This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 583

To be honest, I was a bit surprised.

It’s no wonder, though, since I never imagined that this stone was perhaps the fruit blossomed from that gigantic tree in the center of Heogye.

Honestly, it’s understandable because just by looking at it, it doesn’t really resemble any kind of fruit.

Perhaps if it were a jewel not widely known to the public, one might mistake it for a fruit from some tree.

In that sense, I doubted the authenticity of the answer… but the possibility of it being a lie seemed quite low.

‘Is this from that tree…?’

And as I thought that, I suddenly became curious.

What the Auntie’s intention was in giving this as a gift.

It doesn’t seem like it was given with bad intentions.

Separately from its identity, it’s not bad enough in appearance that it couldn’t simply have been sent as a decoration for my room; rather, it seems like both Dogun and I were meant to keep it on our person at all times…

What is the purpose of this thing, anyway?

I would soon find the answer to that question.

Earlier, when I asked, instead of inquiring about the object’s identity, I asked what it was used for.

So, while suppressing the curiosity that started to creep up my body, I waited for the other person to continue speaking… but what echoed in my ears was somewhat nonsensical chatter.

“Do you know? The older an old tree is, the less fruit it bears?”

“…Is that so?”

Aren’t fruits supposed to simply ripen when the time comes?

“The reason is simple. The older an old tree gets, the bigger it becomes, and the bigger it is, the more nutrients it needs to maintain itself.”

“I see.”

Was it because of the context?

I suddenly felt like I was attending a biology lecture, but for now, I let it slide.

It’s not like they were just speaking nonsense for no reason.

There must be an underlying intention to it.

So what could that possibly be?

“Then, here’s a question!”

“…?”

Suddenly?

“A tree as large as the one occupying the center of the mirror world, how much energy do you think it needs to bear fruit?”

“…!”

Upon hearing that, it was clear this wasn’t something I could think of simply.

After all, Miss Almighty just mentioned it directly not long ago.

The older the tree, the bigger it gets, and the bigger it is, the immense energy it requires to sustain itself.

And in that sense, how much energy does that tree in the center of Heogye need to maintain itself, a tree that goes beyond being merely gigantic to remind one of a World Tree that would only appear in novels?

To be frank, it was unfathomable.

What kind of tree could grow that big?

No, even if we were to assume such a tree existed, the surrounding land would surely be barren beyond measure.

The moisture and everything in the ground would all be absorbed by that tree, leaving no room for other plants to grow.

Even if they somehow managed to sprout, they wouldn’t grow well and would ultimately wither away, turning into fertilizer for that tree.

It was the moment I thought that far.

‘…No way.’

Suddenly, that thought struck me.

So… if the Heogye boasts such a barren environment now, could it be partly due to the existence of that colossal tree at its center?

And if that tree has sucked all the nutrients from the land, leaving it in a drying state, what if it was trying to hold onto its life by employing some means…?

It feels a bit odd to attach concepts like choices to a tree that can’t even think, but what choice might that tree have made?

Honestly, it’s quite an obvious story.

Since it can no longer draw nutrients from Heogye, it must have thought to draw from somewhere else.

And the outcome of such a choice might have led to the invasion of the real world.

However, extending its roots that way was impossible, so might it have resorted to kidnapping people as nourishment…?

The moment that thought crossed my mind, a sense of certainty—or perhaps an instinct that made every hair on my body stand on end—pierced through me.

And if that speculation were true, then this stone’s purpose would likely be…

“I don’t think I need to answer that, do I?”

“…”

“Nonetheless, rules are rules, so to answer you: it’s a sort of catalyst. Because it exists, the Another Ones can cross over into our world through the Rift.”

After a long wait.

The answer I heard at the end was far more shocking than I had anticipated.

This is what allows the Another Ones to cross through the Rift.

If that statement is true…

The sudden thought led my gaze to the direction of the stone.

A hand that entered unbidden obscured my view.

“That said, don’t think about just smashing it mindlessly. Breaking this one thing won’t change much, and if you’re unlucky, a ‘tree’ might take root here.”

“Surely not…”

“I told you, didn’t I? It’s both a fruit and a seed. While it currently serves only as a catalyst, what happens the moment it’s destroyed is anyone’s guess.”

“Sigh…”

“And if this were to disappear, you’d find it hard to act in Heogye, you know?”

What on earth does that mean?

In an instant, as I glanced at the other person to decipher the true intent behind those words, I was met with a smile that seemed to say that this was as far as things would go.

“Honestly, I think I’ve answered enough, so now, it’s my turn, right?”

Of all things to say, switching to that game talk again is infuriating.

Does this woman have no sense of seriousness?

Nevertheless, rules are rules, so I nodded slightly.

And no sooner had I done so than—

“You mentioned loving your boyfriend earlier, right? So… could you risk your life for your partner?”

Still just grasping at straws, asking the most embarrassing questions.

Why on earth would one ask that in such a situation?

I felt the thorns of discontent piercing through my heart, but I nodded nonetheless.

It was, after all, true.

I was giving resources to the exploration party, not telling Dogun, as I didn’t know when we’d face danger.

If I could return Dogun’s left arm to normal, I could risk my life without hesitation.

Nodding in response seemed to satisfy the other party.

Miss Almighty nodded a couple of times, seemingly understanding, and then tilted her head towards me.

“Time-wise, this should be the last question.”

Then, she added in a gentle voice, as if to emphasize that I should definitely remember this fact.

I still had countless things I wanted to ask, yet here we were at the last question.

So, what should I ask for this last one?

After contemplating tirelessly for a moment, a thought suddenly popped into my head, and my mouth involuntarily let it slip out.

“The Association, I mean… the World Hero Association—”

And just then, I inwardly regretted it, but there was no turning back now.

Instead of dwelling on my late regret, I focused on the other person’s reaction, and what I noticed was a meaningfully smiling face.

“This… now there’s no need for a last question, is there?”

I found myself tilting my head at that response, and in return, I heard those words.

“Yoonseo.”

“…?”

“Currently, the World Hero Association is secretly pushing forward with an operation called ‘Cleanup.'”

Cleanup.

Just hearing that name made my hands clench instinctively.

I couldn’t help but react because just from the name of the operation, I already understood its ultimate goal.

“The goal of the operation is to eliminate the Queen of the Another Ones and to destroy the tree that can be seen as the source of the Another Ones.”

“…”

“For that, we absolutely need you, Yoonseo.”

And with that statement, what was presented to me was—

“Do you think that’s enough of an answer to your question?”