Chapter 44: War's Air Hammer

Having completed these tasks, Xu Zhi felt quite at ease. He was naturally thrilled by the birth of his first truly promising species. It seemed that even though the tiny ants in the sandbox within his farm orchard were a bunch of noisy rebels constantly plotting defiance, they weren't entirely unproductive; they had, in fact, evolved something remarkable.

After finishing his meal, he left the courtyard and quietly returned to the kitchen to wash his lunchbox. "Even the Creator had to wash dishes."

After washing up, Xu Zhi returned the lunchbox next door. He wasn't in a hurry to get back to his courtyard; instead, he took a leisurely bike ride along the country paths at night. The air was filled with the chirping of insects and birds, creating a very tranquil atmosphere.

Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he couldn't help but ask the Brood Mother's Sub-brain: "'By the way, if I were to incorporate this phoenix's gene, giving me the ability of rebirth from ashes, and then committed suicide, could I be reborn as an egg and live again, thereby replacing my cancerous body?'"

"'Yes,' the Brood Mother's Sub-brain replied."

Xu Zhi immediately grew excited: "My cancer is finally curable!" The gene for the species evolved by that "sandbox" player was a delightful surprise; it was the mythical phoenix, terrifyingly powerful—powerful enough to cure his illness.

The Brood Mother's Sub-brain then added, "'This gene is exceptionally powerful and unique, requiring fifty percent of the genetic chain.'"

Xu Zhi frowned. A human's genetic chain was incredibly vast. Even after clearing out many extraneous genes, his original human genetic sequence currently occupied only one-tenth. The Evil Eye's gene also occupied one-tenth. This meant eighty percent of his genetic chain was still blank. However, if he were to "waste" fifty percent of it...

He began to waver. While the phoenix gene was undeniably powerful, its high occupancy made it less cost-effective. He mused that if he could integrate five genes similar to the Evil Eye's, their combined effects would likely far surpass that of a single phoenix gene.

He suddenly asked, "'By the way, after rebirth from ashes, would I still be myself?'"

The Brood Mother's Sub-brain replied, "'Through rebirth from ashes, the original Brood Mother is deceased. Naturally, the new entity would be your descendant, inheriting your body.'"

"My descendant?" Xu Zhi was dumbfounded. "I die, and my son takes over my body, inheriting everything—my wealth, my money, the sandbox, and even the girl Chen Xi becomes my son's girlfriend?"

"What a cuckolding!"

"'What a truly terrifying gene of cuckoldry!'" Pedaling his bicycle leisurely along the country path, Xu Zhi shook his head in silent exasperation. "I'd rather die than have a gene that leads to such cuckoldry," he thought, mentally humming Stefanie Sun's "Green Light."

He immediately abandoned the idea. Even if it meant dying of cancer, he had no intention of living forever in such a manner, especially since it would only entail his son, then grandson, and subsequent generations successively inhabiting his body.

He shifted his thoughts elsewhere.

With the emergence of the new venomous avian species, the large sandbox had become even richer in biodiversity. The entire world now boasted two transcendent species. Furthermore, with the "Phoenix" as a God of Fire and himself as a God of Wisdom, they effectively had two world-class deities. The fundamental structure of the wizarding world had essentially taken shape.

"I hope the phoenix develops quickly," he thought. "Each time it undergoes rebirth from ashes, it will grow stronger. Even though it's just been born, it's already on par with a Level Six Legendary Arch-Witch. In this era, following the demise of the three Arch-Witches, its current power makes it invincible within the sandbox world. The true God of Fire now merely awaits the birth of its own wisdom."

Xu Zhi stopped his bicycle. He was surrounded by lush forest, with a small river flowing in the distance under the night sky, creating a profoundly tranquil rural scene. He had come here, having naturally reached the level of an apprentice wizard, to practice his sorcery. After all, the orchard was too confined for such practice; even a casual display of power there could unleash a cataclysm upon the minuscule creatures.

"'Warhammer of Air!'" Xu Zhi's mind stirred slightly. An invisible, insubstantial mental pressure began to condense the air, gathering it into a mass of energy that was just about to take shape before silently dissipating.

"'Warhammer of Air!'" Xu Zhi subtly raised his hand and silently chanted the incantation. On only his second attempt, the air rapidly coalesced. Layers of invisible, transparent ripples converged, and a warhammer crafted from air silently materialized, slamming forcefully into the small river before him. A faint spray of water rose.

"'I succeeded on my second try,' Xu Zhi murmured, taking a deep breath. 'After experiencing three mass extinctions, my mental aptitude is terrifyingly potent.' An inexpressible surge of delight filled his heart. To say he wasn't happy would be a lie; this was legendary, supernatural power. After all, what boy hadn't dreamed of such things in his childhood? Becoming a great wizard, a mech warrior, a magical girl, or casting spells like Harry Potter.

After several more attempts, Xu Zhi gradually became proficient in using this "air-elemental" sorcery. His talent was exceptionally high; his cultivation and comprehension speed were more than ten times faster than that of the three Arch-Witches. After all, he was now a Zerg hero, having shed all useless and complex genes, making him an exceptionally perfect higher being. If he were to personally descend into the sandbox and dedicate his life to evolution, his achievements would far surpass those of the three Arch-Witches.

However, he had no intention of evolving himself. He lacked the time and energy for such an endeavor; the three Arch-Witches had spent over two centuries of their lives just to preliminarily deduce this path. Nor would Xu Zhi dedicate his entire life to such pursuits.

"'They've learned to use mediums like staves as conduits for their sorcery—this is the rudimentary form of alchemy,' Xu Zhi mused with a touch of regret. 'However, in reality, I find it difficult to craft a staff. Otherwise, this spell would be thirty percent more potent!'"

He practiced sorcery for a full hour. With Medea's "Warhammer of Air," he now possessed a means of self-preservation; its instantaneous concussive force could crush a person's chest.

Feeling satisfied, he returned directly to his courtyard, only then realizing he had forgotten something. He had forgotten to reopen the sandbox.

"First day of the second beta: half a day for public testing, half a day for server maintenance!""Hardcore! This is just too hardcore!""Drag that dog of a planner out and sacrifice them to the heavens!"

The forums were filled with furious complaints and desperate cries. Xu Zhi felt no remorse for his minor oversight. The surprise had been so sudden that he'd simply forgotten to re-enable it; he could just reopen it now.