The Ledger had never looked like this before.
Balance: 56,200.00Reputation: +12 (Advanced Tier)Note: Multi‑stage contract available.
The numbers glowed in the corner of Mitya's vision as he sat in the Cleanroom, the white horizon stretching around him. The System's voice was calm, but there was an undertone he hadn't heard before — something like anticipation.
Operator: Multi‑stage contract. Scope: Pacific Rim to Eastern Europe. Reward: exceptional. Risk: elevated.
A map unfolded, lines arcing from Vladivostok to Singapore, then westward through a chain of ports and overland routes into a city whose name the System did not speak aloud. The cargo was listed only as Tier‑3 Sensitive — which meant it was valuable enough to draw predators from every direction.
Stage One – The Hook
The first stage was simple on paper: secure the cargo in Singapore and move it to a holding facility in Vladivostok. The Influence module lit up with pre‑emptive moves — bribes to port officials, false manifests seeded into customs databases, a quiet rumor that the shipment was cursed.
Vega and four operatives were deployed. The pickup in Singapore was smooth — too smooth. Mitya's instincts prickled. The container was sealed, the paperwork perfect, the dockworkers indifferent. Either the System's groundwork had been flawless, or someone wanted him to think it had.
Stage Two – The Net
Back in Vladivostok, the cargo was transferred to a secure warehouse. The System's next instruction was to split it into three separate shipments, each taking a different route west. One by rail through Siberia, one by freighter to the Black Sea, one by air under diplomatic cover.
Mitya watched the map fracture into three glowing threads. The risk was obvious: if one was intercepted, the others might still make it. But it also meant three times the exposure.
Stage Three – The Teeth
The first trouble came on the rail line. A "random" inspection in Novosibirsk turned into a standoff when local security forces insisted on opening the container. Vega handled it with quiet efficiency — a forged order from a higher authority, delivered via the System's secure channel, had the inspectors waving them through within minutes.
The freighter route was worse. Halfway across the Black Sea, a fast boat approached under cover of night. The operatives repelled the boarders, but not before one of them got a look inside the container. Mitya knew that meant word would spread.
Stage Four – The Feast
By the time the three shipments converged in the unnamed Eastern European city, the Ledger was already climbing. The buyer's confirmation came in three separate pings, each one adding a chunk to his balance.
Ledger: 96,200.00Reputation: +15 (Advanced Tier)Note: Multi‑stage contract — complete.
It was more money than he'd ever seen in one place. Enough to buy a building, a fleet, a new life. Enough to make him a target.
The Choir Speaks
That night, in the shadow network's encrypted forums, the Choir spoke his name openly for the first time.
Vendor 317 — flawless execution. Multi‑stage, multi‑theatre. No collateral.Potential Tier‑1 candidate.Monitor closely.
Mitya didn't see the messages, but he felt the shift. The System's interface seemed sharper, the contracts more complex, the stakes higher.
The Paranoia
Wealth didn't feel like freedom. It felt like weight.
Every time he walked through the market, he caught himself scanning faces. Every time a car slowed near him, his hand drifted toward the weapon under his coat. The Influence module showed ripples he hadn't intended — rival crews probing his routes, buyers testing his reliability with small, strange requests.
Anya noticed the change. "You're somewhere else lately," she said one evening, her eyes searching his. "Even when you're here."
"I'm just tired," he lied.
Sable's Warning
Sable appeared at his door without calling, leaning against the frame like he owned the place.
"Big payday," Sable said. "Word travels."
"I keep my work quiet."
"You keep it quieter than most. But nothing's invisible forever. You're on the menu now."
Mitya didn't ask what he meant. He already knew.
The Cleanroom Again
Back in the Cleanroom, the System displayed his updated stats. The numbers were impressive, but they felt like a spotlight.
Operator: Tier‑1 access possible with next contract.
Tier‑1. The highest level. The place where the real power moved. And the place where mistakes were fatal.
Mitya closed the display. The feast was over. Now came the part where everyone wanted a piece.