This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 356

Doctor.

I had heard that name before.

So, if I recall correctly… this person was supposed to be the most talented among the treatment-type talent users contracted with the Association…

‘Is this person…?’

I imagined a doctor who had such incredible healing abilities that even the high-ranking folks often borrowed her strength, someone with a strong sense of service.

But the person standing right in front of me looked more like a scientist than a doctor.

Not just any scientist, but she radiated the aura of a mad scientist, if I had to say.

There was a strange madness detectable in her eyes; it was exactly that vibe.

And after I pieced together her identity?

‘Indeed, then…’

I started to understand how the woman knew about Dogun’s left arm.

That made sense, given that I had heard from Chae-rim herself that when Dogun had just returned, his physical condition was extremely unstable. To resolve that, she would have had to find the person with the most exceptional healing talent among those she knew and borrow their strength.

Surely, that person was this Doctor.

That’s why this woman knew about Dogun’s left arm.

‘Speaking of which…’

Under the pretense of restoring Dogun’s body to its original state, what on earth was she planning to draw me into?

Was she thinking of making some sort of instruction to betray Chae-rim and join their side?

Or maybe she wanted to maintain a position like now but instructed me to gather information periodically…

Regardless of how I felt about Chae-rim, those actions were inherently unappealing to me. But if it meant restoring Dogun’s body, honestly, I might not refuse outright.

I could consider it if it came to that…

“Relax. Anyone would think I was trying to hire you for a murder.”

With those words tossed my way, it was hard to tell if the Doctor realized I was in the middle of a crisis, as she chuckled and grinned, throwing out a statement that didn’t really sound like a joke.

Even if it was a joke, the mention of murder was way out of line.

Did this woman really have no boundaries?

“Oh, may I send a quick message? I have someone to contact.”

After casually throwing out that piece of humor, she suddenly asked if she could send a text. I nodded, conceding, to signal that it was alright.

If she was suddenly looking to send a text at this moment, was she planning to report back to the Association Chairman about successfully cornering me at the negotiation table?

As I mused on that possibility, the Doctor, tapping away at her mobile phone at lightning speed, turned to me with a cryptic, smirking smile.

“Now, that solves the urgent problem immediately.”

Then she said something that bewildered me.

Urgently resolved? What did that even mean?

“I’ve already informed the management team that Miss Yoonseo felt unwell and sought out the medical team, so I doubt you’ll have to worry about any deployments for a while.”

Barely processing what she had just said, I felt my jaw drop.

I had heard that, due to her overwhelming healing abilities, she was practically the physician for high-ranking individuals, so that even the chairman wouldn’t dare mess with her… but I couldn’t believe she could manipulate the notoriously stringent management team with just a text.

“Well, since that immediate problem is settled… shall we move on to the main discussion before we begin?”

“…”

“Well, I don’t mind being here, but I doubt Miss Yoonseo feels the same.”

“…Follow me.”

Even if we were changing locations, I was already caught up in pondering where would be a good place, alongside the realization that the woman in front of me, who looked significantly out of sorts, might be a bigger player than I initially thought.

All these thoughts swirled chaotically in my head, but my body was already faithfully leading me toward the Rest Area.

And as soon as I stepped into the private Rest Area…

“What do you want from me?”

I shot straight to the point, asking the woman who had just followed me inside.

I already knew that this wasn’t the best choice, but frankly, I couldn’t approach it any other way.

Given the previous discussions, if I got swept up in her pace again, it seemed like there would be no end to it.

It felt like my guts would get spilled in no time.

If that was the case, then it’d be better to throw a direct question from the start to reach a conclusion quickly.

“What I want… is nothing.”

As expected.

The woman, who had initially requested to be called “Doctor” instead of her name, certainly was not going to give in easily.

Even with this direct approach and an attempt to negotiate, saying she wanted nothing was absurd.

Did she plan to throw me off balance first and seize the initiative?

“For now, anyway.”

That only complicated the already tangled mess in my head, as she added that with an innocuous smile.

Nothing for now.

That meant she might want something later…

Honestly, it was unexpected.

I thought she’d directly ask me to switch sides in exchange for telling me how to restore Dogun’s body.

But saying she wanted nothing for now was a twist.

Was she hoping for a more dramatic scenario to compel Chae-rim to betray?

As I mulled that inwardly, it seemed that my face had given away my thoughts.

“Hmm… judging by Miss Yoonseo’s expression, it seems you think I’m about to make you do something bad?”

She paused a moment, gazing at my face, before her lips curled into a sly smile, implying that she knew.

“…Isn’t it?”

“Of course not.”

The Doctor insisted, but… could I really believe that?

Honestly, it seemed hard to trust her.

It was difficult to believe that there was anyone among the people yelling that they were not scammers, but… I had to at least hear her out.

So, choosing silence, I kept my mouth shut, but the Doctor, with an expression that seemed to lament the misunderstanding, sighed and continued.

“I don’t know how Miss Yoonseo ended up with that misunderstanding… but I’m not on anyone’s side.”

“Not on anyone’s side means…?”

“That, contrary to what you think, also means I’m not on the Association Chairman’s side.”

“What? Then why…?”

Why did she act like she was on the Association Chairman’s side when she suddenly appeared at that timing?

I would soon find out the reason.

“Well… it’s because someone doesn’t like me very much.”

I instantly recognized that the “someone” she was referring to was Chae-rim.

“I mean, it’s pretty obvious. What can I do? Since an enemy’s enemy is a friend, I have no choice but to pretend to be on your side.”

“So that means…?”

“Literally. Honestly, as long as they don’t touch me, I don’t care who wins between the two. However…”

“However?”

“If things are this way, one might as well take advantage of the situation as much as possible, right?”

Use me, huh.

What did she mean by that?

“You might not know, but the Association Chairman is currently in a very unfavorable situation.”

I had heard that.

Although they had no choice but to be called back to headquarters, they had been away for a while, and this time one of the deputy chairmen associated with the Chairman was exposed for corruption, leaving them at a disadvantage both in spirit and legitimacy.

Honestly, when I first heard that, I had thought it was quite amusing, but… what was her point?

“That means the Chairman urgently needs something that could turn the situation around completely.”

Something that could completely reverse the unfavorability for the Chairman.

What could that possibly be?

“What I want to ask you is related to that.”

How in the world was that relevant to us?

“You’re curious, right? What that could be?”

I was about to ask, but she cut me off first.

“You’ll probably find out naturally in due time. Judging by how things are going, it looks like it won’t be long now.”