In an exclusive lounge on the top floor of an elite ship cruising serenely over the vast ocean, a man sat quietly in a cushioned chair facing the window.

  The evening sunlight filtered through the rge gss beside him, refracting a warm glow that washed over the neat curves of his bck suit, creating a calm and authoritative silhouette.

  His gray hair was perfectly combed, the few white strands among the fine strands a reminder of the passage of time he had been through.

  Unlike most men of his age who have aged, he does not have a worn-out, gloomy, beaten-down appearance. His face was still sharp; just not piercing. Overall, his moustache and beard are neat, and add a warmth to his appearance that is hard to put into words.

  His pitch-bck eyes gaze into the open document in his hand. The title: "Sor Panel Theory" is clearly written on the front page, and just below it, a name that had sent the cyberspace scientific community into a frenzy just days prior: "Only James."

  Adjacent to it, other piles of more documents reted to this subject are neatly arranged; some of which have the research results and reports to developing renewable energy in different countries.

  Perhaps the most interesting document among them, aside from the one discussing Only James, was an official invitation from the Singapore government and the ASEAN International Organization, which he had received a few days earlier. It was an invitation to cooperate in further research on the opportunities of sor panel technology as a primary energy source that works more efficiently than the conventional energy sources that have been used so far.

  In this world, computers are not something that just anyone can own. There were no ptops, no mobile devices that could be carried around, only desk computers with proprietary systems that could only be accessed by those with authority or wealth. Nobles, government officials, and a handful of big businessmen were the only ones who could use computers regurly. That's why, even though the world has reached a fairly high level of technology, paper documents are still a staple in many aspects of life, especially in research and administration.

  It is not only the limitations in computer access that indicate that this world is far from perfect. Many technologies that in James' civilization have become commonpce are actually considered dangerous and cannot be implemented properly in this world. Airpnes, for example. Although the concept has been invented, its use remains unpopur and very limited due to the too-high level of risk resulting from the ck of solid theoretical understanding behind aerodynamics and flight physics. Failure to grasp the concept of abstract formus keeps this technology from developing properly, and as such, remains something that is only marginally used by certain risk-taking circles.

  As he gazed at the paper in front of him, he was carried away by the memory flow to a few days ago, shady park. The white-painted gazebo was prominent, with den trees thick around it, blocking outside views of its existence.

  A nearby unbroken pool of clear surface twinkled in the sunlight while small fish zig-zagged underneath to produce tiny ripples on the top of the water.

  Upon reading @Only_James' points in retion to sor panel technology, he quickly recognized this was not coming from a person who just says things. The organization of his commentary, his depth of what he was saying, and understanding of sor energy's basic attributes clearly indicated this was not just unqualified conjecture. Many people might chastise, dismiss or reject the idea because of who the source was; but he did not belong to that group.

  Nevertheless, there was other part of the conversation that brought him to an area of uncertainty: the discussion of tangible, destructive weapons. This aspect felt like a science fiction discussion; it felt too far removed from actuality. If it wasn't for the sor panel argument that sounded so pusible, he might have dismissed the discussion altogether.

  But something inside him still drove him to prove the truth with his own hands.

  That's when he decided to contact @Only_James directly. He wanted to hear from this person, to see if there was more to learn from his thoughts. But when he opened the account page, there was only one thing he found-empty. The account no longer existed.

  ICANN has removed it.

  He looked back at the document in his hand, his finger tapping lightly on the paper with a rhythm he barely noticed.

  'If this sor panel theory proves true, then no one can predict what will happen next,' he muttered in a voice that barely produced a trill.

  ××××××××××××××××××××

  The waves crashed against the hull of the ship in a repetitive rhythm, creating a sound that set the scene for the long journey that had finally reached its destination. After more than a month at sea, Theodore Van Albrecht finally arrived on another continent. The old man stepped off the ship calmly, his bck suit immacute despite the grueling journey.

  At the harbor, another man was waiting for him. His white hair glistened in the sunlight, with a few red strands standing out amongst the sea of white.

  They exchanged gnces for a moment before he gave him a small smile and greeted him.

  "Theodore," he called in a low but warm tone, then continued, "You've had a long journey, at least take the time to rest first. The best hotel has been prepared for you."

  Theodore who was now shaking hands with the man immediately shook his head.

  "I appreciate your good intentions, but I didn't come all this way just to sleep in an expensive bed," his voice was firm but still polite, "Better get on with it, I'm sure you don't want to waste your time unnecessarily either."

  The man chuckled, not surprised by the answer. "Alright. We can talk on the way."

  An elegant bck car awaited them, its doors already opened by a bodyguard standing at attention at the side of the vehicle. They got in, and once the door closed, the barely audible roar of the engine carried them away from the harbor. The vehicle was escorted by two other cars, a sign that the individual inside was not someone to be trifled with.

  The white-haired man leaned his body against the chair, staring straight ahead before finally speaking. "I've read all the documents regarding Only James."

  Theodore sighed softly, straightening his suit. "So, what do you think?"

  The man crossed his arms, "You know, there are tons of crazy theories in this world. But usually, they come from people we can track. People who have an academic history, a research track record, or at least... an identity."

  He turned to Theodore, "But this guy? There's nothing. No record, no name, no country of origin that can be traced. Even ICANN itself can't provide any information."

  Theodore didn't show any overreaction, "That's what makes it more interesting."

  "Interesting?" The man chuckled, despite the tension in his tone of voice. "The United States removed it from the Science Conference in less than 24 hours after the topic spread. That's not something that happens just because someone talks nonsense."

  Theodore nodded, "I think so too. And they're most likely looking for him right now."

  Theodore turned his gaze to the window, looking at the crowded cityscape.

  "They can't force ICANN to divulge someone's location for no good reason, it would create a bad precedent."

  "True, but that didn't stop them from looking for it in other ways."

  For a moment, the car was filled with only the sounds of the road coming from behind the soundproof gss.

  "The weapons of mass destruction theories he talks about do sound like science fiction," the white-haired man continued, "As someone who likes to look for the safe path, I don't believe his theories one bit. Nonetheless, America's stance is enough of an answer."

  Theodore who was reading another document closed the document, patting it gently before pcing it on his p.

  "This means that the possibility that he is just talking nonsense has almost disappeared."

  While some may think the actions of these parties are over the top, keep in mind this is a civilization where wars are often fought along high-tension regions.

  In other words, James' case is just an "ordinary" case like any other tension case; that is if James' future cases are not mentioned.