"Using insect technology, this will be simple," replied the hive's secondary brain. "However, it cannot mimic typical Earth online games, with monster-killing and leveling up."
Xu Zhi nodded thoughtfully. Indeed, he had no intention of making a traditional "game." This was real life, not a fantasy realm where strength could be gained simply by slaying monsters. He envisioned an open-world sandbox resembling Minecraft, a realm of exploration, evolution, and creative freedom—something closer to a casual farming simulation like Moor Farm, mixed with the organic evolution found in Spore.
Xu Zhi planned to implement a ten-thousand-fold acceleration of cell division, rapidly advancing spores through their autonomous evolutionary process. Players' "cells" would control their own division, growth, evolution, aging, and eventual extinction. Each session of "Spore Evolution" would unfold in just a few days, allowing players the freedom to explore whether their creations could evolve into unique, surprising species.
It was merely an amusing side-project; Xu Zhi intended to remain focused on the primary sandbox world. This smaller sandbox would act as a casual, self-contained simulation entirely independent of the main environment. Players would have no direct access to the "main sandbox," since no artificial monster-slaying or leveling systems would exist. Instead, creatures in the larger world would continue evolving naturally, relying on harsh environments and gradual progress.
Xu Zhi wouldn't overly invest in nurturing the players' experiments, but he decided to name this mysterious, independent mini-sandbox "The Origin of Life in All Worlds"—a cradle for the emergence of countless species. His goal was to observe the players' sessions and pick out the most unique, interesting, or powerful creatures to introduce into the primary sandbox. Following the devastating Flood of Sumer, it was critical to diversify beyond just insect-based life.
Relying on a single intelligent species was too risky. Xu Zhi had learned firsthand that if one species monopolized intelligence, it would inevitably lead to imbalance and collapse. He envisioned a diverse ecosystem populated by multiple intelligent races, each balancing and restricting the others.
"How long will this take?" Xu Zhi asked.
"Approximately three days," the hive mind replied promptly. "Our current technology, paired with existing VR headset devices, can serve as the medium to guide players into the sandbox."
"VR, seriously?" Xu Zhi raised an eyebrow, surprised. Although VR movies were gaining popularity, his experiences with VR games had been generally disappointing. The technology had a long way to go. But given the hive mind's confidence, Xu Zhi didn't question further—after all, the hive's previous civilization had specialized in neural technology, developing star-destroying weapons and other astonishing breakthroughs.
"Well then, I'll start carving out a small sandbox area in the courtyard for the 'Spore Evolution' game," Xu Zhi announced decisively. His health had improved significantly; reclaiming another small field of land seemed feasible now. "It won't be large—perhaps thirty square meters right in front of the house." He picked up his hoe and grinned mischievously. "If anyone causes trouble, at least I can kick them out easily."
The hive's secondary brain would handle the technical aspects over the next few days, while Xu Zhi prepared the physical test area.
"Am I truly becoming a farmer now, working fields and raising livestock in my own backyard?" Xu Zhi chuckled ruefully. He methodically recreated the sandbox layout exactly as before, carefully sculpting miniature landscapes and preparing soil. Though he still battled terminal illness, his newfound strength allowed him to complete the task without exhaustion."
After setting up the sandbox, he cleared away any remnants of plants and animal traces with a flamethrower. With improved physical condition, he completed the thirty-square-meter setup within a few hours, though his clothes became covered in black soil and ash. He washed off thoroughly in a refreshing shower afterward.
—
A day later, Chen Wenshan—a veteran gamer on the Steam platform and a passionate third-year college student—sat back after a frustrating session of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, grumbling about its punishing difficulty. Eager for something new and casual, he browsed obscure indie titles.
"What's this?" he wondered aloud, noticing a VR game in beta titled "Spore Evolution."
Description: A sandbox farming game starting from spores, evolving various species with unlimited possibilities—a relaxing casual game.
Chen Wenshan's eyes widened slightly at the keywords. He chuckled sarcastically, muttering under his breath. "Limitless possibilities? Start from a single-celled organism? Do these indie devs think they're making Civilization 7? Even that game starts at primitive tribes. Here, they want players to begin from a cell? Who do they think they're kidding?"
Despite his skepticism, curiosity got the better of him. It came from a completely unknown developer yet required an absurdly large 73 GB download and extremely high-end hardware—hardly typical for an indie project. Usually, massive projects of this scope were the result of long-term work by major international studios.
After downloading, Chen Wenshan created an account under the username "Autumn Mountain Speed." He donned his VR headset—previously reserved only for movies—and entered the game.
"The intro is surprisingly refined," Chen Wenshan remarked, impressed by the smooth presentation, vastly superior to other VR titles. Yet, the only option on the main menu read:
[Do you wish to begin the evolution of your spore's lifetime?]
Intrigued, he clicked without hesitation.
Instantly, his vision plunged into darkness—a vast, deep, ink-black ocean. "Impossible! I can actually feel myself swimming… as if this were real!" Chen Wenshan's mind blanked for an instant. Was this some kind of secret technology? Could VR headsets actually transmit electrical signals directly to his brain, creating authentic sensations?
This was the legendary 100% authentic virtual reality!
Slowly, astonishment turned into excitement as he realized he'd stumbled onto something revolutionary. As a veteran gamer, Chen Wenshan knew if this technology spread, it would cause an earthquake in the industry.
"It's completely dark," he muttered nervously, floating helplessly in pitch-black surroundings. "What kind of strange game is this? Am I blind?"
At that moment, a data prompt appeared clearly in his mind:
[Player is currently a spore, a single-celled organism. Please evolve eyes and a visual system.]
Chen Wenshan froze, dumbfounded. "Wait… I have to evolve eyes myself?" he stammered in disbelief. This absurd "casual" sandbox farming game for relaxation—was somehow even more hardcore than Sekiro?