This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 644

My hand trembled uncontrollably, completely independent of my will.

There was no way it couldn’t.

For me, the rift was like a mass of traumas bundled together, serving as nothing less than a trauma itself.

With something like that appearing right before my eyes, how could I possibly remain calm?

Consequently, I found myself trembling without even realizing it… Could it be that my unease transmitted to my senior, who had been holding my hand all this time?

The hand that was gripping mine tightened gently.

It seemed like a silent whisper, saying that there was no way I would let you go into that dangerous place alone, so there was no need to worry excessively.

Perhaps it was because I could feel the determination in my senior’s demeanor.

Suddenly, a laugh escaped my lips.

Not because it was funny.

Rather, it was because of the soft, warm feelings that had begun to swell in my heart.

And after I laughed like that, my vision, which had narrowed in fear at the mere sight of the rift, instantly restored itself to normal.

Unlike the previous time when everything felt uncertain and shaky, my sight was now clearer and more defined.

Using that clarity, I focused on the rift before me.

As a result, I realized something.

What lay before me was somewhat different from the thing that had swallowed me whole before.

If I had to say what was different, it would be the feeling emanating from it, the atmosphere perhaps.

Back then, when it had devoured me and Chae-rim, it felt like someone had used long, sharp nails to tear through the air; now, the sensation was relatively less ominous.

Somehow, it felt more stable.

Even so, the fact that what was beyond it was still Heogye hadn’t changed, so why did I feel this way?

Was it because this rift originated from Bora and not from Another?

Was that the reason for this feeling?

I couldn’t tell.

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand… But aside from those questions, I decided to express my gratitude to Bora first.

At the very least, I wanted to make sure I said that.

After all, she must have gone through countless hesitations to complete this painting.

Though it was all in the past now, it surely hadn’t been easy, and yet, Bora had managed to carry on until the end.

Only… to fulfill my request.

So, shouldn’t I start with a thank you?

…Perhaps if I didn’t do it now, I might never get the chance to convey it.

So, I took a deep breath and gazed directly at Bora, who was leaning against the wall and catching her breath.

Or rather, it was just as I was about to speak.

“Bora, thank you… Mmph?!”

Just like on the day we had reunited, Bora closed the distance with her light movements and promptly covered my mouth.

Not with her hand, but with her own lips.

Soft, warm, and all at once, they descended upon my lips, sealing my words.

In the blink of an eye, that’s what had happened.

I found myself wide-eyed, and entering my line of sight was my senior, who looked just as surprised, her eyes round as she witnessed Bora’s bold act.

As soon as I noticed her, a wry smile flickered across my senior’s face, and then she turned away without a word.

While surprised by Bora’s sudden action, she seemed to be saying she wouldn’t interrupt.

Thanks to that understanding from my senior, Bora was able to focus solely on stealing my lips.

After what felt like a whole minute of that closeness, Bora finally pulled away, taking a deep breath as if she had been holding it in.

“I’ll listen to the rest of your words when I come back.”

She then gently pushed me towards my senior and simultaneously bowed her head slightly, as if to express her gratitude or perhaps to say, “I’ll count on you.”

“…Are you going to be okay alone here?”

“I’d say I’m not alone.”

“Hmm…?”

“By now, I think those people my sister requested have arrived.”

With that, Bora assured me with a tone that suggested I didn’t need to worry too much.

She looked towards my senior and asked, “Am I right, sister?”

“Hmm, it seems they’ve just arrived.”

If that was the case, then I felt a bit relieved… but could it really be okay?

Knowing that what Bora feared most was losing her freedom all over again, I couldn’t shake off the worry lingering in me.

“I’m really fine, so you do what you need to do, Dogun.”

Bora looked straight at my face as she spoke that and stepped back a pace.

It was as if she was declaring that her role was done here.

While I noticed her hand shaking slightly as she stepped back, I nodded in understanding.

With Bora pushing me so wholeheartedly, any further hesitation would indeed be excessive.

And so, I promptly turned my head toward the direction where my senior was positioned.

And perhaps it was a moment they had been waiting for.

“If you’re ready… should we go now?”

Just as my gaze met my senior’s, who had been watching me all along, her words flowed forth.

Slowly nodding, I watched as my senior boldly took a step toward the rift.

Maybe she intended to cross over first to see what lay ahead.

Judging by her immediate actions, it seemed that way, so I hurriedly stepped forward to stop her.

“Wait a moment.”

“Hmm? Why?”

“Just to be safe, let’s check things out a bit before crossing.”

It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Bora’s talent.

It was more about the situation being delicate enough that I felt it prudent to proceed with caution.

After all, there could very well be a horde of Another waiting just beyond, or the place beyond might not be our intended destination.

Given how things can sometimes go awry, being careful certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Especially considering that what we were about to attempt could not fail under any circumstances.

Deciding how to ‘check’ wasn’t difficult.

Wasn’t that what our mobile phones were for?

The key was finding a way to send the phone beyond the rift and retrieve it again…

But I could easily come up with a solution.

After all, we had plenty of materials lying around.

Since we’d entered, there had been a huge pile of supplies occupying one side of the room.

It looked like someone had stopped midway through remodeling the shop, as thin steel rods and wooden planks littered the ground, all of which seemed potentially useful.

I picked one up, slightly bent one end, and attached the phone to it.

Using the rope I had borrowed from my senior for this very purpose allowed me to tie the phone securely to the end of the rod.

I was initially confused about why I had a rope, but it turned out to be leftover from binding the attackers who had come in earlier.

Once securely attached, I activated the video recording mode on the phone and shoved it into the rift.

Then, using the rod like a spoon to stir a pot of stew, I carefully probed the rift until I felt it was enough and then pulled it back.

Fortunately, the phone returned from beyond the rift without any damage.

The video I captured was clear with no noise whatsoever.

Thanks to that, I was convinced that the world on the other side was the same one I had been aiming for.

A realm filled with an unsettling crimson atmosphere that could evoke a sense of dread just by looking, along with remnants that reminded me of the desolation that came after the world’s end.

It looked exactly like the Heogye from my memories. So, I turned to my senior and said:

“It seems like we’ve confirmed everything we needed to, so let’s really go now.”

Responding to my gaze, my senior nodded and resumed her steps that had been momentarily halted.

And then… she launched herself into the rift.