Short, Light, Free

30 years pa.s.sed and my underground construction was completed .

Of course, it was still very much different from the original Blemish of Time .

My Blemish of Time could already accommodate 300 people, but I still don"t take off my protective gears when I enter the place .

For the past 30 years, Dahai had been managing and keeping my Blemish of Time in order while I make sure that this whole affair stays a secret and recruit more wealthy people .

Dahai and I made improvements in the protective gears and have successfully ma.s.s produced them before hiring more staff .

Dahai suggested that I disguise myself as a doctor, walk around the chemotherapy rooms, and use the idea of postponing death to get patients to our Blemish of Time .

This method worked like a charm . Dying patients entered our Blemish of Time and regained a bit of vitality .

Dahai allocated them to alternate between work and rest so that our business could continue expanding .

Of course, there was only one outcome . The air in Blemish of Time could only maintain, and not improve, the condition of organs . As such, sudden deaths were still inevitable .  

When that happens, Dahai would manage their funerals . It was still a win-win situation since patients usually get a few extra years of life, something that they were extremely thankful for . We hadn"t gotten any resistance .

Of course, patients with slightly better conditions would work with protective gears and only remove them when their body worsened .

This staff management strategy saved us a huge cost, although I was initially against the idea .

"You"re only promising to slow their deterioration . It"s all that we can do for them," Dahai had told me .

I also created a simple transportation system with discarded materials from a private airport . The system was made from conveyor belts, which made portage easy .

One belt carried goods into Blemish of Time while the other carried trash out .

Express delivery was something that never failed to amaze me . There was a kiosk in the village that was about to close down so I acquired it and used it as a shield .

There were tons of deliveries coming into the village from outside every day, which made sense since everything could be found on the Internet .

And the newly rich were always willing to pay much more for the goods compared to those in the outside world .

We had a site of our own and we accepted unlimited orders . Of course, inspections had to be strict to ensure that no one divulged the secret of Blemish of Time .

As a result, we would always know what our clients purchase and charge our processing fees accordingly . If they refuse to pay, they won"t receive their goods .

Basically, we earned crazy profits just from rent and service fees alone .

Everything ran in order for the past 30 years, but our clients were still cautious .

Dahai asked me almost every day to take off my protective gears, but I told him every time that I still had things to settle outside .

I was almost 50 by then .

Days pa.s.sed and Dahai became increasingly impatient .

On his 130th birthday, he had specially requested for my company .

I sat down with him and noticed that his 130-year-old face looked younger than mine .

After blowing out the candles, he cut a piece of cake and offered it to me .

"Next time," I declined .

"When? When, exactly, are you going to come in?" he asked .

It was getting crazy difficult to avoid this topic so I repeated those usual words: "I still have things to settle outside . "

"Get someone to do it for you . Just offer him immortality and I"m sure he"ll do anything for you . Come in, quick," Dahai insisted, grabbing hold of my protective gears .

"Won"t you worry about having a stranger manage things outside?" I questioned .

"Just find someone reliable! You"re almost 50, no? You"re gonna regret this when you"re past your prime . Plus, you"re not giving me a sense of security by delaying your entrance . "

"What are you afraid of? Me running away?" I laughed .

"No, it"s not that . I just feel that our business is big enough now . Join me and we can enjoy life, won"t that be great? The money will continue coming in even if you join me now . "

I was convinced that Dahai was worried about me abandoning him . Becoming like him was the only way to let his guard down .

"Alright, alright . I"ll join you next month and I will be living in unit 1, just beside yours," I responded perfunctorily .

Dahai nodded smilingly .

I had my reasons for not wanting to go in . When I first heard Grandfather talking about the marvel that is Blemish of Time, it was curiosity that drove me toward the quest for the secret behind immortality .

After knowing that the key was a gra.s.s that produced such severe side effects, my interest in it vanished completely .

I had planned to delay my entrance for as long as I could . I wanted it to be my last resort if I ever get diagnosed with cancer or organ failure .

I slept in the kiosk at night and worked as the shop owner in the day .

The kiosk was in the village and the entrance to Blemish of Time was outside of the village .

One day, in the kiosk, an alarm threw me out of my slumber .

I opened my eyes to see a lit red light right at the bottom of the panel .

Other lights covered small issues like electrical power imbalance and so on, but the bottommost light symbolized the inductor at the entrance of Blemish of Time .

Something had gone wrong .

I took out a hunting gun from a drawer .

I fished out my satellite phone and gave Dahai a call .

He did not pick up .

With my gun, I ran out of the kiosk toward the village exit, hoping that it was just a small matter .

Something similar had happened before when a newly broke man tried to leave Blemish of Time but suffocated immediately upon taking a step out .

When I was near the exit, I started hearing helicopters .

They"re  here .

I hid behind the fence and watched as large batches of armed men barge into the entrance of Blemish of Time .

In order to prevent violent fights from occurring within, we had prohibited the possession of firearms inside . The citizens wouldn"t able to resist the armed men .

It was then that I noticed that these soldiers weren"t wearing any protective gears .

30 years pa.s.sed and my underground construction was completed . Of course, it was still very much different from the original Blemish of Time . My Blemish of Time could already accommodate 300 people, but I still don 39 t take off my protective gears when I enter the place . For the past 30 years, Dahai had been managing and keeping my Blemish of Time in order while I make sure that this whole affair stays a secret and recruit more wealthy people . Dahai and I made improvements in the protective gears and have successfully ma.s.s produced them before hiring more staff . Dahai suggested that I disguise myself as a doctor, walk around the chemotherapy rooms, and use the idea of postponing death to get patients to our Blemish of Time . This method worked like a charm . Dying patients entered our Blemish of Time and regained a bit of vitality . Dahai allocated them to alternate between work and rest so that our business could continue expanding . Of course, there was only one outcome . The air in Blemish of Time could only maintain, and not improve, the condition of organs . As such, sudden deaths were still inevitable . When that happens, Dahai would manage their funerals . It was still a win win situation since patients usually get a few extra years of life, something that they were extremely thankful for . We hadn 39 t gotten any resistance . Of course, patients with slightly better conditions would work with protective gears and only remove them when their body worsened . This staff management strategy saved us a huge cost, although I was initially against the idea . You 39 re only promising to slow their deterioration . It 39 s all that we can do for them, Dahai had told me . I also created a simple transportation system with discarded materials from a private airport . The system was made from conveyor belts, which made portage easy . One belt carried goods into Blemish of Time while the other carried trash out . Express delivery was something that never failed to amaze me . There was a kiosk in the village that was about to close down so I acquired it and used it as a shield . There were tons of deliveries coming into the village from outside every day, which made sense since everything could be found on the Internet . And the newly rich were always willing to pay much more for the goods compared to those in the outside world . We had a site of our own and we accepted unlimited orders . Of course, inspections had to be strict to ensure that no one divulged the secret of Blemish of Time . As a result, we would always know what our clients purchase and charge our processing fees accordingly . If they refuse to pay, they won 39 t receive their goods . Basically, we earned crazy profits just from rent and service fees alone . Everything ran in order for the past 30 years, but our clients were still cautious . Dahai asked me almost every day to take off my protective gears, but I told him every time that I still had things to settle outside . I was almost 50 by then . Days pa.s.sed and Dahai became increasingly impatient . On his 130th birthday, he had specially requested for my company . I sat down with him and noticed that his 130 year old face looked younger than mine . After blowing out the candles, he cut a piece of cake and offered it to me . Next time, I declined . When When, exactly, are you going to come in he asked . It was getting crazy difficult to avoid this topic so I repeated those usual words I still have things to settle outside . Get someone to do it for you . Just offer him immortality and I 39 m sure he 39 ll do anything for you . Come in, quick, Dahai insisted, grabbing hold of my protective gears . Won 39 t you worry about having a stranger manage things outside I questioned . Just find someone reliable You 39 re almost 50, no You 39 re gonna regret this when you 39 re past your prime . Plus, you 39 re not giving me a sense of security by delaying your entrance . What are you afraid of Me running away I laughed . No, it 39 s not that . I just feel that our business is big enough now . Join me and we can enjoy life, won 39 t that be great The money will continue coming in even if you join me now . I was convinced that Dahai was worried about me abandoning him . Becoming like him was the only way to let his guard down . Alright, alright . I 39 ll join you next month and I will be living in unit 1, just beside yours, I responded perfunctorily . Dahai nodded smilingly . I had my reasons for not wanting to go in . When I first heard Grandfather talking about the marvel that is Blemish of Time, it was curiosity that drove me toward the quest for the secret behind immortality . After knowing that the key was a gra.s.s that produced such severe side effects, my interest in it vanished completely . I had planned to delay my entrance for as long as I could . I wanted it to be my last resort if I ever get diagnosed with cancer or organ failure . I slept in the kiosk at night and worked as the shop owner in the day . The kiosk was in the village and the entrance to Blemish of Time was outside of the village . One day, in the kiosk, an alarm threw me out of my slumber . I opened my eyes to see a lit red light right at the bottom of the panel . Other lights covered small issues like electrical power imbalance and so on, but the bottommost light symbolized the inductor at the entrance of Blemish of Time . Something had gone wrong . I took out a hunting gun from a drawer . I fished out my satellite phone and gave Dahai a call . He did not pick up . With my gun, I ran out of the kiosk toward the village exit, hoping that it was just a small matter . Something similar had happened before when a newly broke man tried to leave Blemish of Time but suffocated immediately upon taking a step out . When I was near the exit, I started hearing helicopters . They 39 re here . I hid behind the fence and watched as large batches of armed men barge into the entrance of Blemish of Time . In order to prevent violent fights from occurring within, we had prohibited the possession of firearms inside . The citizens wouldn 39 t able to resist the armed men . It was then that I noticed that these soldiers weren 39 t wearing any protective gears .