Chapter 249.1

Chapter 249.1

Secrets between a couple are, of course, unacceptable. The moment Lee Wooshin made a dismayed expression, Seoryeong struck first.

“So you want me to be more loyal to the country than to my husband?”

“Well, technically, that’s the principle…”

‘It was like that in my time…’ His tongue stumbled as his head and heart seemed to be at odds. But it didn’t matter.

‘After all, I would find out one way or another. Whether I had to beat Na Won-chang to a pulp or shake down the National Intelligence Service.’

“You can ignore that. If any problems arise, I’ll handle it myself. Just do what you want.”

At that, Seoryeong pouted her lips and quickly clung to his arm. The two resumed their walk. Her steps were bolder than before.

“I really love you a lot. Even if I have to disguise myself as a wife to another agent, you’re the only one for me, Lee Wooshin.”

“….!”

‘Damn… What?’ Suddenly, the corners of his mouth trembled. His forced smile felt like something rotting.

“But th’leyl probably just assign me as a Russian interpreter. There’s no way they would make a married woman do something strange like that, right? What do you think, Instructor? You know from experience.”

‘No, Seoryeong. Where’s the ethics in espionage?’

‘Have you forgotten everything I’ve done to you?’

The sunlight was annoyingly bright. Under it, Han Seoryeong was even brighter.

“I’ll do my best until the end.”

Deputy Chief, it seems that trash of a husband is right here.

That night, Lee Wooshin watched Seoryeong, who had fallen asleep first, for a while before slipping out of the bedroom. The man, with dark circles under his eyes, sat alone on the sofa, cradling his face in anguish.

After an hour like that.

The man, who had been sitting still like a statue, finally seemed to make a decision as he suddenly found his in-ear headphones.

Even in the darkness, his gaze was cold as he looked straight ahead. Soon, when he heard the familiar dialect over the communicator, he replied slowly.

“Yes. I checked the health check-up report.”

He glanced once toward the bedroom before stepping out onto the balcony. As he closed the door, the noise was perfectly blocked out.

“Manipulate the blood pressure readings. Insert mild arrhythmia findings into the ECG results. Raise the stress levels to a dangerous level.”

—But… is this really okay?

Despite the groaning voice, he coldly cut in.

“Just take notes since this isn’t the end. Specifically, manipulate the blood pressure to over 160/100 mmHg to classify it as high-risk hypertension. Also, adjust the liver enzyme levels to be significantly outside the normal range.”

—Are you really serious about ruining that girl’s future?

“What else can I do?”

In fact, this wasn’t Lee Wooshin’s first effort. There had been times when he prepared contracts to establish a business relationship with the National Intelligence Service.

In countries where South Korea primarily dispatches agents, there exist people known as “local collaborators” who operate like shadows.

They provide real-time updates on local trends, manage safe houses, and secure escape routes in emergencies for ordinary people.

If an agent is a new foreigner, these collaborators are regulars in the city. They are always there like the dust on the streets, unnoticed yet aware of everything, like the walls around them.

That’s why Lee Wooshin wanted to become one of those “collaborators.” Moreover, he aimed to provide safe houses and supply resources as a neighbor.

But he was rejected.

Finding local collaborators was tricky and limited, but even considering the essential conditions; dedicated individuals, those with foreign language skills, and those with local information networks and expertise, only Lee Wooshin fit the bill. Especially since he was running a service agency, he was confident he could excel in that role.

Yet, he was rejected. Why? His past activity history was too “clean,” which raised suspicions.

Ha…

His overly perfect background and the gaps in his past led to questions about where he had been until now. Ultimately, the discovery of his marital relationship with the prospective agent Seoryeong resulted in a judgment of “lack of objectivity.”

Of course. He was trying to enter as a local neighbor to support our Seoryeong.

Lee Wooshin’s pride was deeply wounded by the first job rejection he had ever received. Especially from the National Intelligence Service, which he had been a part of for over ten years and considered his territory.

That day, Lee Wooshin chopped carrots into mountain-like piles, filled with suppressed anger. So, the only method left for him was…

This petty act.

“Anyway. Just do it this way. The National Intelligence Service doesn’t hire people with health issues from the start.”

Lee Wooshin had no doubt about his plan. So he thought that the countless sleepless nights would finally come to an end.

“Did you pass?”

Lee Wooshin did his best to maintain his expression. Seoryeong, with a bright face like a halo, rushed in without taking off her shoes and clung to his neck.

She smelled of a strange man’s perfume and cold air. Lee Wooshin held her tightly, suppressing the nausea rising in his stomach.

But how did she pass the health check? His gaze turned cold. A blue vein bulged on his forehead, but just as Seoryeong was about to pull away, he pulled her back into his embrace to prevent her from seeing his expression.

He buried his nose in her thick, black hair and glared at his reflection in the mirror.

“Was there anything unusual?”