[{"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-611":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},1240461,1667,"Chapter 610","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-611",611,"\u003Cp>\"How’s your condition?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah didn’t respond to the question.She simply stared at the young man in silence, observing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In case it bothers you, let me clarify.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man gestured to Namgung Bi-ah’s waist with his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The treatment wasn’t done by me. I had another woman take care of it, so there’s no need to…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t care.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…I see.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her curt reply made the young man chuckle awkwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me ask again: how are you feeling?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Again, Namgung Bi-ah gave no verbal response.Instead, she lifted her bound hands, showing him the shackles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chains binding her wrists rattled.As the young man looked at them, Namgung Bi-ah spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Release me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ha-ha.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her demand made him laugh incredulously.That she could say it so boldly left him at a loss for words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If I could release you, I would have done it already.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then release me now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sword Dancer, I’m telling you, I can’t.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, he was at a loss.How was he supposed to answer that?Looking at her genuinely puzzled expression, the young man gave a bitter smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because this is the only way to keep you alive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words he finally uttered only served to tear at his heart.It was a miserable excuse, one he despised having to say aloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t even think about escaping. Those shackles aren’t something you can easily break.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah’s expression subtly shifted upon hearing that.She had, after all, been discreetly testing the strength of the chains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now she understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s suppressing me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her energy wasn’t flowing properly, likely due to the shackles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had the young man noticed her efforts?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your internal injuries probably haven’t fully healed yet, so just rest for now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spoke in a calm, measured tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing his words, Namgung Bi-ah stopped testing the restraints and relaxed her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she turned her gaze away, scanning her surroundings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vrrr—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the persistent vibration of the Thunder Fang at her waist was bothersome, assessing her surroundings took priority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was too dark to see clearly, but it didn’t feel like an ordinary room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As something brushed against her senses, Namgung Bi-ah asked the young man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A formation?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Correct.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The space was indeed enveloped by a formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could sense its presence but couldn’t discern its specifics.The shackles blocking her energy made it impossible to determine more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, there was nothing she could do at the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hm…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Accepting this, Namgung Bi-ah suddenly shifted her body, lying down comfortably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man let out an incredulous breath at the sight.Her behavior was so unexpected it left him dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah had simply lain down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if she had decided to take it easy and rest, her posture was entirely relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…What are you doing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, the young man asked, and Namgung Bi-ah turned her head slightly to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…I’m going to sleep.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In this situation…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…You’re not releasing me, are you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, no, but…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could she be so unapologetically bold?Her behavior was beyond anything he could have anticipated. To lie down without a hint of hesitation—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her made his chest ache all the more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he had to ask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How can you… not ask me anything?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why wasn’t she asking?He had to know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah turned her gaze toward him, her silence lingering for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She knew what he was asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had things come to this?Why had he created this situation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why wasn’t she questioning him about it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I already asked,\" she replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was referring to their encounter before she lost consciousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And she still remembered his answer from then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You said there was something you had to protect.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something he had to protect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as she had something she needed to protect.That’s why he had done what he did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s what their conversation had been about.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What else is there to ask…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Nothing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the best answer he could give, though it was wholly unsatisfying to hear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even knowing this, Namgung Bi-ah didn’t press him further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man, however, couldn’t understand her restraint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t you resent me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was him who had targeted her as she fled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had deployed soldiers to block her escape and sent elites of a higher caliber to inflict both external and internal injuries on her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was that truly something he had to do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he claimed it was necessary, it would sound like an excuse.If he admitted he shouldn’t have done it, it would feel like a justification.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, even rescuing her had been an act of self-serving guilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah replied, \"…Not really.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not really?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could she not resent him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As this thought began to take shape—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You made your choice,\" she said in her usual calm tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I assume there must have been a reason…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a certainty in her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing them, the young man’s bitter smile faded entirely. He could no longer even feign amusement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because you’re his friend,\" she added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words struck him like a blade to the heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, he had already decided not to call himself by that name anymore.Those memories were something he needed to bury far away to survive the present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ha-ha… That’s your reason for trusting me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you need more?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Normally, yes. A lot more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, a great deal more. It was the sort of trust that required countless reasons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for her, this alone was enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sword Dancer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think… he still sees me as a friend?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could she know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man thought to himself that the answer was likely no.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If his friend ever learned the truth, what kind of expression would he wear when looking at him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a thought he wanted to entertain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a cold wind swept through the room, Namgung Bi-ah spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you? What do you think?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did he think?Did he still consider his friend a friend?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Who knows.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man couldn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he still thought of him as a friend, could he have done any of this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, it was far too late to think about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man rose from his chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t answer her question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll take my leave now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Namgung Bi-ah didn’t seem to expect an answer anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he turned toward the door and began walking away, Namgung Bi-ah’s voice called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Still.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At her words—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When you meet him… apologize.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man froze in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her tone was sharp and cold, filled with firm resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she had remained indifferent to her own pain and situation, she was different when it came to this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He’ll be hurting a lot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Hurting? Him?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He’s fragile.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fragile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the word that least suited his friend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the young man, his friend seemed like someone who wouldn’t falter even if the whole world collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you make him cry, I won’t forgive you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t the kind of thing one usually said in this situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the young man didn’t argue. He didn’t feel he had the right to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Fine. If I ever meet him again, I’ll apologize.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, his friend was likely somewhere in Zhongyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If, by chance, his friend ever came to the North Sea after hearing news of him—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’ll probably be gone by then.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t be there anymore.It was inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I hope my apology, given in such a way, will be enough.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could atone with his life, perhaps it would help.Such foolish thoughts crossed his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man opened the door and stepped outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he walked down the corridor, he brushed away his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only one thing now filled his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Cheong-ah! Cheong-ah!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice from a distant past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A time when he wasn’t Woo Hyuk, but someone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The happiest days of his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his mind, he saw a silver-haired girl running toward him with a bright smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Come play with me!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Completely unconcerned with his circumstances, she called for him with laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was such a simple memory.An ordinary day that might have meant nothing to anyone else.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, it was a memory he now had to carry alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the day he left the North Sea for Zhongyuan, the boy had spoken to the girl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[If, by some chance, I survive and see you again.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as arrows pierced his back and blood flowed freely, the boy had smiled at the crying girl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Then I’ll—]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The memory dissolved into mist, fading away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man shook his head, forcing it from his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no need to recall it.Even that was an excuse—a justification no one would ever accept.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kept walking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His footsteps echoed through the dark, unlit corridor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A full moon hung in the dark sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The surroundings were pitch black, emphasizing that it was night, and snow was falling relentlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is absolutely insane.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cursed as I pushed through the blizzard.Why didn’t this godforsaken weather show any signs of calming down?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more I saw of it, the more I hated it.What kind of land was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was utterly absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The North Sea, they said, had snow falling all year round.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Supposedly, when the Blood Demon wreaked havoc, something happened here that permanently changed the environment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I’d first heard about it, I’d thought,“Oh, is that so?”and left it at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now that I was here, it was far worse than I could have imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How can anyone possibly live in this place?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cold was unrelenting, and snow fell at all hours. Farming would be impossible under these conditions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant the only way to gather food in this environment would be hunting, wouldn’t it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like the only option was to catch something and eat it.But in this cold, how many animals could possibly exist?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, people somehow survived here. There must have been a way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But whatever it was, it didn’t change the fact that this place was utterly miserable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaaah—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blizzard reduced visibility to near zero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this environment, I wondered how anyone could find their way.But honestly, it didn’t matter where I looked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vrrr—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All I needed was to follow the vibration I felt in my chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I moved, I adjusted my steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This way, to the north.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I changed my course, heading in the direction where I could sense the energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, no matter where I moved, the only thing in sight was still the endless blizzard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at it, I muttered, \"This place is absolute hell.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this even a place worth calling land? It made my blood boil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grinding my teeth and letting out curses, I heard an uneasy cough from behind me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ahem… Sir, no matter how terrible it is… perhaps you shouldn’t curse like that in front of someone who lives here…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? You got a problem with it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"N-no, sir.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to lash out further, but the woman behind me shut her mouth with a dejected tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah, of course, she wouldn’t have anything else to say.She knew that if she spoke out of turn, I’d leave her behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Satisfied with her silence, I turned my eyes back to the front.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Talk about rotten luck.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if the miserable weather wasn’t enough…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In this horrible blizzard, I even have to carry a heavy burden.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"H-heavy burden?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice rose, offended by my words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What else would you be but a heavy burden?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I… I am not heavy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, she didn’t seem to deny the term “burden.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not heavy? You’ve got no shame. Then again, if you had any, you wouldn’t have followed me in the first place.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s not—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, shut it. One more word, and I’ll leave you behind.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after my warning did she finally fall silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a deep sigh and continued moving.The path ahead still looked long, stretching endlessly before me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, on this endless road—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was moving through the North Sea with Yury, the second princess of the Ice Palace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carrying her on my back, no less.\u003C\u002Fp>",2041,"2026-06-05T15:10:11.188Z",1,"novelbin.me","88ce5d635ee91c8d13e75f9e780ba20622fc4cb4709f3e03197d64621e93700f","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-612","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-610",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]