Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 416 (Part 1)



416 (Part 1)

**Chapter 417: Did You Come Alone?**

Night had fallen. It was the time when the martial artists of the Tang Clan and the rival faction began their watch and patrol.

Feeling that the time had come I rose from my spot.

“…”

The moment I stood up I sensed an unfamiliar presence beside me.

What is it?

After confirming it I let out a slight sigh.

At this hour there could only be one person occupying the space next to me.

‘When did she come in?’

As I suspected the culprit was Namgung Bia.

The sleeping space was already cramped and with her tall frame squeezing in it was becoming unbearable.

Moreover.

‘Why didn’t I notice?’

The fact that I hadn’t woken up even when she lay down next to me was the real issue.

No matter how accustomed I had become to Namgung Bia’s presence this felt a bit dangerous.

Although Namgung Bia’s aura was subtle not realizing someone was approaching in my sleep was concerning.

What if I ended up with a knife to my throat…

‘She wouldn’t do that to me though.’

The tension had dissipated. Whether it was because Namgung Bia had improved her skills or because I had let my guard down I couldn’t tell.

I decided I needed to be cautious.

With that thought I stood up.

“…”

Carefully rising so as not to wake Namgung Bia I gently brushed her hair.

It didn’t seem like she took care of it yet it still felt as smooth as silk.

Doing this felt a bit perverted.

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The moment I realized that I immediately pulled my hand away.

Stepping outside the carriage I found Baekryeon-geom waiting for me.

She must have seen me coming out as she smiled at me with a somewhat mischievous grin.

“It’s the perfect time isn’t it?”

It seemed she had noticed Namgung Bia lying inside the carriage. What should I do about that woman’s antics?

“…That’s not it.”

“Of course of course Noona knows everything.”

“It seems you don’t know anything at all. What do you think you know…?”

“When you’re young it’s all like that! Why are you prying so much? Noona will pretend she doesn’t know okay?”

…Please.

I had a lot to say but I had to deliberately ignore Baekryeon-geom’s antics which were not just a one-time occurrence.

There was something more important at hand.

I looked in the direction where I sensed the presence and internally repeated my anxiety.

‘Will it take a day?’

If things went as expected it was possible.

I hoped for that but it was still uncertain.

Whoosh—

As I wrapped the heat around me I felt a subtle qi emanating from Baekryeon-geom.

Even with her strange personality she was perceptive enough as a master.

She didn’t ask where I was going or what I was doing.

Yet judging by the aura and the way she handled her sword it seemed she had an idea of what I was hoping for.

‘As expected.’

She didn’t seem like an opponent I could easily dismiss. After grasping that I immediately increased my speed and leaped forward.

My destination was the place where the Green Forest Bandits were gathered at Gui Mun Mountain.

*************

Poison Lord Dang Bi-seong.

The former head of the Tang Clan and the grandfather of the current Poison King.

Those from the Central Plains believed that if he were alive an additional figure known as the Poison Lord would have been added to the Three Lords making it the Four Lords.

He was a master closest to the myriad poison immunity and a revered figure who had significantly raised the declining status of the Tang Clan.

However in reality he was not as great a figure as he was made out to be.

At least not to Dang Deok.

– A failure.

I remembered the cold gaze of Dang Bi-seong looking down at me.

Behind the cold stone floor lay a pile of corpses all of them appearing to be no more than nine or ten years old.

All of them had been granted the Dang surname under Dang Bi-seong’s hand.

– Clan Head this child’s bones are as you wished…

A man spoke urgently to Dang Bi-seong but his gaze did not waver.

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– Even if the body is perfect if they cannot learn the poison arts they are useless. Dispose of them.

Upon hearing those words Dang Deok cried out.

He screamed for mercy.

Even with Dang Deok’s cries Dang Bi-seong did not stop walking.

Finally after the sound of Dang Bi-seong’s footsteps faded away.

Only Dang Deok’s cries filled the underground room.

As the men beside him remained silent they began to move toward Dang Deok.

Only when their hands obscured Dang Deok’s vision did he awaken from his long nightmare.

His closed eyes opened and his dark pupils gazed at the moon.

It was then that Dang Deok realized he had been dreaming a nightmare.

“…Huh.”

Just after lifting his heavy eyelids Dang Deok rose his massive body.

It was truly a hellish dream.

Even if he wanted to forget the memories remained vivid.

‘As the time to act approaches do the memories resurface?’

As he got closer to his desired goal the memories he wished to forget became clearer.

It couldn’t be helped. He knew he was living in the present because he couldn’t forget.

Crack.

As he relaxed his muscles Dang Deok walked forward.

Pushing through the underbrush he soon arrived at a gathering of men.

Upon his arrival the men immediately rose from their resting positions.

“Boss.”

“What’s the situation?”

“It seems they are setting up camp for the night.”

Dang Deok’s gaze turned toward a certain direction.

The dense underbrush obscured his view but he knew that the Tang Clan members were gathered far away.

The bloodline of that old man whom he would gladly tear apart.

If there was a lingering resentment in Dang Deok’s heart it was that.

‘I should have killed that old man myself.’

Poison Lord Dang Bi-seong. That damned man whom he had failed to kill with his own hands.

Crack.

Recalling that his fist involuntarily tightened.

After all the trouble he had caused he ended up dying of old age.

As anger and killing intent began to rise from Dang Deok the bandits around him started to tremble.

It was a rough and terrifying aura.

Dang Deok looked at the men with eyes filled with killing intent and said.

“The destination is when they cross the river. We will wait until then.”

“It will take about seven days to reach the river at this speed you know?”

At the man’s question Dang Deok suddenly reached out and grabbed the man’s head.

“Gah…”

His massive hand was enough to grip the man’s head with one hand.

“Then should we just charge in and die like dogs?”

“…Grrrgh…”

“Even if we’re in a hurry we have to do what we must right?”

“Y-yes…”

Only after hearing the man’s response did Dang Deok loosen his grip.

Although he wanted to charge in and tear them all apart immediately it was unreasonable to do so with both the Poison King and the Clan Head of the rival faction present.

Thus he decided to wait until they crossed the river.