Boundless Chronicles

Chapter 8: System Exploitation, III

Noël looked down at the floor plate beneath his boot. To be exact, it wasn't just one. He pushed a Small amount of energy into his eyes. Faint, Crisscrossing red lasers appeared in the dark tunnel ahead.

A Hegemony plasma minefield.

"W-What is that?" Elara Stammered, freezing right behind him.

Lyra Thorne tossed her hydro-spanner into the air and Caught it. She pushed her heavy welding goggles up to her forehead.

"It's a toll booth," Lyra Said smoothly. "Three thousand Tributes. Or you can take another Step and get vaporized. Your Choice, vagrant."

Noël looked at her and made a slightly Complicated expression.

In the fourth timeline, Lyra Thorne was a genius engineer who Carried the fallen Thorne clan on her back. She was obsessed with hoarding Tribute to buy back her family's Seized assets from the Syndicate. A Single Tier 2 mine could vaporize a Vanguard drop-pod. Noël's overall Stats were completely insufficient to Survive a blast.

He asked a blunt question. "Did you place these mines?"

"Obviously. I rigged them from leftover Vanguard Scraps."

"Are you a registered Citizen of the Underground City?"

Lyra frowned. "No. I am a provisional Scavenger. Why?"

Noël tapped his Codex interface. He didn't need to fight her. The Combat power gap didn't matter when he understood the administrative laws better than the System itself.

"Scan this tunnel for an administrative violation," he Said aloud.

[The Codex algorithm is Scanning the local environment.]

"Under Section 12 of the Subterranean Charter," Noël Continued, "provisional Scavengers cannot lay Tier 2 ordnance in a public transit zone without a permit."

Lyra's eyes widened. "…Wait a minute."

[Administrative Scan complete.]

[An illegal ordnance placement has been detected.]

[The provisional Scavenger 'Lyra Thorne' is being fined 5,000 Tribute.]

"What?!" Lyra Screamed, dropping her hydro-spanner onto the Concrete.

[If the fine is not paid within 60 seconds, the Codex will manually detonate the explosives to Clear the violation.]

Lyra made a pale expression. Detonating the explosives would kill all of them. But she was Standing Closest to the blast Center. Her overall Stats were too low to Survive a Tier 2 explosion.

"You crazy bastard!" Lyra shouted, pointing a trembling finger at Noël. "I don't have 5,000 Tributes! I just got down here!"

[The Gallery-being 'The Auditor of Ash' is amused by your ruthless legal trap.]

[The Gallery-being 'The Hollow Cartographer' nods at your geographical exploitation.]

[300 Tributes have been Sponsored.]

Noël Smiled and Said, "Don't worry. I will protect you. I will pay the fine on your behalf."

Of Course, he had no intention of handing over the Tribute out of goodwill.

"In exchange, you Sign a binding party Contract with me," he Said. "A 7:3 Split on all engineering loot. And you disarm this minefield right now."

Lyra gritted her teeth. She looked at the flashing red timer floating in the air.

[Detonation in 45 Seconds.]

"Fine! I accept! You damn Scammer!"

[A Party Contract has been Concluded with the provisional Scavenger 'Lyra Thorne'.]

[You have paid the 5,000 Tribute fine on behalf of your party member.]

[Current Tribute: 1,050]

Noël's balance was ruined. Regardless, gaining an engineer of her caliber in the early Scenarios was an absolute necessity. They Couldn't Clear the Underground City without someone who could manipulate mechanical Variables.

Lyra Snatched her hydro-spanner from the ground. She moved rapidly through the red lasers.

Kakakang! Tiing!

She hit the Control panels of the mines with precise, violent Strikes. The red lasers flickered and faded into nothingness.

"Done," she panted, glaring at Noël. "I'll get cancer because of you."

Noël didn't waste time. "Run."

They sprinted down the dark tunnel.

Kuuong!

The ground shook violently behind them. The entrance to the Surface completely Collapsed under the weight of the Vanguard's artillery bombardment above, blocking out the last Sliver of gray light. They were plunged into deep darkness.

Only the faint blue glow of their Codex interfaces provided illumination. They walked in Silence for twenty minutes. The freezing air drifting up from the abyss felt exactly like the graveyard of Noël's past lives.

[Mnemonic Ledger: 5 / 60 Fractures]

A dull ache throbbed in his temples. The burden of his ghost-memories was heavy.

Elara was Shivering from the Cold. Lyra kept glaring at the back of Noël's head.

"You eat it all alone," Lyra muttered. "Using the System laws like a hitman. Who taught you that?"

Noël didn't answer. He pulled a Small, Silver Cube out of his pocket. It was the Random Item Box (Tier 1) he had acquired from the Null Executioner in the transit plaza.

'Open.'

[You have opened the Random Item Box (Tier 1).]

A bright light flashed in the dark tunnel.

[You have acquired the item 'Luminescent Moss Spores' (F-grade).]

Noël made a dark expression. F-grade moss? This was garbage.

"Pfft." Lyra laughed, Crossing her arms. "Your luck is terrible."

He ignored her and looked at the green Spores in his palm. In the first place, there were no useless items in a Codex Trial. It just depended on how the mechanics were Stacked.

He opened his mouth. "Lyra-ssi. Do you have a thermal ignition Capsule?"

She Stopped laughing. "I do. But they are expensive."

"Give it to me. I'll deduct it from your debt."

She clicked her tongue and tossed him a Small red Cylinder.

Noël Crushed the moss Spores and mixed them with the ignition Capsule inside an empty ration tin he found near the rubble.

"What is this bastard doing?" Lyra asked Elara.

Elara just shook her head and made a blank expression.

Noël firmly planted his feet and twisted the Cap of the Cylinder.

Chiiiik!

The Chemical reaction Started. The tin didn't explode. Instead, a blinding, Sustained blue flare shot out from the top, illuminating the massive Cavern they had just entered.

They were Standing on a broken overpass. Below them was the first layer of the Underground City. It was a graveyard of rusted buildings, Collapsed Sky-bridges, and massive iron pipes Stretching into the dark.

[You have reached the first layer of the subterranean ruins.]

[Main Trial #3 has been Cleared.]

[2,000 Tributes have been acquired.]

[Current Tribute: 3,050]

Noël immediately Checked his Stats.

[Physique Lv. 15]

[Agility Lv. 20]

[Strength Lv. 15]

[Cognition Lv. 4]

He poured 3,000 Tribute into his Stats without hesitation.

[3,000 Tributes have been Consumed!]

[Your Cognition has increased to Lv. 10!]

His Senses Sharpened, and the heavy fatigue accumulated from the Surface breach was washed away.

Kuuong!

A massive vibration shook the Concrete overpass.

Noël quickly looked down. The blue light from his makeshift flare illuminated the bottom of the Cavern.

Thousands of pairs of red eyes opened in the darkness.

"W-What is that?" Elara Stuttered.

"D-Don't tell me..." Lyra Stepped back, her face draining of Color.

They weren't Tomb Walkers. They were insectoid Creatures the size of wolves, with Scythe-like appendages that Scraped against the rusted metal.

[A Sudden Variable has occurred in the Trial!]

[The 'Abyssal Swarm' has awakened early due to the intense light Source.]

Noël looked at the System message and made a blank expression.

…I was Stupid.

He had forgotten that the Underground City's ecosystem was highly Sensitive to light. The mainstream group would be completely wiped out if they dropped a flare here.

[Sub Trial: The Endless Swarm]

Category: Sub

Difficulty: C

Clear Conditions: Survive the swarm until the transit train arrives.

Time Limit: 15 minutes.

Compensation: 3,000 Tributes.

Failure: Eaten alive.

A loud, piercing Screech echoed through the Cavern. The swarm Started rapidly Climbing the massive Concrete pillars of the overpass, their sheer numbers looking like a rising black tide.

Noël gripped the rusted iron pipe tightly.