This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 653

“Is it dangerous?”

“What exactly are you talking about?”

In an instant, such questions flooded my mind, but my body was already leaning forward.

At the same time, the moisture floating in the air coalesced around me.

It was a reaction that came purely by instinct.

However, the outcome wasn’t bad.

As I bent forward, enveloped by the water, I sensed something sharp and pointed narrowly skim past above my head.

It wasn’t hard to deduce what it was.

After all, there was only one type of object in this dangerous realm of Heogye that could fit the description.

It was the very cause of the ongoing phenomenon of Monsterization that still stirred the world, and it had transformed Dogun’s left arm like that.

Yes, it had to be that.

And the sound of something skimming right above me…

‘It’s nearby…!’

It meant that whatever had drawn me this far was not far from here either.

So, where exactly could it be?

Where was that pesky, fly-like creature hiding?

That moment was probably when I was quietly and rapidly trying to heighten my concentration.

“Ugh…!”

A sound that seemed like a breathless gasp slipped into my ears.

That sound, which disrupted the concentration I was trying to pull together, made it impossible to maintain focus.

What exactly was that sound?

Figuring it out wasn’t difficult.

Just turning my head back from where I stood revealed the answer.

“Oh no…!”

“First, take care of the ones around us!”

Someone was wheezing, clutching their heart, and others were staring in shock at her.

The situation before me was something I could never have imagined when we first set out from the Forward Base.

“Ugh…!”

Eyes wide with disbelief, suspicious glimmers shone in a person’s gaze.

In that gaze, something bone-chillingly white was piercing through the chest of the one kneeling before them.

No, would it be more accurate to say that it was lodged in there?

One thing was clear… we hadn’t even reached our intended destination, yet we were already faced with a moment of choice.

The cleanup around us was thankfully quick.

Having achieved our objective, it seemed there was no reason to linger here anymore, as it was just those little pests left now.

However, the atmosphere was a far cry from what it once was.

Though there were still a few who grumbled at the annoyances popping up at all times, unlike before, where I could feel the morale rising on my skin, now there was only the sound of painful groans echoing in my ears.

But that wouldn’t last long.

Perhaps the pain had surpassed what one could endure, or maybe they could no longer stand watching a comrade gasping for breath on the ground; either way, those who had been maintaining their silence, their expressions twisted in discomfort, started to speak one by one as if they were just waiting for the moment.

“Hah… what is this…?”

“What should we do…?”

Of course, even with those words, nothing would change.

Could it be that everyone was caught off guard by this situation?

Despite there being fourteen of us, none could come up with a solution that could be deemed satisfactory.

No wonder though.

To speak up now would essentially mean taking on the responsibility that came with the plans proposed.

The problem was… the stakes were too high.

For someone to be part of an Expedition Team meant they were among the top Heroes in the country, but who could really be responsible for their life?

That alone was a huge uncertainty, and the fury from the nation’s people who lost their beloved Hero, or the resentment of those who looked up to that Hero, would be unbearable.

Who could possibly withstand such outrage?

The world’s strongest Hero?

Could someone dubbed the world’s greatest Hero truly handle that?

Perhaps it was possible.

Someone who cares not a whit about the opinions of others wouldn’t flinch even if millions of people directed their resentment at her.

In fact, she might outright say it was essential to turn things upside down in order to move on, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Was I alone in imagining such a scene?

As the baffling spectacle unfolding before me demanded attention, gazes that had been flitting around finally converged on Miss Almighty.

And perhaps she felt that gaze upon her.

Having squeezed every last bit from her limited manpower, she had drafted the current troop, only to see them dwindle like this before they could even put it to proper use—a situation that would undoubtedly confuse even her, as she furrowed her brow and stared down at the one collapsed on the ground.

Finally, she lifted her head.

With her gaze fixed unwaveringly ahead—

“For now… let’s freeze them.”

Everyone, of course, was left dumbfounded.

That “let’s freeze them” was a statement nobody understood.

“Are you… referring to cryogenic freezing?”

“Yes.”

“But we don’t have the facilities to do that…”

“Well, we can assemble a facility in no time, can’t we?”

“N-no, what about that…”

Maybe they were about to argue against such absurdity.

However, Miss Almighty’s words came even quicker.

“It’s possible. But everyone here will have to lend a hand.”

Then came her explanation.

As I listened, my initial skepticism slowly began to fade, replaced by a budding thought that it might just be feasible after all.

“Even so, spending that much energy for one person is…”

We had already crossed into uncharted territory since we were no longer covering the area of operation that the Expedition Team had maintained, and with no certainty about how many enemies were ahead or what situations might unfold, perhaps it seemed unwise to waste our strength on something other than clearing out Another Ones.

Just as soon as her explanation concluded, a disgruntled voice shot out.

“Then should we kill them?”

Miss Almighty turned towards the direction of that voice and asked as if she was surprised that some were already airing their grievances.

Despite their complaints, it seemed they didn’t want to bear any responsibility.

Watching that scene made me chuckle inwardly.

They said that to truly understand someone, you should force them into an extreme situation, and there was no denying it was true.

When we set off from the Forward Base, under the keen eyes of the Korean Hero Association’s Expedition Team, they had acted like Heroes willing to face death. Yet, just as things began to take a turn for the worse, their true colors were laid bare.

After all, what they desired wasn’t just the honor of defeating the beings known as Another, but the title of a Hero who had perished in battle with an Another—the latter being quite a common title.

What good is glory after death?

Once dead, all the riches and glory enjoyed in life become meaningless.

While I was lost in such thoughts, Miss Almighty was busily directing those around her to build something.

And as what began to take shape was somewhat completed, the person who had been gasping on the ground seemed to be pushed into it by some unseen force.

“Miss O?”

Is it finally my turn?

As someone softly called out to me, I directed my strength towards the one cramped inside what resembled a coffin.

With a chilling sound as if the air itself had frozen…

That thing resembling a coffin was completely encased in ice.

On top of that… scraps from around were amalgamated to be layered over it.

As someone signaled, the metal plate that sat on the coffin began to bend.

The sound was as spine-chilling as nails scraping against a chalkboard.

Thus, one person was banished to the depths of Heogye… and the Expedition Team hastened their steps.