Chapter 357 - 2: A Researcher’s Day (2)

Chapter 357: Chapter 2: A Researcher’s Day (2)

If there are too many herbivores in an area, or if vegetation becomes scarce, the local herbivores will migrate to avoid conflict.

As for the less-civilized carnivores, they have reverted to their primal instincts in the Middle Ring.

Powerful carnivores establish their own territories, ruling as kings and preying on the herbivores within their domain.

Weaker carnivores either follow the great herds of herbivores on their migrations or wander the Middle Ring as nomadic hunters.

Therefore, the Middle Ring is also known as the Nomadic Ring. The herbivores migrate periodically, and the nomadic carnivores follow them.

However, conflict can still arise. This happens when a herbivore population fails to control its numbers, overgrazes an area, or when herds from two different regions mistakenly migrate into the same territory.

When this happens, the carnivores that follow the herds, along with others from surrounding areas, will join in culling and driving off the herbivores.

This is because preventing the destruction of the natural environment earns a reward from the World Tree. A faint trace of the World Tree’s aura, mixed with some Spiritual Energy, allows animals to more easily break through the threshold for advancement (rank/level).

Of course, powerful herbivores that protect their kin can also earn rewards; after all, herbivores are an integral part of the natural order.

Generally speaking, however, culling and driving them off is simpler and yields greater rewards, so more animals participate. The conflict almost always ends in the herbivores’ defeat.

Even on the rare occasion that the herbivores are victorious, the territory’s Middle Ring administrators will organize a migration to bring the local herbivore population back to a sustainable level.

Mo Zhi stood up and looked out of the pod. The battle had clearly been raging for some time. There were few herbivores left in the combat zone; the animals carrying out the cull and chase now held a clear advantage.

"Perfect!"

A hint of delight touched Mo Zhi’s face. When a battle neared its end, it was time for the scavengers to mobilize.

The Crow Race were omnivores and carrion birds. At times like these, crows from all around would flock together to compete with other scavengers for the carcasses. (Most of the carnivores were already well-fed and would only take a few bites.)

Since the new rules were implemented, both herbivores and carnivores had plenty of food.

Only the scavengers struggled to find meals. This was because the territory was home to a large number of Gluttonous Slimes. As the domain’s janitors, they roamed every region, and anything decaying was their target.

Therefore, scavengers were the most excited when a battle broke out in a region. Not only could they join the fight and earn the World Tree’s reward, but they could also obtain a massive amount of food.

Fortunately, the Gluttonous Slimes wouldn’t steal decaying food that was already claimed, nor did they participate in carving up the spoils of the battlefield. They would only arrive to clean up after all the other animals had departed.

Sure enough, a black cloud billowed on the horizon—a massive flock of crows. The cloud descended over the battlefield, periodically dispatching smaller squads to attack and flush out any herbivores still hiding in the area.

The crows circled in the sky, their sharp eyes easily spotting the many herbivores that were hiding, hoping to wait out the battle and slip away unnoticed. With their involvement, the conflict swiftly reached its conclusion.

The number of herbivores in the area rapidly fell below the minimum threshold. Then, the marks on the surviving herbivores vanished. The combatants immediately ceased their fighting and pursuit, and each went their own way.

Before long, the only ones left on the battlefield were a few carnivores and the steady stream of arriving scavengers.

Watching the Crow Race display their might on the battlefield filled Mo Zhi’s heart with pride.

He recalled participating in similar battles when he was weak. He had felt the power of the flock and, under their protection, had received the World Tree’s blessing several times, allowing him to break through his own limits.

’Now that I’m a Crow Demon, and a researcher to boot, I have to help my people grow stronger.’

The Heaven-Reaching Vine Pod shot forward, leaving the flock of crows far behind. Mo Zhi remained standing, his gaze still fixed in their direction, lost in thought.

The sika deer mother and son remained silent. The ferocity of the battle had terrified the young fawn. He recalled his mother’s frequent lectures: if you don’t study hard, you’ll end up living in the Middle Ring, or even the far crueler Outer Ring.

’I’ll definitely study hard when I get back,’ he vowed to himself.

...

When the Heaven-Reaching Vine Pod arrived at the research center, Mo Zhi finally emerged from his reverie. He was the only one left in the pod. The sika deer mother and son had disembarked at a stop in a forest along the way. The forest was full of deer, so it seemed they really had been visiting family and friends.

Mo Zhi belonged to the Mechanical and Magical Engineering Research Institute, where he researched Spiritual Artifact Weapons.

As Mo Zhi stepped out of the pod, his body immediately began to transform. Soon, he had become a handsome young man dressed in a black, feathery robe. Research at the institute required a humanoid form, mainly because human hands were more dexterous and useful than most animal limbs. A uniform appearance also simplified management.

Mo Zhi stood at the institute’s entrance as a beam of light scanned him from head to toe.

With a BEEP—, the door slid open.