Ruin Node 7B was buried beneath layers of forgotten tech, behind the skeletal remains of old subways and vent tunnels that hadn't seen maintenance in decades.
Even the map Yena decrypted was incomplete—half-corrupted, jagged lines and glitching coordinates guiding them through collapsing catwalks and radiation-fogged corridors.
"This place smells like rusted death," Yena muttered, sweeping her flashlight across a metal wall tagged with glowing graffiti. "You sure there's anything worth digging up here?"
Kai adjusted his mask and powered on the handheld Chain Tether Scanner. "The Chain thinks this node is still whispering. That means opportunity."
He wasn't just here for relics.
He was here for leverage.
After hours of crawling through corroded vents and bypassing arc traps left by scavengers, they reached a chamber unlike the rest—a giant obsidian door engraved with angular runes pulsing a deep violet.
Kai approached slowly.
Chain Tether Detected – Node 7B Authentication Signal RecognizedStatus: DormantProtocol: Trader-Class Access Required
Initiate Handshake? [Y/N]
He pressed [Y].
The entire wall shuddered, a low groan echoing like a machine exhaling after centuries of silence. Gears turned. Circuits hummed.
And the door split open.
Inside was a room lined with curved panels, glowing sigils, and a single terminal still blinking green—ancient, but alive.
Kai stepped forward.
Welcome, Trader Kai of Sector E-12.
Hollow Node 7B: Reawakening
Query: Upload System Signature?
He tapped the panel and transferred his system key.
System Recognized: The Infinite Trade System [Variant 77-Ψ]
Warning: Node is running Hollow Chain Protocols—intended for multi-dimensional commodity bridging and restricted black-slot trade.
Yena blinked. "That's... not normal."
Kai's eyes narrowed.
Hollow Chain traders weren't just merchants. They were once rumored to be architects of trade pathways between unstable dimensions—brokering deals between fractured timelines, extinct species, and alternate realities.
This wasn't a simple node.
This was a gateway.
A low synthetic voice echoed from the console.
Node AI Activation in Progress…Name: [ERROR: Designation Lost]Reassigning temporary identifier…
Welcome, Trader. You may refer to me as Hollow Echo.
Kai grinned. "Hello, Echo."
The AI responded with a tone eerily human.
"You are… not one of the Originals. But your system carries the Mark. You are bound by the Trade. That is acceptable."
"Would you like to access Hollow Archive data and legacy trade slots?"
"Warning: Doing so may alert Chain Enforcers to illicit node usage."
Kai looked at Yena. "This is how you really become a power trader. From the shadows."
She nodded slowly. "But power always has a price."
He confirmed the unlock.
Legacy Trade Slot Unlocked: Hollow Goods – Tier Alpha
Inventory Accessible (Preview):– Chrono-Dust Capsules (Rewind local time by 6 seconds. Fragile.)– Interplanar Flora Pack (Grows in non-terrestrial environments. High demand.)– Neural Seed: Unknown Origin (Interface enhancer. Risk factor: HIGH.)
Unlock Cost: 25 C.U. per slot
He couldn't afford them yet.
But soon.
As they turned to leave, Hollow Echo spoke once more.
"A warning, Trader Kai. The Hollow Chain fractured not by failure, but by betrayal. The systems you carry… were never meant to remain solitary."
Kai paused. "What do you mean?"
"You are not the only one with access. Others will awaken. And they will come for what is hidden."
Chills crept down his spine.
He looked to Yena. "We need to move fast. Build fast. And trade faster."
She nodded. "Then let's get back topside."
By the time they emerged from the ruins, three hours had passed. The air in Dockside Verge felt thicker, as if the city knew something ancient had just stirred.
And it had.
Kai had tapped into something greater than mere profit—he had touched forgotten power.
Now, he just had to figure out how to use it without painting a target on his back.
Current Status:
Kai has successfully activated Ruin Node 7B, unlocking access to the long-lost Hollow Chain Protocols, including a dormant AI named Hollow Echo. This grants him access to exclusive black-slot goods, legacy archives, and alternate trade networks—but with it comes the risk of Chain Enforcer detection and possible conflict with other awakened traders.
A rival trader, Mynor, has yet to respond to Kai's veiled threat, and hostile trade activity is on the rise.
Kai's Cosmic Units now sit at 38.4, after partial gains from Verge microtrading.His Earth Credits have reached 211.9, supported by his resupply of utility medkits and augment parts.
His path is no longer linear.
It's exponential—and full of shadows.
📌 Author's Note:
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