Chapter 429: Echoes Of A Forgotten World II

Chapter 429: Echoes Of A Forgotten World II



The group stepped cautiously into the shop, the automatic doors closing behind them with a quiet hiss.

Inside, the air was still, even thicker with dust, and the faint smell of something stale lingered.

Quinn adjusted the flashlight, sweeping it across the room, revealing rows of shelves and displays filled with various items from a bygone era.

Even to their inexperienced eyes, it was apparent that the Academy had maintained its hold over this ruin since its discovery.

Everything was in stock, and not a single item wasn't in its designated place, making it seem like this was an undiscovered ruin.

And they technically wouldn't be wrong in thinking that.

It was designed to be that way.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

One of the tests that they would undergo down here besides survival was identifying which relic to take.

They didn't have unlimited inventory, each carrying a normal-sized rucksack, so the overseers would rate the decision-making of the students, measuring their greediness and levelheadedness.

Of course, that could only work when true gain was possible.

Amon knew that, so he had included real stakes in this test, giving them an incentive that was more than just digital points or a hidden leaderboard.

The relics could be sold for AUC.

Those credits that they begged the professors for could be given just like that.

All they had to do was find relics that were worth something.

The professors in charge made sure to instill that in their minds before allowing them into the ruin.

They wanted an important answer to a very important question.

Would it be their downfall like the many hunters before them, or would they control themselves?

That had yet to be seen for this cohort.

If not for 'their' inevitable interference, this would have made for quite a unique test, but alas...

Fate always had its say.

The shop the cohort was in was large, with several aisles stretching deep into the shadows.

It appeared as if it had been abandoned suddenly, leaving everything untouched. Products were neatly arranged, almost too neatly, without a single imperfection, giving the whole place an eerie, preserved look.

Quinn moved forward, her footsteps muffled by the thick dust on the floor.

Aria and Junior followed closely behind, their excitement from earlier now replaced by a mix of curiosity and caution.

Elijah, as always, was calm, his eyes scanning the surroundings for anything that might pose a threat.

"Whoa..."

Junior whispered, reaching out to touch a packet on one of the shelves.

The packet was small and rectangular, with faded text on it that read {Compression Clothing- All Sizes.}

He turned it over in his hands, trying to make sense of what it was.

"What do you think this is?"

Quinn glanced at it, her interest piqued.

"I read about these. They're supposed to expand into full-sized outfits when activated."

Aria asked, peering over Junior's shoulder.

"Really?"

Junior grinned, holding up the packet like a prized find.

"That's alright. It's like carrying an entire wardrobe in your pocket... This has to be worth something, right?"

Elijah confirmed, reaching out to take the packet from Junior:

"Yep, but barely."

He turned it over in his hands, examining it closely.

"The clothes would expand once you open the packet and expose them to air. It was a common way to save space, especially for travelers or people living in cramped spaces."

Junior snorted, no longer impressed.

"Now that I think about it, this seems like a lot of work just to wear something. I prefer the augmented suits we have now."

Elijah placed the packet back on the shelf.

"Well, they had better technology than us, so they must've preferred this for some weird reason. Anyways, let's check the other side, these clothes aren't worth much."

At those words, they moved further into the shop and entered a section that appeared to have specialized in personal care products.

The shelves were lined with bottles and jars of various creams, lotions, and other beauty products, all sealed and untouched.

Quinn picked up a bottle of what she assumed was some kind of moisturizer, the label had faded but was still legible enough to read the words {Anti-aging formula.}

orbs.

Each one had a small button on it, and when Quinn pressed it, a holographic screen appeared,

showing a menu of options.

Quinn guessed out loud while scrolling through the menu:

"Is this what holoscreens were back in the day?"

The options listed various old-world media, from movies to music.

The thought of what people used to do for fun back then remaining the same now made her

smile a little.

Elijah grabbed another, turning it around in his hand.

"Looks like it."

Junior asked, eyeing the orbs with interest.

"Do we take the whole stack back with us?"

"... Maybe half, keep our rucksacks light. Don't cumber yourself when you're only just

beginning."

"Roger boss~!"

The four of them dropped their rucksacks, put a few relics in, and then exited the shop after taking one last look to make sure nothing worthy of many credits was left behind.

As they walked, the ground beneath them vibrated slightly harsher than earlier, reminding them that something very wrong was going on somewhere in this ruin. They passed a few stores without any way in and stopped at another that had a gate.

It was unlike the last shop; instead of a glass door, this one looked like reinforced steel.

There were no holograms or glass displays, so they didn't know what kind of shop it was. Thankfully, the gate opened for them and they entered, eyes scanning for danger. Nothing was there with them.

Once they were sure of that, identifying no monsters or constructs, their eyes turned to the

relic.

Quinn stared at the closet item, a small rectangular screen the size of her hand.

"...A tech store?"

Aria joined her, picking up one of those devices.

"Do you think these still work?"

Quinn answered, her voice distant as she scanned the rest of the room:

"Probably not."

She wasn't as interested in old-world technology as the others.

It wouldn't be a lie to say that she hated all things metal, especially what was in her body.

Being reminded of that slightly dampened her mood, but she shook her head, snapping out of

it and focusing back up.

Junior, however, felt quite the opposite, enthralled by everything he saw.

He picked up a small device from one of the shelves, flipping it in his hands.

It was a black cube with small, almost unnoticeable vents underneath and a tiny circular

button on top, embedded into it.

The label on the shelf read, {Personal Assistant - Model XJ-42.}

Junior showed it to Elijah.

"Hm, think this was one of those old computers?"

Elijah took it and examined the back.

"Looks like it... It's definitely dead now, though. But the technology it has could be worth

something."

He began packing a few of them, and Junior did the same.

Meanwhile, Aria was already moving toward the back of the store, where a large display case

stood.

The glass was cloudy with age, but inside, she could see rows of neatly stacked items.

She wiped away some of the dust with her sleeves and peered inside.

Slowly, her eyes widened.

"Hey, guys, check this out!"