[{"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-735":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},1240785,1667,"Chapter 734","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-735",735,"\u003Cp>The fourth round had concluded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The matches, which had stretched late into the night, were over. Now, only sixteen competitors remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With only a few steps left before a new Champion was crowned, the scorching heat of the Hanam region felt particularly intense that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though summer had officially ended, the lingering heat wasn’t entirely due to the martial arts tournament. If one were to pinpoint the cause...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me meet So Yeomra just once!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I—I’m the head of the Northern Jade Trading Company! Someone from the Baekhwa Trading Company, please—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was undoubtedly because of the crowd packed outside the gates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The area outside the lodging, which should have been quiet in the early morning, was instead bustling with noisy individuals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already chaotic enough after Paejon stirred up trouble the other day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, it was even worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So Yeomra is here, isn’t he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just one word—please!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…And this time, it was more than half my fault, so I couldn’t even make excuses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pressed my aching forehead. It wasn’t even noon yet, and already this many people?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Damn it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d expected this might happen, but there were far more people than I imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I just run away now? There were still two days until the round of sixteen began, so wouldn’t it be fine to hide out in the mountains for a while?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was seriously considering it when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you’re thinking of running away, I’d advise against it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp voice from ahead erased that thought immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not seriously thinking of disappearing after causing this mess, are you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forced a smile at the voice’s owner—Moyong Hee-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded at my response and sipped her tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her movements were still as elegant as ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Northern Jade Trading Company... the Milong Escort Agency... some truly hard-to-see faces have shown up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By reputation alone, they were all quite famous in Zhongyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Those people never even showed their faces when we tried to open trade routes with them... yet here they are, practically groveling.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her sharp smile sent a chill down my spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve used you much earlier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha. Right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed I’d said the wrong thing. Moyong Hee-ah’s expression grew colder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you serious right now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh... no... I mean…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I went through hell trying to keep things under wraps for you. If you were going to cause trouble, you should’ve done it sooner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Sorry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you were going to stir up chaos, you could’ve at least done it in a way that we could use for publicity! You should’ve given me some kind of warning!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the issue—being caught off guard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded as her reaction made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I agree.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, that had been the plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I was going to reveal my strength, it should have been on a higher stage—somewhere worthy of showing off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But during the Divine Dragon’s fight, I’d ended up revealing far more than intended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I got carried away…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was because he had potential.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or maybe it was because he begged me to show my full strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason was hazy, but I’d definitely gotten swept up in the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His determination to stand and fight ignited something in me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as his hands bled and his skin tore, he continued climbing the wall I’d placed in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If I had to pick the one most different from my past life, it’d be him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t crumble. He didn’t break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he showed was exactly that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, in the past, he’d been utterly ruined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought made me wonder how that had ever happened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir, what are you thinking about right now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Nothing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You were definitely thinking about something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I was focused on what you were saying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did I just say, then?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...You said if I was going to cause trouble, I should’ve done it better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That was ages ago…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Apparently, the conversation had drifted that far while I was lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing my distracted state, Moyong Hee-ah sighed and ran a hand down her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after just one day, she already looked noticeably worn out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed she’d been through a lot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I was talking about the sponsorship offer from the Yujeon Trading Company.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, right. That.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, I hadn’t heard a single word of it, but I nodded anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, the sponsorship... exactly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you going to accept it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I don’t need it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I rejected it outright. Moyong Hee-ah responded as if she’d expected that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yujeon Trading Company is on par with Baekhwa Trading Company. Are you sure?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On par with Baekhwa Trading Company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, one of the top five trading companies in Zhongyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those trading companies like the Northern Jade Trading Company and various escort agencies might be somewhat famous in their own right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the grand scheme of things, they were just ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, if we talk about the world above them, the story changes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of those groups might have more wealth than even renowned noble families, and among them, the Yujeon Trading Company occupied an especially high position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t need money, and I’m not interested in grabbing onto hands that are only reaching out now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Money wasn’t an issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the years—and in my past life—I had steadily built my foundation using information. Even without that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My official sponsor is already the Baekhwa Trading Company. Sending someone now, knowing that, is nothing more than testing the waters.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the head of their company had come personally, I wouldn’t have welcomed it. Sending some random representative to ‘have a chat’ wasn’t a great look either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially considering that my relationship with Lady Mi was publicly recognized as that of a mother and son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If any other companies reach out, turn them down too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘If’ other companies reach out? Most of them already have.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Moyong Hee-ah placed a thick stack of letters onto the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked ready to collapse if I so much as nudged it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know that all the talk in Hanam right now is about you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“More or less…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s only Hanam for now, but it’ll spread nationwide soon. Word is that even the Beggar’s Sect has started moving.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two months, give or take.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By then, the rumors would have reached even the most distant regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like how the tale of the Divine Dragon’s fight had spread overnight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, even if the story spreads, shutting down talks about trading companies won’t be too hard.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally. That’s exactly why I tied myself to the Baekhwa Trading Company in advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it wasn’t just any company—it was Baekhwa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being sponsored by such a company, and officially recognized as their ‘son,’ meant it was easy to turn down other offers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But… it’s going to be difficult to move around unnoticed from now on. Are you okay with that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, it wasn’t like before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t just a matter of changing my nickname and letting things fade out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My appearance and identity were out there now, along with all the names that had become attached to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Next Great Master of the World.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Monster That Shattered Stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Martial Artist of the Comet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Genius Destined for History.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Secret Weapon of the Gu Family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The list went on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it. I felt sick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was all this? It was disgusting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing my expression, Moyong Hee-ah shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll just have to endure it. Besides… it’s not like any of those titles are wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not wrong, my ass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it seemed that way to others, but none of it felt right to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It churned my stomach—this feeling of being pushed onto a pedestal I hadn’t asked for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I have to endure it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This, too, was something I had to withstand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t a matter of preference but of necessity. I had no choice but to push through it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir, if I may ask…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm? What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why, exactly, did you grab the Divine Dragon’s head…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a dry laugh at her question, which was filled with genuine confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could guess why she was asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rumors that had spread alongside my new titles probably had something to do with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-So Yeomra completely crushed the Divine Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Even when the Divine Dragon begged for mercy, So Yeomra pummeled him without stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-The Divine Dragon clung to So Yeomra’s leg, bleeding all over the place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-After the match, So Yeomra grabbed the Divine Dragon’s head and humiliated him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stories like these had been circulating as part of the aftermath of the match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who beat who now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could such ridiculous rumors even spread?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crumpled him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Well, that part’s true.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I did beat him into a wreck during the fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the same could be said for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The places he hit still ache.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Hundred Steps Divine Fist had struck me right in the chest, flames burning through my defenses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d taken hit after hit, blocking most of it with Qi, but my bones still felt like they were cracked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, it would be fairer to say we both went too far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Not that I couldn’t have ended it sooner.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wouldn’t have taken more than two or three exchanges if I’d gone all out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But I’d dragged it out a bit—let him struggle more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…I got carried away too.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been a moment of indulgence—wanting to see what he was capable of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But humiliation? That’s ridiculous.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you didn’t grab his head?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But not for that reason.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Humiliation? What a joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘After all the trouble I went through to help him.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His body had been wrecked, and his Qi reserves were completely drained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His breathing had become shallow, signaling the onset of Qi deviation—a condition that could kill him or leave him crippled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a single sparring match, that outcome would have been too tragic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I acted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-“Shut your mouth and breathe through your nose. If you force anything, you’ll die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d grabbed the Divine Dragon’s head and immediately stabilized his Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I calmed the chaotic energy, purified the impurities building up inside him, and burned off the excess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t fix his broken bones, but at least it prevented Qi deviation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was the sudden energy flow or sheer exhaustion, the Divine Dragon had passed out immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that’s how the rumors started.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Unable to endure So Yeomra’s humiliation, the Divine Dragon fainted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Or—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-So Yeomra enjoys tormenting the weak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-He’s arrogant despite his talent and indulges in women and pleasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why the hell were the rumors about me filled with so much nonsense?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘How am I supposed to live with this crap?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially that part about indulging in women and pleasures—where the hell did that come from?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if there’s anyone cleaner than me in how they live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Should I request the Beggar’s Sect to issue a correction about the rumors?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Forget it. It’ll die down eventually.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter how I look at it… it doesn’t seem like it will.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, that’s enough about this. Just wrap up the matters with the trading companies like we discussed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I downed the rest of my tea in one go, trying to cool the burning irritation in my stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Now then… what’s next?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d already adjusted my plans to match the changing schedule, but the martial arts tournament still had about seven days left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I’d like to make it all the way to the end if possible.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem, though—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘When will the Sword Union Leader arrive in Hanam?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Depending on his arrival, I might have to move my plans up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was something I needed to take care of when he got here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d already sent word to the Pillar Horse Clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hwangbo Clan should be making preparations, too. So now, I just needed to keep an eye on the Mount Hua Sect and feel out the Martial Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at it this way, things seemed to be falling into place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No, I can’t let my guard down.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I absolutely couldn’t afford to get careless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever things started going smoothly, it always meant something was about to blow up in my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My damn luck had always been like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Something’s bound to go wrong if I relax now.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t let that happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what, I had to handle everything properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I steeled myself, tension sharpening my focus—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm? What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You weren’t listening again, were you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Sorry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moyong Hee-ah must have been saying something earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I apologized briefly, and she didn’t even react anymore—she’d grown used to it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what were you saying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I mentioned that we have a guest waiting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A guest? Oh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finally remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Moyong Hee-ah had come to see me earlier, she’d asked if she could bring someone along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d said the person had come specifically to see me, and I’d told her it was fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They just arrived. Since they’re from a trading company, I thought I should let you know first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A trading company?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadn’t I just told her to reject anyone from a trading company?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, the guest she brought turned out to be one of them?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by her expression, it definitely wasn’t someone from Baekhwa Trading Company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re from Evergarden Trading Company.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Evergarden Trading Company…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I widened my eyes at her words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was Evergarden Trading Company—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s the richest trading company in Zhongyuan.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Setting aside their influence, they were officially the wealthiest group in the region.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If martial pride can’t be bought with money, then you must not be offering enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a famous quote from one of Evergarden’s former leaders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And true to those words, he’d once hired none other than the top martial artist of the time, the Iron-Blooded Leader, as his personal bodyguard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When people asked how much he’d paid to hire the greatest martial artist in the world, his response had been calm and simple:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-“I paid an amount befitting my worth.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Money enough to make the world’s strongest move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was wealth beyond imagination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Someone from that company came to see me?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First it was Yujeon Trading Company, and now Evergarden Trading Company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had I really shown them something worth moving for?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt oddly refreshing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Like I said earlier, even if it’s not the head of the company but just an employee, this still—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re not just an employee.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what, did the company head come here personally?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…They came to see you in person.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stared at her in disbelief, I felt a presence just beyond the door, as if it had been waiting for this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knock, knock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d sensed it earlier, but now it was clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Who is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-“Greetings. I’ve come from Evergarden Trading Company.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A calm and trustworthy voice flowed through the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hesitated for a moment before granting permission.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door opened, and a man stepped inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for granting me this audience.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked to be in his forties, with a gentle and kind appearance that exuded sincerity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, the moment I saw him, my expression hardened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This guy…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew that face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the wrinkles were lighter than before, it wasn’t a face I could fail to recognize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t know him well, but he was someone worth remembering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Jang Yoo-myung, the head of Evergarden Trading Company.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And of course—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jang Yoo-myung, head of Evergarden Trading Company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been the same head in my past life as well, a tycoon among tycoons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, just call me Jang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been the official sponsor of Wi Seol-ah, the Divine Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>",2664,"2026-06-05T15:10:16.200Z",1,"novelbin.me","af28c7f0aaab81593bb17bfe9983cc0a68c165904911efcd2c566387861678ca","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-736","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-734",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]