Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Crack!

"……!!

"An arm twisted unnaturally.

Without hesitation, Gu Yangcheon snapped the masked man’s right arm.

The man had screamed in shock when his molar was pulled, but this time, he held back.

Despite trembling shoulders, he tried to move.

Yet his body wouldn’t obey.

"I figured you favored your left hand, so I took care of the right one," Gu Yangcheon said nonchalantly.

"…!

"The masked man shuddered at his words.

His opponent had realized he was left-handed.

When?

He hadn’t even drawn a weapon.

The pain was unbearable, but he couldn’t even bite his lips to cope—Gu Yangcheon was still holding his jaw open.

"Gggh… Gugh…""I have a few questions for you.

Take your time answering.

"Gu Yangcheon’s voice carried a hint of amusement, which only made it more terrifying.

"First.

"With the word, a touch landed on the index finger of the masked man’s remaining left hand.

Gu Yangcheon had grabbed it firmly.

"Who are you?

"The pressure on the masked man’s jaw eased slightly, just enough to allow him to speak.

He rasped out a reply.

"As if… I’d tell you….

"Crack.

"Ghk!

"The index finger snapped.

"Second.

"Without hesitation, Gu Yangcheon moved on to the middle finger.

"Why were you observing us?

""Ggh… Ngh…"Crunch!

"Arghhh!

"This time, the bone wasn’t just snapped—it was crushed entirely, shattering under his grip.

The masked man barely had time to process the pain before Gu Yangcheon grabbed the next finger.

"Third.

"The same monotone voice.

"Ghh… Ha… Haha…"Suddenly, the masked man let out a weak chuckle.

Gu Yangcheon paused, intrigued by the sound.

Silence settled over them.

"Why are you laughing?

"There was genuine curiosity in his tone.

The masked man’s laugh grew, hoarse and shaky.

"Haha… How could I not… find this funny…?

""Go on, then.

What’s so funny?

""A so-called righteous man… acting so ruthlessly… It’s laughable…""Oh?

"A soft sound of admiration escaped Gu Yangcheon.

"You know who I am?

""I do…"The masked man raised his head, meeting Gu Yangcheon’s piercing blue eyes.

His sharp features, jet-black hair, and blazing irises were striking, yet devoid of any emotion.

The masked man understood instantly.

This person didn’t see him as human.

To Gu Yangcheon, he was just prey.

Was he really from the righteous sects?

The masked man doubted it, but there was no mistaking it—Gu Yangcheon belonged to one.

"…Gu Yangcheon of the Shanxi Gu Clan…"Years ago, his name had briefly set Zhongyuan ablaze.

His appearance had changed since then, but the information aligned perfectly.

"Hmm.

"Gu Yangcheon let out a short sound of acknowledgment.

The fact that his identity had been recognized wasn’t surprising.

What interested him was something else in the masked man’s words.

"So, you’re saying you’re not part of the righteous sects?

""Heh… Whether righteous or demonic… all those labels… are decided by the likes of you…"Shink!

The nail of his broken index finger was ripped out.

And then—Sssss!

"Aaaarghhh!

"An unbearable heat seared the exposed wound, burning flesh and filling the air with a nauseating stench.

"Only answer my questions.

Don’t bother with unnecessary comments.

""Ghhh… Guhh…"Pain surged through the masked man, saliva dribbling uncontrollably from his mouth.

The agony pierced through his defensive qi.

Despite a life spent as an assassin, familiar with torture, this pain was beyond anything he’d endured.

And yet, he didn’t lose consciousness.

This bastard…Even as his body shook with agony, a creeping fear gripped him.

It wasn’t just the physical pain—it was the realization of how calculated it all was.

Gu Yangcheon wasn’t letting him pass out.

He was keeping him awake deliberately, controlling the pain to ensure maximum torment.

It was ruthless.

Most martial artists were no strangers to killing, but inflicting pain through torture was different.

The masked man could tell just by observing him—Gu Yangcheon wasn’t merely accustomed to it.

He’s mastered it.

There was no guilt or hesitation in his actions, nor any emotion.

Every move was precise and efficient.

Was this truly someone barely past twenty?

And more than that—Is this really someone from the righteous sects?

The question gnawed at him as he writhed in pain.

"How annoying," Gu Yangcheon muttered, breaking the silence.

"If you weren’t injured, I’d corrupt you and make you talk the easy way.

Tch.

"Corrupt?

The term was unfamiliar, its meaning unclear.

"Let’s make this simple.

Speak up, and who knows?

I might let you live.

""Hhhh…""It doesn’t seem like you were after me or the princess.

So, what were you doing here?

"Gu Yangcheon spoke with certainty, as though he already knew.

The masked man’s breath caught.

How?

How could he be so sure?

Most people would assume any observer was targeting someone in their group.

"So just talk.

If you tell me—""Hah… You expect me to believe that?

"The masked man’s derisive laughter interrupted him.

Gu Yangcheon fell silent.

"Righteous sects… They always spew empty words… Words they never intend to keep…"It wasn’t wrong.

Gu Yangcheon couldn’t argue.

He agreed wholeheartedly with those words.

The righteous sects were masters of hollow promises.

It was a statement that perfectly suited the current righteous sects.

And frankly—“Yeah, not like I planned to let him live anyway.

”Gu Yangcheon had no intention of sparing him.

Righteous sects might not have been trustworthy, but the demonic sects received no mercy.

That stubbornness had existed since ancient times—a pointless principle held onto for far too long.

“Do you still believe in some fleeting sense of justice… lingering in this world?

”Even his tongue was sharp.

“Should I just kill him?

”The whole situation was starting to annoy him.

It was clear the masked man—or whoever was behind him—was up to something, but judging by his attitude, he wouldn’t talk easily.

“Tch.

”Moments like these made Gu Yangcheon resent his previous life—though, in some ways, he missed it.

“Back then, things would’ve been different.

”He had killed so many like this before.

Making someone like this talk used to be child’s play.

Perhaps trying to live as more of a human since his regression had dulled him a little.

“I can tell he’s plotting something, but…”What exactly it was remained unclear.

With the martial arts competition approaching, all sorts of strange characters were starting to crawl out of the woodwork.

“Still, if he wasn’t targeting our group, it doesn’t really matter.

”If they were targeting the Martial Alliance instead, that would actually be convenient—it would make his plans smoother.

“Foolish child of the righteous sects… You cannot see what lies ahead.

Wait quietly for your end…”Yeah, let’s kill him.

He needed to get back to the trading company anyway.

Was it his sour mood?

For some reason, he started craving dumplings.

“What’s the point of torture?

”He was done with getting involved in tiresome business.

The situation was already irritating enough.

“Once time passes, the righteous sects, you, and…”Gu Yangcheon’s thoughts drifted.

Maybe he should gather everyone, including Moyong Hee-ah, and grab a meal together.

It had been a while.

“…Even those worthless women by your side will meet their end—”“Hey.

”The masked man froze mid-sentence.

Silence descended.

Despite having spoken with the resolve to face death, the man’s words came to an abrupt halt.

The reason was simple.

“Gghk…!

Guhghk…!!

”A murderous aura crashed down on him, emanating from Gu Yangcheon.

Whoosh!

It was suffocating.

Just feeling it made it seem as though his skin was being ripped apart.

His breathing stopped, and even the pain in his arms seemed to vanish momentarily.

The masked man turned his gaze toward the source of the murderous intent.

It was Gu Yangcheon.

The very air around him had shifted.

The sheer weight of the aura seemed to warp the space itself.

“Who did you say was worthless?

”“Guh… guhgh…”The masked man’s body trembled uncontrollably.

The killing intent radiating from Gu Yangcheon froze all his senses.

This… this… what is this…?

How could such killing intent emanate from a human?

Even the Great Lord didn’t feel like this…!

Bang!

“Guh-ugh!

”Gu Yangcheon’s fist smashed into the masked man’s face.

Blood and teeth scattered as the blow landed.

Gu Yangcheon had destroyed all the man’s teeth, preventing him from biting his tongue.

A scream tried to escape, but Gu Yangcheon had already blocked his throat with qi.

Blood dripped down as the man trembled violently.

Gu Yangcheon spoke as he stared down at him.

“I was going to make this easy for you, but you just had to run your mouth and piss me off.

”His tone had shifted entirely, now laced with cold fury.

Gu Yangcheon moved again.

It happened in an instant.

Crunch.

A faint sound echoed from the masked man’s abdomen.

At first, he didn’t realize what it was.

But then it hit him.

His dantian had shattered.

Pain followed shortly after.

Unimaginable, excruciating pain.

But he couldn’t scream—Gu Yangcheon’s grip on his throat ensured that.

“Mmph…!

Nghhh…!!

”“Don’t make a sound.

You’re irritating enough as it is.

”The energy gathered in the man’s dantian dissipated in an instant, leaving only emptiness behind.

Years of cultivation and qi vanished in mere seconds.

The masked man’s body went limp, reduced from that of a martial artist to something less than ordinary.

His pupils trembled wildly as Gu Yangcheon finally loosened his grip on his throat.

“You… you monster…!

”The man’s shout was filled with rage.

Though his words were slurred due to his missing teeth, his anger was unmistakable.

Gu Yangcheon, however, remained expressionless.

He simply stared, indifferent to the man’s outburst.

Realizing this, the masked man screamed again.

“Kill me…!

Just kill me already!

No matter what you do, I won’t—”“Don’t bother.

”“…!

”“Don’t say another word.

I’m not curious anymore.

”The masked man froze, confused.

“Whatever you say now, I won’t listen.

”“W-what are you—”“So don’t speak.

Not a single word.

Got it?

”Crunch!

“Ghk!

”Gu Yangcheon’s hand tightened around his neck again.

“From now on, no matter what happens, don’t say a thing.

I’m not interested.

Remember that.

”“Ghh…”The fear was overwhelming, threatening to shatter the man’s sanity.

Fwoosh!

Blue flames ignited across Gu Yangcheon’s back.

Though the flames were breathtakingly beautiful, the killing intent within them was suffocating.

Why?

Why had the atmosphere shifted so drastically?

The trembling masked man finally pieced it together, his thoughts flashing back.

[Those worthless women by your side…][Who did you say was worthless?

]That moment—that was the turning point.

The instant Gu Yangcheon’s previously indifferent eyes had changed.

Could it be…?

Could it really be that his rage stemmed from an insult to those women?

The masked man desperately wanted to deny it, but no other explanation fit.

And yet, it didn’t matter anymore.

The flames surrounding them formed a wall, cutting off the outside world.

“I—!

”Before he could finish, the sky disappeared in a swirl of fire.

When the flames finally died down, all that remained was a charred, unrecognizable husk—and Gu Yangcheon, calmly wiping his hands on his clothes, his expression one of cold disgust.

**********Cleaning up the traces wasn’t particularly difficult.

After all, there wasn’t much to leave behind in the first place.

Suppressing the unpleasant feeling lingering inside me, I returned to the alley.

As expected, Tang So-yeol was still waiting for me there.

“Ah, Young Master!

”Her cautious voice greeted me as I entered the alley.

I glanced around and asked,“Where is she?

”I was referring to Moyong Hee-ah, who was nowhere to be seen.

“Well, she thought it was best to prioritize escorting the young lady to the trading company, so she went on ahead,” Tang So-yeol replied.

“I see.

”That was good.

I had told her to go on ahead, and it seemed she’d listened without any trouble.

“And what about you?

How did it go?

”Tang So-yeol’s question was directed at me.

She wanted to know how things had ended after I gave chase.

I avoided her gaze slightly and replied, “He didn’t talk, so I took care of him appropriately.

”It was a half-truth.

I had burned him to nothing, leaving no trace behind.

It seemed excessive to explain the gruesome details, but claiming I hadn’t killed him would’ve been an unnecessary lie.

So I decided to be honest—at least about the result.

“Ah, I see.

”Tang So-yeol seemed surprisingly unfazed by my response.

“Hmm.

It would’ve been nice to get some information, though.

”If anything, she looked disappointed.

“Next time, let me handle it, Young Master.

I’m pretty good at that sort of thing now!

”“…Uh, sure.

Right.

”What does she even mean by that sort of thing…?

Her cheerful tone made me curious, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask.

The Shadow King… Just what had he taught her?

What kind of training had turned her into this?

While it was true that she’d grown stronger, I couldn’t help but question if this was really a positive development.

A fleeting doubt crossed my mind.

“Anyway…”I shifted my gaze back to the alley, looking in the direction where Seong Yul stood with his sword.

“What’s that?

”Something had changed.

The alley, which had been entirely ordinary just moments ago, now held a collapsed body.

“Already dead?

”The man was clearly dead.

At first, I thought Seong Yul had killed him, but upon closer inspection, the state of the body suggested it had been some time since he died.

And on top of that—“His face looks familiar.

”The corpse belonged to a middle-aged man, someone whose face seemed oddly recognizable.

But from where?

“Hmm.

”I couldn’t quite place it.

Looking at the body, I turned to Seong Yul and asked,“What’s this about?

”“There was a formation,” Seong Yul replied calmly.

“A formation?

”A strange feeling crept over me at his words.

“There was a formation in this alley?

”Was that masked man observing the formation?

If that was what he’d been focusing on, then everything started to make sense.

“So it wasn’t me or the princess he was after… It had to be this.

”Even I hadn’t detected the formation—it must’ve been incredibly intricate.

The level of precision required to set up something like that would justify the masked man’s actions.

Though, it still begged the question: Why use such an elaborate formation just to hide a corpse?

“How’d you even notice it?

”I asked Seong Yul, curious about how he had detected and dismantled such a refined formation when I couldn’t even sense it.

He responded with his usual calm demeanor.

“I felt something strange, so I cut it.

”“…?

”“Then it unraveled.

”His matter-of-fact tone made it clear he didn’t see the problem.

Listening to him, I couldn’t help but think…This sounds oddly familiar.

******************I returned to the trading company immediately after.

As for the corpse, I left it behind.

Reporting it would only result in the Martial Alliance intervening and dragging me in for questioning—it was obvious.

While I could easily slip away from such a situation, I had no intention of getting involved in unnecessary complications.

So, I simply erased most of the evidence and left it at that.

Of course, I had left instructions for someone to monitor the scene.

If anything arose, they’d contact me.

Let’s just hope today doesn’t lead to more pointless trouble.

Still, it was clear something was brewing in Hanam.

Incidents here weren’t exactly rare, so it wasn’t surprising.

What mattered was:“How will this affect me?

”Regardless of what was unfolding, the key was how the situation would shift.

If it seemed likely to cause harm, I’d crush it.

If it turned out to be beneficial, I’d leave it be.

To do that, though—“I’ll need to figure out what’s going on.

”Quickly understanding the situation was crucial for responding effectively.

It meant I had more to investigate than I’d originally thought.

A flood of bothersome, irritating tasks seemed to have come crashing down all at once.

The issues involving Shin Noya, Cheonma, and even the Martial Alliance were piling up.

Perhaps it was because I was trying to take on larger responsibilities than I should.

My life, already frustrating enough, was layered with more and more chaos.

And now, at a time when I was already overwhelmed—“Pardon me.

”The princess of the Northern Sea, sitting across from me, suddenly spoke.

“Would it be alright if I married you?

”Without a second thought, I blurted out:“What kind of crazy bitch are you?

”I couldn’t hold it in.