Shepherding Humanity

Translator's Note:

It's been a hectic month, and I had no time to translate, but I'm finally done now and should be able to release a chapter every 1-2 days again.

Some of you have suggested that I should open a Patreon and do this more seriously. I'm somewhat reluctant about that as having a Patreon would also mean that I'll have a responsibility to my patrons, and I'm simply not fast enough to release 2 chapters every day like those other guys and have this remain a hobby. 3-4 hours every 1-2 days is a relaxing pastime. 7-8 hours every single day would a be a full time job.

Of course, if I could at least make $300 a month (enough for me to barricade myself at home for the next year at least without completely draining my bank account; hopefully this COVID thing will have blown over by then), it might be worth it. Going outside is causing me way too much stress these days, so perhaps I should consider it. If there's anyone in the know reading this, can you tell me if it's possible to get $300 per month via patreon by translating 2 webnovel chapters per day? Seems a tall order, lol.

Now on with the story!

******

Xu Zhi speculated that Grantham wouldn’t be able to break through to the Epic Seventh-Level. Even though he had great battle prowess, a cautious personality, and a strong desire to survive, he won’t be able to live much longer.

"He’s only a Sixth-Level in the end, and would be able to rule in there for another day or two at most."

Xu Zhi thought for a moment, and turned to the sandbox where the Third Beta Test was taking place.

The crisis brought on by the Emperor of Alchemy’s old age in the large sandbox has been settled, and the Emperor of Alchemy has regained his throne, so Xu Zhi shifted his attention to the smaller evolutionary sandbox in order to deal with any potential problems that may crop up due to the opening of the Third Beta Test.

The Third Beta Test was now in its second day.

Xu Zhi was sitting on his chair by the entrance and eating his apple while the newbie players gawked at him as always.

"Hahaha! I’ve finally climbed out of the sandbox’s ocean and met the legendary Creator. It’s true that he loves to eat fruits, I’ll take a souvenir picture!"

"Hahaha, don't stop me, I'm going to offer myself to him!!!"

"+1"

"+2"

….

Xu Zhi bit into his apple as he observed these new players of the Third Beta Test. He was speechless; though the quality of players this time was very high, they were as zany as ever!

In fact, Xu Zhi had secretly left two spots open in this Beta Test, one for Chen Xi and one for himself so that they could easily meet.

"Hive Mind, check to see how many spies from various countries have infiltrated this Third Beta Test." Xu Zhi thoughtfully said.

The Hive Mind mechanically answered him:

"Of the 50 testers in the sandbox’s Third Beta, 7 of them are from different major powers."

There were only seven spies in the Third Beta Test, a very small number. Did this mean that there were too many unaffiliated experts, and the government-sponsored research institutes could not compete?

This was not the case.

It was not until the Emperor of Alchemy posted a few days before the Third Beta Test that the various countries realized how incredible "Spore Evolution" really was. Based on various data that matched the real world’s, this could be a real other world with a frighteningly fast time flow.

It was only at this time that they started trying to get a tester’s slot. They only had a day and could not properly prepare, this was the reason.

Moreover, in their eyes, numbers did not matter that much.

There was not much difference between one agent backed by a research institute, or multiple agents backed by the same institute. It would be better to focus their resources on one person and have countless scientists support him in gaining a position of dominance, becoming the next Emperor of Alchemy and ruling over the otherworld.

Furthermore, they believed that they should be cautious, and did not dare to insert too many agents in case they angered the aliens behind this technology.

When Xu Zhi heard this from the Hive Mind, he was speechless. "You’ve gone as far as planting spies, and now you’re worried about my anger? That’s right! An angry Creator is serious business! An apocalyptic great flood will end all life…"

"But that’s only in the sandbox."

Xu Zhi thought for a while. Was angering him in reality a serious problem?

He’d have to fight a bunch of shameless great powers intent on colonizing new territory.

But he was too weak. A lowly First-Level Wizard farming in the countryside, who’d drop dead after eating a single bullet. His “power” was only a bluff, and the only thing he could do was hack into their network with the Hive Mind and eavesdrop on them.

In fact, the abilities of these seven people were beyond doubt.

And they were backed by countless experts and a massive research institute to help them plan out their every move. They were super enhanced versions of Grantham…

Xu Zhi scratched his head and took a bite of his apple. "I must admit, each of these seven people is equivalent to a child of destiny, a protagonist who’s blessed by fate like in the novels! With their invincible plot-armor, they are Gary Stus on God Mode who’ll sweep aside all in their paths!"

As the Creator ruling over fate, he should be happy that seven children of destiny and “novel protagonists” have appeared to advance civilization.

"But these Gary Stu chosen ones all have poison in them!" Xu Zhi considered his options. "Getting rid of them would be easy. After all, the Hive Mind can identify the spies, and they never had a chance."

"However, chasing out these seven Gary Stus chosen by fate and blessed by destiny would be a waste…" Xu Zhi was somewhat hesitant to do so. "Make them work, I must make them work… If these research institutes want to work until they go bald, who am I to deny them?! But I need to find a way to ruin their plot, and make them work for nothing."

This was a very tricky matter.

Next, Xu Zhi called Chen Xi.

Xu Zhi had asked her to move out of the dormitory before and live alone; after all, it was not a good place for gaming. He had also warned her not to reveal her in-game ID, or even let people know that she was playing this game.

"I have logged in!"

Chen Xi was very excited. "I did not dare tell my classmates that I actually got a beta tester’s slot. Those are worth half a million online now, and you could not buy one even if you had the money!"

"What’s your ID?" Xu Zhi asked in order to keep up appearances.

"My name is Tin Foil (Translator’s Note: 锡纸 in Chinese, pronounced as Xi Zhi) , Chen Xi's Xi, Xu Zhi's Zhi." Chen Xi was very excited.

Xu Zhi coughed twice at that and asked, "You’ve entered the sandbox, right?"

"I have entered. I’ve done my homework and studied a lot about evolutionary theory. I have climbed ashore, and am next to some crooked trees which are chatting with one another. I am a little red lizard."

"Wait there, I'll go in and find you."

Xu Zhi looked at the sandbox.

Crooked trees…

Little red lizard…

His eyesight has already reached an astonishing level, and after casually looking around, he found Chen Xi’s location a few minutes later.

And so, he silently returned to his room to log into the game using his account "Vengeful Creator".

After the incident with the Three Witches back then, he had evolved a deformed octopus species in his spare time, in case of an emergency where he’d have to enter the sandbox. It was now time to use it.

A bunch of trees were chattering away in front of a crooked tree.

"Wow! Are you really a female player?"

"There are very few girls in this super hard-core game, so you must be very knowledgeable. Come, let's get acquainted and discuss the theory of evolution."

"Bro! Stop trying to pick up girls. Unlike the Second Beta Test when we joined, competition in the Third Beta was extremely fierce. Since she’s one of the survivors, I’m sure she’s someone who does not have much hair left on her head due to overwork. She must be a female gamer who’s at least half-bald."

Chen Xi was furious, "I am not bald!"

But she didn't dare to say that she got in through the backdoor and had someone else write her paper.

At this time, a riot broke out in the distance.

Oddly shaped animals and plants frantically ran in a certain direction while beckoning to them, "Quick! Everyone gather! We must show up at this meeting if we want to go to the otherworld!"

Chen Xi's eyes widened, "What happened? Why is everyone running? Is the Creator leaving the yard again, and we must quickly get away from the Path of the Stampede or get trampled?"

Even though she was a newbie, she knew plenty about this game, and knew about the Path of the Stampede.

"This is not because of the Stampede, this is a gathering of players. We’re plotting something big!" A crooked tree said triumphantly: "Let’s go, we should also participate, or we won’t have a place in the upcoming event."

"You’re plotting something big? I remember how you gathered at the beginning of the Second Beta and plotted against the Creator. The result was a party wipe…" Chen Xi hurriedly replied, "You’re now gathering again at the start of the Third Beta, and plotting something big? Are you going against the Creator again?"

"Of course not. Now, who would dare to oppose the Creator? There are only bootlickers these days, who spend all their time trying to evolve into delicious food for the Creator…" the crooked tree said. "Didn't you read the forum? There is a super hot new thread that showed up right after the Emperor of Alchemy’s thread closed. Some bossman said that he had a way for all of us players to transmigrate to the otherworld, and we’re now going to the meeting to discuss this matter."

? ? ? ?

Xu Zhi had just made his octopus walk out, and was taken aback when he heard this.

He had been preoccupied with the upheaval in the Magic World due to the Emperor of Alchemy’s old age, and had not paid attention to the small evolutionary sandbox for a while. What were these wacky players secretly plotting now? What’s more, they’ve been plotting for some time?

It felt like every time a Beta Test opened, the players had to cause a stir.

They gathered and formed a raid against the Giant Boss in the Second Beta, and now, in the Third Beta, they wanted to go to the otherworld as a group?

Their plans grew bigger every time, these people were crazy!