Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Crackle—!

Crackle—!

The sound of flames roaring filled the air.

Something that once was human was burning in those flames.

Its form had long since vanished.

Ashes.

Nothing more than a pile of worthless remains.

I stared at it as I slowly rose to my feet.

Drip…Drip…Blood dripped from my fingertips.

Naturally, it wasn’t mine.

It was merely the aftermath of the interrogation.

Two corpses, already lifeless, were engulfed in flames.

My gaze upon them was chillingly calm, almost indifferent.

Even I was surprised by how cold I felt.

That was exactly the state of my emotions right now.

I turned my head.

At the end of my gaze stood Yuri.

She looked at me with trembling eyes, unable to say a word.

Her eyes were filled with deep fear and faint confusion.

Splat—!

I swung my hand, flinging the blood from my fingers.

Simultaneously, I burned away the remnants scattered on the ground, leaving the space filled with the acrid scent of charred remains.

In the silence that enveloped the room, I asked Yuri a question.

“I’ll ask again.

”“…Yes…?

”“Is there anyone you suspect?

”“…”The meaning behind my words was layered.

“Do you still think there’s no one?

”I forced a smile.

Fortunately, I managed to pull it off.

The interrogation had yielded a decent amount of information.

As expected, the man clung to his life.

Such people always crumble in the face of death.

Their resolve.

Their courage.

Even their barely tethered loyalty.

“Or do you need more convincing?

”“…No.

”Yuri bit her lip and shook her head at my words.

“I still find it hard to believe completely… but I know there’s no denying it now.

”“That’s all I needed.

”I nodded slightly at her response.

It was a cue for her to continue speaking.

The information I’d extracted was roughly this:The rebellion stemmed from one of the four major tribes of the North Sea, known as the “Blue Wolf.

”The man’s orders had been to wait here and, upon Yuri’s arrival, guide her to a specific destination.

“As expected.

”Just as I’d thought.

They intended to lure us in.

Once we were brought to the designated location, those lying in ambush would attack us.

The question was this:“How did they know when we would arrive?

”Even calculating the distance between Zhongyuan and the North Sea, flying here on the dragon at top speed had taken this long.

Had it been any other means, we would’ve arrived much later.

They couldn’t possibly have anticipated we’d fly.

Yet their preparations suggested otherwise.

“They had a way of knowing when we arrived.

”Perhaps they only began preparing once we reached the North Sea.

Or.

“They had contingencies for every possible route we could take.

”If I had to simplify it, the latter seemed more plausible.

And it was also the preferable explanation.

Because if it were the former, the situation would become truly nightmarish.

Especially given what the man said next.

According to him, the reason bloodshed was now sweeping through the Ice Palace was that someone within its upper ranks—“A member of the Ice Palace’s bloodline is involved.

”He claimed that a direct descendant of the Palace Lord was part of the rebellion.

This contradicted Yuri’s earlier claim that betrayal was impossible among those of the same bloodline.

“Could he be lying?

”But the man’s words rang true.

Assuming Seong Yul’s ability to detect lies hadn’t failed.

Then was Yuri lying?

“That’s unlikely.

”Objectively speaking, the odds of Yuri being deceitful were exceedingly low.

Of course, “exceedingly low” didn’t mean zero.

It simply meant she was, for now, excluded from my list of suspects.

I looked at Yuri again.

“What should we do?

”At my question, Yuri swallowed dryly.

She seemed unable to fully process the situation, her expression shadowed with doubt.

Even if she wanted to believe the claim about her bloodline’s involvement, she couldn’t bring herself to accept it.

“What should we do?

”The question wasn’t directed at Yuri.

It was more something I was asking myself.

“The routes Yuri mentioned earlier are likely all compromised.

”If the first safehouse had ended up like this, every other route to the Ice Palace was likely blocked.

Then, what should we do now?

I brushed my hand through my hair, slicking it back.

My gaze, cold as ice, lingered in the air.

The answer had already been decided the moment the interrogation ended.

“If the safe routes are gone…”Then we’d take the dangerous ones.

The information extracted from the man included the location of their ambush.

The answer was simple.

I asked Yuri directly.

“The place he mentioned earlier.

Do you know where it is?

”“The place…?

”“You know, the one he called ‘Seorak Gorge.

’”“…!

”Yuri’s eyes widened in shock.

“That’s… the place he said their forces were lying in ambush.

”“That’s right.

”Yuri, unsure of my intentions, was visibly flustered as I calmly replied.

“They’ve gone through the trouble of waiting for us.

We should pay them a visit, shouldn’t we?

If you know the way, lead the way.

”“What do you mean…!

”Yuri’s voice rose involuntarily.

“You’re suggesting we walk right into enemy territory?

”“It’s the fastest way.

”“Wouldn’t it be better to head straight to the Ice Palace?

If we ride the creature from earlier, we could reach it safely…!

”“We can’t.

”“…What?

”“That thing is at its limit.

”It was obvious.

Why hadn’t she considered it?

It was the first thing I thought of.

“It can’t fly anymore.

”I didn't send the dragon to rest for nothing.

The poor creature was too exhausted to keep going.

“It’s carried this weight and flown nonstop for days.

”It wasn’t just carrying the people I’d carefully selected.

It had carried an extra passenger—Paejon—on top of that.

Even with periodic rests, it had flown at full speed to get us here on time.

““Thanks to that, we made it to the place, but the dragon lost a lot of strength.

”.

”And besides.

“There’s no guarantee the Ice Palace is safe.

”“…!

”“Given the mess we’ve encountered so far, do you really think your home would be any different?

”Rebellion was already underway.

A safehouse intended as a sanctuary had been infiltrated by enemies.

Could the Ice Palace really be secure?

What if the Palace Lord had already fallen and the Ice Palace was under enemy control?

Every option came with problems.

“There is no best option.

”There wasn’t a “better” option right now.

Only the “least bad” one.

“So, lead the way.

”“But…”Yuri, clearly doubtful of my judgment, tried to argue further.

I sighed and interrupted her.

“Didn’t I already tell you?

”She was still misunderstanding.

“Does this sound like a request?

”The chilling tone in my voice carried a hint of suppressed killing intent.

Flinch.

Yuri trembled slightly at my words.

I was already at my limit.

I’d been holding back, but my patience was wearing thin.

I wanted to burn everything down right now.

I was barely holding myself together.

The fire burned so hot that it felt cold.

That was exactly where I stood.

So.

“Lead the way.

Now.

”Before I burned everything to the ground.

Before I found something—anything—to cool me down.

******************Fwoooosh—The falling snow made it nearly impossible to see ahead.

A relentless blizzard was raging, its force battering against everything in its path.

The path toward the gorge wasn’t steep, but it was still a grueling climb.

As they ascended, Yuri remained tense, her body radiating vigilance.

The biting cold wasn’t the issue.

For Yuri, the cold was something she had grown accustomed to more than anything else.

No, what troubled Yuri now was something else entirely.

Her heart pounded, and an unshakable anxiety consumed her.

As they climbed, Yuri kept biting her trembling lips.

‘What…is this?

’She couldn’t keep her head straight, overwhelmed by the situation unfolding around her.

The fact that the safe house they had planned to use was compromised by enemies.

And that her own bloodline was implicated in the bloodshed at the Ice Palace.

Just these two revelations were enough to shatter Yuri’s composure.

‘How could this…?

’It was unthinkable.

Those burdened with the curse of the Ice Crystal couldn’t betray each other.

That was the unyielding bond placed upon the Ice Palace’s bloodline for countless generations.

But the information extracted during the interrogation was devastating for Yuri.

The interrogation.

As the memory resurfaced, nausea churned within her.

Yuri barely managed to suppress the urge to vomit.

The scene had been that horrifying.

Crack.

Bones twisted and snapped as flesh was pierced.

“Gaaaahhhhhh!!!

”Squelch!

Screams echoed, mingling with the splatter of blood.

For the first time in her life, Yuri smelled the scent of burning flesh.

The stench of human flesh searing was unbearably acrid.

The desperate pleas for mercy quickly morphed into desperate cries to end it all.

It had only taken a few minutes for that man’s pleas to change.

‘I’m terrified.

’Even recalling it now sent chills through her.

That was the moment Yuri became certain something was deeply wrong.

Even in the face of such agonizing screams, the one conducting the torture remained indifferent.

The cries didn’t faze him.

The blood flowing from the man’s wounds, the scorched flesh—none of it mattered.

His sole focus was on the words that might spill from the man’s lips.

Yuri couldn’t even breathe as she watched the gruesome sight.

What had she brought along?

Was it truly right to have brought him to the North Sea?

That thought crept into her mind too late.

Fear and dread constricted her throat.

Crunch.

Even with those emotions swirling within her, Yuri kept moving forward.

And yet, one question lingered.

Despite her overwhelming negativity, Yuri continued to follow his lead.

Was it fear of his threats and the terror he inspired?

Perhaps.

She wasn’t entirely sure.

The only certainty was that she was following his orders.

Even now, she was leading the group through a path where enemies might be lying in wait.

Even with the uncertainty of the Ice Palace’s fate, she had chosen this route.

He had offered logical and rational suggestions.

But even so, the decision to proceed had ultimately been hers.

The responsibility for her choice was hers alone.

“Phew… Phew…”Knowing that, Yuri didn’t stop moving.

Seolak Gorge.

Though its incline wasn’t steep, the path was slick and flanked by treacherous cliffs, making it a dangerous terrain.

It was one of the routes leading to the Ice Palace, but its peril meant it was rarely used.

‘The path to the Ice Palace.

’If someone had suggested taking Seolak Gorge for safety reasons, Yuri would have agreed without hesitation.

This area was so desolate it was practically untouched by human presence.

‘…Could he be right?

’No matter how much she resisted, she had to admit it.

Her assumptions had been wrong.

Fwoooosh.

The wind continued to howl.

The blizzard rendered the path ahead invisible.

Should they keep going like this?

Even though they had been warned of an ambush?

Yuri glanced behind her.

The group was quietly following her.

They didn’t seem bothered by the cold.

How could they remain unaffected when it was this bitterly cold?

Watching them, Yuri thought back.

‘I’ve heard about this.

’They say that the truly exceptional warriors are impervious to the cold.

Was that the case with them?

It wasn’t the time to dwell on such thoughts.

Yuri shook her head slightly and turned to the group.

“…The situation doesn’t look good,” she said.

Night had already fallen.

The raging blizzard made things worse.

Even the elite warriors of the Ice Palace, accustomed to such harsh conditions, would usually stop at this point.

No matter how formidable the warriors of Zhongyuan were, continuing in this situation seemed impossible.

With that judgment, Yuri spoke.

Gu Yangcheon, who was walking ahead, scanned their surroundings.

Was it her imagination?

For a moment, his eyes seemed to glimmer with a blue light.

“You’re right.

We don’t need to go any further.

”“So, it’s true…”Oddly enough, a wave of relief washed over Yuri, realizing she was right this time.

“Since there’s the risk of an ambush, should we stop and—”“No, that’s not what I meant.

”“What?

”Wasn’t he suggesting they wait until daylight to avoid running into an ambush?

Yuri was puzzled when—Whoosh.

Gu Yangcheon suddenly conjured flames in his palm.

The warmth reached Yuri immediately, even in this freezing cold.

It was warm.

In this biting chill, it was unmistakably warm.

Huff—The gathered heat formed into a compact sphere.

It resembled a small sun, radiating an almost mystical light.

Yuri, momentarily entranced, watched as Yangcheon tossed a glowing jade orb into the air.

Then—Flash!

The orb floated, emitting a brilliant light that pierced through the blizzard.

Centered around the orb, the storm calmed.

The darkness receded as the light revealed the surroundings.

“Ah…!

”Taking in the now-illuminated landscape, Yuri gasped in astonishment.

"What… What is this…?

"Something appeared on the snow-covered ground.

Though it was almost completely buried by the snow, Yuri had an inkling of what it might be.

Thud, thud—Gu Yangcheon walked forward and grabbed something from beneath the snow.

The object, now uncovered, revealed itself.

To Yuri’s shock, it was a human corpse.

Gu Yangcheon held the body up without a hint of hesitation, examining it closely.

“Hasn’t been dead long.

”The condition of the body wasn’t good, making it hard to tell for sure.

But based on appearance, it hadn’t been long.

At most, it had been since yesterday.

At the earliest, it was today.

The state of the corpse confirmed it.

And it wasn’t the only one.

‘There are more around here.

’Corpses buried under the snow could be seen scattered about.

Even with a quick count, there were easily over twenty.

“Were these the ones lying in ambush here?

”If so, why were they all dead?

Could they have been members of the Ice Palace?

It didn’t make sense for ambushers to die here like this.

Then—“Wait…!

”Yuri, spotting the corpse Gu Yangcheon was holding, hurried over in alarm.

“…General…?

”Her reaction prompted Gu Yangcheon to ask,“Someone you know?

”“Ah…”Yuri grimaced and answered his question.

“He was a great general of the Blue Wolf Clan…”“The Blue Wolf Clan, huh.

”The name of one of the rebel clans or tribes that the man they had interrogated earlier had mentioned.

Which meant—‘They were indeed part of the ambush.

’And as a great general, his position indicated he was a formidable figure even within the North Sea.

‘They had intended to set a trap here, that much is clear.

’The troubling part was—‘Why are they all dead?

’Why had such capable warriors ended up like this?

“Hmmm…”The situation was puzzling.

There wasn’t a single trace of movement or life nearby, making it all the stranger.

Could they have clashed with members of the Ice Palace who had detected the ambush?

It was something that needed to be investigated further.

At that moment—Stop!

Gu Yangcheon suddenly turned his head to the west.

Everyone, except Yuri, followed suit.

“They’re coming.

”“Yes,” Paejon replied, and Gu Yangcheon nodded.

From the west, faint signs of movement could be sensed.

Roughly thirty individuals.

They would arrive in less than half an hour.

‘So, this is why.

’Gu Yangcheon raised his gaze.

The sight of the compact Fire Wheel Star floating above likely caught their attention, drawing them here.

“Master Gu, what should we do?

”“For now, we hide.

We need to see what they’re up to.

”Determining whether they were enemies or allies was the priority.

With that decision, Gu Yangcheon extinguished the Fire Wheel Star.

The light quickly faded, and darkness reclaimed the surroundings.

The blizzard resumed its relentless assault.

“Conceal your presence, and let’s assess the situation.

”With that plan in mind, they began to move.

But then—Flash.

Something caught Gu Yangcheon’s eye.

In the snowy field, something glimmered faintly.

Under normal circumstances, he would have dismissed it as a discarded weapon.

But—“...

”“Master Gu?

Where are you going—?

”For some reason, Gu Yangcheon felt compelled to approach it.

It felt as if he had to see what it was.

His usually silent footsteps left deep impressions in the snow.

The disappearance of the aura shrouding his feet indicated that he had let it dissipate.

He walked.

No, he ran.

Why was he in such a hurry?

Even as he ran, he couldn’t understand the urgency.

When he finally arrived, the light was gone.

Though it had shimmered from a distance, there was nothing visible now that he was there.

All he saw was pure white snow.

And in that snow—Swoosh.

Gu Yangcheon thrust his hand into the ground.

The icy coldness brushed against the back of his hand.

Ignoring it, he pushed deeper until his fingers felt something.

It wasn’t the texture of the ground.

Gripping it firmly, he pulled it out.

As he saw what he had retrieved—“...

”Gu Yangcheon’s entire body stiffened.

It was something he recognized.

A trinket a certain woman had carried with her everywhere.

Something he had bought for her himself.

It was cheap, something he had picked up in a hurry.

He had bought it because it caught his eye as they passed by.

He remembered how she had refused to replace it, even when he offered to buy her a new one after noticing the rust beginning to show.

A crescent moon-shaped ornament, chosen because it reminded him of her.

And now, it was here.

A place it should never be.

The moment Gu Yangcheon confirmed what it was—Snap.

Something inside him broke.

Fwoooom—!

Heat erupted from beneath his feet, spreading in every direction.