This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 401

No matter the external circumstances, for Dogun, who was all alone in the pitch-black darkness, it might seem like no one was watching or monitoring him. Yet, was there someone who could recognize the sincerity with which he resolutely pressed forward, solely focused on his goal without ever losing his gaze or getting distracted?

‘I just wish someone would pick up on this…’

As if in response to Dogun’s desire, a small change occurred that was quicker to reach those around him than he had expected.

Honestly, it couldn’t be helped.

It was an inevitable situation because there were quite a few people coming and going to the hospital room where he was hospitalized almost every day.

Furthermore, most of those who showed up like they were marking attendance didn’t just stick their heads in and leave; they usually stayed for at least 30 minutes or until the visitation time set by the hospital ended.

Since everyone who stepped into the hospital room seemed to fall into that same pattern, it was only a matter of time before the small twitch that had taken residence on Dogun’s index finger was detected the moment it grew meaningful enough to be noticed.

And who caught it?

None other than Baeksulhwa.

Given the circumstances, her visit count may have been relatively low compared to others, especially Bora, who was practically on a break, but whenever she came to the hospital room, she dedicated herself wholeheartedly to watching over Dogun, often staying put until the hospital staff asked her to leave.

Until now, her existence had been flawlessly concealed by the blanket covering Dogun, or everyone had been too busy staring at his face to notice anything else.

As soon as her discovery was laid bare for all to see, Baeksulhwa’s first action was to call for the doctor.

After all, considering that nothing had happened for a whole week and then suddenly a reaction occurred, it seemed like something was amiss with Dogun’s body. If that was indeed the case, it made sense to bring him to experts for a proper judgment rather than rely on herself, an amateur.

So, on the first day of Dogun’s hospitalization, while Chae-rim might have been observing, Baeksulhwa pressed the call bell next to the bed, ordering that if something was wrong with Dogun’s body, she should act without hesitation.

As widely rumored among people, it wasn’t just any place where anyone could get admitted; within less than a minute of the call, the very doctor who introduced themselves as Dogun’s attending physician, along with a nurse, burst into the room.

“We rushed here after hearing the call! Is there something wrong with the patient?”

While both the doctor and the nurse entered in a state of urgency, upon seeing Dogun calmly lying on the bed, they might have sensed that it wasn’t as dire of a situation as they initially thought.

As if to prove their authority as the VVIP ward’s medical team, the doctor quickly regained composure and directed another question toward Baeksulhwa.

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you explain what prompted the call?”

“Well, it’s like…,” she began.

Then, after hearing her explanation, the doctor looked slightly bemused before beginning to examine Dogun’s condition directly.

Honestly, it was a reaction that was somewhat unavoidable from the doctor’s perspective.

Having worked in this ward for several years, she must have encountered similar situations more than once.

Was it really possible that she’d never faced a situation like this? It was often a case of misunderstandings from guardians leading to embarrassment and disappointment piling onto the medical staff instead.

‘But still…’

As an active hero, even if they were feeling a little put out by an unfortunate incident, the doctor wanted to believe they would keep such feelings in check considering their own image.

…At least, that’s what she hoped.

Just as this thought flashed through her mind, news articles regarding heroes acting out recently started to cloud her confidence.

Caught in this moment of uncertainty while examining the patient’s condition, she was startled by a significant reaction—the twitch of a finger—something that was definitely more than an illusion of the guardian’s wishful thinking.

‘…Hmm?’

Unlike the initial assumption that it was merely the guardian misinterpreting the situation, this was a rather meaningful reaction.

‘Is it possible… he’s aware?’

Could it be that he had been awake this whole time, simply pretending not to be as a game?

It seemed absurd that someone would fake being unconscious while people waited for them to awaken, but she couldn’t completely dismiss that possibility either.

After all, the romantic entanglements related to this patient appeared to be wildly complex.

Even more astonishing was that the individuals involved in that complexity were not just ordinary folks but were indeed remarkable in their own rights—the next-gen special-class hero, for instance, was eyeing him with watchful intent.

The one who had brought this man to the VVIP ward was none other than Lightning Lady herself.

Moreover, he had also been checked on by a once young hero she had once deemed outstanding, and the sudden rise to fame of a popular webtoon artist had added to the list…

With names like these, anyone would be intrigued as to why they were so wrapped up in this man.

Could it be due to his appearance?

‘Definitely…’

He was indeed handsome.

Naturally, given the characteristics of the VVIP ward, some celebrity patients had passed through, and he had managed to look quite decent even under that high standard.

So, while he may not have been exceptionally striking, there was an odd charm about him.

Perhaps it was just a fleeting notion due to her mood, but the immediate impression confirmed that much.

Even so, it was still perplexing; typically, a woman’s pride aligns with her social standing. Why then were those women flocking to him so eagerly on the day he first got admitted?

If it were normal, that pride should have been soaring through the roof.

Yet, despite what would be the norm, these women had bent their pride and were vying for attention from him.

What in the world had he done?

Her curiosity peaked, but that didn’t mean she would act on it.

What, did she want to get fired from the hospital and breach the security contract she had signed upon entry? The penalty fees attached to that would be quite hefty.

‘…No.’

It wasn’t “might” but was surely going to happen.

This hospital had earned its reputation among the VVIPs for being mercilessly strict in their dealings.

So how to stick around here?

Just like always, she’d have to keep her curiosity in check, pretending to know nothing, and act as if she hadn’t heard anything.

That should be the right way to go.

Yet still, ‘But I’m so curious…’

Could it be true that he’s really not awake and acting as though he is?

Though in her younger days, she used to lose herself in romantic affairs—whether her own or someone else’s—right now, there wasn’t much spare energy or reason to meddle in anyone’s romantic affairs.

But if it were true…

‘Hopefully, things work out…’

That was genuinely her wish.

Regardless of everything else, she truly hoped for that one outcome.

After all, seeing the numerous complications involved, it would be hard to fault her for feeling like this man had become quite the issue given that she’d clung to him for quite some time.

‘…Or not.’

Could letting this all happen actually be quite relieving?

Considering the stress accumulated from working here, maybe witnessing a messy blow-up might be refreshing after all…

Regardless, this was a hospital.

As exciting as it might be to watch a fight outside, if a showdown was to occur, she hoped it would happen outside rather than in the hospital.

Of course, the best scenario would simply be for everything to pass without incident.

But with the karma of the world, that might be tough to achieve.

With that thought, she prayed that this man could safely weather his own karma while gently removing the stethoscope she had been using on him.