Lena Tang stood bewildered on the bustling street, clutching a large bag filled with her purchases. The world around her seemed to spin—busy crowds, lively supermarkets, and food stalls—all blending into a blur. She couldn't discern why she was there.

It wasn't until she noticed people pointing at her that Lena snapped back to reality. Though her mind was blank, she understood that standing still was not an option. So, she followed the street ahead.

As the crowd thinned, she began to feel the weight of the bag in her hand; it was heavy and uncomfortable from carrying it for too long. 

The surroundings turned increasingly desolate. She switched the bag to her other hand and transitioned from the tidy street to a narrow country road lined with wildflowers. Doubt crept in, but she kept moving forward.

Suddenly, a robotic voice interrupted her thoughts: "Ding! Hello, Master. The Chaos Era is about to begin. The countdown to chaos has started, and you have 6 hours remaining. Please prepare accordingly."

Lena stopped, startled, and turned to her left, sensing someone speaking beside her. Yet she saw no one, only the winding road and distant hills. 

"You have 5 hours and 59 minutes left to prepare. Please hurry."

Desperately scanning the area for signs of life, she called out, "Hello? Are you speaking to me?"

"Yes, Master."

"Who are you? I can’t see anyone."

"I am your assistant, Sisi. You can call me Sisi. Would you like to activate the visual interface? Yes/No?"

What else could she say but "yes"?

"The Sugarcane Defense Mission is starting now..."

"???"

Despite her confusion, Lena didn’t interrupt. With no memory to pull from, she had no choice but to stay still.

Suddenly, a piece of virtual sugarcane appeared before her, spinning rapidly, before flying directly towards Lena's head. Instinctively, she raised her hand to shield herself but was relieved that the expected pain didn’t come.

Lowering her hand and looking up, she gasped, "Wow!"

Before her was a breathtaking 3D view of outer space; it was beautiful and mysterious.

Next to her was a plump, fluffy creature resembling a doughball, wearing a piece of sugarcane as a headpiece. It looked adorably silly. But when it began to speak, the mechanical voice jarred with the image. This had to be Sisi, though now wasn't the time to dwell on that.

"The Sugarcane Defense Mission has been activated. Do you wish to begin the task?"

"…Wait, Sisi, I don’t remember anything! Can you tell me what’s happening? What does ‘chaos’ mean? Who are you? Who am I?"

"Chaos is about to descend, and you have 5 hours and 50 minutes remaining… The questions you've asked are not urgent at this moment."

"???" Not urgent? What could possibly be important?

"It's almost time; I suggest you begin the mission first. Other questions can wait until I have more authority to answer them."

"Fine," Lena sighed, realizing she had no choice but to comply, "Let's get this task started."

"Mission 1: Build a shelter for yourself."

"?????? What? I’m in the middle of nowhere, alone, with nothing! How am I supposed to construct a shelter?"

"Yes, Master. However, do not worry; I will provide materials for you, and you just need to follow the instructions."

What else could Lena say but "Okay"?

Soon, a white, square structure resembling a shipping container appeared on the screen against the starry backdrop.

"Please choose a suitable location for your shelter."

Continuing down the path, Lena searched for an appropriate spot until she found a flat piece of land, perhaps once the site of a demolished house, alongside a small pond.

"How about here?" she asked Sisi.

"Good choice, Master. I will now deploy the shelter materials."

With a loud crash, a perfectly stacked pile of materials materialized upon the foundation.

Although it was remarkable that materials had appeared out of nowhere, Lena was disappointed to see only a heap of supplies instead of the container she envisioned.

Rubbing her forehead, she asked, "So, Sisi, what am I supposed to do with all this wood?"

"You can assemble it according to the illustration provided on StarNet. You have 11 hours left; please hurry."

Naturally, an assembly guide appeared in the starlit sky, illustrating how to construct the shelter by using the various materials.

With no other choice, Lena inhaled deeply, placed down her bag, and began to build, relieved to find she wasn't terrible with her hands after all. As long as the pieces fit correctly, they seemed to connect seamlessly together.

Starting with the base measuring about 10x10 meters, she built up the sides until they encircled her completely. Staring at the pile of materials, Lena fell into thought.

How was she, at barely above three feet tall, supposed to reach the roof without any tools? Wasn’t this a bit too much to ask of her?

Fortunately, Sisi offered a climbing ladder to aid her.

After much effort, she finally managed to finish building what she now called her shelter. It was surprisingly rewarding.

As darkness started to settle in, Lena folded the ladder and squatted down by the pond to wash her hands and face.

Feeling her stomach growl, she glanced around the increasingly dark surroundings and decided it was best to head inside.

Although it was just a container, at least it came with a door and two windows. As she pushed open the door, Lena's eyes widened.

A light illuminated the interior, confirming why she had noticed a round disk shape on the roof during assembly.

The inside was clean and welcoming. She kicked off her shoes at the door and moved to the window, opening the inner door to peer outside at the darkening scenery.

In that moment, a small spark of happiness ignited within her.

"Mission 1 complete. Reward: 10 energy points. Total energy: 10 points."

For Lena, the pressing question wasn’t where she was or what she needed to do; it was simply how to fill her empty stomach.

Sitting down, she opened the shopping bag she had carried all day, revealing bottled water, bread, instant noodles, congee, noodles, salt, and chocolate. Joy exploded within her. 

Drinking water and nibbling on bread, she gradually regained her composure, watching as night fell outside the window, her mind blissfully at ease.