Leon worked in complete silence.
The sun outside had set hours ago, but he hadn't noticed. His world had shrunk to three screens: the system's design terminal, a blank notepad, and the early alpha version of what would become the foundation of his first project—the game engine.
He hadn't named the game yet. That could wait. What mattered now was building the first framework. And to do that, he needed to test the system's claim:
NPC Intelligence: Reactive, Autonomous, Emotionally Responsive
He typed out a scenario:
Prompt: "Create a middle-aged man named Garrett who works as a mechanic, distrusts people in suits, and has a daughter in the local school. He hates bureaucracy but volunteers at the community center on weekends. He has a fear of closed spaces."
The engine blinked, then began running code.
Garrett materialized in a preview window. His face was scruffy, his clothes stained with oil, and his voice—when tested—carried a natural tiredness, like life had worn him down in slow increments.
Leon spoke into the mic. "Why don't you trust people in suits, Garrett?"
Garrett frowned. "They never fixed anything. Just made things more complicated. My brother got screwed over by one of 'em. Took years to recover."
He didn't just say it—he remembered it. The simulated emotion, the detail in his phrasing, the cadence. It was like talking to a real man.
Leon leaned back, staring at the screen.
It worked.
SP Feedback: +2 (Micro Contribution - AI Development Refinement)
Even better: it was already earning SP.
He checked the projected yield estimate for the full launch. If the game reached 1 million downloads, he could earn close to 1 million SP—assuming the final product reached the required innovation threshold.
But then a thought hit him.
If this game really was as advanced as the system made possible, and he released it without moderation, the world wouldn't just be impressed—it would be suspicious. Disruptive technology didn't arrive in isolation. When it did, people asked questions.
Governments would dig. Corporations would probe. Developers and academics would dissect the engine down to the last line of code. If it was obvious this game came from a place 300 years beyond current industry standard... he could be compromised.
He opened a side terminal and jotted a new directive:
"Cap tech expression to 100 years ahead. Use legacy structures for surface features. Hide deep neural networks under basic API layers. Leave bugs intentionally."
SYSTEM RESPONSE: Operational camouflage accepted. Risk of discovery reduced by 82.1%. Innovation Rating remains sufficient for SP yield.
He exhaled.
That was better. Not perfect, but it bought time.
He switched tabs and opened the shop.
SP BALANCE: 20,002
SUGGESTED PURCHASE: Identity Decoupling Router – 18,000 SP
Function: Obscures network origination pathways. Further reduces chance of online traceback by 98.7%.
He bought it.
NOTE: All purchased technologies must be manually constructed using available materials or outsourced through standard industrial means.
Blueprints and fabrication instructions have been added to your SYSTEM inventory.
Leon blinked. "So I don't just get the thing—I have to actually build it?"
Affirmative. The SYSTEM does not violate causality. It accelerates advancement by knowledge transfer—not materialization.
Leon sighed. Of course. No magic. No sci-fi replication. Just cold, hard work.
Now down to 2,002 SP, he pulled up the schematics for the router. It was complex—but not impossible. Most components could be ordered discreetly online. Assembly would require precision, but the instructions were crystal clear. He could build it in a few nights.
His next thought was distribution.
NOTE: Online storefronts require legal documentation. Create shell company or digital distributor account.
That would require help. Legally, UmbraDawn could not exist as a person. But it could as a trust, fronted by anonymous board members.
He opened his encrypted messenger and typed one line to his parents' firm's trusted paralegal:
"Need an anonymous Delaware-based digital company with Singapore trust backing. Fast."
She replied within five minutes.
"Understood. We'll handle paperwork. Any IP or trademarks involved?"
Leon paused.
He typed: "Yes. One software property under development. Will license soon."
SYSTEM: Legal shell integration underway. Estimated Time to Completion: 72 hours.
He exhaled.
He wasn't used to this kind of multitasking—but the system made it easier. Everything was connected. Every layer of complexity was simplified into interfaces he could absorb.
He got up, stretched, and walked to the window. London glowed orange in the rain.
People down there were laughing. Drinking. Moving through their lives without knowing how fragile it all was.
How fragile they were.
Leon looked down at his hands.
They had never done anything special.
But now they were writing ghost code into the world.
And soon, the world would respond.