SWNOVELXO Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Signals and Shadows
The rain stopped by morning.
The clouds hadn't cleared, but the stillness left behind felt deliberate. Like the world was holding its breath.
Asher stepped outside for the first time since the incident. The garden smelled of damp earth and trimmed roses. Somewhere in the branches above, birds chirped nervously, as if sensing that not all predators had claws.
He walked slowly. No guards trailed him.
Not visibly, anyway.
He'd spotted two of them on the west perimeter—plain clothes, pretending to prune the hedges. A third stood on the roof with binoculars, not bothering to hide.
They weren't watching the garden.
They were watching *him*.
He made a note of their patterns, walking loops, intervals between position shifts. One had a limp. Another blinked too often. The third adjusted his grip on his sidearm every few minutes.
They weren't estate security.
They were someone else's.
---
> [Daily Sign-In Complete
> Reward: +4 System Points
> Lucky Draw Activated
> You have received: **"Nanomaterial Distribution Theory" (Knowledge Download)**]
The download slammed into his brain with more force than expected.
Microscopic lattice frameworks. Shape memory alloys. Energy-dissipating compounds that could adapt under pressure.
His hands twitched with excitement.
He could *build* with this.
The idea from last week—the reactive vest—suddenly seemed primitive. Now he could design something better. Something that looked like fabric, felt like skin, and functioned like lightweight armour.
He opened his notebook again.
**Project: PHANTOMSKIN**
* Material: Nanomesh Composite
* Properties: Pressure absorption, kinetic dispersal, partial heat dampening
* Integration: Adaptive fit, biometric lock
* Target: Functional prototype before age 8
It sounded insane. But most breakthroughs did.
And Asher Raven wasn't aiming for average.
---
That night, back in his room, the system interface greeted him with a quiet pulse.
> [Titles Updated
> New Title Acquired: **"The Architect"**]
He opened it instantly.
> **\[The Architect
> Granted to a system host who begins developing practical defensive technologies based on acquired knowledge.
> **Effect:** Slight boost to technical synthesis speed. Enhances creative reasoning when applying abstract concepts to real-world inventions.]
A smile tugged at his lips.
It wasn't about the bonus.
It was about *progress*.
The system had rules, but it wasn't static. It responded. It adapted. And now it saw him not just as a survivor—but as a builder.
He checked the full panel again.
---
> [System Status]
> Daily Sign-Ins: Active
> Abilities:
> – Beginner Regeneration (Passive)
> Knowledge Acquired:
> – Neuroplasticity & Cognitive Growth
> – Biometric Obfuscation Principles
> – Non-Newtonian Kinetics
> – Nanomaterial Distribution Theory
> – Machine Learning & Neural Networks
> – Chemical Compound Stability
> – Surveillance AI Architecture
> – Cryptographic Protocol Design
> – Behavioural Economics
> – Cybersecurity Frameworks
> – Artificial Sensory Input Systems
> – Mechanical Engineering (Intermediate)
> – Data Mining & Predictive Analytics
> – Deception Theory & Counter-Prediction Strategies
> – Tap to see more…
> System Points: 257
> Lucky Draw Tickets: 0
> *Note: 100 System Points can be used to purchase one Lucky Draw Ticket.*
>
> **Titles Unlocked: 4**
> – System's Chosen
> – Child of Calculation
> – Survivor of the First Trigger
> – The Architect
---
He lay down in bed, his mind wide awake.
He had knowledge.
He had time.
He had a system that rewarded planning.
And now, for the first time, he had a plan.
This house wasn't a prison.
It was a lab.
The eyes on him weren't just enemies.
They were data points.
Let them watch.
He'd show them something worth fearing.
Not today.
Not tomorrow.
But soon.
---
A/N: Everyone I would like to tell you that I will be uploading one chapter every single day and every 5 power stones given to this story I will upload one chapter and also mention that daoist's name in the chapter. Everyone thank you all for the support that you have shown to this story.