Chapter 1 Frequency #000
The rain in Sector 9 didn't wash away the filth; it only made it slick.
In the back of a cramped, dimly lit workshop, Ethan adjusted his magnifying goggles. Before him lay a relic from a forgotten era—a heavy, metallic cassette player covered in dried, rust-colored stains.
In a world where mega-corporations ruled and everyone chased expensive neural mana-implants, Ethan restored dead tech. It was a trash job. It paid trash credits.
Until tonight.
Click.
He pushed the corroded 'PLAY' button. The magnetic tape inside spun with a screeching groan. But instead of audio, a sharp, blinding wave of blue light erupted from the speakers, freezing the falling dust particles in mid-air.
A translucent, pitch-black interface flickered directly before his eyes.
[ANOMALY FREQUENCY DETECTED: #009 - "THE SILENT BLADE"]
[SOURCE: Dead Master Assassin - Shadow Syndicate (Deceased 42 years ago)]
[SIGNAL STRENGTH: 98%]
[Would you like to Overwrite your Neural Wave and Download Skill: 'Shadow Step (Rank S)'?]
[YES / NO]
Ethan's heart hammered against his ribs. His fingers trembled as he hovered over the floating blue interface.
Clang!
Outside his workshop, heavy combat boots shattered the puddles. The steel door hinges screamed as three heavily armed mercenaries kicked it open, their red laser sights painting dots across Ethan's chest.
"Hand over the tape, scavenger," the lead mercenary growled, raising a suppressed assault rifle. "Or we paint the walls with your brains."
Ethan looked at the red dots on his shirt. Then he looked back at the glowing blue prompt.
A cold, razor-sharp smile touched his lips.
Who says dead men tell no tales?
He tapped [YES].
[DOWNLOAD COMPLETE.]
[SKILL ACQUIRED: Shadow Step (Rank S).]
[AGILITY INCREASED BY 400%.]
Before the lead mercenary could pull the trigger, Ethan's shadow detached from his feet—and the entire room sank into pitch darkness.
Author's Note:
Welcome to Dead Frequency! If you like high-stakes cyberpunk and LitRPG action, make sure to add this book to your Library so you don't miss daily updates! ⚡
