Playing Plants Vs. Monsters in Space

The new novel, "God? Whoever Wants It Can Be One [Wasteland]," is now open for reading (the entire manuscript is already written). There's a direct link in the announcement. Please add it to your favorites.

Novel blurb (please check the content warnings below):

Shi Nian is struck by lightning and sent to an interstellar world, but this world is plagued by starry-sky monsters.

It was the arrival of the gods, who bestowed spirit sources capable of awakening and unlocking human potential, that saved humanity from extinction.

Psychics are extremely rare and hold an exalted status. They are the rulers of this world.

In her previous life, Shi Nian was a cutthroat overachiever who worked her way from an orphanage to a top university. How could she possibly miss a chance to change her fate like this?

At the spirit-awakening ceremony, Shi Nian awakens successfully. But why has she summoned a trembling cartoon sunflower with beady eyes and a huge mouth?

Still, why does this sunflower look so familiar? It looks exactly like the starting plant from a game she played in her previous life.

The onlookers sigh. What a pity she's a useless psychic.

Shi Nian just smiles. Who says plants can't fight monsters?

Her sunflower is a treasure. As long as it eats crystal cores that other people can't use, it can summon all kinds of plants with amazing abilities.

The only slight drawback is that this sunflower is a bit of a glutton...

Later, after Shi Nian works herself to the bone to earn enough money to "fatten up" her sunflower, she wields a Doom-shroom in her left hand and carries a Cob Cannon on her right shoulder. Wearing Pumpkin armor and a Leaf Umbrella on her head, she transforms into a super humanoid turret, wiping out whole swarms of monsters with a wave of her hand and inspiring countless people to kneel in worship.

Shi Nian becomes a powerful psychic everyone wants to recruit.

Song Yanche gives the crowd a hostile look. I hear you want to steal my girl?

Reader's Guide:

1. A power-up story. The more plants the heroine unlocks, the higher their levels and the stronger they become. The heroine doesn't start out as a powerhouse; she has room to grow. If you expect her to slaughter her way through everything from the start, this isn't for you.

2. This is a long, slow-burn novel, and it includes melodramatic, old-school tropes (important!!!). The plot comes first, romance second. The male lead gets quite a bit of screen time early on and isn't just background scenery. It's a team-based story, with everyone leveling up and fighting monsters together, so the supporting cast also gets plenty of attention.

3. This story takes place entirely in this interstellar world. The higher-dimensional "gods" are merely part of the background; there will be no "slaying gods" or "becoming a god."

4. The plants the heroine can unlock are mostly based on those in the original version of the game. However, the story may call for one or two plants to be invented from scratch, or for the abilities of certain plants to be adjusted.

Blurb for "God? Whoever Wants It Can Be One [Wasteland]":

Year Ten of the New Era.

New Hope Corporation and the Esper Alliance jointly issue an obituary: Professor Yin Zhixi, the "Light of Humanity," has died suddenly of an illness. Professor Yin was thirty-five. Though an ordinary person, she developed Beast-Repelling Powder and Misfortune-Erasing Agent, bringing hope of survival to human society in the apocalypse...

The obituary plunges all of humanity into mourning, and Yin Zhixi is elevated to sainthood.

Just after Professor Yin's death, people were interviewed.

New Hope Corporation's boss, Professor Yin's childhood sweetheart, and the one who ordered her murder, Leng Zhou: Losing Professor Yin is undoubtedly the greatest loss to human society. Let us always remember her immense contributions to humanity.

Professor Yin's student, and the one who personally shot and killed her, Tang Tang: Master, go in peace. I will fulfill the wish you held in life.

Leader of the Esper Alliance, and one of the conspirators who killed Professor Yin, Mu Haitian: That meddlesome woman! I absolutely won't allow her to live long enough to be elevated to sainthood!

Black Cat, an enforcer for New Hope and Professor Yin's devoted admirer, Lin Lang: I'll kill all three of them and avenge Professor Yin!

Wei Chenze, owner of a Beast-Repelling Powder shop on the outskirts of the human New City: Oh, Professor Yin died? Then it's time for our Dawn ship to set sail!

Yin Zhixi herself, who faked her death: Good riddance! Being a god on an altar is no easy job. Whoever wants it can have it!

Two years after Professor Yin's death, New Hope Corporation and the Esper Alliance merge and announce the founding of the Tianyuan Alliance, the sole alliance of humanity. But the leaders of the new alliance have no idea that, somewhere in the borderlands, an old human alliance is expanding at an unimaginable, breakneck pace.

This time, people are interviewed again.

Leng Zhou, leader of the Tianyuan Alliance: I regret it. I'll build the new alliance according to your wishes from when you were alive. So, can you come back to life?

Tang Tang, Minister of Education for the Tianyuan Alliance: Oh, when will I finally be able to dump this whole mess and go join Master?

Mu Haitian, former chairman of the Tianyuan Alliance military: I'm already dead. What opinion could I possibly have?

Lin Lang, Minister of Combat and Minister of Judgment for the Tianyuan Alliance, and the man of a certain professor: Professor, woof! Woof! Woof! (I! Love! You!)

Wei Chenze, leader of the Dawn Base and the Old Human Alliance: Professor Yin? Didn't Professor Yin die ages ago? We only have Professor Wei Zhaoyang here. There's no Professor Yin!

Yin Zhixi herself: My goal is to restore social order, bring old and new humanity together in peace, and let me retire in peace to grow old, raise a man, and enjoy life. Yes, that's right. The goal is about to be achieved.

Theme: Protecting our home is everyone's responsibility!