Chapter 268: Universal Planting System (7)

After arriving home, Xie Yang and her son stared at each other, feeling a sense of having nothing to do.

Today's portion of Nutrient Solution had already been consumed, so there would be no feeling of hunger within 24 hours. Even if she wanted to tinker with some food, a clever housewife cannot cook without rice.

Furthermore, the house was bare, and apart from a Light Brain limited to the Star Net of the Garbage Star region, there were no entertainment facilities to enjoy.

Children in ancient Earth could squat on the ground to count ants, look up to count birds flying across the sky, and when it was hot, they could go into the river to catch Fish or River Snail.

But on Garbage Star, one could not see ants, let alone birds; there was only sand, dust, and radiation filling the sky.

Fish were almost never seen in the rivers and lakes, and even if there were any, they were likely radioactive; eating them would only exacerbate the radiation levels in the body, and if it couldn't be expelled, one could only wait for death.

Might as well study the Robot and Game Helmet she scavenged to see if they could be repaired.

"Mommy, what are you doing?"

The little one lay obediently by Xie Yang's side, his beautiful light-brown eyes curiously watching the Robot that Xie Yang was fiddling with.

"Mommy wants to try to see if she can fix the Robot."

However, she likely had no way to deal with this Robot, because the Chip was completely damaged; even if she fixed the deformed shell, it would be nothing more than a robot-shaped ornament, so she shouldn't even think about driving it to do anything.

She rested her chin in her hands, staring at the Robot dismantled into a pile of parts, pondering feasible plans in her mind.

She remembered the Main System seemed to have mentioned that the Main Star where it was located had a higher level of civilization than Yilan Star, so there should be more advanced robots than this one, right?

She didn't need the most advanced household robot; she only needed a discarded, single-function agricultural robot.

She didn't even need the outer shell, just the Chip would do.

Main System: 【...】

Its Host's ability to fleece wool was getting stronger and stronger; she didn't even spare it.

Xie Yang threw out the temptation of points: "Excluding the Chip, I will pay you double the interest!"

【Deal!】

The Main System went to help Xie Yang trade for a Chip from an agricultural robot that had been discarded on the Main Star for many years.

Xie Yang, meanwhile, patiently reassembled the pile of Robot parts in front of her, repairing what needed repairing, melting what needed melting, and replacing what needed replacing.

When materials were insufficient, she would scavenge some discarded parts while teaching the administrator how to operate the forklift at the garbage dump, and after hammering and patching, she finally built the Robot's shell.

It was just vastly different from the original.

It was originally a household nanny-type Robot—

The abdominal compartment could help the owner store Nutrient Solution and daily necessities; the arms could be adjusted into massage tools to help the owner relieve stress at any time; the legs had even more functions, capable of switching into a baby stroller, a wheelchair for the elderly, or a workbench that could be sat at to operate at any time.

The repaired Robot was clearly built to serve Planting—

What sat on its head was no longer an antenna, but a Mobile Irrigator; the abdominal compartment could store common agricultural tools; the arms could be switched into a Sickle Hand or a Shear Hand; the legs could be switched into a deep-tilling Plowing Tool, or unfolded into a cart for transporting grain.

Once the Main System helped her get the Chip, Xie Yang installed it onto the main control board at the back of the Robot's head and connected the wires, and the Robot would be able to help her reclaim wasteland and farm.

Everything was ready except for the seeds.

The Sub-system was eager to try: 【Host, try the seeds in my space!】

Xie Yang shook her head: "Let's wait until we get the discarded seeds from the Zone 1 Garbage Dump."

【Alright then! Host, the jujubes in my space are ripe, do you want to taste one?】

Xie Yang then remembered that the jujubes produced by the Universal Planting System seemed to have healing properties.

She asked the Main System: "If I give them to the little one to eat, will it help his damaged brain region?"

Before the Main System could answer, the Sub-system popped up and snatched the answer: 【Ask me! Host, you should ask me! I know the answer.】

Xie Yang: "Please speak!"

【I'm not sure if it's effective for brain region injuries, but there are no side effects, and eating it is definitely better than not eating it.】

"..."

Xie Yang couldn't help but block the Sub-system and asked the Main System: "It keeps pushing sales; can it earn the price difference or what?"

Main System: 【... Perhaps it feels that you are different from its previous hosts and wants to find some sense of presence in front of you.】

"..."

Setting aside the magical effects, was it that Xie Yang didn't want to eat those fruits and vegetables? She couldn't find similar products to cover them up, so she had no choice but to endure.

The little Zai Zai would show off even when drinking a sweet and sour Nutrient Solution; if she gave him a fruit to eat, could he resist showing it off?

If she hid away to eat it alone, where could she hide in a shelter that was only one room?

The little one's sense of smell was so keen; perhaps she would be discovered the moment she took it out, before she could even eat it secretly.

Xie Yang sighed.

At this moment, the bracelet-shaped Light Brain lit up.

The uncle who managed the garbage station finally brought her good news:

"Xiao Xie, my friend in District 1 just contacted me, saying a batch of scrapped ecological garbage will arrive tonight, and it's required to be shredded by two o'clock tomorrow afternoon. If you want to pick out seeds, it's best to go to the Zone 1 Garbage Dump before then."

Xie Yang hurriedly said: "Okay, thank you, Uncle."

The other party laughed heartily: "It's only right, we help each other."

Xie Yang hadn't charged him any Star Coins for teaching him how to drive the forklift; he was just keeping an eye on news from District 1 for her, which didn't count as a big favor.

Xie Yang ended the video call and happily picked up the little beast cub, who was playing with the Game Helmet like a ball, and gave him a good rub: "Baby, shall we go treasure hunting at the Zone 1 Garbage Dump?"

"Is Mommy going?"

"Of course!" She had been waiting for this day.

"Then Zai Zai is going too!"

"Good, we'll go together! Before we set off, we have to borrow the precious Flying Vehicle from Xiya Ma."

The administrator uncle had sent her the specific coordinates of the Zone 1 Garbage Dump, which were actually over a thousand kilometers away; within a day, she wouldn't be able to make it even if she walked her legs off.

The administrator uncle had indeed asked her if she wanted to find a rental agency to rent a Flying Vehicle.

"However, the person in charge of the rental agency has some friendship with the Red Tiger Gang," the uncle kindly reminded, "You offended the Red Tiger Gang not long ago; if you go to rent a Flying Vehicle now, they might make things difficult for you."

Xie Yang: "..."

Putting aside whether it would be difficult or not, she checked the rental price of a Flying Vehicle and silently crossed it off.

It was too expensive!

She couldn't afford to rent one!

After thinking it over, she could only ask Xiya Ma to borrow one.

She would repay this favor once she had saved up enough Star Coins.

But while that was easy to say, she couldn't really go to borrow it empty-handed.

Xie Yang mixed a bottle of sweet and sour Children's Nutrient Solution and let the little one take it to Xiya.

The Nutrient Solution sold on the market also came in sweet and sour flavors, but the price was very high, starting at three digits per bottle; the better the taste, the more expensive it was.

Xiya Ma would at most think she was spendthrift and lacked foresight, but she wouldn't suspect her of anything.

Xie Yang guessed correctly; Xiya Ma felt she spoiled her child too much.

"I even misunderstood you before."

Watching her own silly, cute son hugging the sweet and sour Nutrient Solution Xie Yang had given him and grinning foolishly, Xiya Ma felt a bit ashamed toward Xie Yang:

"For the past year, I thought you were... well, too strict with Tingting. But now I know, my intuition was wrong; you just have high expectations for him in certain aspects, but you still dote on him in daily life."

Xie Yang: "..."

No, sister, your intuition was right!

Xiya Ma was still lamenting: "... Look at how well you've taught Tingting, unlike my Xiya, who isn't sensible at all; I should learn from you."

"..."