This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 601

A sound so presence-filled, it was almost bizarre.

At that sound, even as they pretended not to notice, the tension among them intensified as their eyes all turned towards the door.

When the gaze of those recognized in the world converged upon someone, it was only natural to flinch a little due to the pressure of their fame, but perhaps it was because the one entering the meeting room was notably superior in certain regard to anyone present.

Rather than flinching or showing signs of apprehension, Miss Almighty began to gracefully cross the meeting room, as if she were relishing the attention directed at her.

Finally, just as the last seemingly empty seat was about to be filled—

Thud—!

A heavy, weighty sound rang out in the meeting room.

And then, as if to say they wouldn’t stop anyone from entering, the door swung shut, cutting off the interior from the exterior. In that moment, the gaze of everyone seated suddenly focused on Yoonseo.

It was a natural outcome to consider.

After all, those gathered here were renowned figures well-recognized in any setting, far outnumbering those who did not know them.

In contrast, Yoonseo had significant recognition within South Korea but had yet to reach such a level.

Yet here she was, sitting prominently as a member of the expedition team… It’s no wonder everyone felt a subtle pride in being ‘chosen’ to accompany this glorious journey, wondering who exactly she was to be graced with this spot despite her lesser fame.

So when the door closed, cutting off the external scrutiny, it was only to be expected that all eyes turned towards Yoonseo.

How blatant an act this was!

Thus, Yoonseo could only feel increasingly flustered.

From her perspective, she couldn’t possibly have anticipated that the heroes representing various countries would behave so overtly.

Wasn’t there a thing called face or dignity?

Especially since two among them held statuses that demanded such concern, she never predicted they would act like this.

‘Well… it seems like they’ve tossed any sense of dignity aside…’

Perhaps it was because of a suggestion—covert as it was—that they send the attendants away for the smooth progress of the meeting, that now the back was feeling rather vacant.

The face of Shamsir, a princess of the Arab Federation and also one of the heroes representing the federation, had remained scrunched up in displeasure since earlier.

Maybe that was why the stares directed this way were so judgmental.

They felt as if they were saying, “Who do you think you are?”

It seemed she had joined the expedition team more for her knowledge of local affairs rather than her abilities, so she might have felt somewhat out of place, but surely, she couldn’t have anticipated such blatant stares.

Even if they were world-famous heroes, at the end of the day, people are still people.

Thanks to this, I think I began to understand why the saying “people are all the same” is considered a truth.

In any case… this pressure from their stares must convey their curiosity about your identity, but they wouldn’t dare directly ask because that would hurt their pride, so they’d prefer for you to reveal your identity first, right?

Judging by the expressions of everyone wanting to find out, it seemed that was indeed the case.

It definitely appeared to be what they desired, but… how strange.

Why did I feel reluctant to speak?

Was this the “rebel spirit” that Dogun sometimes mentioned?

Perhaps that was possible.

It could simply be a matter of my stubbornness, but… even considering that, I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

It wasn’t just pride.

Thinking about it, wasn’t it their first time in Heogye?

Surely, there was a saying that those who have tried the food can eat it best, and while they would adapt quickly even if the environment changed… that would only be in the long run, and regardless, the fact that they were novices remained unchanged.

In contrast, this side?

While looking for clues to revert Dogun’s left arm back to normal, I had been in Heogye—home ground for the Another Ones—for nearly a month.

Thus, in terms of experience with Heogye, could it not be said that we were the true experts here?

I didn’t know what they thought, but for the moment, that was the fact, so why should we be the ones to bow down first?

It might seem like we were engaging in pointless power struggles just before an important moment, but in fact, it was a matter of considerable significance.

After all, if I entered with a sense of defeat from the onset, I could only continue on that way.

If it wasn’t an issue, I might have acted that way, but regardless of the reason I was picked, I was here as a member of the expedition team, not as a guide to be subservient to them.

And more than that…

‘…Honestly, I think a few of us could hold our own here, right?’

The thought—a hunch, perhaps—kept itching in the back of my mind.

Though I thought it a bit brash to face world-renowned industry veterans while not yet having reached First-Class, it’s not like I hadn’t reached that level due to lack of skill, but rather from a sheer lack of deeds.

Truthfully, if it weren’t for that, I might have achieved First-Class a long time ago.

Ah, of course, I could have such thoughts thanks to Dogun.

Thanks to Dogun installing the “attack option,” I gained confidence that I could land a good blow no matter who it was.

And that blow would be quite lethal even from their standpoint.

Even considering that they possessed an edge in strength, was there a reason for us to bow down just because we received a few glares?

With such judgments, I was steadfastly facing the incoming gazes.

It was as if Miss Almighty, who could be truly considered the owner of this gathering, was quietly observing while the lesser ones squabbled.

“I suppose everyone has a lot of curiosity about each other.”

As the power struggle heated up, it couldn’t have been easy to maneuver through. However, like opening the door of a convenience store, Miss Almighty effortlessly slipped through and smiled at everyone seated around the round table.

Yet, what she spread was a smile that was more akin to a warning.

If someone clumsy had done such a thing?

There would have been immediate backlash.

Honestly, that couldn’t be helped, as everyone gathered here shared an extraordinary sense of self-worth.

Considering their societal standings and talents, that was only natural.

Given the reality, if someone inept were to issue such a “warning,” they would be more likely to face resistance than agreement… but the one delivering the warning was none other than the world’s strongest hero.

Thus, everyone instantly shrank back as if to say, “When did this power struggle occur?”

Of course, not everyone in attendance displayed such behavior.

The ones who shrank back immediately were those of the older generation, who had directly experienced Miss Almighty’s might, while those of the newer generation—like Shamsir of the Arab Federation and Princess Royal of Norway—who were relatively younger felt a momentary shudder under the name of ‘the strongest in the world,’ but they didn’t shrink back like others.

It was a boldness born from having never experienced it.

It may be obvious, but Miss Almighty was not one to overlook that truth.

Perhaps that was why.

“In that sense… shall we take some time to get to know each other? It might be hard to trust each other otherwise.”

Her profound statement flowed from her lips.