[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith":3,"chapter-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-570":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Childhood Friend of the Zenith",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1240520,1667,"Chapter 569","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-570",570,"\u003Cp>The heat in my head, which I had barely managed to cool, began to rise again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump, thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of my heartbeat echoed throughout my entire body, making even the corners of my eyes tremble. My breathing grew unsteady.I was aware of it, but I couldn’t control it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of expression was I making?The fact that I was wondering about this likely meant I wasn’t managing myself properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Scent?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The word that escaped Ubong Chwigye’s mouth unsettled me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said he could detect my scent at Yeomyeong?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That item had long since aged.There was no way my scent could still linger on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he fishing for information? Perhaps.But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was too late to think about that now.If I was going to deny it, I should have stuck to it to the very end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was far too late to deny it now.So, what should I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What can I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How can I kill that old man right here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would killing him be enough? Could I erase all traces of him as well?How exactly should I go about it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What justification would I have for killing him? What excuse could I make?No, could I even kill him in the first place?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would take months for my body to heal naturally.If I wanted to forcefully exert my strength, at least ten days would have to pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On top of that, my opponent had already anticipated that I wasn’t in good condition.What’s worse—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I don’t know Ubong Chwigye’s level.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no way of knowing how much power he wielded.I had no information on him, yet he likely knew a fair deal about me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There could be no more despairing situation than this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, should I let this go?That wasn’t an option.If I was exposed now, everything would be over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the plans I had painstakingly set into motion would come crashing down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was there truly no way to kill him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I searched hard enough, there was one method.But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can’t use it now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a power I hadn’t fully prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back when Paejon had discovered this power of mine, he had sternly warned me:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never use it unless you’re completely prepared. If used improperly, your body could be utterly destroyed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I have no other choice.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, this was my only option.Letting things remain as they were wasn’t feasible, and if I continued to deny it, it would all come to an end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had no other choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know if this would be enough to kill Ubong Chwigye, but I had reached the point where I had to try.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, even if I succeeded in killing him, I had no idea what would happen afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘For now, I’ll kill him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right now, the priority was to kill Ubong Chwigye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I organized my thoughts in that fleeting moment and gathered strength in my heart—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hoho.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubong Chwigye let out a chuckle and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even the look in your eyes resembles your father’s quite a bit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mention of my father caused me to involuntarily loosen my grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that brief moment of hesitation, Ubong Chwigye continued to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know your intent behind interfering with Yeomyeong, but my reason for coming here is not as you think.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing his words, I narrowed my eyes.Ubong Chwigye was only speaking about Yeomyeong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him, a thought crossed my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Could it be that he doesn’t know about the attack?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps he didn’t know that I had staged a performance to kill Yu Baek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s possible.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he had found traces of me at Yeomyeong,it would be difficult to connect that to my impersonation of Cheonma and the attack on Wudang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Ji Cheol had died in the process, I had made it appear as if he had taken his own life using demonic energy.That part might have been beyond Ubong Chwigye’s understanding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that was the case, then good.If it was only about Yeomyeong, I could find a way to manage this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I calmed my breathing and composed myself, Ubong Chwigye spoke again. His words made me frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It couldn’t be helped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you tell me how you managed it, I might just let this go quietly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was something I couldn’t possibly understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Excuse me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I instinctively repeated his words.He’d let it go if I explained how?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I don’t quite understand what you mean.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he trying to negotiate?Was this a ploy to extract a confession from me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I owe your father a debt,” Ubong Chwigye said, causing me to frown.I hadn’t expected my father to be brought up here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A debt?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A debt, he said.What kind of debt could my father possibly owe Ubong Chwigye?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An unexpected question surfaced in my mind.However, unlike my curiosity, Ubong Chwigye continued speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This won’t settle the entire debt, but if I can save his child, he might look upon me more kindly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the old man refer to my father as “child” was jarring, to say the least.The idea that my father could have a connection to the Beggar’s Sect Leader was equally shocking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubong Chwigye, with his signature chuckle, continued to speak. From the outside, it seemed like a favorable situation for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I couldn’t bring myself to smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With narrowed eyes and tension filling the air,I hesitated before finally speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How can I trust you on this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying that was tantamount to admitting my involvement with Yeomyeong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for me, there was no other choice.There were no viable alternatives aside from killing Ubong Chwigye, so I couldn’t help but speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hoho…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubong Chwigye let out a short laugh at my question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you can’t trust me, do you have any other options?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only remaining option was to kill him.But I refrained from saying that out loud.It didn’t seem like Ubong Chwigye would expect me to go that far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You seem troubled by what I’ve discovered. Child, what other choice do you have?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, trusting Ubong Chwigye was the best option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was whether I could bring myself to trust him so easily.As I pondered this, Ubong Chwigye suddenly extended his hand toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at it, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take my hand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubong Chwigye asked me to shake his hand.I hesitated for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For martial artists, shaking hands could be extremely dangerous.Especially in my current state, with my body still suffering internal damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, after a brief hesitation, I clasped Ubong Chwigye’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If needed, I could channel demonic energy directly through the contact.Using demonic energy was risky in my condition, but it was the safer option in comparison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, I tightened my grip, maintaining my tension as I took his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Voom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy of Ubong Chwigye was instantly palpable.I instinctively prepared to release my demonic energy, wondering what he was trying to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as I realized what Ubong Chwigye was attempting with his energy, I had to hold back the movement of my own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flow of his energy was peculiar. Ubong Chwigye wasn’t directing his energy toward me.Instead, he was doing something to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was clasping hands meant to show me this strange movement of energy?Once I realized this, I carefully observed the energy flow. Soon, I understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A restriction?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubong Chwigye was placing a restriction on himself.And not just any restriction—it was a remarkably strong one. The sheer amount of internal energy and the complexity of the formula made that clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What exactly was he planning to do?As the thought crossed my mind, Ubong Chwigye looked at me and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Child, if my words about letting this matter go prove false, I will end my own life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words made my eyes widen like lanterns.At the same moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clink!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sensation swept through his body as if the energy within him had been intertwined.The restriction accepted Ubong Chwigye’s words, sealing them as an unbreakable promise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the flow of energy and the state of the restriction,there was no doubting the truth in his statement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at Ubong Chwigye with trembling eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, I couldn’t help but ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why… why are you going to such lengths?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hoho.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubong Chwigye chuckled softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t I tell you? I’m doing this purely for the sake of your father.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with that explanation, it made no sense to me.However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He placed a restriction right before my eyes.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had risked his life to bind himself with his energy and words.Such a restriction was on a level that bordered on the impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even clasped my hand to cast it in plain view, as if to ensure I would believe him.And on top of that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…I mixed in my demonic energy.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Ubong Chwigye was forming his restriction, I secretly infused it with demonic energy.It was a contingency, meant to be used if things went awry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Demonic energy was hard to detect unless actively activated.I had controlled it to a faint trickle, so Ubong Chwigye wouldn’t have noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether he realized this or not, Ubong Chwigye continued to smile at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now that I’ve shown you this much, doesn’t it make it easier to talk?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I recalled what he had asked earlier.What was it he wanted to know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why I interfered with the relics?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all he had asked.It was a simple question to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t asking about the attack or anything incriminating. He only wanted to know why I tampered with the relics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The real issue was whether I could trust Ubong Chwigye’s claim that he would let this go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘With a restriction like that…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was harder to doubt than to believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hesitating for a few seconds, I cautiously spoke while looking at Ubong Chwigye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I suspected that Wudang would misuse Mount Hua’s relics.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubong Chwigye’s expression shifted upon hearing my answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ho…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His interest was evident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And how did you come to such a conclusion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This, too, was an easy question to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Because the circumstances pointed to it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden reappearance of the Ghost Thief after disappearing for over a decade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His abrupt visit to Wudang was suspicious enough.And it just so happened to coincide with the timing of Mount Hua and Wudang exchanging relics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s more, Wudang was in a precarious position and seemed likely to exploit this situation for their benefit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I explained this reasoning to Ubong Chwigye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stroked his beard, his barely visible eyes glinting with interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you stole Yeomyeong because of that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the answer I had prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The part about Ji Cheol’s death during that night could raise concerns,but Wudang would never share such details with Ubong Chwigye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the contrary, they would likely try to cover it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubong Chwigye sipped his tea, seemingly contemplating my words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he accept it? For a moment, it seemed so, but unfortunately—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No, he didn’t.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer sounded plausible enough,but it contained flaws that Ubong Chwigye surely wouldn’t overlook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as expected—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s strange.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubong Chwigye looked at me with a sharp gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They said there was nothing wrong with the tracking device you were wearing at the time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And how did you manage to bypass their defenses and take Yeomyeong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubong Chwigye was meticulously probing the gaps in my story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tracking device Wudang had prepared to monitor us.The fact that I bypassed their strict security to steal a relic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How was I planning to address this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His questions were natural and expected. I had anticipated this and was prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I can’t answer that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than risking a problematic response,I chose not to answer at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spoke as if there was a reason I couldn’t answer, creating an air of mystery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hoho…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ubong Chwigye chuckled quietly at my response.Seeing this, I inwardly wiped the cold sweat from my brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s no way he’ll let this slide.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no way that old man would let an answer like this pass.I knew that full well when I said it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was simple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So that he’ll press me further.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had prepared my explanation.I would reveal a critical flaw in the tracking device and explain how I infiltrated and stole Yeomyeong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, I gave a vague response to create a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It makes things more dramatic.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Ubong Chwigye accused me of mocking him or refusing to take him seriously,it would give me the perfect opportunity to reveal the flaw in the device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Specifically, the critical flaw in the tracking device.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason I could bypass Wudang’s tracking device was due to an unknown flaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was information I had learned in my previous life from Woo Hyuk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wudang had forcibly placed the device on Woo Hyuk after catching him repeatedly fleeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his desperate attempts to escape, Woo Hyuk had discovered this fatal flaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I planned to use this information to turn the situation in my favor with Ubong Chwigye.That was my intention, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elder, what did you just say…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you can’t answer, then so be it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Excuse me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, I snuck in some snacks. Would you like some?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Ubong Chwigye casually say this, I couldn’t help but stare in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>",2214,"2026-06-05T15:10:09.877Z",1,"novelbin.me","8bb796fa42e40e56529bb97559c29b656ae0cebf7ee67b94808f89f18fb8ec5d","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-571","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-569",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]