830 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 830 of "The World's Greatest Martial Artist's Childhood Friend" Thud! The steel beams clattered noisily as they hit the ground. A man, drenched in sweat, exhaled wearily and glanced back. Ilcheonggeom, a middle-aged man with piercing eyes, looked at him and asked, "What did you say?" Upon Ilcheonggeom's inquiry, Mun Do-hyeok spoke, still kneeling. "...The Dokwang and the Seongwang have come into contact." "Dokwang?" Ilcheonggeom frowned at Mun Do-hyeok's words. Dokwang, all of a sudden? It was an unexpectedly abrupt figure. A few years back, the Dang Clan had been forced to admit their wrongdoing and retreated into seclusion after secret human experiments were exposed. And now, Dokwang had visited the branch out of nowhere? 'Although Dokkwon is active, it's understandable since it's his daughter.' As the head of the family, Dokwang and his heir shouldn’t be venturing outside... 'Is he here to see his daughter?' The daughter of the Dang family, who supposedly had risen to be the deputy commander of the Seongryong Unit. Perhaps he had visited to see her. That would be a reasonable justification, but... 'What is going on?' What business did Dokwang have to meet with Seongwang at such a time? ‘Could it be they’ve discovered something?’ A sense of unease began to creep up. Just as preparations were underway to align the plan, and of all people, it was Dokwang? Was Seongwang starting to sense something? ‘If they were tipped off, who would have done it?’ A whirl of thoughts spun in Ilcheonggeom's mind. Had this been a ploy by Gyecheonmun from the start? Or was Seongwang up to something yet again? Since they are all from Sichuan, could Dokwang have been pulled in? If not, then... ‘Was there treachery within?’ Ilcheonggeom cast a fierce gaze at Mun Do-hyeok. If betrayal was a footnote, the likelihood pointed to this man first. Before fully grasping the situation, should he deal with him first? Just as Ilcheonggeom began to wrap a force around his hand and moved to act— "However, thankfully, it seems neither Dokwang nor Seongwang have caught on to the plan." "..." Ilcheonggeom halted upon the added words. "What makes you think that?" "The tea cups were different." "Tea cups?" "Yes, Dokwang didn't drink even a sip of his tea, while Seongwang drank it all." Seongwang drank all his tea, and Dokwang didn't drink his. It seemed like a trivial difference, but it was significant given the current circumstances. The issue was— "It’s hardly enough to be certain though." It was too scant to be confident. Dokwang may have appeared not to drink any tea, yet there’s no telling if he actually drank some. Even if not, it was Dokwang (Poison King) we’re talking about. 'Even if he didn't drink, he likely sensed it.' Among fighters of a king's level, despite Dokwang's combat ranking being lower, no one in a battlefield could surpass Dokwang. It underscores the significance poison holds, and Dokwang was the pinnacle figure handling such poisons. Did he truly not notice, even with it lightly brewed in the pot? Ilcheonggeom could not assure himself of that. And doubting meant a multitude of things. Then— "But, if Dokwang had realized it, wouldn’t Seongwang have refrained from drinking all the tea?" If Dokwang had detected what was prepared for him, Seongwang would never have consumed it all. That's what Mun Do-hyeok was implying, and it was a point Ilcheonggeom found puzzling too. Additionally— "It's strange to think Seongwang would have remained still..." Even if he had realized, Dokwang knowing the tea was poisoned wouldn’t have failed to inform Seongwang, right? If they knew, Seongwang wouldn't have just stayed put. He would have overturned the branch in a heartbeat. Yet given the ongoing quiet, it was indeed peculiar. Could they truly be unaware? If so, that would be fortunate, but it still left a lingering discomfort. ‘It's strange.’ Ilcheonggeom felt an uncanny chill run down his spine. Was this an unforeseen variable? If it was, he needed to create some distance. He needed time to assess the situation. Including whether the poison had been detected or not. 'For what reason did Dokwang visit?' He had to learn as much as possible, even about why ultimately he sought out the Sichuan branch. Yet pulling back now, even briefly... ‘…It's too late to retreat.’ He had already ventured too far. Undoubtedly having taken a stance against it, he had even joined hands with the radical Gyecheonmun and attempted to use poison. Was there anywhere further back he could go? With a flair—Ilcheonggeom donned his martial robe laid on the ground and looked at Mun Do-hyeok. 'There’s no one I can trust.' The Gyecheonmun leader certainly wasn't, nor was this man any different. There was no one he could place his trust in. Was it stifling? That was not the case. 'After all, the Central Plains is such a place.' Through countless experiences, he had learned. In the end, it only mattered who lived and who could ascend. From such a vantage point— 'This guy is my best option.' The person here, Mun... whatever his name, was aspiring to return to the Cheongryong Unit, showing utmost loyalty to him. Given that others harbored unknown motives, this option was better. Especially critical was the matter of dealing with someone when the time came. 'He’d be the easiest.' A man whom he could dispose of anytime. Thus, for now, using him was the sensible choice. With that in mind, Ilcheonggeom chuckled lightly and spoke. "Mun." "Yes! Commander!" "I understand the situation, let me delve further into it." "By that... you mean." Ilcheonggeom approached Mun Do-hyeok who looked puzzled and added, "Remember what I told you the other day?" "I-I remember." Mun Do-hyeok promptly responded to Ilcheonggeom. "You asked me to write about the activities of the Cheongryong Unit and send it to Seongwang." "You remember well... As expected, I can rely on you." "N-No, not at all." Mun Do-hyeok smiled happily at the commendation from Ilcheonggeom. Watching him, Ilcheonggeom slightly nodded his head. Just as expected. ‘He doesn’t seem to be the one.’ At least, this man still had potential uses. That's how it appeared to Ilcheonggeom. "Then, Mun, might I ask you another favor?" "Of course... anything!" "I'm glad." With a chuckle, Ilcheonggeom continued speaking to Mun Do-hyeok. "It's not much of a request, really." Ilcheonggeom patted Mun Do-hyeok’s shoulder a few times as he continued. "When you report this time, add one fact." "What do you mean by adding... what kind of fact?" "The Cheongryong Unit has stumbled upon some peculiar information... and they plan to prepare a stance a few days after confirmation. Relay the same message." "...!" Mun Do-hyeok instantly grasped the intent behind Ilcheonggeom's instruction. Information? They were indeed gathering it. The Cheongryong Unit was a group of elite warriors, known for their formidable strength within the main sect. Naturally, their information-gathering skills were exceptional, and they likely already possessed a substantial amount of data. However, Ilcheonggeom’s directive to disclose this was akin to deliberately leaking information. And that too, false information. ****************** 'Are they beginning to move?' He stroked his chin as he walked forward. By now, he expected some sort of move was being made. 'What approach will they take?' News of Dokwang's visit to the branch would have reached them by now. How would Ilcheonggeom respond to hearing this? He found himself curious. Would he opt for a cautious retreat… or charge forward? 'I figure he'll push ahead.' Given how far he’d ventured with his misdeeds, retreating would only lead to a figurative cliff. Anyone could predict he’d choose the latter option as clear as day, yet... ‘It's hard to be absolutely sure.’ Ultimately, one could never be too certain of what action they’d take. ‘This alters the plan slightly.’ The unforeseen arrival of Dokwang at the branch was something even he hadn’t anticipated, adding an extra layer of complexity. Unexpected problems had arisen, and tackling them head-on was necessary. ‘Hmm.’ Yet, he wasn't greatly concerned about this aspect. He had prepared countermeasures as soon as the situation unfolded. …What's critical is— 'How far does Ilcheonggeom's suspicion reach?' Between Dokwang and himself, and the Gyecheonmun leader... with perhaps the branch head thrown in for good measure. The potential suspects Ilcheonggeom would focus on were roughly these. He could certainly broaden his suspicion net, but it wouldn't have mattered significantly. As long as it’s restricted to just that— It’s a closed case. 'You know, it would be nice if things unfolded smoothly.' Though having it be too easy would take some of the fun out of it. The crazy thought lingered momentarily, hesitating even in its sensibility. ‘Ridiculous.’ Shaking his head, he attempted to discard the ridiculous notion. He wasn’t here to toy around, and the creeping thought nauseated him to no end. With renewed focus, he looked beside him. "Hmm~hm." A woman following along with a soft hum in her breath, her presence providing a sense of relief. A day had passed since Dokwang’s visit, and the following day had come. I had instructed the men to focus more on information gathering than training, and as the dawn came, I made my way to Dangmun. Accompanying me was Dang So Yeol, the source of the cheerful humming. Casually, I asked Dang So Yeol, “How long has it been since you last went home?” To my knowledge, Dang So Yeol had been absent from her house for quite some time. Her intensive training with the Dark King and subsequent visit to Hanam had kept her away. “…Hmm… A year or two?” I chuckled at Dang So Yeol's uncertain reply. ‘Then I guess it was during a rigorous training phase.’ It seemed she hadn't returned home, akin to being engrossed in a closed-door training. Of course, without relentless perseverance, reaching her level of mastery would be difficult. I pondered as I watched Dang So Yeol stride energetically. ‘She might soon surpass Poong Bi.’ In my previous life, Dang So Yeol. She seemed to be closing in on her former prowess. However... ‘She doesn’t have the Hundred Venom Immunity.’ Poong Bi's strength stemmed from reaching the pinnacle of poison arts. I vividly recall the space filled with the deadly energy she exuded. Simply coming into contact would cause skin to rot, and inhaling it without sufficient resistance or inner strength would mean instant death. This power is why she could hold her ground against the Demon Sect. Its vast range and relentless energy made Poong Bi an overwhelming presence. ‘But.’ What about the current Dang So Yeol? Looking at her, gleefully walking as if in high spirits, I observed her feet closely. ‘I can’t hear her footsteps.’ Despite practically skipping along, there was no sound from her steps. Not on the solid ground nor this soil interspersed with stones—walking this path without a sound could only mean one thing. ‘Her skills have improved significantly.’ It implied she had nearly mastered stealth techniques. While she might not reach the Dark King’s level, she had attained an impressive standard. Indeed, she even managed to briefly deceive my senses. As a result, she specialized more in stealth rather than poison arts, yet I considered this an advantage, in a sense. At least. ‘She won’t meet her end as she did in her past life.’ The woman who risked everything to protect Sichuan. That’s what mattered. That alone was enough. "Daeju…no, Young Master?" "Hmm?" "What are you looking at so intently?" "Oh." It seemed I had been staring intently at Dang So Yeol without realizing. Her cheeks faintly reddened under my gaze. While I hadn't realized before, now I understood what that reaction meant. Knowing was one thing, acting upon it was quite another. At least, for now. I averted my gaze subtly and said, "…It's nothing. Just reminiscing about the past." "Reminiscing? About when?" "A long, long time ago." "A long time ago…. Oh! When we first met?" "Not quite... but close enough." The time when I killed you. Those words would likely remain unspoken forever. "If that's close, then... when?" "Let's go." "Oh, okay." I pulled Dang So Yeol along just as she was about to inquire further. Before we knew it, our destination was right before us. Lifting my head, I gazed upward. A grand sign atop an imposing gate came into view. The Sichuan Dangmun. A once-prominent family I hadn’t visited in quite some time.