Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 569



569

”’〈 Chapter 570 〉 To Henan.

The coldly falling snow.

I remember the young man holding a woman resembling snow on the pure white ground that began to pile up.

The young man breathing quietly over the scattered bloodstains here and there.

It was a memory of the old man who was watching that scene.

[Child.]

The old man called out to the young man.

The young man slowly lifted his head in response.

His red hair swayed revealing his eyes.

They were a deep dark red.

So red that they resembled the blood staining the ground.

The old man felt an involuntary chill as he looked into those eyes.

However hiding that feeling he spoke.

[Isn’t this enough….]

Words mixed with desperation.

[Let it end now….]

[…What is….]

Interrupting the old man’s words the young man asked.

[What on earth has happened….]

The young man tightened his grip on the woman he was holding.

[Nothing has happened.]

[Child.]

Whack-!

[…!]

Just as the old man was about to take a step forward.

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A fierce flame shot towards him.

But the flame did not reach the old man.

Someone had pulled him back.

[Do you want to die? Get a grip.]

[…Hwangbo Clan Head.]

The man was the Clan Head of the Hwangbo family the reigning power of the time.

He drew out his weapon and shouted at the young man with the red hair.

[Shinryong…! You reckless brat. How could you hide such power…!]

His thunderous shout yet the young man in front did not even react.

He remained silent.

Only observing his surroundings with a cold settled gaze.

From the young man emanated a heat that did not match the winter.

Conversely his gaze was chillingly cold resembling the season.

[Truly amusing.]

[What?]

The Hwangbo Clan Head frowned at the young man’s words.

[What did you just say….]

[To gather like this over a single woman. It’s truly amusing.]

There was no emotion in his voice.

That was sharper than a blade.

[Can you still call yourselves orthodox sects after this?]

[You little…!!]

The Hwangbo Clan Head’s face twisted upon hearing the young man’s words.

[You know very well that she is not just any woman!]

His thick finger pointed at someone.

The tip of his finger was directed at the woman the young man was holding.

[It’s understandable to be mesmerized by her beauty. But to embrace that monster…!]

[Monster?]

[…!]

A chill ran down the Hwangbo Clan Head’s spine.

At the same time he took a step back.

When he realized he had been intimidated by such a bloodied figure.

Veins bulged on his neck.

[This…. Damn it….]

His pride was wounded.

The fact that he had been startled even for a moment by such a bloody mess.

Just then as the Hwangbo Clan Head was about to unleash his fury.

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U Bong Chwi Gae intervened.

[Stop it.]

[U Bong Chwi Gae!]

[You were the one who told me to get a grip yet here you are getting angry and stepping forward.]

[Crack.]

The Hwangbo Clan Head gritted his teeth at U Bong Chwi Gae’s warning.

That was how he would suppress his emotions.

Seeing this U Bong Chwi Gae turned his gaze back to the young man.

[Are you truly not going to let go of that hand?]

Letting go of the hand holding the woman.

That was all that was needed.

If he did that this cruel situation would end and everything would return to peace.

Those standing here including the young man knew that very well.

But the young man’s answer was the same as before.

[I never had such an option.]

[Child….]

[The meaning of the sect is righteousness and cooperation I have heard.]

Despite his weary demeanor the young man’s voice was firm.

It had been so from the beginning. And it was the same now.

[I do not know what that means. Therefore I cannot fathom the meaning of the sect.]

The young man despite being part of the orthodox sects claimed he did not know what they were.

U Bong Chwi Gae showed no reaction to those words.

He simply.

[But.]

He quietly waited for the young man’s words.

[Even if I do not know the meaning of the sect protecting what must be protected is my righteousness and cooperation. That is my justice.]

The wind mixed with the snow blew even stronger.

Yet the traces melted away before reaching the young man.

[To say I cannot even protect the woman in my arms means losing my conviction. That is no different from death for me.]

The air twisted.

The burning heat was so intense that it appeared that way.

[If you wish to take my conviction away then go ahead.]

A multitude of soldiers.

Amidst those with widespread fame in the Central Plains.

The energy emitted by someone barely reaching adulthood felt out of place.

[I will.]

It would not be strange if he were scared. It would not be strange if he were exhausted and gave up.

However the young man did not make such a choice.

[I will not let anything be taken from me.]

He chose to confront the world.

Such memories remained vivid for the old man.

Perhaps it was because it was a shock.

‘He was a reckless one.’

Few remembered that time.

Among the many who were present then most had not survived to this day.

And even those who were alive likely did not remember.

[Please forget about these events.]

At the end of a brutal brawl the blood-soaked young man declared so.

U Bong Chwi Gae was one of the few who remembered such events.

This also left him with a debt towards the young man.

If one were to ask how it was a debt it was a simple logic.

‘No one died.’

Even if they had made a pact and imposed a ban.

Everyone present had managed to keep their lives.

Even if the intervention of the “Sword Master” had come late.

That would remain an unchanging truth.

Moreover the young man had fulfilled his responsibilities as he had said.

He diligently handled matters according to the sect’s orders.

By the time the contract ended he returned to the clan and took on the role of Clan Head.

He concealed his existence.

After that he did not step foot in the Central Plains again.

The young man had reached middle age.

And soon the world forgot his name.

How could such a famous name be so easily forgotten?

It was because that was what he wanted and U Bong Chwi Gae had continued to assist him.

Thus time passed and now we have arrived at this point.

“Ha ha….”

U Bong Chwi Gae stepped outside and let out a shallow laugh.

“He resembles him a lot.”

Perhaps the conversation they had was somewhat amusing.

The child resembled the young man who remained in his memory.

It seemed a bit regrettable that he resembled him so much but resemblance is resemblance.

He was his son so it was only natural.

Of course.

“I don’t think the daughter resembles him much though.”

The girl said to be a disciple of the Sword Master did not seem to resemble him much.

If one were to say she resembled someone.

‘On the mother’s side.’

The woman who had been held in his arms back then.

That child would likely resemble her.

Suuuu.

U Bong Chwi Gae stroked his belly with his hand.

He felt a large lock hanging inside the qi center.

It was due to the ban he had placed on himself in the room.

‘Hmm.’

He wondered if it was too much but U Bong Chwi Gae did not care.

After all he had little time left to live so there was no need to save it.

He was simply happy.

‘The appearance is a perfect match and it seems he inherited talent well. But he has developed cunning that wasn’t there before.’

Unlike his father who would break through any obstacles without hesitation.

It seemed the child knew how to navigate around obstacles instead of breaking them.

Ha ha.

‘Thinking about it is frightening.’

With overwhelming talent alone it was already daunting. How much more frightening would it be if he also possessed strategy?

Thinking this U Bong Chwi Gae smiled.

He recalled the expression of the child who had reacted to his words.

Even while trying to deny it when he probed further the child revealed a sharpness without hesitation.

A sharpness that could pierce at any moment.

Recalling that U Bong Chwi Gae held back a smile.

‘I don’t know what that child is hiding.’

He hoped this incident would make the child more vigilant.

That was U Bong Chwi Gae’s wish.

‘It seems it will be difficult now.’

No longer.

He would not be able to hide that child’s story.

Even if U Bong Chwi Gae tried it had surpassed a size that could be concealed.

Especially.

‘If there are unknown matters mixed in….’

With the tasks entrusted by the Alliance Leader and this incident overlapping U Bong Chwi Gae could no longer afford personal time.

He had been hiding the existence of Gu Yang Cheon at the request of the clan head of Gu but.

It seemed it would become too much to handle.

Thus U Bong Chwi Gae decided to give a warning to Gu Yang Cheon.

To be vigilant.

To act cautiously and be sensitive.

Moreover.

‘Was it called Heavenly Demon?’

The mysterious figure who attacked the Mudaeng.

Thinking of him U Bong Chwi Gae turned around.

It was the place where Gu Yang Cheon was.

After gazing at that place for a moment U Bong Chwi Gae shook his head.

‘No way.’

Since Gu Yang Cheon had committed some act through the dawn.

He briefly thought that perhaps that child was related to the Heavenly Demon.

But U Bong Chwi Gae immediately dismissed that thought.

Didn’t the Sword Master say?

That the existence of the Heavenly Demon had surely reached a transcendent level.

‘The physique doesn’t match either.’

He had said he was nearly seven feet tall.

Though the situation was oddly unfolding U Bong Chwi Gae judged that Gu Yang Cheon had no connection to him.

If by any chance there was a connection.

‘It would be revealed in the process of finding out. Ha ha….’

In the process of understanding he would naturally come to know. U Bong Chwi Gae was aware of the information network of the Open.

Thus he could only hope.

That this incident.

And that child would not be related.

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

Right after U Bong Chwi Gae left.

I had to stand there for a moment dazed with a blank expression.

In my hand was a snack that U Bong Chwi Gae had given me.

“…Hmm.”

I looked at it and carefully placed it on the table.

“What is this?”

What could it be?

U Bong Chwi Gae who had been interrogating me had simply given me a snack and disappeared at the end.

I thought he would say something more but he really just vanished.

What on earth did he want?

I couldn’t figure it out.

“…Should I say I got through it well? This?”

It wasn’t like that.

It wasn’t that I got through it well.

‘He must have let it slide.’

It would be more accurate to say that U Bong Chwi Gae had let it slide.

Or perhaps.

‘Was it a warning?’

That could also be the case.

He knows that you did something. So behave yourself.

That could be the intent behind it.

If this wasn’t the case either.

‘What on earth is it?’

No matter how much I thought about it I couldn’t understand U Bong Chwi Gae’s intentions.

Did he really let it slide because he owed a debt to my father?

‘If he showed me this while imposing a ban on himself that might be the case.’

It was a point where I couldn’t let my guard down.

After all it was not just anyone but the Boss of the Open.

What was important here was that I had been recognized by him.

This could make it somewhat difficult for me to act.

‘It seems he didn’t catch on to anything else.’

It was a relief that he didn’t seem to know that I was the one who attacked the Mudaeng.

‘…But I’m not entirely sure about that.’

It could be a situation where he knows but pretends not to.

I had to prepare some moves in advance.

‘I managed to inject the demonic qi well.’

Though the amount was small and shallow to avoid detection I could use it.

As for the rest.

‘I need to move them.’

I had to utilize people who were far more specialized in this field than I was.

It was getting increasingly complicated and my head was starting to hurt.

But using my brain wasn’t my job anyway.

‘That guy will be there too.’

With that thought I stood up.

After all there was no point in thinking any further.

“…Huh.”

For now I had to move quickly.”’