Only I Am A Reader

The Heavenly Strength Society was here! After suffering from a terrible wake-up call to reality, the organizations that were starting to adapt to the changed world came to be aware of a series of terrible news…

The more that they looked into them, the more mysterious the hidden organization seemed to be. At this point, everyone was questioning the fact that the Murim Alliance was the strongest force of murim, but that was barely the tip of the iceberg.

"The biggest monster wave will be coming over soon!"

A threat that even this endless abyss of a Society found to be tough was descending! Most importantly, it wasn't a simple increase in numbers like what they had experienced. A whole army with a proper commander was soon to knock on their doors!

The content and the way they were delivered made the receivers question the truth behind them. However, the majority couldn't help believing every single word as there was nothing to gain by deceiving them. From the very beginning, the Society focused on eliminating the monsters before everyone else.

Under Zhuge Gun's lead, the news of the incoming phase of the invasion was made public to the Martial Artists of Murim in hope that everyone will focus on preparing for the final battle. To be there as a part of humanity's last stand!

Unfortunately, unlike the solid response that the Heavenly Strength Society's members had shown, the reaction of the martial community was far from ideal. Just like a large number of people abandoned the mission to eradicate the monsters after the second wave, most ran away in despair…

From those who outright left Zhongyang in hordes, to those who sought underground caves and natural landlocked hideouts. The heroic and noble reputation of Martial Artists didn't cost a penny when eradication was close at hand.

Many condemned the Alliance Leader's decision to spread the news that could possibly be false. Some even called it a very deliberate scheme from the Heavenly Strength Society that was likely transitioning into the largest group of Demon Worshipers, but Zhuge Gun only had one answer.

"This is for the better."

Rather than waiting for the war to come and swallow everyone, weeding out the unstable factors was much better. Those that deserted now would still desert even if they learned of the despairing future too late, while those that stayed would have still stayed even if they didn't know that the conclusion was near.

Instead of betting on some ragtag whose only importance was providing empty numbers, giving those who had the courage to stay the chance to prepare and resolve themselves was the more sensible choice!

While this was a tribulation that would decide the fate of the world, it could also be considered an opportunity to rebuild the murim to its true image. Despite being hailed as the greatest strategist of the era, Zhuge Gun couldn't predict who would win in the end. However, he could confidently say that Murim would be reborn as long as they managed to survive this ordeal!

`~~~`~~~`~~~`

Swish!

"Baekho? You are strangely absentminded today."

Back at Mount Heaven, Leo wasn't precisely spending his days in leisure either. The time before the deadline always felt like it lasted the longest and the shortest and the same time, but he didn't plan to waste a minute of it!

Even if he was locked up inside, Leo was sure that the world outside had been set ablaze by the Society's alert. At this moment, those who had chosen to join up the duty of clearing the field were on the move. The gears had already started rolling.

"It's nothing."

Still, Leo couldn't help thinking about it. He had already witnessed a world stimulated by the invasion of hordes of otherworldly beings, but he had yet to see the state of a world that was on the brink of being toppled over. The choices that the minor characters would make, the reality forced upon many. Leo felt instinctively curious about the details that would usually be omitted in novels.

How many so-called Martial Heroes had pushed normal people to die in their place? And how many normal people willingly accepted death to allow their families and friends to survive?

Seeing a tsunami in the distance… Was the response of the majority to take shelter? To save the most people? Or to just continue feeling to no end, hoping to outrun the inevitable tide?

"Well, let's stop here today anyway. It's normal for the sudden news to get to you."

Being confined in Mount Heaven just like the rest, Iyeolhan had resumed helping Leo keep his Swordsmanship in shape. He for one knew that his words didn't hold much truth, but he used that as an excuse to give Leo the chance to clear up his mind.

Not training resulted in a halt of progress, but training mindlessly was even worse, capable of ruining the basics that took years to build. Even if it wasn't necessarily fear or apprehension, showing a reaction to the Demon Lord's descent was one of the few normal things that Leo had displayed so far in Gentle Han's opinion.

"Sure… Care to join me for a meal?"

Following Iyeolhan's advice as he felt that he was unexplainably resonating with the situation outside too much, Leo decided to clear his head by practicing the side hobby that he picked up again by spending over two years roaming murim, cooking!

"You are making food again?"

No actual words of affirmation had left Iyeolhan's mouth, but he silently followed behind Leo as he walked towards the kitchen he had been using recently. Naturally, Leo didn't forget to pass by Yeon and the others' places and pick them up for the meal.

"Ho, food!"

No one refused his invitation. While only Yeon showed her blatant excitement about something as secondary as food, it could be said that she spoke from them all! Although Martial Artists cared less and less about any intake other than energy as their accumulations grew, Leo's creative food always found its way to their heart…

'Shall I make something new this time?'