I Have a God Simulator

Luh Yao looked down upon the two Divine Kingdoms.

Three days after the visit to Sand City, the envoys from both kingdoms returned, each with a different reaction.

The Ghost Realm appeared to have resigned itself, continuing its usual slow pace. The Bamboo Reed Kingdom, however, had launched a total mobilization, throwing itself into a frenzy of construction.

But appearances could be deceiving.

Luh Yao noticed that the two Apostles of the Ghost Realm were busy moving among the tomb clusters.

Blo and Hubbard split up to take a census of the Funeral Race and Ghoul populations, screening them for individuals who possessed the [Wisdom] trait.

They gathered this small group, tasking the Funeral Race with integrating various forms of knowledge and attempting to design new types of tombstones. Meanwhile, they had the Ghouls focus on training related to engineering and construction. Both groups were given a greater share of resources.

A clearer social division of labor was slowly taking shape in the Ghost Realm.

This was to lay the foundation for talent and education in the Divine Kingdom. It would require a sustained investment of time and effort, and it would be a long while before any results became apparent.

The Bamboo Reed Kingdom, on the other hand, was swift and decisive, prioritizing timeliness and tangible, visible results.

All the Lumin were required to participate in planting and excavation. Bamboo shoots covered the mountains and plains, and the bamboo forests visibly expanded.

In addition to traditional farming, the Lumin and Bamboo People also officially began to practice animal husbandry.

The first animal they domesticated for livestock was the bamboo rat.

This wild animal was originally a scourge of the bamboo forests. They loved to gnaw on bamboo and various roots, and were once a primary target for extermination by the Bamboo People.

The bamboo forests of the Bamboo Reed Kingdom were vast, so the bamboo rat population remained high. These small animals usually hid underground, only scurrying out to secretly nibble on bamboo leaves and shoots when no one was around. Wherever there was bamboo, there were bamboo rats.

Now, the Lumin were capturing the bamboo rats for centralized farming, feeding them bamboo, wild fruits, and fodder, which caused the bamboo rat population to skyrocket.

In stone-walled pens, the bamboo rats ate, slept, and ate again. They would occasionally roll over to expose their bellies or run a few steps around the pit. This comfortable cycle of life continued, day after day, until it was their time to leave the pen.

Bamboo rat farming provided the Bamboo Reed Kingdom with a stable source of meat and a consistent supply of leather. Although the output of both meat and leather products was low, this represented a qualitative leap from hunting to animal husbandry.

Additionally, the Bamboo Reed Kingdom made many other bold attempts: building cities with bamboo as the primary raw material, excavating and developing underground mineral resources, and using bamboo slips as a medium for creating bamboo books...

Aside from farming bamboo rats, none of these experiments succeeded.

The Bamboo Reed Kingdom had few plains, consisting mostly of mountains and hills. The Lumin lived scattered across these mountains, which were their most important resource. Concentrating the Lumin population was no easy task, making city construction far more difficult than it appeared.

Prospecting for mineral deposits was a similar story.

This industry involved prospecting, excavation, and Refining. The Lumin and Bamboo People did manage to dig up some ores that shimmered red, silver, or yellow. However, by simply burning piles of firewood and dead leaves, they couldn’t get their fires hot enough, making it difficult to extract any metal.

Luh Yao was optimistic about the Bamboo Reed Kingdom’s chances with bamboo slips.

When it came to bamboo, the Lumin and Bamboo People were the experts.

They did manage to fashion bamboo slips and bamboo books, but they got stuck at the most crucial step: the Ink.

The Lumin burned weeds and wood to create ash, which they then mixed with water. However, they discovered the mixture wouldn’t adhere well to the bamboo slips. Even if they managed to write a symbol, it would become faint as it dried and smudge easily at the slightest touch.

Seeing the Bamboo Reed Kingdom’s repeated failures with the bamboo slips, even Luh Yao started to feel anxious for them.

’If you can’t make ink, just use a knife to carve it!’

Luh Yao suddenly realized that the knives in the Bamboo Reed Kingdom were all made by sharpening pieces of bamboo. They were passable for cutting meat and for fighting, but using them for carving was asking too much.

’There are no proper knives here.’

’Oh, right.’

Only then did Luh Yao truly appreciate that the invention and development of every tool required a long period of trial and error; success was rarely achieved overnight.

The Yao Race itself had gone through two Eras of settling and development, merging with and learning from different races, before it finally ushered in its own minor golden age.

The two Divine Kingdoms in the Outer World still needed to complete their first stage of primitive accumulation.

Luh Yao was very satisfied with Slime Mod’s abilities.

The three-day tour of Sand City seemed like an invitation-only cultural exchange, but there were many subtle details at play.

First, the timing was subtle.

Three days was enough for the visitors from the two Divine Kingdoms to get a general overview of Sand City, allowing them to witness firsthand the many external manifestations of the Yao Race Civilization.

But that same period was too short for them to learn the Yao Language or its script, making it difficult for them to truly understand the various facilities and tools. They could only see the advanced urban planning and production methods.

The result was something tangible, yet unattainable.

Then, there was the grand strategy.

Sand City was an emerging city, the Yao Race’s first bridgehead in the Outer World. It served as a test for the outreach and influence of Yao culture, as well as the Yao Race Civilization’s ability to transform a new environment.

The city itself was a grand experiment on an unprecedented scale.

Sand City would not only host visits from foreign civilizations; it would also have to formally venture out.

The next stage was to be an exchange on the Apostle level.

Compared to the Yao Race, the Ghost Realm and the Bamboo Reed Kingdom were relatively backward. But each had its own strengths. The Funeral Race of the Ghost Realm was a masterpiece of natural evolution, and Luh Yao was also very interested in the ecology of the Lumin and Bamboo People in the Bamboo Reed Kingdom.

Now, he had to decide which Apostle would be sent out.

Luh Yao asked for Isabel’s and Slime Mod’s opinions.

"My Lord, I am willing to go as the envoy."

Isabel was the first to speak up. "The two Divine Kingdoms are gradually being influenced by Sand City. This is an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of them."

"The attitudes of the Ghosts, the Funeral Race, the Lumin, and the Bamboo People are what truly represent the current state of their Divine Kingdoms."

Luh Yao agreed with Isabel’s point of view.

The system interface allowed him to view a Divine Kingdom’s History and racial situation, but it couldn’t accurately assess the present situation. This was because the descriptions generated by the rules were records of events after they occurred, not predetermined outcomes.

If he were to use various numbers, major events, and the Gods to directly represent the living conditions of a Divine Kingdom’s inhabitants, it would likely lead to a misjudgment born of a narrow perspective.

Luh Yao rejected Isabel’s offer.

Isabel’s status was special; she was the former Forest God. Now that he had plenty of manpower, he wanted to avoid having her go out and attract attention unless it was absolutely necessary.

Slime Mod immediately spoke up. "Lord God, this humble one requests this assignment."

"This humble one has three advantages."

"First, this humble one has years of experience dealing with the Gods and Titled Deities."

"Second, this humble one will go as an avatar. There is no need to fear danger, as I can self-destruct to escape at any moment."

"Third, the magnificent blueprint our Lord God has laid out requires the selection of suitable Gods. This trip would allow this humble one to probe the attitudes and stances of the two Gods in question."

Luh Yao slapped his thigh.

’You’re the one.’

’Go get ’em, Slimo Master!’

"This humble one has one small suggestion."

A dialog box materialized above Slime Mod’s head. "Lord God, have you considered letting the Apostles from the two kingdoms visit the Yao Race World directly?"

"Since the goal is to awe the Divine Kingdoms on a civilizational level, past experience has shown that a more powerful posture is simpler and more effective. A common method used by Titled Deities is demonstration and Deterrence. You have created such a brilliant and diverse Yao Race Civilization; it is a powerful weapon in itself... It would be a real shame to keep it hidden."

Luh Yao thought it over.

’He’s right.’

’Besides, the Gods can’t find the location of the Yao Race World anyway, so there’s no threat.’

’Since the first steps of cultural outreach have already been taken, why not go a little further? Give the Apostles of the Divine Kingdoms a little push, make a big splash, and drag them kicking and screaming into the Fire Steam Era.’

Luh Yao named it: The Apostle Exchange Program.