The EEP system update arrived just after local midnight.
Welcome, Tier-4 TraderThe Trader Exchange Hub is now available.You may now:— View listed items from 400+ nearby traders— Post items for cosmic exchange (CU-based)— Set up Automated Barter Listings— Access Tier-4 Trader Forum (Read-Only)
NOTE: Abuse of system or price destabilization will result in permanent blacklisting.
I blinked at the flickering menu.
It wasn't just a UI—it was a gateway. A universe of opportunity laid out in charts, grids, and blinking trade cards.
Yena leaned over my shoulder, chewing a protein wafer.
"You're going to post something, right?"
"Not yet," I said. "First, I need to see what people want."
Market Observation Log – Hour 01
Top Demand (Local Sector Cluster):
Cooling Fibers (Organic)
Dry Energy Nodes
Low-Grade Nanogels
Pre-war Tools (Tier 2-3)
Nutrient Packs (Compact)
Top Supply (Overabundant/Low Price):
NullTech Glass
Scrap Drones
AI Cores (Tier 1)
Earthling Audio Devices (Pre-Historic)
I scrolled deeper.
A few names kept popping up — traders from nearby systems moving bulk units of mid-tier materials.
One of them stood out: "Drax Varin". Tier-5. Listed as "Authorized Planetwide Supplier, Tradepost Varin Prime."
He was dominating the nanogel market.
And undercutting prices.
I couldn't beat him head-on.
But I had something he didn't.
History. Earth junk. Curios. Pre-war memorabilia.
Most traders ignored it. Too niche. Too weird.
But there was one active buy request from a collector tagged "GENESIS: Blue-Spec Core Archive."
They were paying 8 C.U. for ancient preserved books.
I dug through the sealed box I'd salvaged last week, praying.
And there it was—wrapped in film, edges crisp despite age.
"The Stars, Our Inheritance" – Hardcover – Year 2089 – English
I listed it immediately.
[Posted Item: Pre-Historic Book (Earth) – 1 Copy]Category: Historical MediaAsk: 8.5 C.U.Visibility: Global Tier-4+ OnlyDescription: "Verified original Earth edition, pre-war binding. No replicas."Trade Condition: Must be system-verified before CU transfer.
Thirty minutes later…
[Item Purchased by GENESIS: Archive Division]Buyer Transfer: +8.5 C.U.System Fee: -0.5 C.U.Net Gain: 8.0 C.U.
I stared at the number.
I hadn't seen a positive CU total in days. I hadn't earned this much from a single sale ever.
Yena whistled. "That's enough to cover system relay fees for a week."
I nodded. "That's not the point."
She tilted her head. "Then what is?"
"The point is…" I said, eyes still fixed on the Trader Exchange, "we're not scavengers anymore. We're suppliers."
Over the next 24 hours, I:
Bought two lots of dry energy nodes at a slight markup (2 C.U.)
Repurposed and relisted them as micro-reactor jumpstarters (renamed, rebranded)
Sold one batch to a Tier-4 mining post for 4.4 C.U.
Traded the second batch for a sealed Tier-2 Filter Mask kit (market value: 3.5 C.U.)
Total net profit: ~5.9 C.U.
It was slow, yes.
But it was working.
The strategy was simple: Identify undervalued items. Add value. Relist smart.
I became a value flipper, not just a trader.
The next big turning point came that night.
A trader called Veyn pinged me directly.
VEYN (Tier-4):"Saw your energy node flip. You package them well.I've got 30 units of inert plasmatic cells, dead stock.Want to rebrand and split CU 70/30?"
ME:"70/30 in your favor?"
VEYN:"You're new. Consider it a test."
I thought about it.
Declining meant I'd lose the contact. Accepting meant potential exposure—but also a new product line.
ME:"Fine. Send the units."
Within two hours, I received the shipment.
Within six, I had them listed as "CoreSafe Emergency Plasma Boosters (C.E.P.B.)", with a stylized holo-card and a made-up use case that sounded just plausible enough.
I sold 5 within the first cycle. Small buyers. Small trust.
Still—progress.
[C.U. Earnings: +4.6][Reputation Gain: +2][Trader VEYN: Relationship Improved – Tagged as Ally (Neutral+)]
But not everyone was happy.
A message came in at dawn. Anonymous.
"Stay in your lane. History is fine.Touch power cores again, and we'll gut your listing queue."
Threat?
Warning?
The system didn't flag it.
But I tagged the message. Logged the time. Saved the ID hash.
Yena frowned when she read it.
"You think it's Varin?"
"Maybe," I said. "Or someone who works for him."
She looked at me. "Are you going to stop?"
I looked back at the list of new orders.
3 new buyers. 2 repeat orders. 11.8 C.U. balance.
"No," I said. "I'm going to expand."
Current Status:
Kai now has 11.8 C.U. and 82.3 Earth Credits, with one historical rare book successfully sold and a new product line—C.E.P.B.—entering the mid-tier energy trade market. He has a working trade relationship with a Tier-4 trader (Veyn), has received his first veiled threat from a competitor, and is beginning to earn both visibility and enemies in the Trader Exchange. His assistant Yena continues supporting packaging, branding, and local logistics.
Kai's reputation is growing. And with it… his danger level.
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