[{"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-582":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},1240532,1667,"Chapter 581","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-582",582,"\u003Cp>\"Hello.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A simple greeting.There was nothing inherently wrong with it, yet as I stood there, staring at her, I couldn’t muster a response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The violet eyes I feared even in my dreams.The black hair with subtle streaks of another hue, framing her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her appearance brought someone to mind. Someone I’d always known I would face someday—but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine it would happen like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, in the back alley of Hanam, in a shabby restaurant serving noodles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could have predicted such a meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woom-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My heart thudded violently, seemingly without reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I recognized her, my body tensed on its own, my heartbeat pounding with force.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, energy surged chaotically through my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rush of qi through my blood vessels strained my still-healing body.Yet, I forced myself to channel even more energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with that, it wasn’t enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What do I do?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was she here?Was I still dreaming?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew better than anyone that this wasn’t a dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this were a dream, the demonic energy surging through my body wouldn’t feel so vivid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Themagical qiI’d been suppressing all this time had begun to stir uncontrollably, clearly reacting to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It couldn’t tolerate the presence of anothermagic wielderin the same space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of insane energy was this? It was maddening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But themagic qiwasn’t the real issue here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thought running through my mind was this:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Can I kill her?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could I even hope to kill the woman in front of me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few years ago, when I first encountered her at the Divine Dragon Pavilion, I’d felt the massive gap between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since then, I’d worked relentlessly to bridge that gap, growing immeasurably stronger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, even now, it wasn’t enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To face the Heavenly Demon—the one who played with the Three Supremes of Zhongyuan, rulers of heaven itself—was far beyond me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how strong I had become, she wasthatHeavenly Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat dripped down my back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as I focused all my willpower on steadying my breath, it was nearly impossible to remain composed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heavenly Demon, on the other hand, simply stared at me. She made no move, no sign of aggression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, another thought crept in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Should I run?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the most practical option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with my increased power, facing her now was suicide—especially in my current, weakened state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She must have known that, too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woom-woom-woom-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My instincts screamed at me to abandon reason. The surgingmagic qiseemed to roar:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kill her now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a step forward, closing the distance between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I clenched my heart, forcing myself to steady my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Logically, I knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting a fight here would be reckless.It would be a foolish, irrational move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But my body wasn’t listening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as my mind told me to stop, my fingers twitched, moving of their own accord.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice rang out, calm yet firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze without thinking, my body halting as if bound by her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her violet eyes, so serene, gazed at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were at odds with the overwhelming tension of the situation, exuding a strange tranquility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the pile of empty noodle bowls stacked high on the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned, staring at her. Meeting her eyes stirred a chaotic storm of emotions within me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hatred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Resentment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A volatile mix of feelings swirled in my chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did you say…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I managed to croak out, though barely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She repeated the word calmly and lifted her noodle bowl, showing it to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What? What the hell was she doing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could make sense of it, she added,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Food.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”“My sister said to be quiet while eating.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What nonsense was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The confusion in my heart was quickly joined by bewilderment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words were incomprehensible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seemingly oblivious to my reaction, she continued speaking, her tone unwavering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you stay quiet, too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, she resumed eating her noodles, slurping them down with vigor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her mannerisms—her voracious appetite—somehow reminded me of Wi Seol-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her, I felt my pupils quake as if an earthquake had struck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was this situation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I came to this alley restaurant for breakfast, and here she was—the Heavenly Demon, eating noodles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was absurd enough to be laughable. Yet her behavior…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Is she really the Heavenly Demon?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought was ridiculous, but it crossed my mind nonetheless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that doubt didn’t last long.I knew better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heavenly Demon was real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaoticmagic qiwithin me wouldn’t be reacting so strongly otherwise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could sense it clearly.The absurd concentration ofmagic qiin her body—so dense it was practically impenetrable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the source, the origin ofmagic qiitself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though I had claimed some of that power for my own, it would never change the fact that she was its rightful master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at her now, slurping her noodles as if nothing mattered, I activated my energy perception to observe her more closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or at least, I tried to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t see past the massive wall ofmagic qithat blocked me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wall itself was her power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Years of hunting demonic beasts and accumulatingmagic qihad taught me one thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her power was on an entirely different level from mine—both in quantity and quality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was, without a doubt, the Heavenly Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one I had vowed to destroy in this lifetime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What’s with this attitude?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was I supposed to make of this scene?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heavenly Demon, sitting here in a back-alley restaurant, devouring noodles with reckless abandon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed so different from what I remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In my past life, she had been a calamity to humanity.She viewed everyone beneath her as insects and had the overwhelming power to back up her arrogance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the monster who had dethroned the Three Supremes of Zhongyuan and stood alone at the top, looking down on the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the Heavenly Demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slurp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All that arrogance, all that grandeur—reduced to someone slurping noodles as if it were her life’s purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bowl hit the table with a dull sound as the person set it down, having finished their meal. Their expression was something to behold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A look of great satisfaction spread across their face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How many bowls was that now? A quick count suggested nearly ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, they said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was delicious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that brief remark, Cheonma stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I instinctively tensed up at the sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Momentarily shaken by the strange situation, I reminded myself who I was dealing with—Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to refocus, to fully grasp the magnitude of who was standing before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless thoughts raced through my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What would happen if a fight broke out now?The destruction of the surrounding area seemed inevitable. How soon would the Martial Alliance intervene?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would I even last until they arrived? And even if I did…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Would the Alliance be on my side?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were too many uncertainties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The very fact that I had encountered Cheonma here was a massive disruption to my plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My teeth clenched in frustration.The potential fallout from this situation was overwhelming, and knowing that only made things worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this an opportunity or a crisis?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The storm of thoughts consumed me, leaving me unable to make a decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which was why—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as Cheonma approached, I failed to react.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time I realized it, Cheonma was already beside me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hurriedly tried to move, belatedly reacting, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grip!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt Cheonma’s hand seize my arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t shake it off. The grip was too strong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To break free, I would need to unleash a significant amount of energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned my head, but Cheonma wasn’t even looking at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where is she looking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as I wondered—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please calculate the bill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma spoke in an utterly casual tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An elderly woman appeared in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you enjoy your meal, miss?”“Yes.”“My, my, such a slender young lady ate so much!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elderly woman chuckled cheerfully as she glanced at the towering stack of bowls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma handed her something—a silver coin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s eyes widened at the sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, my goodness. I don’t have enough change for this…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The amount was far more than what ten bowls of noodles—or even an entire day’s worth of sales—would cost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flustered, the elderly woman hesitated, but Cheonma remained indifferent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Keep the change.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, she nodded politely to the woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching this, I involuntarily sucked in a sharp breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma bowing to someone—it was unimaginable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was delicious. I’ll come again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Cheonma turned to leave, the elderly woman tried to say something, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma dragged me along by the wrist, exiting the shop without another word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once outside, I immediately yanked my arm free.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t need much force—Cheonma’s grip had already loosened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I pulled away, Cheonma glanced at her now-empty hand with a curious tilt of her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I, on the other hand, stared at her with a twisted expression, struggling to keep my emotions from boiling over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barely restraining myself, I asked her,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Why. Why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how much I tried to stay calm, the sharpness in my voice was undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the best I could manage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma looked at me quietly for a moment before answering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I came to eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ground my teeth at her nonchalant response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t play games with me. What are you scheming?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was she trying to mock me? This couldn’t be serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I glared at her, skeptical, Cheonma replied,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tone was calm, making me tense up instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was she about to say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You… why do you hate me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her unexpected question took me completely off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blurted out, caught off balance. Cheonma, her expression full of genuine curiosity, asked again,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I haven’t done anything to you. So why do you hate me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out of everything I’d heard since my return, this question was by far the most bewildering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why do I hate her?Was that even a question?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could list countless reasons to despise and loathe her right now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were hundreds of things I could have said, yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, I couldn’t say a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing came out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as though something was holding my mouth shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was I hesitating?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it fear of Cheonma?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, I was afraid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The being who had taken everything from me and tried to burn the world to ashes terrified me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But fear alone wasn’t enough to silence me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So what was it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I bit down hard on my tongue, trying desperately to force words out, but it was no use.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I couldn’t wield my tongue like a sword, I should have relied on my fists. Yet even that was impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I could do was stand there, silently staring at Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several seconds passed as I met her violet gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that I couldn’t speak, Cheonma turned her head and gestured toward the shop we’d just left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Over there, it’s good. I like this place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice was calm and matter-of-fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You should try it too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like a meaningless remark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned back to look at her, ready to snap, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Damn it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the brief moment I hesitated, she was already gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I bit down on my tongue. I dragged a dry hand down my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had always known this, but now it was clearer than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something was twisted—badly, irreparably twisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stepped out of the shop, her movements light and deliberate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t need many steps to reach her destination.If she willed it, she could go anywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her path led to a secluded spot—a small, unassuming dwelling built somewhere between the edges of civilization and wilderness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a cramped location, rented for a modest price.An explanation that made little sense to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, you’re back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone greeted her upon her arrival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a woman she referred to as “Unnie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”“You said you were going to eat, but you’re a bit late.”“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her reply was curt, her expression vacant.Her companion seemed used to such responses, unfazed by the short answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, as long as you enjoyed your meal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, the other woman extended a hand. The younger one tilted her head, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The leftover money.”“There isn’t any.”“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder woman paused, clearly taken aback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had given her silver, so why was there none left?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could voice her confusion, the younger woman spoke plainly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Last time, what you did. I did the same thing.”“…What are you talking about?”“Keep the change.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder woman pressed her fingers against her temples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, she had indeed said that before, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s… that’s not how…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stopped mid-sentence, sighing deeply.Who could she blame but herself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was the one who had handed silver to this oblivious girl and sent her on an errand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was fine. There was still enough travel money for now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And worst case, she could always depend on her mother, who was somewhere nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Forget it. So, did you enjoy yourself?”“Yeah. It was good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The younger woman’s answer was tinged with satisfaction, prompting a faint smile from her companion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s good to hear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She followed up with another question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You said there was somewhere you wanted to go. How did you even know about it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The younger woman shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It was my first time.”“What?”“It was my first time there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her response was simple but strange, prompting the elder woman to make a peculiar expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then how did you know you wanted to go there?”“I don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face showed that even she couldn’t understand her own words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But I wanted to go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her answer made no sense, and her companion eventually gave up trying to make sense of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As always, she decided to let it go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Well, as long as you had fun, that’s all that matters.”“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The younger woman nodded and started to move, but her companion called out to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, by the way, Yeona.”“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The younger woman stopped and turned back to face her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression was different now—slightly twisted, as if something displeased her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Don’t call me that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed she didn’t like the name she was being called.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not Yeona.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her response was firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what should I call you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elder woman asked, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The younger woman didn’t seem to have an answer. She simply pursed her lips, as if unsure what to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her companion chuckled at the sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t even have a name to give, so why are you so insistent about it?”“…Either way, that’s not it. I’m leaving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a curt reply, the younger woman walked off, clearly sulking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her go, her companion—no, Gu Heebi, the black-haired woman—sighed in exasperation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll never understand her.”\u003C\u002Fp>",2497,"2026-06-05T15:10:09.877Z",1,"novelbin.me","d1cf25784f7b16f2e14c943a3b132425996e066ebb82233f62d100a7a1b1b5c7","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-583","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-581",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]