The encrypted message came through just after midnight:
"TRADE REQUEST: FROM REALM 'SANGUE'TIERA' – UNREGISTERED.Currency Type: Hemoglyphs & Memory ShardsTrade Mode: Bio-Negotiated Exchange
Item Offered: 'Living Spinal Coral' [Enhances spatial trading memory]
Item Requested: 2x Regulated Pulse Binders + 1x Crate of Synth-Lung Extractors
Warning: Biological transaction—requires emotional tethering."**
Kai blinked.
"Bio-negotiated exchange? That's... rare," Yena muttered, peering at the glyphs on his interface. "Most traders don't touch that stuff. Too invasive. Too... personal."
"Exactly why it's valuable," Kai replied, fingers already moving.
The Realm of Sangue'tiera wasn't on the Chain maps. From what Kai could gather, it was an organic civilization built entirely within the blood vessels of a dead space leviathan. Its citizens used emotions, memories, and body essence as currency—selling decades of joy or hate to purchase goods.
The deal was risky. But the profit margins?
Insane.
The Living Spinal Coral they offered had been banned by three separate guilds for enabling multi-layered trade recall—a passive, biological memory enhancer that allowed traders to simultaneously manage up to ten negotiations across parallel realities.
If he could integrate it into Echo, he'd become ten times faster.
But there was a catch.
To finalize the deal, Sangue'tiera's protocol required Kai to tether a personal memory—a formative emotional imprint—to activate the transaction bond.
Kai closed his eyes.
"I'll give it," he whispered. "The day I lost everything."
Memory Submitted:→ The Collapse of Outpost Delta→ Identity Tag: KAI THORNE→ Emotional Index: 93% Saturation – Despair, Isolation, Resolve
Bio-Signature Verified. Trade Executed.
The coral shimmered into existence on Kai's desk, pulsing with a faint red glow. It latched onto Echo's core and spread organically, wrapping around the interface like roots claiming soil.
Echo Update: Neural Parallel Trade Memory Activated. Slots: 1/10
Kai exhaled slowly.
"That's… fast."
Minutes later, three more trade requests came in—simultaneously.
Normally, he would queue them. Now, he handled all three at once, negotiating materials with a lunar smuggler, bartering enchant-glass with a dwarf-forged station, and closing a salvage deal with a forgotten A.I. node overrun by pirates.
Yena watched, amazed. "You're not just speeding up. You're evolving."
Kai grinned. "The market moves. I move faster."
Two Days Later – Warehouse Interior
The profits poured in.
Kai sold the salvaged lunar gear to backwater colonies for a 400% markup. The enchant-glass went to an artifact restorer on Nova Prime. And the A.I. core? He used it to power a sub-dimensional trade siphon, letting him reroute minor deals through collapsing realms at a discount.
His balance surged.
But with that growth came new whispers. Not just from Chain informants… but from traders.
A message arrived—simple and chilling.
"We see you, Kai Thorne.When the market breathes, we listen.
You're close to qualifying for the Merchant Moon Summit.
But first… prove you can hold a region."
Yena leaned over. "That's not a message. That's a challenge."
Kai nodded. "Then let's claim territory."
Current Status:
Kai successfully negotiated with Sangue'tiera, a forbidden realm trading in memories and emotion. By sacrificing a traumatic core memory, he unlocked the first stage of Neural Parallel Trading, vastly improving his efficiency.
In just two days, Kai completed seven high-efficiency trades and doubled his inventory turnover rate. He now draws attention not just from the Chain—but from the hidden elite who oversee ungoverned trade empires.
He's been marked as a candidate for the Merchant Moon Summit, an inter-realm market guild shrouded in secrecy.
He now stands at:Cosmic Units: 938.9 C.U.Earth Credits: 494.5Trade Skill Tier: High-Rank 3 (Approaching Rank 4)Notoriety: ModerateTerritorial Control: 0(Challenge Pending)
📌 Author's Note:
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— S.A.