This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 628

[Yoonseo’s Perspective]

From the very beginning, or rather, even before the start, losing one person had already taken quite a toll.

If you simply looked at the numbers, it had gone from twenty to nineteen, but there’s something called momentum in a fight, after all.

Perhaps it was because the one who had boldly marched forward, thinking he could handle everything, had fallen so easily without even being able to put up a fight.

You could practically feel the tension in the air, as if everyone was on high alert.

Unlike just a moment ago, no one was willing to step forward now.

It wasn’t surprising that a strange and heavy silence had settled in as a result.

But that was all it was.

This heavy silence, once it descended, wouldn’t last long anyway.

It was all due to the girl’s actions.

For just a moment, as she moved her body this way and that, seemingly admiring the non-angelic, non-demonic wings growing from her back, she suddenly swung her hand into the air.

At first?

Everyone witnessing her actions simply couldn’t comprehend what she was doing.

From their perspective, there was no other reaction possible. They must have thought, “What in the world is she doing?”

What initially was confusion turned into shock because of the words that someone had stammered out while trembling their fingertips.

“W-What is that…?”

A voice that struggled to believe what it had witnessed.

No, rather, it was closer to a voice that didn’t want to believe it in the first place, and naturally, the gazes of the people perched atop the container turned towards the direction pointed out by the voice.

And then… they gasped in horror.

When they last checked, it had merely been an ordinary Another, but now wings had sprouted from its back, causing everyone to clench their jaws with hardened expressions.

“Not only to steal talents but also to evolve the beings around it using those stolen talents…?”

Amidst the murmurs, one voice of lamentation accurately represented the feelings of the expedition team members.

An enemy that absorbs our abilities and evolves with every time one of our comrades falls! We have never heard of or seen anything like that.

So, everyone was left with no choice but to feel a rising sense of crisis.

Despite the initially bleak situation that almost seemed like the end of humanity was nigh, humanity’s eventual victory in the war against Another came from?

Unlike the enemies, who hadn’t evolved at all over time, humanity had always progressed.

This didn’t just refer to technology.

From technology to the mindset of the people.

Unlike the Others, who seemed to have no understanding of the word “progress,” humanity had consistently strived for improvement, which was ultimately why they could turn the tide of the battle…

Did the enemies finally learn the meaning of progress or change by witnessing humanity’s determination?

In stark contrast to their previously stagnant state, the Others began to change.

And it was… at an astonishing speed.

Those expedition members who had joined the mission, dreaming of erasing the Another from this world and basking in the glory that followed, found themselves as the first witnesses of these changes, leaving them utterly astounded.

For now, it was merely the addition of a pair of wings, but what about in the future? Would it stop there?

No one could guarantee that, and so everyone naturally clamped their mouths shut.

Right now, it was just the addition of wings, but if that girl absorbed some of the talents from a few individuals present here…?

And if all of those absorbed abilities were then applied to the Others down below?

As they thought more and more, a chilling scenario unfolded in their minds, and everyone reflexively gritted their teeth.

It was only natural, seeing as they realized something.

If they couldn’t stop that girl—no, that monster presenting herself in the form of a girl—right here and now, humanity might have no future whatsoever.

There was no way they could even think about retreating back to reality while conserving their strength.

The Others would never allow that to happen, nor would that alone be an issue.

Just because someone was a civilian and not a hero didn’t mean they lacked talent.

Many civilians had talents, after all.

They simply hadn’t become heroes—they had just naturally flowed into fields that suited their talents.

For the Others, reality must have felt like an all-you-can-eat buffet, where they could conveniently pick and choose.

Would they allow them to come rampaging into reality like that?

If that happened, humanity would soon find itself facing the worst legion, which would evolve more and more as time passed.

And at the end of that road awaited humanity’s doom.

So, if the outcome would be the same regardless, wouldn’t it make sense to place your bets with the side that seemed to have even the slightest chance of winning?

That was the reason everyone present was prepared to face death.

While many pointed fingers behind the backs of those labeled “modern nobles,” those gathered here had a sense of duty.

A responsibility to represent the nation and humanity they belonged to began to naturally bolster their resolve…

“Don’t know if this will work, but let’s give it a shot.”

“This is just… such a hassle after coming all the way here for some glory…”

“I don’t think this is so bad? If we follow the plan and win here, we’ll truly become humanity’s heroes, right?”

Before anyone knew it, everyone present began to prepare for battle.

Behind their actions was a commitment fueled by belief in the person called the strongest in the world.

A belief that with this person, they wouldn’t lose.

Before they knew it, this belief began to meld with the surrounding atmosphere, wrapping around people…

When everyone had been frozen in fear, it seemed they couldn’t help but dislike the sight of the Others eager to crawl forward as soon as a moment of silence fell.

With a displeased expression that seemed to be a reflection of her displeasure, the girl glared intensely in the direction of the forward base before swinging her hand once more.

A light and effortless motion.

However, the results of that action were anything but light.

Every gaze turned fierce, as if they were all waiting for a command from the girl while suppressing their instincts as much as possible.

With a single gesture from the girl, everything that had been swaying behind her surged upwards en masse.

Of course, handling newly sprouted body parts wasn’t easy, and many of those that took off were sent tumbling back down to the ground…

But none of those present could laugh at that sight.

How could they, when it was like each Another that previously looked identical, like they were cookie-cutter shapes, was now revealing that while they looked the same, each individual was indeed different?

Some beings progressed so rapidly that they adapted to the newly sprouted wings in an instant.

In reality, most of the top-tier individuals known as Bruisers did precisely that.

Given the strength of their exoskeletons, which far surpassed that of ordinary metals, they were indeed formidable enemies.

Seeing such creatures buzzing in the air with insect-like wings made every spine shiver in fear…

“But in the end, those are still just lesser beings.”

“What’s gonna change just because they sprouted wings?”

None of those present showed any signs of dismay or despair.

Rather than displaying despair, they were too busy igniting their fighting spirit instead.

And as if to respond to that will, the legion comprised of the Others began to swarm towards the forward base.

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At that very moment, while the battle between the expedition team and the Others began amongst the Heogye, Dogun was… riding a rented motorcycle in a frenzy, darting here and there.

He was fulfilling Bora’s demand.

‘A place with no nearby houses or people but has walls suitable for drawing…’

That was exactly what Bora had requested from Dogun, and he had no choice but to put in the legwork to find such a location.

However… despite riding a motorcycle he’d never used before, he had seen little success.

Finding a suitable location in the city of Seoul that met Bora’s criteria was no easy task.

As he grew increasingly impatient, a building suddenly appeared in front of him.

It seemed to have been abandoned for quite some time, perhaps due to impending demolition.