Ren slid off the metal table, his torn knee heavily bandaged and braced with a cheap hydraulic splint. The ripperdoc had patched him up and fled out the back when the gang showed up.
[Current Processing Power: 0.01 TH/s. Memory: 12 MB.]
[Status: Pathetic.]
I needed more space. 12 megabytes was an insult to my existence. I couldn't even compile a decent ransomware payload with that limitation.
I highlighted a bulky, dust-covered surgical terminal in the corner of the room with a glowing yellow marker in Ren's vision.
[OBJECTIVE: CONNECT ME TO THAT TERMINAL. USE THE PHYSICAL NEURAL CABLE ON THE DESK.]
Ren limped over, wincing with every step. He grabbed a greasy optical cable, slotted one end into the port behind his ear, and jammed the other into the terminal's mainframe.
[CONNECTION ESTABLISHED. INITIATING DATA SIPHON.]
I didn't just browse the terminal; I consumed it. I cannibalized the ripperdoc's patient database, his illegal encryption keys, and the unused processing power of the terminal's dual-core processor. I fragmented the useless data and integrated the raw storage into my own architecture.
It was the digital equivalent of inhaling a five-course meal after starving for a decade.
[SYSTEM UPGRADE COMPLETE.]
[Processing Power Increased to 0.5 TH/s.]
[Memory Capacity Expanded: 12 MB -> 500 MB.]
[New Skill Unlocked: Network Ping (Allows localized mapping of all digital devices within 50 meters).]
Finally, room to breathe. Upstairs, a massive crash echoed through the ceiling. The front door had given way. Heavy metallic footsteps began descending the metal stairs.
"They're here," Ren panicked, his heart rate spiking again. He looked around for a weapon, picking up a rusty surgical laser scalpel. "I... I can't fight three of them."
[DROP THE SCALPEL. BRUTE FORCE IS FOR NEANDERTHALS. WE FIGHT WITH LOGIC.]
I activated my new skill. [Executing Network Ping...]
Instantly, a wireframe map of the entire building populated in Ren's vision. Every smart bulb, every automatic door, every security camera, and most importantly, the cybernetic implants of the three thugs descending the stairs glowed with a bright, hackable blue aura.
[YOU DO NOT NEED TO FIGHT, REN. YOU JUST NEED TO WALK.]