The apocalypse struck, and I became a druid.

Page 78

"Boss, I've already laid out a list of crops that I plan to plant in the future."

"Oh?" Han Ning became interested, pulled up a chair, sat down next to Professor Ye, and began to listen to the lecture.

"Based on our existing conditions, space constraints, the stringent requirements for sunlight on board, and the basic nutrients needed for human daily survival, I have sorted out and initially drafted several crops that are most suitable for priority planting on board."

He pointed to the first item in his notebook:

"First, leafy greens, especially spinach, are highly recommended. It is rich in carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin K, etc., which are crucial for preventing scurvy, night blindness, and maintaining electrolyte balance."

"Spinach is a semi-hardy vegetable with a wide temperature tolerance range. Some shade-tolerant varieties can grow normally under relatively weak light conditions, as long as they are properly managed, making them very suitable for the cabin environment."

Professor Ye then pointed to the second item:

"The second category I recommend is edible fungi, especially oyster mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms. They can provide us with protein. Edible fungi do not need light to grow. In fact, they grow better in the dark or in very low light conditions. They are suitable for the bottom of the ship's cabin, the corner of the storage room, etc. Moreover, the planting method is flexible. The mushroom bags can be stacked or hung to make the most of vertical and corner spaces."

"The third category is sprouts, including soybean sprouts, mung bean sprouts, and radish sprouts. They have a very short growth cycle. After soaking the beans, they can be harvested and eaten in just 3-7 days at a suitable temperature. Radish sprouts also only need 7-10 days. The planting process is carried out entirely in darkness or low light, with zero light requirements."

"Its nutritional value is concentrated. During germination, the seeds are rich in vitamin C. It has a high space utilization rate. A standard seedling tray or even a deep plastic tray can produce several kilograms of fresh and tender sprouts at a time through multi-layer vertical planting. Hydroponics is possible, which is clean and hygienic, and only requires spraying water 1-2 times a day."

"I'm not sure if your ability can replace the role of sunlight and other natural environmental factors, but... it seems that you can grow those crops in such harsh conditions."

"To be on the safe side, I've chosen these crops. They have short growing cycles and taste good. What do you think?"

"That's good. For now, let's make cultivation containers based on these crops."

With Professor Ye by his side, he no longer had to wander around aimlessly like a headless fly.

Han Ning nodded in agreement, then, remembering the inspiration he had just gained from the firearms, he asked,

"Professor Ye, do you know of any plants with strong aggressive traits? Preferably ones that are in our seed bank..."

Chapter 86 Three Experimental Plants

Han Ning explained his idea, which was based on gun shooting and Plants vs. Zombies.

Considering that the skinny man once said that the number of black basilisks was astonishing.

As the saying goes, many ants can kill an elephant; it would be too much for him to face those hordes of monsters all by himself.

But what if we cultivated some plants with combat capabilities?

"Plants vs. Zombies? I've heard of it, and I've even seen my students play it in the lab during breaks."

Professor Ye, upon hearing Han Ning's idea, put down his notebook, stroked the short, stiff stubble on his chin, and pondered for a moment:

"Let me think... there seem to be some aggressive plants in the seed bank, but they need to be cultivated and enhanced in a targeted manner based on your abilities..."

He walked over to the sealed boxes containing seeds and began rummaging through them skillfully.

"Plants vs. Zombies seems to be divided into ranged attacks, melee attacks, and defense, right?"

"Yes!" Seeing that Professor Ye seemed quite familiar with it, Han Ning wondered if he had played it before. "Professor Ye, are there any plants in nature similar to Pea Shooter?"

"Peashooter?" Professor Ye was taken aback, and subconsciously replied, "After the peas mature, the thick-walled tissue cells inside the pod will generate tension, causing the pod to twist and crack, ejecting the seeds. This mechanism is to spread the seeds to farther places."

“I’ve thought of a better alternative than peas.”

A moment later, Professor Ye picked up a small, transparent bag containing tiny seeds and showed it to him:

"That's it—the squirting cucumber."

"When its fruit ripens, high-pressure liquid and mucus are produced inside, and an abscission layer forms at the base of the fruit stalk. With the slightest touch, it will break with a 'bang,' and the pulp along with the seeds will be ejected like a cannonball. The force is considerable, and the range can reach several meters or even more than ten meters, which is more effective than the bursting of bean pods."

"With your guidance, we can try to make it spray faster, farther, and more concentrated, and even change the properties of the spray, such as making it corrosive or paralyzing."

Xu Ming, who was lying in bed playing with building blocks with his daughter, saw Teacher Ye giving a lesson and pulled Xu Yinyin over to listen in.

"What about melee combat?" Han Ning asked expectantly.

"For close combat, I think the Venus flytrap is good. Its trap can close in a fraction of a second, and after trapping its prey, it secretes digestive juices with enough force to trap small insects. There are varieties preserved in the seed bank, and there are specific varieties with larger leaves and relatively strong traps."

"But he's very sensitive to light, so we'll have to rely on your special abilities. If that doesn't work, we'll choose something else."

He then picked up another small bag containing a dozen or so black seeds smaller than sesame seeds.

The seeds brought from the planting experiment center are not necessarily agricultural crops; they also include some plant seeds from nature.

"Yes, please continue." The first two points alone were exactly what Han Ning had in mind.

"As for purely defensive fortifications or obstacle construction, thorny vines, such as certain thorny climbing plants of the genus Humulus or Rubus, meet the requirements."

"Their mutation can lead to the formation of dense, tough, thorny vine walls in a very short time."

"If we can further guide its xylem fibers to become highly strengthened, forming a hardness and toughness similar to steel, and if it has a certain self-healing ability, it will be a very strong barrier."

"For example, they can be placed on the surface of ships to prevent other creatures from boarding them."

"These types of plants should be found in the wild resources or vine classification of the seed bank."

Professor Ye stopped searching and looked at Han Ning:

"These are just some preliminary ideas based on existing seed bank resources. Whether they will work and to what extent they will be effective will require experimentation."

Han Ning listened intently.

Professor Ye's proposed plants demonstrate a very clear approach.

It encompasses ranged combat, melee combat, defense, and even control; all it takes is his ability to amplify his potential a thousandfold.

“Okay!” Han Ning immediately made the decision. “Professor Ye, let’s proceed with the experiment in the direction you suggested.”

“Boss, our current space is too cramped. It’s not good to mix ordinary crops with these special crops with mutation potential, and the aggressive plants that may be bred in the future.”

He picked up a pen and quickly sketched on the paper:

"We need to divide the area into two separate functional zones."

"The first zone is the basic crop planting area."

"This area mainly grows leafy vegetables, sprouts, edible fungi, and some root and tuber crops that we urgently need. They have relatively low light requirements and can be managed more leniently. The goal is to produce food quickly and solve the problem of food and clothing."

"At the same time, a small area should be designated in this region specifically for planting our successfully mutated 'Yellow Jade Potato' and 'Red Mist Tomato' varieties."

"Their growth patterns are relatively stable, and it is necessary to observe their long-term growth characteristics, yield, and stability."

"The second zone is for mutation research and special crop breeding."

"This area is specifically for placing plants that we plan to conduct targeted mutation experiments on, such as squirting cucumbers, Venus flytraps, and thorny vines, as well as other potentially special plants that may be discovered in the future."

"Boss, to realize this plan, our current balcony space is far from enough."

"Before we leave here, we need a larger, more independent place, preferably a full room or a small warehouse, where we can cultivate plants exactly as we need."

“I understand. I’ll handle the space issue,” Han Ning said decisively.

Planting areas are a minor matter; this resort area has no shortage of space.

……

On the east side of the fifth floor, there is a small banquet hall that hardly anyone comes.

This place used to be filled with miscellaneous items and discarded furniture.

Han Ning went to see Chairman Wu, who readily arranged such a large place for him.

The first floor was originally the best, but as the water level rises, it's about to be submerged.

However, since they no longer grow large plants and have mastered composting technology, they can barely manage to cultivate small crops on the fifth floor.

Professor Ye, looking at the spacious area, immediately began to direct the layout:

"Use these wooden boards and waterproof tarpaulins to divide the hall into two large sections, left and right."

"The left side is the basic crop area, and the right side is the mutation research area."

“In the basic crop area, we should make full use of the space and use those abandoned shelves to build three-dimensional planting racks and place planting pots in layers.”

"The window seats are reserved for leafy vegetables that need more diffused light."

"The mutation research area should be reinforced with multiple layers of waterproof tarpaulin and the gaps sealed with tape."

“The interior is then divided into several smaller areas, separated by wooden boards, to house different experimental groups, such as the squirting cucumber area, the Venus flytrap area, the thorn vine area, and a reserved area. Each area must be labeled for easy recording.”

Under Professor Ye's direction, Han Ning, Xu Ming, Yu Na (Han Ning's helper), and little Xu Yinyin (who was just there for fun) got to work with great enthusiasm.

Chapter 87 Heading North

Soon, thanks to everyone's efforts, the once empty banquet hall was transformed.

On the left side, in the basic crop area, a three-tiered vertical planting rack has been built using discarded shelves, with plastic pots and modified containers of different sizes placed on each tier.

The window seats have relatively good lighting and are reserved for leafy vegetables such as spinach and bok choy.

The ambient light was dim to begin with, which is likely due to Professor Ye's personal habits.

The mutation research area on the right is tightly separated by thick waterproof cloth, and the interior is further divided into several independent sections by wooden boards.

They were labeled "Squirting melon experimental group", "Venus flytrap experimental group", "thorn vine experimental group" and "reserved area" respectively.

Each community has its own planting pots, making the whole area look neat and orderly.

Han Ning stood in the mutation research area, his gaze sweeping over the plants in several experimental groups.

According to Professor Ye's experimental plan, he needs to repeatedly apply "rapid growth" and "natural blessing" to these target plants and observe their reactions and trends.

All three crops have seeds, and plants can be grown from seeds.

The seeds of these plants have only been treated and planted in the soil.

They have different environmental requirements. For example, squirting cucumbers need sandy soil, are afraid of cold, like sunlight, and need little water.

Venus flytraps also need sunlight and plenty of water.

As for thorny vines, they chose the Vine of King Kong, which is most suitable for the current environment.

Due to limited resources, the most pressing issue is the lack of sunlight, so Professor Ye can only pin his hopes on Han Ning's methods.

As for the mysterious seaweed fruit, Professor Ye has placed it in an acrylic box filled with accumulated water and soil from outside, and is currently studying it.

"Let's begin," Professor Ye said, holding up a pen and paper.

Han Ning focused his mind.

A vibrant green light emanated from his palm, enveloping the seeds of the squirting cucumber, Venus flytrap, and golden vine in turn.