Chapter 1: The Shrinkage of Humanity

Hey there! Just to clarify, I'm not the one who wrote this novel. I'm just translating it. The original novel name is "人类缩小三百倍" and it's written by 四月乐章. I'll try to preserves the beauty, emotions, and essence of the story, so that more readers can experience its magic and wonder. I approach this task seriously, always seeking to honor the original work and the creativity of its author, while making it accessible and enjoyable for a broader audience.

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Under the pleasant afternoon sun, the farmhouse courtyard exuded an air of tranquility. Yet, at this very moment, Ji Chang was hiding beneath a leaf, drenched in sweat.

Soon, through the cracks formed by leaves and the ground, Ji Chang caught sight of a shadow darting by! This shadow was none other than a fly! A fly larger than him by a whole circle!

Listening to the gradually fading buzz of its wings, Ji Chang couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Have you ever seen a fly bigger than a human? Have you seen ants mightier than humans? Have you witnessed sparrows resembling ancient colossal beasts?

Everything he knew had undergone a tremendous transformation. Ji Chang found himself at a loss for words to describe it. There was only one word that fit perfectly: large! Big! Incredibly big! So big that even a tiny blade of grass had turned into a towering tree!

And the reason for all these changes wasn't that the objects themselves had expanded; it was that Ji Chang had realized he had become smaller. Small! Very small! Unimaginably small! So small that even a gentle breeze could blow him away.

An hour ago, Ji Chang had found all this suddenness and excitement novel. But when he saw that fly suddenly intrude into his line of sight, he knew disaster had arrived! This past hour had been a matter of life and death for him!

The seemingly ordinary insects and creatures that had once inhabited the courtyard now posed a grave threat to his life! Previously, he had been on his way to the restroom in the yard and was nearly back to his room when the "world underwent a change." He remembered being about two or three meters away from the door. However, after shrinking, those two or three meters seemed immensely distant to Ji Chang.

What's more, the once seemingly smooth path was now riddled with pits and crevices. Of course, Ji Chang secretly thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't shrunk while in the middle of using the restroom, otherwise...

...

Before long, Ji Chang regained his breath. Carefully, he spread apart the leaves, surveyed his surroundings for any danger, and then, with a cautious orientation, he dashed toward the direction of his room's entrance. This farmhouse wasn't his home; he was here due to an interest group organized by his class leader.

Abandoned at a temple from childhood, he grew up there, his temperament far surpassing his peers. Therefore, he quickly adjusted his mindset to face this disaster and decided to return to his room to find his classmates. He didn't know if he was the only one who had shrunk or if everyone else had as well, but regardless, returning to his room and finding his classmates was the best option for now.

However, just as he had taken a few steps, Ji Chang began to feel his consciousness blur. A roaring sound echoed in his head, and the next moment, his body uncontrollably toppled to the side. Right before Ji Chang lost consciousness, he caught a glimpse of a figure rapidly approaching him not far away.

It was an ant...

He had imagined countless ways he might die in this lifetime.

Dying under the shade of a pomegranate dress, or beneath the peony flowers... never had Ji Chang imagined he might be bitten to death by an ant. In this moment, a strong will to survive surged within him.

The instant his body touched the ground, his consciousness snapped awake. Following that, he sprang up like a startled carp. Meanwhile, the ant had also arrived at Ji Chang's side.

As Ji Chang steadied himself, his eyes locked onto the ant's. The ant's antennae even brushed against his face! He could vividly see the ant's fearsome mouthparts and feel its breath!

All this happened in an instant, leaving Ji Chang with no time to react. On instinct, he leaped back.

However, what unfolded next left Ji Chang utterly flabbergasted. Following Ji Chang's movement, the ant seemed to mimic his leap, but perhaps due to the ant's inherent inability to jump, its body tumbled a few times before finally righting itself.

Yet, what truly astounded Ji Chang was not this, but rather the mechanical voice that echoed in his mind the moment he steadied himself.

"Ding!" "Ant Dominion successful!"

Simultaneously, a window appeared in his field of vision!

[Host] Name: Ji Chang Age: 19 Beast Control: Ant Function: Not activated (to be gradually unlocked as the host's strength increases)

Just as Ji Chang was slightly dazed, the ant once again approached him, silently watching him... its two antennae continued to sway gently against him.

Looking at his controlled beast, the ant, Ji Chang couldn't shake a mysterious feeling. As if he had forged a subtle connection with the ant before him. He could vividly sense the ant's breath and heartbeat.

Seeing this situation, Ji Chang felt a sense of wonderment, exclaiming involuntarily, "Beast control? Can I really control ants?"

In the following minutes, after Ji Chang made multiple attempts, his conjecture was validated. The ant before him, larger than himself, was unbelievably obedient, moving east when he commanded without straying westward.

Not only that, as Ji Chang issued orders, the ant could perform various actions. Even a small clump of dirt Ji Chang tossed out, the ant could carry back.

Furthermore, Ji Chang noticed something else. As he directed the ant through its various actions, his head grew increasingly heavy, a sensation akin to staying up all night.

The emergence of this situation led Ji Chang to believe that perhaps his ability to control ants was somehow linked to the expenditure of a type of energy similar to mental power.

Regardless of how it worked, this was the only fortunate thing to have happened since he had shrunk.

Even though he now commanded the ant, Ji Chang knew his situation hadn't improved drastically. He remained within the courtyard, where unpredictable events could occur at any moment. He couldn't believe his ants could contend against those colossal sparrow-like creatures he had seen earlier.

"Can I ride you?" After resting in place for a few minutes, Ji Chang looked in the direction of the room's entrance and asked the ant before him.

Without delay, Ji Chang mounted the ant and sped toward the room's entrance. With the ant as his mount, Ji Chang quickly reached the door.

However, as Ji Chang rode the ant through the cracks in the door and onto the room's floor, he was met with frantic shouts.

"Oh my god, run everyone, ants are coming!" "Ah~! Help, help!" ...

"Uh~! Everyone, don't be afraid, it's me!"

Seeing his panicked classmates, Ji Chang shouted urgently.

At the same time, he couldn't help but ponder, "Everyone really has shrunk!"

As Ji Chang's voice resounded, Huang Mang, the male classmate who had been the first to be alarmed and flee, suddenly froze. When he recognized Ji Chang riding atop the ant, he exclaimed in shock, "What the heck? Ji-ge?"

Witnessing this, the other classmates who had been fleeing stared at Ji Chang in equal astonishment!