817 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

# Chapter 817: Northern Rabbit - Web Novel Archive After concluding the conversation with Master of the Qing Tian sect and returning, the sun had already set. Entering the division, I was allowed inside without any particular checks and soon arrived at a designated place. It was a rather spacious area allocated specifically for our brigade. "Hah-!" "Hoo-!" I heard vigorous shouts echoing near my ears. The voices were coming from the training area on one side. It seemed like everyone was engrossed in training. I turned my steps towards that direction. The training area wasn't particularly large, so there weren't many people. I counted fewer than ten. Moreover, 'Just as I expected.' None of the people assigned by the Alliance were present, only those whom I had personally selected were there. They probably couldn't train their unique martial arts in the open. It must have been a simple physical training. I slightly waved my hand. Whoooosh-!! The energy gathered inside bursted out through the window. The attention of the gathered members turned my way. "Leader?" "I told you to take a rest, but you really don't listen, do you?" "Have you arrived?" "Yeah, nothing special happened, right?" "Yes. The division was considerate enough to let us rest comfortably." "This doesn’t look like resting though... Anyway, where are the others?" "They're likely at their assigned quarters." "Is that so?" I asked questions I already knew the answers to, shifting my gaze. This was to remember the faces of those who were training. I had to keep them in mind for future reference. "Tang Vice-Leader." I called out Tang Sohyeol, who was training with them. Surprised, she responded. "Oh, yes." "There's something I need to discuss. Can you come to see me as soon as your training ends, preferably by the time of Haeshi?" "Oh, understood." After conveying my message, I turned around immediately. My business at the training ground was finished. I casually walked around the premises, occasionally looking out for someone. Soon enough, I stumbled upon something peculiar. "...Hmm?" I witnessed a peculiar scene. "Scrub, scrub." "We-Lady, ple-please stop." "Scrub, scrub." Behind the quarters, on the porch. There sat Bong Soon with someone. I didn’t need to check who it was. Under the night sky, only one person had such a shining bald head. But, '...What are they doing?' The mystery was why Bong Soon was rubbing that shiny head. That was the puzzling part. "Hehe. It's fascinating. It feels good." "Ugh, uuugh..." Without hesitation, her hands moved skillfully, as if she was handling a round ball. Meanwhile, the monk whose head was being so relentlessly rubbed was flushed red up to his ears, completely out of sorts. '...' What should I call this? Watching the promising monk of Shaolin being toyed with under Bong Soon's hands... The sight was awkwardly indescribable. Especially, 'That crazy girl is really treating him like a toy.' The touch seemed to have an effect, turning even the scalp of the Shaolin Divine Dragon red. That guy... ‘...Looks like he’s more mischievous than I thought?’ It's a problem if a monk is that filled with such worldly desires. How could he carry out the will of Buddha? He even secretly eats meat on occasions. Last time, he got caught by me sneaking a dumpling. Remembering that incident gives me certainty. 'Shaolin is doomed.' The Divine Dragon is surely going to be the future Abbot, but at this rate, Shaolin's future seems bleak. Though of course, it’s none of my concern. "*Hmm.*" Shall I sneak up and tease them? Ask if they’re enjoying lascivious touches instead of training? ‘Sounds fun.’ Just imagining the Divine Dragon’s reaction excites me. Although it's only been a few days, the Divine Dragon turned out to be more fun to tease than I expected. I considered really doing it for a moment... But ultimately turned around. Although it would be incredibly entertaining, it wasn't the right time for such antics. 'Where are Wi Seol-ah and Namgung Bia....?’ They weren't at the training ground. Were they resting? 'I doubt those two would be resting.’ They aren’t the type to rest. I suspected they'd prefer training in a quiet place rather than where people are usually present. Though I wanted to find them, I decided against it. Cheol Jiseon or Seong Yul would be easily found if looked for, but... ‘I’m not particularly concerned about them.’ I had already assigned work to Cheol Jiseon upon arrival. ‘Seong Yul isn’t fully recovered yet, so it’s tricky to deploy him.’ Since the duel with Paeng Woo-jin, Seong Yul’s recovery hadn’t completed. Shin Ui mentioned that his regeneration speed seemed unusually slow for a martial artist. ‘Could it be the repercussion of the Celestial Star?’ Perhaps. If Seong Yul’s cultivation isn’t especially low, his slow recovery might indicate a problem. I planned to check on this aspect later. For confirmation, maybe I should break something and calculate his healing speed? ‘Not a bad idea. That sounds good.’ It would be the most accurate and quick validation. There was no consideration for Seong Yul’s opinion whatsoever. Still, I could be lenient and inflict minimal pain out of camaraderie. While contemplating these matters and walking around, “Oh my. Really?” “Hahaha. That's correct. So back then I…” “More importantly, this time in Hanam….” Eventually, I reached my destination, hearing cheerful voices coming from a distance. Multiple voices intertwined with laughter. Hearing them, I involuntarily smiled. A distinct, mocking smile. ‘They’re doing it again.’ Suppressing my sneer, I approached, gradually observing the scene. In front of the pond at the quarters, many individuals were gathered. It appeared most of those absent from the training were present here. The problem was... “Hahaha. Jin, isn’t that a bit exaggerated?” “What? Exaggerated?” “Well, hearing you faced a hundred alone was quite surprising. Ah, you didn't take offense, did you? It was just a joke.” “Ah…hahaha. Not at all. I knew you were kidding.” “Anyway, there’s this famous festival conducted by the trading group from the month after next….” Conversations flowed incessantly. Though it appeared friendly, the underlying tension was intense. Like laughing while wielding a hidden sword, each was unilaterally probing the other's vulnerabilities. It felt like watching a dense and unpleasant political game. The commotion made everything feel messy, leaving me with a heavy feeling. ‘Ugh.’ Although it made me wonder what the fuss was about, I knew the reason well enough to hold my tongue. It was a battle of sorts. A struggle among males to win over a precious female. "Isn't that right, Lady Yeon?" "Hoho, yes, you really are remarkable." "Ahem...." A slight response from one of the females made one of the males blush. The rest were no different. "So, about last time...." "No, the trading lord personally told me...." Each male tried desperately to engage more, to gain that elusive female's favor. Nearly all of them seemed to be struggling to keep her attention. It was puzzling why they were trying so hard, but the more significant issue was.... ‘The males are plentiful, but there’s only one female.’ All those numerous hunter males were targeting the very same female. "Hoho." The woman who covered her mouth and laughed seductively. She was Yeon Hong, one of the individuals I brought along. She was that lone female. Her gentle smile made the men around her react intensely. Their eyes were filled with reckless desire, struggling to flirt with her was amusingly pathetic. Mixing dirty politics with competition made the situation extraordinarily murky. It was a perfect scene, vividly illustrating a question I'd always found curious. ‘They’re amazingly desperate.’ How could they be so intense? It was beyond my comprehension. Also, how they could swarm over just Yeon Hong was somewhat astonishing. ‘This is something.’ Certainly, Yeon Hong wasn’t the only woman around. There were Wi Seol-ah, Namgung Bia, and even Tang Sohyeol, who was also a vice-leader, but they didn’t dare try these odd antics with them. The reason probably being, ‘They’re too far out of reach.’ It was likely because their status was much too high. Maybe that was the reason, or maybe it was because I occasionally gave a slight glare or used some energy to reprimand those who tried to approach. It could be. Whatever the reason, they only glanced, but never dared to approach. In such a scenario, Yeon Hong's presence was like a drought-ending rain. Though beautiful, her attractiveness hadn’t reached an absolute level, but the aura she possessed was deeply enchanting. In comparison, she might seem like a hard-to-get precious item one might acquire with effort. This situation was perfect for the men to be restless over. The resulting scene was this current courtship battle over Yeon Hong. In an attempt to gain affection, words were spoken with swords hidden within. Their struggle seemed intense from their view, but... ‘There’s really no nonsense quite like this.’ From my perspective, it was simply laughable. Should I organize this sometime? No, I probably won’t need to. Yeon Hong... she must have a plan. Confidently recalling this, I walked over in her direction. At the same time, I called out to the woman who was subtly smiling. "Yeon Hong." With a hint of presence in my voice, the conversation halted and all eyes turned my way. The men glanced sharply, thinking I might be another competitor, but upon realizing it was me, they stood up quickly. "Leader." "We greet you, Leader." "...Ah, right. Were you all resting well?" "Yes...!" Their responses were sharp. It seemed effective after knocking them around a few times on the way to Sichuan. "Sorry to interrupt your rest, but I'll be taking Yeon Hong. I have something else to discuss with her." "Ah...." "Oh, I see." Their voices were filled with regret. These punks...? ‘The main character didn’t even say anything, yet why are you feeling regretful?’ It was absurd. I sighed lightly, shifting my gaze to Yeon Hong, who also stood up. Yeon Hong had a mysterious smile hidden behind her hand. "Shall we go now?" "Yes. Follow me." "Understood." Yeon Hong moved through the group of men, heading out. As she passed, she gave them a slight smile. "It was fun, gentlemen. Share more stories next time too." "Ah… Of course!" "Feel free to ask anytime!" Skillfully, she cast her net widely. Seeing that, it was evident she wouldn't easily escape. With a short click of my tongue, I turned around. "...Let's go." "Yes." With that, the two people departed... "..." "..." Silence descended among the men left behind. Their relationships were built around Yeon Hong, so there was little left to talk about when she was gone. With everyone being rivals, there was no need for conversation. Merely refraining from harboring malice towards one another was the best they could do. Just as they were about to leave quietly... “You know…” One of them began to speak. "Does anyone know the relationship between the Leader and Lady Yeon?" "..." "..." Everyone paused at the quietly raised question. What kind of relationship did the Leader have with Yeon Hong? It was a question everyone had wondered about but never dared to ask. "I mean, could it be… that kind of relationship?" "No, don't be ridiculous. The Leader already has a fiancée." One man spoke up, finding the suggestion laughable. It was well-known that the Star King was engaged to the Sword Dancer who had bested the Silver Wolf Sword. "Of course, of course. With such a fiancée, could he possibly look at another woman?" The shock from first seeing the Sword Dancer was still unforgettable. Realizing a person could be that stunning. Despite being in the same division and traveling to Sichuan together, it was honestly hard even to make eye contact with her. Could he have another relationship with Yeon Hong besides her? It was unfathomable. ...Yet. "For all that..." “…Hmm, isn’t it?” Some recalled. “Look at the Seol-ah Moon Sword or Vice-Leader Tang. Isn’t it different?” Seol-ah Moon Sword and Tang Sohyeol. They were as beautiful as the Sword Dancer. The members knew something about them too. “I almost died from just looking at the Leader for long last time…” To be precise, he didn’t die but nearly wet himself from the death glare he received. “I tried to just lightly speak once and was warned off for making nonsense. I really almost passed out from that.” The Leader's expression was so terrifying that some nearly lost their senses. "Considering this, doesn’t it seem like the Leader holds those ladies in quite a special regard?" “That is…” “There are even rumors, you know.” “Oh…! That rumor?” At those words, everyone quickly recalled. Among the many rumors about the Star King that spread through Zhongyuan, the most famous one was: Despite his heroic nature, the Star King was said to have a ghostly visage. He had a reputation as a notorious womanizer, often seen with beautiful women surrounding him. Recalling this, the men were gripped by unease. What if... Really, what if... "Could Lady Yeon also be..." "Perhaps... is she in that kind of relationship with the Leader...?" Could it be the same kind of relationship? Such suspicions arose in the minds of everyone present. ****************** As the men indulged in their fantasies, each grinding their teeth with determination, I brought Yeon Hong into the room. Inside, my belongings were already unpacked and arranged neatly, likely prepared by the division. “Whew.” I exhaled, stepping into the room. Yeon Hong had already come inside. As the night deepened, lamps lit up the room, casting a subtle atmosphere. As I glanced at Yeon Hong, bathed in the soft glow, her impression appeared even more alluring. Especially her slightly lowered eyes with a hint of a smile, a feature that seemed to captivate men. I watched Yeon Hong silently before speaking in a voice that had dropped low. "Alright then." "Now, let's disrobe." Hearing this, Yeon Hong lightly brushed her hair behind her ear. “Ah, can’t we just talk like this?” “…In such attire, it does feel a little uncomfortable.” “Really?” “Yes. So, please, disrobe.” After speaking firmly twice, only then did Yeon Hong begin to move. Shff. Shff. She started to remove her clothes without any hesitation. There was no need for hesitation between us in the first place. Shff—! Shff—! Gradually, her clothes unfurled. The clothes fell softly to the floor, and I nodded with satisfaction. ‘Now it’s finally worth watching.’ With clear eyes, I gazed at Yeon Hong. To my surprise, despite having undressed, she wasn’t naked. Even with her clothes off, she was still clad in black martial robes for some reason. And then, Riiiiiip---!!! Suddenly, she grabbed at her skin and tore it away, revealing a new face within. It was the face of the man known as the "Dark King," the ruler among assassins, the master of the night. “Dark King.” The Dark King. That was Yeon Hong's true identity.