Chapter 36: The Indoor Harvest
The continuous trickle of nutrient solution echoed softly through the vaulted agricultural chamber, a rhythmic murmur that replaced the mechanical screech of the blizzard outside. Rowan walked along the raised metal catwalk between the primary hydroponic bays, his eyes tracking the clear plastic conduits that carried oxygenated water from the filtration scrubbers to the root systems below. The liquid flowed with steady pressure, regulated by automated pumps that kept the mineral balance stable without human intervention.
Beside him, rows of vertical cultivation towers rose twelve feet toward the ceiling, their plastic slots bursting with dark greens, flowering legumes, and expanding vine networks. The high-output fixtures overhead cast a warm, golden spectr
