The path forward was clear: Adam needed Integration Points, and the fastest, safest way to acquire them seemed to be through leveraging information. He became a digital ghost, haunting the periphery of the internet's vast data streams. His days settled into a new rhythm: physical training in the early mornings to maintain his body, followed by long hours spent hunched over flickering screens in anonymous internet cafes or amidst the quiet stacks of the public library.
He pushed his [Accelerated Calculation] Aspect relentlessly. Financial reports, legal databases, obscure tech forums, patent filings, city planning minutes, even archived weather patterns – he devoured information, his mind processing and correlating data at superhuman speeds. The mental fatigue was intense, often leaving him with splitting headaches by day's end, but the potential payoff drove him forward. He wasn't looking for earth-shattering secrets, just small, overlooked details that could predict near-future events with high probability.
His first target emerged from the dry, complex world of patent law. Analyzing recent filings and cross-referencing them with judicial histories accessible through public records, his [Accelerated Calculation] flagged an upcoming ruling in a dispute between two small pharmaceutical research firms – Case #PR-774. Based on a specific, overlooked precedent from a similar case years prior and the known leanings of the presiding judge, Adam calculated a 92% probability that the verdict would favor the defendant, contrary to prevailing speculation in niche financial circles.
He carefully crafted an anonymous tip, stripping out any personal identifiers: "Patent Case #PR-774: Expect ruling favoring defendant within 48 hrs based on [Specific Precedent Case ID] application. Market consensus is incorrect." Using a chain of VPNs and a temporary, encrypted email address created at a library terminal, he submitted the tip to a semi-reputable financial blog known for posting anonymous market predictions.
As the submission confirmation flashed, the System responded.
[Intel Dissemination Quest: Patent Prediction]
[Objective: Ensure the anonymously submitted predictive analysis regarding Patent Case #PR-774 is publicly acknowledged or proven correct within 72 hours.]
[Reward: 200 IP + Bonus IP based on accuracy/impact.]
[Failure Penalty: Minor IP deduction for inaccurate/ignored intel.]
The next two days were tense. Adam obsessively monitored legal news feeds and the blog. What if his analysis was flawed? What if the judge had an unexpected change of heart? Then, late on the second day, the news broke: verdict rendered in PR-774, defendant wins. The financial blog posted a brief update, mentioning an accurate anonymous tip they'd received.
[Quest Complete: Patent Prediction]
[Accuracy Assessed: High. Impact: Minor (Niche case). Bonus IP Awarded.]
[Reward: 200 IP + 50 Bonus IP Awarded.]
[Current IP: 845 (595 + 250)]
A wave of satisfaction washed over him. It worked. His analysis, his knowledge, translated directly into System progress. 845 IP. Still a long way from the 1800 needed for the B+ fusion, but it was significant progress earned without risking life and limb.
Emboldened, he immediately began searching for his next target. This time, he shifted focus to cybersecurity chatter, scanning white-hat forums and vulnerability databases. His [Accelerated Calculation] parsed discussions about software updates, common exploits, and corporate IT practices. He cross-referenced mentions of specific software versions used by various companies (often gleaned from job postings or public technical documents) with known vulnerability databases.
He found a potential hit: a mid-sized regional bank, let's call it Sterling Financial, appeared to be running a slightly outdated version of a common web server software for its public-facing customer portal – a version discussed on security forums as having a moderate, non-critical vulnerability related to session handling if specific conditions were met. It wasn't a gaping hole, but it was a definite weakness.
He compiled a concise, professional-sounding report detailing the potential vulnerability, the specific software version, and the publicly available sources confirming its use by Sterling Financial. "Potential session handling vulnerability identified in Sterling Financial customer portal linked to outdated [Software Component Name/Version]. Recommend immediate review and patching. Source: Anonymous analysis of public data." He submitted this report through a well-regarded, anonymous vulnerability disclosure platform that liaised with corporate security teams.
[Intel Dissemination Quest: Vulnerability Warning]
[Objective: Ensure the anonymously submitted vulnerability report for Sterling Financial is acknowledged or acted upon by relevant security teams within 7 days.]
[Reward: 300 IP + Bonus IP based on severity/confirmation.]
[Failure Penalty: Potential negative reputation on disclosure platform if report is false/malicious. Minor IP deduction.]
This felt different – less like predicting an outcome, more like providing actionable intelligence. He monitored security news and the disclosure platform's updates. Four days later, the platform updated the status of his anonymous report: "Acknowledged by vendor. Patch implemented." Shortly after, Sterling Financial issued a minor security bulletin mentioning an update to their web portal software.
[Quest Complete: Vulnerability Warning]
[Vulnerability Confirmed: Moderate Severity. Patch Verified. Bonus IP Awarded.]
[Reward: 300 IP + 150 Bonus IP Awarded.]
[Current IP: 1295 (845 + 450)]
Almost 1300 IP. He was getting significantly closer to the 1800 IP fusion threshold. This strategy was working far better than he'd hoped. It required intense mental effort and careful navigation of digital anonymity, but the rewards were substantial and the physical risks minimal compared to confronting gangs or infiltrating substations.
He allowed himself a moment of satisfaction. He checked his OmniCorp stock – still climbing, slow but steady, now worth closer to $900. Things were looking up. His financial stability was solidifying, and his path to greater power via fusion was becoming clearer. He still had the unused [Data Packet Analysis (C)] in storage, waiting for a free slot, but the B+ fusion of [Danger Intuition] and [Urban Phantom Movement] felt like the most critical next step.
He needed roughly 500 more IP. Time to dive back into the data streams. The digital ghost had work to do.