Frank pointed to the transparent virtual device resting on the table. Within it, a faintly glowing plant shimmered, its thin leaves traced with veins that pulsed softly with light.
"Look this plant?" Frank said quietly,"Its rare, and unnatural."
Steven leaned closer, eyes narrowing. The glow was unnatural, almost alive.
"But what does it do?" he asked with astonished, "And why is it rare?"
Frank inhaled deeply, as if steadying himself before revealing something dangerous.
"A few days ago, a man posted about it," he explained,"He claimed that when he used this plant… his body changed."
Steven's breath caught. He listened in silence.
"His blood cancer was cured," Frank continued with low voice, "And his brother, who had been disabled… was healed too."
The room fell into heavy silence. Hope flickered across Steven's face, fragile yet desperate.
"So… will this make Alice better?" he asked softly. Frank's reply was simple, almost reluctant,"I don't know. But… she might."
Steven's heart sank, the uncertainty gnawing at him,"Where did he get this plant?"
Frank shook his head,"I don't know. I tried to trace him, but after the post… both the man and his brother vanished. The post itself was deleted."
Frustration surged in Steven's voice,"So we can't do anything now?"
Frank's gaze lingered on the glowing plant, his tone thoughtful,"We could… if we could discover where it teleported from."
Steven's eyes widened. "But how? No one can do sach that."
Frank's voice dropped to a whisper, heavy with the weight of impossibility,"Yes… that's the problem."
Jun's phone buzzed, slicing through the silence of the night. Trinnng… Trinnng… He woke, eyes half-open, and glanced at the clock. 1:49 AM. The caller ID flashed: Sanju. Jun answered reluctantly.
"My brother… how are you?" Sanju's voice was unusually energetic. Jun frowned. "Who asks how someone's doing at this hour of the night?"
Sanju chuckled, brushing off the irritation,"Forget all that. Tell me… there's no one around you, right?"
Jun replied cautiously, "No. Why? What happened?"
Sanju's tone shifted, heavy and serious,"I know you're going to Icolis."
Jun sat upright, tension rising,"So?"
"I want to go with you," Sanju said flatly. "If you take me… maybe I can help."
Jun blinked with confusion,"Mika and I are already going. What will you do there? And what kind of help are you talking about?"
Sanju didn't hesitate,"I need money. I'm drowning in debt of twelve million."
Jun's mind froze because it's a huge amount,"Twelve million?! Who did you borrow that from?"
But Sanju cut this topic off sharply,"Doesn't matter. Forget that. I'm coming to your home tomorrow. From then on, I'll stay there."
"Sanju, wait..."June was about to say something, but the line went dead. Jun stared at the phone, the weight of Sanju's words pressing down on him. Twelve million. It wasn't just Sanju's problem anymore.
He shoved the manuals aside, shut his laptop, and pulled off his T-shirt. The gravity chamber loomed ahead, silent and waiting.
Jun powered up the control panel, fingers moving with precision. He set the chamber's pull to 1.3x Elysira's gravity. The door sealed shut behind him. Instantly, the pressure hit muscles straining, lungs fighting for air. His body felt heavier, every breath a battle.
But Jun didn't stop. He pushed himself harder, training relentlessly. Hours slipped by. Sweat streamed down his body, dripping onto the chamber floor. By the time he finally paused, nearly four hours had passed under crushing gravity.