding the peninsula act only for their own interests. We used to tiptoe between them. But what happened these past few years? Kim Muhyuk pulled off the impossible.”
Yoon Changho recalled their first eting.
At the police station, after receiving a call from Cheon Taesan. Kim Muhyuk’s face had been bruised and swollen—but his eyes had burned fiercely.
‘I knew he was extraordinary. But I never imagined this.’
At that ti, Yoon Changho wasn’t even secure in the prosecution, let alone dreaming of the presidency.
He had ambition. So he took Kim Muhyuk’s hand—initially for Cheon Taesan’s power.
But Kim Muhyuk grew beyond Cheon Taesan.
He destroyed Cheongpunghoe. He shattered the Conservative Party.
And he made him President.
“I never want Kim Muhyuk as my enemy. Handle this quietly.”
Lee Giho nodded.
“What about Ban Jangwoo?”
“Hard to apply espionage charges. China isn’t an enemy state.”
“That’s the problem. Chinese dogs roam freely here because of that. We should expand the espionage law.”
Lee Giho agreed.
In Korea, espionage laws were effectively limited to North Korea.
Yoon Changho intended to push for reform.
“Even if we can’t apply espionage charges, dig up everything on Ban Jangwoo. Ruin him socially. Contact both the prosecution and the NIS.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Leave . I need to rest.”
* * *
Late the next night, Black Bear’s report arrived.
Most of the three n’s stories were true.
“Ye Xiaotong is more unusual than expected.”
I reviewed her file while Chief Ma spoke.
“She is the real owner of a high-end bar frequented by senior Chinese officials. Even Standing Committee mbers visit.”
“So her influence is significant.”
“That’s Black Bear’s assessnt. She’s not publicly known, but her power is greater than expected.”
Ye Xiaotong was still building her foundation.
Which ant there was still ti before she beca the woman I rembered.
“Her parents?”
“Father unknown. Mother confird to be Ye Xianping’s daughter. She died over twenty years ago. Ye Jianying reportedly cherished his granddaughter. Woo Youngsik’s study period matches hers. His story is highly credible.”
I closed the file.
“Contact Chairman Murdoch. Ask him to co to Korea.”
“Yes.”
I stood.
Those who needed to be released would be released.
But before that, I intended to have a long conversation with Woo Youngsik.
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