Chapter 2: 002
Zhu Ran held the sprouted seed in one hand and wove his spiritual power into a net to cover it, protecting it from the outside environment.
At the same time, he went online to check the prices of anti-radiation pollution equipment, as well as flower vases and soil.
[Purification Isolator (Small)]
[Price: 40000 Star Coins]
[Glass Container (15cmX15cm)]
[Price: 30 Star Coins]
[Basic Plant Nutrient Solution 100ml]
[Price: 1500 Star Coins]
[Pollution-Free Nutrient Soil (100g)]
[Price: 25000 Star Coins]
…
Zhu Ran ‘smacked’ his optical computer shut.
Excuse me, these are prices he absolutely cannot afford.
“Looks like hydroponics is the only way…”
Although the conditions didn’t permit it, Zhu Ran also didn’t want this cute little seedling to just die.
Looking around, Zhu Ran picked up the nutrient solution test tube the original host had finished drinking. After wiping it clean, he filled it with a thin layer of purified water.
Then Zhu Ran catalyzed his spiritual power again, using it to cleanse the impurities in the water and filling the water with his spiritual power.
He placed the sprouted seed into the test tube, then wove his spiritual power into a net to catch the seed, filtering out pollution for it.
After finishing all this, quite a few beads of sweat had seeped from Zhu Ran’s forehead.
With a severely injured spiritual sea and having just experienced space-time transmigration, it was extremely taxing for Zhu Ran to perform such delicate operations.
His vision darkened, and his physical strength drained rapidly.
Zhu Ran quickly opened a tube of nutrient solution and drank it.
Because he had no money, the original host had only bought the cheapest nutrient solution. It was colorless, tasteless, incredibly viscous, and the texture was absolutely dreadful.
Zhu Ran drank the nutrient solution without changing his expression, recovering a bit of physical strength.
Afterward, he moved the blanket spread on the floor to beneath the window.
It was exactly noon. Even though the sandstorm was raging outside, a faint trace of sunlight still shone through the glass into the room, dyeing the cramped space with a shallow layer of gold.
Zhu Ran was very accustomed to sleeping in the sunlight, and he quickly fell asleep.
As a mutated plant-type ability user, he could heal himself by basking in the sun.
The test tube containing the seed was placed next to Zhu Ran, basking in the sun along with him.
Thus, one person and one plant spent a tranquil afternoon on the harsh wasteland planet.
Accompanied by Zhu Ran’s light breathing, a leisurely scent of vegetation and wood filled the entire room.
Perhaps sensing the scent of its own kind, the tender shoot that had only revealed a tiny tip rapidly sprouted and grew.
Soon, it grew taller. Its main stem thickened and looked very strong. It grew lush and green after sending out a few branches, no longer looking so bare.
When it grew to about 30cm tall, buds began to form at the top. Subsequently, small white flowers gradually bloomed, emitting a faint, sweet, fruity floral scent.
This was a natural plant, a Freesia.
The scent of the Freesia gradually filled the entire room, blending seamlessly with the woody fragrance.
The cramped interior smelled as if it were a flowerbed full of green plants, peaceful and refreshing.
Under this fragrance, Zhu Ran slightly tilted his head. A strand of black hair fell from his cheek onto the tip of his nose, floating slightly with his breaths.
He slept even more soundly.
The sun disappeared over the horizon, and the bright sky turned a grayish-blue.
Zhu Ran, having slept and restored his spiritual power, woke up.
Because of the pleasant floral scent, he slept more deeply than usual.
As a mutated plant-type ability user, he could detect danger through the scent of surrounding plants. Such a faint and peaceful fragrance indicated that the surroundings were very safe, which was why Zhu Ran slept soundly.
He stood up and stretched a bit, checking the condition of his body.
Although his weak body revealed powerlessness everywhere, as if a gust of wind could blow it over, fortunately, there were no fatal injuries.
As for his tattered spiritual sea, as long as he basked in the sun every day, it would fully recover in about half a year even without treatment.
This was good news for Zhu Ran.
Shifting his gaze, Zhu Ran’s eyes landed on the seed placed in the nutrient solution test tube.
No, it shouldn’t be called a seed now.
It had turned into a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
The green main stem occupied almost the entire test tube, looking incredibly healthy.
Tender branches sprouted and grew from both sides, lush, green, and full of life. Pure and delicate small white Freesia flowers bloomed at the top of the plant, fragile and flawless, emitting a faint sweetness.
“It actually bloomed.”
Zhu Ran picked up the test tube and carefully observed this Freesia. From time to time, he fanned the air above the flowers with his hand, sniffing its scent closely.
Zhu Ran hadn’t expected to successfully catalyze a polluted natural plant on his first try, nor did he expect that in just 6-7 hours of sleep, even the flowers would fully bloom.
It seemed his ability was very effective on the plants here.
A faint smile hung on Zhu Ran’s face, and even his eyes softened.
He added some more purified water to the test tube holding the Freesia, infusing his spiritual power into the water.
Upon coming into contact with the purified water processed by Zhu Ran’s spiritual power, the Freesia’s branches and leaves seemed to tremble, as if dancing and clapping in delight.
Clearly, it really liked Zhu Ran’s spiritual power.
Zhu Ran’s fingertips gently brushed past the tender green leaves. After ensuring the Freesia was in good condition, he set out to prepare for opening his shop and listing the item.
Zhu Ran turned on his optical computer.
The optical computer was a rectangular electronic screen, somewhat resembling a tablet from before the apocalypse, but thinner, lighter, and practically weightless. Its functions were also far more powerful.
Zhu Ran opened the ‘Xinggou’ APP—the largest holographic shopping platform in the entire interstellar era today.
In the interstellar era, people were already accustomed to entering the holographic world from the Star Network to experience a different life, and ‘Xinggou’ was tailor-made for people who loved shopping.
‘Xinggou’ operated internally in the format of Commercial Districts – Shopping Streets – Shops, allowing merchants to independently sell various goods in the holographic world.
All items sold required the upload of holographic images, and upon upload, Xinggou would automatically issue an inspection certificate. This to some extent eliminated the possibility of merchants selling fakes.
Merchants could renovate, expand, hire employees, and promote their shops within Xinggou. It could be said that it was much more convenient than opening a shop in the real world.
At the same time, buyers could experience the thrill of shopping in the holographic world without leaving their homes.
You might be browsing a heavily armed weapons store one second, and the next second step into a pet supplies store to buy plush toys for cute pets, and turn the corner to find a cosmetics store.
Try-outs, purchasing, and home delivery were all integrated. Shopping was convenient, and interstellar citizens loved it.
‘Xinggou’ also supported virtual socializing. Any registered user could spend money to own their virtual cabin and invite netizens over to organize activities like dinner parties.
Zhu Ran had never heard of such a holographic lifestyle and found it incredibly novel.
During the apocalypse, let alone shopping and socializing, just staying alive was an accomplishment. Where would he find the time to think about such things?
He placed his hand on the optical computer to establish a mental link.
When he opened his eyes again, Zhu Ran was standing in a spacious light-blue space. The ground beneath his feet was soft, as if he were stepping on cotton candy.
This was the login interface of ‘Xinggou’.
Standing before him was a gorgeously dressed little boy.
The boy had his eyes closed and looked to be about 10 years old. His facial features were a miniature version of ‘Zhu Ran’.
Zhu Ran recalled that this was the virtual avatar the original host had created when he was young, using his own data.
Because the original host’s parents were too busy with work to always be by his side, they took the time to accompany him more in the holographic world. And this avatar was the one the original host used when interacting with his parents.
It was just… ever since the original host’s parents died, the original host had never entered this place again.
Zhu Ran walked over to the boy’s virtual avatar, patted his black hair, and then walked to the side, preparing to create a second virtual avatar.
Zhu Ran thought that he would also use this avatar to stroll around the holographic world. After thinking it over, he still used an appearance similar to his own; otherwise, he would feel awkward.
Following his imagination, a young man around 22 or 23 appeared before Zhu Ran.
Slightly messy black medium-length hair, green irises the color of spring, a slightly thin face, and light pink lips.
This was exactly how Zhu Ran looked during the apocalypse.
Walking up to this avatar and confirming the account creation, a green light representing data flashed before his eyes. Zhu Ran could then use the body he had just finished creating.
Zhu Ran clenched his hands, testing the synchronization rate.
There was a sense of sluggishness, the sensitivity had dropped by half, and the sense of touch had become much duller. Besides these, there was no difference from the real world.
He clicked the ‘Login’ button on the virtual panel with his hand. With another blink, Zhu Ran was randomly dropped into the West District 10 Shopping Street of the ‘Xinggou’ APP.
“All kinds of decorations! Cat ears, bunny ears, fox tails! Only things you can’t think of, nothing we can’t sell!”
“Brand M’s new arrivals for the season! Not 1999, not 999, just 599 and you can take them home!”
“Do you want an electronic pet dinosaur?”
…
Various hawking sounds rang endlessly. There were real human voices and electronic ones, creating a wondrous feeling of the intersection between the virtual and the real.
Pedestrians of all shapes and sizes stopped and walked among the shops. The normal ones used human avatars, while the more unusual ones had beastman appearances, robot appearances, and even… an octopus?
?
Could marine creatures come ashore now?
“Baby, let’s buy that candle, okay? You’ll definitely love it?”
“Oh, I hate it! It’s so thick, are you trying to kill me?”
“Baby, you’re so amazing, if anyone dies, it’ll be me…”
“Shut up, stop talking.”
…
Passing by a specialized candle shop, Zhu Ran’s face turned red.
Um… interstellar citizens sure are open-minded!
It took Zhu Ran about 40 minutes to browse the entire street.
He observed carefully. The decoration of every shop was very meticulously done, visibly costing a lot. Zhu Ran didn’t think he could afford such exorbitant decoration fees.
“All districts are sorted from 1 onwards based on rent. The lower the number, the more expensive the rent, but the more random foot traffic given. The further back the ranking, the cheaper the rent but the less foot traffic.”
Zhu Ran found a fountain to sit by, carefully calculating how to open a shop.
In West District 10, which Zhu Ran had just browsed, the monthly rent for a 5-square-meter shop was 30,000 Star Coins.
And that was just the land rental fee, not including the shop’s decoration costs.
Yet, despite the high rent, it was extremely difficult to secure a shop here, showing that opening a shop in this location was very profitable.
It was just… forget about 30,000 Star Coins, Zhu Ran didn’t even have 300 Star Coins right now.
This was really killing him.
Translator’s Note:
Freesias are beautiful! Our poor MC is so broke, he has to use a nutrient tube as a vase. 😅
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