This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 459

That was, so to speak, poison.

Not just any poison, but one that was almost colorless and odorless.

Maybe that’s why.

Before I knew it, it had completely seeped into my system.

The words of that Doctor woman had a cunning edge to them.

Nonetheless, I couldn’t casually disregard what she said… it was precisely because she had poked at my innermost feelings that I wanted to hide.

Well, what would talking about it even accomplish?

Perhaps it would only end up being an unnecessary worry, since I’d never once brought it up with Dogun.

Still, there were moments when those worries would suddenly rise to the surface.

However, hearing such things at a completely unexpected moment made my heart waver.

No way, Dogun wouldn’t do that, I tried to deny it in any way I could, but it was no use.

Just like it’s impossible to take back words once they’re spoken, my heart, once shaken, refused to settle down.

And amidst that turmoil…

“My thoughts are like this, but… it seems Yoonseo’s thoughts might differ?”

Once again, the Doctor’s words—no, the poison—had begun to seep in.

So… it became even harder to keep my wits about me.

What on earth did they want from me to make me struggle with all these thoughts and anxieties?

Why were they making me worry so much?

Having been running around since morning, I was already dizzy from exhaustion, and now I’m faced with this unexpected situation.

It felt as if my brain had come to a complete halt.

And so—

“What do you even want from me?”

Maybe I blurted out the words they weren’t expecting to hear.

Even I could hear the anxious tone in my voice—it was just a bonus.

And sure enough, it seemed like they had been waiting for that very question.

With a smile that felt unnaturally forced, as if someone had painted it on in one smooth stroke, the Doctor continued.

“Honestly, isn’t that rather obvious?”

“…”

“Yoonseo, you should participate too.”

Participate.

The moment I heard that, thoughts of the Heogye exploration that had been making waves in Korea these past few days flashed through my mind.

The problem was… that you couldn’t just participate because you wanted to, especially now when all the participants were predetermined.

“How could you assume that’s even possible?”

“Isn’t there a chance? Once a hero like Yoonseo expresses their willingness to participate, they’d welcome you with open arms wherever it may be.”

“Only to have people chew me up and spit me out, right?”

“Well… it all depends on how you present your actions, doesn’t it?”

I really didn’t like that smile she had while saying that.

So much so that I wanted to give her a stern warning to stop smiling like that, but… I held my tongue for the moment.

As I was busy calming myself down, the Doctor continued speaking.

“This is just one example, but… we’ll propose this to the upper management of the Association.”

After that statement, the Doctor cleared her throat lightly and shifted to a more serious tone.

“To be honest, sending only private firms as a scout poses a risk for unforeseen situations and potential casualties. So, to prepare for any unpredictable scenarios, how about adding a few select heroes to the exploration team? I mean, saying that out loud, don’t you think the higher-ups would at least pretend to listen?”

Had she actually convinced someone before?

Her voice held a strange persuasive power that didn’t match her crazy appearance.

The rationale she presented was just as compelling.

Honestly, if you were greedy for something, that something would be the Association. Even if they were running low, they wouldn’t just leave the Heogye expedition, which could potentially be a massive jackpot, in the hands of private firms.

It’s obvious they’d want to tighten the shoelaces on the three firms selected for participation in some way or another, right? If a proposal like that came about…

They’d surely hit the table, agreeing with an enthusiastic clap.

And if that happened… according to the words of this Doctor, getting a foot in the door of the exploration team wouldn’t be that hard.

“Alright then. Let’s say we successfully participate. What then?”

“What do you mean, what then?”

“What do I gain from all this?”

“That would be… well… a possibility, wouldn’t it?”

“Yeah, a possibility. Just that… a possibility.”

But just looking at that wasn’t enough to motivate me to take such a risk.

“What I want isn’t a possibility. It’s certainty.”

Honestly, it had to be that level of assurance for me to even think about taking such a gamble.

Of course, I have no intention of believing that woman, who has more red flags than a racecourse.

But if I couldn’t trust the other side, wouldn’t I just need to prepare backup plans and move accordingly?

“Are you saying you want me to guarantee something?”

“No.”

That wasn’t necessary.

It wouldn’t increase her credibility, and there was still someone else I was thinking of assigning for that role.

“Let’s just include one more person in this.”

“One more person? Who?”

“Who do you think?”

When she’d taken all she could from us and wiped her mouth clean, only one person came to mind who could swing the necessary hammer.

“Chae-rim’s Sister… or should I say, Lightning Lady?”

Honestly, I hate to admit it, but she seemed just as sincere about Dogun as I was, so if something were to happen, she would be the one to chase after that betrayal and ensure the proper consequences were served.

“Let’s appoint Lightning Lady as our notary?”

“Yes, honestly, doing that would make it worthwhile for me to take a chance on this and trust you, don’t you think?”

That’s how I thought of it, but what do you think?

The moment I said that, for the first time, an expression of contemplation appeared on the Doctor’s face.

I observed that change with a sense of leisure… waiting for her response.

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That way, as Yoonseo ultimately succumbed to the Doctor’s persuasion, attempting to negotiate from the opposite side… coincidentally, discussions related to that were also taking place within the Association.

“Are you really considering sending only them?”

“What do you mean?”

“No one knows what might come out of the Heogye, so at the very least, we should have a minimal safety net in place.”

“What do you propose?”

“Well… there are plenty of ways, aren’t there? We could send a few heroes from our side as support…”

“Support? How do you plan to decide who gets picked?”

“Hmm… we could seek volunteers… there are various ways, right?”

“Do we have anyone that’s willing to help? Seriously?”

“That, um…”

“See, the moment the lead generator of that idea is struggling to answer, how can we expect volunteers?”

That was the response of the management team member, one that resonated with many present.

Given their current situation, it made sense to think that way.

Why would heroes, who were already enjoying comfort and glory, risk stepping into the unknown dangers of the Heogye?

If they were to sustain injuries or even die, it would only be their own loss.

With such thoughts dominating the minds of those gathered… no one dared to support the words of the support team leader.

Even those who nodded along to the necessity of tying up the chosen companies participating in this exploration had their reservations about that.

“Still… you never know. Among the heroes, there are quite a few who lost family or loved ones in the last attack…”

If we start seeking volunteers, won’t those people be driven by vengeance?

The words of the support team leader echoed hollowly within the meeting room.