This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 595

Once again, silence engulfed the meeting room.

However, this silence felt slightly different from before.

If the earlier quietness was akin to that faced by someone confronted with a challenging problem, the current atmosphere seemed more rooted in discomfort.

And perhaps that very aspect had influenced everyone’s demeanor as they sat around the round table.

Still, none of those present felt inclined to speak up just yet, and the reason was simple.

Despite the discomfort, this matter was not one that warranted an emotional response.

Looking at the situation more realistically, it was clear.

So perhaps that was why.

The conversation that followed a brief silence was similarly measured.

“Korea… it’s quite an intriguing country in many ways.”

One could almost see it as grasping at straws with that statement.

Yet, none dared to voice that point.

It made sense, as others’ thoughts weren’t drastically different either.

“Well, I can agree with that.”

Even when the country was divided into North and South, and now, serendipitously unified, compared to the United States, it might be described as a mere speck of land.

Added to that were the population numbers, which, originally low, had plummeted further due to various circumstances, and the fierce neighbors like China, Russia, and Japan who were undeniably powerful.

Considering all these factors, one might expect Korea to remain a mediocre, underdeveloped country, yet surprisingly it was anything but.

Unlike the desert countries in the Middle East where oil gushes from the ground without end.

What limited resources Korea had, primarily limestone, were quite impressive given how much they had cultivated the land, but what truly stood out was Korea’s awakening rate.

Not only did the population of Japan, nearly double that of Korea, boast a significantly lower awakening rate, but even compared to the population of China, which was virtually incomparable, Korea’s awakening rate was astounding.

Consequently, when considering the number of awakened individuals in those three countries, the differences were minimal despite the population disparity.

Of course, including those in China who awaken talent but do not formally register as awakened would change the narrative somewhat…

Yet, Korea’s uniqueness didn’t diminish.

Honestly, simply competing against a Japan with double the population already said it all.

Moreover, the ratio of high-awakened individuals in Korea was utterly unmatched.

In that regard, Korea could truly be considered exceptional.

Just in this generation alone, the world’s top ten heroes included not just Lightning Lady, but also three remarkable heroes: Sprinter, and Shield.

Then there was Miss ‘O,’ who was rumored to have inherited the powers of the world’s worst villain, Frozen, and was gaining immense popularity recently in Japan, with a growing fan base even in the U.S. due to her unique ability to manipulate sound, which indicated she was already seen as a potential spearhead for the next generation…

Given how many places struggled to create a proper generational shift due to a lack of talent, the case of Korea, which continuously managed to churn out promising figures every generation, was truly a peculiar one.

It’s no wonder discussions arose within the association about seriously researching the country’s soil, climate, and even the eating habits of Koreans…

Everyone was aware of Korea’s peculiarities.

“Even in the previous generation, they were a step ahead…”

“The current Association Chairman, along with each of their comrades, were all monsters…”

“Is it really feasible to assert that even a chaotic world breeds heroes?”

“If only the Korean government hadn’t wasted time back then, Korea could have led the era of talent…”

Of course, just because it had always been that way didn’t guarantee it wouldn’t suddenly change in the future.

However, there was also no assurance that everything would remain the same without a sudden upheaval.

Taking all of this into account, as the Another Ones faded from the world, Korea’s position in a world poised for yet another upheaval would inevitably be unique in various ways.

At the very least, it wouldn’t hurt to have them on our side.

Thinking on those lines, no matter how disreputable Korea’s actions seemed, it was necessary to accommodate them to some degree.

But that discomfort had everyone holding their tongues as if they had agreed beforehand.

And in such situations, it was always the impatient ones who took the lead.

“Honestly… isn’t it a bit awkward to exclude them like this?”

Everyone knew it to be true, yet no one dared to voice it, leaving an air of frustration hanging.

Eventually, one couldn’t hold back their temper any longer and stepped forward boldly.

Once someone took that plunge, the others finally began to speak.

“That’s… true.”

“Moreover, it’s rare for anywhere else to achieve results as impressive as Korea.”

While there were places that had matched Korea’s achievements, those results were purely a result of throwing their full resources into the endeavor—nothing compared to the extreme resource conservation practiced by Korea.

Honestly, who could have predicted that they would fortify their base with leftover containers from transporting supplies and cover it with automatic turrets typically reserved for military use?

Although many nations began to mimic Korea’s methods after initially floundering in the barren, unfamiliar world, it was clear that their originals were still of a relatively lower caliber compared to the benchmark set by Korea.

However, that didn’t mean Korea’s expedition team just hunkered down inside their fortified base, neglecting their exploration roles.

Despite their relatively modest resources, which would hardly register compared to other nations’ mobilizations, they chose to press forward rather than settle.

As a result, they managed to secure one notorious villain listed on the French Hero Association’s wanted list and successfully extracted crucial information about the mirror world from her—truly, there was no one who could compare to their accomplishments.

The Korean expedition team was effectively operating skillfully in the mirror world.

Even if the forces organized for the upcoming expedition team were immensely powerful, considering that most of them would be inexperienced in the mirror world, the collaboration of the Korean team, who were familiar with it, was not just preferable but essential.

It was crucial to avoid a hilariously unfortunate situation of dispatching an expedition team only for them to lose their way due to unfamiliarity with the terrain.

“But the issue is…”

“Whether Korea will accept our request, of course.”

Given that the operation is proceeding?

The prevailing thought among those gathered was that utilizing Korea might be the optimal approach.

After all, they already had all the necessary infrastructure in place, right?

Thus, using their location as both a base camp and a forward operating base would inevitably reduce the potential for any errors that would otherwise occur.

And that’s not even all?

Looking at it from that angle, it would also neatly address the supply issue, which could potentially become the biggest headache.

If we established a new base camp, it would take a significant amount of time just to tidy up the area and secure supply lines, whereas I’d heard they’ve completed all that already.

Given this, it wasn’t too difficult to foresee that they could easily supply the materials requested by the expedition team.

Considering all that, it seemed there was no choice but to obtain Korea’s cooperation, leading everyone to ponder how they could persuade Korea at that moment.

Suddenly, the firmly shut door of the meeting room burst open, and a staff member who had been waiting outside entered, holding a sheet of paper.

As the staff member stepped into the meeting room…

“Umm…! I apologize for interrupting your meeting, but…”

“What’s the matter?”

“We’ve received an urgent request from the Korean Hero Association…”

A profoundly significant smile spread across Miss Almighty’s face, who had been quietly observing one corner of the meeting room with an inscrutable expression.