This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 403

The sight of no fewer than four women staring at me without saying a word was more than enough to remind me of a scene from a thriller movie I had seen once.

I couldn’t quite recall what the movie was about or its title, but the memory was there.

And to wake up only to find myself in such a scene?

I couldn’t help but jump slightly in surprise.

My reaction was a natural response to the circumstances, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the gazes of the women looking at me had shifted in some way now that I was only just regaining consciousness after who knows how long.

From that point on, it was utter chaos.

To give you an idea of the situation, I managed to eat something for the first time about four hours after regaining consciousness, after being dragged around for countless tests supposedly to guard against possible side effects.

And that meal consisted solely of a mushy banana.

“Well, just eat that for now.”

“Yeah, I’ll get you some porridge soon.”

“Chew it well, so you don’t choke.”

“If peeling it is too hard, should I do it for you?”

As everyone chimed in, the words flowed into my ears, reigniting a desire that I had set aside while dealing with a barrage of tests.

‘What is with those attitudes?’

Forget everything else for a moment; just judging by how they were acting now?

It felt as if they were treating me like a newborn who had just been born and was vulnerable to all sorts of threats.

The real problem was that the target of this treatment was none other than me.

Naturally, I had to be curious.

How long had I been unconscious for them to behave like that towards me?

I put down the banana I was holding and cleared my throat, partly for that reason.

Honestly, until now, I had been too hesitant to ask anything given the situation, but with everyone acting so strangely, I felt it was necessary to address at least that one thing.

“Why? Is the banana not good? What about… I could peel a melon for you instead?”

My actions were perceived somewhat differently by those watching me closely.

“Isn’t a melon too heavy to eat right now?”

“Is that so?”

“No, it’s actually sweet, so it’d be better for regaining energy.”

But it’s not like I was putting it down because of that… Why were they so serious about it?

And then it hit me.

Whether I liked it or not, I couldn’t help but feel an odd conviction within me.

‘This…’

I had thought it was only about a week since I lost consciousness, but with how everyone was reacting, it seemed I must’ve been out for at least a month…

“Well, uh… I was just wondering what today’s date is.”

“Today’s date? Why are you suddenly asking that?”

Why was I asking? Well, knowing what day it was would help me figure out how long I had been unconscious.

That’s probably what I was thinking as I heard Chae-rim tilt her head in confusion over my question.

Stepping forward instead of Chae-rim, who looked rather puzzled, was none other than Yoonseo.

When I first opened my eyes, her face had been shrouded in shadows, probably due to worry over me. But now that I seemed to have recovered safely, maybe she had relaxed a bit?

Yoonseo, looking much more at ease than before, gently informed me of today’s date.

The moment her words reached my ears, I couldn’t help but tilt my head again.

Honestly, I had to react that way.

It was hard to accept the reality that only a week and a day had passed, contrary to my assumption that at least a month must have slipped by.

Of course, the word ‘unconscious’ made even a week feel serious, but still, wasn’t the gap between a week and a month way too big?

So, while I was a bit bewildered, I resolved to finally ask what I had been too hesitant to bring up until now.

For example, the refreshing sensation crawling up my left arm at that very moment.

Back in the day?

I would have had my left arm wrapped in gloves and protective gear wherever I went.

But now… there wasn’t even a glove in sight.

Surely, everyone around me was aware of my situation; could it be they were intentionally considering my feelings?

But even so, it didn’t seem like it, since the medical staff had been present earlier during various tests.

That made me anxious, yet as no one pointed it out, I had just kept silent.

At that time, I held back due to concern for the other individuals present, but now that it was just us, there was no harm in asking.

“It’s been a week already… Oh, but what’s up with ‘this’ situation?”

So I asked, raising my left arm for Yoonseo to see it clearly, prompting a look from her that seemed to say, ‘Ah… that…’.

Then her gaze shifted toward Chae-rim.

Perhaps Chae-rim felt Yoonseo’s look because she soon stepped forward again.

“If you mean your left arm, I suggested it.”

Chae-rim was the one to speak as she looked directly into my eyes and said that.

To have Chae-rim be the one to suggest such a thing caught me by surprise.

Given her tendency to keep things hidden, it was unexpected that she would suddenly propose something like that.

Her doing so meant there was a reason behind it…

What could that reason be?

Considering the past, I found it hard to believe Chae-rim would make a rash decision, but still, I felt it would be alright to ask for the reason behind her choice.

After all, it concerned me directly.

With that thought in mind, I locked eyes with Chae-rim, and perhaps she sensed a hint of determination in my gaze.

“Why aren’t you asking why I did it?”

Chae-rim pressed the question first.

“Well, I was just about to. What’s your reason?”

“It’s because… I thought if not now, then when would such a chance come again?”

A chance.

What did that even mean?

I would soon find out since Chae-rim was starting to lay things out in her own words.

“Anyway… Dogun, you remember, right? The ones who became Another?”

“Oh, yes.”

Of course, I remembered.

It was only natural; that memory was etched in my mind brightly, knowing that I could have easily ended up like those monsters.

“Dogun, as you know, those people were normal before becoming like that, right?”

“That’s true.”

“That means there’s been a lot of talk about how they’re treated.”

“Ah… That makes sense…”

It was impossible not to understand; those who became Another must have families or loved ones.

Even if the Association held immense power, what if they were to make a decision concerning those who had become monsters?

Families and loved ones wouldn’t just sit back and watch.

“But leaving them be is also not an option…”

“That will lead to the victims of the attack rising up, right?”

“Exactly.”

At that moment, the single word that crossed my mind was clear: Impossible choices.

The Association was indeed in such a situation.

And in light of that circumstances, the decision it had made was…

“So… for now, we’re isolating those who have become Another to buy some time while we develop methods or treatments to revert them.”

It seemed all they could do was buy time.

“Anyway, if through that research they manage to find a way or a treatment to revert your left arm back to its original state, that would be wonderful, but… as you know, such research is unpredictable, and no one knows when it will end.”

“That’s true.”

“Moreover, just pouring time and money into it doesn’t guarantee success.”

Hearing that made it clear to me.

So that’s why Chae-rim thought this might be the only chance to do something significant…