Chapter 917


    In four days, the discussions about Minhyuk and Athenaes bnce copse 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 copse in the game''s bnce.


    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 thenguage fluently and smoothly. He often shared his criticisms regarding various topics, including celebrity controversies and Ztuber fake videos and maniptions. For Donald, Beyond the Heavens Emperor Minhyuk was a tasty prey.


    <em>[Everyone, this definitely does not make any sense.]</em>


    Donaldpiled various materials. After gathering everything, he edited it into a video and published it. The viewers found his ims extremely credible because he hadpiled one of the videos that a paparazzi had caught. This video was of President Kang Taehoon and Team Leader Park Minggyu visiting Minhyuks home.


    <em>[Its 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?]</em>


    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 moring.


    <em>[Joy Co. Ltd. and Ilhwa Group! Exin yourselves!]</em>


    <em>[If you were in our shoes, would it be fun to y games like this, huh?!]</em>


    <em>[Im so f*cking angry Some of us work hard to level up and get items, yet others get it from the gamespany.]</em>


    <em>[I thought that Ilhwa Group was the best and cleanestpany in our country, but in the end, its just apany that likes making money. Ill boycott them.]</em>


    <em>[+2222]</em>


    <em>[+3333]</em>


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


    <em>[Hyungs, I wille back tomorrow.]</em>


    <em>Bow</em>


    Donald bowed politely before ending his broadcast. He thenpletely changed his tune in private. He clicked his tongue and said, <em>Phew</em> 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 maliciousments 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 bestpanies in Korea.


    Its going to be fine. Celebrities, famous influencers, and business tycoons often say they will maintain a hard stance and respond strongly against maliciousments and baseless and spective articles. But in the end, all those things turn out to be real, no?


    Even so, you dont 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 girlfriends concern.


    Thats not the point here. Donald wagged his index finger. If they cant prove anything, then this will eventually be 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 copse in bnce. In other words, it did not matter whether his publication was true. Either way, it would bring him more money.


    <em>Well then, lets see if were getting more viral?</em>


    Whenever someone became a big hit with their posted content, most Ztubers would make simr 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 Donalds video.


    But then, Donald suddenly paused. Whats 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 <em>The Burden an Emperor Carries.</em>


    <em>Click</em>


    The video yed the moment Donald clicked on it.


    ***


    To be honest, Minhyuk was growing extremely anxious.


    <em>The number of yers that have left the Beyond the Heavens Empire has increased.</em>


    And that was not all. Many yers had been asking the Beyond the Heavens Empire to exin the bnce break. But the most significant contributor to his anxiety was Ilhwa Groups 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 Groups 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 maliciousments 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.


    <em>[I have already uploaded the video.]</em>


    Minhyuk walked toward theputer 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 ck screens of their phones and monitors.


    <em>[I wanted to live.]</em>


    The words disappeared quickly as another appeared to rece it.


    <em>[Eating Addiction. Current estimated survival rate: less than 2%.]</em>


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


    <em>[I started ying Athenae because I wanted to live.]</em>


    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.


    <em>[I swung the sword because I wanted to eat and live.]</em>


    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.


    <em>[I was happy.]</em>


    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 tutge 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.


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


    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.


    <em>[I wanted to protect them.]</em>


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


    Haa Haa Haa Haa


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


    <em>[I promised them that I would never copse and fall.]</em>


    He gritted his teeth, his eyes zing with mes as he continued to move.


    <em>[I promised to protect them.]</em>


    <em>[I promised that I would live and survive.]</em>


    <em>[And I will keep those promises.]</em>


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


    <em>[Day one.]</em>


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


    <em>[Day two.]</em>


    The videos yback speed grew faster and faster.


    <em>[Day three.]</em>


    <em>[Day four.]</em>


    <em>[Day five.]</em>


    <em>[Day six.]</em>


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


    <em>[Day seven.]</em>


    <em>[Day eight]</em>


    <em>[Day twelve]</em>


    <em>[Day fourteen.]</em>


    <em>[And.]</em>


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


    <em>[Day fifteen.]</em>


    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 cksmith, who stood beside Minhyuk earlier, swinging his hammer like crazy. Then, the scene where the cksmith handed over the controversial armor set to Minhyuk appeared on everyones screens. Everyone saw Minhyuks small smile just before the scene changed once again.


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


    <em>[I will protect my empire.]</em>


    <em>[I will never fall.]</em>


    <em>[I will continue to move forward on my path.]</em>


    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 everyones screens.


    <em>[I am alive.]</em>


    ***


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


    Ccan 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 manipted 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 publics opinion turned aplete 180.


    <em>[Shit, thats crazy I feel very disappointed and resentful of my past self, who criticized the Food God fiercely.]</em>


    <em>[Can a person really handle all that?]</em>


    <em>[Wow After watching this, I must admit that the bnce break is understandable. Tbh, I think its not enough. I think they can give him more, you know?]</em>


    <em>[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.]</em>


    <em>[I was very touched when I saw the phrases I wanted to live at the beginning and I am alive at the end.]</em>


    <em>[Our Lord, the Food God He ]</em>


    <em>[What we consider a bnce break appeared because of his efforts.]</em>


    Yes, the publics 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 yer would want to replicate even if asked to do so. Among those who had watched Minhyuks 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 twopanies.


    At that moment, Donald recalled the article that said Minhyuk and his team would take a hard-line stance against those who posted maliciousments and baseless and spective 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 hourster.


    The- the Food God has posted a message on his SNS! Donalds girlfriend shouted.


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


    <em>From what I heard, the Food God has quite a good personality. I apologized and even knelt on my knees. Im sure hell ept it.</em>


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


    <em>[I will not be lenient.]</em>