790 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

**Chapter 791: North Rabbit - Web Novel Archive** Hooooong-!! The tightly closed door shook wildly. The old man's words were shockingly unexpected, and coupled with an inability to properly control his energy, it was creating this disturbance. "...What do you mean by that?" He stared at the old man with furrowed eyes. Did I travel through time? That was clearly what the old man had asked me. 'What is this.' His mind, cold as ice, rapidly pieced things together. How did he know to ask such a question? Could it be. '...Is that old man also a regressor?' He was already aware of the existence of other regressors besides himself. Whether it meant traveling through time or coming from another world, it wasn't strange to imagine other figures like himself existed. With heightened vigilance, he scrutinized the old man intensely. Was the first leader of the Baekhwa Trading Company indeed a regressor? Amidst a multitude of thoughts swirling in his mind while observing the old man. Click-. The old man put down the teacup he had been holding and continued. "I heard it from here and there. The feats you have accomplished were so monumental for someone your age that I wondered if it might be the case." "…" "Judging by your response, it seems my jest was too much. I apologize." "…It was just a joke?" "Hmm?" The old man inclined his head, giving a curious look. "So, did you actually turn back time?" "No. That's not possible. Absolutely not." Ha ha ha. He laughed, waving his hand in dismissal. "It was just such an outrageous statement that I was taken aback for a moment. Turning back time... It’s an impossible notion, isn't it?" As he downplayed his alarm, the old man continued to watch him closely. 'Is he suspicious?' It was a troubling feeling. Was he probing because he knew something, or was my reaction so strange that it aroused suspicion? It was hard to discern. 'Damn it.' This reminded him of the times when people around him mocked his poor acting skills. Had he anticipated and prepared his response, it would have been different. But with the sudden mention of regression, his mind went completely blank. Despite trying to maintain his composure, it seemed too late. As he worried over his predicament. "I don't think it's impossible," the old man remarked. "Pardon?" The old man spoke calmly, holding his gaze. "When you live as a merchant, you encounter many people." He tried to look as though he was listening intently, all the while still thinking. "Some claim to have come from another world, claiming not to be in their true body and were once the strongest in the world. You meet all sorts." "Aren't those just crazy people?" He couldn't comprehend talk of other worlds and inhabiting different bodies. 'They must be out of their minds, right?' These were absurd statements. "Do you believe that...?" "I don't." "But." "But I don't think they're all lies either." "Pardon?" "The world is filled with events more ludicrous than that. Since I'm not perfect, I cannot dismiss them all." "..." Within the calm utterances lay a veiled hint of sharpness. "You, sir." "…Yes." "It began as a jest, but your circumstances are not that significant to me." "..." Cold sweat dripped down his back. How could he describe this feeling? It wasn't cold, yet it felt as if a chill was creeping in. An unsettling sensation of thousands of sharp needles targeting him from all around. He knows everything. This perception pierced through him like a spear. 'Tsk...' This sensation was reminiscent of facing Muk Yeon, but somewhat more intense in this encounter. What should he do? Though he pondered, there weren't many options available to him. "I’m not sure what circumstances you're referring to, but first and foremost, why have you called for me?" He discarded concerns of suspicion, focusing instead on the reason he was summoned. At times like this, it was essential to be forthright. He lacked the confidence to dissemble smartly. Nor was there any reasonable suspicion. Thus, with eyes slightly narrowed, he spoke. Observing him quietly, the old man soon reacted. "Ah, yes. The reason. Indeed... the reason." The old man nodded several times, as if suddenly remembering. "Apologies. Age catches up to me, and I often forget." "..." "Indeed... I called for you, didn't I." What was going on? Had he perhaps lost his mind? The conversation felt like it was constantly veering off track. "...Why did I call you?" "..." He really seemed to have lost his faculties, hadn't he? The old man gazed off into space for a moment, then his eyes widened as if remembering. "Ah. I remembered..." "...Ah, yes. Thankfully." "Indeed. I wanted to ask you something." "Yes... I am listening." What could he possibly want to ask now? Unlike before, he waited with heightened tension. And then, "I wanted to ask, sir." "Yes, elder." "Do you intend to become the head of your family?" "..." Yet again, the old man posed an unexpected question. "...Suddenly?" "Indeed." "That's quite a strange question." The thought of becoming the head. To ask such a question made his head incline on its own. "Why does that concern you?" His tone naturally turned cynical. Discomfort was clearly evident. For all the trouble of being summoned, was this truly the question? The conversation had gone on with nonsensical statements, and his patience was wearing thin. "Why are you interested in this, elder?" Especially after having requested such a setting, only to pose such a question. "The head of a family. I'm not sure." Becoming the head of the Gu Family. It wasn't something he had deeply contemplated. Not particularly surprising, in truth. "It isn't something I can decide. That choice is for the head of the family, is it not?" To be precise, it would be influenced by his father and the elders. Even if he were to refuse, it was beyond his control. Even if he said no, or another sibling wished for it, The decision lay only with his father, the head of the family. He had no say in it. 'The only real choice I have is to run away, perhaps.' Running away from home if I really don't want to do it. That much, I can manage. After all, there were actions in my past life with such intentions. But. "I don't quite understand why you're so curious about this, elder." Why was this old man interested in such matters? Especially since he was someone I'd never met in my past life. 'Perhaps it's really because of his granddaughters.' He seemed to be bothering about the one destined to take the position of Young Master. Because that person was gradually expanding his influence, was that why he made an appearance here? It seemed like the most plausible reason. He wouldn't be pleased. A child of a concubine, not of the main wife, rising above the legitimate children to become the family head must not sit well with him. If that's why he's here, then I don't really have anything to say. "Why does it matter to you if I become the head of the family?" "Why, indeed... It certainly isn't nothing, particularly because my daughter is involved." As expected. It’s indeed because of Mrs. Mi and Gu Hee Bi, Gu Yeonseo. "If that's the issue, I have nothing further to say. As I mentioned earlier..." "So, if they decide to make you the head, would you accept it?" "..." Would I accept if they made me the family head? I had to furrow my brows at that question. "...Well." I was at the point where taking over as Young Master was inevitable. But as for becoming the family head... "It's not something I can decide on my own, is it? It's neither a position one can easily obtain just because they want it, nor can it be refused if one doesn't want it." "..." Had that been a satisfying answer? As he suppressed his true feelings and spoke, the old man's gaze remained unchanged. Was it not the answer he was hoping for? "Sir." "Yes, elder." "Do you know what it truly means to be the head of the Gu Family?" "...Pardon?" "Before that, do you understand what the name Gu Family truly signifies?" "Isn't it just a reasonably harmonious household or something?" What profound meanings could family names—like those of Namgung or Moyong or any other clans—truly hold? I presumed they didn't particularly cling to the meanings of these names. "Is it really that important?" "Judging from your reaction, it seems you don't know." "I don’t know?" The significance of the Gu Family and the meaning of being its head... Was I really unaware of those? 'Ridiculous.' The idea was so absurd I nearly laughed. What could he possibly know? What could this old man, who likely hadn't experienced any of it, possibly know? "Then, do you know, elder? The true significance of our family?" "I know at least more than you do." "Then speak up. What exactly do you claim to know?" What does he know to act with such arrogance? This was an incredulous situation. I set the scene for him, curious to see what he would say. "Hmm. The Gu Family, you see—" Boom-! Just as the old man was about to speak, the door burst open as someone entered. It was none other than Mrs. Mi, arriving with great noise. 'Damn.' Who would have thought someone would enter? I had only set up a barrier, not sealed the door. That seemed to be the issue. With an expression fraught with emotion, Mrs. Mi stepped inside the barrier. "Mrs. Mi...?" "What's going on here?" Before I could even ask what was happening, Mrs. Mi approached the old man, her voice chilling. At her voice, the old man also turned to look at her. "Chief. What on earth are you doing, disrupting a conversation? Aren't you overstepping your bounds?" "Hold on..." "I'm not the one overstepping the bounds—you are." "..." Words failed me. Had there ever been a time when Mrs. Mi's voice carried such profound anger? It might well be the first time I’d witnessed it. "Do you not understand how presumptuous this is?" "Is it wrong to try and enlighten the unknowing?" "It's wrong because you're forcing knowledge that's currently unnecessary." "You're mistaken. The real wrong is not knowing what's necessary, and those who created this situation are to blame." "And who gets to make those judgments? Certainly not you. It's needless interference." A fierce war of words erupted instantly. It was hard to consider this interaction typical of a father-daughter relationship. After a few more exchanges, "As I've said, Chief. I’m still in the middle of a conversation with this young man. Would you kindly leave?" When the old man addressed Mrs. Mi, she immediately turned her eyes to me. "Young Master." "Yes? Yes..." "I'm sorry. Though I appreciate you coming today, I think we’ll have to meet next time. The conversation with this person might go on for a while." "Well... I think it might be important for me to hear this—" "I’m asking you to." "Yes..." I moved without looking back. Not because it was a request. The look in Mrs. Mi's eyes—that intense gaze contrasted with her polite demeanor—was frankly terrifying. Even if I wanted to hear more, it seemed I wouldn't be able to in this situation. '...' Why is the Gu Family named as it is? And what does being the head of the family truly entail? Whether the old man genuinely knew was now a question that couldn’t be answered. '...Tsk.' I toyed with the idea of stubbornly sitting back down. Hoo-! Gathering the energy around me, I turned away from Mrs. Mi and began walking out. "...Then, I’ll see you next time." No response came. Keeping my dissatisfaction hidden, I grasped the door's handle. Clatter click-! The door closed behind me. Immediately after Gu Yangcheon exited, "Mujin." Mi Hyoran softly called out to someone. Instantly, energy spread throughout the room. Hoo-! The barrier was once again formed. Wind, composed of energy, brushed past Mrs. Mi. Her well-managed hair shifted slightly as cold flame-gray eyes fixed upon the old man. "What do you think you're doing?" "Do you wish to repeat everything that was said a moment ago?" The old man replied, glancing around. "It seems you’ve set up a Cheongeo Stone." Cheongeo Stone. An artifact that, when placed in a room, allowed one to hear everything occurring within. Its range was limited, making eavesdropping difficult due to its short maximum distance, and detecting it was not hard, so it wasn't often used. "Yes, because you might spout nonsense." "It seems you've grown such cunning tricks in our time apart, Chief. Or perhaps..." The old man's colorless eyes turned towards Mi Hyo-ran. "Is it because that child has become so precious to you?" "..." His tone shifted as Mi Hyo-ran's brow furrowed even more. "A child who you treat this coldly despite having met the father only after many years," he said, uttering the word ‘father’ which further twisted her expression in displeasure. "Are you trying to play the father now? It's far too late for that." Her face was etched with clear anger. At the sight, a faint smile appeared on the old man's lips. "It's been a while since I've seen you angry." "Don't change the subject." "Are you so afraid of letting that child know the truth? Even though you must know it's something he'll find out sooner or later." He recalled the young man he recently met, the sole son of the head of the Gu Family, Gu Yangcheon, who had recently been causing a stir in the martial world. "It's unnecessary meddling." "So, is that why you resurfaced after all these years? To do this?" "It was as an added bonus. Otherwise, you wouldn't have talked to me." "Stop making excuses. It wasn't I who abruptly left and severed communication." Mi Hyo-ran's voice rose in response to his answer. "You're still acting on your own whims. How dare you attempt to speak on matters that are not yours to discuss." Bam-! Mi Hyo-ran slammed her thin hand down hard on the wooden table. The cup tipped over, and its contents spilled onto the floor. The flowing tea soon seeped into the cloth covering the ground. Despite witnessing the scene, the old man's demeanor remained unchanged. "Acting on whims is part of one's nature, isn't it?" "Do you call that an excuse!" "And you were the same. You chose that rock-like man from the Gu Family, ignoring your father's advice." "..." A man as solid as a rock in the Gu family. Hearing that phrase left Mi Hyo-ran momentarily speechless. "I distinctly warned you. He was a storm. One that no one could bow down, and he'd eventually forsake even you to fulfill his destiny. It was clear by the monster disguised as a woman by his side." The arm Mi Hyo-ran had on the ground briefly trembled. "When you responded, my talented daughter. You said, he'd overcome all obstacles." "...That..." "Now that time has passed, has he, like you hoped, overcome everything?" "..." "It's laughable. He overcame nothing. In fact, he merely presented a vessel to contain a whirl like himself. Just remarkable. Maybe it was to ensure continuity in his endeavors? If so..." "Watch your mouth." At the weighted tone, the old man's eyebrow twitched. "There isn't a person in the world who can insult him and his child in front of me." With a swift movement, Mi Hyo-ran's hand withdrew from the table. Thud-! A droplet hit the ground, mingling into the tea. Blood dripped from the hand of Mi Hyo-ran. She had hit the table with such force, there was a wound on her hand, but... "It’s the same for you." Without a hint of acknowledging the pain, she spoke with her voice edged with sharp teeth. "...Ha ha." The old man burst into sudden laughter at her demeanor. However, "You still harbor illusions." His laughter faded as quickly as it had appeared. "You cling to the illusion that you can be by his side. That illusion is still something you haven't let go of." "..." "Why don’t you understand, my daughter? It's not something for people like us." Squeezing tightly, Mi Hyo-ran wrapped her injured hand. The blood thickened. "I told you once, if you're going to leave, then at least let go of that illusion. Yet you still haven’t." "I’ve never thought that it was something I couldn’t do. Moreover, that won’t change regardless of time-" "How much time do you think is left?" "..." The old man's words choked Mi Hyo-ran into silence. "Do you believe time is really on your side?" "...You." "Seeing the grown child made it evident." He had already grown into an undeniable presence, much like his father. Many would ponder how he holds such power at his age or how he has reached such places. Though numerous would wonder, the old man did not. Perhaps it was only natural. "The time left is limited." To continue their lineage, they were born as inequitable beings. "You're more aware of it than anyone, aren't you?" The nature of the Gu Family birthed such beings generation after generation. "Soon, that being in human disguise will pass on his work. It's inevitable once his offspring is ready." The head of the Gu Family. Its inherent meaning. "In becoming a vessel, accepting sin, abandoning human sentiments, and upholding only the law." In which case... "Daughter. Do you still believe he'd remain as the one you wish to stand by?" "..." Mi Hyo-ran could not muster any response to the old man's words. "Don't harbor illusions. By then, he won't be who you once knew. He won't even be a person." Only the vessel remains. What could be contained within it? "The quicker that child is prepared, the sooner the time will come... Or perhaps." The old man's gaze drifted to the door through which Gu Yangcheon had exited as he whispered softly, "...it may already be ready." Guilt seemed to permeate the old man's eyes as he spoke those words. ***************** Ssssss. In the depths of a cave, the winds whispered through. This silent, tranquil space where no presence could be felt was engulfed in darkness. Nothing was visible. Not a single thing could be seen. In such a space. Clang. Clang. Short sounds mixed in, intending to disrupt the prevailing silence. Deep within the space, in its very depths. This was the origin of the sound. What could these noises be for? The question lingered only momentarily. At the epicenter of the noise, amidst the pitch-black darkness where nothing was visible, a change occurred. Whoosh-!! A spark ignited. Though the spark was small at first, it quickly spread light all around, defiantly bright despite its size. The surroundings brightened, revealing what lay within. Only then was the reason for the sound revealed. In one corner of the space was an enormous door. A door so large, it was challenging to even measure its size. It was puzzling to imagine how such a door could exist within this space. Wrapped around this enormous door, proportional to its size, were gigantic chains bound tightly. Clang-! The noise came from the chains. The sound was of the chains clattering, straining, and screaming as if they desperately wanted to be torn apart. The chains that held the firmly closed door at bay, trembling as they did, alongside the door which seemed on the verge of bursting open, and then... Rumble-! A figure was there, drenched in sweat as he grappled with both chains and door. A remarkably large figure, akin to a mountain if compared to humans. His entire body was a mass of muscle, and scars covered his flesh in dense numbers. This being, akin to a giant, stood firm, clutching the chains. Sweat trickled from him, indicating the substantial effort it took to hold the chains. His arms trembled violently, and his eyes were bloodshot, yet not a single groan escaped him. "..." He simply tightened his grip further on the chains. Resolute in his determination not to let go. Just then, while he was holding onto the chains. Whoosh---!!! Flames formed a thread and burst forth, making their way towards the chains. Sizzle. The tendrils wrapped around the chains, stabilizing their vibration. The shaking chains tightened further around the door. Then, the trembling ceased, and the noise was no longer heard. "..." Only after witnessing this did the man release the chains from his grip. The area he held was stained with blood. His hands were a mess, the skin peeled and raw. The pain must have been excruciating, yet his expression remained unchanged. Towards such a man, "Impressive." A red-eyed old man approached. "To think you would withstand this." As the old man spoke, the man slowly turned his head. "You have arrived." From his stoic voice, weariness was evident. "How was it, worth the effort?" "…" At the question, the man turned his gaze back to the door. The door which moments ago he had been holding with all his might was now engulfed in flames, utterly motionless. "Don't feel too disappointed. Frankly, I didn’t expect you to hold out this long." "I am not disappointed." "That's fortunate." He chuckled softly. Hearing the laughter, the man looked at the old man, his gaze drawn to his arm rather than his face. The loose sleeve of his left arm. The old man was missing his original limb. "This," he said with a smile meeting the gaze. "I had some business that required it. Why? Do you find it interesting?" "I'm not interested." "So harsh." "..." Without further comment, the man extended his hand to the side. Thud-! A robe lying on the ground was lifted and drawn into his grasp. He donned it immediately, his response impossibly nonchalant. Observing this, the old man spoke. "Your grandson possesses quite the spirit." His tone suggested he was pondering some mischief. A twitch. The man reacted to the words, his head turning. Surprised by the man's expression, the old man's eyes widened slightly. "An expression more intriguing than I expected." "Did you meet the child?" "Don’t wear such a fierce look. I was simply seeing my grandson’s face as a doting grandfather would." Rumble--!!! Despite the old man's words, the cave reverberated strongly. It was the energy radiating from the man's body. "What did you do?" "Hmm." With a curious look, the old man watched the reaction. "What if I did something? What would you do then?" Rumble...rumble... The shaking stopped with his query. Was there to be no response? It seemed so, but it was merely a prelude. An omen of disaster on the brink of erupting. "Ha ha." The old man lightly raised his hand. "Frightening. Are you threatening to strike even your own father?" "..." "Rest assured. As my cherished grandson, even before he is your son, I did nothing more than see his face. No need to let your temper flare." Upon hearing the old man's words, the man who had been scrutinizing him calmly turned his head away, as if to release the tension from his body. Were it not for those words, what might have happened? What actions would this obstinate child have taken against him? Curiosity briefly flickered within the old man, but he decided against confirming it. What mattered now was not such trivial concerns. "My son." The old man's voice continued. "Don’t forget. Before that time arrives, you must place the child in the position of Young Master. And, before it's too late... you must take this place." "...I am aware." "Indeed, you must be." Whoosh. Flames gradually began to engulf the man, Gu Cheol-woon. "That is our burden." "..." He gave no response. He merely entrusted himself to the flames. There was a place he urgently needed to be. Thus, Gu Cheol-woon vanished into the embers. Leaving behind an empty space. The old man walked calmly through what remained. Stopping before the great door. He slowly approached, standing at its threshold as he spoke. "How truly sorrowful this is." Yet, the expression on the old man's face betrayed no emotion at all.