Wasteland: I Awakened A Plant System-Chapter 3: Plant Essence Points Crisis

Vikram closed the instructions and opened the shop to check, finding that items cost over one hundred Plant Essence, not to mention items costing thousands of Plant Essence.

Seeing that, he thought that even earning 50 Essence per day suddenly didn’t feel like much.

Especially the Primal Evolution Fruit, it made Vikram’s eyes widen. But its price, 200 Plant Essence, made him hesitate. This was simply not something the current Vikram could afford, so he could only reluctantly close the shop interface.

Outside, it wasn’t completely dark yet. Vikram got up, deciding to chop more wood while there was still light...

So, how to go down?

Vikram glanced around and soon found the same disc pattern on a wall as those on the first and second levels. He walked over, pressed the pattern with his hand.

Once again a familiar sensation spread through him. He instinctively stepped toward the disc pattern, the wooden wall rippled like water, and he directly moved into the tree crown while a root secured his waist, gradually lowering him to the ground below the treehouse.

"This... is amazing!"

The root around his waist loosened, hanging naturally beside him. Vikram grabbed the root once more, and the image of three levels flashed in his mind.

"Second level." Vikram murmured in his heart.

The root once again encircled his waist, taking him to the second level.

It turns out you can directly reach the second and third levels!

After descending a second time, he had basically mastered the method of entering and exiting the treehouse, very smooth and silky, and even stimulating like an amusement park ride, making him want to continue playing.

But it’s better to focus on business.

There was only a week for the rookie protection, and he needed to gather as many resources as possible.

Let’s get to work.

About an hour and a half later, he pushed open the door and dragged his tired body to sit on the bed.

"Good luck, this time I not only chopped several trees but also caught a wild chicken."

It was actually quite funny; strictly speaking, the chicken had come to him and Vikram had simply brought it back.

He had finished chopping trees and was about to return, but he was too hungry to bear it, having not eaten all day, so he took out an apple from his backpack and ate it as he walked. Unexpectedly, a wild chicken suddenly darted out from the bushes, and it seemed not at all afraid of people, constantly circling at Vikram’s feet.

With the thought that chickens lay eggs, Vikram broke pieces of bread and fed them to the chicken, leading it all the way back to the treehouse.

He started thinking where to put the chicken, when the Plant Life System heard his thoughts, and quickly a small home appeared beside his treehouse and a few woods from his inventory disappeared.

It was a shocking sight, but he soon understood it was a miracle of his Plant Life System.

Giving the rest of the bread which he has given from the newbie perks, he left the chicken alone.

After all, since he has apples and berries, who would eat the bland bread?

After arriving near his bed, he slumped onto the bed. Vikram opened his backpack, thinking about the day’s harvest.

"In one day, with the tools provided by the system, I obtained 80 pieces of wood and a wild chicken."

He clicked on the Territory Core’s selection and construction option, on the construction option was ’Upgradeable’ text displayed next to his treehouse, but its requirements were currently unknown.

Then he turned his attention to the Territory Core, which had now mutated into the Treehouse Core. He hadn’t forgotten that this Core itself could also be upgraded.

A new interface appeared.

Treehouse Core — Level 1 (Purple)

Due to unknown reasons, the original Territory Core has mutated into a Treehouse Core.

Territory Area Buff: 4×4×4 range, creature stamina recovery 15%, treehouse durability 15%.

Daily Maintenance Requirement: 50 Unknown Energy

Upgrade Requirement: 500 Unknown Energy

Warning: Failure to provide maintenance energy may result in instability. Severe instability may cause structural collapse and disappearance.

"What the hell...?"

Vikram’s expression stiffened.

He had thought his comfortable life was finally about to begin. Instead, this requirement struck him like a bucket of cold water.

Fifty Unknown Energy per day. He didn’t even know what "Unknown Energy" was.

Was it something he already possessed? Something he needed to collect? Or something entirely outside his control?

If he failed to supply it, the Treehouse could collapse. He didn’t even know if it would survive tomorrow. "Plant Life System... Plant Life System brother, help me out here."

He called out instinctively. Right now, the only thing he could rely on was his Golden Finger, the Plant Life System brother.

As if responding to his thoughts, the Plant Life System interface appeared.

The same Treehouse Core panel was displayed again.

But this time, the details were slightly different.

Treehouse Core — Level 1 (Purple)

Daily Maintenance Requirement: 50 Plant Essence

Upgrade Requirement: 500 Plant Essence

Vikram stared at the screen.

The "Unknown Energy" had been replaced with "Plant Essence."

His mind raced. The Wasteland System can’t recognize this Unknown Energy. Only the Plant Life System recognized this Plant Essence.

The two systems were clearly operating on different frameworks. The mutation had rewritten the Treehouse Core’s energy structure. The Wasteland System could no longer interpret it properly.

He didn’t know whether to laugh or curse.

He was relieved because the Treehouse wouldn’t randomly explode due to some mysterious energy he couldn’t control.

But he was also pressured. The Treehouse generated 50 Plant Essence per day. And its maintenance cost was exactly 50.

That meant his net gain was zero. If he didn’t cultivate additional plants, he wouldn’t grow at all.

And upgrading it would require 500 Plant Essence.

At his current rate, that meant ten full days of saving without spending anything else.

Vikram leaned back slowly.

"Even the lowest-level Territory Core buff is already this powerful..."

Stamina recovery. Durability boost. Expanded territory. If it were upgraded a few more levels, just how terrifying would it become?

But he also understood his desperate situation, that he will receive Zero Plant Essence, if he didn’t do something.

Thinking about this, Vikram did not hesitate.

He immediately took out the Thornvine Seed and the Guardian Sprout.

"If I want surplus Essence, I need more plants. High-quality ones."

He left the bedroom and descended to the ground once more.

The sky had darkened further. The last trace of sunset clung faintly to the horizon.

He first walked toward the only open side between the hills, the weakest point of his territory.

Kneeling down, Vikram placed the Thornvine Seed into the soil.

"Plant."

The moment his hand covered it with dirt, the Plant Life System interface appeared.

[Thornvine Seed (Blue)]

Growth Time: 6 hours

Mature Form: Defensive Vine

Essence Output (Estimated): 10 per day

Vikram’s eyes flickered.

Ten per day.

That alone would break his zero-balance situation.

Without hesitation, he used one Basic Growth Acceleration.

The soil trembled.

Green shoots burst from the earth, twisting and writhing like living serpents. Within seconds, thorn-covered vines surged outward, rapidly spreading across the open gap between the hills.

They intertwined, layered, and reinforced one another, forming a dense, spiked barrier nearly two meters high.

The thorns were long, curved, and dark at the tips — clearly capable of tearing flesh.

Under the fading light, they gleamed faintly.

[Thornvine matured successfully.]

[Plant Essence Generation +10/day.]

[Thornvine (Blue – Mature Form)]

A defensive perimeter plant. Highly reactive to hostile movement within its detection radius.

Capabilities:

• Automatic entanglement of small to medium creatures

• Surface thorns capable of causing continuous bleeding

• Self-repair using surrounding nutrients

Evaluation: With this, you are no longer a completely exposed rodent in the wasteland. Congratulations on evolving from prey to slightly less-prey.

Vikram’s mouth twitched.

"Rodent?"

He glanced at the living barrier stretching across the entrance.

"...Better a rodent with thorns than a corpse."

The system fell silent.

Vikram exhaled slowly.

"Good."

That gave him breathing room.

Next, he turned his attention to the Guardian Sprout.

Unlike the Thornvine, he planted it near the base of the Treehouse.

The soil swallowed the seed.

[Guardian Sprout (Blue)]

Growth Time: 8 hours

Mature Form: Minor Plant Guardian

Essence Output (Estimated): 12 per day

Twelve.

That meant once both plants matured, his daily total would become:

50 (Treehouse) +10 (Thornvine) +12 (Guardian Sprout) = 72 Plant Essence

Maintenance cost: 50.

Net gain: 22 per day.

Still slow. But it is no longer stagnant.

Vikram used his second Growth Acceleration. The ground cracked open.

A thick stem surged upward, twisting and expanding. Bark layered over itself, forming limbs. Vines coiled and tightened into muscle-like fibers. A faint green light pulsed within its wooden chest.

The shape stabilized.

It stood roughly the height of a human child.

Its body was formed of compact bark and woven vines. One arm ended in a broad, shield-like structure resembling layered wooden plates. The other arm tapered into flexible vine tendrils, capable of striking or binding.

Two hollow eye sockets glowed with soft emerald light.

[Guardian Sprout matured successfully.]

[Plant Essence Generation +12/day.]

[Minor Plant Guardian (Blue)]

Status: Level 1

Growth Potential: High

Upgradeable: Yes

Upgrade Requirement:

• 150 Plant Essence

• Stable Territory Level 2

• Guardian Combat Experience ≥ 10

Note: Guardian intelligence and autonomy increase with evolution.

A semi-autonomous mobile defensive unit bound to the Treehouse Core.

Capabilities:

• Close-range vine lash attacks

• Defensive shield arm capable of blocking moderate physical strikes

• Territory-bound regeneration

Evaluation: You have finally acquired something capable of preserving your fragile life. Even this Guardian Sprout possesses greater battlefield value than your previous ant-like existence.

Vikram stared at the system panel.

"...Ant?"

Before he could complain further, the Guardian Sprout stepped forward.

Its movements were slightly stiff but stable.

It tilted its wooden head and looked at him curiously.

For a brief second, the green light in its eyes flickered—almost as if it were trying to understand him. Then it returned to stillness.

If one ignored its bark-covered body and glowing eyes, it almost resembled a quiet child observing its surroundings for the first time.