Childhood Friend of the Zenith – 586



586

**Chapter 587: The Little Princess of the North Sea Ice Palace**

“Euhyeon is dead.”

The damp smell filled the underground space of Henan.

In that place a man was kneeling and reporting to someone.

In front of the bowed figure an old man sat on a broken rock.

Upon hearing the report the old man turned his gaze to the man.

“What about the body?”

“We could not find it but based on the circumstances we believe it to be certain.”

“I see.”

The child is dead.

Hearing that a bitter feeling welled up in the old man’s eyes.

But that was not the only problem.

“Also.”

The man continued speaking.

“…It seems that the formations we deployed have been解除.”

At those words the old man’s brow furrowed.

The formations have been解除?

It was an intriguing story.

“What was the time frame?”

“It was shortly after we deployed the formations less than an hour ago.”

“…Oh….”

This was the most astonishing fact the old man had heard in recent years.

Who could have done this?

He thought it might be the Murim Alliance but he knew that was unlikely.

The Murim Alliance did not yet have the capability to dismantle their formations.

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That was obvious.

It was the Murim Alliance that had severed their own growth in formations and sorcery.

Having abandoned themselves there would be no further growth.

Thus the old man rested his chin on his hand and pondered.

‘Less than an hour.’

Just less than an hour.

If that was the time it took to dismantle their formations then the perpetrator must have considerable expertise.

And that was the question.

In this vast Central Plains there should be no one as skilled in formations as they were.

The old man turned his gaze.

“Could it be you?”

At the question filled with doubt the figure on the wall raised his head.

If it were anyone it would be him.

When it came to discussing formations he was as skilled as a physician.

“Shin-ui.”

“…”

As the old man called him the wrinkles on Shin-ui’s face deepened.

“…That cannot be true.”

“Indeed. It cannot be you.”

The old man chuckled at Shin-ui’s response.

“At least if you have a conscience you should not do that.”

“…”

“If it’s not you… then who could it be… I have no idea.”

Doubt lingered in the old man’s eyes.

“If you’re curious go find out.”

“…Yes Captain.”

At the command the man who had been kneeling disappeared.

Leaving only the two of them in the space.

It was then that Shin-ui finally spoke to the old man.

“Now please tell me.”

Upon hearing this the old man looked at Shin-ui.

“What do you mean?”

“The reason you called me here. I want you to tell me that.”

“Hmm.”

The old man raised the corners of his mouth.

The reason for calling him…

“I wanted to see the bloodline wandering outside. How does that sound?”

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“…”

At the old man’s words Shin-ui responded with a blank expression.

He knew it was nonsense.

Seeing this the old man chuckled.

“You’re still as bleak as ever.”

“Get to the point.”

“Right… I should.”

Thud.

The old man stepped down from the rock he was sitting on and walked toward Shin-ui.

“How is it? Is life outside treating you well?”

“I said get to the point….”

“I’m asking how it feels to betray your clan and live as a dog of the orthodox sects.”

“…!”

At the old man’s words Shin-ui’s face twisted in an instant.

“Clan Head…!”

“Do you have any excuses to spit out Shin-ui?”

There were many.

There were countless things he could say excuses and justifications. But Shin-ui could not continue speaking.

Because as it was said it was no different from an excuse.

“Regardless of what kind of life you lived after leaving us the reason I didn’t care was simply because you were of our blood. You know that don’t you?”

At the old man’s words Shin-ui’s eyes sharpened.

“So what do you want from me now?”

“Having seen so many years I thought you would understand by now. The orthodox sects have no future.”

He did not refute the statement.

Shin-ui knew it was true.

There was no future for the orthodox sects now.

As the Sword Sovereign retreated countless reforms were being repeated.

Yet there was nothing that could be called proper growth.

They merely wrapped themselves in the illusion of a peaceful world.

Inside it was already rotting and decaying.

“Thus….”

Recalling this Shin-ui spoke to the old man.

“Are you suggesting I join the Clan Head’s miserable plan?”

“Miserable you say….”

Upon hearing Shin-ui’s words the old man’s eyes turned cold.

“What else would it be if not miserable?”

Ignoring this Shin-ui continued speaking.

“Blinded by revenge unable to see even an inch ahead. Because of that the few remaining bloodlines are being sacrificed…”

Crack-!

The old man grabbed Shin-ui by the throat as he spoke.

“Guh…!”

“Jae-gal Eui-cheon.”

Shin-ui bit his teeth.

It was a name he hadn’t heard in decades.

“Even if all the bloodlines curse me at least you should not do so.”

“Guhh.”

“At the very least. Really at the very least. You who fled as if to escape the wrath of the clan have no right to speak.”

As his breath began to be choked the old man suddenly threw Shin-ui aside.

Thud-! Shin-ui’s frail body rolled onto the ground.

“Guh….”

“Indeed you have always been like this.”

The old man spoke while watching the coughing Shin-ui.

“Among the bloodlines who could not forget the humiliation suffered at the hands of the Meng you were particularly calm.”

It was a story from a distant past.

Now there were hardly any left who remembered those days.

“Shouldn’t you not live consumed by revenge? Shouldn’t you find a different way to live even now? You even advised the Clan Head of that time.”

He remembered that too.

Recalling that time the old man smiled.

“How foolish and selfish those words are.”

“…”

“What exactly should be forgotten and what should be seen differently?”

Chuckle.

The laughter grew thicker.

It echoed through the space.

“Did you wish to live forgetting your sins Jae-gal Eui-cheon? Indeed forgetfulness is truly convenient.”

“…Clan Head….”

“Do not call me that.”

He was no longer the Clan Head.

With no clan left what was there to be the Clan Head of?

Once he had been called that but not anymore.

He had long since stepped down from that position.

He was Captain.

For now that was enough.

“Was it comfortable? Those days when you lived forgetting the clan’s resentment?”

“I have… never forgotten the clan.”

“How amusing. Do you not realize how pathetic that statement is now?”

How could someone who had left the clan to live as a physician say such a thing?

The old man found it truly laughable.

The one who possessed the greatest talent in formations in the history of the Jae-gal Family.

The one who was called the hope to raise the Jaegal Clan.

“None could have guessed you would abandon everything and run away.”

The old man was facing such a person.

“…Are you saying you blame me?”

“Hmm well not now but perhaps in the past… However.”

Shin-ui raised his weary body. The old man spoke while watching him.

“Even if you blame me you have no right to speak.”

“…”

Having escaped the bloodlines filled with rage and having run to save the lives of the filthy orthodox sects what could he say to them?

“Hundreds of years have passed since the Meng falsely accused the clan and cast it aside in a miserable manner.”

The Jae-gal Family worshipped blood horses.

Having received such a false accusation the Jae-gal Family which had sat among the five great clans fell in an instant.

The order of extermination was issued and countless bloodlines perished.

The corrupted officials who survived lived in hiding concealing their names.

That was their life.

“And yet you say one should not live consumed by revenge… How can you say such a thing? Back then and even now you should not be saying that.”

“…”

It was true.

At the very least Shin-ui should not have uttered such words.

“Clan Head.”

“Speak.”

There was one problem.

“How… how can you be so sure?”

Shin-ui’s voice trembled.

Upon hearing this the old man’s eyes also held doubt.

“What do you mean?”

“…How can you be so sure that their decision was indeed a false accusation?”

Shwaaa.

The moment Shin-ui spoke.

The old man’s expression lost all emotion.

Seeing that Shin-ui could be certain.

“Clan Head… have you perhaps already known…?”

“…”

Silence fell.

For a brief moment in that short silence Shin-ui felt all sorts of emotions.

“Shin-ui.”

The way the old man called him changed.

“I recognize that your intentions differ from ours.”

Expressions returned to his face.

Seeing that Shin-ui felt a chill run down his spine.

“How regrettable. There are so few bloodlines left now…”

The old man spoke as if he truly felt regret.

But Shin-ui sensed multiple meanings in those words.

“If our intentions differ then there’s nothing we can do. You may leave now.”

“…Clan Head.”

“Do not worry. Just because our intentions differ I have no intention of doing anything to you. After all we are still of the same blood.”

Chuckle.

“Your personal appearance here in response to my letter must be for that reason.”

“…”

“The conversation ends here. You must be quite busy as well.”

The old man reacted as if he had no lingering attachments.

Could it really be so? Shin-ui could not guess.

At that moment.

Creak-!

The door on the wall opened revealing the space.

It was the entrance Shin-ui had used to come in.

This was a clear summoning.

“…”

Seeing that Shin-ui said nothing and turned his body.

There would be no further conversation.

As Shin-ui disappeared after bidding farewell in silence.

The old man returned to the spot where he had been sitting and lowered his body.

At that moment.

“Are you alright?”

A voice came from the dark shadows. The old man did not respond.

He had known from the beginning.

In response to the worried words the old man answered.

“What do you mean?”

“…I’m not sure if it’s alright to let him go like that.”

The traitor of the clan.

While everyone sharpened their blades he had sought peace alone a disgrace to the bloodline.

The man could not understand.

“If you judged that our intentions differ then it would be better to kill him…”

“Vice Captain.”

“…Yes Captain.”

The old man turned his head to look at the man.

“…!”

Upon meeting his gaze the man flinched.

The old man’s eyes were far too fierce.

“Have you forgotten our pact? You would not have done so.”

“…I’m… sorry.”

The man bowed his head at the words.

“We do not kill our own blood. That is what we agreed upon is it not?”

“…”

“Even if we have lost everything and are slowly crumbling we must uphold that.”

“…But.”

“Also this is something that friend knows as well.”

The reason Shin-ui had come to find him.

The reason Shin-ui had survived until now despite betraying them.

It was all the same story.

“If Shin-ui were to go outside and reveal our story…”

“Chuckle.”

The old man laughed at the man’s concern.

There was a faint hint of disdain in the laughter.

“Even if he did it would already be too late.”

Even if Shin-ui went outside and spread the word about this matter.

It was far too late.

Knowing that the old man had sent Shin-ui away quietly.

The old man shifted his gaze from the man to the void.

The ceiling where nothing was visible.

Beyond that the old man was seeing something.

“The gears have already begun to turn.”

Once they start moving they cannot stop.

The resentment and anger towards the Meng which he had never forgotten for a moment.

Now was the time to repay it.

The problem was.

“Vice Captain.”

“Yes Captain.”

“For the time being we may need to hide our bodies.”

“I will inform the personnel.”

Due to the fact that the formations had been解除 it was necessary to act a bit differently.

‘The fact that they have been解除 means…’

There could be problems arising from the matters that had begun to spread in Henan.

It was not a major concern.

But caution was still necessary.

Of course….

‘No matter what happens it is already too late.’

It was just a matter of time being slightly delayed.

Having thought that far the old man slowly closed his eyes.

‘Indeed… there is not much time left.’

How long had he awaited this moment?

The old man had to struggle to calm his racing heart.

Now all that remained was to watch the clan fall.

No one could stop it anymore.

Unless a great upheaval occurred to overturn it.