Gu Nan didn't yet know that a certain existence he met only a few times had already labeled him as a "porcupine."
Of course, even if he knew, he probably wouldn't care much either, because he was extremely eager to be a porcupine so that nobody would dare to scheme him.
But at the same time, Gu Nan also wanted to scheme others—simply put, only he was allowed to bully others, but others weren't allowed to bully him. Let alone bullying, even hindering his progress wasn't allowed.
As time went by, Gu Nan temporarily set aside the matters in Star Realm. He concentrated on staying in Immortal Demon World and guiding Lan Si on how to "mend the sky."
Lan Si's breakthrough to Tier 4 still brought some benefits to Gu Nan.
She didn't only gain the ability to "mend the sky" after reaching Tier 4, but she also fused with the Godhead, bringing Gu Nan another sharp increase in Evil Value.
1,960—this was Gu Nan's current Evil Value.
Lan Si's breakthrough gave him a little over two hundred Evil Value. In total, the Evil Value contributed by this Godhead had reached nearly a thousand. This Godhead could be regarded as having successfully completed its mission.
And Lan Si was currently trying hard to fulfill her mission.
As Gu Nan's half an apostle, she naturally had to devote her energy to the Divine Kingdom. Originally, when she was in secluded cultivation, all the tedious affairs in the Divine Kingdom were given to Yan Xiaoxiao. Now it was her turn to make up for it.
Little by little, the work of repairing Immortal Demon World progressed forth. With Gu Nan's precise command and the miraculous effect of the divine power of water, they actually did manage to persevere.
The cracks in the sky were mended one by one, and the fragmented space was also healing. Yan Xiaoxiao had long since left to organize the people and rebuild their homes.
Regrettably, just as Yan Xiaoxiao had anticipated, over half of Immortal Demon World's residents died or suffered injuries in this natural disaster. Less than 10% of the population survived perfectly intact.
"This is nothing." Gu Nan very calmly motioned with his hand. "Pair men and women together and force births. Humans have a one-year maternity cycle, and their growth cycle is only fifteen to twenty years. We can afford the wait."
Time flowed ten times faster in Immortal Demon World than in the outside world. Of course they could afford the wait.
However, the "force births" Gu Nan mentioned was shocking enough.
Even Yan Xiaoxiao, who'd known Gu Nan's strategy for a long time, couldn't help but feel horror at this time—no ruler would treat his people like this.
This wasn't governance; this was "raising livestock."
Gu Nan was raising people like how one would raise livestock. When he needed more population, he would choose the means of "forced coupling," regardless of each individual's personal wishes.
Yan Xiaoxiao fell silent. She seemed to still be digesting the intent behind Gu Nan's words, but Gu Nan didn't care at all.
He really did have nothing to say. All the players in the game did this. In fact, after their Divine Kingdoms stabilized, players would even limit the population's lifespan. Ordinary people who exceeded a certain age would be directly executed.
If the resources supplied to the aging population were instead used to raise people at the prime of their lives, higher energy gains could be obtained.
"Science and technology, cultivation methods, and basic resources can all be provided by us." Gu Nan said thus, "The people just need to cultivate."
"Cultivation will be their only goal in life. It will bring them a longer lifespan, more resources, and the power to dominate other people."
"People of low ranks will be dominated in exchange for resources to achieve a higher rank—this will be the basic law of the Divine Kingdom."
Gu Nan described the world he envisioned in the simplest language possible. That would be an efficient world where the entire population pursued cultivation.
Nobody would enjoy the pleasures of life, and nobody would have time to relax. Vanity, ambition, and the love and hate between people will all become their motivation to forge ahead.
"Why… make such a world?" Yan Xiaoxiao asked blankly. She really couldn't figure it out. What was the point of such a monotonous and boring world?
"I need it," Gu Nan answered confidently.
His Divine Kingdom's overall strength determined the extent of his future strength. This reason was more than sufficient.
Because Gu Nan had a need for it, he needed to take control of a world, raise all the people inside like livestock, and even try every means possible to brainwash them so that their only goal in life was to cultivate to a higher realm.
Yan Xiaoxiao wasn't a modern person who had accepted the concept of "everyone is equal," but she still felt somewhat uncomfortable with this plan.
Seeing her hesitation, Gu Nan simply turned to Lan Si and said, "When the Divine Kingdom's repair work is finished, you can also participate in raising the people."
Gu Nan didn't tell Lan Si to directly take over that work—her management ability wasn't good enough to take charge of such a project yet.
However, as long as Lan Si participated, Yan Xiaoxiao would be forced to make up her mind. In all likelihood, she probably didn't intend to turn against Gu Nan yet.
Compared with Yan Xiaoxiao's dilemma, Lan Si was much more direct and simply responded with, "Okay."
...
When Gu Nan left Immortal Demon World, more than a month had passed outside. In other words, he'd spent an entire year in Immortal Demon World.
This couldn't be helped. A destroyed world's origin was no laughing matter. If Gu Nan didn't supervise the process, even Lan Si and Yan Xiaoxiao might be in danger.
In passing, Gu Nan went to Star Realm for a stroll. The current Star Realm was more chaotic than before. The flames of war had already begun to ignite in the various regions.
This was obviously Zuo Zuo's hand. He was trying to weaken Red's power through these methods.
Like the gods Gu Nan knew, Star Rulers also had to strengthen the laws they could control by having the residents of their astral world contribute power.
Of course it wasn't impossible to rely entirely on oneself, but it was hard for one person's power to compare with the entire world's power.
Wu Gui had already disappeared without a trace, but Gu Nan didn't have time to look for her. In any case, now that she could no longer find Immortal Demon World's coordinates, which side she supported had nothing to do with Gu Nan.
After a moment's consideration, Gu Nan's figure quickly disappeared again, traveling through space. When he reappeared, he was already inside his own residence in Zi Luo Heaven.
It had to be said that Gu Nan was becoming more and more skilled at the operation of "tearing open the void." He could even control his precise landing point, and the spatial deviation was less than one meter.
"Continue to earn origin crystals and rush to 2,500 Evil Value as soon as possible to advance to Tier 5." Gu Nan didn't need to think much and soon defined his next goal.
He had a hunch that using origin crystals to exchange for active world origins to increase Evil Value might become ineffective after Tier 5.
There was no need for others to explain this time. Gu Nan himself knew the principle behind this.
Other Star Rulers could absorb world origins to consolidate their own powers and astral worlds, but Gu Nan's Divine Kingdom was different. In the game, the best advancement method after Tier 5 had always remained unchanged—that is, slaying gods.
"Finding the World of Gods also needs to be put on the agenda."
Gu Nan knew better than anyone else that he would eventually have to visit the World of Gods. Only the gods there were his best prey!
It didn't take long for Gu Nan to return to Zi Luo Heaven, but suddenly a roar traveled over from outside his residence.