Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 651: Back to the Central Plains (3)

As soon as I spoke, the room fell silent.

The already cold atmosphere grew even more oppressive with the added stillness, leaving a suffocating sensation in my chest.

Fortunately, the silence didn’t last long.

“Gu Gongja.”

“Yes.”

“Do you know what you just said?”

“I know half of it, and the other half, I don’t.”

I had requested information about the curse from the Palace Lord and demanded custody of the idiot imprisoned in the underground dungeon.

I didn’t fully grasp the significance of the former, but I was well aware of the importance of the latter.

“You are asking us to hand over the leader of a rebellion.”

The fool starving away in the underground dungeon was none other than Woo Hyuk.

Naturally, if that idiot had shown up here, incarceration was inevitable. Regardless of his reasons, he had indeed been one of the key figures in leading the rebellion.

‘Stupid bastard.’

When I told him to come find me later, I didn’t expect him to come so blatantly.

‘Or maybe it’s Namgung Myung’s fault for bringing him here in that condition?’

For a moment, I wavered, but I knew that if it had been up to Woo Hyuk, he would have crawled here on his own anyway.

I couldn’t understand those kinds of people.

‘He could’ve just run or come quietly.’

Why live such a foolish life? It was frustrating, truly. Witnessing that frustration up close made it even more infuriating.

‘What can I do? This is the price for picking the wrong friends.’

I could overlook it a couple more times. He had done plenty for me in our past lives.

That was the extent of what I could offer.

“Hah.”

A heavy sigh broke the tension.

It wasn’t the Palace Lord. It came from the back.

Not the Black Lion, either. It was someone I hadn’t seen before.

‘Another general.’

An elderly man with a bald head and white beard stood there, glaring at me with a face full of displeasure.

“No matter how much you’ve aided the North Sea, how dare you speak like this in front of the Palace Lord—!”

His voice rose as if to express his disapproval. The Black Lion raised his hand to stop him, but—

Thud.

My hand moved first.

Boom—!!

“Guh-ugh?!”

As I struck the air with my intention, the bald man was swept up by the force of my Heart Fist and slammed into the wall.

“Oh.”

I couldn’t help but marvel at the sight.

I had restrained my power, but the impact was still this strong.

While I was reminded of my increased strength—

‘I’ll need more time to adjust.’

It seemed I’d need longer than expected to get used to this sudden surge of power.

“...Kuh...!!”

The bald general, who had collapsed, began to stand up. At the same time, he drew a long spear from his back.

Clang—!

Others, too, reached for their weapons, preparing to oppose me, but—

“Stop.”

The Palace Lord’s low voice put an end to the commotion.

“We are still in the middle of a conversation.”

“Palace Lord—! But that man—!”

“White Eagle. Are you defying my command?”

“...!”

So, the bald man’s name was White Eagle.

‘Is he called that because he’s bald?’

The thought crossed my mind, and I almost burst into laughter.

“Gu Gongja, I must ask you to restrain yourself.”

“I apologize. I lost control for a moment.”

In truth, I could have held back. I just chose not to.

‘I figured this would set the stage better.’

And as expected, the scene unfolded as I had hoped.

Though, I had also entertained the possibility that the Palace Lord wouldn’t intervene. But that would have been asking for too much.

“...I must apologize for failing to control my subordinate during this discussion.”

The Palace Lord’s expression hardened as he looked at me.

“But do you understand the weight of the words you just spoke?”

“As I said earlier, I understand half of it.”

“Which half, specifically?”

“Of course, I mean Woo Hyuk... no, Vioe-gun.”

“...”

The room’s temperature seemed to drop noticeably.

‘Hmm.’

I had already taken all of the Ice Essence’s energy from the Palace Lord.

Even considering his physical state, the pressure he exuded was remarkable.

‘...This is more than I expected.’

The Palace Lord’s level of cultivation seemed higher than I had anticipated.

Having regained my former strength, I could perceive it more clearly now.

The Palace Lord was a powerful individual—far more so than I had initially thought.

‘Even after losing the Ice Essence, he’s still like this?’

It was fascinating. Despite being in a weakened state, his strength remained formidable.

‘Perhaps it’s fair to say that the curse had been holding him back.’

With the curse lifted and his dragon transformation undone, his power should have diminished significantly.

Yet, the Palace Lord’s presence was stronger than when I first encountered him.

Of course—

‘He’s still weaker than I am now.’

If he were at full strength, it might be a different story. But in his current state, I could defeat him.

That was all that mattered to me.

“I understand that Vioe-gun is your friend, but he led a rebellion and is now a prisoner.”

"I understand."

"And yet, you are asking us to release him?"

"Yes, that is correct."

“...Gu Gongja.”

A piercing aura radiated toward me, causing my eyes to narrow.

"As much as we owe you for saving the North Sea, I wish to reward you to the best of my ability. However, this request crosses the line."

"I understand that. But since you offered to grant me a reward, I simply stated what I need the most."

"As for matters related to the curse... that is something only the bloodline may access. However, with my authority as the Palace Lord, I can grant you access to the information."

Not a bad outcome. At least I could obtain what I needed regarding the curse.

"But regarding Vioe-gun, this exceeds what I can allow."

"Yes, I expected as much."

It was only natural. I had asked for something I didn’t think they’d grant.

After all, who in their right mind would agree to such a thing?

However—

"Palace Lord, if I may."

"Speak."

"If you refuse, I’ll have no choice but to become your enemy."

“...!"

I spoke directly, without the slightest hint of diplomacy. My words landed like a hammer blow, stiffening not only the Palace Lord but also the generals present.

As I watched the Palace Lord’s reaction, I continued.

"I know that idiot made mistakes. I assume he had his reasons, but I’m not interested. In the end, he caused trouble, and that's a fact."

I had no idea what Woo Hyuk’s intentions were, nor why he sided with Yuseon to set all this in motion. I didn’t even have the time to find out.

And even if I learned the full story, it wouldn’t change the fact that Woo Hyuk was in the wrong.

But—

"That doesn’t concern me much."

"Gu Gongja...!"

The Palace Lord’s expression twisted into a grimace at my words.

"I tried to phrase it more diplomatically, but this seemed like the quickest way. I understand your position, Palace Lord. But if you don’t hand him over, I’ll take him by force."

It was an outright threat—a clear statement that I wasn’t open to negotiations.

Hand him over. If not, I’ll take him by force.

Because I had the power to back my words. And because the Palace Lord, along with the entire Ice Palace, was currently weakened.

In reality, even if everyone here joined forces against me, I could break through without much trouble.

‘Three martial artists at the Hwagyeong level, along with a few pinnacle experts stationed outside.’

The Palace Lord’s exact level was hard to gauge, but in his current state, I’d count him among the Hwagyeong. That made four.

It might be challenging alone, but Seong Yul was here with me.

As for potential complications—

‘Unless Paejon himself intervenes, there’s nothing to worry about.’

And that seemed unlikely, so brute-forcing my way through was the simplest option.

‘Using my head is annoying, anyway.’

No matter how much I strategized, it would ultimately come down to this approach.

‘Besides—’

I stared at the Palace Lord’s distorted expression.

From the moment I first mentioned Woo Hyuk, I noticed a faint flicker of unease in his pale blue eyes.

‘This man—’

The Palace Lord had a fox-like cunning beneath his demeanor.

I’d thought he was terrible at politics, but it seemed that wasn’t entirely true.

Srrrng.

The sound of a blade being drawn reached my ears.

I didn’t need to look to know—it was Seong Yul unsheathing his sword.

However, he wasn’t the one who acted first.

Ssshhh—

I felt hostility prickling at my back and let out a small chuckle.

Killing intent.

It came from one of the generals, prompting Seong Yul to react. Feeling the shift in the air, I braced myself.

And in that instant—

BOOM—!!!

"Ugh...!!"

"Gah—!"

Pressure erupted from my feet, filling the room.

‘It’s been a while since I pulled a stunt like this. Feels oddly refreshing, which isn’t too bad.’

I unleashed an overwhelming aura that left no one able to ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ move recklessly.

At the same time, I adjusted the pressure to spare Seong Yul and the Palace Lord.

This way, the Palace Lord could move freely.

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Swoosh.

The Palace Lord rose from his throne, meeting my gaze.

The distance between us wasn’t far—five paces, at most.

As he stood, I spoke first.

"I understand your position, and I don’t particularly want to resort to violence."

The daughter who had sparked the rebellion was already dead.

The bloodline’s burden of protecting the Ice Essence for generations had been lifted, but that meant there was no longer a need for his lineage to sacrifice themselves to maintain the throne.

In other words, it gave him more justification to continue the war.

"That said, let’s resolve this amicably, shall we?"

I spoke with a smile.

It was an incredibly selfish demand.

I was exploiting his circumstances and twisting them to my advantage without hesitation. Even I found it shameless, but this was the role I needed to play right now.

"If not, you’ll be the only one at a loss, Palace Lord. You know that you can’t stop me as things stand."

"..."

I intensified the aura, feigning pressure against the Palace Lord.

It wasn’t genuine. This way, the Palace Lord could maintain his dignity.

"Urgh...!"

One of the generals groaned as he endured the pressure.

They couldn’t act recklessly, not only because Seong Yul was blocking the way, but also because a misstep could result in me taking the Palace Lord’s head.

That was the message I wanted to convey with this display.

Seconds passed. Perhaps even tens of seconds. Still, there was no response, so I leaned toward the Palace Lord.

"Shall I start by dealing with the generals behind you, then?"

"...Haaah..."

At last, the Palace Lord let out a deep sigh.

"...I’ll accept your terms."

He sounded as though the words had been torn from him. I immediately withdrew my aura.

Whoosh—!

"Ugh!"

As the pressure lifted, the generals staggered and regained their footing.

Their gazes toward me were filled with shock, but I ignored them.

The Palace Lord’s expression was steeped in bitterness, clearly reflecting his internal turmoil over releasing a criminal.

‘Great acting.’

If I didn’t know better, I might have felt a shred of guilt.

‘As if the man who laid the groundwork the moment I spoke could fool me.’

I let out a quiet laugh at the thought.

This wasn’t just my plan. The Palace Lord had prepared the stage alongside me.

To anyone unaware, it might seem incomprehensible. But while the suggestion came from me, it was the Palace Lord who orchestrated the flow of the situation.

A situation where Woo Hyuk had to be handed over—

the key point here being that it was unavoidable.

To be more precise:

“Ensuring the Palace Lord’s position remains secure without causing political turmoil.”

That was the goal, and the current scenario was tailored to achieve it.

A weakened Palace Lord faced a powerful opponent he could not stop.

That opponent radiated killing intent, threatening to slaughter everyone if his demands weren’t met.

Even as the Palace Lord stood firm against the aura, he eventually gave in when his subordinates were taken hostage.

And so:

“...To prevent any further harm, I have no choice but to accept.”

“A wise decision.”

“Palace Lord...! How could you...!! Because of us—!!”

“Ugh...!”

I had transitioned from being the benefactor who saved the North Sea to a despicable villain threatening the Palace Lord.

“Not that it really matters, but it does feel a bit unpleasant.”

Maybe it was because I’d been labeled the villain so many times in my previous life, but being treated as one here left me feeling vaguely unsettled.

“As long as I get what I need, though, it’s fine.”

This level of discomfort was tolerable.

It seemed things were falling into place.

Satisfied with how far the situation had progressed, I waited for the Palace Lord’s next words.

“However... there is a condition.”

The Palace Lord’s voice carried a continuation.

There would be conditions for taking Woo Hyuk.

As he explained, I listened patiently.

After hearing him out, I nodded lightly.

“That seems manageable enough. I don’t see an issue with it.”

Luckily, it wasn't too difficult.

******************

After leaving the audience chamber, I headed straight for the prison.

The meeting with the Palace Lord was over, and now it was time to tackle the most important task of the day.

Perhaps it was the lingering chill in the air, but the descent to the underground felt unnaturally cold.

As I descended the seemingly endless staircase, a set of iron bars guarded by several people finally came into view. Among the guards, I noticed a familiar figure.

"What are you doing here?"

At my question, the figure flinched in surprise.

It was Yuri, the princess of the North Sea—or rather, the former first princess.

"Ah... Greetings to my benefactor."

Caught off guard by my sudden appearance, Yuri widened her eyes and gave a formal bow.

‘Judging by the situation, she must’ve been here to see him.’

Behind the iron bars sat a calm young man—Woo Hyuk. He looked indifferent, seated in a composed manner.

I turned to Yuri and asked, "Should I come back later?"

"No... I’ll take my leave now."

Although I thought she might prefer to stay and return later, Yuri gave me a slight nod and quietly retreated.

Turning back to Woo Hyuk, I asked, "Were you two discussing something important?"

"...Nothing particularly important."

"Well, sorry if I interrupted."

Of course, that was a lie. His expression made it obvious something serious was being discussed.

‘What a terrible liar.’

It didn’t take much to notice the odd dynamic between the two of them. I had an eye for these things.

Not that I’d let it show.

Suppressing a laugh, I looked at Woo Hyuk and said, "You look pathetic. Are you comfortable in there?"

"Haha..."

"You’re incredible. Instead of lying low, you crawl your way here just to get caught. What were you thinking?"

"..."

Ignoring his silence, I extended my hand toward the iron bars.

"H-Hey, wait...!"

The guard tried to stop me, but ssshhh—! the bars melted and bent under the heat of my hand, falling away with ease.

The guard looked stunned, unable to process what had just happened. I explained to him matter-of-factly, "The Palace Lord has already approved this, so you can relax."

"Uh... what?"

Ignoring his confusion, I stepped into the cell and addressed Woo Hyuk.

"We’re heading back to Zhongyuan tomorrow. That’s already decided."

"...You..."

Woo Hyuk’s expression shifted in shock as he bit his lip and shook his head.

"...I’m not going."

I wasn’t surprised by his response; I had expected it. Still, I asked out of courtesy.

"Why?"

"...Because I’ve committed an unforgivable sin. I need to atone for it."

It was such a Woo Hyuk-like answer.

"True, you did mess up big time."

I didn’t deny it. This wasn’t the kind of blunder that warranted sympathy or comfort.

"...So, I’m not going back to Zhongyuan."

Woo Hyuk spoke firmly, clearly unwilling to change his mind. I nodded.

"Fair enough."

"You understand—"

"But before that, I have two questions for you."

Setting aside his stance for now, I had to get to the main reason I came here. I had been holding back these questions for three days.

At my words, Woo Hyuk tensed, his expression hardening.

He probably thought I was about to ask why he had done all of this or what his motivations were.

But that wasn’t even remotely on my mind.

"Was it you?"

"...What?"

Woo Hyuk looked confused by my ambiguous question.

"Was it you?"

"What are you talking about? What do you mean all of a sudden—"

Before he could finish, I made it clearer.

"The Crimson feathers."

"Huh?"

"The rumors about the Crimson feathers. Was it you, you bastard?"

Woo Hyuk froze. It was only for a moment, but it was enough. He quickly tried to recover, speaking as if nothing was wrong.

"Haha. Crimson feathers? I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Too late.

"It was you."

"No, it wasn’t."

"It was definitely you."

"I’ve never heard of it before. What even is that?"

"Of course, you’ve never heard of it. You just spread it around."

Ignoring his protests, I moved quietly, picking up one of the melted iron bars. Carefully, I placed it back in the gap and melted the edges to seal it again.

Ssshhhh—!!

"Why are you sealing it back...?"

Woo Hyuk watched anxiously as I closed the cell again, but I interrupted him once more.

"And another thing."

The Crimson feathers didn’t matter much now. This was the real question.

"Did you stab Namgung Bi-ah?"

"..."

"Answer me, friend."

"...I’m sor—"

BANG!

Woo Hyuk’s head snapped to the side as his body slammed against the wall.

Thud—!!

"Cough!"

He collapsed to the floor, spitting blood.

His trembling body immediately began to heal.

His Authority of regeneration was working perfectly.

I sighed in relief at the sight.

"First, I’ll have to ask why you did it. But before that..."

At least I knew he wouldn’t die from a few hits.

"Let’s start with some payback. I’ve got a lot built up, and you’re my friend, so you’ll understand."

Crack.

Clenching my fists, I stepped toward Woo Hyuk.

There was a lot I needed to discuss with him.