Childhood Friend of the Zenith-Chapter 668: My Name Is... (2)

After quieting the crowd, the selection process resumed. With the initial intimidation done, the remaining task didn’t take long.

To be fair, calling it a "selection process" was a stretch.

“Didn’t I say to pick only seven?”

At my words, the remaining candidates stiffened.

Gone were their earlier expressions of discontent and anger, replaced with palpable tension.

How amusing. A small demonstration of power was enough to change their attitude so drastically.

‘This is exactly why I can’t stand Zhongyuan.’

Everything starts and ends with power.

It’s efficient, but it’s also unbearably primitive.

Not that I’m in any position to complain, considering how well I exploit it.

“The group is still too large. But wasting time here feels unnecessary.”

I waved my hand dismissively.

“Figure it out amongst yourselves.”

“...What?”

“What do you mean by that?”

Confusion spread through the crowd at my statement.

The meaning should’ve been obvious, though.

“Vote, talk it out, or...”

My gaze flicked toward Cheonma, who was watching from afar with her vacant expression.

“Fight each other. I don’t care. Just decide.”

It was the most straightforward solution.

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Simple, efficient, and easy for everyone to understand.

“You’ve got about half an hour. Make your decision by then.”

With another casual wave, I turned and walked away.

Even as I moved, my senses remained trained on Cheonma, keeping an eye out for any change in her demeanor.

When I glanced at Moyong Hee-ah, I found her staring at me with an incredulous expression.

“...Is this really okay?” she asked.

“You told me to handle it however I wanted. If you don’t like the results, you can change them later.”

“I wasn’t talking about the selection.”

Oh. Not about that?

Then what?

She turned to glance behind us, toward where I had tossed the unconscious man.

“He’s from the Martial Alliance, isn’t he?”

“Yeah.”

“How did you know?”

Moyong Hee-ah’s tone carried a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

How did I know? It wasn’t anything extraordinary.

“Most people who come here to apply as escorts aren’t affiliated with any organization.”

I didn’t know what kind of offer the Baekhwa Trading Company had made to attract such high-level martial artists, but—

No matter how good the offer was, anyone already affiliated with a sect or clan wouldn’t bother coming here.

Especially someone at the peak stage. They’d be better off serving as guards or enforcers for a prestigious family.

‘It’s impressive that they managed to gather people of this caliber at all.’

First-rate martial artists, even those at the peak stage—it was almost unbelievable.

For such individuals to show up for escort work, the conditions must’ve been exceptional.

Still—

“There was something off about his breathing,” I said.

“Breathing?”

“Do you know what sets apart martial artists from great clans or sects? Precision. Everything about them is polished, from their breathing to their movements.”

Their actions carry a distinctive refinement, a disciplined elegance that’s impossible to fully conceal.

“He tried to pass himself off as a vagabond, but it didn’t quite work.”

“...And you could tell just by looking?”

“Of course.”

Moyong Hee-ah seemed amazed, but it wasn’t really that impressive.

She simply lacked the level of skill needed to notice such things.

“A martial artist from a great clan at that level wouldn’t come here to work as an escort unless they had a reason.”

His demeanor was too polished for a vagabond, and his skill too high for someone seeking simple work.

If he was here, it meant there was a purpose behind his presence.

It wasn’t hard to deduce.

“He had to be here for something. It’s obvious.”

Perhaps he was a fugitive, someone who’d caused trouble and had nowhere else to go. But I doubted it.

‘It didn’t feel that way.’

That left only one explanation.

“He was sent here to gather information,” I said.

The Martial Alliance had few reasons to send someone to infiltrate the Baekhwa Trading Company, but given its lack of alignment with the Alliance and its location in Henan...

It didn’t take much to piece together.

Moyong Hee-ah tilted her head, still unconvinced.

“But that’s not enough to be sure, is it?”

I nodded. “You’re right.”

It wasn’t definitive. My reasoning was mostly circumstantial.

“So, does that mean you had something concrete to go on?” she asked, frowning slightly.

Her question made me chuckle.

“Nope. Just a gut feeling.”

“...What?”

I grinned at her startled reaction.

“He just seemed suspicious, so I beat him up to find out.”

“...”

Moyong Hee-ah looked absolutely horrified.

Her methodical personality clearly couldn’t handle the idea of acting on impulse.

‘But beating him up confirmed my suspicion.’

His reaction had told ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) me everything I needed to know.

The man was definitely with the Martial Alliance.

The only question was why he was here.

‘What’s their target?’

Was it me?

The Baekhwa Trading Company itself?

Or perhaps...

‘Moyong Hee-ah?’

There were three likely possibilities.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t interrogate him yet.

I had to focus on observing Cheonma for now.

That’s why I made sure he wouldn’t wake up anytime soon or be able to escape.

With that settled, I turned toward the dense thicket nearby and whispered,

“Take him and tie him up. I’ll deal with him later.”

I sensed a small movement in the bushes.

It seemed the Baekhwa Trading Company had stationed guards nearby, and my sudden order had startled them.

I’d known they were there from the start, of course.

There was no way Moyong Hee-ah would venture out here with just me for protection.

With that taken care of—

‘Time to watch.’

I turned my attention back to Cheonma.

As expected, the candidates had begun fighting among themselves.

And so, the chaos began.

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

Half a shichen had passed.

I stood on the field, observing the seven remaining individuals.

Seven. Exactly as I had instructed.

While half a shichen wasn’t a particularly short time for a contest, it hadn’t devolved into a drawn-out bloodbath.

This was, after all, just a test.

The differences in skill among the participants were clear, and only those who seemed naturally fit for the task remained.

Among the group were martial artists ranging from peak-stage fighters to first-rate warriors.

What caught my attention, however, was something unexpected.

‘So they failed, huh?’

Some of the peak-stage martial artists I’d expected to succeed had been eliminated, while a few first-rate fighters I assumed wouldn’t make it had managed to hold their ground.

Those first-rate warriors hadn’t won through superior skill. They had scraped by through sheer persistence.

My gaze landed on one particular individual—the strongest of the group.

He had systematically taken down other martial artists, leaving the first-rate ones to fend for themselves.

Those weaker fighters had endured just long enough to be among the last standing.

It was a clever, albeit opportunistic, strategy. The frustration on the faces of the eliminated participants was obvious.

They couldn’t stand the fact that such underhanded tactics had succeeded.

‘Not bad, though.’

From my perspective, it was a satisfactory outcome.

‘Being an escort isn’t just about strength.’

A sharp mind and political acumen were equally important.

This strongest candidate hadn’t indiscriminately attacked the weaker participants. Instead, he had subtly manipulated the situation to his advantage.

‘He must have realized who the strongest was and acted accordingly.’

Even earlier, when I was making my initial selections and the Martial Alliance man had lashed out, those who eventually succeeded had refrained from involving themselves.

They had aligned themselves with the wrong factions, while the successful ones had played their cards right.

It wasn’t about raw power but about knowing where to stand and when.

‘If Moyong Hee-ah isn’t happy with this, she can fix it later.’

That part wasn’t my concern.

The real issue was something else entirely.

‘Why did she fail?’

My frown deepened as I looked past the remaining participants, toward the lone figure standing at the edge of the group.

Cheonma.

She was there, just as before, her expression calm and detached.

She hadn’t participated in the fights.

When the others had begun their brawl, she had simply declared,

“I’m not interested,”

and stepped back.

She had been watching ever since.

Was she too afraid to join? Unlikely.

‘Then what’s her game?’

I couldn’t understand her motives.

I had deliberately ensured her inclusion, yet she had opted out entirely.

‘What is she trying to do?’

The fact that Gu Heebi, my sister, had brought her here was baffling enough.

Now, Cheonma’s behavior added another layer of mystery.

As I stared at her, my brows furrowed, she seemed to sense my gaze.

Our eyes met.

This time, I didn’t look away. I kept my focus on her.

The moment stretched on, and then she acted.

With a faint smile, she waved lightly, just as she had before.

And then—

“...!!”

She leapt, vanishing in an instant.

It all happened so quickly.

“Uh... Young Master?”

Moyong Hee-ah cautiously approached me.

“The selection process seems to be over...”

I barely heard her.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“Shall we head to a guesthouse? I’ve picked out a nice one—wait, what?”

“Later. I’ll be back soon.”

Without waiting for her response, I kicked off the ground.

“...You’ve got to be kidding me—!”

Moyong Hee-ah’s indignant shout faded behind me. I didn’t have time to care.

I couldn’t let her get away.

That was the only thought in my mind.

As I soared into the air, I noticed the sun dipping lower in the sky.

‘Where did she go?’

From my vantage point above the forest, I scanned the area.

There was no sign of Cheonma.

Had she already fled too far?

Expanding my senses, I let my qi spread outward, searching for her presence.

Whoosh—!

My qi swept through the forest, spilling over into the nearby city.

I searched relentlessly, determined to locate her.

Then—

Thrum.

A familiar energy struck me.

Demonic energy.

There was no mistaking it.

‘Northwest.’

Near the outskirts of Henan, closer to the forest than the city.

I felt her moving swiftly, and I pushed myself to match her speed.

Fwoosh—!

Flames engulfed my body as I propelled myself forward, following her trail.

I descended into the forest, moving through the trees without pause.

Tension mounted as I gave chase.

A fleeting thought crossed my mind, absurd as it was:

Should I turn back?

What was I planning to do once I caught her?

Fight?

I wasn’t sure.

I didn’t even know if I could win.

But I couldn’t stop now.

Something told me I had to keep going.

Rustle.

The wind shifted as I moved through the forest, and I halted abruptly.

The reason was simple.

‘I’ve lost her.’

Her presence, so distinct just moments ago, had vanished.

The silence around me was unsettling, amplifying the tension.

‘Where did she go?’

It made no sense for her trail to disappear so suddenly.

Unless—

‘She’s hiding her presence.’

Had she noticed my pursuit and concealed herself?

‘No way.’

It was hard to believe.

Cheonma wasn’t the type to retreat.

She never backed down, no matter the circumstances.

Frowning, I scanned my surroundings.

Had I truly lost her?

I was about to expand my senses again when—

Rustle.

A faint sound caught my attention.

I reacted instinctively, summoning flames to my hand.

Fwoosh—!

The fire condensed rapidly, forming into a spear.

Without hesitation, I prepared to hurl it toward the source of the sound.

“Wait—!”

I froze.

The voice wasn’t hers.

Turning, I saw someone else standing behind me.

A woman with sharp features and jet-black hair.

Her expression mirrored my own surprise as she spoke.

“Brother?”

“...Sister?”

The woman was none other than my sister, Gu Heebi.

And behind her, peeking out cautiously, was Cheonma, hiding like a child behind an elder.