Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 525

When a major incident struck the Tang Clan...

Among those who should be the busiest, one would naturally think of the Poison King. Yet, surprisingly, there was another just as preoccupied.

"What on earth is going on?"

The person muttering these words, barely managing to act amidst the chaos of the morning without even combing her hair, was none other than Moyong Hee-ah, the cherished jewel of the Moyong family.

In a guest room assigned for visitors, Moyong Hee-ah repeatedly rubbed her temples.

“...Any more information?”

She glanced to the side with furrowed brows, addressing someone kneeling on one knee.

“...The situation arose so suddenly that additional information is still being gathered.”

"Ugh...!"

Hearing this, Moyong Hee-ah bit her delicate lip.

"What is this mess?"

To start the day with such a spectacle... Moyong Hee-ah had to think quickly about the absurd situation.

"Decapitate an elder, just like that?"

The sudden news had her breaking into a cold sweat.

An elder of the Tang Clan had been executed in a single morning. And shockingly, it was the Poison King who had done the deed.

"What is happening here?"

This particular elder managed all the medicinal supplies of the Tang Clan. From what she knew, he had reached the Haegyeong stage late in life, a significant accomplishment.

Even Moyong Hee-ah had some familiarity with him.

At one point, due to her own constitution, she had engaged in several dealings with the Tang Clan. These transactions included not only treatments but also medicinal herbs.

This elder had been the one in charge of those matters.

She had even met him personally.

In Moyong Hee-ah's view:

"He was... unsettling."

She had judged him to be someone with a shady character. Nonetheless, she also acknowledged his competence.

Managing a vast number of medicinal supplies, he naturally wielded significant influence within the Tang Clan.

"And yet, he was executed?"

To kill someone with such power so suddenly...

The mere thought of it sent shivers down her spine.

Something was brewing.

It was impossible for her to remain unaware.

"I need more information."

The effort of trying to piece everything together from the morning was giving her a headache, but there was no choice.

A major issue had erupted within the Tang Clan. For Moyong Hee-ah, this was a significant problem.

"I have multiple projects in the works."

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She had business ventures in collaboration with the Tang Clan, and countless plans were waiting to expand through these ventures.

For such an incident to occur now? It was extremely troublesome.

Moyong Hee-ah immediately began devising multiple contingencies in her mind.

The most direct and efficient solution was to hold the Tang Clan accountable and resolve the issue without further complications.

"...

However, Moyong Hee-ah discarded this approach when she thought of Tang So-yeol.

It wasn’t out of concern for Tang So-yeol.

While it was true they had grown closer over time, Moyong Hee-ah was well aware that such bonds of friendship would not compel her to take a loss.

However,

"He wouldn't like it."

Moyong Hee-ah knew that if she handled the matter purely out of calculation, it would displease that man, who had a habit of subtly looking out for his people.

So, she had to hold back.

Just as she was about to conjure another plan—

“...Wait a moment.”

Moyong Hee-ah recalled something.

She remembered Gu Yangcheon, whom she had met recently in the province.

That person had been hiding something.

The look in his eyes, as if he was about to cause trouble.

And now, not long after, this incident erupted.

Could there be a connection?

"...No way, right?"

She wasn’t certain. But if there was anyone capable of such a thing, it would undoubtedly be him.

With a slight creak, Moyong Hee-ah stood up.

“Miss?”

“...I’ll be back. Keep gathering information in the meantime.”

“Understood.”

After quickly instructing her subordinate, Moyong Hee-ah left the guest room, her steps brisk as if in a rush.

Her destination: the quarters of that person, Gu Yangcheon.

"It can't be true."

Moyong Hee-ah prayed silently.

"For whom am I working so hard? Surely he wouldn't cause such trouble."

She could only hope.

"I haven't even completed Mother’s tasks yet."

Her teeth clenched in frustration.

The task from her mother, Mi Horan, the Baekhwa Trading Company’s master, was still incomplete.

One day, a message from Baekhwa arrived for Moyong Hee-ah.

It contained details about business operations and instructions on how to resolve such situations.

Having encountered similar scenarios in dealings with the Moyong Trading Company, she was somewhat accustomed to these matters.

Under normal circumstances, she would have dismissed such an abrupt message.

But not when the sender was Mi Horan.

Mi Horan had taken the effort to write such complex and difficult instructions for Moyong Hee-ah.

There was no mistaking the meaning behind them.

"This is a test."

It was a test. Mi Horan was testing Moyong Hee-ah.

How capable are you?

That’s what it boiled down to.

What would change by proving herself?

The reason for the test was all too obvious.

To see if she was worthy of being at his side.

A cold shiver ran down Moyong Hee-ah’s spine as she furrowed her brows.

"From what I’ve heard, he’s not even her biological son."

She had heard Gu Yangcheon wasn’t Mi Horan’s blood relative. She couldn’t understand why Mi Horan acted this way.

Even so, an opportunity was an opportunity. She couldn’t let it slip by.

In such a situation,

"...And now that man causes trouble?"

Although not entirely certain, Moyong Hee-ah had a strong suspicion.

The incident in the Tang Clan—she felt he was somehow involved.

Her instincts screamed it.

"I'm already busy enough as it is...!"

Grinding her teeth, Moyong Hee-ah quickened her pace.

She had to confront him directly and get answers. Gathering information would take too long.

As she approached his quarters, she noticed something.

“Hmm?”

Standing in front of Gu Yangcheon’s quarters was someone she recognized.

"...What are you doing here?"

The woman turned, startled, revealing her bright brown hair swaying with the motion.

“Oh, hello…”

The woman, Wi Seol-ah, greeted her with her unique golden eyes.

"Still as beautiful as ever," Moyong Hee-ah thought, though she didn’t voice it.

Despite her own notable appearance, Moyong Hee-ah couldn't help but feel overshadowed when compared to Wi Seol-ah or Gam Mu-hui.

Suppressing her irritation, she asked again.

“What are you doing here?”

“Well…”

“Do you have business with him?”

“No, no… Not with him.”

Despite not naming names, they both seemed to understand.

"Huh?"

Wi Seol-ah wasn’t here for Gu Yangcheon? Moyong Hee-ah hadn’t expected that answer.

Given who Wi Seol-ah was, it was natural to assume she was there to see him.

"If not him, then who?"

There were three residents in these quarters.

One was the Hidden Dragon, another was a young man whose name she vaguely recalled.

It didn’t seem likely Wi Seol-ah would have business with anyone else.

Despite the strange feeling of curiosity,

"If it's not him, that’s better for me."

For Moyong Hee-ah, this was good news. She had business with Gu Yangcheon.

“Then I’ll head in first. I’m quite busy.”

“Ah…!”

As Moyong Hee-ah moved toward the quarters, Wi Seol-ah flinched.

"Why that reaction?"

Before Moyong Hee-ah could think much of it, she entered the quarters and felt an odd sensation.

The room felt slightly warmer than usual.

Given her particularly low body temperature, she noticed it more keenly.

Dismissing it as unimportant, she headed toward Gu Yangcheon’s room.

“Master Gu, are you here?”

No response.

She had been told by the attendants that he was in his quarters.

"Is he asleep?"

Sleeping at a time like this? Surely even he wouldn’t cause such a commotion and then go to sleep.

If that were the case, perhaps he really wasn’t involved in the incident.

Just as the thought crossed her mind—

Clack.

Wi Seol-ah appeared beside her, causing Moyong Hee-ah to narrow her eyes.

“You said you didn’t have business here.”

“Well, uh…”

Wi Seol-ah had just claimed she didn’t need to see Gu Yangcheon, yet here she was.

Before Moyong Hee-ah could confront her further—

Creak!

The door to Gu Yangcheon’s room opened. She turned to face him, but—

"...Huh?"

Moyong Hee-ah let out a rather uncharacteristically dumb sound.

It wasn’t Gu Yangcheon who appeared.

The man standing there was far larger, with broader shoulders and a more imposing chest.

Moyong Hee-ah felt speechless under his gaze.

Heavy.

Just being looked at made her feel a crushing weight.

Gulp.

The man’s red, piercing eyes made Moyong Hee-ah swallow dryly.

Seconds passed in silence.

As her eyes darted around the room, she caught sight of someone else inside.

"Why is she here?"

Seated at the table, Gam Mu-hui seemed to be trying to gauge the atmosphere.

"This doesn’t feel right."

Moyong Hee-ah’s sharp mind worked quickly.

Even so, her options were limited.

With a deep breath, she composed herself.

“...I am Moyong Hee-ah of the Moyong family. Greetings to the Head of the Gu family.”

She managed to keep her voice steady—a small miracle.

The man standing before her was Gu Cheolwoon.

She recognized him immediately.

How could she not?

At the start of this journey, her father, the Master of the Baekcheon Sword, had repeatedly warned her to be cautious of the Gu family’s head. Her aunt, the White Lotus Sword, had also spoken of him.

Not to mention, he was Gu Yangcheon’s father.

Though unexpected, Moyong Hee-ah knew she couldn’t let herself appear weak.

“...”

Gu Cheolwoon’s brow furrowed slightly at her greeting.

Even without looking up, Moyong Hee-ah could sense his sharp gaze evaluating her.

“...Pleased to meet you. I am Gu Cheolwoon.”

“Forgive me for intruding. I came urgently to see Master Gu and had no idea you were here.”

She refrained from asking why he was there. The question was tempting but unnecessary.

“That would be difficult at the moment.”

“Pardon?”

Gu Cheolwoon stepped aside, revealing Gu Yangcheon lying peacefully on the bed.

At first glance, it seemed like he was sleeping, but Moyong Hee-ah quickly realized otherwise.

He wasn’t just asleep—something had happened.

"Is he hurt again?"

Her immediate thought wasn’t curiosity but concern. That man always seemed to end up in such situations.

As her emotions briefly flickered, Gu Cheolwoon’s calm gaze turned to her.

“For now, come inside.”

“Excuse me?”

“If you’re in a hurry, you may leave. Otherwise, wait inside.”

The unexpected offer made Moyong Hee-ah pause.

If she went inside, she’d have to wait with Gu Cheolwoon and the unconscious Gu Yangcheon.

"What should I do?"

Even Moyong Hee-ah wasn’t sure she could handle that atmosphere.

She considered making an excuse to leave but hesitated because of one person—

"She’s in there."

Her attention returned to Gam Mu-hui.

She couldn’t afford to leave her unchecked.

Without further hesitation, Moyong Hee-ah steadied her nerves and responded.

“In that case, I will intrude briefly.”

Gu Cheolwoon nodded, then turned his gaze to Wi Seol-ah.

Wi Seol-ah also quickly bowed.

“...Greetings to the Head of the Gu family.”

“It seems your purpose is similar. You may enter as well.”

“Ah… Yes.”

With that, Gu Cheolwoon entered the room, followed by the two women.

The atmosphere inside was oppressively tense.

For the time being, until Gu Yangcheon awoke...

The four of them did not exchange a single word of conversation.

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

So.

“…What is going on here?”

The moment I shot up from the bed, I scanned the room with trembling eyes.

What the hell is this?

Why is my father, who was supposed to be dealing with the Poison King, in my room?

And what are these three women doing here?

Moreover, all three of them had their heads bowed as if they were guilty of something.

"I thought it was a dream..."

It was such an unrealistic scenario that I figured I must be dreaming, so I tried lying back down. But it didn’t take long to realize this was no dream.

The piercing gazes and suffocating atmosphere were all too real.

In the end, drenched in cold sweat, I sat up and looked at my father as I asked,

“Um…what exactly is going on here?”

Though it was a heavily condensed question, it was enough to convey my confusion.

My father, after taking a sip of tea, answered calmly.

“The White Lotus Sword informed me that you collapsed.”

“Oh.”

So, after I fainted from the backlash of using Noe-a (Thunder Fang), the White Lotus Sword must have gone to inform my father.

“The doctor said there is no major issue with your body. Do you feel alright?”

“…Yes, I’m fine.”

“Then that’s good.”

My father nodded.

Seeing that, I immediately moved on to ask the next pressing question.

“…Father.”

“Speak.”

“Why are they…I mean, why are those young ladies acting like that?”

The three women sat there, visibly tense, unable to lift their heads.

At my question, my father glanced at them and replied,

“I told them to make themselves comfortable, but it seems they could not.”

As soon as he spoke, the three of them abruptly raised their heads.

“N-No! Not at all! It wasn’t uncomfortable!”

“…We were perfectly fine….”

“Really, it was very comfortable.”

I didn’t even know how to respond to their frantic reactions.

What on earth had made them like this?

They didn’t usually act this way, at least not from what I could recall. Something felt off.

“You three…why are you here?”

I managed to push through the awkwardness and ask.

Namgung Bi-ah was the first to respond.

“…You suddenly…collapsed…so we were worried….”

Her explanation made sense.

We’d sparred, and after…well, the incident with our lips, I’d passed out. It must have given her quite a scare.

"…She wouldn’t think I fainted just because of a kiss, right?"

I could only hope not. That would be incredibly pathetic.

[As if you’ve ever not been pathetic.]

Shin Noya, always quick to chime in like a ghost, interrupted my thoughts.

Setting Namgung Bi-ah aside, who was still nervously glancing at Gu Cheolwoon, I turned to look at Moyong Hee-ah.

This time, it was Moyong Hee-ah who spoke. She, too, seemed cautious of my father as she explained.

“…There was an incident at the Tang Clan, and I thought you might know something about it, so I came to ask.”

The elder of the Tang Clan had been executed by the Poison King.

To others, it might have seemed like a sudden event, but Moyong Hee-ah coming to me meant…

"She figured out right away that I was involved."

Smart as always, and perceptive too.

How much time had passed? I wasn’t sure yet.

"If she were an enemy, this would have been trouble."

If Moyong Hee-ah had been an adversary, I would’ve been in serious danger.

If Cheon Yurang was the type to create an escape route only to trap the enemy in a dead end and let them rot in fear,

Moyong Hee-ah was the type to give no escape route at all, dealing with things swiftly and decisively.

Everything about her actions was methodical, planned.

Having both of them as enemies would have been more than just troublesome—it would’ve been a nightmare.

Fortunately, that wasn’t the case, and for that, I should count my blessings.

“…But…um…”

Moyong Hee-ah’s gaze wavered for a moment.

I could guess what she wanted to say.

She’d come to ask me something, only to find me passed out, and my father unexpectedly present. That must have startled her.

Yeah, it would be confusing.

But how about sparing a thought for how confused I am?

The scene I woke up to was still vividly etched in my mind.

"But then…"

Who’s that?

One more person was sitting there, not even sipping her tea, just staring at the table.

It was Wi Seol-ah.

Though it hadn’t been long since I last saw her in the province, it still felt odd.

“…Do you have business with me too?”

It was a strange combination for her to be here.

What business could Wi Seol-ah possibly have with me?

As I looked at her, puzzled, she spoke.

“…I…no, I didn’t come to see you, Young Master.”

“Huh?”

Not me?

I naturally assumed she had come for me, but her response caught me off guard.

Wi Seol-ah, avoiding my gaze, looked toward my father instead.

“…I saw that the Head of the Gu family had arrived, so…I came to greet him….”

“What?”

Her words startled me even more.

Not only did she not have business with me, but she came to see my father?

When did that happen?

Very few people should have known that my father was here.

Had Wi Seol-ah somehow noticed?

Meanwhile, I noticed my father’s expression change slightly at her words.

“Hm.”

It was just a brief sound, but he made it.

“…!”

“…Oh dear.”

At that, both Namgung Bi-ah and Moyong Hee-ah flinched, their faces betraying a sense of Ah, we messed up.

What was that about…?

While I was silently pondering the situation, a voice suddenly broke the silence.

-“I won’t comment on how you choose to live your life…”

It was my father’s voice, delivered directly to my mind through sound transmission.

-“But three women feels like a bit much.”

“...”

I had to swallow down several responses that almost slipped out.

First, I restrained myself from pointing out that it wasn’t what he thought.

Then, I stopped myself from saying that, of all people, he had no right to judge.

Saying that would only earn me a beating.