[{"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-581":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},1240531,1667,"Chapter 580","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-581",581,"\u003Cp>After Arriving in Hanam\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some time had passed since I arrived in Hanam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roughly a month had gone by, and the season was steadily approaching the height of summer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was early morning, and I was receiving a medical check-up from the Divine Doctor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Doctor, who had been intently taking my pulse, opened his closed eyes and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm. Truly peculiar.”“Is something wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His reaction seemed odd, so I asked. He looked at me with a curious expression and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To have improved so much in just a month… what kind of body do you have?”“Isn’t it thanks to your excellent treatment?”“Haha, what nonsense. What treatment have I even given you?”“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While he had prescribed some medicine after checking my pulse, he’d mentioned that it likely wouldn’t help much. And indeed, the medicine didn’t have any significant effect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I thought it would take at least six months, even with a generous estimate… but it seems I won’t need to watch over you that long.”“Is that so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had estimated around three months for recovery, but the Divine Doctor had initially said six.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, I thought his estimate seemed overly long.Fortunately, it appeared I had been right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Which meant,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The Divine Doctor can’t fully grasp my body’s condition.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, it seemed I was the only one who could accurately assess my state.It wasn’t something I could confirm with certainty, but if even the Divine Doctor didn’t know, it felt like no one else in the world would either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, there was no need for further check-ups. I straightened my clothes and prepared to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s when he spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How are you getting along with Hyuk?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a question he hadn’t asked in nearly a month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re getting along fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, very fine. And very busily so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I see.”“If you’re worried, should I send him back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this was an empty gesture. I had no intention of sending Je Gal-hyuk back to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Je Gal-hyuk had been more capable than I expected and was currently one of the most indispensable people to me. I couldn’t afford to let him go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the Divine Doctor asked, I wouldn’t return him. My suggestion was purely for formality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, the Divine Doctor chuckled dryly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need. It’s what he wants, so interfering would be pointless.”“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at the Divine Doctor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite cherishing Je Gal-hyuk, he seemed oddly nonchalant about this.It was unexpected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just make sure he doesn’t get hurt.”“…He’s not doing anything dangerous. I’m just giving him some light tasks to help with.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I intended to keep things as safe as possible, but I couldn’t guarantee it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hesitated mid-sentence, his expression filled with uncertainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that, I sighed internally.I knew exactly what he wanted to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re worried, should I arrange a meeting for you?”“...”“If you wish, I could even speak with him myself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By \"him,\" I meant Cheol Ji-seon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheol Ji-seon would likely arrive in Hanam soon, and when he did, arranging a meeting wouldn’t be difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t say I’d bring him outright because I wasn’t confident about it either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, Cheol Ji-seon would agree to most things without hesitation, but this… was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘He’s even had outbursts over it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The time he begged me to just kill him made it clear that this wasn’t something that could be resolved easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Doctor must have known this too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…No need.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That resigned response was proof enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, I decided to drop the subject.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could push the matter if I wanted, but…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s no need.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Cheol Ji-seon wanted to avoid it, I wouldn’t force him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, I couldn’t help but think,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There’s definitely something going on.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was convinced that there was a deeper connection between the Divine Doctor and Cheol Ji-seon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll be on my way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I bowed politely and stood. There was nothing more to discuss, and I had things to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I should start training and stop by the trading company later.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With my body partially recovered, I needed to resume my training in the morning.Neglecting my body would only dull my senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was time to push myself again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the afternoon, I planned to visit the Baekhwa Trading Company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I need to send some letters.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I could use assassins for faster delivery,this correspondence required a more conventional approach, so I’d have to go through the trading company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With my packed schedule in mind, I turned and headed for the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Doctor called out to me just as I was leaving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he have something else to say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”“Has something happened?”“What do you mean?”“Your expression doesn’t look good.”“…Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I touched my cheek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of expression was I wearing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t entirely sure, but if he noticed, I knew the reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just didn’t sleep well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must have been the dream. The dream I couldn’t remember from the night before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arriving at the Training Hall\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After leaving the Divine Doctor, I headed to the training hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to Lady Mi’s careful preparations, the accommodations included a private training space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was modest in size, just right for physical training. Though it wasn’t large enough to unleashHwagong, it was more than sufficient for other purposes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I figured I’d stretch and loosen up a bit. With that in mind, I made my way to the training hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was already there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I looked closer to see who it was, I recognized Tang So-yeol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was kneeling in the center of the training hall, sitting perfectly still with her eyes closed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight made me pause in admiration. At the same time, my body tensed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The energy filling the hall was suffocatingly dense. It wasn’t just thick—it was bone-chillingly cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could I describe it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cleankilling intent. That seemed the most fitting description.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...Wow.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The killing intent, mingled with the energy, filled every corner of the hall. And yet, within it, there was a distinct sense of order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant Tang So-yeol was controlling all of that energy herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that wasn’t the only impressive thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Despite all this energy…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There wasn’t a trace of poison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a member of the Tang Clan, her energy should naturally carry a hint of toxicity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the energy that filled the space now was entirely devoid of poison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While my body had achievedMandokbulchim—immunity to all poisons—it also meant I could sense poison more acutely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there was none here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This could only mean one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘She’s reached a level where she can suppress poison within her energy.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be able to extract poison from one’s energy and wield it separately was a sign of incredible mastery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘In just two years, no less.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she was still in the early stages ofHwagyeong, her progress from the brink of mastery to this level was astonishing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And not just in rank—her ability to control her energy with such precision was equally remarkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What kind of training did she go through?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t even begin to guess what trials Tang So-yeol had endured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gazed at her, my eyes slightly subdued. She remained still, her breathing steady, seemingly unaware of my presence. Her concentration was absolute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, I clicked my tongue in disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Looks like I won’t be training today.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by her state, she was far from finished. I could still claim a corner of the hall for myself, but I didn’t feel like it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine, I’d train later. That was the plan for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heading into Town\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving the hall, I headed toward the town center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Baekhwa Trading Company was situated in the heart of the town, a bit of a walk from my lodgings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was still early morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun was barely up, but the town was already bustling as usual.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The aroma of food being prepared began to fill the air, and the streets grew noisier as merchants set up their wares.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was another morning like any other.Amid the commotion, I walked quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, though, I wasn’t in the mood to observe or take in the sights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Something feels off.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My chest felt heavy, my mood sour.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had used Tang So-yeol as an excuse to skip training, but the truth was, I just didn’t feel like it today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I’d wanted to, I could have trained anyway. But something about today made me unwilling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like an unshakable frustration had wrapped itself around me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was bothering me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was a mere dream affecting me like this? It was just another ridiculous dream like the ones I occasionally had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Maybe I’m feeling anxious.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three months had passed since I started this endeavor.Now, only about a month remained until the plan began in earnest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I was outwardly calm, perhaps my insides weren’t. Maybe that was why I felt so restless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t say for sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What I did know was that I desperately wanted to remember the dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment I woke up until now, my mind had been consumed by it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This isn’t good.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had too much to do to waste time on something so trivial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head, trying to dispel the thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s just because I haven’t eaten.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, that had to be it. I was hungry, and hunger always made things worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Changing my course, I stepped into one of Hanam’s dimly lit alleyways instead of heading straight for the trading company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deciding to eat first, I started walking. But a question crossed my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then why not just go to a restaurant?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had wandered into an alley without thinking. Why had I come here instead?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene before me didn’t exactly scream “restaurant.”The bustling crowds of the main street had vanished, leaving this area nearly deserted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, I kept walking. For some reason, my feet carried me deeper into the alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After walking a bit further, an old, shabby building came into view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What’s this…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped in front of the building, finally halting my steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smoke rose from cracks in the old building’s windows, carrying a strange aroma that made me tilt my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is unexpected.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It smelled like food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this rundown building, tucked away at the far end of an alley, came the unmistakable scent of cooking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a dry laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of crazy person would open a restaurant here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was absurd.This was an alley no one walked through, far from the busy streets. Why build a restaurant here of all places?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as I thought this, my feet were already moving toward the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The interior of the restaurant matched its exterior: old and decrepit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The walls were worn, and cobwebs hung in some corners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Welcome.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice greeted me, and I turned to see an elderly woman with a hunched back. There didn’t seem to be any other staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s morning, so all we have is somyeon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, she disappeared into the kitchen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…I hadn’t even said I wanted to eat yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should I do? I hadn’t planned on coming here, but somehow, I felt like I had to sit down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, since I was already here, I might as well eat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I moved to find a seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There weren’t many tables, and plenty of open seats were right in front of me. But my steps took me elsewhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if I was drawn to a specific spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The farthest corner. The oldest, most worn-down seat in the place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, it felt like I was supposed to sit there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slurp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was already sitting there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slurp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A petite figure held a bowl as large as their face, noisily slurping noodles. They didn’t seem to care that their hair dipped into the broth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t just one bowl. Several empty bowls were stacked nearby, evidence of how much they had already eaten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I narrowed my eyes, but not because of the amount they were eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seeing Wi Seol-ah’s appetite countless times, this was far from surprising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The issue wasn’t how much they were eating.It waswhowas eating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I muttered as I stared at the woman devouring the noodles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused, her chopsticks stilling mid-motion, and turned to look at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our eyes met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman reacted, her long black hair swaying as her violet eyes gazed at me with a peculiar glint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, she set her bowl down and gestured toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t say a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, I couldn’t even react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because no one—absolutely no one—could have expected to find theCheonmasitting in a back-alley restaurant, eating somyeon.\u003C\u002Fp>",2138,"2026-06-05T15:10:09.877Z",1,"novelbin.me","0708001d7aae767d1c00c323674adf01d6ba67d3fb8773790fdeb8e60410a6f9","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-582","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-580",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]