Shepherding Humanity

Early the next morning.

Xu Zhi crawled out of bed. Looking outside, the courtyard was covered in greenery.

He liked this kind of idyllic life. He enjoyed the leisurely farm work, growing plants and raising cute animals in the courtyard. It was a cozy lifestyle. Only, the livestock he looked after in the courtyard were highly unusual.

Even if others entered the courtyard, as long as Xu Zhi did not allow it, they wouldn't be able to see this fantastical miniature world. The Mother Hive was good at mental manipulation, so naturally, it could also interfere with the human mind. Otherwise, it would be difficult to control so many Tyranis.

He went to the bathroom and took a shower, then checked himself in the mirror.

He looked more energetic than before.

The hair that had fallen off because of chemotherapy was gradually growing back. His pale skin now looked healthy. Reflected in the mirror was a handsome and upstanding young man. He had well-defined facial features, and a well built, muscular body. Unfortunately, he was still pale, his bloodless face making him look like a vampire.

"I’ve finally started to recover from the side effects of chemotherapy after having stopped for more than half a month. My body is back to its original shape, and my face and physique has improved… This must be due to the energy feedback from the dead Tyranis."

He silently spread his senses.

The life force and soul energy of the Tyranis returned to Xu Zhi after death. The higher the lifeform, the stronger the soul, and the more powerful this effect was.

His current state was due to the first extinction event of the Dark Age and second extinction event of the Radiant Age a few days ago.

Although the creatures that died were only the most primitive lifeforms, what they lacked in quality, they more than made up for it in quantity. Xu Zhi had only finished absorbing their energy last night.

"Most importantly, I have hair again!"

He smiled brightly for a moment, feeling like his life was back on the right track.

"The side effects from chemo have been taken care of and my body is no longer in such a poor condition. But no matter how healthy my body is, or how much soul energy it absorbs, I still won’t be able to get rid of my cancer. The stronger my body gets, the stronger the cancer cells will become…"

Despite everything, he was in a very good mood.

He rode his bike to the far side of town for another breakfast, then took a rare stroll around the village. He walked along an unassuming dirt road lined with paddy fields, sidestepping the occasional pile of cow dung. The countryside atmosphere filled him with nostalgia.

Xu Zhi was suddenly stopped by a round and dusky elderly woman carrying a basket of vegetables. “Hey, aren’t you Xu Zhi? I didn't believe it at first when little Chen Xi said that you were back.

Xu Zhi stopped walking.

"So, I heard that you're sick with cancer?" The lady muttered abashedly.

"Right." Xu Zhi nodded.

"Oh, that’s not good!" The lady exclaimed heatedly. "You have a terminal illness, and the Xu family has no other offspring. What are we going to do? Actually, my daughter is a very nice girl, look at this…"

????

You know that I have a terminal illness, so you'll introduce me to someone straight away and make sure I at least have children to carry on my bloodline? How friendly can you get?

But this lady's relationship with his family was probably that good, or else Xu Zhi wouldn't have failed to recognize her. Then why was she pushing her own daughter into the tiger’s den?

You know I’ve made some money in the city and can’t wait to inherit it after my death, right?

Ha ha.

Just because I'm no longer bald doesn't mean that I've gotten weak!

Xu Zhi was just about to refuse when a familiar girl with a cute round face suddenly appeared, accompanied by a couple of middle-aged women. It was Chen Xi.

“Just ignore her!” She hurriedly said. “I heard from my mother that the pig lady was bothering Xu Zhi. I knew it, you’re trying to marry off your daughter aren’t you? That girl’s ugly as hell, has an explosive temper, and even beat up her husband. Even her husband’s run away, and you want my Xu Zhi to take over? Hah!"

"It's you again, you little tramp, see if I don't teach you a lesson…" The short, fat lady who was called a pig was angry, but when she looked at the glaring women surrounding her, she lost her nerve and turned away.

"Xu Zhi, I'm telling you, pig lady is the only one in our village who isn't a good person… Wow!"

Chen Xi glanced at Xu Zhi casually, then shouted out in surprise, "How did you get like this!? Hey! You weren't like this a couple of days ago. You were balding, really bald… This sudden improvement is just too amazing!"

Chen Xi's mother, aunt Li, was standing close by; Xu Zhi still remembered her. She scowled at Chen Xi, then smiled amiably at the tall and handsome Xu Zhi. "Girl! Xhu Zhi has always looked like this, hasn’t he? Xhu Zhi, you’ve changed a little over the years though, and are even more handsome now! Come on over! Come sit a while at your aunt Li’s house."

"Yes, let’s go to your aunt Li's house!"

The friendly basket-carrying ladies standing beside them also called out cheerfully. "Let's all go together."

"No! Mom, he wasn't like this the other day. He was bald, like a friar, and even had a crooked back!" Chen Xi was left behind, her mouth opened in shock, and stomping her feet in anger.

"My daughter, how could you curse your older brother, Xu Zhi, like that! You’re even calling him bald!" Aunt Li was very angry.

Xu Zhi raised his eyebrows, and immediately felt much better.

He felt like he had just regained his dignity. After all, a man’s hair is the symbol of his virility is it not?

He was not able to refuse his enthusiastic neighbors, he couldn’t turn down their goodwill. He accompanied aunt Li to her house, a traditional siheyuan, and sat down. The elderly ladies talked animatedly. They were heartbroken when they learned that he had cancer and gravely admonished him for not taking proper care of himself after his parents had died.

Most countryside folk were simple and genuine.

After he had started working, he seldom came back. Now, thanks to his current company, he started remembering a lot of his childhood memories. It gave him a warm feeling, chatting with these elderly ladies who had watched him grow up, and hear them worriedly nag at him. He felt relaxed and at ease.

Before he left, the old aunties brought out their home grown fruits and vegetables and home cooked food and shoved them into his hands. "Child, stay and be at ease. Recuperate. Don’t overwork yourself. You'll get better, we’re sure of it!"

"Yeah." Xu Zhi echoed with a warm smile.

"He’s definitely a body double! I can accept his hair growing back, but this change is just too much! He used to be fairly handsome, but now, after only a few days, he’s like someone who just stepped out from the pages of a shoujo manga. That face! That presence! It’s just unreal! There's definitely something wrong!" Chen Xi was lying on a wooden chair, stammering nonsense, her mind in chaos.

Xu Zhi pretended he couldn’t hear her, acting cool and calm, but inside he was smiling like an idiot.

His neighbors’ enthusiasm and kindness had affected him more than he thought. He resolved to say goodbye to the busy city, and return to his hometown for good. He’ll start a simple life in the countryside, and enjoy this simple warmth. He looked forward to such days.

After chatting with his neighbors for a while, Xu Zhi felt like he was truly back. He affirmed that he would recuperate in his family’s old estate and promised that they’d meet often in the future, then started riding back home.

As soon as he entered the house, he rushed straight to the sandbox to observe his Bugapes, and see how civilization has evolved.

Though he had significantly slowed the Tyranis’ accelerated evolution, one day was still equivalent to 100 years, with 50 years of darkness and 50 years of daylight.

"I’ve spent most of the day outside. In the sandbox world, the equivalent of eighty years or so should have gone by." Xu Zhi thought. He picked up his binoculars and stood on the chair by the doorway to observe the Bugapes in the sandbox in the distance.

He didn't want to enter the sandbox, because every time he entered, it caused a huge disruption to the ecosystem.

"This is…" Xu Zhi discovered that in just eighty years, these Bugapes had already developed a rudimentary tribal structure, and have started living in groups. There were even the beginnings of language and culture.

But at this point, they were on the verge of extinction.