Lookism: What Am I Even Doing?

Chapter 114

(Jake's POV)

"Jake, what do you think will be the outcome of all of this?"

The fuck was she asking me such hard questions? I still haven't sobered up from last night. It's been a while since I've had good booze and good company. If I'd known she'd come the morning after, then I'd have drank a few bottles less. My head was willing me.

"How should I know? I'm not good at predicting things."

"Entertain me, a simple theory is enough."

I sighed then leaned back against the sofa. In front of us were countless scattered papers. Addresses, background profiles, bank accounts...information on that devilish place she was trying so hard to bring down. She went through every bit of it to help me understand how grave the situation is.

It didn't matter what I thought of the Bird Garden. Once I give me word, I stick to it though...I have to admit things are pretty fucked up. An underground human and sex trafficking ring, huh? Who knew we'd have something at this size in the heart of South Korea. How many millions did that monster make off people's children?

That wouldn't sit right with anyone with a heart. But what's worse is that half of the people working for him are being threatened and exploited. Especially those he keeps closest to him. You'd think a guy as smart as him would find another way to secure good workers other than harassing their livelihoods.

Well, some people find it easier to trust someone's fear instead of their words.

"With all of this preparation, I hope that you win. If you don't, then it would make things harder for me too. You could do what you want in changing the fate of Big Deal but if we can't bring Sinu back then what does it matter? It would only make me feel guilty to be living the good life without him. Besides, that bastard has to pay me back for pretending to be some selfless hero."

"I hope we win too but what would that mean?"

I sighed, "What weird shit are you talking about now?"

"What would it mean to win? What would it mean to defeat the Bird Garden? Even if we're to bring them down it wouldn't do much in the end. The people who have suffered at their hands can't be returned. And the monsters will remain the same, they'd simply move from one buyer to another.

To defeat something...does it mean to dethrone it or annihilate it completely? And by that...do we dethrone its king or annihilate them? What I'm asking is, what ending do we need to achieve to bring an end to this?"

...

To be honest, thinking about those things was useless. You have to carry those negative emotions you feel with you because to feel compassion in war is to lose. To defeat, to kill...aren't those basically the same thing? People like Jong-su will never change who they are. If we leave them be they'll only become something worse.

No longer fueled by their greed or selfish desire, now revenge or an uglier mix of all three.

"You asked for my opinion, right?" I looked at her seriously, "Sometimes we have to do bad things in order to avoid worse fates. If that means getting your hands dirty then so be it. I'd give up my soul then spend an eternity in hell if it meant saving a friend or protecting my people. The question is, are the people that follow you the same?"

Cherry laughed, "Aren't you supposed to ask if I'd do the same?"

Her smile slowly faded under the intensity of my eyes, "No, I already know you're like me. You'd sacrifice the same, if not more. And something tells me you've already sacrificed too much to give a damn about killing. So why ask me these things? Trying to test me?"