Why am I not getting any experience? Seven Game Guide

Seven: The Days Long Gone has many unusual game mechanics but its biggest change when compared to other RPGs is the fact that the main hero doesn't get any experience or new levels. The character development is done differently:

• Find better weapons - Explore your surroundings and search corpses. Buying weapons from merchants should be treated as a final resort because there are other, more important, things to buy, at least in the beginning of the game (such as Visa Pills).
• Find better armour - This mechanism is the same as the one above - break into all chests and containers and search corpses.
• Upgrade pieces of equipment - This can be done by visiting upgrade stations (the picture shows a process of upgrading a blade). Don't bother with this mechanic at the beginning of the game. You can go back to it after you get better items. Find the right blueprint, be sure that an upgrade station meets requirements of that upgrade and spend your crafting materials to get it. Your upgrade can now be combined with gear.
• Install chips and abilities - Teriel loses most of his chips and abilities after the prologue. You must get them again. You can increase your abilities by collecting upgrades.