Lena woke up to silence.The usual hum of the [System] that once vibrated through every fiber of her being was gone. Instead, there was only an eerie stillness, the aftermath of the chaos. Her eyes fluttered open, and the sight of a crumbled building and the smoke-filled sky greeted her. She wasn't sure how long she had been unconscious, but one thing was clear—the world had changed.The mark on her neck burned faintly, the alien symbol that appeared after the [System] had chosen her. She couldn't remember much about the event. Her body had been marked, and the connection to the [System] had been established.Suddenly, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in her mind.[System]: "Connection established. Welcome, Subject: Lena. You have been selected for mission: World Source Acquisition."Lena's breath caught in her throat, the words unfamiliar yet strangely comforting in their coldness. She didn't want to think about it, but the pull of the [System] was undeniable. The voice was not just in her mind—it was everywhere. The sensation had become a part of her.Lena shook her head, trying to ignore the message. She sat up, her head pounding. She brushed her hands through her tangled hair, trying to push the disorienting fog from her thoughts. She could barely recall the last few days—the panic, the fleeing crowds, the rapid deterioration of civilization—but one thing was clear: the alien force that had brought the [System] to Earth was still out there, and they were not done yet.Standing up shakily, she took in the devastation around her. Once-thriving cities were now nothing more than skeletons of their former selves, the destruction a harsh reminder of the aliens' grip on Earth. She heard a distant noise—footsteps—and tensed.A figure stepped into view, a man with dark, unkempt hair and a face marked by both exhaustion and determination. His eyes met hers, and for a moment, neither spoke."Are you okay?" he asked, his voice rough.Lena glanced at him, unsure of how to respond.Before she could speak, the [System] interrupted.[System]: "Warning: Unauthorized personnel detected. Security breach imminent."Lena's pulse quickened as the words flashed through her mind. She glanced at the man—Elias—and wondered if he could hear it too. He didn't seem to notice."No," Lena muttered to herself, shaking her head again. "I can't be controlled by this thing."Elias raised an eyebrow. "What?"Lena ignored him for a moment, focusing instead on the voice in her head.[System]: "Subject Lena, you are required to initiate combat. Failure to comply will result in global energy disruption."The words hit her like a slap. The [System] was already trying to dictate her actions, already trying to use her. She couldn't stand it.Lena clenched her fists, determined to fight back. "I won't be a pawn."She looked up at Elias. "I'm sorry. You need to get away from me."Elias frowned but didn't back away. "You've been marked, haven't you? The same as me. We're in this together."Lena opened her mouth to argue, but just then, a new message from the [System] flashed in her mind.[System]: "Subject Lena, your mission is to secure resources from the surrounding environment. Use the [System] tools available to you. Proceed with caution.""Tools?" Lena muttered, trying to make sense of it. "I don't want to use it."Elias's eyes widened, as though reading her thoughts. "The more you use the [System], the more it controls you. But right now… we don't have a choice. We need to find out how to stop this thing before it's too late."Lena stared at the alien device embedded into her neck. The words from the [System] were clear: it had a mission for her, and it wasn't going to let her refuse.