Act Like a Human

"What did you mean earlier by Doomsday Ark?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. My world is gone. That dull, simple world where even a fool like me could become a demigod has been gone for many years."

"...Sorry."

The Life Bank Secret Realm had only two buildings, but that did not mean there was nothing besides the Gymnasium and the Bank Building.

It was like an isolated island floating in the void. The two buildings occupied the Core Area, while the edges remained barren land awaiting development.

Behind the Bank Building, a small patch of Fields had already been set up.

But really, all they had done was clear away some rubble and make room for a patch of soil suitable for planting.

Ninety-nine percent of the farm work had been done by Chris. In her beast form, she had cleaned everything up in no time.

Judging by how skillfully she used both her tail and claws, she clearly had not been born a pampered young lady.

Her half-phantom body had actually lost its physical form, but within this Small World where she served as the "administrator," she could interfere with matter while floating about.

"Demonic Monkey Shield Tree, and Poison Ivy's weapon-form module... I think it was called Snake Whip Vine? Among low-tier Demonic Plants, that's a pretty good offensive and defensive combination."

Chris approved of the two small bags of Demonic Plant seeds that Lu PingAn had bought for two hundred Credit Coins.

There were two major categories of Demonic Plants: modified local plants and cultivated foreign Demonic Plants. They corresponded to the two foundational Profession Skills of the Gardener path: "grafting" and "cultivation."

Generally speaking, foreign Demonic Plants had more functions and higher potential. Some even included elixirs of longevity and immortality, but that also meant they demanded more from a Gardener's Profession Skills and abilities.

Local Demonic Plants had lower minimum potential. They were often local plants that had undergone targeted, functional modifications, and were generally believed to have lower maximum potential as well. Since one had to modify high-tier Demonic Plants anyway, why not use foreign Demonic Plants, with their higher starting point and greater pollution capacity, as the blueprint?

Yet among low-tier Gardeners, low-tier modified Demonic Plants were overwhelmingly popular.

That was because they consumed fewer resources and were highly functional. Since they were native plants, Earth's environment was usually enough for them.

There was no need to build a specialized foreign greenhouse to tend them. The costs were not even in the same league.

The Snake Whip Vine was based on Poison Ivy. It had been infused with a special neurotoxin; once it wrapped around someone, they would quickly experience paralysis and loss of control.

The Monkey Shield Tree was based on the Monkey Bread Tree, a species with extremely strong regenerative and water-storage capabilities.

After its trunk module had been modified, it became hard on the outside and soft within, possessing a tough shield similar to a Water Shield.

"The Snake Whip's poison is quite troublesome at low levels. Even flailing it around can hurt people. Compared to other defensive Demonic Plants, the Monkey Shield is relatively soft, but it can survive as long as it has water. It is easy to deploy on a battlefield and can also be used for positional warfare."

In fact, Monkey Shield Trees were often used to construct temporary positions.

"Its special wood fibers also have strong regenerative properties. If you continuously supply it with Life Force, it can become a self-regenerating shield that is very hard to break through in low-tier battles, even a Living Wall."

When speaking face-to-face, "AI" Chris was much easier to deal with. Still, she only answered what she was asked, and would only act after being pushed.

If Lu PingAn asked open-ended questions with no standard answers, such as "How can I become stronger?" or "Which path is best?"

Her answers would be things like "Go hunt gods," or "The paths of evil gods are generally stronger," which were utterly helpless-making.

What she was saying now was basically what Lu PingAn had considered while shopping.

With these two Demonic Plants, one offensive and one defensive, he would no longer be completely lacking in attack and defense.

The immediate challenge before him was the entrance examination, while the cultists were a little farther off. He needed more reliable offensive and defensive means.

Five hundred Forest Coins had bought two small sets of Demonic Plant seeds, roots, and planting methods for two hundred. The remaining three hundred had all gone into this place as well.

"...You didn't lose out. At least, not by much. This water supply system is pretty good. Its natural daily water production should meet the requirements. And this pollution fertilizer is also necessary."

Modern water supply facilities required pipeline networks, and the Secret Realm suspended alone in the void clearly did not have that kind of environment. The statue of a woman holding a water bottle was the automatic water supply system Lu PingAn had bought for two hundred coins.

Chris had dug the water supply system branching out from it, so that part had been free.

And as creations of pollution, Demonic Plants also had to absorb pollution as nourishment to grow.

The Gardener profession had originally emerged when Keepers used plants to absorb and purify pollution.

As for the remaining hundred coins spent on five large bags of Wang Fugui Brand Pollution Fertilizer, Lu PingAn had no idea how long they would last.

Now, with Lu PingAn's ability assisting them, the Snake Whip Vine had already climbed the trellis specially prepared for it, while the Monkey Shield Trees were short and thick, huddled together into a cluster of giant stumps.

"...My Profession Skills still haven't increased at all."

Lu PingAn sighed. There was nothing he could do about that. If he cultivated Demonic Plants through conventional means, they might not even mature after several months.

Now, both Demonic Plants had been force-ripened into maturity. As long as he cared for them properly, he would no longer need to spend extra resources on the seeds and short vines needed for actual combat.

Looking at these "accessories," which were far more expensive than the "core," Lu PingAn fell into thought.

"By the way, doesn't the Secret Realm have functional buildings? Things like my Gymnasium and Bank Building. Can we build another garden recognized by the Secret Realm system? If so, how?"

Lu PingAn had asked around. The "buildings" in a Secret Realm were not merely man-made structures.

Both the Bank Building and the Gymnasium had their own "names." They were functional buildings that had been granted sub-rules by the Secret Realm.

The Gymnasium had two functions. One accelerated the recovery of physical strength, indirectly improving training results.

The second was the familiar Life-type rule—"no death."

Together, the two abilities were undoubtedly perfect for training people like beasts of burden. Unfortunately, they could not be developed in the short term.

Nominally, the Bank Building, as the core of the Secret Realm, had only one function—rule-level transactions, or banking services.

But after Lu PingAn repeatedly—changing his wording—pressed her, Chris finally revealed a hidden function with an unhappy expression.

"In your subconscious, this sole building is a bank, but it is also your 'home,' your origin. Look at all those hotel-like rooms above. That means it should also possess the ordinary functions of a Secret Realm core, such as letting residents sleep better and recover from wounds faster."

That was undoubtedly good news. Lu PingAn had already confirmed that because of his ability, he himself could not receive most healing abilities from others.

Both functional buildings were extremely powerful, which was why Lu PingAn had asked about a "garden."

During their conversations, he had heard Chris complain more than once that her "zoo" and "biological research institute" had collapsed into the void, taking all her treasures with them.

A Life-type "garden" was similar to a combination of a "zoo" and a "biological research institute." It had a series of plant-enhancing abilities, including but not limited to increasing the survival rate, yield, and modification success rate of Demonic Plants.

"A garden? Of course it can be built. We're both Life-type, so how could there be no core building? As long as you need it, it can be built right now."

Lu PingAn was somewhat delighted upon hearing that. This Big Cat was actually not going to beat around the bush or play word games with him?

"How do we build it?"

Chris smiled, looking immensely pleased with herself.

"Of course, through this world's primary rule."

The primary rule? Oh, transactions?

Lu PingAn fell silent. He had already guessed why Chris had suddenly become so cheerful.

"...How much?"

"These things aren't completed in one step. The lowest-grade, Black Iron-level garden comes with only a miniature biosphere and slightly increases the growth speed of Demonic Plants. It only costs one thousand Life Points. Very cheap, right?"

Very cheap? It truly was cheap. Lu PingAn had not even seen anything with a built-in environment on the Forest God's shopping list. Similar artificial biospheres started at tens of thousands of Credit Coins. They were Secret Realm-exclusive luxuries, beloved by powerful Gardeners.

"...Chris, if you dig it yourself, can you give me a discount?"

"...Lu PingAn, look in a mirror. Can you act like a human?"