The Great Core's Paradox - Chapter 224: The Core’s Inner Sanctum

Nine years ago, humankind almost perished the day monsters came out of the Cracks– aka dungeons– that appeared all over the world.When all hope seemed to be lost, a select few awakened as Hunters equipped with a System.Thanks to them, the civilization recovered faster than one would expect after the apocalypse.However, another conflict presented itself later: the more the Hunters used their powers, the quicker they lost their sanity.Fortunately, among the Awakened People, there is a group classified by the System as Guides– and only these Guides have the power to soothe the Hunters and bring them back to their senses.Sounds great, right?But what happens when a Civilian is in a relationship with a Hunter who has a high matching rate with their Guide?“Let’s break up, Wonhee.”Yep, this is what happens when your Hunter boyfriend has a 76% matching rate with his Guide.Wonhee was dumped by her long-time boyfriend because she’s just a Civilian…… or so she thought.

The abyss has breached the real world, placing humanity in grave peril as the shadow of death looms over every individual.Only the Supreme Being can lead humanity to ultimate victory.For too long, humanity has awaited the arrival of the fourth Supreme Being!To become a Supreme Being, one must possess the highest level of talent. An “SSS-tier” talent, representing the pinnacle of power, is capable of advancing an entire era.Finally, a hundred years later, a young man named Mike awakened to an SSS-tier talent called the “Eyes of Truth.”These eyes can reveal hidden information and entries of anything, while also providing some bizarre hints.With the help of his SSS-tier talent, Mike, adopting the alias Thor in the Tower of Truth, continued to create miracles for humanity.As a newly risen Supreme Being, Mike had to conceal his identity before he fully matured. Thus, everyone considered him just an ordinary student, and no one knew that Mike was the legendary Thor.It wasn't until many years later, after humanity had defeated the invaders and restored order, that Mike could finally proudly say to those around him,“Just call me Thor.”

Japan – National News BroadcastThe polished news anchor sat upright, her gaze sharp as she adjusted the stack of papers before her. The newsroom behind her hummed with quiet urgency, the weight of the moment settling over the broadcast.“Authorities are baffled by a sudden and unexplained surge in sleep-related deaths across Japan,” she began, her voice steady yet tense. “More and more citizens are passing away in their sleep without any prior health concerns. Experts are working tirelessly to determine the cause, but no clear explanation has emerged. Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and report any unusual symptoms before bedtime.”A graphic appeared, displaying the spike in fatalities over the past month. Behind her, unsettling photographs flickered across the screen—blurred images of individuals found in their beds, their faces frozen in expressions of terror.The anchor’s tone shifted. “Health officials recommend citizens avoid excessive fatigue and maintain healthy sleep habits. More updates will follow as investigations continue.”---United States – Paranormal PodcastIn a dimly lit podcast studio, the host leaned forward, his eyes wide with curiosity. Across from him, a rugged man in a worn flannel shirt, gripping a faded photograph in one hand and a beer can in the other, leaned back in his chair.“So, you're telling me you saw this creature firsthand?” the host asked, clearly intrigued.The man scoffed, shaking his head. “Damn right, I did. Ugly thing had wings bigger than my body—slow but sneaky. Thought it could steal my pigs again, but I was ready this time—camera in one hand, shotgun in the other.”He slammed the table for emphasis, then shoved the blurry image toward the host. The photograph depicted a small, red-skinned humanoid figure with large, bat-like wings, its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.“Spit, the thing didn’t know what hit it when I fired!” the man chuckled, his voice full of excitement.The host held up the picture to the live chat. “Alright, what do you think? Mothman? Demon? Or is our friend here just seeing things?”The chat exploded with theories—some skeptical, others eager for the investigation to continue.---China – Liangyuan Street MarketSurveillance footage from a bustling night market in China captured a chilling scene. A woman in a red qipao walked gracefully through the crowd, her figure striking in the soft glow of lanterns.Suddenly, she paused. Her body flickered—like a glitch in a video—before vanishing completely, as though she had never existed.The footage zoomed in, replaying in slow motion. In the final frame before she disappeared, her face distorted unnaturally, her eyes hollow and empty.The screen cut abruptly to black.

Su Yan had been crushing on Wei Zhou for seven years, only becoming his wife after an accident. Everyone mocked her about her luck, claimed she had married above her station, ridiculed her, and ostracized her. But Su Yan didn’t care. Her seven-year crush had finally blossomed and she felt only bliss. Yet, Wei Zhou had thought she was a scheming woman who used underhanded tactics to win his hand. It was all a misunderstanding! Su Yan tried to explain but Wei Zhou wouldn’t believe her. Eventually, Su Yan stopped trying, believing that time would prove it all. One day, Wei Zhou was on the tabloids, rumored to be having an affair with a female celebrity. Su Yan sought an explanation from him. So long as he explained, she would believe him. But Wei Zhuo never explained. He merely answered coldly, “Just behave as Mrs. Wei and mind your own business.” Mind her own business? Su Yan laughed. Looking back, how much of a fool had she been to assume she could melt his iron heart? Any blazing passion would eventually die out from indifference until nothing was left. Su Yan then realized. She was rich, beautiful, and had a great body. Why must she waste her efforts on a heartless blockhead like Wei Zhou? Su Yan dragged Wei Zhou to the Civil Affairs Bureau to separate their union. From now on, whoever they dated had nothing to do with the other! After their divorce, Su Yan went back to being herself. Excellent as she already was, Su Yan unleashed her dazzling light upon the world once more. Then, once every few days, Wei Zhou would see gossip about his ex-wife on the trending searches. Yesterday, she was having a candlelight dinner with a movie star, today, she had brought home a young hunk to engage in passionate romance?! Wei Zhou threw his phone on the floor. “To hell with your passionate romance! That’s my woman!” Surrounded by gorgeous men and enjoying her life, Su Yan asked, “Mister, who are you?”