Childhood Friend of the Zenith - Chapter 696

“how was it?”

Some time has passed since I returned to the accommodation.

The time was completely night.
I was facing two people who had returned from the gateway.

“Nothing happened, right?”

“yes.”

Wei Seol-ah nods her head in response to my question.
It seemed like he was having fun, as he seemed to be smiling slightly.

I didn’t ask if I passed.
Because I thought of course I would have passed. And that was true.

“you.”

I turned my head and looked to the side.
Seongyul was standing next to Wei Seol-ah, looking a bit tired.

“…yes. Same goes for me…”

“No. “I think there was something in it because my face was rotten.”

“…”

It appears to have been the correct answer.

“What happened?”

“…Nothing happened.”

Even though the stains were all over his face, Seongyul seemed to be trying to pretend not to notice.
He looked at it and nodded his head.

“Okay then.”

If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it.

“…”

I tried to stop paying attention, but Seongyul’s expression subtly wrinkled.

Dude, I tried my best to be considerate because he didn’t want to talk, but look at his face.

“What the heck. “He said he didn’t want to talk about it.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to talk, but… nothing really happened.”

“okay. “You’re saying it’s okay if nothing happens?”

“…”

What’s not to like? Even if I knew it, I didn’t know it.

It was right after I finished my training, so I was relaxing, when Seongyul asked me in a questioning tone.

“But… how did you get out?”

“hmm?”

How did you come out?

“Of course I came out because I finished it.”

“No… did you run away?”

“What crazy talk?”

Who’s going to run away?
Seongyul frowns because he keeps saying things that don’t make sense, so Seongyul adds as if he’s in a hurry.

“However, when the gate is over, everyone is supposed to wait and return at the same time… When did you arrive?”

“hmm?”

Hearing this, he made a dumbfounded expression.

“What does that mean?”

Should we all gather together and then go?

“…It’s not?”

I had to look embarrassed at Seongyul’s words.
When I asked Bhimapa, she said that to me. When I asked if I could go home, I said I could.

After hearing those words, he returned to his home. What does this mean?

“That’s real?”

When he seemed to believe it in disbelief, not only Seongyul but also Wi Seol-ah who was next to him nodded.

‘what.’

If that is true, why did Bhimapa just let me go?

I’ve never heard of such precautions.

‘I don’t know.’

I really don’t know.
Even if I wonder if there might be some other intention.

‘I guess it doesn’t really matter.’

In any case, other people would have seen that Bimapa had given permission, so there was an excuse for questioning it.
Then it won’t matter. Rather good.

“Because that’s enough. Did you eat?”

“I want to eat now.”

“Then I will have prepared it separately, so go and eat it. “Nothing really happened to you, right?”

I asked one last time.

Seongyul’s eyes wavered at the question, but this time the answer was the same as before.

“…yes. “Nothing happened.”

“okay.”

I really won’t ask anymore.

“I said I could rest for the next two days. “Rest well.”

They said the preliminaries will be held for three days, so you will be able to rest for two days.

‘Then what time is left….’

Something came to mind while going through the gate today, so I felt like I needed to talk to Cheol Ji-seon separately.
This is because it seemed like the plan would need to be changed somewhat.

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

After sending Seongyul and Wi Seol-ah off, I went straight to Cheoljiseon.

I met Cheol Ji-seon again and he was waiting in my room, looking through the pile of books one by one to see where he had gotten them.

I asked while looking at it.

“What is that?”

“report.”

“…entire?”

“Um… about three-tenths…?”

Are you saying that only 30% of that amount is a report?

Still, I tried to laugh because I thought it was a lot.

“The strategist will be looking after the remaining 70%.”

“…”

I had to clear my throat at the words that followed.

Because it meant that Jegalhyuk was seeing a much larger amount than that.

“Why are there so many?”

“That’s right. “Why are there so many?”

Cheol Ji-seon looks at me while spitting out words.
There was a lot of resentment in those eyes.

“Isn’t there a lot accumulating because so-and-so is always breaking something?”

“…greatness.”

“…Right now, it’s doubled from three months ago. “What on earth are you doing?”

There has been a lot of work to do since the beginning of this year.

This is because the number of demons was increased and there were so many things to change starting from Shinryongmutuje, so a framework had to be established.

“Something happened….”

“Huh….”

Cheol Ji-seon sighs as if he is tired, but looks intently at the book.

Even though the volume becomes larger and more complex, Cheolji Line also seems to have no intention of quitting.

‘I guess so.’

It’s probably because that guy is just as miserable as that guy.
We had something to accomplish with each other. A relationship where there is something to be gained from each other.

It couldn’t be just the right relationship.

Knowing that, Cheol Ji-seon probably took part in this as well.

“So…”

The guy who was looking at the manuscript asked me what I wanted to say.

“When are you going to start work on Bongsoon Sojeo?”

“I’ve been thinking about that title for a long time, but it doesn’t really suit me.”

Bongsoon Sojeo, the tone is extremely subtle.

Cheol Ji-seon hears this and says to me with a puzzled look on his face.

“It’s the name you gave me.”

“It seems like the name behind it is more problematic than the name.”

“I don’t think that’s the problem.”

A trivial conversation takes place.

At this, Cheol Ji-seon let out the sigh he had been holding in.

“Stop chatting…what are you really going to do?”

“What should I do? What should I do?” “You have to follow the plan.”

Not much different from the first time.
That was to be the case.

However, Cheol Ji-seon reacts somewhat skeptically to my reaction.

“Will that really work?”

I burst into laughter at the questionable words.

“why? “Do you think it won’t work?”

“It’s already in the past. No matter how wrong Meng did, will what happened in the past be such a blow?”

That made sense.

As it is something that has long since passed, even if we bring it up, there will be a skeptical response.

This is not Cheol Ji-seon, but Jegal Hyuk also said something similar.

I don’t think it will cause much damage.

“It’s in the past. Of course, that’s true…”

From what I heard, what Cheol Ji-seon said was correct.
Unfortunately, there was one thing they didn’t realize.

“But there are so many people who are tied to work in the past. “You too, right?”

“…”

Cheol Ji-seon closes his mouth at the words he spits out.

Cheol Ji-seon wants to restore the Zhuge family.
Meng’s goal was to clear the false accusation that he had been framed by the Zhuge family and to rise to the rank of a famous family again.

That’s why he was holding my hand like this.
It’s probably the same thing that that guy couldn’t escape from his past.

‘Me too.’

No one can escape from the past.
The past is what creates the present, so how can we escape from it?

This will be the same for Meng as well.
As long as I remember Meng. It must be difficult to escape this shame.

‘I can never escape.’

Even if Meng forgot.
Those who know will not forget. If that happens, trust will slowly crumble from the ground up.

Since there was enough evidence, more would be done.

“So don’t worry about this part and just keep doing what you’re doing.”

“…okay.”

“How is the situation in Hubei?”

“I did as I said. If you give an order, I, Sojeo, will probably move right away. However…”

Cheol Ji-seon speaks with a somewhat worried expression.

“I think Maeng realized it sooner than expected. “I heard that the Great Lord of the First Dragons moved it himself.”

If it’s the Lord of the Ilryong….

‘He’s a person from the dark side.’

He was the head of an assassination squad run by the Maeng faction.
Although his reputation was somewhat low due to being overshadowed by the King of Darkness, he was an excellent assassin.

“That doesn’t matter either.”

“It doesn’t matter?”

“uh.”

Yes, it didn’t matter if that was the case.

“I did it because I knew it would happen.”

“…”

I already knew that someone at the level of a great lord would be involved in what was happening.

In particular, it is also true that the Great Lord of the Ilryong is the right person for the job.

“…you.”

Cheol Ji-seon saw my reaction and asked with widened eyes.

“…So you were trying to send me Sojeo?”

I burst out laughing at Cheoljiseon’s words.

“That’s a secret. “Think whatever you want.”

Cheol Ji-seon slightly hides his face when he says this with a smile.

“…It’s scary. really.”

With a look of genuine fear on his face, he clicked his tongue briefly and added another word.

“This is enough. What’s important is the issue on the King’s side. “I’m planning to change this part.”

“why? “Is it because the King of Dao’s power is stronger than expected?”

“Are you crazy?”

Take that trash somewhere and stick it.

“But, you liked it because it came rolling on a vine.”

“Right. “The King of Dao’s participation in the martial arts festival was of considerable benefit.”

Since the head of a noble family has personally appeared on the mound, there are more ways to use it.

but.

“Nothing else matters. I just thought of a better way. “If I have something to use, I should use it better.”

“what…?”

“There are three assumptions for that. Listen carefully and remember.”
I gave Cheol Ji-seon a request disguised as an order.

The first is what to do in case the King of Dao confronts me in the martial arts festival.

The second is what to do if the King of Dao does not fight me in the martial arts festival.

And finally,

“If the King of Dao dies before appearing at Emperor Wutu.”

“…!”

Cheol Ji-seon’s expression hardens upon hearing these words.
After seeing that, I immediately added an explanation.

“I don’t mean to make it like that. “It’s just about unexpected situations.” The situation must be absolutely certain.

It was a time when no space should be given.

We have communicated this to you in advance so that you can respond to any of these three situations.
and.

“Of these, please also convey the second and third measures to the head of the Hwangbo family.”

“To the head of the family, Hwangbo?”

“okay. “There’s something he should know in advance.”
That old man had a lot of work to do.

“I need to lay the groundwork from now on.”

That way, it would be easier later.

“I’ll write down the rest separately and send it to Hyuk. “You just do this much.”

“It’s too much for this much…?”

“Then do you want to do the rest?”

“I’ll just work hard for now.”

He seemed to know that my workload was significantly less than theirs.

‘Hyuk is a monster, but this guy isn’t lacking either.’

If you do, you can do it.
Cheol Ji-seon simply lacked the desire to work compared to Zhuge Hyuk.

Now that I had conveyed everything I had said, I slowly got up.

Then, looking at the books littered all over the floor, he spoke to Cheol Ji-seon.

“I will get you a room in the near future. “I can’t stay here forever.”

Cheol Ji-seon asks in confusion when he hears that the rooms will be separated.

“…Ho, stay alone?”

“If you leave it alone, someone could come and kill it, so you have to provide a guard.”

“Uh, huh.”

Cheol Ji-seon’s face turns pale at the cruel words.
But this was true.

This neighborhood must be so bloody.
If there was any problem, it wouldn’t have happened.

“The escort is… um.”

Who should I label? After thinking for a moment, I said without thinking.

“It will be safe until the martial arts festival, so roughly, Hwang Bose will use someone from his side… and after that, I will appoint Bongsun…”

“Bo, you mean Bongsun Sojeo?”

Cheol Ji-seon responds with shock at the words about Bong-soon.

It looks like he doesn’t believe it at all.
I understand. I don’t believe it either.

But what can I do?

“What about everyone else?”

“Everyone is busy.”

“There is a successful Confucius next to you! He looks strong too…?”

“Bongsoon is stronger than him.”

Not yet.

“That’s not important!”

“What’s more important, is it important to have a strong guard? Anyway, with that in mind, I’m leaving.”

“no-!”

Cheol Ji-seon tries to add something. He had already closed the door and left.

I jumped quickly, fearing that he would follow me and get muddy.
In that state, it flew straight towards the next destination.

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

For a moment, I wish I could leave my home and fly away with the moon above me.

Before I knew it, I had entered a forest slightly outside of Hanam.

It was the desired destination. Understanding this, we gradually lowered our altitude and settled in the forest.

Tuk-!

When we land and arrive, we are in a forest without moonlight.

dark. I’ve been here before, but it feels strangely darker.

‘Whoa.’

I took a deep breath and looked around.

Perhaps because we were leaving summer, there was a somewhat cool breeze.

I always heard the sound of insects crying, and I walked slowly, using the sound as a guide.

Stinging.

The sound of bugs chirping and the smell of grass in the wind were soothing my insides.

Unlike that, the image was tangled and tangled every time I walked.

‘Tsk…’

The reason is no different.
Because I am going to see Koo Hee-bi now.

To be precise, it is not the Queen of Nine, but….

‘Cheonma.’

It is correct that she is going to see the Heavenly Demon she is bringing with her.

Even if Goo Hee-bi had a purpose, in the end, Cheonma had a more important purpose.

So I should have gone a long time ago.
I couldn’t do that.

It still is.

Even though you can walk faster, your toes do not move easily.

I endured it and somehow walked on.

I don’t want to go.
I don’t want to see it.

But I have to go.

These dirty contradictions were fighting in my mind.

At the same time, the moment we encountered last time flashes through my mind.
The Heavenly Demon was very different from the one I knew, even the eyes and voice that looked at me pitifully.

The image came to mind and made my stomach ache.

Honestly, I didn’t want to go.

This is because my thoughts have not been organized yet.

one.

‘Still, I have to go.’

There is no other way.
If you search and find no way, the only thing left is to attack head on.

‘The energy…’

The energy that was used more than half to break down the gate.
It’s mostly full now.

I prepared my body for a possible battle.

What should I ask first?

Perhaps I should have asked Koo Hee-bi about her grandfather first.
also.

‘You should also ask about your father.’

My father did not come until the day Mutuje began.

Mrs. Mi told me not to worry. In the end, my nerves keep getting worse.
Perhaps Koo Hee-bi knows the reason?

I was thinking of asking about that first.

Next.

‘I have something to ask the Heavenly Demon.’

The Lord of the Dark Night Palace took her with him.
The Taejeolgui he will be carrying with him. I needed to know his whereabouts.

If she doesn’t tell you, there will probably be trouble.
I decided to go and figure it out then.

like that.

Step by step.

While I was walking a short distance for a long time, thinking about asking for water.

“…”

Stand tall!

I had to stop for a moment because of the strange feeling.

‘what.’

why.

‘You can’t hear the sound?’

It is a pitch-black night with only the moonlight visible.
So it’s not unusual for it to be quiet, but it’s not at that level.

All sounds coming from around me were erased.

The sound of insects in the grass that was heard just before. The sound of the wind passing by the blades of grass.
Everything disappeared.

Complete silence.

I took a half step.

“…”

My feet touched the ground, but no sound was heard.

I was instantly energized by the bizarre and horrifying sensation.

Giiiing-!

The ring of Nine Flame Fire Gong rotates and generates heat in the body.

Grumbling–!!

Blue flames enveloped my entire body.

At the same time, a sense of energy developed and spread in all directions.

It covered the entire forest in an instant, but even so, I couldn’t feel anything.

“Yeobyeong.”

What kind of shit is this again?

A moment of tension in an unknown situation.

“It’s a good firework.”

“…!”

I heard a sound.

“Are colors different from meaning? It is brilliant in itself. “It was well taken care of.”

A thick, dark voice.
There was no need to move my eyes.

The voice was coming from right in front of me.

“The quality is good. Like it.”

Grumbling.

The embers burn.
Flames were walking in front of me.

Grumble.

When everything stops and becomes quiet.
A flame in the shape of a human was walking towards me.

gulp.

I swallowed my sleep. Cold sweat flows.

Giiiing-!!!

My heart is pounding and my energy is swirling.
It’s resonance. My spark was resonating with that.

That’s right.

Does that mean that the flame is the Nine Flame Hwaryun Gong?

“So I’m even more curious.”

I wanted to say something, but my lips wouldn’t open.

“The qualifications are sufficient. “It’s full and overflowing, and it’s already been completed.”

A flame reached right in front of my nose.

“How come you haven’t inherited your karma yet?”

My heart sank at the sound.

“also. In addition to this…”

Flame added, caressing my cheek.

“Why have you become an ugly outsider? My precious blood.”