1073 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 1073: North Rabbit - Web Novel Archive What did I just hear? The words uttered by the man at the back made me rise instantly. Crash-! As I rose noisily from my seat, everyone around looked at me. Ignoring their gazes, I approached the one who had just spoken. "Hmm?" As I unexpectedly drew near, the man appeared flustered, but I seized him by the collar regardless. “What did you say just now?” “Ugh!? What's this all about?” “I asked, what did you just say!?” “Hold on. Could you let go of my collar first……!” He struggled, but he couldn’t shake off my arm. Looking at him with blazing eyes, I asked again. “Repeat what you just said.” “What words……?” “What you said just now.” “The Azure Dragon Unit……?” “After that.” “Vice Leader……?” “Yes. That.” “What’s so strange about Shinyong becoming the Vice Leader……!” The man spoke as if he was unjustly accused. His words contorted my expression further as I asked again. “The Vice Leader of the Azure Dragon Unit. Is it true that Shinyong is from Shanseo-gu?” “Uh, yes……. It’s a well-known fact……!” “What…….” Such a thing shouldn’t be common knowledge. As if stunned by such absurdity, the strength in my grasp unconsciously loosened. “Oof!” The man I had been holding dropped and sat down heavily. “Cough. Cough!” “Zhang, are you alright?” Friends approached the man who had suffered, expressing their concern. “What kind of rudeness was that all of a sudden……!” “Brother Bae, calm down……. Aren't we warriors……!” “Grr…….” He was indeed a martial artist, given that he lifted a grown man with ease. They were too aggrieved to voice any complaints. Seeing this, I threw something his way. Clink. A coin rolled and fell at his feet. “……I apologize. I was in a bit of a rush.” “Huh……?” The man’s expression instantly relaxed upon receiving the coin. “Oh, it was nothing…….” He laughed sheepishly. “Such things happen when you live long enough. Haha.” “…….” As if he’d completely forgotten the incident just now. The money, conjured from the power of the wind, was enough to settle the matter. “Looks like you've come for the sect’s entrance exam as well.” “……Exam?” “They say there’s an exam today. Thanks to Shinyong’s appearance, a lot more people are taking the entrance exam.” “…….” My head was spinning. Too many strange words were being thrown around. “……Hu. Anyway, I apologize.” Thinking that staying here would be uncomfortable, I moved to walk away. At that moment, I saw the server bringing my dumplings from afar. “Oh? Customer?” “The gentleman over there will cover the bill.” I pointed to the man to whom I had just thrown the coin. I hurriedly left the shop. I needed to get away and reorganize my thoughts. Just as I decided and started moving. Thud-! “Guh!?” I collided with someone. The person I had bumped into fell to the ground. Damn. ‘I’m so distracted.’ Normally, I would have sensed someone approaching and reacted immediately. My mind was so preoccupied that even this slipped by. “Damn……! Who are you!” enN1WnIzcFhHMVJuR0JvdkNPc013eUtGTDFCM3paWDlyclo0cnVlcE4xWHI2ZVZZRzVISHJwMnJQV0dVTTFJbg The fallen person immediately shouted. Recognizing it was my fault, I was about to apologize but paused. “Sorry, I’m in a rush…… Huh?” I squinted at the fallen person. Who is this? A handsome man with white hair and blue eyes. His somewhat arrogant face sparked a memory. “Namgoong brat?” “……What?” This face resembled Namgoong Cheonjun’s rotten mug but didn’t seem to be him. While I recognized the face, it wasn’t him. Where have I seen this…… Ah. It came to me. “Namgoong Jin.” “……Ha.” The handsome young man got up and, with a cynical smile, addressed me. “You know me and still dared to be so impolite?” “…….” It was Namgoong Jin. The Heavenly Sword King, Namgoong Jin. Father to Namgoong Biah and Namgoong Cheonjun. He was the head of the Namgoong Family that I knew. “Are you out of your mind, challenging me knowing who I am?” He was glaring at me with a much younger face. “Did you purposely pick a fight knowing I am Sword Dragon Namgoong Jin?” Not the Sword King, but the Sword Dragon. He looked much younger, only appearing a few years older than I currently was. As I stood there bewildered, someone next to him calmed him down. “Calm down, Sword Dragon.” Turning to look who it was, I had to bite back another surprise. “Causing trouble here won't yield any good results.” A gentleman blocking Namgoong Jin with a composed demeanor. It was none other than. “Moyong… Moyong Tae?” “…….” The other young man looked at me when I spoke his name. It was Moyong Tae, father of Moyong Hiah. “Yes, I am Moyong Tae. It seems you know us both. May I ask your name?” “…….” His words made me step back instinctively. ‘Damn, things shouldn’t be like this.’ Thoughts tangled. My mind wasn’t processing well. Clenched teeth. After gritting my teeth, I quickly turned and leaped away. “Hey!! Come back!!” Seeing me increase my speed, Namgoong Jin tried to grab me, but I was already airborne. “Ha!! The nerve to run away!?” Seeing me disappear, Namgoong Jin gritted his teeth. While he was about to erupt in anger. “……But what?” Namgoong Jin tilted his head, suddenly curious. “What’s wrong?” Moyong Tae asked curiously, and Namgoong Jin replied with a displeased look. “No, he resembles someone.” “Who?” “……Someone.” Namgoong Jin clicked his tongue, diverting his gaze. Those fierce eyes and that unique glint. The face looked far better than the person he knew, though. Despite everything, there was a resemblance. Namgoong Jin felt irritation bubble up as a face he despised the most flashed in his mind. * * * I escaped the city and returned to the forest. My mind was a mess. I took deep breaths to steady myself. “Huff... Huff...” What is going on here? I gripped a tree and racked my brain. Both Namgoong Jin and Moyong Tae, and even discussions about the Shanseo-gu family. I could tell something had gone horribly wrong. ‘...Could this just be another parallel world?’ It wasn’t merely about being in a different world. This was... ‘...Not good,’ No matter how much I thought about it, this situation wasn't ordinary. The feeling was overwhelming. Back then, it was the world of my past life. If that's the case, then here is... ‘...If my suspicions are correct...’ I found myself in a place I didn’t belong. ‘What should I do?’ Why did I suddenly end up in a place like this? Even if this were just another world, it was by no means an ordinary one. “Sigh.” I recalled the enigmatic words of my ancestors with a frown. “Is this what they meant by planning?” How could this possibly be part of a plan? What is it that I am supposed to do here? “Damn it.” Not knowing what I should be doing, I find myself entangled in this bizarre situation. Smack-! I slapped my cheek with my hand. It stung. I had faintly hoped it was all a dream, but of course, it wasn’t. The pain confirmed it was all real. ‘Damn it…’ Seriously, what should I do? If this isn’t a dream, then what is my next move? Namgoong Jin and Moyong Tae... Why here and why now? ‘What does this arrangement want from me?’ What did my mother expect by dropping me into a place like this? No matter how many times I pondered, I couldn’t make sense of it. “…….” Given the current situation, what steps should I take next? I have a feeling there’s something expected of me, but without knowing what it is, I’m simply confused. “Damn.” I scrubbed my face with my hands. I didn’t have time for this. Plans and arrangements be damned, I had no time for this. I dry-washed my face repeatedly. ‘I have to escape.’ The conclusion was simple. Whatever it takes, I need to get out of here. But how? Having experienced a similar situation before, I knew it was futile to not achieve what they wanted. Therefore, it meant I must fulfill whatever was expected of me. ‘How?’ Given that I wasn’t even aware of what was expected here. What must I do? Suppressing my frustration, I forced myself to think. ‘In this Shanseo-gu situation...’ ‘Seems like you’ve come for the sect’s entrance exam as well.’ ‘Shinyong...’ “…….” It didn’t take long before I stopped washing my face and lifted my head. “...Oh, hell.” No way, it can't be that. Even thinking it over and over again. “…….” No matter how I considered it, there seemed to be only one option. Otherwise, there was no reason to send me to such a place. “…….” Besides, it was not the time to debate whether it was right or wrong. It was time to do something. Once the choice appeared, there was no room to hesitate. ‘Remember this.’ An ancestor’s words came to mind. ‘Nothing changes.’ I wondered why they said such things, but now I understood. “Damn.” There only seems to be one answer. Trying to find something else likely wouldn’t lead to any clarity. Honestly, Namgoong Jin or Moyong Tae. Even without them, I knew from the moment I heard that man's words. No matter what I had to do here. The person I needed to meet was already determined. After forcefully coming to a decision, I turned my head. The town I had just left and the large, expansive building further away. I bit my lip as I looked at where the main sect's location would be. It seemed inevitable. That was where I needed to go. Simultaneously, a person came to mind. Someone I absolutely had to meet in this world. My father would be there.