Chapter 168: Maintenance and Deployment

Sweet to the taste, with a lingering fragrance.

Xu Zhi had never tasted Phoenix Spirit Tea with such a delightful texture. Over the past few days, he had gradually come to understand that only extraordinary, energy-rich organisms or ingredients could truly be considered delicious.

"This tree..."

Xu Zhi took a deep breath, secretly assessing its potential. "It can absorb the energy of heaven and earth, grow to an infinite height, and perhaps become the cornerstone of a new world."

"It would be perfect for the new world."

Xu Zhi decided instantly, but the passage between the two worlds was not yet ready.

Furthermore, the underground new world on the other side had not yet reached the minimum environmental standard for introducing species. With very few organisms present, an ecosystem could not form, and any introduced species would face extinction due to lack of food.

"At the very least, tomorrow, when plants appear in the ocean." Xu Zhi mused, "With plants, it'll be fine; there's no need to wait for animals, as they can be herbivores... I'll introduce humans tomorrow, and this 'University Tall Tree' the day after!"

Even though it was for the day after tomorrow, the announcement still needed to be made.

An announcement rang out in the sandbox game:

Announcement: Congratulations to player "Cute Girl Wants to Evolve into a Dragon, Endorsing Legendary Web Game" for the evolved species "University Tall Tree." It possesses great potential and has earned an achievement reward.

"Hahaha! Indeed, by flattering the Creator, you can forge a future! Keep flattering, and you'll have everything!"

Everyone was exhilarated, waving their hands and dancing with joy.

"University Tall Tree—this name is truly fitting! 'Great Learning' (Da Xue) is one of the Four Books of ancient China, symbolizing profound knowledge, and every part of this tree requires highly advanced evolutionary knowledge! It is a tree where knowledge converges! University Tall Tree, Tree of Knowledge—a truly befitting name!"

"Actually, there's a tall tree at university, and many people are 'hanging' from it (secretly exposing the truth)."

"Nonsense!! This isn't an ancient Tree of Life that gives birth to elves, how could people be hanging from it?"

"That's incredible, big shot, so skilled at flattery! If I had half your talent, I wouldn't have to worry about finding a girlfriend. I need to learn from you!"

The surroundings were abuzz with chatter.

Cute Girl, however, was still entranced by the moment she was held in the Creator God's hand. It took her a long time to slowly regain her senses and look at the achievement reward before her.

"Which one should I choose?"

Everyone quickly crowded around her.

Cute Girl wasn't foolish; she looked at the three options before her and, without hesitation, chose:

"Begin my second life!"

Soon, a prompt message appeared before her:

Please proceed to the following location in three days to cross through the world portal.

"Holy cow!"

The crowd erupted in an uproar.

"What on earth? Why is it completely different this time, and with a delay? Three days, even?"

But then, the very next second:

Notice: This sandbox will enter version maintenance. All players will be logged out in one minute. Please prepare. This system maintenance will last for two days.

Additionally, the fourth closed beta test will commence.

"Spore Evolution" Closed Beta Version 0.4 has been officially updated and launched.

1. Thirty new closed beta slots will be opened, increasing the maximum online player count to 210.2. Closed beta applications will continue to be reviewed based on submitted biology papers.3. The elimination system will remain in effect. In this fourth beta test, 80 players from the previous 180 closed beta participants will be eliminated from the bottom ranks. The specific list of eliminated players is...

In this third beta, 80 players were eliminated and 30 new slots were added, with the effective total reaching 110 players.

Everyone was immediately stunned.

The fourth beta test had begun, and everyone was naturally delighted by the increase in fellow players. But what on earth did it mean to eliminate eighty people?

"This is clearly messing with people!"

"Won't the despicable planner provide an explanation!"

The forum erupted instantly, with countless closed beta players complaining vociferously.

"What? I've been eliminated?"

"I was eliminated too! I'm practically going to smash my keyboard."

"We only have 180 people in total! What on earth is suddenly increasing the elimination quota to 80 people? That's nearly half!"

However, on the forum, only a scattering of closed beta players voiced opposition. More people cheered, agreed, praised the game planner's cleverness, and exclaimed that the development team was incredibly thoughtful.

After all, with these closed beta players moving on, more slots would open up, increasing their own chances. How could they not be happy?

"I think it's very fair! After all, you've all been in there for so long, and even had a blast! In that alternate world, even those who spent the least time got to 'travel' for half a month, living a life with no regrets. Why not let others experience it, while the rest of us are still bitterly waiting in line outside!"

"I see nothing wrong with it. It's already the fourth beta test, and the number of player slots is increasing each time. Therefore, the number of eliminated players should also increase accordingly."

"Hahaha! My long-prepared paper is already champing at the bit! With this major reshuffle, I'm sure to get a spot!"

The forum was instantly abuzz.

Cute Girl also suddenly realized, "So my delayed entry was because of a version update and system maintenance?"

Xu Zhi, however, remained calm. After all, it was simply an update he had casually released, taking advantage of the period when access to the new world was temporarily unavailable.

Furthermore, having utilized them to their fullest, those who had not yet yielded significant results were no longer needed.

The previous core evolutionary players, like Akina Mountain Speed and Hunyuan Thunderbolt Hand, had spent hundreds of years inside. Now utterly exhausted, they would need at least a month of rest to recover from the time distortion after exiting.

And how long is one month (in the game)?

Three thousand years!

By the time they recover, more than half of Chinese history would have passed...

Replacing more than half of the 180 players, refreshing the roster, and bringing in a large influx of new blood was the best approach. There was no shortage of talent in this world, only unmined potential and gifts.

Beep!!

In an instant, all players' screens went black, and they were forcibly logged out, leading to widespread lamentation.

Gentle sunlight streamed down, and the entire courtyard, with its lush green trees, suddenly became quieter than ever.

"It's been a while since the last update; it's time to also maintain this thirty-square-meter sandbox," Xu Zhi said, picking up the fertilizer he had bought. "I need to replenish the soil's fertility, make it rich again."

In fact, re-maintaining the sandbox was essential.

With creatures evolving and multiplying at a ten-thousand-fold speed, the sandbox had become incredibly barren in just over ten days since the server opened. Without supplementing fertilizer, it simply wouldn't suffice.

Yet, thinking about it, while it felt like a long time had passed since the server's launch, in reality, it had only been a little over ten days!

He was already a Level 4 wizard, and he had even deduced transcendent realms from Level 1 to Level 8. Deities had also emerged!

And, the second new world was about to open!

It was simply insane...

He even estimated that the development of swarm technology might not be so rapid.

"This is all thanks to certain quirky players... I will remember your contributions. Rest well; I will fertilize your remains."

As a farmer, Xu Zhi fertilized the ground, pondering, "The larger sandbox operates at only one hundred times the speed, and its vast land allows for a self-sustaining ecosystem where dead organisms become fertilizer, nourishing plant growth. Thus, energy loss isn't too severe there."

After fertilizing, Xu Zhi let out a sigh of relief.

He observed the plants on this land. Without player control and in a free-growth state, they frantically absorbed the soil's nutrients, rapidly proliferating and covering the ground.

After all, the environment had changed significantly.

From barren land, it had become fertile soil. The plants began to adapt to the new environment, twisting and growing, developing entirely different biological forms and rapidly multiplying.

Xu Zhi was instantly startled. "This won't do!"

He quickly retrieved the University Tall Tree, fearing it would mutate into other species.

"However... I suspect they'll find the creature they evolved to be completely different when they next log in." Xu Zhi paused. "Oh well, new version, new look."

Next, the second task:

To create a second path to the new world on the small sandbox.

As a true Level 4 wizard, Xu Zhi felt incredibly agile. With a slight surge of mental energy, the soil between the small sandbox and the large sandbox of the wizard world parted, revealing a white water pipe.

Soon, Xu Zhi took out pliers, a pipe elbow, and a new section of piping, connecting them to create a branching channel from the existing world passage. Its simple "▔[" shape was very straightforward.

After completing all this, it was already dark, so he went straight to bed.

The next day at noon, Xu Zhi visited the underground world and observed life beginning to reappear in the ocean. "It's time to introduce humans to this world and let them develop," he mused.

"But humans, appearing before an abundance of plants and animals?" Xu Zhi pondered, finding it incredible and completely inconsistent with evolutionary theory. Yet, on second thought, he fell silent. What was so incredible about it?

It might not conform to evolutionary theory, but it certainly aligns with mythology.

In ancient myths, gods first created heaven and earth, then other deities, followed by humankind, and finally various animals.

Humans have always belonged to the second tier in the order of creation...

"Is this a coincidence? Or is everything predetermined? It's as if mythology is being re-enacted," Xu Zhi thought as he descended to the ocean floor, gazing at the vast expanse of water.

This time, he was already well-acquainted with the process. With an easy flick of his wrist, he commanded, "Swarm sub-brain, retrieve the 'Rubik's Cube Monkey' gene sequence and use the ocean's spores for reproduction!"

*Splash.*

The ocean seemed to boil as some form of life was conceived. In the shallow waters, numerous furry, ape-like beings slowly emerged onto the land.

In the sky above, a bewildered golden bird was patrolling when it suddenly cried out.

"What's happening?!" Phoenix heard the cry, perched on the sky wall, and couldn't help but peer out, gazing down at the entire murky ocean bathed in soft light. She suddenly exclaimed in astonishment:

"It's a god... creating humans!!"

Urban Novel