Chapter 8: The Price of Truth

  Kael led the way through the crumbling underbelly of Zone 7B. The air was thick with the stench of old data and decay. Jin struggled to keep up as she moved with practiced ease, her steps never faltering despite the unstable ground beneath them. She didn’t seem to mind the danger here. To her, it was just another day.

  They reached an old access tunnel—hidden from the untrained eye, marked only by faint, flickering symbols etched into the walls. The moment they stepped inside, the chaotic hum of the zone’s failing systems faded, leaving behind a heavy silence.

  Kael paused, pressing her palm against a control panel. The door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing a dimly lit room filled with old terminals, discarded crates, and forgotten gear. A safehouse—well-hidden enough that only those who knew where to look would find it.

  Jin exhaled, tension in his shoulders finally releasing. For now, they were safe.

  Kael shut the door behind them, locking it with a series of swift movements before setting her bag down. She pulled out a small, portable data reader and connected it to the memory node Jin had stolen. A few taps, and it began running diagnostics, the green glow of the node casting faint shadows on her face.

  “Is this really what I think it is?” Jin asked, eyeing the pulsating node with unease.

  Kael gnced up from her work, her face serious. “It’s a fragment of the original core systems. Pre-colpse.” She swiped across the screen, the diagnostic process running at high speed. “This could open up access to parts of Echelon’s forbidden yers—the kind most factions can’t even get close to.”

  “And we’re just going to look at it?” Jin asked dryly.

  Kael smiled faintly, her eyes distant. “Of course not. We’re going to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.” She moved to a nearby terminal, typing in a series of commands. The screen flickered before dispying a detailed map of Echelon’s deeper, more dangerous zones—pces Jin didn’t even know existed.

  Jin raised an eyebrow, curiosity creeping into his voice. “And what’s the catch?”

  Kael’s gaze met his, her expression unreadable. “Survival.”

  Jin scoffed. “I was hoping for something a little more concrete.”

  Kael didn’t flinch, her voice calm but firm. “This is Echelon. Nothing is concrete.” She walked to the back of the room and retrieved an old, battered case, setting it down in front of him. “Inside, there’s gear. Things you’ll need if you pn on making it out of the next few zones alive. Once you’ve got it, you’ll be marked. By both sides.”

  Jin looked at the case, then back at her, wary. “Marked for what?”

  Her lips curled into a dark, knowing smile. “The real game’s about to begin.”

  Jin hesitated, the weight of the node in his pocket suddenly feeling heavier. The tension in the room thickened, a quiet pressure building between them. There was no turning back now.

  He stepped forward and opened the case.

  Inside was a mix of combat gear—two Null Knives, a few grenades, and a small device with a strange symbol on it. Jin picked it up, turning it over in his hand. What was this? A key to something deeper?

  As he held it, the Cheat Module blinked in his peripheral vision.

  [CHEAT MODULE ALERT]

  [Behavioral Forecast Active: New Item Detected]

  [Optimal Use: Unknown]

  The screen within his vision flickered, giving him a momentary glimpse of a digital interface, suggesting possible applications for the device. The Cheat Module buzzed, showing a series of potential “shortcuts” that could be unlocked with the strange item.

  “Don’t forget,” Kael’s voice cut through his thoughts. “This is just the beginning. Once you cross the line, there’s no going back. Understand?”

  Jin tightened his grip on the device, his pulse quickening. The Cheat Module was reacting to the item, fshing new patterns across his vision.

  [CHEAT MODULE ALERT]

  [Warning: Unverified Item. Risk of Permanent System Error]

  [Option: Accept Risk – Unlock New Feature: ‘Cipher Breaker’]

  The Cheat Module fshed the warning in stark red. Jin hesitated, the digital prompt staring at him, daring him to make a decision.

  “Are you going to use it or just stand there?” Kael’s voice was cold, her eyes scanning the room, waiting.

  Jin’s finger hovered over the accept button. The system was offering him something dangerous, something that could unlock deeper yers of Echelon—but also risk corrupting his already unstable system.

  With a single motion, Jin selected the option.

  [CHEAT MODULE INITIATED: CIPHER BREAKER UNLOCKED]

  A sudden surge of data flooded his mind. He staggered back, his vision momentarily bcking out as the Cheat Module integrated the new feature. The pain was sharp, like a system overload, but when it cleared, a new interface appeared in his vision: a glowing, intricate map of encrypted yers within Echelon.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Jin muttered to himself, trying to shake off the disorienting feeling. This was going to be more complicated than he thought.

  Kael eyed him, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Didn’t take you for the impulsive type.”

  Jin didn’t respond immediately, still processing what had just happened. The Cheat Module had unlocked something far more powerful than he had expected—and it was now a part of him.

  “What does this do?” he asked, trying to steady himself.

  Kael’s gaze softened slightly, though her expression remained serious. “It’s a key. A backdoor into the deeper parts of Echelon. But it comes with a price.”

  Jin swallowed, his fingers tightening around the device in his hand. “I’m guessing this is where things get real.”

  Kael nodded, her eyes flicking to the map dispyed in Jin’s vision. “From here on, you’ll be hunted. Both sides will be after you. But with that device, you’ve got a shot at finding out what really happened to Echelon.”

  The weight of the situation settled in his chest, but there was no turning back now.

  “I’m in,” Jin said quietly, his hand still gripping the device.

  Kael’s lips curled into a knowing smile. “Good. Just remember one thing: Echelon is built on lies. Trust nothing. Not even me.”

  Jin gnced at the map in his vision once more, tracing his finger along the newly revealed encrypted zones. The next step was clear, but so was the danger.

  “It’s time,” he muttered, the words now feeling heavier than before.

  With that, Kael moved toward the door, Jin following close behind. The faint hum of the failing systems was the only sound, a constant reminder that the world around them was disintegrating.