[{"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-791":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},1240591,1667,"Chapter 790","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-791",791,"\u003Cp>Her eyes were red and bloodshot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tears welled up and streamed down her cheeks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her trembling eyelashes, slightly furrowed brows—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faint flush on her nose and the corners of her lips drooping downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was desperately trying to hold back her tears but failing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face betrayed every bit of sorrow she was feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the expression Cheonma wore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What the hell? Are you crying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pulled my hand away from her shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a sight that left me stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma was crying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who ruled above all, gazing down at the world with cold indifference—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now she was sobbing so miserably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And she was clutching Dol-dol in her arms as she did so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her fingers trembled, her entire body quivering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Dol-dol just looked confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only her—even the others in the room were frozen in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seriously, what the hell was this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was she crying here of all places?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—could she even cry?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d seen her smirk in contempt and glare with disdain countless times, but this—this was the first time I’d ever seen her cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And strangely enough—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now she looked even more like Wi Seol-ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just in appearance but in the way she seemed so fragile in this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe that’s why—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My hand, which had just pulled away, hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could possibly make Cheonma cry like this, holding Dol-dol so tightly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something I couldn’t explain lingered in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Come here.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tilted my head slightly and glanced around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whose voice was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like someone had spoken just now, but the voice faded in and out, leaving behind an eerie sensation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Say hello to Daddy.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pain suddenly shot through my temples, and I instinctively grabbed my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whose voice was that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could hear it, but it wouldn’t register—it wouldn’t click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The throbbing pain in my head worsened, making my breathing ragged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something felt like it was breaking inside me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vwoooom—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, all of a sudden, vibrations spread from deep within my chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like something was forcing the fragments back together, binding them so they wouldn’t fall apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tightening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if tying loose threads into a knot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just like that, the headache vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The faint voice disappeared as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My breathing steadied, and the trembling in my fingertips stopped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the hesitation in my heart was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grabbed Cheonma’s shoulder again and yanked her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She resisted, holding on tightly as if she refused to let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell is wrong with you? Do you think this is your personal room or something? Get up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And why the hell are you clinging to him and crying? Do you even know him?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked sharply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma’s eyes twitched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait—did she actually know Dol-dol?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the way her expression shifted made me pause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I don’t… know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice cracked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I don’t know… I don’t know who he is…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t know?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t know who the child in her arms was?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, obviously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Then what’s with that face?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she didn’t know, then why did she look like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma looked down at Dol-dol, her eyes filled with disbelief—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like she couldn’t understand it herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of look is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I don’t know….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So let me get this straight. You don’t know this kid, yet you storm in here, start bawling, and now you’re making that face?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I don’t know that either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what the hell do you know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I grabbed Cheonma and pulled her away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She must have let her guard down because this time, it was easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With some distance now between her and Dol-dol, Cheonma reached out desperately to grab the child again, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grip—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I caught her wrist and stopped her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you don’t know, then back off.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even I was surprised by how cold my voice sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was the tone of my voice, but Cheonma’s strength drained from her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pushed her back further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stumbled, and Gu Heebi quickly stepped in to catch her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the distance widened, the tension finally began to ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to Dol-dol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Yeah, I’m fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike Cheonma’s dramatic breakdown, Dol-dol didn’t seem even remotely shaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it because he wasn’t human?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I guess I have another mom I didn’t know about.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What kind of nonsense is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spouted something ridiculous and even clicked his tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was in the middle of eating something good, too. Ugh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something about this kid was definitely off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked like me when I was younger, but everything else about him was… wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Maybe he just looks like me and that’s it.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was never this unsettling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There had to be something else going on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I stared at Dol-dol, still trying to piece things together, he suddenly started moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He took a step forward, and his expression changed completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a sly, smirking face to—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Grandmaaa!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face transformed into the picture of innocence as he called out and ran straight toward Lady Mi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell?!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dol-dol ran into Lady Mi’s arms and hugged her tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And as if that wasn’t enough—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Wait… What did he just call her?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind went blank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I braced myself for Lady Mi to explode in anger, but instead—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Were you scared?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Huh?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, not really. I’m fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Mi simply hugged Dol-dol and even patted his back gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned and stared at Gu Heebi, looking for answers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gu Heebi just shook her head slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t know either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Yeah. Figures.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I nodded to myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What a goddamn mess.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of it made sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, calling this a dream felt more believable than what I was seeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lowered my head slightly, letting out a sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not toward Gu Heebi—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But toward Cheonma, who was still watching Dol-dol with that strange expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I furrowed my brow and called out to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re done now, so just….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was about to say that when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s awfully noisy in here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice rang out from outside the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes immediately turned toward it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More precisely, a few steps behind Gu Heebi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was where the voice had come from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And standing there, as the owner of that voice, was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I saw him, I knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That old man.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man draped in plain white robes, with a head full of white hair and deeply carved wrinkles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the one who had called for me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former head of the Baekhwa Trading Company.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who led it before Lady Mi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man they called the First Baekhwa Leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chirp. Chirp, chirp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Birdsong drifted in through the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t exactly morning—the hour was far too late for that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with the sunlight streaming in and the birds chirping, it felt like morning nonetheless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It should have felt peaceful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bright day, sunlight filtering in, birds singing—it was the picture of serenity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is ridiculous….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But despite the scene—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is so goddamn uncomfortable.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My chest felt tighter with every passing second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could it not?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone who felt at ease in this situation would have to be insane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced down at the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tea before me sat untouched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had cooled completely, no longer letting off steam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it was still as full as when it had first been poured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A lot of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I hadn’t taken a single sip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tsk.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no better sign of how uncomfortable this was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>God, this was awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I cleared my throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d already done that more than a dozen times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shifted my gaze, unable to keep staring at the same spot, and repeated the process several times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why isn’t he saying anything?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man sitting across from me hadn’t spoken a single word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked to be in his eighties, and despite his age, there was no sign he had ever trained in martial arts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet his sharp, knife-like eyes and unyielding presence hinted at a strength that didn’t come from the body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His features suggested he had once been strikingly handsome—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man who likely turned heads in his youth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Lady Mi’s father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The First Baekhwa Leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who had summoned me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After his sudden arrival and single remark that silenced the room, he had entered and called me to follow him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For what felt like a quarter of an hour, we’d been sitting face-to-face in complete silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the old man simply refused to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t much of a talker myself, but by this point, stubbornness had kicked in, and I’d decided not to break the silence first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then why the hell did he call me here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d cleared my entire schedule and come all the way here—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, there wasn’t a single word of explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is he trying to test me?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As ridiculous as it sounded, it was possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe he didn’t like me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A concubine’s son—a bastard—poised to inherit the family name simply because I was male.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he thought his legitimate granddaughters were being overshadowed because of me, this might be his way of showing his dissatisfaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that was his reason, I couldn’t exactly argue with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because, honestly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t be wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So I decided to drop the pride and just bow my head a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Uh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I finally broke the silence, addressing him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sir.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man’s eyes shifted toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze was sharp and cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Lady Mi’s piercing stare made a lot more sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She got it from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Did he not like the way I addressed him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t have any other title in mind, though.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard from Elder Il. He said you requested to see me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spoke carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the old man’s lips parted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A curt answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first words he’d spoken since we sat down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…May I ask why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had he called me here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This man—someone I’d never even met in my previous life—had summoned me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, unexpected encounters had become common in this life, but this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This one felt stranger than most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Today has been one crazy thing after another. It’s pissing me off.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheonma’s breakdown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Mi’s uncharacteristic reaction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One weird thing after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was enough to make my head spin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man picked up his teacup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he took a sip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like mine, his tea had long gone cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After wetting his lips—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I apologize.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An apology?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I blinked at him in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Suddenly… what do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just realized, drinking this tea, how much time has passed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was he saying he hadn’t even noticed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perhaps it’s my age. I find myself lost in thought more and more these days. I apologize.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s fine. But if you could, I’d appreciate it if you spoke more casually. Honestly, the formality is making me a bit uncomfortable—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I do not speak casually to those I do not consider close to me. I hope you can understand.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shut my mouth awkwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said he didn’t speak casually to those he didn’t consider close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a massive wall behind those words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clear—I wasn’t someone he considered close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just like Elder Il said, he hadn’t called me here simply to see his ‘grandson.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the implication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then what the hell is it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not that, then why had he sought me out?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t make sense of it at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If it’s nothing important, I really hope he gets to the point soon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t excited about being summoned, nor would I be upset if he kept his distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We were strangers—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not even bound by a drop of blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And considering I’d had no connection to him in my past life, I didn’t really care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only thing that gave me pause was the fact that he was Lady Mi’s father.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alone stuck with me, though…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Why does it bother me?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I pondered the thought. Was there any reason for it to bother me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lady Mi wasn’t related to me by blood either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Hmm.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t figure out why it lingered in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then, may I ask why you called for me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man’s earlier words had eased some of my nerves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he didn’t have any grand intentions, then I didn’t have anything to stress about either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Relaxing slightly, I asked my question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man just stared at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze was so intense that I almost felt the need to fix my posture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Should I straighten up again?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was seriously debating it when—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t summon you for anything complicated,” he finally said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thank God.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I called you here because there is something I need to ask.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could you put up a Qi barrier for us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without asking why, I waved my hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vwoooom—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A barrier quickly enveloped the area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was thicker than necessary since I hadn’t bothered to control its output.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s done.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell was he about to say that required a barrier?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, my confusion was turning into frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll ask now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old man’s eyes locked onto mine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Have you… turned back time?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vwoooom—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I heard his words, the Qi barrier I had just raised trembled violently.\u003C\u002Fp>",2286,"2026-06-05T15:10:17.629Z",1,"novelbin.me","62bb71c5324f9e4bfb199ec4194d9bd84a05401cab146c839b6f24a5a46e7247","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-792","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-790",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]