The iron box did not open easily. Sebastian tensed his shoulders, feeling the rusty metal become soft under his fingers like wet cardboard. It was a strange, almost scary feeling — he was not used to his own body bending steel so easily. The lid finally flew off, hitting the concrete floor with a loud clang that echoed through the entire collector.
Inside, there was no gold or amazing weapons. In the dim light of Resonance, he saw only three grey crystals and an old metal plate covered in thick oil. Sebastian carefully picked up one of the crystals. It was cold and vibrated slightly in his palm. As soon as his fingers squeezed the edges, a message flashed in the corner of his eye.
[Experience gained: 43 XP]
A wave of warmth spread through his body. It felt like a cup of strong coffee after a sleepless night — the fatigue didn't vanish, but his heart beat faster. He hid the rest of the find in his pocket. A rustling sound came from deep in the tunnels again. The creatures he had distracted were returning. Sebastian did not wait. He turned and ran back through the stench and darkness, trying not to think about how many tons of concrete and dirt were above his head.
—
Heloplex greeted him with a cold wind that carried the smell of burnt plastic. Sebastian carefully climbed out of the manhole, looking around. The world seemed the same as before, but the blue panel before his eyes reminded him of something else.
[Experience: 213 / 400]
The numbers showed that he was only halfway to the next mark. Sebastian felt only fatigue. His legs were heavy, and his back ached from the tension. He was still just a guy in an old jacket, trying not to attract the attention of Aegis patrol drones. On the way home, he stopped at a cluttered shop owned by Bruno the dealer.
"Dull shards. Quality is total trash," the old man grunted, throwing the crystals on the scale. "I'll give you eight hundred credits for everything. Don't ask for more."
Sebastian silently took the money. Eight hundred credits. It would be enough for a week of decent food, but his knife looked terrible after the fight with the Brute. Ordinary steel simply could not withstand the pressure Sebastian could now create with a single move of his hand.
—
The apartment was dark. Ariana sat in a chair, wrapped in an old blanket. She was not sleeping. Her gaze was so full of fear that Sebastian stopped in the doorway for a moment.
"You were there again," it was not a question.
"I found a job, Mom. In the Rotten Sector, at the warehouses. They pay in cash," he laid some of the credits on the table.
Ariana did not even look at the money. She looked at his hands, covered in dirt. "Your father also said it was just a job. Sebastian, these numbers... what you see now... it is not a gift. It is a mark that attracts death."
Sebastian did not answer. He went to his room and lay on the bed in his clothes. He focused, feeling the energy from the absorbed crystals slowly spread through his muscles. It was painful — like hundreds of small needles pricking his body at once, making it denser.