Reborn As A Doomsday Villainess-Chapter 41: Automated herb farm(2)

Her mind drifted back to Lingquan’s words. She had a goal tonight.

And on the plus side, she had enough coins to get what she wanted so eagerly.

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Fine," she said, standing up. "Let’s see what tonight has in store."

As Qingran turned the gown over in her hands, Lingquan’s voice echoed in her mind.

[Host, a new mission has been issued.]

She stilled for a moment before responding internally. Go on.

[Mission: Obtain a specific item at the black market auction. Details will be revealed upon arrival.]

Her fingers tightened around the fabric slightly. That’s it?

[That’s it.]

Qingran exhaled slowly. Missions from the system were straightforward, but this one was quite vague.

[Completion Reward: Unlock additional system functions. Reward coins will also be issued.]

She raised an eyebrow. What kind of functions?

[Details locked. Complete the mission to find out.]

Typical!

Still, that piqued her interest more than the coins. She already had 800 reward coins now, which meant she could finally buy that automated herb farm. But unlocking more system functions? That was an unknown variable, and unknowns were always valuable.

Feng Yizhou’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"You’re staring at the dress too hard."

Qingran looked up, blinking. He was watching her with a neutral expression, but there was a glint of knowing in his eyes.

"Let me guess," she said, setting the gown down. "You’re already prepared for tonight?"

Feng Yizhou took another sip of coffee, unbothered. "Naturally. I’m an efficient man."

She clicked her tongue, leaning back in her chair. He made it sound effortless, as if stepping into an underground auction was as easy as going for a stroll.

Lingquan’s voice hummed in amusement.

[Host, the two of you really are different types of players.]

She ignored the remark. Instead, she turned her attention back to the system store. Now that she had enough coins, she might as well take advantage of it before the auction.

With a thought, she opened the interface and navigated to the inventory.

And there it was.

The automated herb farm—250 coins.

A small smirk tugged at her lips. Buy it.

As soon as Qingran confirmed the purchase, the system interface flickered, and Lingquan’s voice came through.

[Host, congratulations on your first major investment. The automated herb farm has been added to your system storage.]

She arched a brow. I assume there’s a lengthy tutorial coming?

[Of course! Would you like a quick rundown?]

"Go ahead."

[The automated herb farm is a self-sustaining cultivation system. It allows you to grow medicinal herbs, vegetables, and even some rare plants under optimal conditions without soil or natural sunlight. The system provides artificial nutrient cycles, humidity control, and automatic harvesting.]

Qingran’s eyes lit up slightly. That was much better than she expected.

[Currently, you own the basic model, which supports up to five types of crops at once. However, you can upgrade it using system resources.]

What do I need to upgrade it?

[There are two ways. First, system coins. The next tier upgrade will cost 500 coins and will allow you to plant ten different crops. The second method is through special materials obtained during missions or exploration.]

Qingran hummed in thought, she only had 550 coins left, if she upgraded she would be left with 50 coins. She shook her head, she would let it fill up again.

[Additionally, as the farm levels up, new functions will be unlocked. Some higher-tier upgrades include faster growth rates, mutation-enhanced plants, and even crossbreeding options.]

Her fingers tapped against her leg.

This was a game-changer. In the apocalypse, fresh food and medicine would be scarce. Even without the end of the world looming, having a private, high-efficiency farm meant absolute control over her resources.

How do I deploy it?

[Simply select a location in your system space. You can also recall or relocate it at any time.]

Qingran opened the system space, scanning for an ideal spot. She placed the farm in an open section, and a sleek, futuristic-looking greenhouse materialized. Transparent panels glowed faintly, and misty humidity control vents lined the structure.

She stepped closer, inspecting it through the interface. There were empty plots inside, waiting for her selection.

Lingquan chimed in.

[You can choose your starter crops now.]

Qingran didn’t hesitate. "Medicinal herbs first. I need something useful."

[Smart choice. I suggest ginseng, lingzhi, feverfew, and goldenrod for medicinal uses. You can also pick a food crop.]

She thought for a moment. Garlic.

[Excellent! Planting now.]

A soft hum resonated through the system, and the empty plots filled with tiny, sprouting seedlings. A countdown timer appeared above them, showing the estimated growth time.

[Current growth speed: Five days for full maturity. Harvest will be automatic, and you’ll receive alerts when crops are ready.]

Qingran exhaled. This was even better than she thought.

Anything else I should know?

[Just one more thing—don’t forget that the system farm can sync with future upgrades. Certain features may unlock depending on your survival progress.]

She closed the interface, feeling a small sense of accomplishment.

For the first time in a while, she felt like she had a serious advantage.

Qingran changed into a casual but presentable outfit, tying her hair back as she prepared to head to the bank. It wasn’t urgent, but it was better to get it done now while she had the time. After that, maybe a little sightseeing—just to familiarize herself with the area.

As she slung a bag over her shoulder and stepped out of her room, she was met with an unexpected sight.

Feng Yizhou stood near the entrance, arms crossed as if he had been waiting for her. He was dressed as sharply as ever, his presence commanding even in a casual setting.

She blinked. "...Are you going somewhere?"

"I should be asking you that," he replied, gaze flickering over her. "Where are you heading?"

Qingran hesitated. There was no reason to hide it, but something about answering him directly felt odd. "Just running errands."

Feng Yizhou gave her a long look before simply saying, "I’m coming with you."

Her lips parted slightly. "What?"

"I have time."

That wasn’t the issue. The issue was—why?

She eyed him suspiciously. "You don’t even know where I’m going."

"Does it matter?" He raised a brow. "If you’re going somewhere, I’ll accompany you."

Qingran opened her mouth, then closed it.

She wanted to argue, maybe tell him to mind his own business, but for some reason, the words wouldn’t come out. And before she could think of a response, Feng Yizhou was already walking past her toward the exit.