[{"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-353":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},1239829,1667,"Chapter 353","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-353",353,"\u003Cp>As I stood there, a memory of white hair immediately brought to mind the unique hair color of the Namgung family—bluish-white, a result of the transformation from their profound cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the hair of the man before me was whiter than that, far whiter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t the white of old age.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man appeared to be somewhere between thirty and forty years old, but his hair carried a weight beyond its years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His pale eyes met mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What is this...?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I was sure he was looking directly at me, there was a faint disconnect, as if I wasn’t fully meeting his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could I describe this feeling?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was right in front of me, yet it was hard to truly perceive him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t the overwhelming gap between realms that one might feel from a higher level martial artist—it was something else entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the epitome of an uncanny sensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I felt a strange, inexplicable unease rise to my throat—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man, seemingly noticing my stare, reached into his robe and pulled out an object, covering his face with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mask you could see anywhere, though there was something peculiar about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a full mask; it was a half-mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wondered why he suddenly decided to put it on, but the reason became apparent the moment he did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sss...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the mask touched his face, his white hair began to darken, turning black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The transformation was immediate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It took mere seconds for the change to occur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that wasn’t all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...I can see.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blurriness that had obscured my perception of his hair and eyes vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could finallyseehim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could now take in his eyes, nose, and overall features.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it the power of the mask?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘A relic...?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tool that could produce such an effect had to be a relic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And somehow—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Somehow, it looks familiar.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where had I seen it before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did just looking at that half-mask make me feel so unsettled?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where had I encountered this feeling?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Ah...!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It came to me. I remembered where I had seen that half-mask before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The one Jegal Hyeok used.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jegal Hyeok, also known as \"Cheonyuranga,\" the Brain of the Demon Cult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had worn a mask just like this one to cover the burn scars on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...So why does this man have it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was likely not the exact same mask, but...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was the same one Jegal Hyeok had carried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did it have these abilities back then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kid.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I was lost in thought, staring at the man, he spoke to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Were you planning to keep staring?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...I apologize. I didn’t mean to.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s fine. I’m just not used to people looking at me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the man brought a cup of water to his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he been holding a cup?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I hadn’t even noticed.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he hadn’t been wearing the mask, I wouldn’t have noticedanythingabout him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing this sent a chill down my spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a martial artist, failing to perceive another person was a fatal flaw. It meant you could die without even knowing who killed you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though I had reached the Hwagyeong realm, how could I still feel like this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was this man?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your expression is interesting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s a good habit. Keep honing it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been caught sizing him up, trying to gauge the danger he posed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite knowing this, the man’s response was calm, as though our conversation had ended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Who are you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was this man?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To provoke such tension in me, yet be a stranger to my eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know every martial artist in Zhongyuan, but I thought I was familiar with the most important ones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet I had never heard of this man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing my question, the man slightly tilted his head, looking at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When his eyes were white, I couldn’t tell much, but now that they were black, I could see.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those dark, lifeless eyes—they belonged to someone who existed neither in life nor in death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People with eyes like that usually had no attachments to life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They had killed far too many people.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those who had taken countless lives tended to have eyes like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which only made me more curious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was this man?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s been a long time since someone asked me that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Is that so?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes. Usually, they’re dead before they can ask.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, that’s just terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Introducing myself... It’s been quite a while since I’ve done that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man’s gaze locked onto mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes were difficult to look at. It felt as though they were trying to pierce through me, uncovering everything inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the man’s voice cut through the air, stabbing into my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his tone and cadence were the same as before, there was now something... heavier about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt my mouth go dry, and I instinctively swallowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kid, it seems like you already know. Do you need to hear it from my lips?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I furrowed my brow at his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had already begun to piece together his identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When had I started to suspect?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...The moment I saw his eyes.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment our eyes met, I had begun to put the pieces together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those eyes, coupled with the faint, almost imperceptible presence—these were the traits of assassins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout my past life, I had encountered many assassins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And every one of them had died by my hand, burning in the flames of my Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surviving an encounter with an assassin usually meant one of two things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either you killed them—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or they killed you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This man.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could say with certainty, if I had faced him without his mask in a real fight—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wouldn’t stand a chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t about pride or ego. It was the sheer survival instinct that told me this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How did he do it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could he suppress his presence to this degree?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t the overwhelming gap I had felt with Cheonma, where the difference was so vast that I couldn’t evensensehis existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, what this man did was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was hiding his presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even while standing right in front of me, talking and making eye contact, he had hidden himself so thoroughly that I couldn’t perceive him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is that even possible?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, it was possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even I could do it to a civilian with no martial training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I had reached the Hwagyeong realm—a realm that only a few thousand martial artists in Zhongyuan could ever hope to achieve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though thinking about that made me a little embarrassed... I could feel my ears turning red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘To do that to someone like me?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could such a thing be possible? Zhongyuan was vast, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There was one assassin.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was one figure known for being able to do exactly that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most infamous assassin in Zhongyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just one, but the leader of the most feared group of assassins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Iron Night Assassins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A place known for gathering the best killers in all of Zhongyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the leader of that group was called the King of Assassins, known as the Lord of the Night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...The Dark King.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing my answer seemed to please him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A subtle smile tugged at the corner of his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was the King of the Night, whose true identity was unknown to all, sitting here next to the Sword Empress?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the aftermath of the incident, as the dust began to settle and the situation slowly came under control, chaos still reigned in certain areas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We’re running out of cloth!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The busiest part of the crisis was undoubtedly the medical ward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn it... The bleeding won’t stop!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Senior!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air was thick with the scent of blood and the sound of frantic cries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The physicians were moving swiftly, but there were simply too many wounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To make matters worse—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where’s that new recruit? We’re overwhelmed here!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...He died earlier today, protecting another cadet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...For fuck’s sake... I told him! We’re healers, not warriors! We’re not supposed to be defending anyone!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his outburst, the bitterness in his voice was undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Senior, we need more cloth. We’re running out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood-soaked rags were being exhausted at an alarming rate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the midst of this chaos, a few had already succumbed to their wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that point, even the greatest masters couldn’t have saved them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was hell on earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the physicians, furiously tending to the wounded, bit his lip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had left the official medical unit of the Murim Alliance to avoid witnessing this very thing—young, promising warriors dying one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His trembling hands continued working as more bodies fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sword wounds were deep, inflicted with the intent to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t heal the wounds fast enough. More than a dozen had already died under his care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bring me another scalpel. Get the fire going again before it goes out—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the physician rushed past, a pale hand reached out toward a bloodied cadet’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The physician, startled, shouted in protest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey! Who the hell—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stopped mid-sentence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was met with a pair of cold, sky-blue eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold was almost palpable, yet strangely, it didn’t seem out of place for the woman standing before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The physician recognized her immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasMoryong Hia, known as theSnow Phoenix, from the Moryong family, one of the Four Great Clans. A late-stage martial master, one of the Six Peaks of the martial world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sss...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From her hand, a chill spread across the wounded cadet’s body, mingling with her Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, the gushing blood began to slow, and the cadet’s screams subsided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...What the...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you doing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the physician could voice his confusion, Moryong Hia’s cold voice cut through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shouldn’t you be doing your job? Or are you just going to stand there?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snapping back to his senses, the physician immediately returned to treating the cadet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no time to question her methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time passed, Moryong Hia seamlessly blended into the medical team, using her unique icy Qi to assist in healing the cadets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, when they had a moment to catch their breath, the physician sought her out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Thank you for your help.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moryong Hia gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both of them were far from unscathed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her once expensive, pristine clothing was now soaked in blood, and her hair, usually neatly combed, was matted with grime and blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bloodstains on her pale cheeks might have looked almost alluring, had the situation not been so grim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop staring.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At her remark, the physician quickly averted his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Apologies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m already spoken for. It’s uncomfortable when people look at me like that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Pardon?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the physician asked, confused, Moryong Hia responded in her usual calm tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Most people who look at me like that usually end up falling for me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s a hassle, so try to avoid it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words were arrogant and condescending, but given her reputation as the Snow Phoenix, they carried weight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And frankly, the physician couldn’t help but agree. Shewasdangerous, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I’m still this captivating, I guess I’m not dead yet...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pardon?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why doesn’t it work on him, though?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her muttered words were barely audible, but they carried an unmistakable bitterness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed Moryong Hia was well aware of her beauty, which only added to her allure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in her current disheveled state, the physician couldn’t help but acknowledge her magnetic charm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Does she have a fiancé?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know for sure, but for a brief moment, he found himself envious of the man she spoke of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, pushing that thought aside, he expressed his gratitude once again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you for your assistance. Truly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moryong Hia offered a faint smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need to thank me. It would’ve been inconvenient if the descendants of the merchant clan I invested in died. And it’s not a bad idea to have people owe me a favor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The physician chuckled dryly at her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even so, you’ve helped a great deal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’d hope so. My Qi reservoir is practically empty now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her ice-infused Qi had been a tremendous help in treating the injured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t just stopping the bleeding—she seemed to have a good grasp of medical techniques as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever her reasons, she had saved lives that would have otherwise been lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a physician, that was more than enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the physician prepared to return to his work, Moryong Hia spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re the one, aren’t you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Excuse me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The disciple of the Divine Physician.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The physician’s eyes widened in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did she know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one was supposed to know that he was the direct disciple of the Divine Physician.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...That...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I trust you’ll count this as a debt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a smirk, Moryong Hia walked away, leaving the physician to chuckle to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So even this had been calculated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was terrifyingly impressive—and yet, irresistibly charming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In just a brief encounter, she had left a lasting impression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would take him a long time to shake the feelings that had been stirred within him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, he found himself jealous of the man she spoke of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exhausted from a long day of tending to the injured, Moryong Hia finally allowed herself to exhale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...That was more tiring than I expected.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her body, weary from the constant use of her Qi, was finally catching up to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is this the price I pay for neglecting my training?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The toll of using her Qi for healing had finally hit her. And since she’d resorted to using her ice Qi, the exhaustion was even worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell am I doing all this for?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn’t help but chuckle at her own thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was she suffering for?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘And that bastard didn’t even come to see me after arriving?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was angry at the man who hadn’t bothered to show his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While she was running around, doing everything she could, he had apparently checked in on some of the injured women and then disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I should’ve just let myself get hurt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She almost wished she had an excuse for him to come and see her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moryong Hia found herself annoyed at the childish thoughts crossing her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, biting her lip, she muttered to herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...He better not be hurt.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite cursing him, she couldn’t help but worry about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The news of his exploits had already spread widely—there was no way she hadn’t heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How had things gotten so out of hand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moryong Hia sighed as she thought back to the sequence of events, her headache intensifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...This is not good.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just the attack itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though that was part of it, the real problem lay in what was to come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sinryong Hall was home to the heirs of countless noble families and prestigious sects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of cadets had died in the attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Murim Alliance had yet to respond, either because they were unaware or because they hadn’t decided on a course of action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They must not know yet. That’s the only explanation for this delay.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when the full situation became known—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would be a crisis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crisis for the Murim Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The future that flashed through her mind was bleak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moryong Hia ran her fingers through her blood-caked hair, grimacing at the sensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And she knew, despite the dire state of her appearance, what mattered most was not how she looked but what was coming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What she wascertainwould happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When all of this settles down, my father will come.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her father,Baekcheon Sword Master(백천검주), the head of the Moryong family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was inevitable. He would have to intervene.\u003C\u002Fp>",2647,"2026-06-05T15:09:39.031Z",1,"novelbin.me","05101a143c81fd8719025cad3437001ef60fef0c059d2158e185f00e703b2eac","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-354","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-352",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]