Chapter 47: Simulation... Begins
Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Simulation... Begins
Zhu Ge’s breathing was long and even. He lay quietly on his bed, waiting for the simulator to react.
Around midnight, the simulator finally showed a change.
[The second simulation has begun.]
[The theme of this simulation is: Queen]
[Remaining simulation attempts for this session: 10]
[Would you like to begin this simulation?]
[Yes] or [No]
’The theme is... Queen?’
A look of confusion appeared in Zhu Ge’s eyes. He didn’t know what it meant.
’The theme of the first simulation was clearly "Hatching." How did the second one become a word with such a human connotation like "Queen"?’
But before he could think about it any further, the simulator had already started.
[You have become a newborn mole. You are the only female among the Mouse Queen’s current batch of twenty offspring, and her three hundred and twenty-second offspring overall.]
[From birth, you are attended to by hundreds of Worker Rats. They provide you with food and water, lick your body to keep it moisturized, and carry away your waste to keep you clean.]
[Under the care of the mole colony, you have gained some mobility. Please make your choice—]
[1. Continue to develop and grow.]
[2. Explore toward the dryness.]
[3. Explore toward the moisture.]
[4. Exit the burrow to explore the outside.]
[5. Challenge your mother.]
Zhu Ge couldn’t help but be taken aback by this information.
’Moles?’
’The ones that live underground?’
Zhu Ge didn’t know much about moles. What little he did know came from a cartoon he’d watched in his previous life.
For instance, moles were similar to ants, with a colony consisting of a single Mouse Queen and a group of Worker Rats.
Also, most moles were either blind or had poor eyesight, and the vast majority of them never left the underground from birth to death.
This time, he also had far more simulation attempts than the last.
The last simulation, as a Swordfish, only gave him three chances, but this time he had a full ten.
’But I still have to be careful and not make any rash decisions...’ Zhu Ge carefully mulled over the choices.
The first option was to continue developing, which suited his personality perfectly: lay low and grow, don’t get cocky.
The second and third options were both about exploring. Regardless of whether it was toward the dryness or moisture, they meant it was time to take action and stop just holing up to develop.
The fourth option was to leave the burrow directly, to exit the Underworld that moles relied on for survival.
’Obviously, I should rule out option four for now. It would be unwise for a mole that has just gained mobility to go out and brave the world.’
As for whether to stay put or explore, Zhu Ge hesitated.
In the last simulation, development was indeed the most important thing for an egg.
But this time was different.
First of all, this mole was a mammal, not a fish.
Moreover, moles lived underground, not in the treacherous ocean currents.
In the ocean currents, if you hatched too early, you would be instantly swept away to who-knows-where.
But the current mole was living in a massive colony of at least three hundred and twenty-two other moles.
Moles usually excavated a complex network of interconnected tunnels and chambers in the Underworld and lived within them.
Even if he chose to explore, he would be exploring within the Underworld, within the Mole Kingdom created by the Mouse Queen. The danger was much lower than it had been for the Swordfish.
Wait!
Zhu Ge’s eyes suddenly narrowed as a thought struck him.
’The theme!’
’The simulator has a theme every time. The last one was "Hatching," and this time it’s "Queen."’
’In a narrow sense, the theme last time was probably about how to hatch correctly and seize the right moment.’
’But what about in a broader sense?’
’A Swordfish breaking out of its egg is "hatching," but how is a Swordfish breaking the surface of the water to see a new world not also a kind of "hatching"?’
’Breaking the shell that blocks your perception to see a new world!’
’So what about this time?’
"Queen?"
"Is it about challenging the queen to become the new queen? Or taking control of every Worker Rat and then becoming the new queen?"
"Or is it about leaving the colony, becoming a Mouse Queen myself, and building a new Mole Kingdom from scratch?"
In an instant, Zhu Ge thought of many possibilities.
It was a pity he couldn’t wear the "Kunpeng" during the simulation; otherwise, he would surely have had more insights and made more connections.
In the end, after careful consideration, Zhu Ge chose the first option.
[You did not rush to explore. Instead, you immersed yourself in the Mouse Queen’s milk and the Worker Rats’ care, growing sharper claws and tougher fur.]
[Because your physical development has made you more suited to being a Worker Rat, you are ordered by the Mouse Queen to begin excavation work.]
[You may choose any tunnel to expand. Please make your choice—]
[1. A dry tunnel.]
[2. A tunnel of soft, sandy soil.]
[3. A damp tunnel.]
[4. A tunnel with the scent of plant roots.]
Seeing this new information, Zhu Ge’s heart sank.
’This is bad!’
’Developing was the wrong choice!’
He didn’t know much about moles, but he knew that in nature, some ant queens release a type of hormone throughout the colony to suppress the reproductive abilities of the worker ants.
’The mole I’m simulating has become a Worker Rat. This most likely means I’m no longer qualified to become a Mouse Queen.’
’Whatever. I’ll just keep making choices and see how the simulation plays out. What if I get a good trait out of it?’
Zhu Ge began to ponder the new traits.
’Since I have to dig tunnels, the direction is definitely important.’
’Damp means more water, a dry tunnel means less water.’
’The scent of plant roots means food, and soft, sandy soil might collapse.’
After thinking it over, Zhu Ge ultimately chose the plant roots.
For any creature in the natural world, survival is always the top priority.
Food was, of course, exceptionally important to a mole colony.
Of course, that didn’t mean water wasn’t important.
It was just that with ten chances, he had to be cautious, but he also had to be bold enough to experiment.
After all, he couldn’t see any images, only text, so he could only guess.
"I choose four, the tunnel with the scent of plant roots."
Zhu Ge responded to the system in his mind, selecting the fourth option.
[You quickly crawl toward the tunnel filled with the scent of plant roots. The surroundings are full of hard, compacted earth, and there are already several chambers here.]
[The Worker Rats here specialize in finding food. You join them, responsible for digging tunnels toward food sources and expanding the foraging area. You gain the trait: Hunger.]
[As the colony expands, a new Princess Mole is born and challenges the old Queen. You must choose whom to follow—]
[1. The Mouse Queen]
[2. The Princess Mole]
[3. Flee the colony.]
’A new Princess Mole was born?’
Zhu Ge frowned.
’It seems the path to becoming a Mouse Queen is to first become a Princess Mole.’
Just like with the first simulation’s theme of "Hatching," if he wanted to successfully obtain a trait that fit the theme, he needed to stick close to this theme of "Queen."
In other words, he needed the simulated mole to become a Princess Mole, and then a Mouse Queen.
’Before that, I should familiarize myself with things first.’
"I’ll follow the Mouse Queen!"