After reading the forum post, Xu Zhi himself felt a surge of excitement.
What a masterpiece!
Even though he was the so-called "developer" behind it all, the intricate lore and emergent gameplay were beginning to impress even him. It was just that good.
Blood pumping with exhilaration, he felt a deep urge to dive into the world he'd created, to start a glorious new life within the simulation.
Naturally, if even he was this hyped, the clueless netizens were positively losing their minds."The devs are insane! This game's brutal, but it still manages to care about its players. Too bad the beta tester slots are so limited... I've been reduced to refreshing the forums to soothe my withdrawal. I just want to play already!""I still can't believe this game made me enjoy learning. First, we tackled evolution. Then medicine. And just when I thought it'd be chemistry next, it hits us with linguistics!?""This is madness. We have to learn a whole new language just to play? I'm barely surviving my actual language classes!""At this rate, this game might actually replace my real life.""And apparently, we start in the most epic place imaginable—the Creator's Courtyard, floating between dimensions... the Origin of All Things. We're spores, evolved from nothing. Of course he checks on our progress! I can't believe we ever thought we could fight him.""Honestly, I want my little ant to crawl over and grovel at the Creator's feet. I just know it'll trigger some rare event!""+1""Count me in too!""Hah! You sycophants are shameless. Me? I just want to lick his sexy chest hair!""Blasphemy! The Creator is a transcendent existence—he spans dimensions, time, causality, and ethics. Chest hair? Are you begging for divine retribution!?"Even the cute girls were joining the frenzy, claiming they were now fans of the game—and more specifically, fans of the Supreme Creator."He's so handsome! So divine! Even the way he eats apples is hot! Real-life idols can't compare!""I heard the legendary Creator lounges in his yard, just eating fruit!""He loves apples!""And pears!""This gives me hope as a plant. I'll evolve into a sweet, juicy fruit tree. Maybe it'll unlock a secret event!""No, I'll evolve into a vegetable! One with eight times the protein of beef—and I'll deliver myself right into his mouth. This little sweetheart wants to be eaten by her idol!"…
Bootlickers.
Xu Zhi stared at his screen, caught somewhere between laughter and disbelief as he watched the madness unfold.
He had done nothing. Yet after Future Skywhale leaked a bit of the Magic World's lore, this absurd wave of obsession had erupted across the forum.
A while back, he'd had to scheme and manipulate the players just to get them to evolve a few decent fruit trees for his orchard. And now? Now they were fighting to voluntarily become delicious offerings?
His grand plan for a gourmet farm life was coming together splendidly.
He grinned, fingers hovering over the keyboard. Feeling inspired, he sneakily fanned the flames by posting under an anonymous account:"By the way, the Creator's favorite food is the Pallbearer Chicken.""That's right!"Players collectively gasped in enlightenment.
Suddenly, the forum was in chaos. A stampede of players logged in and began searching for one particular individual—
Akinas Speedster.
The same player who'd just re-entered the sandbox, happily expanding the population of his unique species—the very same Pallbearer Chickens that were now in everyone's crosshairs.
"Hmm?"
Akinas Speedster looked up as a crowd of enthusiastic players appeared on the horizon.
He beamed.
They came! As expected. Look at them, gazing at me like I'm a prophet!"There he is!""He's the one who posted earlier! Quick, catch him!""We must offer the Pallbearer Chickens to the Creator as a sacrifice!""He led us to sin against the Supreme One! To atone, he must be offered as well!"Akinas Speedster blinked.
Wait. What?
An absurd scene unfolded.
Dozens of grotesque creatures—some with eight tentacles, others with nine legs and over a hundred eyes—charged through the forest, laying waste to the Pallbearer Chickens in an instant.
Akinas Speedster: ???
WTF!!"RUN!!"He didn't hesitate. With a yelp, he turned tail and bolted into the trees."What did I do to deserve this?!" he wailed, tears streaming down his face. "I just wanted to be praised!"Gasping for breath, he hid in a thicket, shaking with frustration."Damn flunkies! I blessed you with the knowledge of this game's divine lore, and this is how you repay me?!"But he didn't notice the rustling behind him.
In the shadows, a group of sentient plants were communicating silently—through eye signals and pheromones."Look what we have here.""A wild Akinas Speedster. We should catch it.""He'll provide enough energy for days. Packed with protein—and the Creator's favorite!""But he's slippery. Approach with caution."Rustle.
The trees quietly uprooted themselves and crept forward.
Poof!
A scream echoed through the forest."Hey! We got him! He's struggling!""Careful! He's biting—Ow! Gag him!""There we go... Remember, the poison's in the head. Remove it, and you've got meat six times richer in protein than beef!""If we have time, we should roast him first. Crunchier texture, richer flavor.""But don't eat too many. Especially not their king—Akinas Speedster. We still need them to breed and offer up to the great Creator."The trees shuffled away, carrying their prize.
A cold breeze swept through the clearing.
Akinas Speedster lay on the ground, stripped of feathers, looking like a plucked chicken. Naked and shivering, his face was blank with despair.
"Am I... nothing more than a chicken?"
"Is my species' only worth... being tasty?"
Back in the real world, Xu Zhi sat peacefully in a chair by the gate to his yard, munching on an apple.
Before him stood a procession of bizarre, humanoid trees. Their leafy crowns bowed low, and from their branches hung colorful Pallbearer Chickens like offerings.
They looked like devout, primitive forest spirits paying homage to their god.
Xu Zhi chuckled, reaching out to accept their tribute.
"Hmm... Last time it was soup. Let's go with deep-fried tonight."