The whole nation is trying to survive on the cable car; I'm choosing one of three options at ea

His tone was completely flat, as if stating an unalterable fact: "Compared to what you are about to face, the monsters you encountered before... goblins, zombies, giants... can only be considered 'easy' difficulty."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

In our records, those are merely the lowest levels of evolved life. Their density is low, they lack intelligence, and they act solely on instinct. But on the path ahead, you will encounter beings of a higher order.”

He pointed to the location of Anhan Square on the map. "For example, the red vines that are climbing here belong to the 'extraordinary' level."

People were whispering inside the tent.

Many people present knew about that scarlet vine, and some had even seen it with their own eyes. Su Mu had seen it; not only had he seen it, but he had also personally killed it. At the time, he didn't know what level it was, but now he did... Extraordinary.

Zhou Weiren didn't stop. "Moreover, according to our investigation, there may be even higher-level creatures lurking in this city. The level is currently unknown. It could be 'legendary' level, or even 'mythical' level."

Su Mu frowned.

Monster difficulty is roughly categorized into: Easy, Extraordinary, Legendary, and Mythical.

This was the first time he had heard of this classification.

He remembered the theatrical costume-clad monster outside the city... that monster dressed in a female opera costume, controlled by three transparent threads, the one that had reduced his cable car's durability to fifty-three percent in a single blow. What level was it? Legendary? Or mythical?

He recalled that giant golden bird, whose wings could whip up winds that could flatten tree canopies—what level was that? This world was far more complex than he had imagined.

Zhou Weiren's tone became more serious. "The military's previous policy was not to interfere with the survivors' growth. But from now on, you must follow their arrangements. If you don't want to, you can leave now."

No one moved.

Zhou Weiren waited a moment, then nodded. "Very good." He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "There are a total of thirty-nine people invited here so far. Twenty-six of them are guild leaders. The other thirteen are lone ability users that our military values ​​highly."

He took a deep breath, his tone becoming more serious. "Don't rush into making a decision, because the arrangements we're about to make might make some of you uncomfortable."

His gaze swept over everyone, as if to make sure that everyone was listening.

"What you need to do is be on the front lines. Not hide behind the soldiers and wait for us to clear the way for you. On the contrary, many times you will have to stand ahead of the soldiers, facing stronger monsters and bearing greater pressure."

The tent fell silent again.

This time, there was a silence filled with shock and confusion. Some people opened their mouths, as if to say something, but nothing came out. Some lowered their heads, some frowned, and some exchanged glances.

Su Mu sat in the corner, expressionless, but his mind was already reassessing the next course of action. The military had called them to the meeting not to discuss anything, but to inform them.

After a brief silence, the tent erupted in chaos.

A guild leader stood up, his voice filled with obvious dissatisfaction, not directed at any one person, but rather questioning the whole matter.

"Wait, Commander Zhou, you're not kidding, are you? We're on the front lines? What are the soldiers for then?" he

Before he could finish speaking, another person chimed in, their tone even more aggressive, as if they had finally found an outlet for words they had been holding back for a long time. "We came here seeking refuge, not to be your cannon fodder."

The third person did not stand up, but his voice was loud enough for everyone present to hear.

"What do I care about the lives of other people? Why should I risk my life to protect them? If it were just me trying to escape, it would be understandable to use my strength. But now we're being asked to be at the forefront, protecting ordinary people... This isn't in our interest."

More and more voices joined in, turning the tent into a boiling pot of porridge—noisy, chaotic, and filled with the smell of gunpowder. Different voices intertwined, some sharp, some low, some angry, and some mocking.

Su Mu sat in the corner, listening to these voices, neither joining in nor leaving.

A woman with short hair stood up. Her movements were slow but steady, as if she had made a well-considered decision. She spoke, her tone calm and collected, not as if she were refuting something, but rather stating a fact that she believed to be reasonable.

"Commander Zhou, I understand the military's difficulties. After all, the number of survivors here has reached more than 17,000, and as the departure time approaches, the number is still increasing. I estimate that it is not impossible for it to exceed 20,000. The military only has more than 2,000 people in total. It is indeed difficult to protect everyone in the face of a large-scale monster tide."

She paused for a moment, her gaze sweeping over the other presidents present.

"However, it's impossible for the guild to be on the front lines protecting these people. What we can do is step forward when needed, but we will never be used as pawns." Many people nodded in agreement, some whispered "Exactly," and others tapped their fingers on the table in agreement. The atmosphere in the tent shifted from "opposition" to "bargaining."

Inside the tent, a murmur of discussion rippled through the air. Most people shared a similar sentiment with the short-haired woman...willing to contribute, but only if it didn't harm their own interests. Su Mu sat in a corner, listening to the conversation, and he noticed a pattern...very few were truly opposed. The voices sounded intense, but upon closer inspection, most were simply bargaining, trying to secure better terms or a safer position for themselves.

These people, who have become guild leaders and survived the apocalypse to this day, are no fools. They know the military wouldn't make such a request without a reason, and they know a complete refusal is unrealistic, but they are unwilling to give in easily either.

This is a transaction; the stakes are these people's lives, and the price is how much effort they are willing to put in.

Just as the murmurs grew louder, a man stood up. Nearly two meters tall, with dark skin, he leaned against the chair, standing there like an iron tower.

The sounds inside the tent gradually subsided, not because someone shouted "Quiet," but because this person had an aura... not murderous intent, not oppressive feeling, but a more cumbersome, instinctive reaction like "you'll be crushed if you don't dodge" when a boulder rolls down a mountain.

He spoke, his voice deep and resonant, as if squeezed from his chest.

"My name is Zhao Derong, C-rank rating. Talent: Petrification. When activated, my skin turns into a rock-like texture, greatly increasing my defense and strength, but I don't actually turn into stone. It lasts for ten minutes, after which I need to rest for twenty minutes before I can use it again. Using it more than five times a day may cause me to fall into a coma."