Chapter 164. Recovery
I gazed out the window for a moment.
The Old Folks and the women were gathered under a tent pitched on the road. The man who used ice abilities approached them and handed them cool water.
“Taesik-gun.”
“Yes.”
I had somewhat expected this. From Professor Choi’s perspective, taking in ten people, not just one or two, would naturally be a burden. Still, I had held a sliver of hope. After all, he had said that humans couldn’t live alone. He had also said that long-term survival was only possible if many people gathered. Perhaps there were no weak, sick, or elderly among those people.
“Many people are seeking my advice. Though I am lacking, I am in a position to lead them.”
“Yes.”
“I apologize for giving you a disappointing answer. Please understand that I must prioritize the group’s interests over my personal feelings.”
I remembered the gaze he cast upon the Old Folks and women as they disembarked from the Truck. It wasn’t the powerful gaze of someone speaking of ideals, but a cold, calculating look weighing profit and loss. Perhaps I had been too optimistic, given there were Old Folks living at Kangwon National University. In a way, perhaps it was a shameless act to ask him to accept them in exchange for the Food Supplies and two chickens the Old Folks had gathered. If I had brought people who could immediately contribute to their strength, I probably wouldn’t have had to ask like this. I suppose I’d already considered myself in a position of making an unreasonable request from the moment we set off.
