[{"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-667":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},1240417,1667,"Chapter 666","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-667",667,"\u003Cp>There was a time when her refined and elegant demeanor wasn’t as apparent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"—Hey.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back when she was called Seolbong (Snow Phoenix) instead of her given name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A time long forgotten, a distant memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, we tried to avoid each other as much as possible, our interactions brimming with sharp tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If we happened to meet, it never ended with kind words. Yet, there was a peculiar period when she would often come looking for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I saw Seolbong approach, I frowned deeply. She mirrored my expression but still spoke curtly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not hungry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She came out of nowhere, demanding I eat. It was ridiculous, though it wasn’t entirely unexpected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only times Seolbong came looking for me were to talk about meals or to hurl insults.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eat. Everyone else has started eating already.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you call that food?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t proper sustenance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We were barely surviving, cooking monster meat just enough to stave off hunger. Especially in those times, food was so scarce that most people endured starvation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing my response, she gave me a scornful look and retorted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you really going to be picky about food here? Just eat what you’re given.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I said I’m not eating. Are your ears clogged? Why do you keep making me repeat myself?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then what? Are you planning to starve to death?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Living like this, starving to death might not be so bad—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ugh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pain shot through me as my head jerked forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had slapped the back of my head, hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, I thought I might pass out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You crazy woman…!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to her, seething with anger, but she cut me off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t spout nonsense while everyone else is fighting tooth and nail to survive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes burned with an intensity that made me hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know you’re a fool. I know you’re someone who might drop dead any day, and it wouldn’t be surprising.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then stop bothering me and leave me alone. Why do you care? You hate me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, I do. I hate people like you, who don’t value their own lives.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because I still can’t stand to watch you die like this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hated me but couldn’t let me die? What kind of twisted logic was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I could vent my frustration, she continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One more mouth to feed won’t make a difference. So stop overthinking it and just eat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words left me speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t you get it? Everyone knows why you’re doing this. So stop being an idiot and eat. You’re too weak to stand guard or stop monsters from attacking, anyway.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re talking nonsense. I’m out here because I don’t want to see your faces, not because I care.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried to argue, but she clearly didn’t believe me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t know why you’re acting like this, and I don’t care. That’s why I won’t thank you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you even saying that to me? I’m here because I don’t care if I die. Just leave me alone!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finally shouted, and only then did she turn and leave without another word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking back, I think I now understand why Seolbong was so obsessed with preserving life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It must have been because of her own illness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among everyone there, she was the one who struggled the most to live. To her, I must have been insufferable—a man with no desire to live, indifferent to whether I survived another day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, thinking about it, I can’t blame her. I was an infuriating fool back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, if I were to meet my younger self, I’d probably want to beat him to death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, I’m sure I would.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s how stupid I was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, even knowing this, there’s still something I can’t understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after that argument, she came to me again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I told you to leave me alone. Why are you back?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I scowled at her, noticing her hands full of supplies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was monster meat—a pile of food she had painstakingly gathered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wow, you’re seriously insane, aren’t you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, I am. Now eat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was at my wit’s end. Why would she bring all this to me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t like I was sitting out here because I enjoyed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there was so much food. There was no way everyone else would have enough if she was giving this much to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you expect me to do with this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you don’t eat, I’ll bring more. If you still don’t eat, I’ll throw it all on the ground so no one can have it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She meant it. Her eyes were filled with determination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why go to such lengths for me? I stared at her, utterly baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just eat,\" she repeated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And live. If there’s no other choice, fine. But if you can live, then live.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her fixation on life was almost pathological.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed unbreakable on the surface, but something inside her was clearly broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was she so obsessed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, I didn’t have the capacity to understand. I was too young, too foolish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But one thing I did realize was this:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seolbong was as twisted as I was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in that, I found a faint sense of kinship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps that’s why—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Tsk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why I begrudgingly took the food she offered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And why, years later, when she asked me to sacrifice myself for her, I agreed without much resistance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was all because of this memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you looking at me like that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moyong Hee-ah tilted her head, puzzled by my gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right, she’s not Seolbong anymore. She’s Moyong Hee-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing. I just remembered something from the past.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The past? When? When we first met?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Something like that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now that you mention it, it’s been years, hasn’t it? You looked so much prettier back then.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words carried a hint of regret, and I couldn’t help but laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What a ridiculous thing to say.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you laughing? Was I really that much prettier back then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who knows,\" I said with a smirk, pausing briefly before adding,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn’t notice back then, but now... you are beautiful.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a time when I couldn’t afford to pay attention to Moyong Hee-ah’s face, let alone try to read her expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Things were so different back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You don’t glare at me like you used to.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, occasionally you still do, but the emotions behind your eyes don’t feel as harsh anymore. These days, I even make an effort to look at your face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And, well… you’re quite beautiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… what are you saying all of a sudden?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moyong Hee-ah’s face flushed a deep red at my comment. With her pale skin, it was impossible to miss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe something was wrong with the skewers… No, that doesn’t make sense… How strange…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of nonsense are you spouting now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Young Master, are you feeling unwell? The Divine Doctor didn’t mention anything concerning…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unwell? Who said I’m unwell—wait a second.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something about what she said caught my attention.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you bringing up the Divine Doctor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face betrayed a moment of panic as she realized her slip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t tell me… have you been asking the Divine Doctor about my health?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, of course not!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stared at her skeptically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Divine Doctor wasn’t the type to casually discuss a patient’s condition with anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I decided to let it go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m so hot. Aren’t you hot, Young Master? Let’s go get something refreshing to eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She quickly changed the subject, walking ahead as if eager to escape the conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I watched her retreating figure and couldn’t help but chuckle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unbelievable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone who rarely made mistakes, Moyong Hee-ah became surprisingly flustered when she did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was… a little cute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze mid-thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cute? Did I just think Moyong Hee-ah was cute?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I must be exhausted.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shook my head, convinced that my mind was playing tricks on me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as I followed her, I couldn’t resist calling out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait up. We should go together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite my call, Moyong Hee-ah, her ears now as red as her face, refused to slow down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We visited a few more inns after that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, unlike the first inn, there were no suspicious findings at the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time we finished, it was well into the afternoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That concludes the business with the trading houses,” Moyong Hee-ah announced, holding a thick stack of letters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, I frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘The business with the trading houses’? Does that mean there’s more work left?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She smiled, an expression that immediately put me on edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry. What’s left won’t take as long.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, there is more work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you always work this much?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not usually. But today’s the bi-monthly accounting day. A sudden inspection like this makes it easier to clean house.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clean house, huh… You mean replacing people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed. “Why did I have to get dragged into this on a day like today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It wasn’t a coincidence. I brought you along on purpose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s easier to keep you around with a solid excuse, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her playful tone, paired with that signature sly smile, made me groan internally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as she explained, she didn’t let go of my arm, holding on as we strolled along a forest path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike earlier, we were now far from the bustling town.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are we going now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This didn’t seem like the kind of place you’d find another trading house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The summer heat was oppressive, and the air was thick and humid, buzzing with insects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing how much Moyong Hee-ah despised bugs, I used my aura to keep them at bay for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our leader is working on a new project nearby,” she explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A project?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. They purchased some land in this forest to construct a building.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I vaguely remembered hearing about this before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Oh, right. Bumdong mentioned something like that. It was because Dol-Dol landed there.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the thought crossed my mind, I realized something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait… This is where—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, it’s the land where you first arrived, Young Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The very spot where Dol-Dol had descended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To secure control over the area, we’ve also been tightening our grip on our trading houses and inns.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And what are you building here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A pyo-guk (armed escort bureau).”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A pyo-guk? The Baekhwa Trading Company is setting one up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her answer didn’t make much sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t unusual for a trading company to establish a pyo-guk, especially during times like these when monsters were rampant. Many companies had begun forming their own escort bureaus to avoid relying on mercenaries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Baekhwa Trading Company already had one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t the Baekhwa Escort Bureau still operational?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, it’s still active.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So why build another one, and here of all places? In Henan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henan, home to the Martial Alliance and Shaolin, was the last place anyone would think of establishing an escort bureau.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did the Alliance approve this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To operate here, you’d need official permission from the Alliance, and I haven’t heard of them granting it to anyone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not approved yet… but our leader has a plan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Moyong Hee-ah’s mother said there was a plan, then there probably was one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, you’re building first and asking for approval later?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. Construction started today, and we’re heading there to take a look.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t long before the sound of construction reached my ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud! Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Careful with that timber!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jang! The frame doesn’t align properly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed like master carpenters were hard at work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to head toward the noise, but Moyong Hee-ah pulled my arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not that way, Young Master.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She started leading me in a different direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are we going? The construction’s happening over there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We don’t need to see the building just yet. What you need to see is not the structure but the people.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The people?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her cryptic statement left me puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, we arrived at a clearing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t seem natural—it had clearly been prepared in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The air was heavy with a palpable energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people gathered in the clearing were the source of this intense atmosphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were dozens of them, and their presence alone was overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘All of them are at least first-rate martial artists.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each one exuded an impressive level of skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s with these people?” I asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re candidates for the escort bureau.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded. “They’re all potential escorts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But… their level is too high.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First-rate martial artists would typically be leaders of escort teams, not candidates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“These are extraordinary times, and our leader has extraordinary plans for this bureau,” Moyong Hee-ah explained with a knowing smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And you want me to do what exactly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Choose seven of them. You’ll help select the most capable candidates.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, I was supposed to act as a judge?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a dry laugh, looking over the gathered individuals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each of them looked annoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Understandable. Being gathered here under the blazing sun for an evaluation wouldn’t sit well with anyone, especially martial artists of this caliber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced around, assessing their skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Fifteen first-rate martial artists, nine at the peak, and even one fully matured master-level martial artist.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did they manage to gather so many high-level fighters for an escort bureau?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I scanned the group, my gaze landed on one person in the back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the irritated faces, one stood out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was expressionless, and yet, something about it froze me in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only was the face familiar, but it was also someone who shouldn’t be here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Our eyes met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The person, having already noticed me, gave a light wave as if in greeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed friendly enough, but I couldn’t respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because I couldn’t understand why—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why is he here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was Heavenly Demon standing among them?\u003C\u002Fp>",2315,"2026-06-05T15:10:12.585Z",1,"novelbin.me","97c67151c193dca971d07d289551dda21255253562d66dc5de19e89e128ccdae","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-668","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-666",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]