Stepping through the door from the small courtyard, she tossed the bound hen to the ground and brought in the vegetables as well. 

At that moment, a grid appeared on the wall. “Is that the plant detection system?”

“Yes, Lanlan. You’ve collected a lot of plants today. You can put them in here, and the courtyard will cultivate them based on what you’ve deposited.”

“Oh, this system is practically a cheat code! Do I have to put in everything?”

“No need, just one of each type will suffice.”

Okay, got it! This system truly lacks any scientific spirit; it’s advanced to the point of being awe-inspiring. She opened the drawer in the wall and deposited one of each type of vegetable into it. After a moment’s thought, she also grabbed leftover ginger, garlic, and chili from the kitchen to add in.

**[Task 2] Completed, reward: 30 energy points. Total energy: 68 points.**

**[This task is too easy, perfect! I’m rich now, Sisi!]**

**[Hmm? Lanlan, 68 isn’t much! The rewards start at 1000 points for Number 007.]**

**[……]**

Never mind. Lanlan was happy on her own, enjoying what she’d earned through her limited abilities. Even if it was far less than a thousand, it was still her own reward. Riding this wave of excitement, she decided to also complete the construction for the farm… ah, not 'complete', she meant to build it and connect it to the small courtyard.

**[Constructing farm costs 7 points (2 for roof + 1 for base + 2 for walls + 2 for land). Remaining: 61 points.]**

Once the courtyard was completed, the hen also had a place to go. Gan Lanlan looked at the little farm laid out in blocks, slightly sprouting green, and smiled.

**[Task 1] Completed, reward: 10 energy points. Total energy: 71 points.**

**[Task 3] Completed, reward: 30 energy points. Total energy: 101 points.**

**[Phase tasks completed, reward: 50 points. Total energy: 151 points.]**

I’ve broken a hundred! Time for some meat and vegetables, plus a soup—perfect!

Humming a tune and happily cooking, she was over the moon.

**[Lanlan, our little farm isn’t enough. There are still plants with no place to grow.]**

**[Really? I’ll go take a look.]**

Sure enough, the system on the wall showed that there were still unplanted plants. It seemed she needed to continue expanding and developing the small courtyard. 

But no worries! The brick-moving task was both painful and joyful. After all, her sleep quality had been excellent these past few nights; it was thanks to the high-quality rest granted by her labor.

**[Huh? Upgrading a small courtyard now costs 5 points?]**

**[Yes, based on Lanlan’s current situation, the system will gradually upgrade as well.]**

**[Is there no way to build it all at once, like renovating a house?]**

**[That would require a different energy point altogether.]**

**[…… I figured it would be that way!]**

**[Once Lanlan and I continue to evolve together, it will all be automated in the future. With just a swish, we could have a big farm!]**

**[Alright, time to keep moving bricks. Let’s sort out basic needs first, and we’ll figure the rest out later.]**

Just as she was installing the roof, a sudden shaking occurred, accompanied by a loud noise from afar.

**[What’s happening, what’s happening?]**

**[Don’t be afraid, Lanlan; there have been a lot of earthquakes lately.]**

**[Hmm? Really? I didn’t feel anything.]**

**[That’s because you’re inside a building. You’re safe in our house.]**

**[But I’m in the house now! How could I feel the shaking?]**

**[That’s because the house isn’t finished yet; it hasn’t been topped out.]**

**[Are you saying that an unfinished house has no protective function at all?]**

**[Right! Because the floors are connected, the structure remains stable. If there were no floors, you might have fallen out!]**

**[Really? So the buildings need to be connected to be safe? If our houses aren’t connected, are they still safe?]**

**[For now, they need to be connected. The farther they are from the main house, the lower the safety factor. Standalone houses are just ordinary… well, sort of like shipping containers. They’re just slightly better in quality.]**

**[Do the houses have to be designed this way, one wall apart? Isn’t that a bit cramped? Can the floors be connected instead?]**

**[That works! There are special materials for that!]**

**[Phew, good thing I found out early. I was thinking if we built a base, it should be far apart. Hey? Do other warriors follow this too?]**

**[Not necessarily! Some warriors can directly cover an entire area; it becomes a safe zone!]**

**[……! Never mind that question.]**

**[Can we just keep stacking floors forever?]**

**[Yes, but the higher it goes, the lower the safety factor. Right now, we’re only able to build about three stories; more than that isn’t safe.]**

Alright then, this layering offered Gan Lanlan some relief. Otherwise, it would have felt overly outrageous.

**[Lanlan, the main system just sent a message saying that things outside have become very serious. They will no longer issue mandatory tasks. So now, you’ll have to act based on your own judgment, and the system will assess the situation and distribute rewards.]**

Things were starting to take a serious turn. Looking at the darkening sky and the swaying tall buildings outside, Gan Lanlan couldn’t help but smile bitterly. She was indeed just an ordinary and timid person, too scared to step outside her safe house.

Suddenly, an excited voice rang in the star network, **[Lanlan, Lanlan, I’m now the system of Warrior 999.]**

**[Hmm?] What’s going on? Have I become so useless that even the system is taken away? Gan Lanlan wondered.

**[The main system just reported that Warrior 900 has fallen, so we’ve moved up one rank!]**

Hearing this, Gan Lanlan’s expression changed drastically. She cautiously asked, **[Sisi? Weren’t we supposed to be safe? Can we still fall?]**

**[Ah, Lanlan, wait a moment. Let me check… oh, I just saw the news! Warrior 900 was a spatial system; to help others, it gave away all its spatial items. Unfortunately, it was injured by a monster. And just as there was an earthquake over there, 900 slipped at the fissure and fell to their death.]**

Well, that was sudden! Warrior 900's luck seemed to have run out. Having been filled with compassion, it had ended up harming itself.

**[What about your little friend, the system of 900? Can it bind to a new warrior?]**

**[No, it can’t! It’s been reclaimed, and now it’s undergoing reconstitution. It had a lot of space! The previous 900 warriors don’t have a claim to it. Out of the last 99, seven opted out, so now we can fairly divide its energy, and that space is being sold at a discount on the star net!]**

Before she could lament the tragedy of Warrior 900 and celebrate Sisi’s good fortune in acquiring energy, the allure of “discount sale” was more captivating.

Seeing that for 99 points, she could purchase 2000 square meters of space, with a limit of one per person, Gan Lanlan’s eyes brightened.

Being split up and still having such a vast area, Warrior 900 truly suffered.

This too-good-to-miss deal would be gone in an instant. For the sake of strengthening her protection, **[Expenditure of 99 points to exchange for 2000 square meters of space. Current total energy: 52 points.]**

At that point, a wristwatch appeared in her hand. Thinking of ‘space’, she could feel herself immersed in a huge container. Even though it was empty, Gan Lanlan was thrilled.

The key was that time flowed differently inside, much slower than outside; it was an ideal item for outings!

It was also an unexpected gain. At the same time, it served as a warning bell for Gan Lanlan: having a system didn’t guarantee absolute safety. Above all, protecting herself was the most important thing.

Thinking thus, Gan Lanlan murmured, “I am indeed a selfish person.”