This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 295

Have you ever seen someone get electrocuted?

In novels or comics, it’s often depicted in the most ludicrous manner.

You know, with strange sounds like “Ugggghhh” and the character’s hairstyle suddenly transforming into an afro with a pop sound.

But those are all just products of the author’s imagination and are clearly different from the “reality” right in front of my eyes.

What on earth should I even say about that…

It felt like someone had snuck in a “time-stopping clock” often seen in amateur adult films and used it to freeze time.

So much so that it made me think of the figure behind me, a mysterious thug who had been pointing a knife at me, was now ‘preserved’ in that very moment of intimidation.

The difference from earlier was that his face had returned to its original form, and there was something seeping out of his body that resembled smoke, whether it was ash or something else.

And as for the culprit who had turned that thug into such a state—

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

She was preoccupied with worrying about me.

“I-I’m fine.”

What had me flustered was not just her asking about my well-being.

It was more about… the time it took for Chae-rim to show up and save me.

From my perspective, it was unavoidable; it was just too quick.

I already knew Chae-rim’s agility was overwhelming and could rival other heroes who wield speed as a weapon.

Honestly, if you don’t know that, you must be an idiot.

During my almost month-long stay in the hellish world of the Another Ones, I had seen Chae-rim fight countless times.

If I had to guess, if Chae-rim set her mind to it—

It wouldn’t be hard at all for her to take the title of the ‘fastest’ from a Sprinter.

Even if her talent provided some compensation, Sprinter had to endure the backlash of speed using an ordinary human body, while Chae-rim could channel electricity through her body.

Well, supposedly, if she moved in that state, it would strain her Talent Organ, so she hardly showed that form unless she was fighting a monster.

Anyway, Chae-rim could move at an astonishing speed if she wanted to, but that was a completely separate issue.

Because to show up just in time to save me, she’d first need to be aware that I had been in danger.

‘Did someone… follow Yoonseo and me today?’

Thinking about that brought my mind right back to that place.

The problem was… even assuming that was the case, this speed didn’t add up.

What that meant was?

There was only one possibility.

Someone had secretly tracked Yoonseo and me today, and that someone was Chae-rim herself.

And if that was the case?

It meant Chae-rim already knew.

So… maybe she anticipated that something like this could happen.

“Don’t just stand there, let me take a look. Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I’m really fine. More importantly… did you know about this?”

I threw that question at Chae-rim, who had suddenly gotten so close to me, in a moment of sheer instinct.

However… even as I posed that question, I couldn’t be certain what answer I wanted to hear.

And that feeling intensified when Chae-rim bit her lip and a look of ‘complication’ spread across her face.

“…To some extent.”

Even though her reply was entirely vague, perhaps it was enough for me to grasp its meaning.

Chae-rim’s voice held a heavy dose of guilt in it as she responded to my question.

“But why…”

Still, I couldn’t help but ask.

Of course, I couldn’t expect an immediate answer to that.

“Let’s talk about it later. For now… we need to clean this up first.”

That being said, it was Chae-rim who opted to put off her answer.

And as soon as her words washed over me, my mind suddenly recalled Yoonseo, who had slipped my thoughts in all the chaos.

“Right, Yoonseo…!”

The moment I turned around impulsively, my motion was halted by none other than Chae-rim.

“You don’t have to worry about Yoonseo. She should be all sorted out by now.”

Even though I frowned for a moment, to cut to the chase, Chae-rim was right.

After handing over the still-rigid thug to a late-arriving Association Employee, we headed back into the arcade, where things were also being controlled by those from the Association.

And as for Yoonseo, she was right there in the middle of the scene.

So… with an expression that looked like she could explode at any moment.

Was I the only one worried about her well-being?

Seeing those wide-open eyes pointed at me with lethal precision made me think that if I left her as she was, she’d definitely spring into action, regardless of whether the other person was an Association Employee or not, so I dashed over there leaving Chae-rim behind.

“Hey! Are you okay?!”

Was she finally aware of my presence?

Yoonseo’s eyes widened at the woman who was shielded by the Association Employee, and her voice echoed back my earlier question.

“You? Are you okay?”

As I was pushed slightly aside by Yoonseo, a look of bewilderment spread across the employee’s face, but it didn’t last long.

That was probably due to Chae-rim following closely behind me.

Unless the Association Chairman was present, who was currently away for some reason, Chae-rim was practically her superior.

“What happened?”

“That’s… You’ll need to see it for yourself.”

Anyway, while Yoonseo and I were confirming that we were safe, Chae-rim approached the employee who had just been dealing with Yoonseo and began to receive some kind of report.

Then she followed the employee and left our side.

Chae-rim’s Perspective

Though Chae-rim had decided to follow the employee, her mind was filled with thoughts of Dogun.

‘Surely… he must be disappointed?’

Not just ‘he might be disappointed,’ but he definitely was.

How could I be so sure?

Well… I would probably feel the same if I was in Dogun’s shoes.

Of course, I had anticipated that Dogun’s reaction wouldn’t be positive.

I wasn’t an idiot; why wouldn’t I be able to expect that?

From Dogun’s perspective, knowing it could be dangerous while deliberately leaving it alone would clearly feel like being discarded.

So, it was a natural reaction.

But still, it couldn’t be helped.

Yeah, it couldn’t be helped.

Humans are so spiteful that no matter how many times you tell them it might be dangerous, they don’t truly accept it.

Not until they experience it for themselves.

Naturally, it wasn’t just for that reason that I led the situation in that direction.

After all, it was a kind of warning.

A warning directed towards the villains who were probably sneaking around now, weighing the risk of making a move.

If this warning took effect?

The majority of those who were hesitantly weighing their options would back off in a hurry.

How could I be so sure?

Well… except for some unique cases like the one with “Tricky Face” today, most villains are highly sensitive about their well-being.

So if they even get a hint that we’re not a group they can merely poke at, I’d eliminate a lot of annoying attempts they might make in the future.

I thought that once Dogun learned about the whole situation, he might feel disappointed, and I took that risk to act.

Everything else went according to plan, but there was one thing I didn’t foresee: ‘his reaction.’

Since Dogun had always looked at me with trust, I thought receiving any hint of disappointment might sting but he’d recover quickly.

Oddly enough, even after quite some time had passed, something deep inside my chest still ached.

As if an invisible thorn had lodged itself there.