[{"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-816":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},1240616,1667,"Chapter 815","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-816",816,"\u003Cp>Why Is Mok Ri-seon a Spy?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There are several reasons to suspect him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Too many gaps in the information.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The condensed report he provided was full of suspicious details. While it’s true that the Celestial Stream Sect isn’t exactly reputable, Mok Ri-seon exaggerated their connections with external forces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even he admitted they appear to be a legitimate trading company.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s worth raising doubts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it the Choya Trading Company or the Chia Trading Company? I’m not sure of the exact name, but within two weeks, there were at least seven meetings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even at a glance, that’s an excessive number of contacts...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But here’s what’s important.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He was unreasonably precise and overly sensitive about the frequency.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the information he provided, it was clear that he had investigated this with almost obsessive persistence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since he even resorted to tailing them—he took significant risks to investigate this matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem is...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no solid justification for such efforts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What plausible reason could there be for Mok Ri-seon to act so excessively just because the Celestial Stream Sect seemed suspicious?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how I looked at it, it didn’t make sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I mentioned earlier, was it because he considered the Celestial Stream Sect part of a heretical faction?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially since, as Mok Ri-seon stated, the Tang Clan had ceased operations for the time being.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That leaves only the Martial Alliance and the Emei Sect... But even now, the Emei Sect’s leader, Kon Seon, is absent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Given this situation, it might make sense to keep a close watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what about the Demon Fang Spear?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s also Tang Deok’s account to consider.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Associating the Demon Fang Spear with the Demonic Cult just because of a resemblance in appearance? That seems forced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Granted, rumors about the Demonic Cult have been resurfacing across Zhongyuan lately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps they were being cautious about the Demon Fang Spear, which is associated with Tang Deok, who allegedly killed the Blade King and fled?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No. If anything, it feels like a hasty attempt to make the pieces fit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the matter with the Azure Dragon Unit raises questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He didn’t seem the least bit disappointed when the Azure Dragon Unit was delayed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he were disappointed, wouldn’t that imply he was disregarding me? No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at it objectively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Azure Dragon Unit was on its first deployment, and their experience was limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even their captain—me—was fresh to the role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A captain who had just been promoted after graduating as a late-generation disciple.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one knew yet if I was truly capable. Yet, despite that, the main headquarters sent reinforcements, and this young captain showed up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter how strong I was rumored to be, that’s a separate issue.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In such a scenario, what would be the usual reaction?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’d be relieved or even rejoice.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, people would prefer a more experienced and competent captain rather than someone young and unproven. This wouldn’t be seen as a bad thing. That would be the normal reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what about the branch leader’s behavior?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He did seem relieved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, he did feel relieved. But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He was relieved that the Azure Dragon Unit’s captain didn’t show up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Azure Dragon Unit was simply delayed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mok Ri-seon reacted to that delay. And his reaction—subtle as it was—definitely showed relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why would Mok Ri-seon react like that to news of the Azure Dragon Unit’s delay?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And conversely...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did he seem so uncomfortable when I showed signs of competence?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was such a minor difference that most people wouldn’t have noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with my heightened senses, even faint emotions like that didn’t escape me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it didn’t stop there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when I requested the full report instead of the condensed version.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when I decided to forego rest and immediately start moving around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mok Ri-seon’s reactions were consistently strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Subtle, but strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, I could chalk it all up to me being overly sensitive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe I was just imagining things because I was being overly cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was one reason I was absolutely certain Mok Ri-seon was a spy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fortunately, I recognized him the moment I saw him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget actions or motivations—the truth was, I had seen him once before in my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mok Ri-seon, the Bloodstained Iron Demon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Stream Sect Leader, who had fallen into demonic corruption in his previous life, and the demon who had been by his side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That bastard was him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I forgot about this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that the head of the Sichuan branch had turned into a demon—it had completely slipped my mind until I saw him again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t unusual for righteous martial artists to fall and become demons. It was such a common occurrence that I had carelessly forgotten about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Was it starting now?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mok Ri-seon, who seemed to be tangled up with the Celestial Stream Sect Leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He appeared to have some ulterior motive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought something felt off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had already seemed strange when the Demonic Cult got involved with the Celestial Stream Sect. Now, it was starting to look like there was more to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That included both the Martial Alliance branch and the Celestial Stream Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The information mentioned external contacts…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the information had come from the branch, I couldn’t trust it completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For all I knew, even that could be a lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, what should I do about this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What else is there to do?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was always one answer in situations like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The information couldn’t be trusted, but something was clearly happening. That left only one option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Go and find out myself.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The easiest way was to check it in person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creeak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I opened the door and stepped inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The location was a bit removed from the main town of Sichuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I entered, the faint aroma of food filled the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Welcome!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young waitress greeted me cheerfully as she hurried over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m a bit hungry. Could I get something to eat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, well…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The waitress looked troubled by my question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s possible, but… as you can see, we’re currently full. I’m afraid you’ll have to share a table. Would that be alright?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as she said, the tavern was packed with people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For such a small, out-of-the-way inn, the food must have been exceptionally good to attract this kind of crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smiling faintly, I answered the waitress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah! Thank you for understanding, sir! I’ll guide you right away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the waitress left and returned a short while later, she led me to a table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please sit here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the table, there was a woman who seemed to be a mother and her child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excuse me for intruding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled as I spoke, and the woman and child responded with polite nods and smiles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s nice to meet you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You little brat! Dongjin, don’t yell in the tavern. Eat your food before it gets cold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Mom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amused by their natural interaction, I took a seat and called the waitress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just bring me something light to eat and some tea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it’s something light…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you have dumplings, bring those. Otherwise, any kind of noodles will do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Would you like any alcohol? Our food pairs wonderfully with our drinks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not in the mood. Just bring what I ordered.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood. One bowl of noodles!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The waitress took my order and left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I waited quietly, I felt a gaze on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the child who had been eating enthusiastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at him, wondering why he was staring at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Um, mister.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The child spoke to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you a martial artist?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy’s innocent question startled his mother, who immediately tried to stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You! Don’t call him ‘mister’ like that! Show proper respect!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m so sorry, sir. He’s still too young to know better. Please forgive him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fine. No need to worry so much.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waved my hand lightly to dismiss her concerns and turned back to the child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, I’m a martial artist.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow! But you don’t carry a sword?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t use things like that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh. But everyone else has one…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They usually do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most martial artists used weapons rather than relying solely on martial techniques, so his observation wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy’s curiosity seemed endless as he continued to bombard me with questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where do you live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Far away. Have you heard of Shanxi?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nope.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s far away. Don’t bother going there—there’s nothing to see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then did you come from there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I live there, but I came here from Henan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, the woman widened her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh my, so you came from Henan? I figured you were from out of town, but that’s quite a distance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. I had some business nearby and decided to stop here for a meal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We exchanged light conversation until my noodles arrived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here’s your food. Enjoy!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dish looked delicious—enough to make my stomach grumble a bit just from the sight of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before digging in, I took a sip of the tea first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just plain tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Completely ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I found it unexpectedly reassuring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no poison? I was sure there would be.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I muttered quietly to myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The change in atmosphere came instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssshhh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The once noisy tavern fell silent in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the strange atmosphere, I calmly continued eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slurp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a few more bites of noodles and swallowed the broth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a large portion, so I finished quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating everything, I wiped my mouth in satisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded, but the silence persisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sharp tension in the air pricked at my skin, but I paid no attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had expected this from the start.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Time to begin.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that my stomach was full, it was time to make my move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hand rested on the crown of the boy’s head beside me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt the texture of his hair as I lightly patted it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boy looked up to speak, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I slammed his head straight into the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRASH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The table split in half with the impact of the boy’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tea and food scattered everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I immediately shifted my body—this time toward the boy’s mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would she scream in shock, seeing her child attacked?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, her reaction was nothing of the sort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shiiing!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the boy collapsed, a dagger shot out from the woman’s sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It lunged straight for my neck, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thwack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the—?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I caught the blade between my thumb and forefinger, halting it in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my fist and drove it into her stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt something break inside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her ribs had shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She collapsed onto the floor, vomiting blood, and I tilted my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That was surprising.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh… guh….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lightly tapped her head with my foot as she writhed on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You shouldn’t rush at someone like that—it’s scary, you know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked around the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the sudden outbreak of violence, no one seemed shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, what I felt was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hostility.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The waves of hostility directed at me were too unnatural for a simple tavern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I like this.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For me, this kind of situation was more than welcome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Quite the looks you’re giving me. Are you even planning to run a business like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I leaned back in my chair, I heard the sound of weapons being drawn from all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lively, cheerful diners from moments ago had vanished without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This place wasn’t even a real tavern to begin with.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As far as I could tell, I was the only genuine customer here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current situation confirmed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Who are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man with a scowl asked, and I looked him in the eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why bother asking? You already know, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing my words, he fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, these people already knew who I was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That only made them more curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…How did you figure it out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did I know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, I wouldn’t have answered, but I decided to make an exception this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because your acting was shit—wait, no. It actually wasn’t bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The kid played his part well, and the mom put in a lot of practice too. Pretty decent. But if you’re gonna hide weapons, you should work on those movements.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Critiquing their performance probably seemed ridiculous coming from me, but it was true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Honestly, it’s something most people wouldn’t have noticed. But the real giveaway?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nudged the collapsed boy’s head with my foot and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Neither the mom nor the kid looked surprised when they saw me. Usually, the kid at least would’ve been startled.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Explaining my reasoning pissed me off even more because they actually seemed to understand and nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I held back a sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had come here prepared, but even if I hadn’t known, their reaction alone would’ve made me suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That only made it more frustrating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grinding my teeth, I said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was planning to flip this place upside down from the start, but since the food was surprisingly good, I’ll give you a chance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t a normal tavern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its name was Dongyu Tavern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where’s your sect leader?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This place was secretly run by the Celestial Stream Sect.\u003C\u002Fp>",2229,"2026-06-05T15:10:19.687Z",1,"novelbin.me","cc8db2e7f8bbad44dc1334a78687fe0d0736a32040bed904b4f792f5256090bd","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-817","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-815",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]