This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 597

Tricky Face.

Though they have now completely faded into obscurity, they were once one of the worst villains that terrorized the entirety of Japan.

What set them apart from typical villains was their duo activity, which skyrocketed their infamy in no time.

While they were already somewhat famous, it was their brutally merciless methods that ensured their notoriety.

Their horrific modus operandi involved first murdering the target’s family or loved ones, then disguising themselves as the slain individuals, making the target believe that they were killed by someone they trusted.

The real issue was their extraordinary talent, making them nearly impossible to capture, no matter the method employed.

With their abilities, they could simply bypass fingerprint and iris recognition, so what chance did anyone have of capturing someone with such talent?

Thus, for quite some time, those two sisters established themselves as a headache for the Japan Hero Association.

To think these notorious figures have been caught by a mere candidate and not even a fully-fledged hero!

Is this what they mean when they say someone stands out from the starting point?

Perhaps that kind of thought was circulating among the meeting participants.

Even those who were somewhat hopeful, or those who viewed them as a second or third option, could hardly find fault in the Expedition Team’s decision to include a mere rookie.

It couldn’t be helped; the Expedition Team’s strength was already overflowing, thanks to the presence of Miss Almighty, regardless of what the world outside thought.

With that in mind, getting to know a promising hero would surely hold no drawbacks.

People often find themselves in situations beyond their control.

Being from Korea, there may not be any immediate reason to switch affiliations, but one ‘event’ could potentially shift that perspective.

Thus, it was necessary to keep possibilities open.

‘If her talent is such that even that Lightning Lady would take her as a protégé…’

‘It wouldn’t hurt to establish a connection in advance.’

‘Hmm… the same talent as Frozen, huh… that’s definitely intriguing.’

‘If I play my cards right now, maybe it could help in the future?’

And it was this shared excitement over the new information that set everyone abuzz.

“This isn’t official, but… what I’ve heard is that Miss Oh is likely a core member of the expedition team organized by the Korean Hero Association.”

“…!”

“Is that really…?”

“Is it reliable information?”

“I’ve said it’s not official. But…”

“But?”

“The person who tipped me off has had an ongoing relationship with me for quite a while.”

“So at least the source seems trustworthy.”

If that statement was true, then from here on, things would surely take a slightly different turn.

That was the common thought among those who had just received this new information.

After all, everyone had positively viewed Yoonseo’s participation in the Expedition Team, partly because she was a promising hero, but mainly because if she indeed was a key member of the Korean expedition team—which had produced overwhelming results compared to the one organized abroad—they would need to welcome Yoonseo with open arms rather than acting aloof.

There’s nothing like the relief of having a friend who knows the area well when visiting a place one has never been before.

What if that ‘Miss Oh’ were to join the Expedition Team?

Mistakes that are inevitable on an unfamiliar journey would likely be drastically reduced.

And that would eliminate even the slightest chance of mishaps that people often talk about.

Given their significant placement within the Expedition Team, it was inconceivable they wouldn’t understand this reality, tipping the scale further in the positive direction.

“If that’s true, there’s no reason to reject her.”

“I agree.”

And with that, what was effectively Yoonseo’s request was accepted, and those gathered in the meeting room continued their discussions.

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【Baeksulhwa’s Perspective】

Perhaps it was because I started off with many closed possibilities that I had my doubts about Yoonseo’s actions, but each time I thought, ‘surely, it can’t be that,’ I ended up far from the truth.

To be honest, there was no real alternative to that thought.

As such, I eventually reached the truth, and the moment I did, I was overwhelmed with shock.

‘No, what on earth…’

I had certainly sensed that Yoonseo’s feelings towards Dogun were unusual.

How could I not be aware of it?

I had been wary of Yoonseo more than anyone else since I too liked Dogun.

Previously, I had heard that she had liked Dogun since she was a clueless little girl… If that’s true, then it must be at least ten years deep, which makes you wonder how profound those feelings truly were.

Therefore, it was obvious that Yoonseo’s feelings for Dogun couldn’t merely be summed up in the word ‘love.’

Moreover, I had an inkling that Yoonseo felt some guilt about Dogun’s injured left arm, but… I never imagined she would go so far as to commit such an act without telling him.

Having not even considered the possibility, I found myself wandering aimlessly, right in front of the answer.

‘What on earth will happen if Dogun finds out about this…’

The moment I faced the truth, such thoughts began to overwhelm me.

What would happen if Dogun found out that Yoonseo had not traveled to China but to the dangerous realm of the Another Ones, the Heogye?

To be honest, it was too terrifying to imagine.

How could I dare to think such a thing when I was not Dogun?

Nevertheless… one thing was certain: the moment Dogun learned this truth, he would be struck with profound shock.

And… he would surely be sad.

If it were Dogun, there was no doubt about that.

Given his personality, it stood to reason he would end up blaming himself for Yoonseo’s actions, thinking she had to go to such lengths because of him.

The reason I hesitated to tell Dogun the truth, even though I understood that Yoonseo was telling him immense lies, was that deep down, I wanted to protect him.

Just having turned twenty, Dogun had already faced trials that most people wouldn’t encounter throughout their entire lives.

So without saying a word, I could only imagine how much he was suffering, and I didn’t want to put him through any more pain.

Despite his incredibly mature demeanor, possibly due to living alone since childhood, just because his nature is mature doesn’t mean he doesn’t hurt.

Children can cry freely without worrying about societal judgment, but adults cannot afford to do so.

That’s why it’s hard being an adult.

And how would I know?

Well… I too have experiences of suppressing everything inside, which hasn’t been an easy task.

Fully aware of that difficulty, I didn’t want to push Dogun, who seemed to have recently become a bit better, back into that pit of despair.

‘But…’

Eventually, I would have to speak up about it.

No, that part could be put aside for now, but how could Yoonseo have pulled off such a thing?

Just judging by the scale, it’s clearly far beyond anything she could do on her own.

Though Yoonseo has grown a lot, her actions were on a completely different scale this time.

At the very least, this scheme wouldn’t have been possible without assistance from someone within the upper echelons of the Association.

And in that moment, a face popped into my head—Chae-rim’s.

‘…Could it be?’

Could it be that my sister helped her?