[{"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-880":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},1240730,1667,"Chapter 879","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-880",880,"\u003Cp>Two more days had passed since the incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aftermath of the event had mostly been dealt with, and a letter had been sent to the main alliance to report the situation. Now, with only the loose ends left to tie up, I could soon return to Hanam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you planning to visit the Tang Clan before we leave?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Cheol Ji-seon’s question, I nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll stop by once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just once?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s no need to stay longer. I’ll check on the commercial rollout, and if it’s fine, I won’t go back a second time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll contact the merchant group.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I replied while reviewing the letters. Most were reports.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I skimmed through them, a thought occurred to me, and I asked Cheol Ji-seon:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you send a message to him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, yes… I did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of “him,” Cheol Ji-seon’s expression darkened. Understandable, given how strongly he’d opposed bringing that person into the fold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, it won’t take long to resolve.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Beggar Sect involved, things would naturally fall into place as soon as that man made a move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, if the Division Leaders of the sect acted, that would be a problem in its own right…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’m curious about how Ubong Chwigye will respond.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Master of the Beggar Sect, known to have ties to my father. How he would react was the key.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The path forward depended entirely on his actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it. Just handle the contact with the merchant group.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finishing the conversation, I stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weather outside was clear, and the sun seemed particularly bright today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Or maybe it’s not just the sun.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something ahead of me was reflecting the sunlight, catching my eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Division Leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reflective object was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young man with a polished, bald scalp standing in front of me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the Divine Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ugh, too bright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shielded my eyes from the glare, making the Divine Dragon frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry, it’s just… really bright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t trying to mock him. Well, maybe a little—there was some temptation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you always carrying something around?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine Dragon’s face turned red as he hesitated to respond. Someone was rubbing his shiny head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it was Bong Soon. No one else would even think to do something like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re going to rub his skin off. Get away from him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fine. Baldie said it’s okay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even your nickname for him is ridiculous. Step away, now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I snapped, and Bong Soon finally backed off with a sulky expression. Only then did the Divine Dragon and I have room to speak properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now, go on… Wait, why do you look disappointed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…! I’m not! Not at all!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, sure. You look exactly like someone who’s disappointed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s not true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Swear it on Buddha?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t even answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…There really are no normal people here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head and sighed. A monk, falling for someone like her—it was absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And of all people, why her?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Admittedly, Bong Soon was beautiful. Anyone could see that. But most people realized within half an hour of meeting her…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to stay far, far away from this lunatic.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Getting involved with her was a surefire way to ruin your life, in every possible sense. Yet somehow, this clueless monk didn’t seem to have that instinct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not that Bong Soon seems interested in him either.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She just liked his bald head and stuck to him for that reason alone. There wasn’t any deeper meaning behind it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I wished she’d lose interest and leave him alone, but that was probably too much to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you really like her that much?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-what…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Dragon’s face flushed red as he stammered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This humble monk is a man of Shaolin! I do not waver before such emotions!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who said anything? I was just asking. Forget it if it’s not true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pressing further wouldn’t accomplish anything, so I let it drop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What was he like in his past life?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, I found myself curious about the Divine Dragon’s previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d betrayed Shaolin to join the Demonic Cult. What kind of person had he been back then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I don’t recall him being involved with Bong Soon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no memory of the two being close in his previous life. Could this be some anomaly of the current timeline?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That seemed likely, though I couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what is it? Why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was he seeking me out in broad daylight? His flustered expression hardened as soon as I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face grew serious, his displeasure evident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s with that look?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I want to know why I wasn’t included in the operation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words came out in a single breath, and I tilted my head. Ah, so that’s what this was about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I was wondering why he showed up.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now I understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it nice to take a break? You came all this way to complain about that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had deliberately left the Divine Dragon out of the operation. My orders had been for him to remain on standby, no matter what happened—and he’d followed them to the letter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t done a thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, here we were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s there to not understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’m strong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That confidence. He wasn’t wrong, but hearing it from him was annoying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How arrogant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I said it outright, and his face turned bright red. He knew it was embarrassing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, well… Sure, you’re strong. No one’s denying that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Objectively speaking, he was one of the strongest members of the Seongryong Corps. He was stronger than Wi Seol-ah at present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for Namgung Bi-ah…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She has the edge in compatibility. It’d be hard to say without a direct fight.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wi Seol-ah wasn’t focused on raw power, whereas Namgung Bi-ah’s style, while elegant, leaned heavily on destructive force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that case, Divine Dragon would struggle more against Namgung Bi-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If he fought Tang So-yeol, he’d lose outright.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Tang So-yeol decided to kill him, she’d win without question. Their levels weren’t far apart, but her techniques were better suited for such a fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’s still in the top five.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Divine Dragon was a Hwagyeong martial artist—someone who had entered the realm of intent. Among the elite in the Seongryong Corps, he was unquestionably one of the top five.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With talent like that, his confidence wasn’t misplaced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If he wanted, he could have been a Division Leader.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t at Ilcheon Sword’s level, but if he pushed for it, the Martial Alliance would likely have given him the role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I weren’t here…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wouldn’t be possible now, with me around, but regardless, the Divine Dragon’s worth was never something to be underestimated. That was why he couldn’t understand my reasoning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it because I’m from Shaolin that you excluded me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes held a thought—this decision was unjust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that, I smirked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What if it is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes widened, but he had no words to follow. He probably hadn’t expected me to outright confirm it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘As I thought.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching his reaction, I was convinced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Teasing this guy is just too entertaining.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was absurdly naive. Was it even possible for someone to climb to such heights in martial arts and remain this innocent?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Then again, why question it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-“I love you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, there were plenty of people like him around me. There was no need to wonder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that in mind, I decided to cut the teasing short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m joking. Well, half-joking. But that’s not the real reason.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing my additional words, the Divine Dragon let out a quiet sigh. Was that relief?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If so, I felt a little sorry for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The real reason is far worse than that.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were just because he was from Shaolin, it wouldn’t be so bad. At least then, I’d only come off as a petty person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the truth was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well then… why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t a matter of affiliations or loyalties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve never killed anyone, have you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At my words, the Divine Dragon’s golden eyes shook violently. His usual calm expression fractured, revealing the intensity hidden beneath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This mission had to be conducted quietly and swiftly. Even the slightest hesitation would’ve been unacceptable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When told to kill, you kill. No time to worry about their story, their reasons, or their circumstances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could you have done that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I could.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh? A Shaolin monk, who values life above all else? Isn’t that against your principles?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Shaolin monks weren’t completely above killing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they adhered to the teachings of Buddha, they were still martial artists. Death in combat wasn’t rare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you would’ve hesitated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So that’s why you excluded me from the mission.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. You were useless for this mission. At worst, you would’ve been a hindrance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I drove the point home, sharp and direct. There was no need to soften the blow. He needed to understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t make excuses. Can you really say for certain that’s not true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Dragon shut his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that, I smirked internally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At least he doesn’t deny it or let his pride get in the way.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He probably couldn’t be certain himself. The problem was that his hesitation was so plainly visible on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s not a good look.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That kind of transparency would make him an easy target for exploitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Listen, about you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to point this out when a voice interrupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Division Leader.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Seong Yul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The tasks you mentioned are all completed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shall we depart immediately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hold on a moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at the Divine Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Figure out your stance. Until then, don’t let stubbornness cloud your thinking.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking in a way only he could hear, I turned away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Following Seong Yul’s lead, I began walking forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My stance… I’ve already decided.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Dragon spoke to my back, but I didn’t react. I merely glanced to the side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul was looking at the Divine Dragon with a strange expression. I noted his gaze and continued forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I could no longer sense the Divine Dragon’s presence, I called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul turned to look at me, his golden eyes meeting mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Between you and him, which one’s older?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seong Yul froze completely.\u003C\u002Fp>",1740,"2026-06-05T15:10:20.656Z",1,"novelbin.me","4b5d8bcc6adbb21abb2e7d25cd74cc7f14f573d000d72709d22a72da3cb9f80d","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-881","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-879",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]