Chapter 41
When Yoren walked out of the hospital, the sun hung high in the sky. Noon had passed, and his body ached from the relentless assault of ore disease. He made his way to a nearby park, the world around him a blur.
At this hour, the park was nearly empty. He staggered into a small grove, his legs weak, his breath ragged.
Gripping a tree for support—
"Ugh!"
A thick mouthful of blood surged up and spilled onto the ground. It was darker than before, almost black.
A deep, creeping weakness spread through him. The attacks came irregularly, but each time, they left his body more broken than before. His stomach twisted in agony, his insides burning.
And in that moment, he felt utterly alone.
Humans are social creatures by nature. We seek connection, a place where we belong. Being understood is a fundamental need.
It was like drawing a super rare operator in Arknights. The player base splits in two—those who get it and those who don't. If you get it but can't tell anyone, the joy feels hollow. The moment someone mentions it, the urge to say, "Me too!" is almost irresistible. We crave validation. We seek our place within the whole.
Compared to physical pain, compared to the hardships of life, loneliness is what humans fear most.
Stray cats survive just fine, but stray dogs? They wither. People sacrifice individuality just to fit in, not because of social morality, but because deep down, they cannot bear isolation.