This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 312

Of course, there’s no guarantee that all my guesses so far will turn out to be correct.

It’s realistically impossible, too.

But… if the situation is uncertain, shouldn’t I make sure to secure whatever benefits I can right away?

So, I decided to change my plan.

Originally, the plan was to handle only things that could easily be resolved without having to move around too much, to make things a bit easier for my Senior… but when it comes to public achievements, it’s best to grab them while I can.

Besides, the position my Senior is currently holding is an unprecedented one: ‘Newbie’.

And that title of ‘Newbie’, which someone might be eager to shed as soon as possible, could also bring tremendous benefits depending on how it’s used.

It’s only natural that people’s evaluations differ based on who handles the same tasks.

Especially if it’s a clueless newbie who just joined and has so much to learn, right?

The surrounding evaluations would naturally rise.

Of course, if one doesn’t possess the ability to live up to the mounting expectations, it could backfire… but that doesn’t apply to my Senior.

Just look at what happened earlier.

In the blink of an eye, my Senior effortlessly subdued a suspect who could have turned out to be quite troublesome.

The talent my Senior possesses is overwhelming enough to pull off such feats without breaking a sweat.

Especially when dealing with people.

I’ve mentioned it several times before, but isn’t it true that “If you don’t know, you’ll get caught, and even if you do know, it’s hard to block it?” This perfectly describes their talent.

But does that mean it lacks versatility? Not at all.

My Senior shows overwhelming prowess even in areas like information gathering and counterintelligence.

So what if we primarily set up tasks that revolve around such missions?

It would certainly be possible to accumulate achievements that would leave others in awe in a short time.

‘Of course…’

But the first step would be to get my Senior’s permission.

Lifting my hand that had been neatly placed on the console, I tapped the mic attached to the headset a couple of times to do just that.

“Senior? Are you listening?”

—Yeah, go ahead.

I called my Senior like that, but… to be honest, I hesitated to share my earlier speculations.

It’s understandable to be cautious because there’s no guarantee someone isn’t eavesdropping while the information is being conveyed to my Senior.

Who knows, it could end up being recorded in this console.

So while I could talk to them in person later during lunch or a break, communicating through some means like this made it feel a bit off.

“I think the next mission might be a bit tricky. Are you okay with that?”

Thus, I opted to cluster my words and skirt around the details.

And perhaps it’s fortunate, but my Senior didn’t show any particular concern at my question.

—Yeah, I’m fine.

They accepted it readily.

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Baeksulhwa’s Perspective

I felt a tiny flicker of doubt.

Of course, it’s only natural since what came through my earphones from Dogun was quite a bit different from what I had anticipated.

First, the tasks they chose, and even the assignments given afterward, mostly revolved around easily solvable matters. I had expected today to go smoothly based on that, so I couldn’t help but wonder what led to a change in their thoughts.

I was curious and wanted to ask, but I refrained.

If it were the usual Dogun, they would have naturally gone into detail explaining why they changed their mind.

But the fact that they didn’t clearly indicates there’s a valid reason for it.

So rather than prying too deeply, I just nodded along, but… a small part of me was worried.

It had to be worrying since if it’s Dogun’s words, “it might be tricky,” I couldn’t even begin to imagine just how tough it could actually be.

What if I ended up looking ridiculous while Dogun is watching?

Sure enough, just after easily finishing the mission, I hopped onto the bike parked next to me, feeling such worries rise within my heart… but to conclude, they were pointless.

Contrary to Dogun’s earlier claim that it might be tricky, the tasks assigned afterward were also relatively easy to handle.

Of course, perhaps someone else would have struggled a bit had they been here.

As I thought that, I realized something.

Dogun was being incredibly prudent in assigning the missions.

Even the task I was currently on reflected that.

At first, when I had learned it was a fire scene, I thought to myself what I could possibly do there… but following through with Dogun’s words, I mobilized all my abilities to search for potential survivors who might still be inside, and soon enough, I found myself receiving gazes filled with awe from those around me.

If Dogun hadn’t chosen this mission for me, I wonder what might have happened?

It’s hard to speculate on something that never happened, but one thing is certain: feeling the sense of pride from receiving those awed gazes wouldn’t have happened, nor would I have successfully rescued every survivor trapped inside without a single miss.

Perhaps because of this newfound certainty.

The moment I witnessed a child, recently rescued from the fire, dash towards their father and embrace him tightly, I instinctively realized I might never forget this scene for the rest of my life.

Of course, such sentimental thoughts…

—For now, that should suffice for the morning.

“…Yeah.”

—You’ve worked hard, Senior. Let’s go back and eat together.

The moment those words flowed into my ears through the earphones, all traces of worry vanished as if it had never existed.

Instead, I felt my heart racing for a different reason as I quickly hopped onto the bike.

To meet Dogun as soon as possible.

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Dogun’s Perspective

‘For now…’

Let’s order food first.

Though it’s fine to eat out, it seemed more appropriate to handle it inside.

‘Since my stamina is likely to be drained…’

Dishes rich in flavor would be ideal.

Considering it’s winter, but also with the possibility that my Senior might have sweated a lot during the mission, it would also be wise to prepare for them to change clothes upon their arrival.

Typically, preparing all of this alone wouldn’t be easy, but this is the Association.

There’s no need to look for outside catering for something like a lunch box; I just have to relay the menu I think would be good to the Association.

With that, I’d be utilizing the welfare the Association offers to the fullest while diligently preparing to welcome my Senior back.

I thought it might take a bit longer to return, given that there’s quite a distance between the last mission site and the Association… but I must have underestimated my Senior’s eagerness to rest.

“Um…”

I heard someone gently knocking on the door of the rest area, calling my Senior’s name, so I thought the lunch box I had requested earlier had arrived. I opened the door…

But standing outside wasn’t the lunch box; it was my Senior.

“You’re here? Senior?”

And my Senior… was wearing a Rider Suit that clung tightly to their body. Perhaps because of the helmet they wore during the journey, they were slightly damp with sweat even though it was winter.

Just looking at them, I could tell they must feel quite uncomfortable in that zipper-locked Rider Suit.

‘Should I give some space to let them wipe off the sweat…?’

But as those thoughts crossed my mind, my Senior quickly answered my unspoken question and dashed toward the sofa, letting out a groan as they flopped onto it.

Then—

Zzzzip…

“Se-Senior…?!”

My Senior, clutching the zipper running down the middle of the Rider Suit, slowly began to pull it down.