The system didn't announce the next phase.
It simply… allowed it.
The room settled into a low, constant hum, as if background permissions had been lifted.
A new icon appeared beside the Time Credit indicator.
[Trade Enabled: Conditional]
No explanation.
No rules displayed upfront.
Liam was the first to react.
"Looks like we can talk now," he said lightly.
Mara shook her head. "No. We can bargain."
The punished man—Subject 07—backed toward the wall, clutching his empty hands.
"I don't have anything," he said. "They marked me."
The system didn't deny it.
A faint red outline pulsed around him.
[Exposure Flag: Active]
A sudden chime cut through the room.
[Enforcement Scheduled]
Subject: Mara K.
Infraction: Data Delay
Penalty: 14 months
Execution: Immediate
Mara stiffened.
"What?" she snapped. "I didn't—"
The panel didn't care.
The countdown appeared over her head.
00:20.
Ethan's pulse spiked.
So this was it.
Retroactive enforcement.
Punishment with no warning window.
Mara looked around sharply.
"Time Credit," she said. "Now."
Liam didn't move.
"Two," he replied calmly.
Mara stared at him. "That's everything I have."
"And you'll still be standing afterward," Liam said. "Or you won't."
The system watched.
Ethan felt the weight of his own Time Credit in his chest.
He could intervene.
He could trade.
But the system had already shown him the pattern.
Help too much, and you fall.
Help too little, and you become expendable.
Mara's countdown hit 00:09.
Ethan spoke.
"I'll cover the delay," he said. "One credit. No interest."
Every head turned.
Liam's smile vanished.
The system paused the countdown.
[Trade Proposal Detected]
Mara didn't hesitate.
"Accepted."
The credit tore out of Ethan like a breath ripped from his lungs.
Not painful.
Just… emptying.
[Time Credit Consumed]
Effect: Enforcement Deferred — 6 months
The countdown vanished.
Mara sagged, then straightened.
Alive.
Still ranked.
The system updated immediately.
[Market Behavior Logged]
Subject: Ethan Carter
Action: Non-Optimal Trade
Flag: Risk Redistribution
Non-optimal.
So helping was a mistake.
Just not an illegal one.
Liam exhaled slowly.
"You're bad for the economy," he said.
Ethan met his gaze.
"Then adjust your model."
Subject 07 spoke quietly.
"They're going to come for you now."
Ethan nodded.
"I know."
Another private notice appeared.
[Attention Shift Detected]
Upper Tier Focus: Increased
The system had learned something new about him.
Not that he would pay.
But that he would spend at the wrong moment.
And that made him unpredictable.
Which, in this place, was the most expensive trait of all.