Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 516

Around noon, the events that had erupted in the night continued to stir unrest. For now, the commotion was contained within the Tang Clan, but the question remained—how long could it stay that way?

If the Poison King failed to control the narrative within his own clan, it was only a matter of time before the entire Sichuan region, and possibly the whole of Zhongyuan, would know.

And for good reason.

‘It’s inevitable, really…’

How could it not be?

The Tang Clan had been conducting human experiments in secret, a shocking truth now laid bare.

If rumors weren’t quelled soon, they would inevitably spread far and wide. Elder Il, captured and guilt-ridden, confessed everything. He revealed the vile acts committed over the past hundred years to elevate the Tang Clan to the status of the foremost faction.

The so-called "Heavenly Martial Body Project," a plan that had been repeatedly hinted at, was fully exposed.

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‘Far worse than I imagined.’

In my previous life, I’d only glimpsed fragments of this truth, remnants that had been erased by the time I encountered them.

But now, seeing the Tang Clan’s underground chamber, the reality was undeniable. I remembered the mountains of poisoned beast corpses that filled the space—so many that the vast chamber was completely packed.

Experiments using beasts? That wasn’t surprising; it was common practice. Even the Moyong family kept beasts in underground chambers, spinning silk from their webs for their textile business, and the Martial Alliance continued to conduct experiments on beasts.

No one would be alarmed by something like that alone.

There’d be no need to carry out such operations without the clan leader’s knowledge.

So, what was the real issue here?

‘Human experiments.’

That was the problem.

After subduing Elder Il and dealing with the unconscious Celestial Master, whose flames had mysteriously extinguished just as the Poison King arrived, my father and I had continued deeper underground.

The sights down there had been enough to furrow even my father’s brow.

The pungent smell of blood, so strong it stung the nostrils, seemed to emanate from a sealed chamber.

When we forced open the door and entered, we were greeted by a sight that made us all cover our mouths in shock.

The ground was completely covered, not a single gap visible, piled high with something.

After a moment, we realized it was all human remains—rotted, decayed bodies, mangled beyond recognition.

The blood had dried and hardened, and chunks of flesh were so decomposed they emitted a repulsive stench.

“Ugh…!”

One of the warriors behind us retched. Despite being seasoned veterans of the Poison King’s guard, they couldn’t endure the sight.

It was that revolting.

At that moment—

I felt a hand on my back.

Wondering why, I suddenly sensed a thin barrier forming around my body.

It was only then that I realized—the air in this chamber was thick with poison.

Whoosh—!

A gust of wind swept through the room, and I saw the poisonous mist being drawn toward a single point.

It was the Poison King’s hand, gathering the toxic fumes in one place.

‘Interesting.’

I wondered if this was a Tang Clan martial art, similar to how the Gu family manipulated heat.

Soon, the poison dissipated, leaving the grotesque scene and several mechanical contraptions indicating that experiments had been conducted here.

I already knew what it all meant, having extracted information from Elder Il.

The sight of these corpses didn’t faze me; I’d witnessed worse in my past life. This was… tolerable.

But I knew the Poison King and others wouldn’t feel the same.

The sound of the Poison King gritting his teeth filled the silence, as though he wanted to destroy everything in sight but was restraining himself.

After a few short moments, he spoke, his voice strained.

“Could you… step out for a moment?”

My father and I exchanged a surprised look.

‘He’s actually trying to cover this up?’

Anyone could see the evidence of the Tang Clan’s underground dealings.

Regardless of whether the Poison King had been involved, dismissing witnesses in this manner would raise suspicion.

Could he be so mentally shaken that he’d forgotten this?

As I continued to eye him with a perplexed expression, my father nodded in agreement.

“Very well.”

Though it felt slightly uneasy, I had nothing more to say, especially since my father seemed fine with it.

I followed him out, sparing a brief glance at the Poison King’s back. Most of the Tang Clan members were relatively small in stature, but today, his figure seemed especially diminutive.

It lingered in my mind.

Once we ascended, we didn’t return to our quarters right away. Given the circumstances, we waited in the main hall.

The subsequent events unfolded swiftly.

“…Elder Three and Elder Four were involved as well.”

The captured Elder Il confessed endlessly.

“It was all for Lord Dokgun’s will…”

“To make the Tang Clan the greatest…”

He claimed that it was all done to elevate the Tang Clan. A clan without martial strength could never be the best.

He spoke of how, right after the Tang Clan began its metal trade, they had veered away from their original purpose.

Elder Il asserted that this was where things had gone wrong.

The elders who opposed the Poison King’s father, the former clan leader, had resolved to enact their plans, leading to the current situation.

It wasn’t particularly fascinating.

‘I told him to speak the truth, and he’s not lying.’

Bound by a restriction spell, Elder Il couldn’t lie, but his words felt strangely hollow.

That much, at least, I could tolerate.

Even when he admitted that the Tang Clan was responsible for the recent disappearances across Sichuan, even when he revealed that they had conducted human experiments, I endured it.

But when Elder Il nonchalantly mentioned their plan to use the finished drug on Lady Tang So-yeol—

Slash!

The Poison King drew his sword and beheaded him on the spot.

A man who rarely wielded a sword had cut him down himself.

Blood splattered, staining the floor, and the atmosphere grew icy at this rare display of fury.

Grinding his teeth, the Poison King commanded the warriors in a harsh voice.

“Bring me Elders Three and Four.”

His face twisted with fury, making even me feel a chill.

‘Killing him wasn’t part of the plan.’

I hadn’t expected him to kill Elder Il so quickly. There was still more information we could have extracted.

With Elder Il dead, I was at a disadvantage.

‘…Damn it.’

Still, it wasn’t a total loss.

At least I’d learned that demonification could partially restore damaged minds.

As Elder Il’s head rolled across the floor and the warriors dispersed to carry out the Poison King’s orders, I, too, took my leave.

Staying here any longer would be inconvenient, and things were bound to get noisy soon.

Just as I was about to ask my father if he would join me—

“Go on ahead.”

He seemed to anticipate my question.

“…What about you, Clan Leader?”

I glanced at him, wondering what he’d do. My father gave me a look that hinted at disapproval.

What was that look for? Had I done something wrong?

Before I could figure it out, he spoke.

“Address me properly.”

“Pardon?”

“This isn’t the Gu Clan.”

“…What do you mean?”

It was a strange thing to say.

What else was I supposed to call him if not "Clan Leader"?

After a moment’s thought, I muttered the only other word that came to mind.

“Father?”

…

My father nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer.

Though I wasn’t sure why it pleased him, I moved on to the main question.

“You’re not coming with me?”

“I still have business to attend to.”

“Business?”

Curious, I looked at him as he began to walk, then his voice reached my ear telepathically.

“I made a deal with the Poison King. If I helped with this matter, he’d grant us the first rights to trade with the Tang Clan.”

I widened my eyes.

When had he arranged this?

And by "matter," did he mean…

‘Capturing the elders?’

I glanced at the Poison King. Had he anticipated this outcome and summoned my father with that in mind?

‘No wonder he’s handling things so publicly.’

Normally, one would handle such matters quietly to prevent potential escape. But here he was, dealing with it openly.

‘That man…’

The Poison King was far more cunning than I’d anticipated.

By handling the matter publicly, he aimed to elevate his authority, allowing him to consolidate control over the fragmented pieces of the Tang Clan.

‘Sly bastard.’

I chuckled wryly at how cleverly he had woven this plan. The Poison King was more capable than I had expected.

The only concern was—

‘First trade rights, huh.’

Given the Tang Clan’s dominance in iron supplies, obtaining priority trade rights was valuable.

As far as I knew, the Martial Alliance held these rights.

‘Is it wise for the Gu Clan to take it?’

With the Gu Clan’s collaboration with the Moyong family already stirring controversy, seizing yet another asset from the Martial Alliance might cause even greater tension. It would tip the scales too far.

‘Well, I suppose Father knows what he’s doing.’

I brushed the thought aside.

If things got complicated, Lady Mi could usually smooth them over.

Watching my father disappear on his mission to handle the elders, I turned away and started walking in the direction I’d already decided upon.

“Oh, Young Master…?”

A bit away from the main hall, I spotted a familiar figure petting a wolf in the courtyard.

It was none other than Tang So-yeol.

This was her residence.

When she noticed me approaching, she greeted me with a bright smile. Yet, there was something shadowed in that otherwise cheerful expression—a detail that had nagged at me for a while.

“What brings you here?”

“Just checking in on you. What are you up to?”

At that moment, the Poison King was likely still occupied managing the clan’s affairs. Judging by Tang So-yeol’s reaction, it seemed he hadn’t informed her of the situation.

‘There’s a heightened guard here today.’

Around Tang So-yeol’s residence, twice the usual number of guards were stationed, and they were more skilled than those typically assigned.

Clearly, they were preparing for any unforeseen events. It seemed Tang So-yeol hadn’t been informed.

One of the guards reacted to my sudden appearance.

—Young Mas…

—I’m already aware. No need to worry.

…

The guard had probably been about to caution me against mentioning Elder Il, so I preemptively reassured him.

“Ah, Young Master. This is my pet wolf. Isn’t he cute?”

Tang So-yeol introduced the large, black-furred wolf she’d been petting with a gleeful smile.

The wolf was massive, with sleek black fur, though something about it rubbed me the wrong way.

“…He looks awfully mean, doesn’t he?”

The wolf seemed to understand, baring its teeth at me in response. Really? This brat…

I was about to growl back when Tang So-yeol raised a hand to stop me.

“That’s what makes him cute!”

“…Oh, right.”

If she thought he was cute, who was I to argue? Besides, I wasn’t one to judge her choice of pets—I had my own odd creature back at my quarters.

‘Come to think of it, I never named him.’

I briefly recalled the Red Water Snake I’d taken in. It had proven to be helpful and smart, so I’d kept it, but I hadn’t gotten around to giving it a name.

After a brief consideration, I came to a decision.

‘I’ll call him “Dooly.”’

For a creature as sharp and attentive as him, Dooly seemed fitting.

Hissss!

Somewhere, I imagined I could hear a faint hiss of protest. Probably my imagination.

Nodding to myself, I looked at Tang So-yeol.

“Actually, I came to ask you something.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Her light green eyes, tinged with a single darker hue, met mine as I asked my question.

“Do you ever think about becoming stronger?”

“…Pardon?”

It was an abrupt question, even from my perspective.