This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 433

“Is this why everyone says that people can’t live without committing sins?”

Despite not having witnessed the situation firsthand, I couldn’t help but feel astonished by Chae-rim’s comments, as if she had been there herself and pinpointed exactly what had transpired between the two.

“No way…”

How could this be possible?

Is this some sort of power of hers, a woman’s intuition, or something?

No matter how you look at it, does this even make sense…?

Thoughts tumbled chaotically in my mind, causing me to react belatedly to Chae-rim’s question.

From her perspective, that inquiry itself might have sufficed as an answer.

“Dogun, you seem particularly tired today, so I was just curious… You really did get into a fight, didn’t you?”

Her tone was almost one of certainty, spilling forth from her lips.

This made me break into a cold sweat.

Well, the real problem was what would come next.

And true to form…

“So… why did Bora and Yoonseo fight?”

As soon as I swallowed at the mention of her phrasing, the very statement I had anticipated leaped into the world through Chae-rim’s mouth.

Of all the times for things to go just as I predicted, why must it be this time… Couldn’t it deviate just a little?

I couldn’t help but lament the fact that Chae-rim’s comment fell squarely within the range I expected.

Thus, I started to rack my brain in search of a solution.

‘For starters…’

It seemed almost impossible to retain my right to remain silent in this predicament.

Well, it wasn’t that it couldn’t be done, but if I did, it felt utterly pointless.

If Chae-rim were somewhat uncertain and fumbling, it might have been a different story; but given that she’d reached a state of ‘certainty’ as she had now, I figured whatever I said would just boost her conviction.

‘So, should I just spill everything out?’

Using my right to remain silent would render it utterly meaningless in that case.

In that instant, such thoughts surged to the forefront of my mind, but… the alternative wasn’t particularly useful either.

It couldn’t be helped.

From my perspective, it was inevitable that such thoughts would surface… Honestly, how could I?

To clearly reveal what had happened earlier today, I would need to start by opening up about how Yoonseo and I… well, got caught by Bora.

So, couldn’t I just skip that part and mention that we had a fight?

Surely that was an approach I could take.

Indeed, that method existed, but…

‘Would that actually work…?’

If someone asked me that, I’d have to shake my head.

Because honestly, I didn’t think it would.

If I replied that the two actually fought, Chae-rim would undoubtedly ask, “Really? I see… But what exactly caused them to fight?”

Thus, omitting parts of the story rendered it utterly pointless.

‘This is driving me insane…’

Could this truly be a catch-22?

I was likely groaning about all of this at that moment.

“No, it’s fine. You don’t have to tell me.”

Perhaps Chae-rim felt sorry for my predicament as she suddenly changed her stance.

Consequently, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief.

.

.

.

Was it too awkward to answer?

Given how stiff-faced and restless he appeared, that seemed to be the case.

Well, from Dogun’s perspective, it was understandable.

Once you open your mouth, maintaining absolute neutrality is impossible.

Honestly, that’s something no one can help.

After all, why else would the phrase, “An arm bends inwards,” even exist?

For someone like Dogun, who values connections with others dearly, both Yoonseo and Bora were equally precious to him. However, on the flip side, it was true that his relationship with Yoonseo was inherently deeper.

Knowing that fact, if he began to discuss why they fought, the likelihood of unconsciously leaning towards Yoonseo’s side became quite high.

Perhaps this was why Dogun was so reticent, aware that he couldn’t help but lean that way.

Seeing him hesitate to speak only reinforced that idea, so I decided not to pry further into that.

After all, it would only leave Dogun in a more awkward position; why should I stubbornly pursue such details?

It wasn’t as if I was lacking information; I’d already gleaned everything I could from Dogun.

‘More importantly…’

What was the reason I had come here in the first place?

To alleviate the stress caused by the unusually troubling circumstances surrounding us.

Thus, I didn’t want to create additional elements that would add to the stress, even if I wasn’t achieving the original purpose of relieving it.

“That aside… Hey, Dogun.”

Having escaped the tense situation of interrogation, I casually let out a sigh of relief and shifted the conversation to a different topic.

Since the opportunity arose, I figured it wouldn’t be a bad idea to hear his thoughts on what I had heard earlier.

So, I shared a brief overview of the ongoing situation…

“Dogun, what do you think? Do you think they’re plotting something against us?”

“Hmm…”

Even Dogun, who often provided surprisingly insightful perspectives, seemed unable to offer one this time due to the gravity of the situation.

I could see the depth of his contemplation deepening ever so slightly.

His expression was oddly attractive, and while I wanted to keep admiring it…

Just as I was about to suggest he didn’t need to contemplate so seriously, he spoke.

“For now… Is that what you think? They’re trying to exploit the Association’s vulnerabilities, slipping their people into institutions or groups that compete with us?”

“Yeah, I think that makes sense.”

Otherwise, there’d be no reason for them to approach heroes with such suspicious setups.

That’s what I thought, but it felt like Dogun had a different take.

“Isn’t the risk too high for that?”

“Risk?”

What did he mean by that?

“Honestly, think about it. Everyone is quick to talk about how the Association isn’t what it used to be, questioning its trustworthiness, but how many of those actually want to see it crumble?”

“Well…”

“Even if they say that, anyone with a modicum of sense would realize it. The fact that we’ve managed to maintain the current state, despite everything, is thanks to the Association’s existence.”

That was… undeniably true.

The events that the Association had endured over the past few years could hardly be described as anything less than a hellscape.

If it had been another organization, it would have likely crumbled long ago.

And once it fell apart… the chaos regarding public safety would be unimaginable.

Without a doubt.

Those villainous types who love chaos wouldn’t let such an opportunity slip by.

“Everyone probably knows in their hearts that the Association is barely managing to keep things steady.”

“…”

“The reason they keep complaining is probably because of their belief that the Association will never become helplessly weak… But what happens if what you’re worried about actually happens?”

“Well, then…”

It was a no-brainer.

No one needed to speculate about it.

After all, the Association was clearly struggling to maintain the status quo.

And if, in such a scenario, the heroes, who are essentially its core personnel, were to be siphoned off elsewhere?

A gap would surely form somewhere.

That gap would ultimately contribute to the Association’s downfall.

And when that happens, who would bear the brunt of the damage?

It was all too clear.

And where would the resentment of those harmed be directed… that was also obvious.

“So perhaps… instead of trying to siphon people away, they might be crafting something entirely different, don’t you think?”

Thus, I found myself agreeing with Dogun’s viewpoint without reservation.

For good reason, as it seemed that Dogun’s perspective held significant weight.