I Used an Oven to Evolve a Fire Phoenix

Xu Zhi was slightly startled.

A Zerg Hero?

Didn't they only emerge after spores were scattered across a massive planet and countless species reproduced, with only a few born among hundreds of billions or even trillions? This place of mine was so small—how had one appeared so quickly? Had he hit the jackpot with odds of one in several hundred billion or trillion? Xu Zhi felt a little excited.

This was one of the unique and most powerful mutated individuals in the long evolutionary history of the Zerg.

Yet the Insect Nest Sub-Brain answered, "The exact circumstances are unknown. It resembles a Zerg Hero, but is also vastly different."

The Insect Nest Sub-Brain explained that the previous Zerg had taken the Technology Side path, so the Zerg Heroes they produced were naturally technological heroes. Every one of them had evolved brains, possessing computational power comparable to that of an entire planet. A single individual could command countless fleets and alter its own genetic chain, modifying itself into a terrifying Mechanical Creature weapon.

The Zerg had never taken the path of the supernatural—the evolutionary route of purely extraordinary lifeforms.

After all, that path was far too slow. Xu Zhi had only just barely evolved the beginnings of a few extraordinary species. If he had taken the Technology Side path and evolved superpowered brains to frantically deduce technological civilization—

In less than half a month, he would already have been able to rule the entire Earth, assemble fleets, and venture into outer space, instead of still slacking off like this.

But Xu Zhi shook his head. "The Technology Side relies on external objects. Its initial progress is fast, but in the later stages, it clearly cannot compare to the supernatural path and its immense potential."

The previous Queen Zerg had proven this as well. She had failed, and she had regretted it. It was the wrong evolutionary path.

As the next-generation Queen Zerg Father, Xu Zhi naturally had to take the most correct path. As a creator, he would lead his Zerg population toward prosperity and evolve endless brilliant civilizations.

The Insect Nest Sub-Brain said, "The creature before us, under temperatures where life cannot survive, unleashed its potential while on the verge of death and underwent a mutation. It evolved into the first extraordinary species capable of surviving in flames. This evolution has never appeared in the database, but it is far weaker than traditional Zerg Heroes. It cannot alter its own genetic chain and can only be classified as a Pseudo-Zerg Hero."

Xu Zhi was startled.

It had really survived.

"Even that couldn't kill him."

Xu Zhi's gaze turned blazing. The odds of a true Zerg Hero appearing were far too low. Having a pseudo one was already incredibly impressive, wasn't it?

Xu Zhi felt that if this were compared to a card-drawing game, then a Zerg Hero would be SSS-rank, capable of controlling its genetic chain and possessing limitless potential. This Pseudo-Zerg Hero was already S-rank. So what if it could not control its genetic chain? Among a pile of trash species, it was simply god-tier.

"An unexpected delight."

Xu Zhi had just given those players a thorough beating and taught Mount Akina Speed a lesson. He no longer had the mood to play around with them.

After all, his Great Sandbox was what truly mattered. He wanted to see what abilities this new species possessed! The next second, an announcement appeared.

"This game is undergoing emergency maintenance. Log out immediately within three seconds!"

Inside the oven, after enduring that inhumane furnace of blazing fire, Chen Wenshan was also astonished that he was still alive. Just as he was about to examine himself, his vision went black and he was forced offline.

Everyone in the sandbox was forced offline as well.

"Again?"

Countless people broke down and began discussing it heatedly. What kind of game underwent system maintenance on the very first day of the Second Beta Test?

Xu Zhi ignored them. Frowning, he merely put on heat-resistant gloves, opened the oven, and saw a vividly flaming bird lying quietly in the center of the lunchbox.

After someone's consciousness had been kicked out, the evolved biological shell left behind was naturally shamelessly claimed by Xu Zhi, who stole the fruits of his labor.

"This appearance... is it the legendary phoenix?"

Xu Zhi's expression shifted slightly in surprise. He hurriedly retrieved the genetic traits of this species from the Intelligent Sub-brain.

Traits: Flame Manipulation, Flame Poison, Flame Immunity, Rebirth Through Fire.

(Genetic chain cannot be controlled; one of a kind)

It lacked the limitless growth potential of being able to adjust its genetic chain and could only grow stronger according to its existing genes. Xu Zhi was not surprised by that, but he was shocked nonetheless. "Rebirth Through Fire... doesn't that mean immortality? Even the Queen Zerg could not achieve immortality or possess an infinite lifespan. Has this creature done it?"

He examined it more closely and realized that it had not achieved immortality. It was merely a different kind of immortality.

This one creature was an entire species.

Every time it neared death, it would turn into an egg, and then its next generation would inherit its body.

It was not immortal.

It was merely that after it died, its descendants would inherit its shell.

"All descendants share the same body." Xu Zhi marveled at the wonder of this lifeform. "What a pity. Such a powerful and unique lifeform cannot be mass-produced."

Like Zerg Heroes, every mutant was one of a kind.

"Who would have thought that heating a lunchbox in an oven would produce a Fire Phoenix?" Xu Zhi smiled. "Looks like the Wizard World will have something fun to play with."

Xu Zhi held the beautiful, brilliantly colored phoenix, no larger than a beetle, in one hand. The more he looked at it, the prettier it seemed, and the more reluctant he was to put it down.

Fiery red, breathtakingly gorgeous.

It was so beautiful. This creature was simply stunning.

This was an extraordinary species I evolved using the oven's high-temperature environment! Then, after studying it for more than ten minutes, Xu Zhi finally set down the Fire Phoenix and turned to the phoenix's original species before its evolution—the Funeral Chicken. They were a group of poisonous birds with fiery red feathers, and the dozen or so populations in the lunchbox had long since been roasted.

Although the unique mutated Fire Phoenix had now appeared, this primitive species still had to be tested for toxicity according to the original plan.

He picked up a small rooster with his chopsticks and began eating it.

"Delicious!"

An incomparably tender flavor burst across his taste buds, juices spilling everywhere.

To make poisoning easier, Chen Wenshan had indeed evolved them to be extraordinarily delicious. Like pufferfish, they were highly poisonous, yet impossible to resist taking a bite of.

Xu Zhi could not help gulping down mouthful after mouthful, devouring it like a whirlwind. "This species evolved into something unbelievably delicious! This is amazing. Now that the girl is gone, it looks like I can cook for myself. Eating a whole pile every day would be incredible. Oh, right—Intelligent Sub-brain, how did the toxin test go?"

The Insect Nest Sub-Brain replied, "Its toxicity is extreme! Even extraordinary species will die instantly if they consume it!"

"It can kill?" Xu Zhi immediately beamed. The harvest had been enormous, and there were far too many unexpected surprises.

Sure enough, the most delicious things were also the most poisonous.

At this moment, he felt like he had struck it rich—becoming wealthy overnight. He had a new extraordinary, highly venomous bird species in his hands, along with a Pseudo-Zerg Hero—Phoenix.

This Fire Phoenix was the first true high-ranking Zerg under his command!

He had obtained a transcendent Zerg Hero. Though it was only a Pseudo-Zerg Hero, he was already more than satisfied.

Neither Gilgamesh nor the Three Witches could reach this level. They could only die beneath the limits of their short lives, yet unexpectedly, a species that had only just evolved had achieved transcendence of life.

Before this, he had been wondering whether the bragging in that Great Sandbox World would be exposed. If someone discovered that there was only Hermes, the God of Wisdom, wouldn't that be rather awkward?

Now, the second god, one who wielded fire, had found a place.

"Then it's time to introduce a new species: the Fire Phoenix, along with that flock of highly venomous birds under it."

Xu Zhi pondered slightly and arrived at the edge of the Great Sandbox World.

Normally, introducing a new species was a difficult matter.

As a giant, entering the sandbox would cause panic. When he had introduced the Evil Eye before, he had done so after the Great Flood, when life had nearly been wiped out. He had secretly altered the swamp terrain, and no one had seen him.

But in the current Babylon Kingdom, secretly entering the sandbox was almost impossible.

"Still, this species can fly. I don't need to go in myself—I can just throw them in. They won't die from the fall."

With that thought, Xu Zhi grabbed the Fire Phoenix and several Funeral Chickens, then flung them far into the Great Sandbox World. "Phoenix, as my first subordinate, hurry and develop intelligence. Your life from here on is destined to be glorious."

Splash.

They instantly beat their wings as they fell from the heights, swiftly gliding down into a lush, emerald Giant Tree Forest.

Cry!!

A clear phoenix cry tore through the azure sky.

As the Fire Phoenix descended, the heat of its breath instantly scorched the trees and earth below. Only a few seconds passed in Xu Zhi's world, but several days had already passed in the Great Sandbox World.

With the Fire Phoenix settling there, millions of giant trees rapidly withered, and the earth turned to quicksand. Gradually, a vast barren desert began to form.

Among the countless trees, one giant tree somehow endured the mass extinction. Through survival of the fittest, it developed fire resistance and no longer feared the scorching flames. The phoenix could not help settling upon this giant tree, watering it with its own blood. In the days to come, this tree would be called the parasol tree.