Felix stepped out of the yard. Ellie was already waiting by the gate, the two of them framed by the quiet countryside.
"What exactly are you doing these days?" she asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "Do you really like farming that much?"
She leaned over to peek inside the yard, only to see neat rows of lush vegetables swaying gently in the breeze. Her lips pursed.
"I'm seriously starting to get mad," she said. "Am I not attractive enough? You've got such a pretty girlfriend, but you never take me out on proper dates."
Felix replied calmly, "Don't I go shopping with you? And we ride around on your scooter every morning."
"That doesn't count," Ellie pouted. "You only spend one hour a day with me, then you run off to tend your garden."
Her cheeks slowly flushed pink as her voice dropped.
"I've been working really hard to be a good girlfriend, you know? I'm serious about dating. Am I… not charming enough?"
Felix laughed. "What exactly have you been studying?"
"No laughing!" Ellie raised a hand threateningly, though her eyes sparkled. "Laugh again and I'll hit you! I don't have any dating experience, okay? I'm trying to learn. And anyway…" Her tone softened. "I have to go back to school in four days."
The brightness in her voice faded.
"Summer vacation's almost over," she muttered.
Felix blinked as he accepted the lunchbox she handed him. Only then did he realize how much time had passed. His days had been consumed by ridiculous battles with sandbox players, and reality had quietly crept up on him.
Truthfully, he'd grown used to this warmth. Ellie showing up every day, bringing food, talking endlessly, filling the silence—she had been a constant presence in his fading summer.
She'd entered his life at its lowest point. A self-proclaimed girlfriend, accompanying him through what were supposed to be his final days.
"So… does that mean I won't be getting food starting tomorrow?" Felix asked seriously.
"Even now you're joking?" Ellie glared at him, then burst out laughing. "Is that why you made me your girlfriend? For free meals?"
She crossed her arms. "Relax. Once I leave, Aunt Li will take over."
Felix nodded. "Long-distance relationships aren't a big deal these days. We've got video calls."
"That's not the same!" Ellie protested immediately. "It's completely different! A long-distance relationship doesn't feel real. And you—" Her voice trembled. "You're going to die soon. I won't be there to hold your hand. I won't even get to say goodbye properly."
Felix: "…"
Can you stop reminding me that I'm dying?
You say I joke badly, but you're way worse.
He sighed. They really were a perfect match—annoying and sincere in equal measure.
Then a thought struck him.
"By the way… have you heard of the game Spore Evolution?"
Ellie blinked. "Nope."
As expected. She only played wholesome casual games and avoided anything violent.
"It's a sandbox game," Felix said. "Very relaxing. You can build entire worlds—kind of like Minecraft."
"Oh, I've played Minecraft."
"This one's different," Felix continued. "It uses miracle-level technology. Fully immersive. Like a second reality. If we meet there, it'll feel almost the same as meeting in person. Maybe even better than video calls."
Her eyes lit up. "Really? We can meet inside the game?"
"Well…" Felix scratched his cheek. "There's a catch. You need a beta tester slot. To qualify, you have to submit a scientific thesis on natural evolution."
"…What?" Ellie stared at him blankly. "Are you sure this is a casual game?"
"It's fine," Felix said quickly. "I'll handle it. You just need to download it when you're back at college. I'll get someone to write the thesis and secure the slot."
He added, "Your school laptop probably can't run it. I'll buy you a new one. High-end. Around twenty thousand yuan."
"I LOVE YOU! I love you so much!"
Ellie rushed forward, kissed him on the cheek, then spun around and ran off, her face burning red.
"We'll be together again!" she shouted.
Felix stood there, touching the spot she'd kissed.
"…Girls really are weak to money and sweet talk."
He smiled softly. If he couldn't grant his girlfriend even this much, what kind of god would he be?
Getting a beta tester slot was easy enough. The laptop was the real expense. He still had a hundred thousand yuan saved—after the purchase, eighty thousand would remain.
"Money might become a problem," he muttered. "I don't mind spending it, but I'll need a way to earn more."
Still, he wasn't worried. He had methods.
Most of his dates with Ellie had been simple—walks, idle chatter, quiet happiness.
Soon, those walks would happen in a new world. A miniature paradise under his control. They'd hold hands while exploring strange biomes, watching bizarre creatures evolve, laughing at clueless players.
A fantasy world.
With the lunchbox in hand and his heart lighter, Felix turned back toward the yard.
Time to get back to work.
---
Inside the compound.
"What is this?!"
The players stared in shock.
"Genesis? Why is that written here? Is this a hidden quest? Lore?"
Their eyes gleamed.
This wasn't just a sandbox game. It had story.
"Yes! We triggered a cutscene!"
Seasoned MMORPG players immediately recognized the signs. Every great game had a grand background—and this was no exception.
"I thought this was just a spore evolution sim," someone whispered. "This is insane."
The strange creatures crowded around the enormous notebook.
"Quick! Turn the page! This is the Book of Genesis—we need to read everything!"
Under Akina's Speedster's command, they worked together to flip it open.
The Age of Darkness
Five thousand years of night. The sun vanished. The moon ruled the sky. Ninety-nine percent of marine life went extinct. Only one plant survived—Blue Moongrass, feeding on moonlight, flourishing in the oceans.
"…What the hell is this?"
"Record it! Hurry—before the boss comes back!"
Hands trembling, they turned the page.
The Radiant Age
The moon fell. The sun rose. Blue Moongrass perished under scorching light. Its weaker offshoot—Violet Herograss—adapted and dominated the seas.
"…This is evolution."
Another page.
The Revival Age
Life exploded. Invertebrates ruled—until vertebrates emerged and seized control.
The players were stunned.
Another page.
The Age of Genesis
The Bugape tribes rose. Cities formed. Beasts were driven away. Their cruelty angered the heavens. A great flood descended—the third extinction. Ninety-nine percent of life was erased.
Civilization. Divine punishment.
They barely had time to breathe.
One last page.
The Age of Magic
Magicians rose. Hermes descended. The Three Witches opened the path forward. In the year 198 of Babylon, miracles mourned their passing.
Their hands shook.
This wasn't a game anymore.
It was a world.