This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 144

What the hell happened here?

Just a moment ago, I was roasting anyone I saw like a madman, and now look!

At some point, my vision turned completely dark, and before I knew it, I passed out. When I came to, I found myself in a place I’d never seen before.

Honestly, that alone was enough to make my head spin, but my body wasn’t in a normal state either.

I don’t know what happened, but there was some kind of bandage wrapped around my right thigh.

It’s not like a snake crawled up and wrapped itself around my leg, so I guess the guy who put it on me was the male standing right in front of me, nervously stealing glances this way.

And I bet he’s the one with the answers about this situation too.

Oddly enough, his face felt strangely familiar.

And that’s not all.

I have no idea where he got the sleeves of his shirt, but the school uniform he’s wearing is just as familiar.

Well, it figures since it’s the uniform from my school where my mom is the principal.

Could it be that I remember his face because of that?

No, it feels more like I’ve actually seen him somewhere before…

“Did we meet a few months ago? At that training camp, right?”

I asked to confirm, and as expected, the guy’s face brightened a little.

He mustn’t have expected me to remember a meeting from months ago and was overly cautious.

Not wanting to let that opportunity slip, I scanned the guy from head to toe once more.

‘Ah, his name was Dogun.’

After gathering a bit more information, I decided to adopt a friendly tone and asked, “So can you tell me what the hell is going on?”

Despite feeling a chill run down my forearm, I had no choice.

Being cautious about someone else’s mood is not my style, but since Dogun looked so anxious, I figured if I acted normally, it’d take ages to get a decent response.

Anyway, my uneasily accommodating act proved fruitful.

Maybe my act of kindness worked, or perhaps he was just pretending to evaluate my mood while quietly looking for a chance to open up, but before I knew it, Dogun started talking.

And what came out of his mouth was enough to twist my expression.

This is the world beyond the Rift.

No wonder the scenery around me looked bleak. If it’s a place where creatures eat humans like snacks, it totally fits.

But the important thing isn’t that; it’s whether I can return to my original world.

“Ugh… I’m really losing it here.”

Just thinking about it made me sigh uncontrollably.

According to Dogun, there’s a hundred percent chance I got caught up in a predatory Rift, and no matter how much I dig through my memories, I’ve never heard of anyone being missing after getting caught up in one only to come back later.

That means the survival rate is zero percent.

Of course, there’s a mountain of records and data with the associations around the world, so if I comb through them one by one, I might find a case of someone returning…

But the more I think about it, the more it gives me a headache, and I must have been deep in thought with my eyes tightly shut.

“Um… are you okay?”

“…Huh?”

“Your leg. It looks like blood’s been seeping for a while…”

“Oh.”

Now that I think about it, that was true.

It’d been so long since I got injured that it felt strange to remember that fact.

“Oh, by the way, I forgot to thank you. Thanks for treating my wound.”

“No, it’s…”

So, what should I do now?

What’s the best option here?

If I think simply, the answer is straightforward.

Act selfishly.

That would certainly increase the chances of me returning to my original world.

I had no idea how long it’d take to figure out a way back and outside this cave, creatures that would drive any human insane would be swarming around.

But I’m in no condition to move…

Yeah, that’d be the best option.

That’s at least the best option for now…

I squeezed my eyes shut.

To block out the whispers creeping in my ears, whether they were from angels, demons, or rationality.

Let’s say I ditch him and try to survive alone.

Even if I managed to return to my original world, would I be able to face my mother?

After all, he knew his life could be at risk but still brought me here and hid me.

In a way, I might owe him my life, and yet I’m thinking about ditching him?

‘I’m really losing it…’

Caught up in indecision, I was struggling to make up my mind.

Did he somehow catch on to my conflict?

“…You don’t have to make a promise to protect me. Just let me follow you.”

His cautious voice echoed through the cave made of unevenly shaped flesh.

The moment those words bounced off the walls and reached my ears, it felt like I got struck by lightning.

Not that it would hurt, but you get the point.

It snapped me out of my stupor.

‘Ha…’

Chae-rim, you’ve hit rock bottom.

Is there really any difference between you and those you despise?

It’s not just a debt; if it’s a life debt, shouldn’t I be trying to repay it instead of wondering whether to ditch the one who saved me with his own life?

Yeah, when have I ever calculated things first?

That’s not my style.

So… I just need to do it.

Whether it’s a feast or a disaster, if I just dive into it, some answer will come out one way or another.

And maybe it’d be better to have someone with me than to be alone.

At least I won’t be lonely.

Now that I’ve made up my mind, it was time to show it through my actions.

“Stop with the useless chatter; can we drop the formalities?”

“…Huh? Oh, sure.”

“You look like you’re pondering what to call me, but just call me Chae-rim, noona. Or just noona, whichever.”

“N-noona?”

His flustered face, looking like I poked a gap, was slightly amusing.

He acts all mature and composed, but in the end, he’s still just a kid.

Watching him, I suddenly felt an urge to tease him more.

“Why? You don’t wanna go home? If not, that’s fine.”

I spoke in a tone that made it clear it was a joke.

“N-no, of course not.”

“Then hurry up and call me.”

What did calling me and going home have to do with each other, anyway?

But I could tell he was clamping his lips together, trying to gauge my mood.

“Stick together to survive! If we’re scattered, we die! Don’t you know? Now that we’ve decided to move together, we should stick close.”

“…”

“Right?”

“Yeah…”

“See? So hurry up.”

Why am I acting like this, though?

Could it be that while I was unconscious, the real ‘Lightning Lady’s’ spirit flew away, and a ghost who couldn’t hear the ‘noona’ call took her place?

Well, I’m just joking, but I already knew he was doing that for my sake.

It’s obvious I was nervously watching him, so he seemed to try to lighten the mood with a joke.

Earlier he hesitated, and after really thinking it over, he realized it might feel a bit embarrassing, but there’s no reason not to call me like that.

“No-noona.”

So I tried calling him, but it hit me harder than I expected.

Is it because Lightning Lady, no, Chae-rim is exactly the age I was in my previous life?

As chills ran down my forearm, I involuntarily let out a grunt, and Chae-rim quickly shifted her posture, as if she hadn’t been playful moments ago.

…Though due to the injury on my thigh, I couldn’t sit comfortably, more like a mermaid.

Regardless of posture, my expression turned serious, making me adjust mine too.

And as we faced each other with those serious expressions—

“Alright, shall we start talking seriously now?”

The curtain lifted on our mission briefing to escape this ominous world and return to our original world.

“So what should we do next?”