Xu Zhi was now out of options.
After waiting for over sixty years, no heroic figure had emerged from the large sandbox to lead the wizarding civilization forward. With the arrival of this dark age, the orthodox witches were on the verge of total extinction.
He decided he couldn't wait any longer.
In contrast, the miniature sandbox had a player named "Primordial Thunderbolt Hand", whose calm and meticulous approach perfectly matched Xu Zhi's vision for orthodox wizards—dedicated researchers and truth-seekers who could patiently explore and innovate.
As for that other eccentric player, despite his outstanding talent, Xu Zhi had no intention of picking him. He was simply too reckless.
Xu Zhi murmured to himself, "In this world, Gilgamesh's era laid the foundation of civilization; the Three Witches ushered in meditation and magic, establishing the path of wizardry. Now, the next era must be the dawn of Alchemy. The true glory of wizard civilization lies in Alchemy—give me infinite knowledge, and I shall move the world! I need wizards who relentlessly pursue truth and create Alchemical miracles, not just mere spellcasters. Otherwise, how is that any different from common fantasy magic?"
The crisis of the world had reached a tipping point.
It was time to open a portal and summon a traveler from another world.
Xu Zhi's lips curled into a smile. The third legendary hero who would lead an era wasn't going to originate from this world—he would be a traveler from another world!
What impact would a twenty-first-century scientific genius have upon entering Xu Zhi's wizarding world? Would he ignite a grand revolution in alchemical biology, or would he perish miserably upon arrival?
Xu Zhi was genuinely looking forward to it.
...
Meanwhile, in a luxurious private villa.
Li Shengjiang, known in-game as "Primordial Thunderbolt Hand", was completely unaware that a scheming and shameless creator god in some rural orchard had set his eyes on him, plotting to use him as free labor to save his self-created sandbox world.
After sending away his servants, Li Shengjiang donned his VR headset, logging into the game once again. Darkness filled his vision.
"Please evolve your eyes."
This time, he chose suicide, restarting once again as a single-celled organism to begin evolving a new species.
As the renowned billionaire CEO behind Qi Li Motors and Mango Smartphones, Li Shengjiang had long reached the pinnacle of life. To him, life had grown increasingly mundane and lonely at the very top. A man of his status needed some amusement to fill the void.
In the real world, he was the legendary business tycoon revered by many—a forty-something billionaire CEO commanding immense respect and power. But secretly, he was an avid gamer who spent exorbitant amounts of money to fund his gaming passions.
Nobody online knew his true identity; he was just a friendly, playful uncle enjoying games casually with others.
Regular games had long since lost their appeal to him. But when he encountered this revolutionary and astonishingly realistic sandbox evolution game, it deeply intrigued him.
To better understand the game's unfathomable technology and realism, he consulted numerous experts across various fields. The more he investigated, the more astounded he became. Every aspect, every data point of this game perfectly matched real-world physics and biology!
Given his immense influence, he quickly assembled a team of leading professors and experts to help him. They swiftly produced detailed research and evolution strategies, and before long, he had a multi-page document in hand titled:
"Theoretical Structure and Evolutionary Strategy for a Biological Engine."
"Perfect, the roadmap is complete. How to climb from the sea onto land, precise evolutionary stages, everything is meticulously planned out... Time to evolve myself into an 'engine,' a simple organism with only one mouth and one strong appendage. Perhaps I'll earn an achievement award too," Li Shengjiang chuckled to himself. Only someone of his caliber would hire multiple world-renowned professors just to play an online game.
He spent the next dozen or so hours meticulously evolving his creature.
Soon enough, a strange, blob-like green organism appeared.
It was round and squishy, lacking limbs or a proper body. It had a single mouth designed solely for eating, two adorable round eyes, and a muscular "antenna" on top of its head, resembling a single sturdy strand of hair. This "antenna" appendage had impressive muscle strength.
It was the Biological Engine.
Looking like a round green slime with a single tentacle-like antenna swaying on its head, it was absurdly adorable—the kind of cute pet girls would swoon over.
This was the optimal evolutionary form designed by his team of experts and professors—practical and aesthetically pleasing.
Appearance mattered greatly to Li Shengjiang, who often spent extravagant amounts of money on cosmetic skins in various games.
"Buddy, I finally succeeded. Help me return to my yard," Li Shengjiang requested. Unable to move properly himself, he needed someone else's help.
AutumnMountainSpeed laughed, controlling his tasty Poison Chicken species to transport him back home. "Haha, this little thing is adorable! Great job, boss! It looks exactly like the mythical Western creature—Slime! Let's name it... Engine Chick!"
What a ridiculous name!
This was clearly a round, slime-like creature—what did chickens have to do with it? Poison Chickens, Engine Chicks... why was he always naming creatures so absurdly?
Li Shengjiang shook his head helplessly, ignoring the silly naming habit. "You're more impressive, honestly. You evolved the Poison Chicken entirely on your own. I needed more than a dozen professional friends to drop their research temporarily and help me evolve this organism."
Everyone had unique talents.
Clearly, AutumnMountainSpeed had unparalleled talent in biological evolution. Even several professors Li Shengjiang consulted expressed amazement at AutumnMountainSpeed's natural aptitude and invited him to join their labs—offers he promptly declined in favor of his gaming addiction.
Li Shengjiang himself had limited talent for evolutionary biology. His expertise lay firmly in mechanical engineering and electronics, allowing him to build his massive tech empire.
"Boss, should I put you inside the wooden car you built?" AutumnMountainSpeed asked curiously.
"Yes, put me inside."
AutumnMountainSpeed nodded, as many players nearby watched excitedly.
"Wow! You finally did it! Could this be the next big evolutionary achievement?"
"It definitely has potential!"
"So cute! First, we got delicious; now we have adorable. You guys are really creative."
The round, adorable Biological Engine was placed inside a carefully prepared wooden vehicle, occupying the empty space designed to hold an engine.
Within the wooden car was a special pulley structure designed to be operated by the single muscular appendage of the Biological Engine.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The slime-like Biological Engine began vigorously pulling the lever.
Its structure was intentionally minimalistic, optimized to the extreme. Like the single-eyed monster before it, it had only a mouth for eating and an arm to operate machinery—a dedicated biological power source.
Rumble!
The wooden car slowly started moving forward.
Sitting in the driver's seat, AutumnMountainSpeed became instantly exhilarated, gripping the steering wheel. "Hell yeah! Increase power to second gear! I'm about to drift this baby around!"
The Biological Engine had only one job—to supply power. The actual driving naturally fell to another player.
"Second gear, let's go!" AutumnMountainSpeed cheered.
Inside, Li Shengjiang diligently increased his strength, pulling the lever even faster, causing the vehicle to accelerate.
"Third gear!!!"
The wooden car sped up even more, drifting smoothly. AutumnMountainSpeed shouted excitedly.
Other players watching were stunned. "This is supposed to be a biological evolution sandbox game set in a primitive jungle—now there's a car?!"
The forums immediately exploded with excitement.
"This is hardcore! Forget voice-controlled cars, this one's powered by shouting orders to a biological engine! Way ahead of its time!"
"Environmentally friendly too! This engine eats vegetables and meat instead of gas—revolutionizing transportation technology!"
"Our boss originally wanted to evolve into a mythical creature, but now he's obsessed with climbing the tech tree and developing cars! (laugh)"
Suddenly, an official announcement popped up:
[Announcement: Congratulations to player "Primordial Thunderbolt Hand" for successfully evolving the Biological Engine, a creature with extraordinary potential! You have earned an Achievement Reward!]
The crowd erupted into cheers. The second-ever achievement species had finally appeared!
Inside the engine compartment, Li Shengjiang paused, noticing three options presented before him:
1. Permanently retain the Biological Engine as your starting species.2. Permanently secure your place in the sandbox game (exempt from elimination).3. Begin your "Second Life."
Players around him eagerly anticipated his choice.
Li Shengjiang hesitated. The first option was beneficial but unnecessary, given the Biological Engine was meant to be a passive, stationary creature. The second option was redundant for him, given his confidence in maintaining his position.
His eyes slowly settled on the mysterious third option: "Begin your 'Second Life.'"
To others, this option might seem meaningless. But to Li Shengjiang, it resonated deeply. Having reached the pinnacle of success and wealth, life had become monotonous. Perhaps this incredibly realistic sandbox game could grant him a fresh and exciting second chance.
With anticipation in his eyes, Li Shengjiang smiled quietly.
"My current life is already at its peak. Too much talent makes life boring. Perhaps you'll offer me something new, something thrilling."
With determination, he selected:
Begin your "Second Life"!