Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 371 (Part 1)



371 (Part 1)

“Gu Cheol-un.”

At the man’s words the waiting room is instantly filled with a heavy atmosphere.

He merely mentioned a name.

Was there qi in his voice? No.

Was he using qi to press down the air? That too was not the case.

It was simply the presence that the man exuded.

And they were unknowingly being overwhelmed by his gaze.

Immediately after the man sat in the main seat and uttered his name the waiting room quickly filled with murmurs.

– If it’s Gu Cheol-un… isn’t he the Ho-hyeop?

– Ho-hyeop? If it’s Ho-hyeop… isn’t that the Clan Head of the Sanseong family?

He was the top prodigy of the past who had once held the alias of Shin-ryong.

Now he was a former Captain of the now-defunct Murim Alliance’s Shin-ryong Corps and currently the Clan Head of the Sanseong family.

Moreover he was also a martial artist included among the top masters of the Central Plains but that was merely a past achievement.

By now he was said to have weakened considerably.

Additionally a new title had emerged that was more frequently mentioned than Ho-hyeop.

Now spreading throughout Henan and the entire Central Plains was the alias of a martial artist.

So-yeom-ra (小閻羅) Gu Yang-cheon.

The reason and essence of this orthodox sects gathering was the prodigy who ended the Shin-ryong-gwan raid incident.

No he was now a figure who had received a new alias no longer able to be called a prodigy.

The man was the father of So-yeom-ra.

Until recently he was more famous as the father of Geom-bong but now he had become more renowned as the parent of So-yeom-ra.

And those who knew even a little about Gu Cheol-un would say this upon hearing about So-yeom-ra.

– Like father like son.

If a tiger gives birth how could it produce a dog?

It was only natural for a monster to give birth to a monster.

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Now he was referred to as a toothless tiger or a remnant of the past hidden in Sanseong but those who remembered Gu Cheol-un in his prime would not see him that way.

Even now look.

There are many who are overwhelmed just by the fact that Gu Cheol-un has appeared. Gu Cheol-un did not emit qi nor did he perform any specific actions.

It was merely those who remembered that time who were being pressed down by his presence.

In the silence that was quieted by Gu Cheol-un’s introduction.

The first to speak was Dang Cheon-gi.

“It’s been a long time.”

It must have been several decades since Dang Cheon-gi faced Gu Cheol-un.

Accordingly Mo Yong-tae who had been making an unpleasant expression cautiously greeted him.

“…Nice to meet you.”

Naturally Mo Yong-tae did not particularly like Gu Cheol-un.

He had felt that way since the past.

Since they were of similar ages they had often crossed paths during their prodigy days.

When Mo Yong-tae was called the White Dragon they had even faced off against each other.

At that time the Dragon and Phoenix faction had existed as well.

As for the outcome Mo Yong-tae had already erased it from his memory.

It meant he had been defeated so miserably that he did not want to remember.

Moreover there was a time when his Noona had once chased after Gu Cheol-un saying she liked him.

This made Mo Yong-tae even more uncomfortable with Gu Cheol-un.

Just looking at that was enough.

‘…The rich are doing all sorts of things.’

He was seething with anger inside.

He was holding back because his precious daughter had something to say.

But Mo Yong-tae had no intention of forgiving the scoundrel known as So-yeom-ra.

‘If it were just my daughter I could have somehow gotten over it.’

Rumor had it that there were women overflowing around him.

As soon as he heard that he was furious but he held it in for now.

There are truths that can only be known when faced directly.

In fact after meeting the scoundrel Mo Yong-tae briefly changed his thoughts.

The reason was simple.

It didn’t make sense that a guy like that had women flocking around him. So-yeom-ra wasn’t ugly but he wasn’t handsome either.

Combined with the fierce gaze typical of the family he looked frightening enough that it was hard to look at him for long.

And that guy even with his good looks and status had his precious daughter clinging to him?

‘Something is wrong.’

That’s what Mo Yong-tae thought.

The reason his daughter was obsessively attached to that scoundrel.

It was simple.

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The congenital illness his daughter had currently he was the only unique existence who could cure it.

That was So-yeom-ra.

How it came to be was unclear.

But it was confirmed by the physicians who accompanied him including the Elder of the Moyong Clan.

That’s why he endured.

He had to entrust his daughter to a boy of the same age.

He could endure the fact that his daughter eventually came to have feelings for him.

As long as his daughter could live and if she was happy he could endure anything.

Moreover.

‘The child is happy.’

It had been years since he had seen his daughter smile so brightly.

This could be called a positive change.

So Mo Yong-tae endured regarding So-yeom-ra.

He had heard news of an engagement but since his daughter was said to be breaking off the engagement and promised to marry him he endured.

If it was going to be connected to the Gu family anyway he could pay attention to the agreement.

Everything was for his daughter.

To Mo Yong-tae who had lost his wife his daughter was everything in the world.

However.

‘…He had other women even with our daughter?’

Just imagining it made him grit his teeth.

Mo Yong-tae had clearly seen it.

The people who were at the table where Mo Yong-hee was staying.

‘It was filled with women.’

And they were all as beautiful as his daughter.

From Mo Yong-tae’s perspective thinking his daughter was the best if he could say they were of the same level they must have been quite remarkable.

Those girls had been waiting with eager eyes the moment So-yeom-ra entered the inn.

Among those women Mo Yong-tae could spot one who stood out.

A woman with silver hair and blue eyes.

From just her martial arts uniform and demeanor Mo Yong-tae could tell she was of the Namgung Clan.

And as far as Mo Yong-tae knew there was only one direct descendant of the Namgung Clan.

Wasn’t she called Geom Mu-hee?

She seemed to possess a beautiful appearance and outstanding skills.

However what was important to Mo Yong-tae was something else.

The fact that So-yeom-ra’s fiancée was none other than Geom Mu-hee.

Unlike what his daughter said it seemed they were still getting along well which was the problem.

This meant.

‘That guy has no intention of breaking off the engagement. He plans to toy with my daughter.’

Crack.

Mo Yong-tae’s arm tightened.

If it weren’t for the table made of stone it would have broken immediately.

‘Was he mocking me back then?’

He remembered the moment they first met on the street.

At his question about directions So-yeom-ra had briskly stepped forward.

Mo Yong-tae might not have known but that guy knew that everything he said was directed at him yet he played along.

He even agreed when he said he would break his arms and legs.

‘He was mocking me while knowing everything.’

Mo Yong-tae didn’t think So-yeom-ra wouldn’t have understood this.

If a person has any sense it’s hard not to know such things.

It was clear.

He had insulted him.

Reason might whisper that this was a preconceived notion but.

Mo Yong-tae had already stopped listening to such things.

Anyway he had never liked that guy’s family.

‘Once the gathering is over.’

After this event Mo Yong-tae planned to confront So-yeom-ra.

His daughter kept saying she would handle it herself and asked him not to do anything but as a father he couldn’t hold back.

He didn’t intend to kill him.

He had a strong desire to do so but he had to uphold this part.

Mo Yong-tae merely thought of correcting that brat’s behavior from the standpoint of a ‘senior.’

The process would surely be intense.

While Mo Yong-tae was sharpening the sword of his emotions feeling corrupted.

“Isn’t it a coincidence that we’ve gathered here? I’ve heard a rumor.”

The one who spoke was none other than the person Mo Yong-tae disliked even more than Gu Cheol-un and So-yeom-ra.

It was the Lord Wang Peng-jo.

“Since Clan Head Gu is here I’ll say this but I’ve heard your son is quite remarkable these days.”

When he heard it was a recent rumor he wondered what it was and sure enough it was about So-yeom-ra.

“It must be nice to have such a precious son.”

As Peng-jo spoke with a smile.

Gu Cheol-un turned his head to look at Peng-jo.

Gu Cheol-un’s eyes perhaps due to his unique gaze looked quite cold.

“He just did well.”

In response to Peng-jo’s words Gu Cheol-un also replied but his voice was quite indifferent.

As if it didn’t matter at all.

Perhaps Gu Cheol-un’s response displeased him.

Peng-jo’s eyebrows twitched slightly. Not to be outdone Peng-jo added another remark.

“Even if the child did well isn’t it because there’s someone supporting him from behind?”

Hearing Peng-jo’s words Dang Cheon-gi and Mo Yong-tae finally understood what Peng-jo’s intention was in bringing up that topic.

There were many rumors about So-yeom-ra now.

But the one who was originally called the top prodigy and Shin-ryong was none other than the Young Master of the Peng Clan.