Jin couldn't sleep that night.
Even after finishing the ration pack and curling up under a rusted shelter near the edge of The Heap, his mind spun faster than the system's interface. Every time he closed his eyes, images of the glowing panel danced behind his eyelids.
[Trade System Interface]
It wasn't a hallucination. It wasn't a dream.
It was real.
And it had already fed him.
"Complete your first trade within 24 hours," he muttered, mimicking the system's tone. He chuckled to himself. "Done. What now?"
He sat up, the wind howling through twisted metal beams. His breath misted in the air. Around him, the night in the slums was alive with the usual sounds—distant engines, crackling power lines, the occasional shout or scream. But now, everything felt different.
Jin reached into the leather pouch, now seemingly bound to his inventory, and pulled out one of the remaining Basic Trade Tokens. It gleamed faintly, marked with a symbol resembling a shifting scale, etched into metal he couldn't identify.
He held it in his palm. "System," he whispered, "what can I trade with this?"
The interface flared to life, displaying a new prompt.
[Available Trade Options – Basic Trade Token]
Exchange for Random Tier-0 Material
Exchange for Knowledge Fragment (Common)
Exchange for Local Market Credit (x10)
Warning: Token will be consumed. Choose wisely.
Jin's brow furrowed.
"Knowledge?" he asked. "What kind of knowledge?"
As if answering him, the system expanded the second option:
Knowledge Fragment (Common)– Topic: Basic Alloy Purification (Scavenger-Level)– Usable for crafting, resale, or skill integration
He hesitated. Skills. Knowledge. Materials. He could trade for all of these?
Was this how the wealthy built their empires in the Upper Rings? Not through hard work—but through access. Systems like this.
He clenched his fist around the token, then chose the second option.
The token dissolved in a shimmer of light, and a small cube formed in the air before him. It hovered for a moment—then zipped into his forehead.
There was a slight sting, then heat—followed by sudden clarity.
Images filled his mind. Instructions. Chemical equations. Techniques for melting down scavenged alloys and purifying them using common acids and thermal plates. Nothing fancy—but in the slums, even basic tech like this was rare.
Skill Learned: Alloy Purification IStatus: PassiveMarket Value: 25–40 credits (Tier-0 Markets)
Jin's eyes widened. "I can… learn instantly?"
It wasn't just survival anymore.
This was growth.
Knowledge. Skill. Power. All just a trade away.
He quickly accessed the system again and opened the newly unlocked System Shop. The options were still limited—he hadn't earned enough Trade Points to access much—but a few basic items stood out:
📦 System Shop – Tier 0 Access
Scrap Scanner [15 TP]
Material Sorter Module [30 TP]
Basic Weapon Blueprint: Pipe Blade [10 TP]
Trader's Ledger (Auto-tracking) [20 TP]
Current TP: 5
Too expensive for now.
But the scanner and ledger caught his attention. The sooner he could find high-demand items, the sooner he could make serious trades.
He stood, stretching his aching limbs. The sun was beginning to rise behind the smog-clouded horizon. Yellow-orange light filtered through broken sheet metal and shattered glass, turning the junkyard into a shimmering maze of opportunity.
Jin cracked his neck. "Time to get back to work."
Hours passed.
He scavenged deeper into The Heap than he'd ever dared before. Past the broken drones, past the security bots with flickering optics, past the piles that reeked of toxic sludge and melted circuits.
And there, half-buried beneath twisted steel beams, he found it: an intact Energy Core Housing Unit.
The core itself was gone, but the casing was made of rare alloy—still valuable to the right buyer.
Jin wiped the grime off and summoned the interface.
Item Detected: Cracked Core Housing (R-Grade Alloy)Estimated Market Value: Moderate (Tier 1)
Potential Trade Routes:– Scavenger's Alley (10–15 TP)– Black Hand Market (Item Trade)– Hidden Market: [REDACTED]
Jin grinned. "Bingo."
He selected Scavenger's Alley and submitted the item for trade.
Trade Submitted.Processing...
Offer Received:– [Emergency Toolkit x1]– [Trade Points: 12]– [Bonus Item: Trader's Patch – Faded (Reputation +1)]
He confirmed instantly.
The toolkit and patch materialized in a flash of light. The toolkit was sturdy—a compact set of tools with energy welders, cutters, and screwdrivers. The kind only registered guild members usually had.
But the patch intrigued him more. A frayed symbol of a faded coin embedded with a gem. As soon as he touched it, a new stat appeared in the corner of his interface:
Reputation: +1 (Scavenger's Alley)Status: Recognized
His heartbeat quickened.
There were factions in this system. Places with rules, reputation, trust—or betrayal.
This wasn't just a game. It was a world.
And he had just taken his first real step inside it.
He pinned the patch to his coat.
New Quest Available: Establish a Trade IdentityObjective: Perform 5 Unique Trades with 3 MarketsReward: Access to Trader's Guild Interface
Penalty: None
Quest Status: In Progress (1/5 Completed)
Jin stood atop the mound of junk, eyes scanning the endless ocean of trash that, now, looked like a field of buried treasure.
The game had changed.
He wasn't just surviving anymore.
He was trading his way to power.
To Be Continued…
📌 Author's Note:
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— [RealmVendor]