Creator of Infinite Realms

Dongcheng wasn't exactly a small city. Xu Zhi and Chen Xi spent a long afternoon wandering through bustling streets. At the mall, Xu Zhi methodically picked out a washing machine, microwave, refrigerator, and various other home appliances, fully intent on turning his old house into a modernized home. The shop owner, thrilled to see a rare customer in this age dominated by online shopping, eagerly offered free delivery directly to Xu Zhi's rural residence.

Xu Zhi himself had never been enthusiastic about buying home appliances online. With brands offering similar quality, he preferred to choose appliances in person, considering their aesthetic appeal, layout, and how each contributed to a neat, orderly living environment.

On Chen Xi's recommendation, they proceeded to various specialty stores, selecting a range of farming equipment: high-pressure water guns, electric drills, saws, sprinklers, and an assortment of upgraded farming tools—essentials for any Creator, after all.

"I'll package everything and deliver it straight to your farm for free," said one shop owner with a hearty laugh, clearly amused by this rare local "landlord."

Despite some tools costing thousands or even tens of thousands of yuan each, Xu Zhi didn't hesitate. Having already spent seventy to eighty thousand yuan, his remaining savings were still comfortable at around 110,000. For now, he didn't mind the expense; money was meant to be spent, and he had enough.

On their way home, Xu Zhi rode in front on the electric bike, Chen Xi seated behind him. Feeling playful and bored, she suddenly reached out and yanked a thick lock of Xu Zhi's hair with surprising strength, causing him intense pain.

"What are you doing? Stop pulling my hair!" Xu Zhi snapped through clenched teeth, nearly tearing up.

Chen Xi was equally startled, quickly dropping the strand of hair. "Your hair's incredibly tough! What have you been through?"

Xu Zhi winced, annoyed. "I told you before—chemotherapy. My hair fell out, and it's finally grown back. I wasn't born bald."

"Really?" Chen Xi's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Really," Xu Zhi replied earnestly.

"Amazing," Chen Xi murmured. After delivering meals to him recently, she'd observed that his transformation wasn't just temporary—his hair had truly regrown, and even his body and face looked significantly healthier and more attractive. Could recovery and exercise alone really have such dramatic effects? Something still felt strange.

"Stop doubting everything," Xu Zhi sighed softly, accelerating slightly. Chen Xi clung tighter, feeling slightly bewildered—after all, the e-bike wasn't even Xu Zhi's to begin with.

Along narrow country roads, neatly plowed farmland stretched endlessly on either side. Occasionally, elderly villagers working the fields greeted them warmly:

"Hey, isn't that Xu Zhi and Chen Xi coming back from town?"

"Young people should go out more often! Enjoy your youth while it lasts!"

"Our village is aging fast. Some kids went to study, others to work—you two are about the only young ones left!"

Xu Zhi smiled politely, responding with cheerful waves. "Hello, Aunt Li! Hello, Uncle Zhang! We just went shopping in town for a few necessities."

The afternoon sun warmly illuminated the countryside in golden hues. It was already past six, and unlike the polluted urban skies, the countryside's night revealed countless clear, shimmering stars. Xu Zhi imagined the miniature sandbox civilization experiencing its own fifty-year night—surely their skies were also filled with countless glittering stars, the same eternal beauty reflecting the vastness and wonder of the universe.

Xu Zhi smiled wistfully. "Our world seems so small compared to theirs. They've lived through more than two centuries, watched five or six generations rise and fall, yet for me, it's merely been two days—nothing more than a casual shopping trip."

After dropping Chen Xi at her home, Xu Zhi returned to his courtyard to check on the sandbox. Immediately, the hive mind informed him that Gilgamesh was nearing the end of his lifespan.

"He may pass away tonight, possibly within half an hour," it calmly stated.

"So soon?" Xu Zhi murmured, momentarily stunned. He stood silently in the orchard, carefully peeling an orange with a small knife. Bright orange peel unraveled neatly in long spirals, but his hand trembled slightly, breaking one of the strands.

"Damn, the spiral broke," he muttered softly, scratching his head thoughtfully.

He paused, reflecting quietly on the tiny insect-ape who'd become an extraordinary figure, whose epic saga had genuinely filled Xu Zhi with admiration. Xu Zhi had merely provided basic tools; not everyone could harness such resources to advance civilization. Despite his harshness and severity, Gilgamesh had undeniably been an extraordinary leader, transforming primitive insect-apes—originally capable only of crying "Bald head! Bald head!"—into an impressive civilization.

"Enough," Xu Zhi decided firmly. "If Gilgamesh longs to see me, then I owe him that final meeting. I can't grant him more life, but we have a shared past. More importantly, I must put an end to their destructive rampage. Who would have imagined they'd destroy countless ecosystems and drive so many species to extinction in mere days? Their reckless slaughter and endless conquest have ravaged the sandbox. At this rate, the entire ecosystem will collapse, leaving only their species behind. It's time to intervene and remind them of moderation."

Setting the orange aside, Xu Zhi reasoned delaying his snack wouldn't ruin his appetite. "Slow their cellular division rate—restore normal time flow," he instructed clearly.

Putting on his blue lab shoes, Xu Zhi resolutely stepped into the sandbox world.

With each step he took, the earth trembled—mountains, rivers, plains, even distant oceans gently shook. His footsteps crushed trees and created deep indentations in valleys, sending countless tiny creatures fleeing in panic.

"What's going on?"

"Are the city walls about to collapse?"

Slowly, the entire city of Uruk began trembling—walls, houses, streets—all quaking beneath an invisible force, leaving the ant-sized residents stunned, staring upward in awe and confusion.

Gilgamesh knelt among his ministers on the trembling earth. Suddenly sensing something deep within, the aged king's face softened into a look of childlike wonder as he whispered reverently, "Two hundred years… The great wise being from my youth—the one who gifted me civilization's three treasures—has finally returned."

As Xu Zhi drew nearer, Uruk shook even more noticeably. The magnificent circular metropolis, housing millions of ant-sized citizens, was no bigger than a dinner plate to him. Yet, every detail was crafted meticulously, exquisite and majestic—a miniature fortress reflecting astonishing skill and ingenuity.

Xu Zhi noted their fortifications remained fragile, as inhabitants hadn't yet mastered critical techniques—like embedding stone pillars deep into the earth—and had no knowledge of cement. Merely stacking stones offered minimal stability.

After crushing several more patches of vibrant forest beneath his feet, Xu Zhi finally arrived at the royal city, rich with ancient architectural grandeur.

At the city's heart, amid intricately sculpted altars and towering temples, stood an elderly Hero King with snow-white hair. He gazed upward in reverent awe, tears glistening in his eyes, his frail hands gripping the Sword of Damocles, trembling gently.

Observing this poignant scene, Xu Zhi vividly recalled their first meeting centuries earlier—a towering celestial giant gently cradling the young king, patiently imparting civilization's secrets, and revealing the beauty of mountains and rivers to him.