Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 346 (Part 1)



346 (Part 1)

”'<Chapter 347: The Return of the Listener. (6)

On a night when the moon rose over corrupted officials.

Someone sat on a massive rock raising a wine cup. A few strands of his long hair mixed into the cup but he didn’t seem to care much.

The moon floating in the night was reflected on the rippling wine. The owner of the cup glanced at it and immediately took a sip.

The disheveled appearance paradoxically seemed noble.

It was because he knew all too well how powerful the position and strength of the figure were.

Behind the figure drinking the wine.

The green forest was covered in blood.

It was filled with bodies so mangled that it was hard to recognize their shapes. They were all renowned masters from the Central Plains.

The mixed forces of those who had reached their peak and the realm.

In a way it was enough power to erase a prominent family from the Central Plains.

Yet the figure quietly drinking from the cup in front of him had erased such beings with just a few gestures.

After swallowing all the wine in the cup the figure glanced over this way.

The moment I met his violet eyes.

I felt as if the color of the moon floating in the night had also changed to violet.

[Captain.]

[…Yes.]

I bowed my head at the call. The figure confirmed my posture.

Heavenly Demon poured more wine into his cup.

Swish swish.

The sound of pouring wine echoed through the quiet forest.

[Are you disappointed?]

[What do you mean?]

[I mean are you disappointed that the Lord took the Captain’s gift?]

[…]

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I didn’t respond to Heavenly Demon’s question. He seemed to expect that merely raising his cup to drink again.

The corpses piled behind us were originally a unit sent by the sect to ambush me. It seemed that there were also martial artists who didn’t appear to belong to the sect indicating that they had likely recruited martial artists with a large sum of money.

[…It’s not so. If the Cult Leader hadn’t helped it would have been dangerous.]

At my carefully chosen words Heavenly Demon let out a chuckle.

[Is that what the Captain says? How amusing.]

Heavenly Demon burst into laughter and waved one hand.

Whoosh—!

In that instant the corpses piled behind us were swept away by black flames and vanished without a trace.

[The sect’s people seem quite impatient. Resorting to such childish tricks.]

All the three lords once called the strongest in the Central Plains had been killed. The Mount Hua Sect had burned to the ground.

The Nangong family had been exterminated.

Even if the orthodox sects had power they were gradually being absorbed by the Demonic Cult or disappearing at their hands.

Among these people in the Central Plains there were also those who foolishly praised Heavenly Demon and the Demonic Cult.

As the sect which had been established and solid for several centuries began to crumble.

Some had made their choice. Ultimately the current Central Plains would fall and the era of the Demonic Cult would come. They would join Heavenly Demon’s ranks before it was too late.

Is there still hope for the Central Plains?

No I didn’t think so. At least that’s how it appeared to me. The hope of the Central Plains had likely vanished with the appearance of Heavenly Demon.

Heavenly Demon was such an existence.

His very being was a calamity as if the word ‘end’ had taken human form.

That was Heavenly Demon.

Heavenly Demon finished the last sip of his wine and quietly looked up at the sky.

The wind gently swayed his hair.

[Captain.]

[Yes.]

[I will head to Henan in seven nights.]

[What!]

I had to hide my surprise at Heavenly Demon’s words. That meant he intended to wage war directly in Henan where the sect was located.

Although there had been battles until now it was the first time he was planning a direct attack.

[You look surprised.]

[No I just… ]

[Are you worried?]

[…]

Worried.

The words pierced my heart like a dagger and I had to keep my mouth shut.

Did he read my expression? Heavenly Demon continued speaking.

[It doesn’t seem like you’re worried about me.]

Propping his chin on his white fingertips he looked at me with half-open violet eyes.

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I couldn’t bear to meet his gaze so all I could do was lower my head.

[Then who is the Captain worried about?]

[That’s not it… I don’t worry about such things… ]

[Captain you’re not good at lying. Did you know that?]

[…]

[Time has passed yet the Captain still possesses a childish side.]

Hehe.

Heavenly Demon’s laughter echoed in my ears.

[The only one who has spoken lies to me and lived is you Captain. Did you know that?]

[…]

[And the only one who has survived without answering my questions is also you Captain.]

[Cult Leader…!]

This wasn’t a good sign.

After all the master of all demonic practitioners and the heavens was Heavenly Demon. It wasn’t strange that he held command.

However it was important that until now Heavenly Demon had never bothered to do anything.

The command of the demonic practitioners had been held by Jeongal Hyuk until now.

Otherwise the command of the troops under me had been mine.

Immediately after Jeongal Hyuk’s death his command would have been absorbed by me or divided among other sub-captains.

The implication that Heavenly Demon would take all command meant that he truly intended to act directly.

This was undoubtedly a calamity for the Central Plains.

Until now the reason the Central Plains had been able to endure against the corrupted officials was that Heavenly Demon had not genuinely sought to destroy it.

At least I knew that.

If Heavenly Demon had truly set out to destroy and burn the Central Plains.

It would have been impossible for them to endure until now.

But… why?

Why was Heavenly Demon planning to move now? It was a natural question but it felt strange.

The reason Heavenly Demon who had previously refrained from acting was now beginning to move.

Perhaps it was because the three lords had died and most of the power had been lost. He might have been waiting for a situation where victory was assured.

That thought crossed my mind but considering the nature of Heavenly Demon I had faced until now I thought that wasn’t the case.

Was that why? Unconsciously I found myself asking Heavenly Demon.

[Cult Leader…?]

[Yes.]

[…May I ask the reason?]

What Heavenly Demon intended to do was the goal of the demonic practitioners.

To question that was absurd.

It was something that shouldn’t happen.

Yet I had to ask.

[The reason.]”’