[{"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-773":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},1240573,1667,"Chapter 772","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-773",773,"\u003Cp>It was still too early for night to fall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lanterns were just beginning to light up around the residence, and the sky was tinged with the colors of dusk, waiting for the moon to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cool breeze swept through, signaling the arrival of autumn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a small storage room on one side of the residence, several individuals had gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each of them stood out with distinct traits, their appearances so varied that no two seemed alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their genders, martial arts styles, and even the clothes they wore were completely different. Yet, they all had one thing in common—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all under the command of a single person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They moved solely at that one person's orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what the command was, once it was issued, they had no choice but to obey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meeting was also a part of those orders. Among those gathered was a woman with short black hair—Bong Soon—who was quietly staring at a man in the corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh… Ughh….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A low groan echoed through the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It came from the corner, along the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man crouched there had a build so massive that if he stood up, his head might brush the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His immense muscles and overwhelming strength made him likely the most powerful among those gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Bong Soon, despite her confidence in her own abilities, was certain she would lose if she fought him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ughhh… Hnghhh….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That same man was trembling, his head pressed against the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumor had it he’d been in this position for two days straight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by the sweat pouring off him, it seemed his energy had been sealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two full days spent with his forehead pressed to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an agonizing sight to imagine, yet not a single person in the room felt pity for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they did pity him, they wouldn’t dare show it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially not with the young man sitting on top of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon swallowed nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…T-Terrifying.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was scared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon, who rarely felt fear, found this situation more terrifying than anything she had ever faced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The person she served—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her savior, and the man she believed would one day father her children.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one they referred to as the Sect Leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Sec Leader… Why… Why is he angry?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bong Soon tried to steady her trembling hands and swallowed repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t just her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in the room was tiptoeing around his mood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He often had a frown or an irritated look, but this time was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, his face was blank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Expressionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man sat atop the punished man, Tang Deok, his face revealing absolutely no emotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could read him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the oppressive aura filling the room told a different story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every person present felt their survival instincts scream in alarm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Sect Leader… He’s angry.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seeped out from beneath his blank expression, filling the room and creating a darkness that swallowed the light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could have happened to make him this angry?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressure was unbearable—like a noose tightening around their necks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lost in the oppressive tension, Bong Soon’s mind wandered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘T-this is… thrilling….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…A dangerous thought crept in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tension felt almost addictive, stirring something inside her that she couldn’t quite control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Huff! Huff!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as she feared she might completely lose herself in the sensation—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ughhh….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Deok groaned again, drawing the young man’s gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it hard?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“N-no… No, sir….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. It better not be.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sinister smile spread across the young man’s face, and everyone in the room flinched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you can’t even follow orders properly, the least you can do is endure this, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I-I’m sorry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need to apologize. I’m sure you had a good reason for ignoring me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ghhhk….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden weight bore down on Tang Deok, forcing a pained gasp from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The great Tang Deok, too important to listen to my orders, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nghhh…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you forgot to finish up and rejoin us because the fight was so fun, huh? That’s your excuse? What do you think I am? Some idiot who plans strategies so you can play around?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I… I’m sorry….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Deok’s massive arms began to tremble, shaking visibly under the strain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pressing down for a while longer—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-yes…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man, Gu Yangcheon, turned to Cheol Ji-seon, who had been watching nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is just hypothetical, but…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What would happen if we dropped the Hwangbo family from our plans? Would that be a problem?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon blinked, unsure if he had misheard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean by that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly what I said. What if we scrapped the Hwangbo family?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dropping the Hwangbo family at this stage?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon quickly ran through the implications in his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That’d be… a huge problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just a problem—it would be catastrophic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rebuilding their plans from the ground up wouldn’t even begin to cover it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you have something in mind?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon still trusted Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t say something like this without a reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m just pissed off. Thought about throwing everything away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-what…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he serious? Cheol Ji-seon bit his tongue to stop himself from blurting it out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never mind. Half-joking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half-joking meant half-serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that was even scarier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Is the Hwangbo family the reason you’re mad?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon’s expression shifted slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you talking about? I’m not mad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in the room thought the same thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no idea how terrifying the aura he was giving off actually was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should someone point it out?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon debated it briefly before deciding against it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If I say the wrong thing, I’ll die.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to stay quiet and let it pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, right. What about that situation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What situation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Jegal clan descendants we captured.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon finally understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Jegal clan members who resisted the Martial Alliance had been used as pawns in Gu Yangcheon’s strategy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It doesn’t matter.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon’s voice turned cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re not real.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strategy involving Pillduma had been set.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Cheol Ji-seon’s only condition was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keep your promise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon’s gaze lingered on Cheol Ji-seon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not real, huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words nagged at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Pillduma were once elite guards of the Heavenly Wanderer.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, that truth was buried in mystery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pillduma was originally a branch of the Jegal clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heavenly Wanderer was also connected to them, raising the question—was this truly just a coincidence?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘For Cheol Ji-seon to be so indifferent about Pillduma’s fate…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon was a softhearted man, prone to guilt even over the deaths of strangers he’d never met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he seemed completely unbothered by the deaths of Pillduma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It must mean he hated them.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But why would a descendant of the Jegal clan hate another branch of his own lineage?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s the same with Divine Doctor and Jegal Hyuk.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their attitudes toward Pillduma and Divine Doctor had been similarly cold. Clearly, there was a reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to look into it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sooner or later, he’d have to investigate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He already had plenty of reasons to dig deeper into this matter. Once this situation was resolved, he’d make his move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having come to that decision, Gu Yangcheon pulled a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Cheol Ji-seon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It came from the Martial Alliance today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that it was from the Martial Alliance, Cheol Ji-seon immediately unfolded it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell…?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes widened as he read the contents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon smirked at his reaction and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re asking me to become their Great Leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Great Leader? They want you to take that position?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s what they said.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Has the Martial Alliance lost its mind?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seems like it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could a supposedly righteous sect— No, are they trying to destroy themselves?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Honestly, it sounds like it, doesn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell is—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon cut himself off mid-sentence, suddenly covering his mouth as though he’d misspoken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I didn’t mean it like that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? Because it sounded pretty sincere.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, really!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon’s face paled as he scrambled to backtrack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon clicked his tongue in irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even bickering felt like a hassle right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Never mind that. Just tell me what you think.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About the conditions? Or…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The conditions are insane—obviously. Forget those. I want to know if it’s worth doing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon narrowed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you actually considering it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe. Depends.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s dangerous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gave his honest opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’ll mess up your entire schedule. And even if you’re strong, that place is still a den of tigers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Demonic Cult’s name was already spreading far and wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Martial Alliance was trying to suppress the rumors, but it wasn’t working.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s the death of the Blade King we’re talking about.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blaming the Jegal clan for the attack was one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the appearance of Cheonma and the death of Blade King, one of the Six Seats, couldn’t be so easily covered up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Peng family blamed the incident on Tang Deok, claiming he had been secretly detained by the Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to their report, Divine Sword was critically injured, the Blade King was killed, and several martial artists from the Alliance lost their lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Deok hadn’t killed the Blade King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been verified using a binding spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Someone else killed the Blade and framed Tang Deok.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the logical conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Gu Yangcheon already had a suspect in mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Peng Woojin.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine Sword, Peng Woojin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That bastard killed his own father and blamed it on the Demonic Cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of how he pulled it off, the Demonic Cult didn’t bother refuting the claim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No one would’ve believed them anyway.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their reputation was already in shambles after the chaos in Hanan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they had protested their innocence, who would have believed them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not necessarily a bad thing.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, the bad reputation worked in their favor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Deok had been elevated to the status of a rising star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his infamy only benefited Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why he hadn’t bothered clearing the Demonic Cult’s name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, public sentiment against the Cult continued to rise, with many demanding that the Alliance officially issue an Extermination Order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such an order required absolute elimination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever reports of Demonic Cult activity surfaced, local branches and high-ranking members of the Alliance would mobilize immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon had faced this before in his previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Couldn’t even take a proper shit back then.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, he burned anyone who tried to track him down, but in the beginning, he’d had to be careful even going to the latrine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was that kind of situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew better than anyone how insane it would be to accept this position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But on the other hand, what better opportunity is there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All the people I need to deal with are going to be there anyway. Wouldn’t it be easier to wipe them out all at once instead of picking them off one by one?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from Mugwon—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were still plenty of things he needed to take from the Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I haven’t used Bong Soon properly yet.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the perfect chance to make full use of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s absurd.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite Gu Yangcheon’s reasoning, Cheol Ji-seon was completely opposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re really going to do this, you’ll need to overhaul every plan we’ve made.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And you’re willing to risk all that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon gaped at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. I don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean you don’t know?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know. I just feel like I have to.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not rational at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling like he might explode, Cheol Ji-seon struggled to hold himself back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I always do what feels right. That’s how it’s always been.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon’s answer was final.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You realize this means—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. Plans are going to get messy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Messy’ didn’t even begin to describe it, but before Cheol Ji-seon could argue—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go figure it out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What had he just said?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll be reaching out to others too, but you need to figure out a plan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A plan for what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Praying that he’d misheard, Cheol Ji-seon asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A plan that makes this work—even if I go through with it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks in advance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a ‘request’ in name only.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that was when Cheol Ji-seon realized—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Yangcheon had already made up his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meeting had been called solely to issue that command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, at the Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was sitting in a completely different space than yesterday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room I had been in before wasn’t bad, but this—this was something else entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a proper VIP room, radiating refinement and exuding deliberate preparation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So the Alliance had a room like this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was my first time entering such a place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t even known it existed. Then again, why would I?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A room like this would’ve had nothing to do with someone like me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s refreshing.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet here I was, sitting comfortably inside it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was enough to make me reflect—on many levels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I was quietly taking in my surroundings—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is unexpected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice broke the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately turned toward the speaker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the table sat an old man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man I’d hoped never to see again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renowned as the brain of the Martial Alliance, the strategist who had led it to its golden age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Jegal Hyuk emerged, he was the one hailed as the pinnacle of strategy, a nightmare on the battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Nightmare of the Battlefield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Muk Yeon, I asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. I truly didn’t expect you to return in just one day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, I couldn’t help but smirk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once a decision is made, it’s better to handle things quickly, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed. So should I take this to mean that the Star King has reached a conclusion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. That’s why I’m here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A brief silence followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muk Yeon sat quietly, studying me as if waiting for my next words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I met his gaze for a moment before finally speaking again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About the ‘request’ you made of me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll accept it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muk Yeon’s eyes widened at my swift answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he not expect me to agree?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was curious about his reaction, but I didn’t dwell on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were more important matters to address.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“However—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shifted the conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are a few conditions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this moment on—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was stepping into a fierce negotiation with the Martial Alliance’s mastermind.\u003C\u002Fp>",2471,"2026-06-05T15:10:17.629Z",1,"novelbin.me","43a5c3695acde64ea1d5691240cb9eaa9af47249d3347eea151cd6427dbafda7","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-774","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-772",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]