The bronze seals of the Final Gate parted with a soft hiss. Colder air flowed through, carrying the faint, metallic scent of deep-system machinery. The sodium lights here hummed at a lower, dimmer frequency. On the wall, the registry holoplate tree glowed, the masked node "—" pulsing ominously above Procurement Sub-Unit 2. Measured, unhurried footsteps echoed from the shadows ahead.
Qin Ye executed a Quiet Pivot, solidifying the triad's formation. "Public route parity remains until final posting. Clause 3.2."
---
His fingers brushed the keystone rail of the gate arch.
[Daily Sign-In available.]
[Location: Keystone Rail.]
[Sign-In? Yes / No]
Yes.
[Ding! Sign-In successful!]
[Reward: Registrar Thread (Lv.1, 20 breaths — reveal masked user workflow paths & clause hooks) + White Audit Tag (1 use — force local zone to "public audit only" for 5 breaths; blocks private routes & silent edits).]
---
The Registrar Plays Clean — Then Crooked.
A figure emerged from the shadows, robes denoting a high-level registrar. "Legacy registry maintenance is required. The 'Null Crest' is a harmless internal mark. We will reclassify and resume standard, closed procedures."
"The public index parity clause forbids reclassification during active audit. Clause 5.8," Qin Ye countered.
The real proctor stamped the log in agreement.
The Registrar Thread activated in Qin Ye's mind. It highlighted a hidden workflow pane the registrar was about to access—a silent edit path.
---
White Audit Pulse.
The overhead panels flickered. "Device Witness bandwidth conservation initiated," a system voice announced, attempting to gray-out the live feed.
Qin Ye planted the White Audit Tag.
The zone flashed white for five breaths. Every console, every log, was forced into public audit mode. All edits would echo through the hall.
[Ding! Micro-Goal: "Flood the Zone White."]
[Reward: +150,000 Spirit Stones; Proctors: Reputation +1 (situational).]
---
Twin Tasks Under Timer.
Two smaller consoles lit up. Left: "Index Echo" — to push the public status of the Null Crest to the main Assembly index. Right: "Route Seal" — to finalize their public route record.
Qin Ye and Lin Xiu split via a Shadow Duet Step, each moving to a console. Yue Hong hesitated for a breath. A single, sharp tap of Qin Ye's thigh pulled him into phase, directing him to support the Route Seal.
---
Interference Without Contact.
A vent surged. A heavy crate slid on a track, threatening to block the Device Witness's line-of-sight. A maintenance worker's hand hovered near a sensor panel.
Qin Ye used a Silent Step to hinge around the obstruction, a non-contact Blade Nudge with his baton ensuring Lin Xiu maintained her angle. The line-of-sight held. The real proctor stamped: "No reset."
[Ding! Optional Objective unlocked: "Finish Integration with zero halts & zero resets." — Reward: Technique Cache (procedural, advanced, locked).]
---
Index Echo — Nameplate Locks in Public.
Qin Ye executed the Index Echo. A mirror panel in the Assembly Hall lit up, displaying: "Null Crest — under audit (public)."
The registrar attempted a masked supersede, his fingers flying over a hidden pane. The Registrar Thread illuminated the specific clause he was exploiting.
"Clause 7.3 prohibits supersedes during public echo transmission," Qin Ye cited, blocking the action.
[Ding! Micro-Goal: "Echo the Crest to Hall."]
[Reward: +150,000 Spirit Stones; Chain Continuity +1 (situational).]
---
Route Seal — Tri Confirm Under Pressure.
The Route Seal console required a three-palm confirm. Qin Ye and Lin Xiu were ready. Yue Hong was two beats behind. A Quiet Pivot from Qin Ye opened a legal angle for him. The third palm landed. The seal engaged.
The registrar threw a final wedge. "Format bench mismatch. Invalid."
The real proctor denied it with a sharp stamp. "Console is certified for public route finalization."
[Ding! Micro-Goal: "Seal the Route Public."]
[Reward: +150,000 Spirit Stones; Squad Coordination +3% (situational).]
---
Masked Node Reveal — Partial.
Boxed in, the registrar gestured dismissively. "The node is Proc-Hub... an automated script above Sub-Unit 2. A glitch."
"Badge-anchored hash for the reveal," Qin Ye demanded.
The registrar complied, but the Device Witness displayed the hash—it didn't match his current hall login. A concrete clue.
---
Finish Sequence.
They did not stop. They did not reset. The triad flowed as one to the Final Posting console, their steps silent and surgical.
[Ding! Optional Objective completed: Finish Integration with zero halts & zero resets.]
[Reward: Technique Cache (procedural, advanced, unlocked).]
---
Trial Completion & Rewards.
The corridor lights cooled to a steady white. The Integration Trial was over.
[Ding! Integration Trial completed — Squad 7.]
[Rewards: Inner Gate Procedural Merit +1; Evidence Seal (master) +1; +500,000 Spirit Stones.]
The real proctor posted the Final Posting. The Assembly index now publicly showed the Null Crest under audit. The upper node was still "—", but now anchored to the attempted reveal hash.
---
Ending Hook.
The main board updated: "Inner Gate Exam — Core Trials (7 days)."
On a high balcony overlooking the hall, He Rulong stood, his gaze meeting Qin Ye's for a single, weighted moment. No words were exchanged.
The masked node "—" pulsed once on the registry tree, then compressed into a single clause citation number on Qin Ye's HUD, a seed of the next conflict.
[Ding! Main Quest updated — Inner Gate Exam: 7 days.]