1264 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

The world seemed out of character as Mi Hyoran, with her cold demeanor, appeared bewildered. Her expression hinted at hearing something completely incomprehensible, which felt oddly amusing. "Killed him, you say...?" In an instant, her face reverted back to its familiar, icy composure. "As I said, quite literally." "No, no... What do you mean...?" "I stepped out for a moment and took care of the bastard." "...Are you insane?" Does she think I'm speaking nonsense? Her eyes were filled with skepticism. Well, it would indeed sound strange if I were in her place. But. "It’s true. If you find it hard to believe, why don’t you summon the King of Assassins and ask him?" "And why bring him into this...?" "I caught the guy with his help. It's too far to go back and forth, you see." "..." Her expression was that of someone questioning the sanity of the person in front of her. "...But it's the truth." "And you're saying the King of Assassins helped you? Why would he?" "Perhaps it's a mutual relationship where both parties benefit." "...The King of Assassins wants something from a person like you... no, from you?" "Were you about to say 'a person like you' just now?" "Answer the question." Despite her earlier rudeness, she tried to sidestep it. Though I found it unreasonable, I decided to go along with her. "Yes." "And what is that?" "I don't think I need to answer that." "..." Mi Hyoran fell silent. It seemed even she found the situation a bit odd. "Anyway, what the Deputy Lord wanted was the death of the enemy... since I accomplished that, shouldn't I hear what I came for?" "...It's still not confirmed." "Then summon the King of Assassins and ask." "The verification process wouldn't be thorough enough. I'll confirm and then let you know." "… Hmm." I questioned whether such extensive verification was necessary. "The matter you were discussing earlier with the gathered people—was it about the enemy?" "..." She wore the expression of someone who had been caught off guard. It seemed likely. The sudden request to capture an enemy and her insistence on verifying his death—both seemed off. Something felt strange. "What is it about?" Curious, I asked. "… I don't think there's a reason to tell you." "… Oh." She returned the question with my own words from earlier. That was fine. It wasn't important anyway. "… Then, do all the verification you need. Once confirmed, call me again." I genuinely had no reservations because I had indeed killed him. Mi Hyoran just needed to confirm it. With no regrets, I waved goodbye to Mi Hyoran as I walked away. She didn't speak to me again until I left. * * * After finishing my conversation with Mi Hyoran, I headed to my quarters. Inside, the Poison Phoenix and Tang Cheongi were waiting for me. "You're here!" The Poison Phoenix greeted me with a bright smile. Her cheerful demeanor still felt overwhelming. "Yes." "Where did you go last night?" "Ah, just out for a walk." "Oh, a walk." The Poison Phoenix nodded as if she understood. At that moment, "Isn't it strange to go for a walk all night?" Tang Cheongi commented, looking perceptively at me—. Smack-!! "Gah!" The Poison Phoenix dashed and slapped the back of Tang Cheongi's head. It was so forceful that his head jerked violently. "Ughhh..." He groaned, clutching his aching head, but the Poison Phoenix merely glowered at her brother with chilling eyes. "Must you always speak like that?" "…What did I do...?" "You spoke rudely." "…No…" Tang Cheongi argued, feeling aggrieved, but it was clear that it wouldn't make a difference. Only the sharp eyes continued to glare at him. "Ugh..." "Do better, alright?" "… Yes, sister..." Once the scolding was over, the Poison Phoenix looked at me again, her gaze much different than the one aimed at Tang Cheongi. "Are you tired? Have you eaten?" "… Yes. Roughly..." Truth be told, I hadn't slept or eaten, but I felt I had to say I was fine. Who knows what the Poison Phoenix might bring if I mentioned being hungry. "Oh, will you be resting then?" "I suppose I’ll rest for a bit." I planned to go on another of these so-called walks, so I wouldn’t be resting for long. For now, I needed to wait. Not that I came here merely to rest. 'Being around her doesn't really allow for rest.' There was something about the Poison Phoenix that sapped a person's energy. Resting alone was far more restorative. Yet, despite knowing this, I had a reason for being here. "Poison Phoenix." "Yes? Yes, yes!" Merely calling her name provoked such a reaction. She truly wasn't easy. "There's something I'd like to ask you." "What is it? I'll answer anything. Ask me anything!" "… It's nothing much." Whatever she was expecting, it likely wasn't what I intended to ask. She was the only one here who could provide the information I needed. "How many more hideouts of other survivors are there?" "Pardon?" As expected, it wasn't the question she had anticipated. The Poison Phoenix appeared startled. "Uh, why do you ask…?" "I'm curious how many there are." "Hmm." The Poison Phoenix seemed to ponder for a moment but, "There shouldn't be too many. What I know might not encompass everything." Fortunately, it seemed she was willing to share some information. "Ah, even knowing that much helps. Please, I'd appreciate it if you could tell me." I needed to gather as much information as I could. Now wasn't the time to ask Mi Hyoran. "Well... um..." The Poison Phoenix organized her thoughts for a moment before continuing. "As far as I know, including this place, there are three major hideouts. There could be smaller ones, but they’re probably too minor to count." "Three places?" "Yes. One is here, under the protection of Baekhwa Sodan-ju. This is the largest hideout." It did seem large at first glance, and now it was confirmed as the biggest. "The other is quite far to the north and is the second-largest. I believe it's where the Divine Dragon Deputy Lord resides." 'The Divine Dragon Deputy Lord, huh?' It was Tae Hoan. He had managed to survive and establish another place elsewhere. 'To the north.' I committed it to memory, as it might be useful later. "And the last one..." The final location. As the Poison Phoenix began to speak, she hesitated for a moment. What was going on? "Why do you pause?" "Ah, it's because I've recently heard some troubling news about that place." "If it's troubling news..." "I heard a report that it was attacked by the enemy and disappeared. The issue is, since it had already been attacked once before, the odds are high that it might have vanished for good." "...Hmm." A place that had already been attacked? I nodded in response. If that were indeed the case, it would make sense for it to vanish. An understandable situation. But. "...There's more to it." Poison Phoenix hesitated as if there was another reason, casting an uncertain glance at me. "Why do you hesitate?" "…Well." Seeing her struggle to speak made me impatient, prompting me to urge her for an answer. "The person responsible for that place was Paejon." The answer came not from the Poison Phoenix but from Tang Cheongi. "What?" "Your master. It was the area he was in charge of." "What?" This meant... The hideout that Paejon managed. That place was said to have been attacked by the enemy. Moreover. '... The old man might've been defeated?' The idea that Paejon could have been bested was utterly inconceivable. * * * The gentle sound of a stream whispered in the air. Among the dry lands and crimson skies of this world, it was an oddly serene place. A verdant forest. Air so light. A space with a forest cleaner than the central plains that once existed. There, a man clad in black. Gu Cheolun moved forward with measured steps. Tap. Tap. He adjusted his massive frame, treading softly as if not to startle the grass. He approached the riverbank. Splash. Without a care for the water wetting his feet, Gu Cheolun continued walking. If he wished, he could easily fly to his destination. Yet he chose to walk. How much longer did he walk? Despite the slow pace, the destination appeared quickly. The large tree before him. Gu Cheolun extended his hand toward it. Buzz. Surprisingly, his hand did not touch the tree. Some sort of invisible barrier repelled it. "...." Gu Cheolun withdrew his hand, observing. He considered applying force to see if it would work, but he'd attempted this hundreds of times before. He decided there was no use in dwelling on it. So. "Have you been well?" All he could do was speak to the tree he couldn't touch. No answer came. Gu Cheolun's gaze was locked on the tree, specifically at the base. Under the tree lay someone. A woman rested there quietly, eyes closed as if in a deep sleep. After observing her for a while, Gu Cheolun turned away. The surroundings seemed stable. It was a testament to the Sword Queen keeping her promise well. "Sleep a little longer." It wouldn't be much longer. Gu Cheolun whispered before distancing himself from the tree. "...." After Gu Cheolun vanished, the eyelids of the woman, resting peacefully, fluttered slightly. But only for a very brief moment.