Chapter 38: The Smart Greenhouse Dome

【Ding! Congratulations, Host. You are now the first survivor in the Wasteland to light the flame of hope.】
【Achievement Unlocked: New Dawn of the Wasteland】
【Reward: Achievement Package x1】

Before Chen Zhuo could even take a proper look at the glowing plant growth lamp he’d just activated, the system’s mechanical voice cut through the silence like a cold blade.

“Achievement?”
“Package?”
“Wait… is this real? There’s actually *good* news?”

He was still stewing over the interruption when—bam—the reward package literally dropped on his face. Instantly, his expression shifted from annoyance to eager grinning.

“Hehe, System, open it already!”

**Rewards Received:**
- LED Ceiling Light x1
- LED Desk Lamp x1
- Premium Wiring Cable x300 (meters)
- Diesel Fuel x10 (liters)

“This system’s got *taste*,” Chen Zhuo muttered, eyes gleaming. “I was about to spend all my happiness points buying both the grow light and household lighting for the shelter. But that damn grow light was *insanely* expensive—after I bought it, I was broke. Zero left.”

“Now? Saved time, saved points, saved sanity.”

With a satisfied smirk, he carried the big ceiling light into the shelter’s living room. After spending three happiness points, he mounted it to the ceiling. Then, he ran the premium wiring along the wall, connecting it to the ceiling fixture and the generator.

The light flickered—once, twice—then steadied. No eerie purple glow like the grow light. This one gave off a soft, natural white light, warm and steady.

【Stable Light Source: Happiness +50】

Compared to the sickly hue of the plant lamp, this sudden burst of normal light made Chen Zhuo blink, momentarily stunned.

Standing in the center of the room, he looked up. The beam of light washed over him like a gentle embrace—chasing away days of exhaustion, shadows, and loneliness. For the first time, the shelter didn’t feel like a bunker. It felt… like home.

Eighteen days of backbreaking labor. Now, finally, there was light. A simple thing, yes—but it marked the beginning of something bigger. A real life, not just survival.

“At last… I’ve got a home in the wasteland.”

Before, the shelter had been nothing more than a shell—a place to sleep, hide, survive. But now? No matter how dead the world outside might be, here, inside these walls, he had his own light. His own space.

Savoring the warmth of it for a few quiet moments, Chen Zhuo turned his attention to planning. How long should the lights stay on each day?

Decided: 12 hours for both the grow light and the living room lamp. The LED was even more efficient than expected—only about 0.12 kWh over 12 hours. And with 1,000 lumens, the whole room was bright enough to read by.

He dragged out the fabric sofa he’d sewn himself, laid down the plush carpet the system had gifted him, and suddenly, the shelter didn’t feel so sterile anymore. It started to smell like a real house.

Next came the rest: bed, tables, chairs—all moved from the small side hut. The original three-bedroom layout? Two rooms were now storage. The largest became his bedroom.

“Phew,” Chen Zhuo wiped sweat from his brow. “Everything’s finally falling into place.”

“All I need now is to save up 120 happiness points… then upgrade to a smart greenhouse.”

Yes—he hadn’t planted a single seed yet.

“Come on. With temperatures still hovering around freezing? I’m not risking anything. Not even potatoes. They’d just die silently, like ghosts.”

His seeds weren’t cold-hardy either. At minimum, they needed 7–8°C to germinate. And after that? Even higher temps for growth.

……

Three days later. Early morning.

Chen Zhuo sat upright in bed, fist clenched in excitement.

“Yes! Happiness points are back in triple digits!”

【Would you like to spend 120 happiness points to purchase: Smart Greenhouse Dome?】

“Yes!”

The system responded instantly.

In his backpack, two items materialized: a pristine white dome, and its central control terminal.

He carried the dome to the shelter’s farmland, chose a spot, and set it down. The frame was lightweight but strong—curved into a perfect semi-circle. Transparent plastic sheeting covered it entirely, sealing off the field beneath.

【Smart Greenhouse Dome: Happiness +80】

He turned to the terminal. About the size of a textbook, sleek and metallic, with only a small screen on top. Data scrolled across it—temperature, humidity, airflow, power status.

It connected wirelessly to everything. The grow light he’d bought earlier? Already integrated. The system was already running.

Chen Zhuo stepped inside, pulled out a packet of cabbage seeds, and began planting. No experience. No guide. Just instinct.

He pressed seeds into the soil one by one, careful but clumsy. Watered them gently. Then stepped back out.

Shook dirt off his pants. Pulled out the terminal.

On the screen: **Cabbage Seeds (Not Germinated)**

Below it, two options:

- [Smart Mode: Greenhouse autonomously manages crop growth]
- [Manual Mode: You adjust environment yourself]

“Smart mode, obviously,” he said aloud. “If I have to figure this out myself, I’ll starve before the first leaf shows up.”

He tapped [Smart Mode].

…

Instantly, the greenhouse came alive.

The water pipes connected to the dome began gurgling softly—*glug, glug, glug*. Through the transparent walls, mist rose like breath from a sleeping giant. Chen Zhuo couldn’t explain how it worked, but it looked *impressive*. Like magic.

He reached a hand inside. Within minutes, the temperature climbed—warm, above zero. Comfortable.

Then, without warning, the dome’s roof began spraying fine mist—like a gentle rain shower. Droplets landed on his skin like tiny ants crawling across his palm.

At the same time, vents on the dome’s peak whirred to life. On the terminal screen: **Ventilation Active**.

“Huh,” Chen Zhuo murmured, nodding slowly. “No wonder it costs 120 happiness points. This thing *is* worth it.”

But one thing nagged at him.

The terminal displayed an estimated harvest time: **15 days**.

Even without farming experience, Chen Zhuo knew that was impossible.

No way. Cabbage took *two months*, minimum. Even under ideal conditions.

And the greenhouse? He’d bought it knowing full well it didn’t claim to speed up growth. If it did, it would’ve cost ten times as much.

So why 15 days?

Unless…
“Wait.” His eyes widened.

The *Wasteland Survival Handbook*. Every survivor carried one. A thick, dusty book filled with useless trivia—local flora, radiation zones, weird weather patterns. But no actual knowledge about natural disasters. He’d tossed it aside ages ago, calling it junk.

But maybe… just maybe… it had answers.

He scrambled toward the shelf, grabbed the book, flipped it open.

And stared.

Somewhere deep in the text, a single line stood out:

> *In the Wasteland, plant growth cycles are accelerated by residual geothermal energy and atmospheric ionization. Average harvest time: 14–16 days.*