Xu Zhi had no intention of crushing the tiny sandbox creatures underfoot. His mind was elsewhere, focused on a different objective—how best to exploit these free intellect-workers to continuously evolve new species across countless worlds.
Stepping outside, he found Chen Xi waiting by her electric scooter. She pouted teasingly. "All you do is farm—what's so fun about that? Spending time with pretty girls is far more exciting."
"Farming soothes me. It helps with my cancer," Xu Zhi replied calmly, peeling an apple. "Girls aren't nearly as interesting as growing crops."
"Come on, relax a bit. My high school reunion is tonight," Chen Xi insisted with enthusiasm, hopping onto her scooter and revving the motor.
They drove leisurely into town, winding along sleepy country roads until they arrived at a modest mid-range restaurant tucked just around the corner. Upstairs, a lively group of Chen Xi's classmates occupied a private room, filling the space with laughter, chatter, and clinking glasses. The moment Xu Zhi entered, cries of surprise and curiosity erupted.
"Wait, who's that? Is he at the wrong party?"
"Wow, he's stunning!"
Xu Zhi scratched his nose awkwardly, slightly uncomfortable beneath their gaze. Chen Xi proudly stepped forward, smiling brightly as she introduced him. "Everyone, meet my boyfriend—Xu Zhi. Remember? I told you all about him. Isn't he handsome?"
He offered a polite smile as several of Chen Xi's girlfriends immediately crowded around, openly examining him without reservation.
"Chen Xi, where did you find him? He looks like a model—or maybe an actor?"
"His features are striking yet not unrealistic—just incredibly charismatic."
Xu Zhi coughed softly, taken aback by their boldness. Nevertheless, he sat calmly, knowing this was simply Chen Xi's way of showing him off.
They quickly ordered food and drinks. Soon, several male classmates approached, faces flushed and eager to test his limits. They toasted him one after another, clearly trying to embarrass him. Xu Zhi smiled patiently, gracefully accepting each toast. After surviving years in the corporate world, these awkward attempts posed no challenge.
After dinner, the group moved on to karaoke. The initial excitement gradually waned; several classmates lay sprawled unconscious on sofas, while others lost interest and turned to scrolling on their phones. Xu Zhi quietly excused himself and checked his own screen—watching the live stream from his miniature sandbox game, Spore Evolution.
Nearby, one of the students exclaimed excitedly, eyes glued to his phone. "Have you guys seen this game? It's crazy! Players evolve entirely different species every round—it's like AlphaGo combined with a life simulator!"
"That tester has no idea what he's doing," another boasted confidently. "If I got a beta slot, I could definitely evolve something better. Imagine experiencing the entire lifecycle of a spore, feeling every sensation—it's practically a second life."
They began debating passionately whether the beta would ever open to the general public.
"No chance," another chimed in dismissively. "The computing power this thing requires is enormous. Only a few supercomputers in the world could handle it. This game will stay niche forever."
Unbeknownst to them, the students spoke as if the sandbox was merely virtual—but Xu Zhi knew better. Server capacity depended solely on his whim, not technical limitations. He had deliberately capped the beta testers at one hundred because entertaining the masses had never interested him.
"This game is hardcore. Honestly, those beta testers are useless—we need serious professionals to evolve species worth studying!"
In that moment, a spark ignited in Xu Zhi's mind: these students might prove useful after all. Spending the night watching bored classmates debate sandbox strategies had inadvertently revealed his next move. Finishing the last sip of his drink, he rose and stretched lightly.
"Alright, it's time to go."
Chen Xi laughed playfully and grabbed his arm. As they walked toward the exit, a wave of panicked messages suddenly echoed from the sandbox chat within his mind:
"Damn it, devs! Another maintenance—more wasted time?!"
Xu Zhi smiled faintly. He now had bigger plans—recruiting real-world experts into his sandbox experiment. Tonight's reunion had unexpectedly pointed him toward a promising new direction.