This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 598

Suddenly, it hit me as I thought it through a bit more carefully. It actually felt somewhat plausible.

That’s only natural, considering Yoonseo is famously known for not interacting much with industry people.

There was a time when the saying “like master, like disciple” circulated publicly in the Association.

Yoonseo, who had minimal interactions with industry folks, didn’t seem like someone who would have close connections with anyone in the Association with substantial standing to support such a significant matter.

Thus, the only answer left was that it had to be her sister.

Of all people, it was her sister who provided the assistance.

Was it because I suddenly realized that fact?

My head suddenly started throbbing.

I couldn’t help it.

The moment Dogun discovered that both Yoonseo and her sister were involved in this matter, I had no idea how he would react.

Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if it was something that could be resolved.

Unless it was minor, this situation was unprecedented.

Given the circumstances, the sense of betrayal Dogun would feel towards both of them would be considerable.

‘Should I inform Dogun right now…?’

But… if he learns of it, he’s bound to be greatly saddened…

If it ends with mere sadness, then I’d be lucky, but in the worst-case scenario, he might blame himself for causing both of them to get involved.

Though I didn’t want to see that kind of situation, it was my honest feeling.

‘Ha, seriously…’

What on earth were those two thinking to get into such a situation?

I lamented, but truthfully, I didn’t find it hard to understand their feelings.

It was simply because anyone who knew even a little about Dogun would be aware of how small and withdrawn he became after losing his left arm.

I never brought it up, fearing it might be bothersome for him, but after losing his arm, Dogun had become incredibly wary of others’ gazes.

Furthermore, he hardly went out unless absolutely necessary.

It wasn’t just out of annoyance; it felt like he was actively avoiding wandering outside.

It was visible enough to anyone observing that it was heartbreaking, and Yoonseo, who had known him for much longer than I had, must have felt even worse.

I could only speculate, but she probably felt sympathy for Dogun, who was always acting that way, and thought this way: If only we could return Dogun’s left arm to its original state, he would surely regain his former self.

To achieve that, it seemed like she also dragged her sister, who felt a sense of responsibility regarding Dogun, into this mess…

‘Well…’

To be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure if their efforts would even bear fruit.

It was only natural to think that way, given that the world-renowned elite research team from the Association was supposedly doing everything they could to restore victims of Monsterization to their original forms, yet not a single piece of positive news reached my ears.

Some said it was simply because there were no decent samples available, and that if they got their hands on some, the research would progress exponentially, but really… could that even be true?

If it were something that could be resolved with just one more sample, results should have come out long ago in some form or another.

But all I heard was negative news, so at this point, wouldn’t believing in such possibilities make me a fool?

‘I can fully understand wanting to grasp at straws…’

After all, I had my own experiences in which I once felt the same way.

Though it was more than a decade ago, after my parents passed away, I tried everything I could to see their faces, even in dreams.

Through those attempts, I learned that no matter how hard you try, some things simply cannot be fixed.

Having already experienced such a thing, it struck me as both understandable and pitiful to see Yoonseo daring to risk her life in what seemed like an almost hopeless situation.

And consequently, I felt sorrow for Dogun in light of that.

Therefore—

‘This won’t do.’

At this point, I figured there was virtually no chance Yoonseo would be persuaded, but I needed to have a serious discussion with her sister, who had taken on the role of being Yoonseo’s supporter.

If possible, I wanted to do so sooner rather than later.

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With all the buzz about the Expedition Team and such, my surroundings were surprisingly quiet to the point of stillness.

There was a lot of fuss about the Expedition Team being organized soon, effectively swallowing up all the public interest so that I had faded from view.

Thanks to that, I was momentarily enjoying some freedom.

‘It’s definitely true that heroes and celebrities are raking in the money.’

Just a brief moment of online fame caused everyone to follow around with their mobile phones wherever I went, and celebrities who make a living off that kind of attention must have it even worse than me.

To be honest, I was relieved that public interest in me faded quicker than I expected; if it had lasted any longer, who knows how neurotic I would have become, shaking and sweating every time I spotted a camera on the back of a mobile phone?

It had been a horrific few months.

It was quite a realization to understand how naïve and foolish my belief had been that ignoring it would have sufficed.

For instance, after revealing about my left arm and going on a business trip with Chae-rim, I rushed into a nearby restaurant to grab a bite.

Skipping the details, to cut to the chase, I couldn’t even sit down at the restaurant because of how overflowing it was with people; in the end, I could only have a meal at a rest stop on the way back.

‘Just having people swarm was a relief…’

They were snapping photos of me like crazy with their mobile phones, whispering away, and if the food was delicious, I doubted I could enjoy it anyway.

It was quite bothersome for the other patrons at the restaurant, too.

So eventually, I gave up on dining there altogether, only to find out later that many people had complaints regarding that.

Some were stating that even though Chae-rim was supposedly ensuring my safety, it wasn’t exactly wise to bring someone who could turn volatile into such a crowded place.

Honestly, I empathized with that concern to such a degree that ever since that incident, I had been striving to make sure I was eating boxed meals while working unless there was absolutely no way around it.

I know saying that sounds a bit old-fashioned, but boxed meals have been exceptionally good these days, and delivery services are quite efficient too, so I honestly had no complaints about it.

Oh, and despite people’s perceptions, I had never felt those destructive impulses that were often talked about.

While I had experienced something akin to seizure-like incidents a few times, those were just agonizing moments for me and nothing beyond that.

However… just because it had been like this until now, didn’t guarantee it would remain so.

Thus, being cautious when I could was my honest thought, and to add one more thing…

‘Eating out isn’t meant to be a daily affair…’

I hadn’t told Chae-rim, but locating a restaurant had become quite a chore.

If it had just been me, I would have been fine with some quick and easy meal, but when dining with Chae-rim, even selecting a menu became a hardship.

Plus, since I had been treating her quite well lately, her standards had noticeably increased beyond the type who would ordinarily eat anything.

Because of that, every day became a subtle torment, and I felt so relieved to be freed from that obligation while also distancing myself from the attention of others.

Ironically, though, it made me anxious.

‘In movies, this kind of peace usually triggers an incident…’

Surely it couldn’t turn out like a movie, could it…?