章節 1: The Invite

"Thud!" My body hit the floor as my eyes glazed over, like a dead fish as they slowly opened. I tried shifting my body, lifting my arms up only to have it fall back to the ground.

I could call out to my butler to help me up, but what was the point? As if losing my father to a car accident and having my mother die during my own birth was not bad enough, I had to be born disabled too.

The only bright side was the fact that I was brighter than other children my age, which led to my uncle enrolling me into the top Special Institute as I ended becoming their top student. Otherwise I would have been already dead by now...

Being the top student had its perks, I was provided with accommodations and a personal butler to oversee household matters. It wasn't much but it allowed me to continue my dysfunctional life with lesser pain.

However, who knew a simple health check would lead to my life falling apart? My unknown condition was abruptly deemed terminal and it turned out I only had about a year left before my body shuts down as my nervous system reaches the point of complete failure. Expectedly enough, the Institute deemed it to be too much of a liability and my graduation day became an expulsion day instead.

Experimental treatment that could cure nervous system problems which could potentially help me weren't extinct, but who'd want to invest a large sum on a dying student when the result couldn't even be assured.

The little services that rendered my life bearable was to be slowly withdrawn from me, while I, on the other hand, would be left on a hospital bed to live out my remaining days.

'Knock Knock!'

Will entered the room and saw my limp body half on the floor as my eyes rolled over and looked at him.

"Young Master Ian... are you alright? there's a guest here to see you… you might want to..."

Will said as he helped me up onto the wheelchair.

"Mhm," I turned my head as I nodded slowly, wondering who might have come to visit me at this time.

"Mr Ian Cloud?"

The blonde guest with shifty blue eyes abruptly stood up adjusting his fitted suit, scanning me from head to toe as soon as I went through the door of the guest room…

"Mhm, to whom do I owe the honour of this visit?"

I smiled slightly after Will pushed me to face the couch that he was sitting on.

"I'm Claus, part of the HR department in Virtual Domain. I came here to invite you to participate in a certain project that would bring mutual benefits to us both,'' he replied politely as he took out his name card from a sleek card holder.

Virtual Domain?! To think that I would receive someone from the most advanced Virtual Reality company at such time. The name card in my hand shimmered as it reflected the light, proving the guy's identity as that special holographic image imprinted on it could not be faked.

"Mr. Claus, I wonder what kind of help would you want from a cripple whose death date has been more or less confirmed like me?"

Taken aback by my frankness, a slight crease appeared on Claus's forehead as his expression slowly changed back into his confident smile.

"Mr Cloud, it would be hard to explain the situation without bringing you on a small tour around our main building first. Would you mind accompanying me there? It won't take long."

Claus replied with a slight smile.

"Alright."

I casually accepted his questionable invite as soon as I gave it some thought.

What's the worst that could happen? Getting kidnapped? For what ransom? I didn't have much time to bother anyway...