[{"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-851":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},1240701,1667,"Chapter 850","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-851",851,"\u003Cp>Drip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation of something flowing made me frown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lowered my gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My chest—specifically, my heart—had been pierced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hand. I could see a hand, the very hand that had torn through my chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shifted my gaze with difficulty to see the face of the person it belonged to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The owner of that hand was none other than me. Or rather, the me from my previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Squish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hand pulled out, and a burst of blood sprayed forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood spilled from my mouth as I fell to my knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this lower position, I looked up at him—at myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gazed down at me with cold indifference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he raised his hand and pointed it toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Next time, bring an answer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you don’t, you might as well end your own life.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those heavy words,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Black flames engulfed my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I shot upright, eyes wide open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Haa… haa…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Panting heavily, I clutched my chest. My trembling fingers searched for reassurance, and I let out a relieved breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, my chest was intact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Kuh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pain surged through my body, muscles throbbing in protest. No, this wasn’t just muscle pain—it was far worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This felt like…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My meridians are swollen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My entire body’s meridians were inflamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The realization of my earlier ordeal hit me like a hammer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, damn it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I recalled the moment I’d collapsed, my mind fogged with pain. And the memory of spitting blood while desperately trying to subdue my rampaging energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grimacing, I loosened my clothing to examine my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The marks were still there, faint traces on my chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scars where I’d driven my fingers in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Looks like it’s mostly healed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scars were superficial now. My body had already recovered from the worst of it. For someone like me, injuries of this level weren’t a problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I let out a low, shaky breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The method worked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My energy had been on the verge of an uncontrollable rampage, and I’d been uncertain if anything could stop it. But the method… it had worked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Driving my fingers into my chest to manage the energy—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a technique I’d experienced firsthand in my previous life at the hands of Cheonma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d endured it many times before, and though I’d doubted whether I could replicate it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By clenching my teeth and pushing through, I somehow succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can’t believe this actually worked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even to me, it felt absurd. But thanks to that, I’d survived.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I hadn’t, I would have succumbed to Qi Deviation or exploded from the rampaging energy. It had been a razor-thin escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As relief washed over me,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Shit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t help but curse as I recalled the reason for the energy’s rampage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cause was none other than…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That bastard from my past life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had confronted him after popping a pil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And I had lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Damn it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When I woke up, my energy had already spiraled out of control. There was no time to understand the situation—only to suppress the chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn’t the issue. No, saying it wasn’t an issue would be strange. But more pressing than my life was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why did I lose?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had I lost?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the question that gnawed at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t comprehend the outcome of that fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was stronger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My current cultivation had surpassed the state I’d achieved as the Black Flame Bastard in my previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was confident that I wouldn’t lose to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, I had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was it because I couldn’t use my flames?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sealing of my Nine Flames Firewheel technique—was that the problem?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the fight, I hadn’t been able to use my flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is that really the reason?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I couldn’t use my flames, it didn’t justify such a one-sided defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be that he was stronger than I remembered?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn’t it either. His level was the same as it had been in my previous life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant there was only one explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I simply lost.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had been outmatched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The me of my past life was beyond my current self.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Grinding my teeth, I muttered, “Damn it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why? What went wrong?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who was he, really?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sealing of Nine Flames Firewheel—that bastard was undoubtedly responsible for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why my past self was doing this, I didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why now, of all times?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The timing infuriated me. I’d caught a faint glimpse of the path to greatness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, my flames were sealed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t have time for this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to reclaim that feeling before it faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet that bastard stood in my way. And I couldn’t beat him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was maddening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Haaa.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What should I do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instinctively, I knew—I had to face him again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I’ll fight him again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no time to waste deliberating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wanted to confront him right away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Was today the day I was supposed to meet Ilcheon Sword?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The swordsman I had last encountered disguised as the Celestial Stream Sect Leader—our next meeting was scheduled for today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I faced him now and failed to win…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All my plans would go up in smoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wouldn’t end peacefully. Knowing that, should I still go?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Part of me wanted to throw all plans aside and crush that bastard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite my frustration, my body was already moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if my cultivation was sealed, there was still too much to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no room for pride anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As I pushed my aching body forward,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Much has changed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice echoed in my mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think you’ve changed as well?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those words… he’d spoken them as he tore off my left leg.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t delude yourself. You only think you’ve changed. In truth, you remain the same—vile and weak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Pathetic.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The words he spat out while breaking me were as vivid as the pain itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bastard,” I growled, my face twisting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t sure if I was cursing him or myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why? Why couldn’t I answer him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it you want from me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was the answer he was looking for?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I still didn’t know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to face the Poison King, my body still aching, intending to thank him and share a few words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Where exactly do you think you’re going?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King’s voice was tinged with disbelief as he addressed me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you even realize the state you were in when you collapsed?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, I remember. You must have been quite shocked, but thank you for taking care of me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I meant it sincerely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d heard what had happened after I collapsed—that the Poison King had taken me to a physician and, moreover—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I also heard that you purposely didn’t inform Lady Tang. I deeply appreciate that…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had made sure Tang So-yeol wasn’t told, sending her ahead to the Martial Alliance instead. That decision meant the most to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Tang So-yeol had found out, she would have worried endlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King must have known that, which was why he made such a choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The physician said your meridians are severely fatigued. He recommended you rest for a few days. So how can you be up and moving already?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My body is fine, and I have too many urgent matters to attend to. I’ll properly express my gratitude the next time I visit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m sorry for making you worry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as I spoke, I knew how shameless I sounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the Poison King had gone out of his way to care for me when I collapsed, yet here I was, immediately declaring I was leaving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then there was the matter of my silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You still won’t explain, will you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That made it worse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had I suddenly needed the Dokcheon Pill? What had caused me to collapse after consuming it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though I trusted the Poison King more than most, I still couldn’t bring myself to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…I’m sorry. I’ll explain everything when I return.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I promise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, I should have come up with a convincing excuse, even a flimsy one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the plan…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to meet with Ilcheon Sword alongside the Shadow King. Once I disrupted Ilcheon Sword’s focus one last time, I could arrange a separate meeting with the Celestial Stream Sect Leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And during that process, I could drop subtle hints about Ilcheon Sword…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was crucial to maintain a delicate tension between the Celestial Stream Sect Leader and Ilcheon Sword. I needed their mutual suspicion to grow before bringing them together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, wait… if I do that, it’ll mess up the task I gave to Cheol Ji-seon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should I buy more time? But that wasn’t an option, given my current circumstances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I can’t even fully trust my own body right now, so how could I extend the timeline? Even if I could… how?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let’s say I managed to buy time. Would it even solve anything?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was already running low on red spirit stones to craft another Dokcheon Pill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how I approached it, the situation was suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to balance securing justification for my actions, pushing the plan forward, and ensuring everything stayed on track.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were too many moving pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, what do I do…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I needed to organize my tasks while assessing my physical state and securing justification for future actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My head throbbed. I clutched my forehead, tempted to shove all these thoughts away, but I couldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…I have to organize everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I didn’t want to, it had to be done.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t Moyong Hee-ah, Jegal Seon, or even Cheol Ji-seon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wasn’t a genius. Mistakes were inevitable, but I had to make sure they were manageable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To achieve that, I needed to cut back on sleep, push myself harder, and grind through the details.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Biting down hard on my tongue, I muttered inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Think. Keep thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just figure something out…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Master Gu—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp shout froze me in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I turned to see the Poison King staring at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It jolted me back to reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you alright?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Ah. My apologies. I was just lost in thought.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I forced a smile, trying to dispel his concern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a bad habit, and I sighed inwardly as I steadied my breathing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Truly, I’m sorry. I’ll explain the situation when I return—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Master Gu.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you truly alright?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Excuse me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His words left me momentarily speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Ah, yes. I’m perfectly fine. I was just overthinking and spaced out for a moment, that’s all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King didn’t seem convinced. His expression shifted into something I despised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My daughter mentioned something today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A face full of concern—a look I hated more than anything else in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She said you don’t seem to be in good condition lately.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…I don’t know what she means. I’m perfectly fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The time I carved out for her was supposed to be a precious opportunity. Yet she spent the entire day talking about you. It left me feeling uneasy. But…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Poison King continued, locking eyes with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seeing you now, I think I understand how she feels.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, he asked me,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Are you truly alright?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I bit my tongue, hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did he mean by asking if I was alright?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And why was he asking it at all?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was the one who had burst into his life, creating chaos and dragging his cherished daughter into my mess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t fathom the Poison King’s mindset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, there was only one answer I could give him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I was fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had to be fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>******************\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My mind and body were utterly drained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all I could think of as I left the Tang Clan and forced my feet to keep moving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hadn’t slept a wink last night, and yet, somehow, the sun had already set again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each step sent a dull ache through my body. My swollen meridians still hadn’t fully healed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though I had managed to stabilize my energy, the strain on my heart lingered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And beyond that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fatigue was piling up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could feel it weighing down my body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or was it mental exhaustion, given that my body hadn’t completely failed me yet?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe I should rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt like the time had come to take a break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But resting wasn’t an option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Haa.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I ran my hand down my face, adjusting my expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no point in hoping for sleep tonight, just like every other night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First things first—the Shadow King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once I arrived, I’d find him and follow the plan step by step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suppressing the sigh that threatened to escape, I forced myself forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Endure it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I wouldn’t collapse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swore to myself I would endure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, there was one thing I wanted—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…I need to see the kids.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before I did anything else, I felt the urge to see their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that I intended to do anything in particular.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just seeing them would be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It would give me a moment to breathe, to take one more step when I felt like stopping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I laughed softly at the thought, the sound escaping before I could stop it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When was the last time I told them not to follow me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long ago, I’d been so desperate to keep them away. Now, here I was, longing to see them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How contradictory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I knew how foolish it was, yet I couldn’t help myself. I needed something—anything—to keep me going.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the distance, I could see the Sichuan branch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight of it made me straighten my slumped shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I steadied my breathing and adjusted my expression into something more composed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Leader!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment I arrived, one of the branch members rushed toward me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I waved slightly and gave him a small smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m sorry I’m so late. I didn’t mean to worry anyone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’d left them with a mountain of tasks, only to collapse somewhere and return late at night. If anyone questioned where I’d been all day, I wouldn’t have a good answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Nothing serious happened, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Leader… something terrible has happened.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Namgung and Wi are… missing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something inside me, barely holding on, finally broke.\u003C\u002Fp>",2387,"2026-06-05T15:10:20.656Z",1,"novelbin.me","0d89ae3f2c8e540879e8c4eabdb1c9182729b3e4624795c02c9f5f60c28dcfa4","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-852","childhood-friend-of-the-zenith-chapter-950",974,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fchildhood-friend-of-the-zenith-cover.jpg"]