Shepherding Humanity

The black notebook had very little written in it, but what you could see made you shiver. This game seemed to be more than just a simple sandbox game where you evolve species from spores…

What they had uncovered so far was only the tip of the iceberg.

"That's awesome! I can’t praise this game enough!"

"At first, I thought that this game's weak point was its background setting, but who knew it was actually so impressive!"

"Quickly now! Time's up, close the page! The giant boss is back, we can think about it later! Kill the boss first!"

Someone urgently shouted.

In the distance, a colossal ten-thousand-foot tall giant was slowly approaching.

……..

Xu Zhi returned with his lunch box.

Naturally, he didn't know that the players had taken advantage of his absence to secretly read his experimental log.

These people thought it was part of a hidden plotline, and were excitedly talking about it. They were busily brainstorming, trying to figure out the game’s background setting, while praising the game with all their might.

"I’ve comforted Chen Xi, and assuaged her fears about a long-distance relationship. Now it's time for me to test the new species, and also settle the score with Akina’s Speedster."

He returned to the sandbox.

The miniature mountains and rivers were silent. The appearance of the giant did not cause many odd creatures to start running around while screaming.

Apparently, they had all taken the opportunity to hide behind the chair, and were ready to carry out their plot against Xu Zhi.

Xu Zhi didn't care, and followed his normal routine. He slowly returned to his chair, lifted up the lunchbox, and began to eat. He was actually curious, and wanted to see how they’d try to screw him over.

"First, let's look at today's food." Xu Zhi sat on the chair and opened his lunch box. It was a delicious and lovingly prepared meal with plenty of vegetables as always. The carrots, fried eggs, and greens looked really appetizing.

At this time, he suddenly felt a stinging sensation on his arm.

A bunch of oddly shaped insects was biting him. It felt similar to a mosquito bite.

"So it's like this, huh? A diversion?"

Xu Zhi smiled, understanding in an instant what they were planning. They’d first have some bugs bite him, and while he was busy killing the bugs, a certain highly toxic species would take the opportunity to sneak into his lunchbox and poison him.

"They turned down their sensation of pain, then sacrificed themselves to distract me and create an opportunity for Akina’s Speedster." Xu Zhi laughed.

It was a good plan, worthy of vetaran players who frequently participated in dungeon raids. They had instantly formulated the best strategy against the giant boss.

He smiled faintly, his expression that of a devil’s.

"Hive Mind, forcefully raise their sense of pain up to 50%."

100% was the same as what one would feel in reality. If they died in the game, then in reality, they would also feel the intense pain of that death.

That would be too harsh of a punishment. After all, Xu Zhi wasn't really the devil.

But even 50% would be enough to cause them so much pain they’d remember it for the rest of their lives.

Slap!

After forcefully turning up their sensation of pain, Xu Zhi casually swatted a bug.

Ahhhhh!!!!

That player was turned into crimson paste, and felt horrible pain.

He felt as if he had just experienced the ten great torture techniques of ancient China and screamed like a stuck pig. He sounded so miserable that the surrounding players couldn’t help but shiver.

"Didn't I set my five senses to 0?"

By the time he exited the game and took off his VR glasses, he was sweating profusely and gasping for breath.

His clothes were wet with sweat and his muscles were twitching, going into intense spasms because the pain of death in the game felt so real. He was completely spent.

The other players in the game, however, didn't know this and silently gave him a thumbs up.

"Wow! That guy really gave it his all to kill the boss! Such a realistic act! That dying scream shook my soul!"

"Since the first player to go had been so enthusiastic, I’ll die just as bravely." Another player laughed, looking very smug. "Watch me! When it’s my turn, I'll scream even more realistically and pathetically than he did!"

"Bro, we’re depending on you."

"We’re fighting the boss of the “Giant Chair” dungeon on the first day of the second beta, and will definitely need tanks to put their lives on the line to draw aggro."

Basking in the praise of the people around him, this foolish player quickly climbed out of his hiding place behind the chair, turned down his sense of pain to zero, and sneaked onto Xu Zhi's arm along with his subordinates. He then followed the example of his predecessor and prepared to bite down.

Smack!

Before he could bite down, a heaven-spanning palm descended on him like a mountain, covering the sky.

With one slap, he was turned into pulp.

Ahhhhhh!!!!

It hurts so much!!!

The insect let out a heart-rending scream.

This scream was indeed even more miserable than the last one. It was as if he had just gone through the most painful experience of his life. The listeners couldn’t help but get goosebumps.

"Wow!"

"This guy died splendidly!"

"His act was even more realistic than the last guy’s. His scream was much more pathetic!!!"

The people around him listened and cheered!

They were super excited!

Look! What's a star actor like?

Like this!

This dude was such a good actor. His death looked so damn real!

They couldn't help but clap. It was obvious that those guys had dedicated their souls to the act and were truly doing their best to beat the giant boss.

"Guys, this time, it’s my turn to draw the boss’s aggro. The death screams of those guys were too exaggerated. They sounded too fake, the giant boss will think something’s wrong. This time, I'll play the part of a stoic and courageous insect. Even if I die, I won’t let out a single sound!"

Another insect quickly climbed out behind the chair and slowly crawled up Xu Zhi's arm. Just as he was about to take a bite…

Splat!

Flesh and blood spurted as he was turned into pulp.

Ahhhhhh!!!!

It hurts so much!!!

He let out a scream that was even more miserable than the last two.

His wail shook the heavens. He sounded so deathly miserable, it was as if someone had kicked him a few hundred times in his family jewels, then doused him with boiling oil. He seemed like he was in unimaginable pain.

"Bro, you're not following the script!"

"I thought we were going for the tough guy image? Why are you screaming so miserably?"

"He must be an idiot. Or maybe he was trying to leave an impression through contrast?"

The spectators shook their heads when they saw this scene. They did not suspect anything, and continued to hide in the dark corners of the chair as they drew up a strategy to beat the boss.

Thanks to the three insects drawing aggro with their sacrifices, the "stupid" giant boss was only concerned with swatting insects, and did not notice the Pallbearer Chicken that had taken this opportunity to crawl up his trouser legs and was about to reach the lunch box.

A player stepped forward. "I'll be the next one to draw aggro… I'm not like that idiot. I’ll show you what a real tough guy is like! I won’t let out a sound at the moment of my death, even if I get turned into paste, even if I’m torn apart limb by limb."

SLAP!

He got one-shotted.

Ahhhhhh!!!!

It hurts so much!!!

His heart-rending scream came an instant later.

He sounded even more miserable than his predecessors. His hoarse scream carried far into the distance and was painful to listen to.

"Hmph, where's the hardened tough-guy insect we were talking about? You’re just like the others! But still, his acting was so realitic, it’s like he was actually turned into paste and went through inhumane torture, we must praise him!"

"Spot on!"

"Spot on!"

The spectators raised a ruckus.

At this time, another player stepped forward. He was the odd creature with five limbs. He had the nickname "Future Skywhale", and was a well known player. He calmly shook his head, and spoke solemnly: "Comrades, my deformed little prince is not like them. Watch me! I’ll show you a real tough guy!"

It was a truly reliable guy this time!

Everyone settled down.

After spending some time with this player, they all knew that he had a calm and steady personality, and was different from those previous idiots. He was a very serious person, and definitely wouldn't lie to everyone. Perhaps, they’d really get to see a tough-guy act this time around.

"Watch me! Though countless obstacles may stand in his path, a true hero…"

Splat!

He was one-shotted.

Waaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!

He let out a loud and miserable scream.

His monstrous species was turned into a bloody pulp. His five deformed limbs were mangled and leaked disgusting black juices like a crushed purple eggplant. Within the slimy puddle of blood, his head was indistinguishable from his limbs. It was a truly miserable looking corpse.

Listening to his heartbreaking scream, the players who were cowering in the corner felt their scalps go numb.

???

This is a tough guy?

Your scream was the worst of them all. Bossman, do you have some kind of misunderstanding about tough guys?

The players were startled and went silent for a dozen full seconds.

Then they started cheerfully laughing again. "This guy is normally so serious, I didn’t think he would also joke around like that. Why are these people playing games anyway? If they were to become actors, they’d probably get an Oscar. What a waste of their talents!"

"Right, right. Their dying acts were so realistic!"