Creator of Infinite Realms

After enduring the scorching sunlight, the long night of the seventh day finally arrived. In the ocean of Xu Zhi's sandbox, Purple Star Grass had already adapted remarkably, surviving countless cycles of day and night. Through its rapid growth, photosynthesis had substantially increased oxygen levels in the water, creating the ideal conditions for marine animal life. After all, stagnant water without plant life cannot foster marine organisms—oxygenation was crucial.

Soon, the spores in the sandbox began evolving once again. The first creatures to emerge were beetle-like organisms reminiscent of Earth's ancient marine arthropods—much like horseshoe crabs from hundreds of millions of years ago. With their emergence, marine animals officially took their first steps onto the evolutionary stage.

"At last, animals have appeared in my little ocean…" Xu Zhi murmured, smiling in relief. "From single-celled organisms to animals—two mass extinctions were worth the wait."

Exhausted from days of constant effort, he finally surrendered to sleep. By the time he opened his eyes, the eighth day had dawned on his spore-driven world. Any student of biology knows that oceans are life's birthplace, yet Xu Zhi now noticed that certain marine creatures, unwilling to remain confined to fierce competition underwater, were already adapting limbs and scales, gradually evolving into amphibians to explore barren shorelines.

Moved by this spectacle, Xu Zhi opened his notebook and carefully recorded the evolution he witnessed. He labeled this third evolutionary age the Epoch of Rebirth:

Epoch of Rebirth—a new beginning. Life surged anew, flourishing into countless marine animals. Invertebrates encased in tough shells first dominated the seas, yet their reign was short-lived. Soon, agile vertebrates arose, ultimately venturing onto land to lay the foundations of terrestrial kingdoms that would rule for ages.

Xu Zhi closed his notebook gently. Earth's history had periods like the Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian... but here, his sandbox had witnessed the Dark Cambrian, Luminous Epoch, and now the Epoch of Rebirth.

"I can't believe I slept so soundly while life itself prepared to step onto land," Xu Zhi reflected. A sudden playful thought emerged. "The ecosystem's already stable, so why not... speed things up?"

A mischievous idea ignited in his mind. Perhaps a drop of his own blood, infused into the ocean, could rapidly advance the spores' evolution, steering them toward human-like intelligence. Could his tiny world soon see aquatic races akin to mermaids, or mountain-dwelling ape-like creatures, descendants of a Tarzan lineage? The thought electrified him.

But Xu Zhi quickly dismissed the idea of self-experimentation. Instead, he remembered the nearby zoo. Perhaps discreetly obtaining animal genetic samples—a single gorilla hair would suffice—could be his solution.

Without delay, Xu Zhi set out.

Several hours later, he arrived at the zoo alone. Around him were couples strolling hand-in-hand and families laughing together. His solitary presence, pale face, and sparse hair drew sympathetic glances.

A few quiet whispers reached his ears:

"Hey, look at that guy. He's so young, yet already bald—poor thing."

"Don't stare; it's probably due to illness…"

At just over twenty, Xu Zhi had been prematurely aged by chemotherapy. He might have felt shame in the past, but now he simply smiled inwardly, indifferent to pity. He had greater things in mind.

"If only they knew—by tomorrow, I might have thick black hair again, rewiring my genes, curing cancer, reclaiming my youth!" But even Xu Zhi himself doubted evolution would proceed so swiftly; his orchard was still stuck in the early Paleozoic age.

After observing the primates, he targeted a vigorous male gorilla. Approaching an older zookeeper, Xu Zhi fabricated a simple cover story: he was a graduate student collecting research samples for medical studies.

The old caretaker, initially hesitant, softened upon seeing Xu Zhi's frail appearance. Still, he objected gently, "Young man, this gorilla's blood is precious—almost like my own child's. It wouldn't feel right…"

Xu Zhi calmly placed three thousand yuan on the table. "Just one small vial."

The old caretaker's eyes widened—it was nearly a month's salary. "Only one vial? You could have more, you know!"

Xu Zhi chuckled, running a hand through his thinning hair. "One vial is enough. Don't worry, I won't mention this to your bosses. And who knows—maybe I'll return later for some peacock feathers or crane blood."

"Certainly! University research deserves our support!" the man exclaimed eagerly."

Xu Zhi left the zoo quietly, his plan now unfolding smoothly. On his way home, he even collected a few termites from a roadside mound, pleased to find these potential genetic treasures for free.

As evening fell, he returned to his orchard, but a voice called out from the roadside.

"Xu Zhi? Is that really you?"

Turning, Xu Zhi saw a young woman riding an electric scooter. It took a moment before he recognized her.

"I'm Chen Xi. Remember? I used to come to your house when we were kids. I saw the lights in your orchard… I didn't realize you'd returned home. But you look so different now…"

Her voice faltered, her expression a mix of surprise and sadness.

"It's cancer," Xu Zhi admitted plainly. "Chemotherapy took my hair."

"You have cancer?" she gasped, unable to hide her shock. After a moment, she quietly added, "I started college last year—actually, your old school…"

"Congratulations," Xu Zhi smiled politely. Yet his mind had already drifted back to the tiny evolutionary world awaiting him.

"I have to get going now," he said quickly. After all, even brief delays could drastically alter the evolutionary fate of his rapidly developing Insect Race.

Watching him hurry away, Chen Xi felt a pang of complex emotion. She murmured softly behind him, "If you ever need someone to talk to… just visit us anytime, okay?"

Xu Zhi flinched inwardly, irritated by the pity he sensed. Turning slightly, he forced a smile, replying casually, "Relax, my hair will grow back after treatment stops—this baldness is only temporary!"

Walking back toward the orchard, he muttered half-jokingly, half-bitterly, "Maybe it's time to evolve a truly hairless species—one that embodies the strength of being bald!"

As days passed, the pace of evolution grew dizzying. Soon terrestrial creatures thrived, freshwater fish populated rivers, and strange trees covered once-barren plains. A complete miniature ecosystem had emerged within just a week, defying nature's typical rhythm.

Now Xu Zhi prepared his next ruthless experiment. Selecting the most promising species, he planned to trigger another mass extinction, injecting the genetic essence of both apes and ants. The survivors would become pioneering ancestors of an intelligent, ape-like species in his little world.

Wearing cheap plastic overshoes, Xu Zhi walked into the orchard, casually trampling trees and creatures beneath his feet. He murmured softly, coldly indifferent: "Nature is harsh. Those crushed underfoot were simply unfit for survival."

Kneeling to closely examine each tiny creature, Xu Zhi searched methodically for the perfect specimen. With a wry smile, he added quietly, "Preferably something bald."

Thus, with cold yet playful determination, Xu Zhi continued his evolutionary experiments, shaping his own microcosmic world where only the strongest—and perhaps the baldest—could hope to survive.