Ever since Zach Evans got bound to the mysterious alien system, life had been anything but peaceful. His days were now consumed by completing a series of bizarre tasks and complaining about the system's ridiculously stingy rewards. But today, the system seemed to have taken its mischief to a whole new level.
At the crack of dawn, Zach groggily rubbed his eyes and opened the system interface, expecting to see what new task awaited him today. But as soon as he opened the system, that cold, mechanical voice chimed in:
"System startup initiated. Host must complete the passcode and accompanying gesture to unlock."
Zach was instantly wide awake, nearly jumping out of bed. "Passcode? Gesture? What kind of new nonsense is this?"
Of course, the system offered no explanation, merely repeating:
"The system's daily startup task requires both passcode and gesture. Failure to complete this will prevent access to tasks and the system store. After three days of inactivity, the system will consider abandonment, which could result in some... unpleasant consequences for you. For example, let's just say certain parts of you may shrink, teehee."
"You've got to be kidding me!"
Zach stared at nothing in particular, flustered and grumbling to himself: This system is really something else…
He pinched the bridge of his nose, torn between standing his ground and the terrifying mental image of the potential consequences. Ultimately, he gave in.
"Fine, what's the passcode and gesture?" Zach asked, resigned.
"The passcode is: 'I am the...' paired with the gesture..."
As the system explained, Zach felt the muscles in his face tighten, as if he was on the verge of tears. He muttered under his breath, "Why? Just… why? This is nothing like the systems I've read about in novels…"
To get the system up and running, and perhaps more importantly, to safeguard his dignity, he muttered, "Why is life so hard, and shifts are so rough?"
He glanced around, making sure no one was watching, took a deep breath, and braced himself.
His expression suddenly became deadly serious, as if he were about to perform a grand ceremony. He planted his feet firmly apart, hands on his hips, standing like a superstar about to start a concert. Then, with absolute focus, he shouted at the top of his lungs:
"I am the All-Universal, Most Bedazzling Super Mega Positive Energy Guru!"
He suddenly raised his arms high above his head, his entire body springing upwards as if wound tight like a coiled spring. His wrists began to move wildly, flopping like boneless noodles, drawing huge exaggerated circles in the air.
Next, his fingers splayed out, rapidly flicking up and down in quick, chicken-pecking motions.
His face bore an expression of supreme confidence—his eyes wide, cheeks puffed out like a balloon. The ridiculous gestures made him look like a human-sized cartoon character performing nonsensical hand movements.
Before finishing the hand routine, he suddenly bounced awkwardly on one foot like he'd stepped on something slippery, before twirling his arms in a big dramatic flourish, striking a pose as though he had just unlocked the secrets of the universe. In reality, it was just a sparkly "bedazzling" gesture.
Finally, he dropped to one knee, hands pressed together as if in prayer, raising them dramatically above his head as he continued his chant:
"I humbly request from the powers that be—"
At this moment, his face adopted a look of impossible seriousness, as he stretched his right hand upward, palm open towards the sky, as though summoning some cosmic force, his eyes wide with theatrical intensity.
Then, with a sudden burst of energy, Zach sprang to his feet, crossing his arms over his chest like a stage magician preparing for the grand finale. With all the passion he could muster, he yelled:
"All-Universal Supreme Positive Energy Collector Master-Class Super Mega Hyper System!"
As soon as he finished the passcode, Zach flung his arms outward, as though casting a spell, his face locked in an exaggerated expression of utter determination. He jumped, his legs kicking inward mid-air, hands pressed together above his head. His whole body resembled a glowing "positive energy ball" as he leaped, shouting: "Open Sesame!"
When he landed, his feet planted firmly on the ground, body straightened, arms forming a victory pose. He nodded to himself, flashing a triumphant grin, as if he had just conquered the greatest challenge in the galaxy.
"Making money isn't shameful..."
Before he could continue with his complaints, the system interrupted with a new task:
"New task generated: Host displayed exceptional efficiency in the last task by using the 'Super Hoe' and constructing a basic irrigation system with strategic planning. To further develop the host's skills, a new task has been issued: construct a basic greenhouse within two days."
"Reward: $100 and one bag of Super Vegetable Seeds (10x nutrition of regular vegetables, 5x growth speed)."
Zach's eyes lit up instantly. While the $100 was still disappointingly meager, the Super Vegetable Seeds were pure gold!
"Ten times the nutrition and five times the growth speed? That's like the holy grail of farming!" Zach thought, excitement bubbling inside.
However, he quickly sobered up. "A basic greenhouse? That sounds like a trap. There's no way this system would make it that easy."
Zach wasted no time questioning the system: "What's the catch this time?"
"The task requires materials limited to bamboo, plastic sheeting, and rope. No high-tech equipment allowed, and the host must complete the construction manually."
"You've got to be kidding me..."
"This task is designed to test the host's manual skills. The reward will be proportional to the difficulty."
Zach slapped his forehead, already feeling the headache. "Alright, bamboo it is. Looks like I'll be raiding the village's bamboo grove."
He grabbed the only machete his family owned and made his way to the bamboo forest behind the village. The grove served as a communal resource for the villagers, often used to fix fences or make simple tools. But Zach's task—building an entire greenhouse—would require far more bamboo than usual.
"Of all the things I'm bad at, craftsmanship is right there at the top," Zach muttered as he swung his dull machete.
Just as he was making slow progress, the system's voice chimed in:
"Recommended item: Bamboo-Cutting Machete (1-day use). Efficiently cuts bamboo with clean edges. Increases efficiency by 500%. Only 50 positive energy points."
Zach paused, eyeing his rusted machete and letting out a long, exasperated sigh.
"Figures... This system can't go a single task without trying to sell me something, can it?"
Though he knew the system was always trying to push products, Zach stared at the thick bamboo stalks around him and realized that with his current machete, he'd be here until nightfall.
Resigned, he shook his head. "Alright, fine. 50 positive energy points for efficiency—seems fair."
He mentally confirmed the purchase, and moments later, a sleek, polished machete appeared in his hand. As soon as he swung it, the bamboo fell cleanly and effortlessly.
"Wow, this really is top-tier stuff," Zach admitted, cutting through the bamboo at lightning speed.
Once he had gathered enough bamboo, Zach bundled it into several stacks and prepared to transport it back. Just as he reached the village entrance, he remembered he still needed plastic sheeting and rope. With daylight to spare, he decided to head into town for supplies.
He rode his old, rickety tricycle down the dirt road, speeding toward the hardware store in town. Upon arrival, Zach wasted no time, walking straight up to the shopkeeper.
"I'll take the strongest plastic sheeting you've got and the sturdiest rope."
The shopkeeper chuckled as he handed Zach the supplies. "What kind of project are you working on, kid?"
Zach slapped his chest with mock seriousness. "Building a greenhouse! It's a big project—whether it succeeds is up to fate."
The shopkeeper laughed, shaking his head. "Well, good luck with that. A greenhouse, huh?"
Zach paid and hurried back home with his supplies, thinking, Alright, I've got the bamboo, plastic, and rope. Now it's time to get to work.
Just as he was gearing up for construction, the system casually dropped a bombshell:
"Advisory: Host should expedite task completion. Strong winds are forecasted."
Zach froze. "Strong winds? This basic greenhouse can't possibly withstand a storm!"
The system remained unfazed by his concern, coldly replying:
"Host may choose to reinforce the greenhouse at their discretion."
Zach laughed dryly. "Of course you're trying to screw me over again."
Realizing he'd better play it safe, Zach decided to gather extra bamboo and reinforce the structure as much as possible.
For the next few hours, Zach was a whirlwind of activity, cutting bamboo, tying ropes, and securing the plastic sheeting. Slowly but surely, his makeshift greenhouse began to take shape.
Standing in front of the finished structure, Zach wiped the sweat from his brow, feeling a small sense of pride.
"Well, I actually pulled it off. It's not much, but it looks decent enough! Maybe I am a chosen one after all," he mused with a grin.
Just as he was about to celebrate, the system chimed in:
"Task complete. Basic greenhouse successfully constructed. Reward: $100 and one bag of Super Vegetable Seeds."
Zach pulled out his phone and confirmed that $100 had indeed been credited to his account. In his hand, he now held a small packet labeled "Super Vegetable Seeds."
Nodding in satisfaction, Zach thought, That was pretty smooth. Got my money and my seeds.
But the system wasn't done yet. It continued with a rather ominous reminder:
"Warning: The basic greenhouse has limited structural stability. Host should begin planting immediately."
Zach rolled his eyes. "You really can't let me relax, can you?"
Grumbling, but knowing better than to delay, Zach carefully examined the Super Vegetable Seeds. His heart raced with excitement.
"Super Vegetable Seeds: growth speed 5x normal, nutritional value 10x standard vegetables."
"No wonder it's a system product—it's incredible."
Without hesitation, Zach planted the seeds in the freshly prepared soil inside the greenhouse.
Once the planting was done, Zach exhaled deeply and admired his work:
"Finally, all set! Now I just have to wait for these super veggies to grow, and I'll be ready for the next phase."
Just as he was about to bask in his achievement, the system issued yet another urgent alert:
"Warning: Strong winds forecasted within 24 hours. Host should prepare accordingly."
Zach's heart sank as he glanced up at the now slightly overcast sky. While it looked gloomy, the storm hadn't hit yet.
"This can't be happening. There's no way this flimsy greenhouse will survive a storm," Zach muttered, his worry mounting.
"System, are you sure this thing can handle the wind? Should I reinforce it more?" Zach asked, trying to sound hopeful.
"Host may choose to reinforce based on personal judgment."
"That's about as useful as a screen door on a submarine," Zach grumbled, deciding not to take any chances.
Using the remaining bamboo and rope, Zach reinforced the structure's frame one more time, making sure it wouldn't blow away in the storm.
As night fell, Zach stood in front of his double-reinforced greenhouse, feeling slightly more confident. But just as he was about to head inside, a cold gust of wind blew past, and the sky grew darker. The wind picked up speed, rattling the plastic sheeting, while the bamboo frame creaked ominously.
Zach's heart pounded in his chest as he kept his eyes glued to the structure, praying it wouldn't collapse.
Then, the system's voice chimed in again:
"Strong wind detected. Basic greenhouse approaching structural limit. Host should remain vigilant."
"Thanks for nothing, System!" Zach snapped, rushing inside to monitor the situation.
Miraculously, despite the greenhouse wobbling and creaking under the force of the wind, Zach's reinforcements held firm.
When the storm finally passed, Zach collapsed on the ground in exhaustion, staring up at the sky in relief. His greenhouse still stood.
"Thank God... the greenhouse made it," he muttered, drained but triumphant.