《Rumor of immortality》
Prologue
The sun hung high in the sky as I lay in bed, having collapsed seemingly out of nowhere. Days were growing shorter, and I observed the changing scenery before me.
"Greetings, Sir John. I am Thompson, and I regret to inform you that your death neuralyzer disease has progressed rapidly. You have only one year left to live. Here are medications for you. I hope you get well soon, Mr. John." A floating medical bot provided me with instructions. I couldn''t help but chuckle at the contrasting nature of these bots.
Despite the advancements in medical technology, humans still faced mortality. It was impossible for humans to live forever, regardless of their wealth. I had believed that money was everything. I had worked tirelessly since grade school, becoming a major investor in various tech companies and amassing billions of dollars.
I married at the age of 40 to the daughter of one of my subsidiaries. I believed that marrying her would secure support from her father''s company and the stock market he possessed, and it did. With her father''s collaboration, my tech company expanded further.
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I became a father at the late age of 50. Thanks to my wealth, my daughter enjoyed a life filled with every desire. She had a Playstation Virtual 9, the most outstanding neural phone, Magi 17, and even a car with private drivers. She was my beloved daughter, even if her mother was less affectionate.
Now, as I faced my imminent death with my daughter halfway through college, I regretted not being able to witness her graduation. The medical bot delivering the news was the most advanced in the world, equipped with Super neural AI, ensuring its diagnosis was accurate.
"Hey, Neura. How can I prolong my life?"
"I''m afraid even with the best medicine, we can only delay it for one or two years."
"I see. I want to see my daughter¡¯s graduation. Can I?"
"We could leave a time capsule. You can record everything you want, and we will deliver it at the appropriate time."
"No. I want to see how my daughter¡¯s life unfolds. I''ve invested millions of dollars in her. I want her to be successful."
"Well, I am afr¡ªwarning: confidential information, please do not take notes¡ªIf you want to be there physically, you may consult with Mr. Jack from Genesis Corp. He might help you. He''s looking for test subjects for his immortality project." The medbots lagged and stuttered as they mentioned the immortality project.
"What is the immortality project?"
Chapter 1: Immortality Project
"Yes, sir? I apologize, but Mr. Jack is currently away on business," I was informed at Genesis Corp. Even though I was not a major shareholder.
"Could I have his phone number, then?"
"I''m sorry, but that is confidential information. We can''t disclose Mr. Jack''s private information, as it would violate his privacy."
"...I have stocks in this company. I am the 25th largest shareholder," I argued, but it fell on deaf ears.
"I guess you will have to attend the shareholder meetings from now on. I am just a lowly clerk, so I don''t know. But if you are ranked twenty-fifth, as you said, you should have the privilege to attend those meetings, and maybe you will meet Mr. Jack on your own."
"But the meeting is in a month! I don''t have time!" I raised my voice, startling him. I immediately apologized. "I am sorry. That was not my intention. Sorry. I guess I have to go home and come back next month."
"Please tell Mr. Jack that I received a confidential message from his medical bots. It says something about the immortality project."
"Yes, sir."
After extricating myself from the embarrassing situation earlier, I went home. Nobody was home except for some maids and a butler, who were all surprised when I came home for the second time in a row in the afternoon. Due to my busy workday, I admittedly had never been home. Working for money was the true goal of life, after all.
"Ah, you are home, darling. Where is Mom? How''s your college?" I asked my sweet daughter, Jennifer, who was currently 20 years old.
"Papa! My college is fine!"
"Hmm? Where is your report? Did you make progress?" I looked at my daughter''s report card. It was not the brightest; all of her subjects barely passed.
"Yeah, as long as I graduate, right?"
"Yeah. You are right. You will continue with my company anyway. Work hard, okay."
"Ah, why do I have to work anyway? It''s such a hassle. Papa already has a lot of money, right? Let me enjoy life!"
"You know, my dear, working for money feels good. When you earn money, it feels great. Working to earn money to buy things you want is for plebeians. Not working yet getting money and being able to fulfill all that you want are called parasites. Your mother is an example of that. We, true billionaires, work so we can earn money because it is fun!" I preached the wonder of working for money and how it''s enjoyable to have money at our fingertips. However, my daughter didn''t seem to share my passion. I could see some of her mother''s parasitic DNA on her.
A month later, I attended the shareholder meeting. This meeting was such a pain because I had to cancel four other meetings where more money could be gained. Nevertheless, if immortality could be achieved, it would be priceless.
"Greetings, Mr. Jack. I am John. Your medical bots that I bought two years ago said that there was a way to prolong my life. It mentioned something about an immortality project."
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"There is no way humans can be immortal. It is a myth. We have delved into the realm of medicine and cures for so long, yet we have found no such thing. We could prolong life by two or three hundred years, but that requires you to stay in a sterile tube since birth," Mr. Jack denied thoroughly.
"But your bots said it," I insisted.
"Where are the logs? Could you bring them here, to my office?" Mr. Jack said.
"All right. Only the CPU, right?"
"No. The core logs machine too. Here is my card and the note." I groaned at another day wasted, but I brought the bots to him as promised. While the entire machine was as big as a room, its CPU was only the size of a laptop. I had no idea what a core logs machine was, so, not wanting to waste time, I brought the entire machine to him the very next day. Mr. Jack was surprised to see I was so passionate, but then he delivered the bad news.
"So, as I mentioned earlier, I can''t grant you immortality. This bot utilizes the most advanced AI available, reading through your intentions and attempting to fulfill them. In this case, your intention was to attend your daughter''s wedding, correct?"
"Yes. I didn''t desire immortality. But I only have 10 or 9 months left. My daughter still has at least 3 more years until graduation."
"I see. In that case, we could fulfill your wish. Let me introduce you to the Immortality Project." I was dubious of his claim. Achieving immortality for humans is impossible; our genes do not allow it. Each time we breathe, each time our heart beats, and each time we consume food, our DNA undergoes division, growing shorter and shorter, akin to a memory disk or battery lifespan. The only time we can defy this process is if we clone ourselves. However, memories from our brains cannot be transferred, given the unique sets of billions of neurons each person''s brain possesses. I knew this from my high school biology curriculum and had never invested or researched in immortality as a result.
"When our cells split, our genes also split, leading to a shorter lifespan. You''re already familiar with this from the high school curriculum. However, I wanted to know if we could halt cell division itself." He then led me to his laboratory, where several tubes with aluminum plating reached the ceiling.
"I understand. But wouldn''t halting cell division mean we can''t function as human beings?" I had a suspicion about the purpose of these tubes. I wondered if I could manage my company from within them. "Are these, cryo chambers? However, freezing a part of our body and expecting the rest to function seems implausible, right?"
"Yes. It was similar to tools: you use them, you break them. Then the answer is simple, don''t use them and they will live longer. Using a bioreactor cryo system, we could halt all aging and illness. However, we can''t simply freeze a part of your body. Therefore, you have to stay here, inanimate, until your daughter''s graduation."
"But my company?"
"Well, that is the Immortality Project. The name doesn''t lie. You could technically live a hundred or even a thousand years in the future."
"Has this been tested?"
"We have tested this on 400 chimpanzees, monkeys, and orangutans. 90% of those animals survived the freezing for a year. After that, we searched for a person willing to do this, and so far, twelve people have entered. Out of six of them who came out, one failed the resuscitation process. If the cryo tank is damaged in any way, the person will die. Some crew must have made a mistake during the maintenance process."
"I see," I frowned. "How did you get permission to do this? How did you get past the Ethics Committee? ''any research that could potentially kill or bring harm to humans was illegal.'' that''s their motto. How much did you bribe them?"
"We didn''t. That''s why there were only six people here. We didn''t exactly advertise, and our bots will only look for rich and desperate people to do this. That''s what the medical bots are for." My ears perked up when he said he was looking for rich people. He knew I was desperate. How much will he squeeze out of me?
"How much?"
"About 1 million dollars for entering and exiting, and a hundred thousand dollars each year."
"I see. Deal. That''s cheaper than I thought," I replied while sighing in relief. Thank goodness he wasn''t so scummy. I was a bit disappointed because it didn''t really grant immortality, but as long as I can watch my daughter grow, I am satisfied.
"Hahaha!! I am unlike you, Mr. Jack. My goal is not money! I do all of this for Science!" He laughed.
Chapter 2: The Sleep
"Hello, Jennifer, my daughter. And Karen, my wife. I have an announcement to make." I gathered my family to inform them that I would be entering cryostasis sleep for the next three years starting next week. Of course, they didn''t seem concerned about whether I would be gone for three years or ten. All they cared about was whether their monthly allowance would decrease.
"Yes? What is it? I have a party with my friends in three hours. If you hadn''t threatened to cut my allowance, I wouldn''t even be here," Karen sighed. "Oh, by the way, I heard you got sick? Will you die soon? Are the inheritance papers done?"
"Well, I''m sorry to say that my company isn''t doing well. So, I have to be away for the next three years managing various business matters. As a result, I have to reduce your monthly allowance from 100k to 50k dollars."
"What!?" both my daughter and wife shouted. So, this is what they cared about, huh? While I appreciated their love for money, it was disheartening to see them take the parasitic route. Moreover, their financial decisions were not exactly stellar.
"Yes. Don''t worry. I will make sure to attend your graduation ceremony, Jennifer. I promise. If you need more time or, even better, graduate faster, please contact my lawyer, Mr. Bradley. He will keep me informed."
"Wait. I need money. We''re going to Bali next week. And what about my trip to New York next month!" Karen was furious, but what could I do? Despite being a successful CEO earning over 500K each month, paying more than 4 million dollars upfront for cryostasis required careful consideration. Furthermore, entering cryostasis would reduce my earnings to passive income, likely less than 200k.
"This decision is final, Karen," I stated firmly.
"Ughh¡ Why was the allowance cut down?" Jennifer pouted.
"Well, if you''re so upset about it, my dear Jennifer, how about starting your own business? 50K should be enough to start something, right?" I suggested.
"Ugh¡. Dad¡"
"Well, I hope you study well and graduate, okay? Don''t forget to work at my company," with that, I closed the meeting. We are billionaires. We have to use time efficiently. I skipped all the tedious things about cryostasis and moved on.
"Alright. Are you ready, Mr. John?" Mr. Jack said as he led several researchers to modify the tubes for the next week when I will enter the cryostasis chamber. There wasn''t a lot of preparation for me. I just needed to sign several papers, and we were done. Sometimes, it was good to disregard laws. It made everything smoother.
"Oh, you''re going to do this personally? *cough* *cough*" I coughed and immediately grabbed my painkiller. The pain rising from my stomach to my chest soon receded.
"I am a scientist first and foremost. I''m not afraid to get dirty. Hahaha. Now, strip off all your clothes and get inside the capsule. Try not to move too much, even if it''s painful. Alright?"
"Wait? It''s painful?"
"Hmm? Yeah, maybe?" He shrugged.
"You should have paid more attention to customer service. How could you sell this thing if it hurts the customer?" I sighed.
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"That''s the job of lower-level researchers. I am at the cutting edge of science! I will not waste any time doing such menial tasks. Hahaha!"
I smiled in return. We might follow different paths, but I acknowledge that we share the same passion. The tube was cold to the touch, with only a thin metal veil covering it. Mr. Bradley, my lawyer, attended the process from start to finish as I lay down on the hard surface inside. The space was suffocating as I realized the tube wasn''t cylindrical but more like an oval shape to minimize empty spaces between the body and the tube''s sides. I understand why they did that, but I wonder if they sell a more premium tube for me. The liquid coolant used in this experiment was expensive, after all.
"Mr. John, as per our contract, I shall manage your assets while you are away," Mr. Bradley said. "I hope for your safe resuscitation."
"Yes. Thank you."
"If the resuscitation fails, I shall act according to your last will and testament."
"Thank you." With that, the tube slowly closed, and the world suddenly turned dark. Liquid poured out from the sides. It was warm and soothing, like relaxing in your personal spa after a hard day''s work. Then the tube was flipped upside down, and cold water started to rise from my head to my feet.
Cryostasis didn''t work like in the movies, where you just pour liquid nitrogen into a human to freeze them. First, the body is cooled down to 5 degrees Celsius by submerging it into warm water, then slowly replacing the water with colder water. This is done in stages to prevent shock to the body. However, it must be done swiftly in under a minute, or the body will undergo hypothermia.
Then, several needles are inserted into the aorta and other arteries to reduce blood flow without killing the person. This method creates spaces in the arteries so that when the blood freezes over, it doesn''t rupture the blood vessels. After a sufficient amount of blood is taken out, the liquid is changed again, this time to -10 degrees, and stopped at the head for three minutes before continuing to the rest of the body. Mr. Jack said it would be easier to resuscitate if the head froze first. If other vital body parts, like the heart, were to fail first, there could be nasty phantom pain or even shock when the resuscitation process began.
Then, the liquid is changed again and again, each time getting colder until it stops at -80 degrees Celsius. At this point, a refrigerant is attached to ensure the liquid stays at that temperature. And then, the cryostasis is complete. The resuscitation later will be done in reverse to this process.
As the coldness spread, I felt dizzy and went to sleep. I didn''t feel pain at all, just cold.
"Why! He is about to die soon, anyway. Why can''t I sell his stocks or shares? He has that neuron-something incurable disease, right?" Karen shouted at Mr. Bradley a year later. "I have to divorce him and get married to Mr. Kevin. He could give me more than 60k dollars a month."
"He is not dead yet, Mrs. Karen. And he will not die anytime soon. You may divorce him as you wish, but let it be known that according to the prenup you signed, you won''t get his inheritance if you initiate the divorce." Mr. Bradley almost spat out his words at her insolence. Mr. John has been giving this bitch an allowance of over 100k over the past seven years, and now that it dipped a little, she wanted to leave him in a drop of a hat?
"Damn it. He is supposed to die already. Where is he?"
"He is currently unavailable, Mrs. Karen."
"Lies! He must have been dead already! I knew that disease was incurable! You just wanted to steal the inheritance my husband left behind!"
"I certainly am not, Mrs. Karen. Mr. John has already informed you that he will return after three years, am I right?"
"He didn''t even answer his phone for a year!"
"So? That doesn''t prove anything. Well, if you are so inclined, he already left a will and testament if he failed to return three years later. But nevertheless, the situation will stay as it is for three years."
"Why did Jennifer get extra money when I did not?"
"Mr. John has some savings under my jurisdiction, and it is up to me to use it. Jennifer needed some money for her tuition. Although I must say she lacked the financial skills to manage her monthly allowance, I could not let her studies fail," Mr. Bradley explained.
"This is discrimination."
"We will let Mr. John decide next time he comes home," Bradley said with a venomous remark. Karen, being the woman she is, didn''t hear him and walked away, irritated.
Karen harassed Mr. Bradley four more times after that, and Mr. Bradley always gave the same response. The day of Mr. John''s awakening finally came three years later, just a month before Jennifer graduated from college.
Chapter 3: Daughters Graduation
Darkness enveloped me until a mote of light gathered in the distance, forming a light that spread out before me. The world began to float, and my body rose up from the depths of the ocean into the light. Coldness then came upon me as I shivered. The light then darkened as the water started to get warm. I realized that I was unconscious, and my eyes were closed, refusing to open, hence the darkness. I tried to feel my fingers, but they wouldn''t move. A thumping sound was then heard, and I realized it was my heart.
Feelings then returned from my head to my fingers. I moved them along with my eyelids, and bright light akin to hospital rooms enveloped my eyes. I tried to move my hand to block the light, but all I could do was twitch. As my eyes adjusted, a nurse corrected my stretcher, and I faced Mr. Jack, the head of Genesis Corp that I signed up with.
As I processed what had happened, I remembered my cryostasis sleep. My heartbeat calmed down as I accepted all the changes in my body. Then, with a groan, I shifted on my bed.
"Greetings, Mr. John. Congratulations on your recovery. I thought you wouldn''t make it. Hehehe."
"You said it only failed once."
"Well, that would mean 5 survived and 1 death. You had about a 16.6% chance of dying, and you made it. Besides, we didn''t know if your disease would progress or not during your cryostasis. Hehehe." I forgot. I thought my chance of survival was over 90%, being twelve people and one death, but out of twelve people, only 6 came out, and 1 of them failed the resuscitation.
"Let''s go to therapy. After that, you may go as you wish. You might have to use a wheelchair for a little bit for a week, but that should do, right?"
As I was carted in a wheelchair, I felt my chest tighten. The disease woke up at the same time as me. My time is limited. "Mr. Bradley, how''s Jennifer?"
"She will graduate in a month, sir."
"I see. I will be there," I muttered.
"Of course, sir. After your therapy session."
"I will be there even if I have to be in a wheelchair."
"Alright. Your choice, Mr. John," Mr. Jack smiled. After about three days, through scans and readings, I was brought to a general hospital, as Mr. Jack insisted. I then called my family, especially Jennifer, my daughter. As I waited for her, I looked through her photos on my smartphone. I had never attended her elementary, junior high, or high school. All I had thought about was work.
I didn''t regret it at the time, and even now, I don''t regret it. My daughter had many wants: holidays in Bali, the newest ultra-nano implants, subscriptions to various services, etc. However, when I was diagnosed with this incurable disease, I had a thought. I wanted to attend her last day of education, then possibly her wedding, then possibly her children. I wanted to see my bloodline grow.
That''s why I paid $200,000 for a medical subscription at another hospital. However, my disease is incurable. It was a waste. Even with the latest tech, I couldn''t attend her graduation. I thought I was wrong that money couldn''t buy everything. But turns out, I was right. Money could solve everything. You just needed to find the right provider.
"Dad! You''re alive! Mom kept accusing you of being dead, and Mr. Bradley was taking your money!"
"He didn''t, my dear. I apologize that I could only attend your graduation now. Is your studies going well?"
"Yes. My GPA isn''t that high, though. Only 2.5 out of 4."
"That''s fine. It''s all about experience. You can start learning in my company."
"Greetings, Mr. John. My name is Alex. I am Jennifer''s boyfriend. Here, some apples, oranges, and milk for your hospital visit." A slender young man, probably around Jennifer''s age, greeted me.
"Hmm? I see. You''re Jennifer''s boyfriend? Will you marry Jennifer in the future?"
"Yes! Of course, Father! I love him very much. Can I marry him, right?"
"It depends." I wanted to say yes immediately. However, I knew there were many unsavory rumors about paternity fraud. Most of them involved women like Karen, but there were some bad men nowadays who abused their wives from the start. That hadn''t changed. I had to know if he was a good guy for my daughter.
"Do you have any jobs or criminal history?"
"Well, I worked part-time as a cashier. My father owns a store at a different location. I don''t have any criminal history except for two speeding tickets."
"I see. Relax, I am not like Karen. She must have roasted you for having less than average income, huh?"
"Well, yes. Her attitude is not the most stellar," he gave a wry smile.
"However, I am a businessman first and foremost. And in business, there is a hierarchy. Will you accept my daughter as the head of the household later? She earns more than you, right?"
The man nodded, but he wasn''t as submissive as my standard employees or janitors in my company.
"However, she will obey me if I earn more, right?"
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"Will you, Jennifer?"
"Of course, I love you! I will obey you even if I earn more!"
"Oh, dear. You''re really alive! I heard your disease would take your life in a year. What happened?" Karen barged out from her salon or whatever party she was attending and slammed the hospital door open when she heard I was still alive and well. She then offered some annoyed praise and congratulations for my health. This parasite''s behavior grew funnier and funnier. I never thought I would see such malice from my wife. I have never wronged her, but her eyes seemed like she couldn''t wait for my death. It''s unfortunate because that will never happen. Now that I have Mr. Jack''s technology, I could outlive her, and she would never inherit my money. Becoming rich was not enough, Karen. You need to have a brain on how to use it, or connections. A flamboyant and spendthrift woman like you, who spends all her earnings on manicures, handbags, and clothes, would never outsmart me.
"Hello, Mom¡"
"Oh my, hello there, my sweet honey... Why are you bringing this pauper again? Please don''t be entranced by his honeyed words. You need to find a man somewhat of your stature, my dear."
"But, Mom, Dad gave us his blessings," Jennifer said.
"Hmm? Really? John? Is that true? I thought you would be against it the most! The disease must have done something to your brain!" The clownwoman was having her own circus before me as she chirped and yelled about jobs, status, money, and assets. Then, a thought hit me. I should cancel all of my insurance and put it toward my next cryostasis. Then I could save about 100 thousand dollars per month. That should prolong my life enough to attend Jennifer''s wedding, if she and this Alex finally grow up together.
"Jennifer. I didn''t say I have given you my blessings. I have around two months left before my next trip. It all depends on Alex. Do you really love my daughter? Are you a loyal man?"
"Yes, sir. I will do my best!"
"Alright! Goodbye. If somehow this pauper has your blessings, it''s fine. Just don''t say I didn''t warn you, my daughter." Karen then sped out of the room after confirming my health.
"Hehehe. Paupers, she said. Well, what do you think, Alex?" I giggled as I reminisced about Karen''s history.
"I am certainly not rich right now, Sir John."
"You will be, if you work hard."
For the next month, I invited Alex, Jennifer, and Karen for dinner and lunch. I occasionally attended my company to review the financial reports. However, most of my time was spent on rehabilitation. Thanks to my hard work, the company is mostly self-running now. And before I knew it, the day of graduation arrived.
I watched and recorded my largest investment walking to the podium to receive her final academic awards. When I thought back, I wondered why such a measly little paper cost so much time and money. Was it artificial scarcity, or was it something more? Did she receive what she wanted?
"Congratulations, Jennifer."
"Thank you for coming. It was a bit late, though. You only attended my college graduation, not my elementary or high school ones."
"Why should I attend? Graduations in those schools were guaranteed. It is not an achievement. You have to be especially stupid to not graduate from elementary school. Hahaha. Well, as your mother told you already, my time is coming near and maybe, I wanted to spend my time more with you."
"Mama was waiting for the day you died with fervor each day, you know."
"I am not going to die anytime soon. Mr. Jack, from Genesis Corporation, has developed a new drug to increase my lifespan."
"Really? I thought Mom said that your disease was incurable. I was afraid I wouldn''t be able to graduate or find a new job if Mom decided to take all of your money for herself."
"I won''t let that happen, my dear. To prove it to you, how about if I attend your wedding?"
"Really? Alex was too prideful, though. He said he won''t marry me before he rises to the rank of senior manager."
"Hahaha, he needs at least two years for that."
"But I am already a CEO, though?"
"Because you are my daughter. I already trained you since you were in elementary school, right?"
"Well. You are right, I guess."
"Alright. This was a fun two months. I have to go to Mr. Jack to undergo my treatment. See you in five years, my dear." I said while suppressing the pain in my abdomen and chest. Sometimes, the pain grew to my fingertips. The pain started spreading. My body ached. But, I wanted to see her smile on her wedding day. I guess I have to dive into the machine again. It costs a million dollars, but I want to see her wedding. With my insurance canceled, I guess I could cover this.
"Hello, dear."
"Alex! Give me a kiss!"
"Sure!"
"So, how was your dad?"
"You know, he said Mr. Jack was able to prolong his life!" Jennifer said as she pouted. It had been almost three years since we had planned to take Mr. John''s wealth. However, he proved to be a clever, cunning fox who refused to die. If we had his wealth, I would no longer have to work like a slave in his company. It was a lie that he would reward me if I worked hard. None of his employees said it. They all felt abused and worked like slaves.
I couldn''t blame them. This world is cruel. Only those who reach the top are able to enjoy privileges. I knew I would not be one of them. I was poor. However, luck fell into my lap at last. Jennifer, his adored daughter, took a fancy to me. If I licked her boots, I would get scraps of her wealth, and I would no longer have to worry about my income. I would finally gain financial freedom.
"Are you sad that he won''t die anytime soon?" I asked her.
"I don''t know. He abandoned me for so many long years. Only now he acted nice. And it was only for, like, a month. Like hell I will forgive him. He promised to attend our wedding, though."
"I am glad he was wise. I thought he would be like your mother. She was rather harsh on plebeians like me."
"Don''t worry. Papa loves me! He will give me anything I want! If I ask for it, he will give it to me. Look, he accepted our relationship, right?"
"Yes. I am happy he was such a doting parent." I smiled. My smile was more of a smirk. I never thought that the calculating and successful businessman such as Mr. John would be such a doting father. It was so easy to get into their house that I could only laugh. I guess my dream will be fulfilled easier than I imagined.
"Mr. John, I didn''t expect you to return so soon!"
"Greetings, Mr. Jack. I hope to use your machine again," I said, breathing heavily. My illness had developed¡ªDeath Neuralyzer Disease. It infected the brain, causing pain or impulses to the nerves. It started from the chest but could spread sporadically. The problem was, there was nothing wrong with my heart, stomach, or any organ. However, since my brain was sending pain signals, it felt excruciating. At the late stage, the pain signals became so severe that my body would go into shock, organs would start to fail, and I would die.
"Hmm? So soon? Do you expect to live forever? Like these six inhabitants?"
"No. I want to attend my daughter''s wedding this time."
"I see. Hop on in then. By the way, before we begin, could you fill out these surveys? They are important for my research."
After I filled out the superfluous and excessive surveys, I entered the tubes.
"This is going to be exciting. I hope you will be a regular here, Mr. John. You are the second person to use this cryogenic chamber a second time."
"I do think I will be a regular, Mr. Jack. While some parts of this cryogenics were a bit uncomfortable, I am happy with your research overall."
"With the second person, I could gather more statistics for my research. Thank you, Mr. John. Have a nice sleep."
"Good night. And Mr. Bradley, the conditions for my testament remain the same, okay?"
"Of course, Mr. John. It will be there until Miss Jennifer''s marriage with Alex, right?"
"Yes. Good night."
"Good night."
Chapter 4: Open Secrets
"How?! How can that jerk still be alive?" Karen screamed at Mr. Bradley for the umpteenth time this year.
"May I ask why you are so eager for Mr. John to leave this world? And what do you plan to do with his inheritance? You already have an allowance of 50 thousand dollars each month. Isn''t that enough? Do you plan to start a company that requires more than 50k?" Mr. Bradley''s words dripped with sarcasm, but they seemed to have little effect on Karen''s tirade.
"Ugh! But that girl, Sherly! She spent more than 200k on trips to Singapore and Las Vegas!"
"Doesn''t she have a job? Perhaps if you worked hard, you could get one such trip," Mr. Bradley retorted, instantly regretting his words as Karen settled herself down, prepared to continue complaining.
"I am an actress who sold over two million copies ten years ago. Why won''t these stupid film directors hire me? And I''ve been training for the role in Silent Huntress, but I failed the audition. I hope that film goes bankrupt upon release. So annoying."
Mr. Bradley could only nurse his headache, wondering how Mr. John remained so composed, at least on the surface, dealing with Karen. Even during his daughter''s graduation ceremony a few years ago, Mr. John had managed his wife''s antics with surprising calmness.
"Anyway, did you know soccer player Kevin has a dinner appointment with me? So, I have to go. See you, Mr. Bradley. Remember, three more years! Max! I want the inheritance documents prepared for me ASAP."
"Only if Mr. John passes away, ma''am."
"Hello, Mr. Jack. My name is Jennifer, and this is my spouse, Mr. Alex. I heard my father was admitted here. Am I unwelcome?" Jennifer boldly entered Jack''s office.
"Greetings, Jennifer. Of course, I would welcome Mr. John''s daughter anytime."
"So, about my father, did you cure his illness? I heard his disease was incurable?"
"Ah, yes. His disease was incurable. So far, I have only been able to prolong his life. He was so eager to attend your wedding, you see. However, the process was a little bit experimental. That''s why we can''t show you anything."
"If you can prolong his life, why can''t I see him?"
"I normally don''t divulge my patients'' data. However, seeing as you are his reason for enduring, I suppose I could tell you. He is currently in cryostasis. When he was frozen, his disease froze with him. And thus, he could live longer. He wanted to attend your wedding, and that''s why he paid quite a bit of money to me to use the machine."
"I see," Jennifer muttered, a smile creeping up on her face.
"Thank you for the information, Mr. Jack. I will take my leave now."
"You are welcome. I shall await the day of your wedding. Mr. John would be delighted to attend it."
"Thank you, Mr. Jack."
After that, the two visitors gathered in a restaurant. Alex, still babying Jennifer, began to speak.
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"So, what''s the plan?"
"Dunno. I mean, I am already the CEO and have a salary. Even if Papa outlived me, he couldn''t do anything. He couldn''t even take over my company when he only had a few months between waking up."
"Well, yeah. How about our child, though?"
"We don''t have a child yet! Ugh! It''s all your fault. Why use cheap condoms! I am now pregnant, and we have to speed up our wedding!"
"Oh, we are going to speed it up? Society doesn''t judge us much for it anymore. I think it would be okay and safer to have the wedding after the birth."
"Well, I guess so. I will write to Mr. Bradley about this."
"WHAT? Cryostasis?" Karen screamed at the news Alex and Jennifer messaged them. She had eagerly anticipated her husband''s demise, hoping to gain access to his inheritance with her daughter''s help. However, now that her husband was still alive, her plans were thwarted. Beside her sat her lover, Kevin. Karen believed she had concealed their affair well, but unbeknownst to her, Mr. John was aware of her infidelity and had accepted it due to their prenup agreement. This agreement mandated DNA tests for any child conceived by Karen, leaving her with no option but to terminate any pregnancies resulting from her flings.
It annoyed her to no end that her husband always seemed to be one step ahead of her plans. Initially, she was overjoyed at having her needs fulfilled. She was a poor and failed actress, and only her looks warranted recognition. However, greed and avarice soon consumed her. Her husband seemed to have bound her with the prenup, which included clauses such as DNA tests for birth certificates, separation of wealth, and no alimony. If she were caught having an affair, she could face divorce and be left destitute on the streets.
That''s why she felt the need to seek out another potential marriage candidate. She was insecure about her financial freedom and sought stability through relationships. She began dating her producers, hoping to secure her future. However, a scandal emerged, and her producer left her stranded. This left her and her producers off the hook, but she found herself without any movie offers thereafter. Now, she has turned her attention to Kevin, the CEO of one of John''s rival companies.
Their relationship had begun when Kevin visited John''s house under the guise of business negotiations. Despite being rivals, business interests trumped personal grievances, leading Kevin to deceive Karen by presenting himself as a major shareholder in John''s company.
As their bond deepened, Karen and Kevin shared ambitions of merging their companies, yet their relationship was fraught with power struggles. Both desired to dominate the other, leaving their companies locked in a stalemate.
Through Karen, Kevin learned of John''s condition, and he began treating Karen like a lover, a role she accepted readily. It was easy to persuade Karen without even resorting to lies; their goals were aligned. If John were to die, the inheritance would pass to Karen and Jennifer. With that, Kevin could simply give Karen the dividend from John''s shares while retaining control over the shares'' voting power. Little did she know that the dividend would yield her less income than she currently enjoyed. Kevin aimed to reduce the dividends paid by his company to its shareholders, believing that this money rightfully belonged to him as the CEO.
Kevin believed he would acquire John''s company within a year, as the death neuralyzer disease was deemed incurable, and most patients did not survive more than two years. This disease primarily afflicted older individuals and was thought to be caused by some form of virus, although its mode of transmission remained unknown. Some speculated it was a computer virus that compromised a person''s brain, but the truth eluded everyone.
Despite his expectations, John continued to live. Growing impatient, Kevin searched for information, convinced that John was already deceased and merely concealing it. Learning of John''s attendance at Jennifer''s graduation shattered Kevin''s assumptions. Upon questioning Karen about John''s health, he finally discovered the truth about cryostasis. This revelation upended Kevin''s plans to take over the company; with cryostasis, John could potentially live indefinitely. Moreover, John had recruited Alex, Jennifer''s spouse, into the fold. With Alex and Jennifer poised to inherit John''s company and shares, Kevin''s hopes of a hostile takeover dwindled.
"Ugh, damn it," Karen cursed. "So, what should we do, Kevin? With cryostasis technology, I have no means to access his money."
" I''ll consult with my lawyers. Relax, honey. It will be fine."
In truth, Kevin had no concrete plan. He considered getting closer to Jennifer, but she was fully committed to Alex. She viewed Kevin strictly as a business partner. He realized he might need to take drastic action soon.
Chapter 5: Disaster Awakening
A series of liquids flowed past me once again. This time, instead of light, darkness accompanied by a red glow flooded my vision. I tried my best to suppress my shock and calm my body¡ªa crucial process I had discovered during my last cryostasis session. However, the blaring sounds were incredibly distracting. This was why I detested cheap equipment and bleeding-edge technology; they were rough around the edges.
"What''s up?" I groaned as I woke up from my chamber. Instead of finding myself in a cozy hospital bed, I was still in my sleeping tube. Had they mistaken my waking time? What incompetent scientists.
"Well, thanks to your friend, our service has been banned by the government. We are now closing down!" Mr. Jack replied, sounding irritated. "Oh, you''re lucky. I hoped you would die, but you ended up surviving instead. The others weren''t as fortunate. Only two others made it. Damn it."
"Hmm? So, you''re shutting down the service? Is that why I woke up? And what''s with the red light?" I inquired.
"This is an emergency protocol. Now that you''re awake, I trust you''ll help me as an eyewitness?"
"Sure, just give me a minute to call my lawyer. Where''s Mr. Bradley? Do you guys have any phones?" I groaned as I struggled to get out of bed. It was a horrifying experience. Unlike last time, I could somehow still move my arms. Was I getting used to it, or was it simply the sudden waking process that stimulated my muscles? Despite this, my disease had returned; the pain in my heart and abdomen had intensified.
"Hey! Throw these bodies into the incinerator. Only those who survived and supported us may live," Mr. Jack shouted orders. "Hurry up! Do you want to go to jail? The FBI has already begun searching the top floor. It won''t take them more than three hours to find this bunker!"
"FBI? Oh yeah, this whole cryostasis thing was an illegal human experimentation. So, somebody snitched on his illegal play, and he accused me?" I muttered as I gathered my thoughts. Watching Mr. Jack and his henchmen toss the bodies into the nearby incinerator, I felt relieved that he spared me. In villain and mad scientist movies, he usually killed all of us. But it was such a waste to see those cryostasis tubes being dismantled.
"Alright! I think I have my mind back. Could I get a rundown on what happened? Oh, and greetings, fellow sleepers. My name is John," I addressed Mr. Jack from my wheelchair in a white room with two others¡ªa man and a woman in their teenage years. They seemed so young; I was curious as to why they slept here. But that could wait. We had a more pressing matter to attend to.
"Hello, my name is Anna, and he is Bob."
"Hello. I am Bob."
"Okay, I have already instructed my scientists to enact Protocol 66, and now, about you guys. You guys are my only concern. You guys will support me, right?"
"Yes, of course. I will lie as long as the lie will not put me in a vulnerable position," I answered.
"We will too."
"Alright, for Mr. John. Here is the cover story: You are under extensive rehab and thus have room 402 here in the underground for yourself. You rarely leave the room, and even then, you didn''t visit nor contact your family. Is that clear? Can you make excuses about why you didn''t contact them?"
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"Yes, I rarely contacted them to begin with. I have to come up with more elaborate excuses, though, as to why I never contacted my company."
"Now, Bob and Anna. You are James and Luna now. Your parents faked your death and hid you in these chambers because your granduncle wanted to kill you. You ran away with fifty kilograms of gold bars and have been here for twenty years. Your parents are dead, and to prevent inheritance disputes, they asked me to hide you here. That''s why you two have no identities. Is that clear? Remember, these are not your identities but your parents''. You underwent plastic surgery before sleeping. But don''t let those facts slip. A fingerprint test will reveal everything. Don''t let them take it. These stories are what you must tell the FBI, okay?"
"Yes, we understand," Bob and Anna replied in unison.
I tilted my head at the plot holes in these stories, but I also knew that the FBI would be suspicious if the cover story were too perfect. I smiled at the couple''s backstory¡ªthey had skipped a generation. I wondered if I could have such a backstory if I slept long enough.
"Alright, Mr. John, that way, please. Bob¡ I mean James and Luna, you go that way. Ah, you guys have met each other. Just make up some story about these kids scrawling around while you had your rehab, okay, John?" Mr. Jack instructed.
"Alright."
"Ah, Mr. John, if you could do me a favor, you run a tech company, right? Could you allow me to evacuate this data temporarily into your office?" Mr. Jack whispered.
"Hm? This data is about the cryostasis experiment, right? It''s quite huge, 100 TB. How are you going to transfer it to my server in two hours? Wait, won''t the FBI raid my company too when they find out you have transferred your data to my office?" Most of these data were boring videos of the cryostasis chamber, but a small portion included vital data such as cryostasis theories and their mechanics, essays and hypotheses, cryostasis chamber schematics, and charts about our cryostasis.
"There is no data. We don''t keep logs here. So, don''t worry. The files were in the cloud; we could transfer them from my cloud to yours and then delete all the logs. The FBI is looking for physical evidence, so they shouldn''t investigate my cloud server. But I need to do this just in case. You can be trusted, right?"
"Alright," I nodded. He could trust me to keep the data safe and return it to him when needed. However, I would copy the data for myself later for sure.
Soon after, the FBI came into our room. Mr. Jack greeted them and introduced me. My haggard face made them reluctant to question me, but they still questioned me regardless. The questions were basic: my name, ID card, and what disease I had and its treatment. I bullshitted my way through, but I insisted that it was my own will. I told them the sob story about why I wanted to prolong my life, even for a few more years¡ªfor my daughter and her wedding. The only mistake I made was when I called Mr. Jack "Doctor Jack." Even though he had hundreds of hospitals, how come he didn''t have a medical license?
At the very end, the FBI left me alone with a note stating their suspicion of illegal human experimentation within the company. No matter how convincing my sob story was, illegal activities couldn''t be overlooked.
"Mr. John!" Mr. Bradley finally arrived. Where were you when I needed you the most, you bloodsucking lazy lawyer? Your only job was to keep these bureaucratic police off my back, and yet you failed?
"Where were you, Mr. Bradley? How could you let these feds disturb my sleep?"
"Well, apparently, Karen and Kevin tipped off the feds. They raided the hospital after Mr. Jack showed Karen the cryostasis chamber."
"I see. It''s Mr. Jack''s fault, then. How could he become rich when he''s so naive? Well, I guess I''ll have to help him build another cryostasis chamber. I only have like six months left, maybe he won''t finish it. With all the feds on his tail, will he get imprisoned?"
"No, I don''t think so. There wasn''t any evidence."
"I see."
"But the feds will certainly put him on their watch list. He won''t be able to do much for at least three years."
"What should I do about Kevin now? He has ruined my plans. How long has it been? Three years, right? I won''t be able to attend Jennifer''s wedding at this rate."
"Jennifer will have their wedding in two months if you want. They''ve been talking about speeding it up due to her early unwanted pregnancy six months ago. I could call them right now."
"What? I see. So, I could see my grandson and my daughter''s wedding? Excellent! I am truly blessed. Hahaha." I chuckled at the fortune before me. All of my dissatisfaction with Kevin went out the window. I couldn''t gain immortality, but at least I could have what I wanted.
Epilogue
The wedding between Jennifer and Alex proceeded as planned. I had to attend in my wheelchair due to my worsening symptoms. Pain pulsed through my body, weakening my knees and preventing me from walking.
Karen and Kevin welcomed the wedding with fake smiles. Their customer service smiles were getting rusty, and even I had to stifle a giggle at their expense.
"Papa!" Jennifer and Alex greeted me after the ceremony. With the wedding concluded and the other guests enjoying the feast, they came over to greet me.
"Hello, Alex and Jennifer."
"Hello, Mr. John. Or should I call you father now?"
"You can call me father. So, how''s life? I certainly adore this little grandson of mine. I hope he grows up to be like me!"
"It''s been going well. The kids seem to love the gold coins you gave him. He holds and plays with them every day."
"Hmm¡ Jennifer, it''s fine if you love him. But you must keep your shares of the company, okay?" I turned from my grandson to offer Jennifer one last piece of advice.
"Ugh... just let Alex handle them! I want to have a party. You see, the modeling gig I did was a success. Instead of running a company, I should be an actress or an idol."
"Did you see me and your mother? Love can fade, but it can also be bought with money. As long as you have these bonds, you will never betray each other. Am I right, Jennifer, Alex?"
"I think so. If I had all the shares from Jennifer, I might be tempted to have fun with other women."
"That''s why the shares are split equally between you. These bonds might not be invincible, but they are the strongest I know."
"I see. I shall learn from you, Father."
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"Well, okay, I guess. I don''t want my economic degree to go to waste, either. I suppose I''ll have to run the company alongside him."
"Good. Farewell, my children," I said as they returned to the stage. Next, Karen approached me. Not with a greeting, but she simply strolled near me, her face no longer displaying fake smiles but pure hostility.
"Oh, by the way, Karen. I don''t know why you hate me so, but you are free after I die."
"Free my ass. You think you''ll throw me to the street after you die? I''m already in my forties! Now that you''ve given everything to Jennifer, I have nothing left!"
"You will still have money. Isn''t that your concern?"
"Fuck you!" Unable to maintain her charade any longer, she left with a curse before storming off. What an impatient woman. Even now, I have no idea what goes through her head. I''ve never done anything wrong, yet she seems to hate me as if I''ve killed her parents or stolen her company.
"Greetings, Mr. John. How are you today?" Kevin greeted me.
"As you can see, I am in a wheelchair. I don''t think I will live long. But I have seen what needed to be seen," I replied.
"Oh, and what would that be?"
"I got to see Jennifer be happy and get married."
"I see. Will you transfer all of your wealth to her? What about your wife? She''s been loyal to you ever since you married, right? It''s been more than 20 years."
"27 years, to be exact. But yes, you''re right. Of course, I wouldn''t abandon her. But as she''s getting on in years, I''ve decided to transfer the voting rights to Alex and Jennifer while giving the dividends to Karen. She may not be able to party all day, but it should suffice."
"I see." Kevin couldn''t hide his disappointment and nodded, gritting his teeth.
"What about you, Kevin? Shouldn''t you find a spouse soon? Well, you''re still in your thirties. It''s still young. But don''t be like me. I married at forty, and then I had to struggle to see this day. You were the one who tipped off the FBI, right? What a naughty kid."
"What are you talking about, Mr. John? I have no idea about your private life."
"Of course you do. However, unlike what you feared, I do not seek immortality. And I hope you don''t either."
"Why hand the company to such youngsters? I would be a better leader than they are. If our companies merged, we would be the biggest tech giant on earth."
"Maybe. But then what? You''d just be like me. Or worse. After all you''ve done, you''d step back and look at yourself. When you die, what''s going to happen to this company? Should you destroy it? Should you give it to your employees? Or should you give it to those you''ve trained?"
"If I use that¡"
"Immortality is fake. The time you have will not increase. Immortality is a myth. And maybe, it''s better that way." Kevin then nodded. As he clenched his hand, he left the wedding hall.