Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 582 (Part 1)



582 (Part 1)

”’〈 Episode 583 〉 Nice to meet you.

“Huff… huff!”

In a back alley near Henan a man was running like a madman.

Perhaps it was because he was running in the middle of summer. The man was drenched in sweat.

“Cough… huff….”

His breath was ragged.

He felt like he would collapse and vomit at any moment but he had to keep running.

If he stopped he would die.

That harsh reality was what kept the man moving.

‘Where… where to…!’

Which way should he turn?

Even while running the man had to think of everything.

Where should he escape to?

Which direction should he go?

As he gasped for breath the man’s eyes widened.

‘I have to escape to the Alliance!’

He had to go there. For now that was the only way to escape the killing intent directed at him.

Having made that judgment the man gathered strength in his legs.

He then kicked off the ground and ran.

He navigated through the alley figuring out the fastest route.

At that moment.

“Ahhh!”

He collided with a woman who had suddenly appeared from the alley.

“Get out of the way!”

Naturally the man had no time to care about her.

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Ignoring the fallen woman he plunged deeper into the alley.

“…”

The woman watched the man enter the alley with a look of discontent.

“Huff… huff…!”

He moved forward expelling his labored breaths. He just needed to go a little further.

It was a sparsely populated area but if he could get out of here he would be right at the Alliance.

‘Just a bit more…!’

He could survive.

If he could just get out of here he could live. As that hope enveloped the man suddenly.

Thud.

“Gah!?”

Something pierced through the man’s leg.

He felt pain and his posture wobbled as he fell to the ground.

Thud-!

His heavy body crashed to the floor and he clutched his leg.

“Cough… cough… ugh!”

He tried to hold it in but a scream escaped nonetheless.

A dagger had pierced through his thigh and ankle.

“Ugh… ugh…”

He felt an overwhelming pain.

Still the man tried to lift his body somehow.

If he stayed like this….

“Mukdo-seok.”

“…!”

“Is the game of tag over?”

The voice that came from nearby made the man’s breath momentarily stop.

Step.

Footsteps approached.

“I played with you a little because you looked desperate. But that’s it.”

“Ugh… ugh….”

“Did you think you could survive?”

The masked figures approached.

Seeing them the man screamed in despair.

“P-please spare me! Why are you doing this!”

“Hm.”

The leader narrowed his eyes at the man’s cries.

“I’m sure I told you. If you cause unnecessary trouble your life is over.”

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“I-I didn’t do anything.”

“A captured man from the Alliance has no right to say that.”

“That’s…!”

The man trembled at the accusation.

“That’s… because I got caught up with a strange guy…!”

“No excuses are needed. You were already nearing your limit anyway.”

“P-please!”

Mukdo-seok tried to shout in desperation.

Thud-!

Before he could finish the opponent’s dagger plunged into Mukdo-seok’s neck.

Before long the light faded from Mukdo-seok’s eyes.

Confirming that the masked man withdrew the dagger.

“Erase the traces.”

“Understood.”

As the command was given several figures appeared and began to move around the area.

There was not even a trace of blood where the corpse lay.

The same went for the dagger the masked man held.

As he tucked the dagger away the masked man clicked his tongue.

‘Did I expect too much from trash?’

Though he was an outsider he had thought to give him some menial tasks but it was indeed a futile endeavor.

It almost turned into a bigger problem.

Not only had he been caught by the Alliance due to the incident at the inn.

‘To think I almost got entangled with the Divine Dragon.’

That would have been troublesome.

It was still not the time to get involved with them.

‘Fortunately it was handled well.’

There could be problems. Remembering that the masked man turned his head.

‘I should report to the Captain.’

It wasn’t just the Divine Dragon.

There were one or two issues arising in Henan that were bothersome.

Though they weren’t significant matters it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.

There were less than two months left until the duel.

‘Before that.’

He needed to set things in motion.

The masked man turned around.

At the same time he whispered in a very small voice.

“For the revival of the Jaegal Clan….”

Saying that the masked man concealed himself.

Leaving behind the slowly cooling corpse of Mukdo-seok.

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

It was noon.

Right after finishing my morning training I had a brief meal.

Then I was walking through Henan with Dang So-yeol and Seong-yul.

The reason was simple.

I had heard that Mi Hyo-ran was looking for me at the Baekhwa Trading Company.

‘What could it be?’

It had been a month since I arrived in Henan.

During that time Mi Hyo-ran had also been staying in Henan but she had never called for me separately.

In fact even outside of this matter it was extremely rare for Mi Hyo-ran to call for me directly.

Isn’t this the first time?

If she was looking for me it was the first time she had asked me to come.

I didn’t think much of it.

She called so I just went.

Dang So-yeol followed me because I was going to see Mi Hyo-ran. And since Seong-yul happened to be there I brought him along as well.

On the way to the Henan branch of the Baekhwa Trading Company.

As I walked slowly I continued to send telepathy to someone.

[Did you find anything?]

As soon as I asked I received an immediate response.

[We have deployed personnel around Henan and are monitoring the situation but we have not found the description you provided.]

[Hmm.]

Right after I parted ways with Heavenly Demon in front of the noodle shop.

I had immediately requested the Assassin Corps of the Dark King to search the area.

But.

‘As expected.’

I had hoped for a slim chance but as expected I couldn’t find any trace of Heavenly Demon.

She was not the kind of person to leave traces carelessly.

‘Even if they found a trace they wouldn’t be able to approach.’

It was more likely that Heavenly Demon would recognize the opponent faster than the opponent would recognize Heavenly Demon.

If that happened it would only become more dangerous.

[Understood. Please stop the search for now.]

[Yes.]

It hadn’t been long but it was enough time for them to grasp the situation in Henan.

There was no need to create unnecessary risks anymore.

In that case.

‘Does the Dark King have to come in person?’

That seemed like the safest and most accurate method.

At that moment.

[However….]

I raised an eyebrow at the telepathy that came through.

Was there something more to convey?

[While searching we did discover something somewhat unusual.]

Just now they said they couldn’t find Heavenly Demon and now they mention something unusual.

[What is it?]

[It seems there was an ambush in an alley leading to the Alliance.]

[An ambush?]

[Yes one of our members discovered the situation but could not approach.]

The Dark King’s Assassin Corps discovered it but couldn’t approach.

That meant the opponent’s strength was considerable.

One thing.

[What’s the problem with that?]

What does that have to do with this matter?

Ambushes are a common occurrence in the Central Plains.

Of course the fact that it happened in an alley leading to the Alliance was a bit unsettling but it wasn’t particularly strange.

[Is it related to the matter I asked you about?]”’