[{"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-825":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},1240625,1667,"Chapter 824","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-825",825,"\u003Cp>There were countless factions and groups scattered throughout Zhongyuan. From the Nine Great Sects to the Four Noble Clans—they were all considered factions in their own right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the Martial Alliance itself was a faction, and the Demonic Cult was no different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The important question was what roles these factions played and what intentions drove them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put it simply—were they orthodox or unorthodox? That was the first distinction to make.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the same in my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, I had encountered plenty of groups with bizarre names.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were countless sects and clans that claimed grandeur, but the real problems always stemmed from—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Groups that called themselves cults.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When chaos erupted, it was usually because of those lunatics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zealots who worshiped something or were fanatically obsessed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that this was particularly strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at the Daoist or Buddhist sects—Wudang and Shaolin, for example.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite their refined appearances, they could easily be considered cults as well, if you thought about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In their case, they were simply well-structured and well-established.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the ones I was talking about?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were cults filled with madmen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever trouble brewed, it was always those kinds of groups that caused it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look at the Demonic Cult, for instance. Groups with “cult” in their name were never sane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ilcheon Cult?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The name alone sent a chill down my spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle—! Crackle—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flames danced in the night air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An entire small building was ablaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, I was the one who had set it on fire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was burning it down to erase every trace of the men inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I watched the flames, I stroked my chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This doesn’t sit well with me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The group that had approached the Celestial Stream Sect—or had some sort of dealings with them—was called Ilcheon Cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just hearing that name left a bitter taste in my mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Celestial Stream Sect… in my past life, they got their hands on something from Golden Stream Manor’s hidden archives.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That discovery had propelled their sect leader’s cultivation level to new heights, and he even gained fame as a demonic practitioner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d assumed it was because he had stumbled upon some extraordinary opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What the hell is going on?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was the one who had raided Golden Stream Manor’s archives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What I found there wasn’t nearly enough to explain the massive leap the Celestial Stream Sect’s leader had made in his cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, the current sect leader—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He wasn’t weak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was far stronger than his publicly known rank suggested.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could tell just from facing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He’s at least in the lower tier of the Ten Great Masters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t just some average Hwagyeong-level practitioner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His energy was far more refined and intense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as far as I knew, he hadn’t obtained the archives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So how had he reached that level?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It means there’s something else.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While I was already questioning this, the name Ilcheon Cult only stirred my suspicions further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Celestial Stream Sect had supposedly found some miraculous opportunity from Golden Stream Manor’s archives in my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, there was this name—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ilcheon (一天).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“One Heaven.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it a coincidence? Or something more?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because that name bore an unsettling resemblance to a certain figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The master of Golden Stream Manor—the hero credited with stopping the Blood Disaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeon Ilcheon, the Greatest Under Heaven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was enough to set my nerves on edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A day had passed since I burned those Ilcheon Cult bastards to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t wiped them all out, and since it wasn’t their main base, the search radius needed to expand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’m not exactly in a position to do the searching myself.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were other matters that demanded my attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, I had the Shadow King to rely on, so it wasn’t a major issue, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It doesn’t sit right leaving everything to that man.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially when the man in question was already missing an arm. It didn’t feel right to keep piling tasks on him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that I was about to take over the search myself either…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If it’s about smashing through and tearing things down, sure.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But creeping around quietly, piecing things together? That didn’t suit me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could do it if I really had to, but honestly? It was more convenient to let someone better suited for it handle the task.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tsk.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to look at it in a positive light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Besides… the Shadow King seems like he actually wants to do it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been there when I first heard the name Ilcheon Cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, something about it seemed to spark his interest. He’d volunteered to dig deeper without me even asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a relief, honestly, to have someone willing to step up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Sigh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tapped the table and furrowed my brows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s definitely something going on here…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was something about this whole situation that kept nagging at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but it wouldn’t leave my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like there was a storm brewing, and I couldn’t shake the unease creeping up my spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I was mulling it over—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knock, knock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clan Leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sensed someone standing outside the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s Moon Dohyuk. May I come in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man entered—Moon Dohyuk, a member of the Serpent Dragon Division.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I came to report the results of the investigation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With my permission, he carefully handed me a scroll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfolding it, I saw a summary of recent developments recorded over several days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I skimmed through it quickly before asking,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This covers how many days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three days, sir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it. I’ve reviewed it, so you can go now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is there anything else you’d like me to look into?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not at the moment. Just keep doing what you’re—oh, wait. Dohyuk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, sir?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keep an eye on the Azure Dragon Division if you can.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Azure Dragon Division?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. Nothing too detailed—just observe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Moon Dohyuk left, a bitter laugh escaped me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I laughed for a while, then suddenly stopped and let my face harden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…How ridiculous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I crumpled the scroll and burned it on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ashes scattered. There was no need to keep that report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s all worthless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The so-called intelligence Moon Dohyuk had brought me was nothing but garbage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked solid enough on the surface—tracking the movements of the Celestial Stream Sect, identifying their locations, and listing their personnel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tsk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was all fake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I already knew the real information from the Shadow King and my own investigations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it was obvious that everything Moon Dohyuk had reported was fabricated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These bastards.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cursed, though I wasn’t exactly angry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had expected this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I’d wanted real intel, I wouldn’t have sent someone like him to gather it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could have done it myself or assigned someone I actually trusted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was a reason I had deliberately used him instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s easier to weed them out this way.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was more efficient to sort out the rats like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why I had let them handle it in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But to be this blatant about it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t even try to hide it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Or maybe it’s just easier for me to see through it because I already know the truth?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But whatever the reason, that wasn’t the main point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The important part was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There are traitors in the Serpent Dragon Division.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were definitely people I needed to root out, starting with Moon Dohyuk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man had originally come from the Azure Dragon Division.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From what I had learned, he’d barely avoided being kicked out due to his poor performance there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A strange connection, indeed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What to do with him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I thought it over briefly before finally standing up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed there was somewhere I needed to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*****************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who had just left Gu Yangcheon’s residence—Moon Dohyuk—walked briskly, doing his best to hide his anxiousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the presence of others faded around him, his expression began to surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was obvious at a glance—he was rattled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff… Huff.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took deep breaths, trying to steady his rapidly pounding heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon Dohyuk was scared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t stop thinking about the eyes of Gu Yangcheon, the ones he had faced just moments ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of person had eyes that terrifying?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those faintly blue-tinged pupils had pierced through him as though they could see everything—every secret he was hiding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were the eyes of someone who knew exactly what he had done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just thinking about them made Moon Dohyuk exhale slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he been found out?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The anxiety swelled, but he forced himself to suppress it and kept walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Avoiding prying eyes, he moved deeper into the branch headquarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was already waiting at his destination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he saw the man, Moon Dohyuk immediately dropped to his knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to how he had acted before Gu Yangcheon, this display was far more submissive and swift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“M-Master Ilcheon! It’s an honor to see you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man gave a small nod.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Ilcheon Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ilcheon Sword looked down at Moon Dohyuk and waved his hand slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the air around them rippled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gust of wind swept through, lightly shifting Moon Dohyuk’s hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a Concealment Technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the surroundings fell silent, Ilcheon Sword spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you take care of things properly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Y-Yes! I followed your instructions exactly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ilcheon Sword focused on the words, “as instructed,” and smirked slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How did the Star King react? Did he seem suspicious?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At first, he might have been, but… fortunately, he doesn’t appear to suspect anything now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ilcheon Sword raised a brow, as if surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No reaction at all?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was unexpected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the mood, Moon Dohyuk hurriedly added more details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And… he gave me an order.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“An order? What kind of order?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He told me to observe the movements of the Azure Dragon Division.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mention of the Azure Dragon Division made Ilcheon Sword’s eyes narrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So even Gu Yangcheon was paying attention to that side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that it mattered. At this point, it was too late for him to change anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What should I do…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon Dohyuk asked cautiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ilcheon Sword’s response was calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Follow the Star King’s instructions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean… report back about the Azure Dragon Division?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. Just give him enough to look believable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“U-Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon Dohyuk nodded repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Satisfied, Ilcheon Sword gave him a light pat on the shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You catch on quickly, as expected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon Dohyuk’s eyes glimmered at the recognition.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, what was your name again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes flickered in that brief moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Moon Dohyuk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, right. I remember now. Moon Dohyuk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll be counting on you. You remember what to do, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon Dohyuk clenched his fist slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But an inexplicable sense of unease crept up his spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he asked the question he had been holding back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“M-Master Ilcheon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once this is over… you’ll let me return to the Azure Dragon Division, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice trembled with desperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ilcheon Sword’s brows twitched briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was just for an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly regained his composure, smiled, and patted Moon Dohyuk’s shoulder again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. Didn’t I promise? Once this is done, not only will you return to the Azure Dragon Division, but I’ll even secure you a proper position.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reassurance finally brought a bit of relief to Moon Dohyuk’s expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you! I-I’ll do my best!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Just focus on your task. You understand how important tomorrow is, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, sir!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon Dohyuk nodded fervently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that, Ilcheon Sword took a step back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon Dohyuk quickly rose to his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll take my leave now, Master Ilcheon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, sir…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon Dohyuk disappeared into the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment his presence vanished beyond the Concealment Barrier—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ilcheon Sword clicked his tongue and frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pathetic wretch.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The irritation was plain on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gone was the kind demeanor he had shown earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How dare he…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mere castoff from the Azure Dragon Division—was his name Moon Hyukdo? No, Moon Dohyuk?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even worth remembering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet that man had dared to ask, “Will you really let me go back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question made Ilcheon Sword click his tongue again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did this fool really think he deserved anything?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d seemed useful enough as bait, but the moment he started acting like he had leverage, it was clear he’d gotten too full of himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, Ilcheon Sword considered getting rid of him immediately—but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No… It doesn’t matter.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no point in worrying about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, he had promised to let him return to the Azure Dragon Division—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If he makes it back alive.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if not?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Bait isn’t needed once the fish is caught.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moon Dohyuk was no different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that thought, Ilcheon Sword turned and disappeared into the night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the Concealment Technique faded, someone with piercing blue eyes emerged from the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Gu Yangcheon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been watching the entire exchange from a distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, well…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He fixed his gaze on Ilcheon Sword’s retreating back, his expression contemplative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where should I dig his grave?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an amusing dilemma.\u003C\u002Fp>",2229,"2026-06-05T15:10:19.687Z",1,"novelbin.me","a40097e672ea1f77dea7a0ed48396321396f768479b189fd50d2dee70e9bde44","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-826","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-824",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]