Global Datafication

On the street of a small village, a young man around twenty years old was driving an electric tricycle loaded with goods.

The young man's name was Wang Xian, and he was one of the few university students in the village.

After graduating from university, Wang Xian stayed in the big city where he attended school and had a stable job with excellent pay and working conditions.

Furthermore, through his own efforts, Wang Xian had even bought a house in that big city, though it was only the down payment.

With a stable job and a house, coupled with Wang Xian's above-average looks and physique, he had also found his significant other through a friend's introduction.

With such conditions, Wang Xian's reputation in the village was naturally high.

After all, in the village, when people had nothing to do and were chatting, they always compared their children to each other, and Wang Xian was precisely the "child of someone else" that people talked about.

However, this situation changed a year ago. Wang Xian was no longer the "child of someone else" in everyone's mouths; instead, he had become a prime example used to admonish their own children.

This was all because Wang Xian had suddenly quit his stable job in the big city a year ago, sold his apartment with only the down payment at a low price, and even broke up with his beautiful girlfriend.

This was originally Wang Xian's own business, and no one said anything. As fellow villagers, they only felt pity for Wang Xian.

In their opinion, perhaps Wang Xian had encountered some difficulties in the big city.

However, this view completely changed as time went by.

They originally thought Wang Xian would get back on his feet after staying home for a while, but Wang Xian's subsequent actions shocked everyone. They even suspected that Wang Xian had been possessed.

He stayed at home doing nothing all day, and various angry shouts could often be heard from his home. The villagers could tell it was Wang Xian's father's voice.

After nearly ten months of this, Wang Xian finally stopped being idle. Instead, he rented a piece of land and started a farm.

Originally, a farm was nothing special; it was considered a normal livelihood, even if it was tiring and dirty.

However, what Wang Xian was raising were not the familiar poultry or livestock they knew, but various strange things, such as cockroaches, earthworms, locusts, scorpions, centipedes, and so on.

What was most unacceptable to the villagers was that Wang Xian also raised a large number of rats on his farm.

Yes, rats, one of the most hated creatures in rural areas.

Fine, whatever Wang Xian raised was his own business. Even if it were rats, although the villagers had opinions, they only spoke behind his back. After all, Wang Xian's farm was well-sealed, and after several months, no rats or other strange creatures had escaped from the farm. More importantly, the farm was not close to the village.

However, despite the farming, the villagers saw no benefit from Wang Xian.

Not only that, but he had also sold the house his father had bought in the city, using all the money to buy feed for those creatures. It was said that this had even made his father ill from anger.

Wang Xian drove his tricycle, loaded with goods, through the village. After driving for about five or six minutes, he arrived in front of a building surrounded by walls about three meters high, with only one iron gate.

At this moment, two middle-aged men were standing in front of the iron gate.

Seeing these two men, Wang Xian's expression changed slightly.

"Village Chief, Secretary, why have you two elders come?"

Wang Xian got out of the car, nimbly took out a pack of cigarettes, and offered it to the two men.

"Don't try this with us. What did you promise me last month, young man? I won't say anything about you raising cockroaches, earthworms, centipedes, scorpions, and the like, as those things are considered medicinal ingredients. But why are you raising so many rats? Can these useless things be raised casually? What if a plague breaks out?"

The village chief looked at Wang Xian with anger, his tone carrying a sense of disappointment.

When Wang Xian was admitted to university, and a prestigious one at that, he had received an award from the town, making him the pride of the surrounding villages. But this young man had now quit his job in the big city and returned to the village to start a farm.

Starting a farm was one thing, and raising strange things was also acceptable, but this guy had actually started raising rats later on.

"Brother, don't blame the Village Chief for getting angry. He's just considering everyone's well-being, and you also promised us that you would get rid of those rats. But it's been over a month, why are you still raising them?"

The secretary also looked at Wang Xian with a helpless expression. He and Wang Xian were from the same clan. And despite the nearly thirty-year age difference between them, Wang Xian's generation status in the village was surprisingly high.

"Village Chief, Secretary, give me three more days. Just three days. I promise to get rid of the rats after three days. I've already raised them for so long, you can't let me lose all my investment, can you?" Wang Xian pleaded with the two men pitifully.

"You..."

The village chief became even more annoyed looking at Wang Xian's demeanor. The last time, this kid had made the same promise to them.

"Alright, Old Wei, let's give this kid three more days. If he doesn't resolve it, we'll help him resolve it. What do you say?" the secretary quickly persuaded.

"You just keep spoiling him."

The village chief retorted to the secretary and left angrily.

"Sigh, what can I say to you, kid! Remember, three days, only three days. If you don't deal with it after three days, I'll deal with it for you!"

The secretary sighed and left as well.

After watching the two men leave, Wang Xian opened the iron gate, drove the electric tricycle inside, unloaded the goods, and then went to the resting area.

Sitting on the sofa by the window, he took out a jade pendant from his pocket and gently rubbed it.

This was a Dragon Phoenix Jade Pendant. The jade was very coarse, filled with various impurities, and had several chips on the edges. It was the kind of item that no one would pick up if it were thrown on the street.

The only thing worth collecting about the Dragon Phoenix Jade Pendant was probably the small spot of blood-red color in the center, which made this Dragon Phoenix Jade Pendant seem to have a tiny bit of value.

"Two days, only two more days..."

Wang Xian murmured, looking at the clear sky outside the window.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye. People were doing their usual tasks as always, but suddenly, a voice devoid of any emotion, like a synthesized mechanical voice, suddenly sounded in everyone's minds without any warning.

"Loading data template..."

"Loading communication module..."

"Forum module loading..."

"Safe zone generation commencing..."

"Wilderness instance generation commencing..."

"Job transfer temple generation commencing..."

"..."

"Life conversion commencing!"

Sounds echoed in their minds.

Countless people began to panic. They didn't know where the voices were coming from, but judging by the reactions of those around them, it was clear everyone had heard them.