[{"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-842":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},1240642,1667,"Chapter 841","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-842",842,"\u003Cp>Of course, I still couldn’t understand why Mun Do-hyuk had come to my side.Frankly, I didn’t trust him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ilcheon Sword might have planted him as a distraction.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could be a high-level tactic to shake things up here using a double agent.Or, in Mun Do-hyuk’s case, would it be a triple agent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Either way….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since his decision made no sense to me, trusting him was out of the question.As I’ve said before, I can’t trust someone with a history of betrayal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps aware of my suspicions, Mun Do-hyuk tried to steady his trembling hands and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you wish, I will accept a binding seal… Please, I beg you to accept me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was offering to have a restriction carved into his body—a promise not to be taken lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even so, I still won’t trust him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can’t rely on words alone.And even if I could, I had no intention of trusting him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What matters isn’t his character.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His nature, sincerity, or desperation.All of that was irrelevant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing worth considering here was one thing:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘His value.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where, how, and in what way can I use him? Or is he even useful at all?That was all that mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And based on what I saw in Mun Do-hyuk:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not bad.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a decent card to play. Right now, he was perfect as a disposable pawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What to do with him?I mulled it over briefly. If this was indeed Ilcheon Sword’s move…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There are, at most, two ways to deal with it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t like I had no options, just a few suitable ones.On the other hand, if Mun Do-hyuk really had betrayed Ilcheon Sword…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’s not sharp enough to be a dagger.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t deliver a decisive blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, I already had plans in place, so there was no immediate need for him.At best, I could use him for some minor sabotage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the real question wasn’t whether he was a spy or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Should I kill him or spare him?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I get rid of him right here and now? That was what I was pondering.Killing him wouldn’t be an issue. There wouldn’t be any traces, and his death wouldn’t change anything significant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even considering potential variables, eliminating him seemed like the safer choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So, should I kill him?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flinch—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mun Do-hyuk shivered as he looked at me. It seemed he had sensed a faint killing intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“L-Lord….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Keeping him alive would serve no purpose other than to mess with Ilcheon Sword, so just disposing of him seemed like the better option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I deliberated before nodding to myself, having come to a conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stood, Mun Do-hyuk gasped and scrambled backward. His reaction looked utterly pathetic.I glanced at him with a look of disdain and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“P-please, spare me….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you talking about? Who said I’d kill you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…W-what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You wanted me to take you in, didn’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah! Th-then…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop acting pathetic and get up. We’re leaving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, I would accept him. Though risky, it was worth it to mess with Ilcheon Sword.It seemed manageable at this level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if anything went wrong…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll just kill them all.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, I already had the perfect solution in mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>********************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stepped outside.Lanterns were already lighting up the entire base, and the warriors were taking turns preparing for the night watch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the leader, I wasn’t required to stand guard, but I often took a walk around at night while training to check on things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Commander.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. Good work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each member saluted hastily as I passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to tell them not to bother, but since there was a clear hierarchy, certain formalities needed to be maintained.Otherwise, sometimes they’d start stepping out of line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And disciplining them every time is a hassle.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, I could just put them back in their place if they acted out, but the effort involved annoyed me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I made my rounds, checking on the warriors here and there…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh, Commander…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mun Do-hyuk, following behind me, spoke in an uneasy voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where… where are we headed right now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed nervous since I hadn’t mentioned our destination.I chuckled and responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You want to know where we’re going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To find a place to bury you, obviously.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mun Do-hyuk froze, his body trembling. Fear instantly filled his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that, I laughed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m joking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh… haha… A-a joke, of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right now, we’re heading to meet the Azure Dragon Division Commander.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Azure Dragon Commander…? Wait, what?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mun Do-hyuk’s eyes widened in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… what do you mean by that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What else would I mean? Like I said, we’re going to see Ilcheon Sword.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…N-no…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry. I just have some questions to ask.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“T-then… why am I going with you…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I had something to ask Ilcheon Sword, why was I taking him along? Mun Do-hyuk asked, confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I answered nonchalantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s easier to ask questions about you if you’re there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What…? What does that mean…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop asking so many questions. Do you want me to shut you up by piercing your lips with a skewer? Neatly? Just follow me without making a fuss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my irritated tone, Mun Do-hyuk finally clamped his mouth shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relieved by the newfound silence, I sighed.But sensing his hesitation behind me, I added,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me be clear. It’s too late to back out now. If you’re going to stick around, do it properly. If I catch you trying to play both sides, I won’t let you off. Got it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… I understand….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mun Do-hyuk’s face turned pale at the warning laced with killing intent.And I meant it. If he gave me more reasons to doubt him, I’d get rid of him without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing my inspections, I asked one of the members,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where’s the deputy commander?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t referring to Tang So-yeol but the other one, who was nowhere to be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The member, standing at attention, replied crisply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The deputy commander is currently at the western quarters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The western quarters? That’s where the Azure Dragon Division is, isn’t it? Why there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t heard any reports of them needing to go there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing my confusion, the member hesitated before explaining further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well… there’s been some trouble regarding intelligence gathering with the Azure Dragon Division….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trouble? What kind of trouble?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, they went without reporting to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Commander. The deputy thought it best to go directly, as you were away….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, they should’ve made sure I knew as soon as I got back. Why am I only finding out about this now, after asking you? Isn’t this way too late?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…M-my apologies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Apologies, my ass. Is this how you handle things?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just this guy; the others were the same. Damn, this was infuriating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No excuses. I’m sorry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All right. Tell everyone, including yourself, to assemble in front of my quarters. If even one of you is missing, you’re dead. Got it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Y-yes, Commander!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man, now pale, quickly answered my annoyed command.Even if the unit was newly formed, the reporting system couldn’t be this disorganized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I was trying to be lenient, but….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Letting it slide had clearly gone too far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So they got called to the Azure Dragon Division? Perfect.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Might as well grab them and get some answers.Dragging Mun Do-hyuk along, I headed to the Azure Dragon Division’s quarters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I arrived, I noticed the Azure Dragon Division members around me looked startled.Though they quickly saluted, traces of dissatisfaction were visible on their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t the first time, and I usually ignored it, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You, over there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, I had business to attend to, so I singled one of them out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You mean me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man looked unsure, as if he couldn’t believe he was being addressed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, you. Get over here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression soured.Already annoyed, seeing that face only made me angrier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still sulking? Do I need to fix that face with my own hands?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my words, laced with restrained anger, the member swallowed nervously and forced his expression to soften.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m here to see your commander. I also heard my deputy is here. Where are they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing my question, the man’s eyes narrowed slightly. He seemed to know something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…They’re inside, speaking with our commander….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-wait…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man tried to stop me, but I was already stepping inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I entered the Azure Dragon Division’s quarters…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Such insolence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Discipline is….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…To insult the commander…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I heard voices. From the sound of it, they were coming from the central room.The tone wasn’t exactly peaceful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speakers seemed to be…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Our deputy, most likely.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of them was probably my deputy. But who was the other?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I moved closer, the voices became clearer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To think you’d be so unreasonable. How do you plan to manage with such rigidity?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice was mocking, one I hadn’t heard before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And what does that have to do with flexibility…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deputy raised their voice, seemingly upset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Star Dragon Division is not subordinate to the Azure Dragon Division. You are here to assist us, so mind your words.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah. Are you trying to lecture me? Me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Interesting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I listened, the conversation seemed to be heading somewhere strange.Intrigued, I quickened my pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not lecturing, just offering a rightful suggestion as a fellow deputy….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ha! A fellow? Don’t make me laugh. You dare to spout such nonsense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scorn in his voice was palpable.Hearing it, I moved even faster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scenery shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Back when you were in the Red Dragon Division, you were nothing. Now that you’ve got some authority, you think we’re equals? What a delusion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deputy Jin! That’s a disgraceful remark. The title was granted by the Alliance itself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Titles may be the same, but we are not equals. Isn’t that so? Different divisions cannot be equated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My feet touched the ground, and I saw the large quarters ahead.A group of people stood beneath it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need to search long for the voice’s owner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man with an irritating expression stood in front of my flushed deputy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had to be him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To claim that a group of incompetents is on par with us is nothing short of an insult—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my call, the man turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes widened as he recognized my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The punch landed, and his jaw shattered instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>",1745,"2026-06-05T15:10:19.687Z",1,"novelbin.me","baa1c16e5d081f1e1ae4dae4c37a4ffafd5c9bfe973c24529ae04f229f3e9130","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-843","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-841",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]