Chapter 917

In four days, the discussions about Minhyuk and Athenae’s balance collapse continued to brew and boil over. The public had only seen one side of the story. It was only interested in Minhyuk's ability to kill more than 400,000 enemy soldiers and whether his new armor was indeed a collapse in the game's balance.

The Peiro Allied Nations was an alliance of small and weak nations. And Minhyuk? He listened to what Carron said and worked at an incredibly unreasonable speed when he fought against them. Meanwhile, quite a few people took advantage of this incident and used it skillfully to benefit themselves.

The world-famous Ztuber Donald was a Westerner who had surprisingly obtained Korean nationality and was very fluent in Korean. He attracted many viewers as a foreigner who spoke the language fluently and smoothly. He often shared his criticisms regarding various topics, including celebrity controversies and Ztuber fake videos and manipulations. For Donald, Beyond the Heavens’ Emperor Minhyuk was a tasty prey.

[Everyone, this definitely does not make any sense.]

Donald compiled various materials. After gathering everything, he edited it into a video and published it. The viewers found his claims extremely credible because he had compiled one of the videos that a paparazzi had caught. This video was of ‘President Kang Taehoon’ and ‘Team Leader Park Minggyu’ visiting Minhyuk’s home.

[It’s obvious that Ilhwa Group and Joy Co. Ltd. have a business deal going on here. After all, every time Minhyuk did something like build a kingdom or an empire, the stock price of Ilhwa Group skyrockets, right?]

His words might sound simple, but they fleshed out the idea that a deal was going on. And since Donald was a world-famous Ztuber, his videos easily exceeded a hundred million views. Of course, other Ztubers immediately jumped on his video and began criticizing Minhyuk. Some of the public also liked to ride the bandwagon, so they jumped in and took the lead in shouting and clamoring.

[Joy Co. Ltd. and Ilhwa Group! Explain yourselves!]

[If you were in our shoes, would it be fun to play games like this, huh?!]

[I’m so f*cking angry... Some of us work hard to level up and get items, yet others get it from the game’s company.]

[I thought that Ilhwa Group was the best and cleanest company in our country, but in the end, it’s just a company that likes making money. I’ll boycott them.]

[+2222]

[+3333]

Just like that, the Ilhwa Group and Joy Co. Ltd. stock prices fell. On the other hand, the views on Donald’s single video continued to climb, helping him generate a considerable profit.

[Hyungs, I will come back tomorrow.]

Bow–

Donald bowed politely before ending his broadcast. He then completely changed his tune in private. He clicked his tongue and said, “

Phew...

Those f*ckers.”

He could not help but chuckle deeply when he saw his profits from the ‘issue’ he had created.

At that moment, his girlfriend, browsing on her phone, jumped in surprise and said, “Donald. Ilhwa Group has published a statement. They said they will maintain a hard stance and respond strongly against all people posting malicious comments and baseless articles, including Ztubers.”

But Donald just guffawed. “Bwahahahahahaha! A hard stance? Do they think they can put out the spark that had started to catch fire with just that?”

“Are you going to be fine? Ilhwa Group and Joy Co. Ltd. are the best companies in Korea.”

“It’s going to be fine. Celebrities, famous influencers, and business tycoons often say they will ‘maintain a hard stance and respond strongly’ against malicious comments and baseless and speculative articles. But in the end, all those things turn out to be real, no?”

“Even so, you don’t have any clear evidence that Ilhwa Group has a deal with Joy Co. Ltd. and have truly received artifacts from them...”

Donald just chuckled and ignored his girlfriend’s concern.

“That’s not the point here.” Donald wagged his index finger. “If they can’t ‘prove’ anything, then this will eventually become the ‘truth.’”

That was what the public was like. They would not believe it unless Minhyuk could provide clear and concrete evidence. However, from what Donald could tell, there was no way for them to prove and convince the public that this was not a collapse in balance. In other words, it did not matter whether his publication was true. Either way, it would bring him more money.

‘Well then, let’s see if we’re getting more viral?’

Whenever someone became a big hit with their posted content, most Ztubers would make similar content and hype the issue more. As the issue grew, most viewers would flock to the video with the most views. In this case, it was Donald’s video.

But then, Donald suddenly paused. “What’s this?”

A video popped up whose views were climbing up at an absolutely ridiculous rate. The uploader? It was none other than ‘Joy Co. Ltd.,’ and its title was

‘The Burden an Emperor Carries.’

Click–

The video played the moment Donald clicked on it.

***

To be honest, Minhyuk was growing extremely anxious.

‘The number of players that have left the Beyond the Heavens Empire has increased.’

And that was not all. Many players had been asking the Beyond the Heavens Empire to explain the balance break. But the most significant contributor to his anxiety was Ilhwa Group’s falling stock prices. The damage he caused himself was much more substantial than he expected, so he could not help but feel anxious.

But Minhyuk still did what he had to. He quickly instructed Ilhwa Group’s legal team and called Ilhwa Daily, a subsidiary of Ilhwa Group and one of the country's top three newspaper publishers.

Immediately after, articles about how he would take a hard-line stance against those who posted malicious comments and baseless articles poured out. But before long, jeering and mockery began to rain down on the articles. Even another Ztuber immediately made a video mocking and belittling Minhyuk.

But at that moment, he finally received a message from Godly Editor Jackson.

[I have already uploaded the video.]

Minhyuk walked toward the computer to watch the video.

***

Anyone could watch videos on Ztube. They could watch those videos even while they were on their phones, which made it easier for people walking on the street, riding on subways, buses, and trains, and eating lunches at schools and offices to enjoy their leisure time.

Many people quickly clicked on the video ‘The Burden an Emperor Carries.’ The moment they clicked on the video, the steady, low baritone of a male voice actor rang in their ears as words appeared on the black screens of their phones and monitors.

[I... wanted to live.]

The words disappeared quickly as another appeared to replace it.

[Eating Addiction. Current estimated survival rate: less than 2%.]

Another set of words appeared just as quickly as the previous one disappeared.

[I started playing Athenae because I wanted to live.]

Then, the figure of a man appeared on their screens. The man was holding a wooden sword in his hands while looking at the hard bread given to him by an instructor.

[I swung the sword because I wanted to eat and live.]

The video sped up, the scene passing by at dozens of times the original speed. Several days and nights passed, yet the man continued to swing his sword. This was because he wanted to eat bread.

[I was happy.]

The video of Minhyuk smiling widely as he ate the hard bread in his hands appeared briefly on their screens.

Then, a screenshot of the scene when the instructor handed a sword over to Minhyuk also appeared. This was immediately followed by the appearance of several other screenshots. One showed Minhyuk happily eating samgyetang for the first time, and another showed him continuously training his swordsmanship under the tutelage of Instructor Roina.

Screenshots showing how moved he was when he first grilled samgyeopsal, when he worked as a chef in the subjugation corps, when he met Sword Emperor Ellie and ate spam with her, and when he reunited with his friends and joined the Legend Guild appeared on their screens.

A screenshot showed dozens of guild members with Minhyuk standing at the center with a bright smile.

[I was delighted. And I continued walking the path I was walking on because I was thrilled that I could continue eating to my heart’s content. I did not realize it, but many people were already standing by my side at one point.]

Several dozens of screenshots appeared once again. His first meeting with Ben, Brod, Elpis, Gorfido, Luna, and others appeared on the screen. These screenshots slowly disappeared as the image of a kingdom appeared on the screen. Then, Minhyuk, standing on his kingdom's walls and looking at his people, appeared.

[I wanted to protect them.]

There were dozens of videos playing simultaneously. The videos showed Minhyuk swinging his pickaxe, wielding his sword, or cooking a dish for days. The speed at which the videos were played had been increased several times. However, everyone could tell each footage was at least four days long. Suddenly, the playback of the videos stopped. Then, one of the videos was greatly magnified.

“Haa... Haa... Haa... Haa...”

A close-up of Minhyuk’s exhausted face appeared. Sweat soaked his entire being as he staggered to his feet. He looked like he was about to collapse at any moment, but he continued to raise his arms and swing.

[I promised them that I would never collapse and fall.]

He gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with flames as he continued to move.

[I promised to protect them.]

[I promised that I would live and survive.]

[And I will keep those promises.]

Finally, videos showing Minhyuk with a bright and lively smile as he received the rewards appeared on the screen. Finally, the last video appeared on the screen. From its looks, the video seemed to be the latest of all the videos. It showed Minhyuk swinging a pickaxe non-stop in an unknown yet barren land. Then, words appeared in the video.

[Day one.]

With the fast playback speed, the bright sky above him turned dark quickly.

[Day two.]

The video’s playback speed grew faster and faster.

[Day three.]

[Day four.]

[Day five.]

[Day six.]

The thought of continuous, intense, and hard labor was enough to make the viewers' expressions grow ugly, but Minhyuk did not stop.

[Day seven.]

[Day eight...]

[Day twelve...]

[Day fourteen.]

[And.]

The video of Minhyuk swinging his pickaxe like crazy gradually slowed as the final words appeared on the screen.

[Day fifteen.]

Minhyuk smiled a small smile. Then, his eyes fluttered close as he fainted on the spot. Everyone watching the video felt the sweat pooling in their hands.

The scene on their screen changed once again. It briefly showed the blacksmith, who stood beside Minhyuk earlier, swinging his hammer like crazy. Then, the scene where the blacksmith handed over the ‘controversial armor set’ to Minhyuk appeared on everyone’s screens. Everyone saw Minhyuk’s small smile just before the scene changed once again.

On their screen, the video that Carron took himself was being displayed. It showed the figure of a single man rushing toward an alliance of almost two million troops. Anyone who saw the man’s back could feel the weight and burden that he was carrying as an emperor and someone who suffered from eating addiction.

[I will protect my empire.]

[I will never fall.]

[I will continue to move forward on my path.]

The white cape on his back fluttered as he ran toward the enemies that flocked toward the broken walls. Then, everything turned dark as the final words appeared on everyone’s screens.

[I... am alive.]

***

After watching the video, Donald realized that his hands were completely covered with sweat. It was not only his hands; his back was dripping with sweat, and goosebumps appeared all over his body.

“C—can a person truly do something like that? This is fabricated, right?”

No, there was no way that Joy Co. Ltd. would upload a fabricated video. After all, experts could see this and quickly determine if the video had been manipulated and manufactured.

Donald raised his trembling hands to check the current situation with his mobile phone. He could see that the most searched keyword in portal sites worldwide was ‘The Burden that an Emperor Carries.’

And along with that, the public’s opinion turned a complete 180.

[Shit, that’s crazy... I feel very disappointed and resentful of my past self, who criticized the Food God fiercely.]

[Can a person really handle all that?]

[Wow... After watching this, I must admit that the balance break is understandable. Tbh, I think it’s not enough. I think they can give him more, you know?]

[This video fully shows how the Food God, even though he is suffering from eating addiction, has reached his position. I believe this will give hope to many patients suffering from rare diseases.]

[I was very touched when I saw the phrases ‘I... wanted to live’ at the beginning and ‘I... am alive’ at the end.]

[Our Lord, the Food God... He... ?????]

[What we consider a balance break appeared because of his efforts.]

Yes, the public’s opinion has turned. And Donald? He was left in a very panicked state.

Joy Co. Ltd., Ilhwa Group, and Minhyuk had proven how he had obtained those artifacts. Everything was because of his efforts and hard work, which no other player would want to replicate even if asked to do so. Among those who had watched Minhyuk’s video, was there anyone who could do it like him?

Meanwhile, Donald posted a video containing the evidence and his confident remarks about an under-the-table deal that caused immeasurable damage to the image of Minhyuk and the two companies.

At that moment, Donald recalled the article that said Minhyuk and his team would take a ‘hard-line stance’ against those who posted malicious comments and baseless and speculative articles. He realized that he had to move quickly and fix things. Donald hurriedly filmed and uploaded an apology video. Of course, the Ztubers who joined in on the fun and muddied the waters also immediately posted apology videos.

Around three hours later.

“The- the Food God has posted a message on his SNS!” Donald’s girlfriend shouted.

Donald could only hold his trembling hands together and chuckle as cold sweat started to drip down his forehead.

‘From what I heard, the Food God has quite a good personality. I apologized and even knelt on my knees. I’m sure he’ll accept it.’

However, Donald collapsed the moment he checked what Minhyuk posted.

[I will not be lenient.]