The Man of the Future

Chapter 1 (Negotiation of the Alot) Arc: Mystery of Jade Buddha Statue

Equatorial Space City Above Sundaland Peninsula 0° Year 2999 AD.

  The Equatorial Space City, is one of the 7 cities on the surface of the Earth. Space City, is a city that floats in space. At an altitude of 39 km above the surface of the Earth. And it was well established in the early 30th century, where all technology and science developed at a rapid pace.

Even the ferocity of the latest ice age, is not an obstacle to human civilization that era. But it is a challenge for them, to face the conditions of nature that are so frozen in the modern ice age.

But unfortunately all the progress was not meaningful at all, because most of the people who lived at that time. I no longer believe in religion and God. They believe more in what is a prophecy, are more proud and rely on the latest cloning techniques in obtaining offspring, rather than having to do natural mating, he said, what is normal is done by their ancestors as a bond between personal, family and social themselves as a human being. But in that era everything was not happening, the people of that era seemed to only rely on the name of the latest technology.

But in all these advances, man lived in that age. There are still many who believe, with the name of myths and legends from the past. What a paradox there was at that time.

And one of those who believes in all of those things is Mr. Jhon Swett, who is the Governor of the Equatorial Space City. Who desperately wanted, to get a Jade Buddha Statue, a relic from the Chinese empire in the past. Until he had to hire an antique hunter from the Well family. Legendary family of antique hunters number 1 on Earth, Moon and Mars.

The city of space itself is headed by a governor. Who has the power and authority equivalent to a president in a republican state. A king or emperor, in the royal or imperial system that existed before that time.

At that time there were 7 cities in space. The Equatorial Space City. At latitude 0, above the Sundaland Peninsula. Which is the area that arises and sinks repeatedly. Depends on the time that is taking place on Earth. If the ice age is going on like the one that is sweeping that era. Then the Sundaland Peninsula will appear, due to the subsidence of shallow sea levels in the region, which is at the southern end of the Asian Continent. If global warming is happening on Earth. Then the lowlands of the Sundaland Peninsula will sink, and become a shallow sea. The part of the land that does not sink. It will be a large and small island, and part of the Sundaland Peninsula will remain part of the Asian continent.

Besides the Equatorial Space City which is the largest space city on Earth. There is still the Asian Space City, which sits atop the Himalayan Mountains as the second largest space city. The city of Angkasa Sahul, which was on the island of Papua, which at that time had become one land with the Australian Continent, as the third largest space city on Earth. The fourth largest space city on Earth is the African Space City, which sits atop Mount Kilimanjaro. The European Space City is located above the Alps as the fifth largest space city. The American Space City, which sits atop the Gulf of Mexico as the sixth largest space city on Earth. While the Polar Space City, located above the Antarctic Continent, was the smallest space city on Earth at the time.

It is said that the seventh space city was built by someone who was super genius, and had an extremely high shen strength. (Shen : Energy in). The man made the 7 cities as a gift to his seven loyal servants. A few hundred years ago, before that time.

Now the descendants of the seven aides, became the governors of the 7 cities of space, of which the office was. Downgraded down to the present.

And one of the descendants of the 7 helpers was Jhon Swett. Who is the current Governor of the Equatorial Space City.

It is seen in the house of Mr. Jhon Swett, who is on the 20th floor. In addition to being inhabited by him, the house is more like an apartment building, it was inhabited by the extended family of Mr. Jhon, his staff and guards. Who live on every floor. While the top floor of the house, specially occupied for himself.

 

The apartment-like house was dome-shaped with a diameter of 50 meters. Where at the top of the house there is a runway for helicopters (helipad). Which is where, if in a precarious state. So Mr. Jhon Swett, can escape by helicopter. From a house located in the heart of the equatorial space city. It is filled with hyper blocks of the elite class. It was inhabited by the richest people on Earth at the time.

It appears Mr. Jhon is negotiating with the youngest member of the Well family, Mark Well. In the living room of his house which is on the 1st floor of the house in the form of a multi-storey building. They sat on the blue sofa. With positions facing each other, one with the other. With a long table made of white-colored crystal. Which is the basis for 2 bottles of energy water made from a combination of multivitamins and food essence. Common ones were in those days. With small size bottled water beverage bottles. It is 250 ML.

"How's Mark?, do you agree with my offer?" say and ask Mr. Jhon Swett, who is well dressed and wearing a black suit. Didn't make himself look attractive with his fat body and bald head.

 

The young man called Mark smiled faintly, then spoke, casually. It was as if he was not dealing with a ruler of the Equatorial Space City. Who is also the leader of the alliance of 7 space cities that exist on Earth.

"I agree with your offer, Mr. Jhon. But at the price you're offering, I don't agree." Mark stopped, as if he wanted to see John Swett's next reaction.

 

Mark has a clean oval face adorned by his pointed nose. And Mark also has bright brown eyes and hair standing as high as 7 cm brownish black. He looks handsome with that face. Especially coupled with casual clothing. It is covered by a bright red sweater and a blue scarf around its neck. Then the more charming he is. With such an appearance.

After a few minutes of silence between the two of them. Finally, Mr. Jhon Swett spoke up, wiping out the silence in the large living room. To respond to the words of Mark.

"Then what price do you want?. So I can get that Jade Buddha Statue?" asked Mr. Jhon, with a sharp look towards Mark, who looked very calm before Mr. Jhon. Although Mr. Jhon's eyes look like a lion wants to pounce on the prey in front of him.

"I asked for the price of 5 billion asiral. (asirals were the sole currency in force at the time), it was not very high right?, for the price of a Jade Buddha Statue. Which could grant the owner's request. And even more fantastically. Inside the Jade Buddha Statue, there was a treasure map. Which holds all the treasures of the dynasty of the Chinese Empire from the earliest dynasty to the last dynasty," Mark replied, trying to convince Mr. Jhon who seemed still doubtful, with his offer. Which Mark considered appropriate, with the work he would do later. At the risk of risking his life. For the sake of fighting over the statue from other groups who want a Jade Buddha statue. Which is somehow to be used for its own sake. Or for the benefit of others, by selling it at a very high price. For the price of a statue, its existence is like a rumor. Moreover, his ability, which is not just a myth.

"If your own father intervenes, I dare to pay such a high price" replied Mr. Jhon, calculatingly. That seems to be underestimating Mark, who does not like to be underestimated by anyone. Including a space city governor. Like Jhon Swett, who has full power in the Equatorial Space City. And great influence in 6 other space cities.

"My father is busy, he's not interested in your offer. He prefers to relax at home" Mark paused his speech for a moment. It was as if he was thinking about something in his mind.

He then took a bottle containing multivitamins and heavy food essence. Which acts like an energy capsule that he often drinks, when his stomach feels hungry. He used his right hand to take the opened bottle. Then he took a sip of it. Until it runs out altogether. After that Mark put the empty bottle back in its original place. Mark continued his words again. After making Mr. Jhon Swett wait for some time, with the activities done by him with his leisure that he deliberately did. Until Mr. Jhon Swett looks upset. From the look of his face that was increasingly unsightly by the eyes.

"Therefore, he sent me here. If you don't dare with my offer, you better find someone else. And I'll work for someone else, too" Mark said seriously, leading Mr. Jhon to disagree with Mark's offer and request.

Looks like Mr. Jhon like a chicken who is facing the young eagle Well.

"Okay!, I agree but on one condition. If you can't find and get that thing. Then you must die!" threaten Mr. Jhon with seriousness. I hope Mark is scared of his threat.

There was no look of fear on Mark's face when he heard the words and threats of Mr. Jhon. It seemed like the word dead had been commonly heard in his life. So Mr. Jhon's remark had no effect on his psyche at all. Mark smiled even more. It was as if he considered the threat from a ruler of the Equatorial Space City, just a mere joke.

After smiling. Mark then responded to the words of Mr. Jhon.

"Yes, I agree to your terms. And I'm sure I can get that thing, Mr. Jhon Swett." Mark said, confidently. His eyes were exploring the living room. It is filled with paintings of high artistic value. They come from different times and all over the world.

"You seem to be overconfident. Didn't you consider your chances of getting that thing. With antique hunters and other groups. Both those from the upper world, the lower world and the ocean world, known as the suppliers of first-class assassins?" Mark smiled again, before answering Mr. Jhon's words.

"That's what I calculated everything. And I'm sure my chances are the biggest among them all, 80% of my chances will be successful. Because compared to all of them, I'm the number one antiques hunter on Earth, the Moon Colony and Mars. Because I don't think their leader could have intervened on his own, even if they intervened. Surely my father, would be interested in hunting that thing. But the truth is no, I was the one given this task. As the youngest and weakest member of his strength in the Well family" Mark said, haughtily. Which made Mr. Jhon, shake his head. Only after that did he speak again.

"Mark, you're exactly your father. Proud and overconfident," heard himself likened to his father. Seen a look of dislike on Mark's handsome face.

"Mr Jhon, don't equate me with her. Besides, I'm not his real son, let alone his clone. I'm just his foster son. Adopted from an orphanage in the underworld, 15 years ago.

 

(The underworld is the land on Earth, free of ice, the result of a terrible ice age. It had frozen over 50% of the Earth's landmass at the time).

 

"Here Mark is, you don't talk too much. When will you hand it over to me?" ask Mr. Jhon, with his patience. To get the Jade Buddha Statue.

"Depending on the circumstances, if good conditions are on my side, maybe next month the Jade Buddha Statue is already in your hands. But if not, I can't give you any certainty. Because I don't know for sure either" Mark seemed to think for a moment. Then talk back.

"Will I escape death this time, or not?. Because according to the prophecy I obtained from my fortune-teller friend. This year has been the best year of my life. And death is stalking me" Mark said with all seriousness. About the prophecy he believed in.

"Mkr, Mark. I can't believe it, if the one who said it was you. You're an intellectual and a member of the legendary Well family. It is logical to take action. Do not believe in a prophecy that is very trusted by the people of the underworld, who are frustrated because they have lost hope in their lives," said Mr. Jhon at length. Who seemed to be mocking Mark, through his words.

"Mr Jhon, I told you. That I have no blood relation to them. So I'm not like them. I believe in prophecy, but I don't hurt it. And I still believe in God, and I hurt him. It is different from the Well family, which does not believe in God. Moreover, the name of the prophecy," said Mark gave an explanation to Mr. Jhon.

"Lord!, ha.ah!, I do not believe in its existence. If he really existed, why would he allow evil to run rampant in this world?" said Mr. Jhon, then laughed.

"You are a strange Mr. Jhon. You don't believe in God. But why do you believe, with the magic of Jade Buddha statues. Who can grant your request?" there was a look of confusion on Mr. Jhon's face, at Mark's remark, but he immediately brushed it off.

"It has nothing to do with me believing in God, or not. But I only believe in the magic of the Jade Buddha statue" said Mr. Jhon, with his arrogance.

"Sir John, where did the miracle come from?. Isn't that from God?" Mr. Jhon seemed silent at Mark's remark, but a moment later he spoke rather loudly.

"HAD!, don't talk about God anymore. We better talk about us. When are you going to start work?" ask Mr. Jhon, divert the subject. Because he was upset about losing that conversation.

"Maybe next week, I will start hunting down that Jade Buddha statue," Mark replied lightly.

"What!, next week?. You're wasting too much time!" said Mr. Jhon with all his worries. And his sense of incompetence towards Mark.

"Don't worry Mr. Jhon, time won't be wasted. Because that one week, I'm gonna use it to find information, where it actually is. Are you satisfied with my answer, Mr. Jhon Swett, the venerable Governor of the Equatorial Space City, said Mark, with his condolences. Who seemed to be praising Mr. Jhon, when in fact he was mocking him.

"Yes I'm satisfied, and that's up to you. Anywhere, you do it, to get that thing. I just want the Jade Buddha statue in my hands as soon as possible. And I don't want myself involved in the fight over that thing. That makes sure it will be contested by many circles," said Mr. Jhon, warning Mark.

"Basic of important people. Do not want to dirty his hands with his own feces, always want to appear with a clean image. But well I'll do what you want. It's important to me that you meet the pay" said Mark, insinuating Mr. Jhon.

"You don't worry, Mark, I'll transfer 1 billion asiral soon, as a down payment. After you leave this house. And of course with the assurance of your life and your family" hearing those words, Mark laughed.

"Ha...ah...a!, did you say, my family's life?. You're dreaming too high, Mr. Jhon. Even if you hired a thousand first-rate assassins to kill Well's family. I guess it's still not possible that your dream will come true. Don't you know for yourself, how powerful is the Well family?. A country they can destroy" Mark stared intently at Mr. Jhon. As if to pounce on Mr. Jhon alive.

"Other than just a space city like this. It's so easy for them to do. So you better break your intention to harass them, if you don't want to accept the consequences. It's enough just my life as his guarantee. Maybe there's only 20 professional hit men you need to finish me off. And maybe the money you have to spend is 10 billion asiral. That means you're gonna lose 5 billion asiral," Mr. Jhon was just speechless when he heard Mark's words. Only the heart speaks.

"What's right, well family is that great?. But they I see are mediocre. Both Father and Son are ordinary. But not a man who looks mediocre, usually very extraordinary," asked Mr. Jhon in his heart.

And then he was impressed with his past. When he worked with Er Well. Who was Mark Well's adoptive father.

"I used to work with his father to fight the rebels in this town. He did it alone, and with only a short time he could finish off all the rebels. I would be horrified if I had to deal with the Well family as enemies" said Mr. Jhon in his heart, imagined when he hired the services of the Well family, a few decades ago.

Seeing Mr. Jhon was silent. Mark is back.

"Here you are, Lord Jhon, do not speak in your heart. I know your heart. Don't doubt my abilities. I am, not so much worse than my father," said Mark, comparing his strength with his father.

"Yes, I believe in your abilities, Mark. You have the legendary abilities of the Well family" replied Mr. Jhon. Like I don't want to talk to Mark Well much more. Because he hoped Mark would immediately go from before him to look for the existence of the Jade Buddha statue for him.

"Thank God, if you believe in this ability of mine. And now I want to go from your very unpleasant house" said Mark, rising from his seat, and stepping out from before Mr. John and his 20-story house. With a straight forward look, without caring about anything. Including the bodyguards of Mr. Jhon Swett. The one outside that house.

"A..h.!, a very large space city. But it all depends on the technology of gravity-defying balls that are only as big as a tennis ball. Until a city of this size can float in the air, what an amazing technology. But if it is taken by the man who wants the destruction of this city, then the end of this space city, and fall into the arms of the Earth" Mark said in his heart, by continuing to walk away from Mr. Jhon Swett's house. With a relaxed step.

His rather long, tailed hind hair swayed, as he shook his head. Admire the beauty of the space city. Engulfed by the gusts of wind contained in the protective dome of the Equatorial Space City, which is one of the most human works of the era. The wind seemed to want to come with him, to get out of the confinement of the dome of the equatorial Space city. Who's been keeping him locked up all this time.

"A beautiful city, but not as beautiful as the underworld. It is filled with beautiful scenery. This space city, was like a city confined within a crystal ball alone. Above the roof of the horizon is shrouded by a protective dome that is embedded in the outer boundary of this city. So that makes the scenery not freely visible," said Mark in his heart, comparing the city of space with the underworld that he knew since he was born.

"But after all this space city is home to the elite of the planet. Who willingly spent hundreds of billions of asiral money. Just for the sake of living in a space city like this, and becoming an official resident in the largest space city on Earth," Mark said still in his heart.

Mark continued walking until he reached the outer western boundary of the equatorial space city. Which of course is limited by a protective dome. Mark stood there. Looking down at the underworld, where he came from.

"I really miss the underworld. I am saturated with life on Mount Well, especially in a space city like this, which is classified as the upper world. Which is filled with greed. It seems I am more suited to living in the underworld. And I'm not from the underworld. I remember when I was 8 years old. And I have 2 best friends, Nack and Franco. Who lives in an orphanage in the underworld" Mark continues to string together his memories, of his past.

"But after I was adopted by the Well family. I had to break up with both of them 15 years ago. It's not that I've never tried to search for the two of them in the underworld, I've often searched for them. But I never found it. The traces of them both disappeared like they were swallowed by the Earth. Hopefully this time, I can find both of them. Lord help me, meet me with them both." said Mark, in his heart. It was as if he was asking God for something he still believed in. Which God has completely forgotten by the people who lived in that age.

Mark kept his foot in the direction of the flying train station that was heading towards the underworld. There are no strict checks, to head for the underworld. Unlike the very strict examination in the underworld, to head to the upper world.

 

Mark went in and sat in the flying car, mingling with people he didn't know. And he doesn't care at all about his existence.

Finally the flying chariot, mounted by Mark, glided like a dragon descending from the sky to the underworld. The true world of man came and lived, building a culture and technology that continued, until that time. And the time after.