Chapter 13: Into the Understreet

Chapter 13: Into the Understreet Sector 19 wasn’t on any official city map. It was buried under the collapsed metro tunnels of Old Neo-Lagos, hidden from the drone patrols and city maps. Locals called it The Understreet — a no-man’s land of illegal trades, forgotten tech, and untraceable talent. For Jaden, it was dangerous ground. But his system had flagged it as a location with a Core Chip Matrix, a vital component needed to finish Lyra, the humanoid AI unit he had been building piece by piece. He moved quietly through the shadows, Emma trailing close behind. System Ping: Objective Detected Component: Core Chip Matrix Risk Level: Medium–High Funds Available: 1,300C The Understreet pulsed with dark energy. Stall lights blinked from rusted steel walls. Vendors shouted about half-functional AI chips, carbon batteries, and black-market bots. A nearby kiosk offered hacked surveillance lenses—"See through walls!" it claimed. Emma glanced around nervously. "Feels like the kind of place where someone could sell your face for credits." "Let’s just get the chip and get out," Jaden replied. Their destination was a makeshift shop built inside a flipped bus. Neon-blue lights glowed under shelves stacked with scrapware. Behind a desk sat a short man with bronze-tinted eyes and copper-plated fingers. "You looking for something special?" he asked, eyeing them carefully. "Core Chip Matrix. Untagged. Clean," Jaden said. The man raised an eyebrow. "You’re the Architect kid, huh? Word’s been buzzing about Sector 18. Power grids, shelters, food drones." "I’m not here for compliments," Jaden said. "I’m here for the chip." The man laughed. "I like you. The chip’s rare—and pricey." "I’ve got a basic cooling shelter blueprint I can trade." The vendor leaned closer. "I’ve already got ten of those. But I’ll make you a deal. You give me early vendor rights in Sector 18 when your tech zone’s live. Ten-year permit. No gate fees." Jaden hesitated. System Prompt: Sponsorship Offer Detected Unlock: Vendor Economy Tier (Future Module) Approve? Y/N He tapped yes. "Deal," Jaden said, shaking his hand. "You get a stall. I get the chip." Back at the Command Center, Jaden inserted the chip into the humanoid assembly core. A soft hum followed as the machine activated a new progress log: Humanoid Assembly: 47% Complete Missing: – 2x Neural Data Wires – 1x Emotion Matrix Filter – 1x Core Shell Armor Emma peered at the floating data. "We’re getting close," she said. "Yeah," Jaden muttered. "But we’ll need funds soon. I’ve used up our core credits." The next morning, the system pinged again. New Talent Detected Nearby Name: Elion Drew Field: Crypto Trading, Market Funnels Status: High IQ, Morally Flexible Emma frowned. "Sounds like trouble." "Sounds like we’re broke and he’s the answer," Jaden said. "The loyalty scanner’s only 38% functional, so I’ll have to rely on instinct." Later that night, Jaden met Elion near a dead ATM machine. "I know who you are," Elion said without greeting. "You’ve got hype, reach, and power. But no capital. That’s why you’re here." "I don’t have billions." "But I can help you make them," Elion said. "Underground coin pools, tech raffles, content monetization, blueprint auctions... We funnel attention. You’re a brand now, Jaden." The system pinged: Suggested Blueprint: Sector Economy Console Status: Locked Funds Required: 10,000C Progress: 4% Jaden smiled faintly. "Alright, Elion. Let’s build some funnels."