Temporal Pearls

Seth sat in his new sketchy room in their new house with a frown. Their mansion had been confiscated and there was nothing they could do. Anna was in police custody and her case was escalating faster than anyone can handle. They can only send her prayers.

The new house they were in was an abandoned large house in a backwards area. The area was better than Class D but worse than Class C!

Seth stood and went to his father, he found the middle-aged man sitting alone.

"Father!" Seth said.

Sigh, Adam looked at Seth and he forced a smile. "What is it?"

Seth sat before him and said, "I have some questions!" The middle-aged man nodded his head. "Why do we strive to push ourselves to match the upper class!"

Adam smiled ruefully and said, "Seth, it\'s to survive. Due to your condition, you are exempted from many things. But you do know that here in this country, we have compulsory military service. The sad truth was, it was a fake. It was just a way for them to use the lower class in an exploration of ruins and deadly forests!"

Seth stared at his father not understanding where the conversation was leading.

"2/5 of our world is uninhabitable, not in a way that has poison or anything like that but no kind of technology can survive there. For that reason, nature has taken over there and wild animals have proliferated and ruled it. Some brave humans have established themselves there even without advanced technology and took pseudo-advanced and pseudo-medieval style."

\'What the hell!\' Seth\'s mind-blowing, \'there is that secret about their world.\'

"From rumours and trusted sources, I learned that the Nature Infested part of the world has a secret that the world government coveted badly. And it had become mandatory for every country to send soldiers to explore that place. But Guns, even those that use old gunpowder, are useless there. No matter how advanced a technological ship, jet or rocket enters, they all turn off and become scrap metal!"

"And they usually send the less privileged people to explore that part of the world?" Seth asked.

"In a way, yes, but the non-privileged were paired with those well-trained to travel that uncharted land. What they do is they make us slaves and used us as a meat shield. Our Gand Father, Enoch is called Bear Killer because he was very strong and the only slave that was able to survive an in-depth exploration and even come back to us.

The sad truth was, whenever one goes to that place without privilege that person will never come back home ever again!"

"Class E is the most pitiful and was used as indispensable. Their voices were tightly sealed. They are true slaves that can be used by the government or powerful people in the government and even rich people to do their dirty work. That is why the crime was rampant in Cluster E areas. Cluster D is slightly off, as we are servants and can work and earn money. Freedom came in Class C.

And that is why we want to stay in Class C. "

Seth took a deep breath as his heartbeat weirdly.

"I believe war is coming, Seth. Class D and E are doomed. Even some Class C will not escape enlistment. Seth, we are in a world where the power and wealth disparity between rich and poor is expanding by the day. Resistance is futile. Once one was an enlisted Military Robot we\'re the one that will escort a person by peace or violence.

And then the person will be imbued with a chip in the brain that will compel them to do their bidding."

"Bear Killer, Enoch was our greatest benefactor, his bravery and action by surviving the most dangerous and successful mission. His merit was the thing that elevated our status from Class E slaves to Class D servants. Back then he enlisted many of his friends and family and they all elevated. Unlike now, only our nuclear family was Class C while the rest were subordinate."

"Why didn\'t you explain this? I might work hard!"

Adam smiled and tears flowed from his eyes. "Seth… the truth is… we can\'t rely on you. The hard truth is, you can die at any time. Unexpectedly. We don\'t want you to carry this burden. Besides, we are content with what you brought to us.

The fact Manuella and Raaz have their eyes on you means we have a way out at long last. As long as you live, Manuella will be your backer and Raaz too and that is enough for us. However…"

\'They knew… they knew that my condition is lethal and I can just die any time. So, all this time they are expecting death for me!\' Seth took a deep breath. Something gripped his heart and he felt like crying.

"Anna didn\'t know about your condition but now she knows I guess. We know you were taken to the hospital on Jupiter\'s Moon!"

Seth looked surprised.

"... I told you this now not because I want to but because we don\'t want you to worry but now you will still worry either way."

From then on, Adam was silent and didn\'t say a thing. After some time Seth left his depressed father back to his room. There was too much information to handle and even to understand.

At that moment he was able to picture how his parents were shackled and also at the mercy of those with power.

Even when he remembered that his mother once refused to allow him to continue diving due to the accident he had, he then realized at that time, the family was under the protection of the government. But now without that privilege, they hold no power and say.

Thinking too much exhausted him and fell asleep without knowing.

.

.

.

.

"Seth!"

"Seth!"

"Seth!"

Seth was in deep sleep when he opened his eyes but jumped startled as he saw Anna. He burst into tears and they hugged each other.

"How!"

"You know how! Raaz said I should keep you safe." She said with a smile.

"Good. I\'m sorry, I shouldn\'t have told you to look for my car. That wouldn\'t have happened…"

"Calm down! You did the right thing. Seth. Those people are there for your car, not the house. They only disguise it that way. It\'s after Raaz investigated and confirmed it, and now, he literally took ownership of the car and then lent it to you.

Well, that\'s what he did, but it is still yours!"

Seth sighed, \'Will I ever repay Raaz\'s kindness?\' He begged Raaz to save his sister but he didn\'t expect it to happen in just a day.

"Time to dive!" Anna said.

Sling!

Seth opened his eyes with a sigh. His exertion points were full again. The next thing he did was spend 4 hours gathering new different plants from another side of the forest, he was expecting to reach another milestone to go to the next chapter.

Among the plants this time, there was Poison Beauty, and looking at the plant under Aura he was surprised to find a multicoloured Red that was dancing around.

[Active Aura Progress: 14>18%]

[Note: Several Activities are needed to achieve fast progress]

"Hmm! Perhaps I have reached chapter 2, I need an active Aura!" Seth concluded. He then observes the rest of the plants. Even without the Book Aura, he can identify them with little difficulty. But after he summons the book, the observation was better.

Seth then prepared and left the forest. He had told Anna that he might spend a day or two in the game so as not to worry them.

Seth then embarked on a slow journey back to Red Valley. Along the way, he spent his sweet time gathering Level 6 and above Abhorrent monster cores. Spending 4 days in the game until he filled the bag given to him by Redop Irik.

Reaching the mountains Seth found Redop waiting for him. \'Don\'t tell me he has been waiting here all this time!\'

"Hello, Mr Redop. Have you been waiting for me?" Seth asked the now angry man.

"I thought you would never come back?"

"Why? Because I spent time. There is a reason for that. There are countless stones out there so I thought maybe I should take my time and select the best!"