The King-rank Cultivators retreated to recover wherever they could.
As they had decided, it wasn’t too late to resume clearing the cracks since the immediate danger had been dealt with.
They could afford to take their time.
Pushing themselves beyond their limits now would only increase the risk of death—a risk none of them were willing to take.
No matter how precious the rewards were, they weren’t worth the centuries of life they still had ahead of them.
One by one, the King-rank Cultivators left.
Brian also flashed back to the Supers Association, but instead of making his presence known, he teleported straight into the office of the people in charge.
At that moment, the branch manager of the Supers Association and Deputy Manager Leo were deep in discussion about the current state of the city.
“The situation isn’t looking good.” Deputy Manager Leo stated grimly.
The branch manager, a mid-rank Rank 4 Knight, and Leo, a late-stage Rank 3 Knight, were among the most powerful figures in Woodstone City—especially now, after the chaos had claimed even some of the city’s strongest defenders.
Though not the most powerful, Deputy Manager Leo’s organizational skills were unmatched.
There were stronger individuals who could take his position, but very few who could handle it as efficiently as he did.
And while Aurora was a world where strength reigned supreme, talent and leadership couldn’t be ignored.
And Leo was far from weak.
“Just tell me how bad it is,” the branch manager sighed, rubbing his temples in exhaustion. “And sit down, will you? Watching you stand there is making me dizzy.”
Leo hesitated.
He wasn’t used to sitting in front of his superiors. But after a brief moment of consideration, he took the seat opposite the manager.
Even for him, the night’s events had been exhausting.
Just as Deputy Manager Leo was about to speak, a figure suddenly appeared in the office, startling both him and the branch manager. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire
Their instincts kicked in immediately, but before they could react, an overwhelming pressure crashed down on them.
Their bodies refused to move.
A suffocating weight bore down on their shoulders, leaving them frozen in place, sweat trickling down their backs as they stared in awe.
“You two should relax. I’m just here to talk,” Brian said calmly, withdrawing the oppressive force he had released. “Sorry about that, by the way.”
“It’s okay, Your Honor,” the branch manager quickly responded, forcing a polite smile.
Deputy Manager Leo nodded stiffly in agreement.
Starting from the fourth rank of cultivation, the Master rank, cultivators were given titles of respect.
Back when Brian was still a Master-rank cultivator, he had been addressed as Master Brian—a sign of both recognition and respect.
Now that he had stepped into the King rank, he was referred to as Your Honor.
At Emperor rank, he would be called Your Highness.
And at Demigod rank, he would earn the title of Lord.
At a certain point, even the Federation—which had tried its best not to create a strength-based hierarchy—had to acknowledge the inevitable reality.
Power alone dictated status.
Seeing that Deputy Manager Leo was about to stand up and offer his seat, Brian immediately spoke to stop him.
“There’s no need for you to stand up,” he said. “Just tell me the current state of the city.”
Deputy Manager Leo didn’t like the idea of sitting while the other party stood, but he could tell from Brian’s tone that his words were absolute.
Respecting the decision, he did not argue.
However, he also chose not to sit.
Instead, he remained standing to address Brian.
Seeing this, the branch manager—who had originally planned to remain seated—felt uncomfortable. In the end, he stood as well.
Brian noticed their actions but couldn’t be bothered to care about them.
His focus was on the report.
“The city is in a dire state,” Deputy Manager Leo began.
“The population has dropped by a staggering 45%, and it’s estimated to decline even further due to the lack of proper medical care.
Fortunately, the branch manager of the other branch can perform healing arts, but her spells are only Rank 1. After fighting for so long, she is reaching her limit. However, based on estimates, she can still save around 20% of the expected casualties.”
He paused for a moment, allowing his words to sink in. Then, he continued.
“The next issue—one just as concerning as the cracks in the sky—is the chaotic energy spreading through the city.
Due to its influence, people are becoming more prone to negative actions. Those who engage in violence or crime feel an even stronger urge to continue.
So far, it hasn’t affected supernaturals, but its presence still causes serious issues. While the energy is gradually dissipating—thanks to Your Honor and the other King-rank cultivators—it still lingers, and we fear it may breed something unnatural…”
Leo took another breath before delivering the next grim report.
“We’ve also lost a significant number of supernaturals.
Based on our data—and additional reports from the other branch—we’ve lost at least half of the registered supernaturals.
Most of the casualties are Rank 2 elite cultivators and below.
We’ve also lost a few Commander-rank supernaturals.
Master-rank casualties are minimal.”
Leo’s voice grew heavier.
“Also….. due to the reversal of the Level 5 cracks, they are now permanent.
Unlike before, when these cracks would eventually disappear, they are now as stable as natural cracks.
This means they will never disappear.
Because of this, we may have no choice but to evacuate the entire city.
It’s one thing to have cracks hidden away, but it’s another to see them every day, looming over us.
And beyond that… the city itself is simply too damaged to remain livable.”
There was a reason why cracks were usually sealed within specialized containers.
Unfortunately, Level 5 cracks had already surpassed what most containers could handle.
Though the cracks wouldn’t break now—or for a very long time—for several reasons, this level of crack weren’t exactly the best places to live near for ordinary humans.
And that was just from the perspective of Supernaturals.
Only the surviving government officials truly understood how devastating the situation was for the general public as a whole.
*****
A/N: I’m really sorry about this month’s VIP chapter incident, readers. I’ll try my best next time to give a heads-up or stockpile chapters. I hope you can forgive me.
It’s not due to greed or anything—I even made this month’s tier not only 8 chapters more but also almost the same price as before.
I’m sorry! I’m learning everyday!!!
Also I’m still doing that mass release and I’m not going to go roundabout it. I’ll keep doing my best so please do you best to trust your boy. He needs it.