Childhood Friend of the Zenith - Chapter 658
〈 Episode 659 〉 Let go.
Bi Hyeonhwa.
A place in the peak of maturity in the extreme.
Although classified as a shadowy figure, he is not very skilled in assassination-related matters.
Separately, his success rate is high, but he does not take on those missions unless necessary.
Most of the tasks assigned to him are related to information gathering.
As a woman known as the hidden flower of the Murim Alliance, Bi Hyeonhwa possesses a beautiful appearance.
Knowing this about herself, she uses it to play the role of a beauty.
“Are you okay…? I’m really sorry….”
She carefully examines to see if there are any real injuries with her moist eyes.
I quietly watched her behavior.
‘She did something.’
I could feel something approaching soon.
I also knew that she intentionally bumped into me.
I wondered what she was trying to do by letting it happen once.
‘I should have expected this.’
Bi Hyeonhwa’s fragrance is so captivating that anyone who smells it is bound to be enchanted by her.
It’s a famous saying in the central plains.
‘Tsk.’
It’s too bitter to call it fragrant.
Just by smelling how much anger she has, my stomach churns.
I had to make an effort not to show any signs.
“How should I compensate for this…. Ah….”
With a slightly trembling voice, Bi Hyeonhwa presses subtly against me.
Our chests lightly touch.
I lower my gaze and look at Bi Hyeonhwa.
She has a truly charming face. It’s true that she is beautiful enough to be called the flower of the Murim Alliance.
‘Miserable woman.’
That was my only thought.
Given my knowledge of Bi Hyeonhwa’s true identity, she was nothing more and nothing less than a mere pebble to me.
– A bastard like you, dare to look at me like that?
It suddenly comes to mind.
This crazy woman always picked fights for no reason.
– Do you think you can challenge me? Hmph. You don’t even know your place…. Don’t look at me, I don’t even want to breathe the same air as you.
I have never challenged her. I never had any interest in the first place.
Maybe I glanced at her occasionally because she’s pretty, but that was it.
At that time, the title of Murim Alliance’s flower was almost a joke.
‘Because… she was there.’
The swordswoman Wi Seol-a.
Since she joined the Murim Alliance, the flower of the Murim Alliance belonged to Wi Seol-a.
A flower that blooms and withers.
That was the Bi Hyeonhwa I saw. A flower that, unable to accept my authority, began to harbor resentment.
Is that really different now?
I quietly looked at Bi Hyeonhwa.
Her full bosom and charming gaze are directed at me.
While looking at her, I thought.
‘Should I kill her?’
It’s bothersome, but should I just kill her.
Such thoughts briefly crossed my mind.
‘Not yet.’
Not yet. So I decided to endure it.
I smiled sarcastically and said to Bi Hyeonhwa.
“It’s okay. There doesn’t seem to be any place where you have been hurt.”
“Oh, yes…!”
At my words, Bi Hyeonhwa smiles charmingly.
Usually, most people are surprised when I smile, but she, being well-versed in this area, showed no reaction at all.
It’s quite amusing that I am assessing the situation like this.
‘I must have made quite an impression.’
A woman who cannot be easily moved, Bi Hyeonhwa.
She is a figure who can’t easily be moved.
A woman who is only involved in significantly important missions, the fact that such a woman has come this far.
“Is Bidong keeping an eye on me?”
It means that the owner of the Dragon Head Inn pointed me out.
“So fast.”
The fact that I was approached as soon as I entered the street. This means that Bidong sent me as soon as he turned around.
It was no different from waiting on the street.
“I have to kill Gikam.”
I thought about subtly expanding Gikam, but I had to endure it.
“If I expand it and get caught, it will be troublesome.”
The probability of someone being able to detect my Gikam in the vicinity is slim.
But you never know.
“If it’s Bidong, he might be lurking nearby.”
If it’s that person, he can detect even the slightest movement, so I had to be cautious now.
“He’s sending Bidong in that short time. He might be lurking somewhere…. Or.”
On the contrary, I also considered the possibility that if I noticed, he might not approach at all.
“Well then.”
I thought as I met eyes with Bidong.
“How should I play with her.”
How can I make use of this woman.
Thinking about this, I slightly distanced myself.
“It seems like we’re both fine, so I will take my leave. I hope you and your soldiers stay safe.”
I deliberately distanced myself. At this, Bidong raised her eyes slightly, looking surprised.
That’s also an act.
I don’t really know about Bidong, but I vaguely know how she approaches.
Despite her reputation, she is a woman with a cheap and vulgar mouth, so I had a few things to boast about.
Step.
Trying to move on without regrets.
Rustle!
I feel a hand grabbing my collar.
“Uh, excuse me!”
I turned around at the sound.
A face blushing with embarrassment. It seems like she’s about to go crazy with embarrassment.
It’s an appearance adjusted using my gamble.
If I didn’t have immunity to beauty and didn’t know these facts, my heart would probably have skipped a beat.
“I’m really… sorry, but…. Can I, can I buy you a drink… or something?”
Upon hearing those words, I suppressed the urge to smile.
It’s fortunate.
The way she writes is the same, which is really fortunate.
There was already something lacking.
“Well, go ahead then.”
A very good ‘bait’ appeared before me.
******************
Lately, a famous inn has opened in Hanam.
It was a place sought after by the ladies of the noble families and wealthy women of recent times, not only for its food and drinks but also for its beautiful atmosphere and delicious food.
The building that removed the rough atmosphere unique to inns.
Planting flowers, decorating the ground, meticulously decorating the interior, and a pleasant fragrance can be smelled.
I heard it was made by the Baekhwasangdan.
Contrary to the expectations that this atmosphere would not succeed, women who heard the rumors came from afar and filled the inn.
One corner of such an inn.
Two men and women are sitting in a position where they can see outside the window.
The guests inside the inn were glancing at the pair of them.
The woman was surprisingly beautiful and captivating.
The young man sitting across from her was equally surprising…
“Scary, isn’t he…?”
“He looks scary.”
“But why is a woman like that…??”
It was because he looked sharp and scary.
Although the young man looked oddly matched with the pretty woman…
The woman continued the conversation as if unconcerned.
“Oh, really?”
The woman, Bi Hyeonhwa, continued the conversation with a unique pretty smile.
“So, you’re inheriting the school from Confucius?”
“Something like that.”
“That’s really impressive…!”
The young man continued to respond in a dry tone while taking a sip of his tea.
Bi Hyeonhwa maintained an attitude of listening while dealing with the young man.
However.
“What’s with this guy?”
The thoughts behind her pretty smile were quite different from him.
Bi Hyeonhwa continued the conversation with a smile, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling of strangeness.
Ho ho.
She let out a laugh.
The young man didn’t avert his gaze.
However.
“Why isn’t he flustered?”
Bi Hyeonhwa smiled mischievously and looked beyond him.
From head to toe, he was dark.
With loosely tied hair and a dark-colored robe, his white skin, impressive for a man, was overshadowed by his sharp eyes.
He seemed to have just turned twenty.
“What’s with this guy?”
Usually, men of his age would lose their composure just by her smile.
Even if he was older, it wouldn’t be different.
It’s just that men usually fall for her.
“Something seems off.”
Bi Hyeonhwa had to secretly hide her annoyance at the feeling.
“So, why did you come to Hanam?”
“I heard about the martial arts competition, so I came to check it out.”
“I see.”
The conversation was clearly continuing.
Although Bi Hyeonhwa initiated most of the conversations and the young man responded, that was it.
“Are you going to the martial arts competition to revive the school?”
“Well, yes.”
“Oh my. That’s really impressive.”
She kept the conversation going to prevent any awkward silence, but that was all.
She smiled at him, subtly showed her figure, and even laughed.
But the young man’s gaze remained unchanged.
He didn’t avoid eye contact and spoke properly. His eyes told her.
He showed no interest in her.
“Could he possibly be indifferent?”
Such thoughts crossed her mind.
Otherwise, the situation didn’t make sense.
“…A man not interested in me?”
Grr.
Under the unseen desk, Bi Hyeonhwa clenched her fist.
“That can’t be true.”
Unbelievable. That couldn’t be true.
Who was she?
“I am the most beautiful woman in Hanam.”
The flower of the martial world, and perhaps the most beautiful woman in the Central Plains after leaving Hanam, was none other than herself.
Look at her now.
The men outside the window were stealing glances at her.
Desire shone in their eyes.
Bi Hyeonhwa was well aware of that.
Those base desires were disgusting. It was because of those that she could manipulate men.
However.
The man in front of her was different.
“Dragon Master warned me to be careful, was this why?”
With the enemy right in front of her, Bi Hyeon-hwa was in a waiting period. She thought she should take a break and play with some handsome men secretly.
“[Mission assigned.]”
The mission came to Bi Hyeon-hwa early in the morning, who had been staying in the mansion.
It was a mission directly assigned by the Dragon Master.
It was to stick to the mysterious expert who appeared in Hanam and extract information.
At the moment of trying to refuse because it was bothersome, she became interested after reading the information she received.
“Age is between the first and second stage according to the agreement. The level is unbelievably high.”
It was presumed not to be an Inpimyeon, a person who became an expert at a young age.
Even a warning to be especially careful was attached.
An inexperienced young expert… How could she not be interested?
“It’s not just a mission, but isn’t it a waste of life just to catch him?”
Even if he was an expert, he was still a man.
Since she wouldn’t be able to focus on herself anyway, she thought she might as well use the mission as an excuse to have some fun.
“An annoying human.”
The figure that faced Bi Hyeon-hwa was a strange human, contrary to her expectations.
“You’re called an expert, but I don’t feel anything.”
Despite the warning to be cautious, she couldn’t sense any aura typical of experts.
Really nothing, not even this much energy could be felt.
“…Is something wrong?”
Even the distinctive aura of the youngest Hwagyeong, not to mention the late-stage index of the Myeongga family, could be felt.
But there was nothing.
Just nothing ( without).
It was almost like an ordinary person, but why did the Dragon Master request such caution?
“Moreover, he’s not from the Myeongga family, but a successor of the unheard-of faction called Pacheonmun.”
He said he came to demonstrate his presence through the Inpimyeon opportunity.
His name was Pajeolyeop, wasn’t it?
He was someone she had never heard of before.
If he was strong enough to warrant a warning from the Dragon Master, she should have at least heard his name.
The fact that she hadn’t… most likely led to one conclusion.
“Did he lie to me?”
It was a suspicion, but she was sure.
In a short conversation, Bi Hyeon-hwa noticed that the man was lying to her.
“You seem to be hiding something in your appearance.”
It wasn’t that surprising. How many among the people in the Central Plains didn’t have secrets? Bi Hyeon-hwa was confident that there wouldn’t be a single one.
Furthermore, uncovering such information was also her role.
“Yes, keep up your pride. Let’s see how long you can hold on.”
Even if it wasn’t Bi Hyeon-hwa, the investigation team would have moved.
Within a day, they would find out information about the man.
And what she had to do within that was.
“Obtaining unknown information and seducing to undermine from below.”
Bi Hyeon-hwa was particularly good at that.
There were a few men who stubbornly clung to their pride before, but in the end, they all fell into her trap.
This time wouldn’t be any different.
Bi Hyeon-hwa was certain of that.
“Um… Master Pa.”
At Bi Hyeon-hwa’s call, the man flicked his gaze.
He was an unruly figure with no match.
His attitude was so disrespectful that it seemed like his insides would twist, but Bi Hyeon-hwa held back, recalling his professionalism.
“We… seem to have talked a lot… right…?”
“You haven’t even said ten words. What do you mean by ‘a lot’?”
‘That’s because you talk like a blabbermouth, you punk.’
Bi Hyeon-hwa barely managed to contain the words that were about to burst out.
Endure.
He must endure.
“Anyway, it’s obvious that he’s a great man if the Dragon Lord says so, right?”
The words of being a strong man at such a young age.
Just that made Bi Hyeon-hwa feel relieved.
“The Dragon Lord was a bit too much. This much should be enough to swallow.”
The next champion and the one who is said to lead the Central Plains in the future, the Dragon Lord.
He is under the protection of Sori, so it’s presumptuous.
This man was different. Well, even if he didn’t know what he was, it wouldn’t be bad to butter him up.
Thinking so, Bi Hyeon-hwa moved his body.
He slowly moved over and sat next to the man named Pa Jeol-yeop.
“You know… Master Pa…”
Calling out to the man with a trembling voice.
As she called out, her fingertips trailed along the man’s forearm. It was a touch that seemed to reach, yet not quite.
Then, she pressed her body against his.
Pressing her chest against his arm, the man’s eyebrows twitched.
Seeing that, Bi Hyeon-hwa became a bit bolder.
“Instead of talking here, wouldn’t it be better to go to a quieter place…?”
“A quiet place, you say. Where?”
He moved the hand that was caressing his arm.
Bi Hyeon-hwa’s hand slowly moved towards the man’s chest.
Just as the sticky hand was about to stroke his torso.
Tightly.
Pa Jeol-yeop grabbed Bi Hyeon-hwa’s wrist.
It was a rough movement. Feeling it, Bi Hyeon-hwa smiled.
Caught. That’s what he thought.
And sure enough.
“Well, it’s harder to endure like this.”
The man said, as if he was already half taken.
Was it sooner than expected, contrary to worries?
‘Indeed, all men are the same.’
Bi Hyeon-hwa smiled confidently.
So, as she had not seen.
As Pa Jeol-yeop’s eyes were gradually cooling down.
Just as Bi Hyeon-hwa said, the moment Pa Jeol-yeop’s hand was about to move towards her.
Twitch.
“Huh?”
Suddenly, Pa Jeol-yeop stopped his hand, making a sound, and looked somewhere with widened eyes.
It was outside the window.
“Master Pa…?”
As Bi Hyeon-hwa tried to react to that sight.
Screaam-!
“…!!”
Bi Hyeon-hwa’s body suddenly froze.
“Crack….”
He couldn’t even scream.
It wasn’t because of being choked or suppressed.
Drip.
A drop of sweat ran down Bi Hyeon-hwa’s forehead.
‘This… this….’
She rolled her trembling eyes around.
Although nothing could be seen around, she instinctively knew.
Thud.
A knife was placed at her throat.
Nothing is there, but it is definitely there. I don’t understand this contradictory statement.
But that was the reality.
It wasn’t just the neck.
Sharp swords from all directions were pointing at Bi Hyeon-hwa.
The smell of death brushed past his nostrils.
As Bi Hyeon-hwa’s trembling body was about to swallow his dry saliva.
Squelch.
The door of the inn opened, and someone entered.
As a result, the gaze of Pajeoryeop also shifted.
“Welcome… Oh…!?”
Jal Charo-ib, who was well-dressed, was about to greet her, but she stiffened at the sight of the guest.
The newcomer was a woman.
The woman, with her long hair swaying, looked around the inn.
Her jewel-like eyes scanning the surroundings.
The murmurs that were buzzing in the air quieted down at her gaze.
Was it an illusion?
The moment the woman entered, there was a strange floral scent mixed in the inn.
“Oh my….”
“…Oh, my goodness!”
Those who saw the woman gasped in admiration, even the gaze that was fixed on Bi Hyeon-hwa was swept away.
Just by appearing.
“…”
Cutting through the admiring gazes, the woman slowly shifted her gaze.
The eyes that were moving for a moment eventually settled on one place.
The woman locked eyes with Bi Hyeon-hwa.
A young man glued to her like a shadow.
Seeing this, the woman’s brows gently furrowed.
Tap, tap.
The woman took a step forward.
With her movement, the floral scent intensified slightly.
Her steps were light and graceful, without a hint of wavering.
The woman slowly walked towards Bi Hyeon-hwa.
‘Who is she…?’
Bi Hyeon-hwa was taken aback as he watched the approaching woman.
Even in his current state of confusion, the woman’s appearance itself was a problem for Bi Hyeon-hwa.
‘What… so beautiful?’
It was a phrase he had never dared to think of before.
Bi Hyeon-hwa’s mind twisted, and his eyes were fixed on her with force. He didn’t want to admit it. But as soon as he saw her, he had to acknowledge it.
Straightening up.
“…”
The woman finally approached Bi Hyeon-hwa.
Looking up and down with her beautiful eyes, the woman said to Bi Hyeon-hwa.
“Let go.”
“…Yes…?”
When Bi Hyeon-hwa answered with a question, the woman’s eyes cooled down.
Chill-!!
At the chilling sensation that enveloped his body, Bi Hyeon-hwa’s body began to tremble uncontrollably.
“Ugh…!”
In fear, Bi Hyeon-hwa shuddered, but the woman continued as if she was not bothered by such things.
“I’ll say it again.”
Her golden hair swayed.
Her gaze, filled with vitality, bore into Bi Hyeon-hwa.
As her presence slowly began to engulf Bi Hyeon-hwa, the woman, Wi Seol-a, said to Bi Hyeon-hwa.
“Let go.”
Before killing him.
Wi Seol-a’s eyes clearly conveyed that message.