"We'll see about that . I really gotta go and I'll lose signal when I go down . "

"I heard that you gave them 200,000 to renovate the house . I don't know how much you earn a month, but Mom said it's about 10,000? A project over at my side can cost up to a billion dollars, and the job position you'll be in will get you 300,000 a year . It will be similar to what you're earning but you won't have to go down to the mine so it's definitely not as dangerous . "

"I'm going to work . I can't talk more .  I'll give you an answer as soon as possible so wait for my reply . "

I hung up and pressed down on the almost deformed switch b.u.t.ton of my Nokia phone .

The screen was already black but I had no intention of letting it go .

300,000 a year . That was all that I could remember from our conversation .

Working as a security guard for the inn was really a waste of time .

Brother needed someone with specialized knowledge and hadn't I been acc.u.mulating related experience for 10 years?

As for the needed certifications, Brother had said that it was not a problem .

So why not?

I stood by the entrance, totally preoccupied with my thoughts .

After work, I returned to the dorm where ten of us shared a room .

I stared at my phone, conflicted .

After a few deep breaths, I finally switched it on .

Immediately, as the screen lit up with the famous hand grabbing hand scene, I wanted very much to turn it off again .

I pressed on, however, and finally forced myself to open the phone call history .

I pondered over my choices as I stared at my brother's number on the screen .

I could either live on half-heartedly or go earn a whopping 300,000 a year .

There was an obvious answer, but my mind was circling endlessly between them .

I bit down on my teeth and finally made the call .

"h.e.l.lo?" he greeted .

"Hey, Brother . "

"I knew you'd call . Mining work isn't fun," he responded .

"I'm interested in what you offered earlier, but I don't know if there would be risks . You do know that I don't have the necessary papers . "

"Upon graduation, I entered the medical field . Minimally invasive surgery is my specialization, and I have made quite a name for myself . It is, however, in the theoretical stage so I'll need some specialized opinions . I need a powerful voice to a.s.sist me . "

"The high-level engineer you were talking about?" I asked .

"I invited many talents but they backed out the moment they knew it was about a human experiment . I understand that what they do is different from us, but if this thing was to succeed, it would be a blessing to humankind . "

"What do you want me to do, then?" I asked .

"Very simple yet very difficult," he answered . "I'm married, do you know that? Probably not, since I haven't mentioned it to Mom and Dad . No one in my company knows as well . "

"Why's that so?"

"Underground love . I have no choice since my wife is the head of the human resource department in this very company . Politics you know… I don't want to have to deal with malicious comments about power abuse and so on . "

"What has that got to do with a high-level engineer?"

He softened his voice once more, "The human resource department is in charge of recruiting the talents . I'll prepare the necessary doc.u.ments for you . Once you become an employee, lay low for a bit and then I'll get you to prove the safety of my equipment . What follows next is clinical in nature so you don't have to know . "

"I'll just have to prove that it's safe to get 300,000 a year? Why isn't anyone taking up such a good offer?"

"It is a life-changing amount for people from villages, but if you have the qualifications to work in a big city, the job that you're doing now can easily fetch you much more . Mechanical engineering might be somewhat different from what you're doing, but what I'm doing is similar to your stuff . "

"You've been telling me that a lot but I still don't know what your research is about," I added .

"Coronary heart disease . Do you know it?"

"I'm listening . "

"To put it simply, it is an illness where the connecting veins are clogged . My treatment is called bridge building, whereby a section of vein will be retrieved from the patient's arm or leg to replace the clogged section . It's a troublesome and risky surgery, but I've thought about a solution . "

"I am not sure if we're on the same page," I said .

After a long sigh, he added, "You're a miner and was taught by a teacher . I don't blame you for not understanding . How about you quit your job and fly over here? I'll make the arrangements and we can talk it over in detail . "

"Alright, but what if we get caught forging doc.u.ments? What will happen?"

"I can guarantee you that nothing will go wrong . Plus, the company does need a specialized expert in this area and they can't afford to lose their reputation even if you get caught . "

"If that's the case, it'd be better if you find an authoritative figure," I commented .

"I have already figured a way to separate my registered residence from you guys . Just don't mention that we're related so they won't be able to track anything from me . Even if you do get caught, just bear with it for three months and I'll make sure that you'll be fine . I'll pay you the 300,000 even if the company doesn't, and then you can return to your mine . Take it that you're doing me a favor, alright?" he said .

"This is . . "

"I graduated six years ago and had spent all my time and effort on this equipment . I won't be able to continue if it's not proved to be safe . I will forever be stuck in this theoretical stage . I believe that the risk is worth it," he finished with conviction .

I agreed .

We 39 ll see about that . I really gotta go and I 39 ll lose signal when I go down . I heard that you gave them 200,000 to renovate the house . I don 39 t know how much you earn a month, but Mom said it 39 s about 10,000 A project over at my side can cost up to a billion dollars, and the job position you 39 ll be in will get you 300,000 a year . It will be similar to what you 39 re earning but you won 39 t have to go down to the mine so it 39 s definitely not as dangerous . I 39 m going to work . I can 39 t talk more . I 39 ll give you an answer as soon as possible so wait for my reply . I hung up and pressed down on the almost deformed switch b.u.t.ton of my Nokia phone . The screen was already black but I had no intention of letting it go . 300,000 a year . That was all that I could remember from our conversation . Working as a security guard for the inn was really a waste of time . Brother needed someone with specialized knowledge and hadn 39 t I been acc.u.mulating related experience for 10 years As for the needed certifications, Brother had said that it was not a problem . So why not I stood by the entrance, totally preoccupied with my thoughts . After work, I returned to the dorm where ten of us shared a room . I stared at my phone, conflicted . After a few deep breaths, I finally switched it on . Immediately, as the screen lit up with the famous hand grabbing hand scene, I wanted very much to turn it off again . I pressed on, however, and finally forced myself to open the phone call history . I pondered over my choices as I stared at my brother 39 s number on the screen . I could either live on half heartedly or go earn a whopping 300,000 a year . There was an obvious answer, but my mind was circling endlessly between them . I bit down on my teeth and finally made the call . h.e.l.lo he greeted . Hey, Brother . I knew you 39 d call . Mining work isn 39 t fun, he responded . I 39 m interested in what you offered earlier, but I don 39 t know if there would be risks . You do know that I don 39 t have the necessary papers . Upon graduation, I entered the medical field . Minimally invasive surgery is my specialization, and I have made quite a name for myself . It is, however, in the theoretical stage so I 39 ll need some specialized opinions . I need a powerful voice to a.s.sist me . The high level engineer you were talking about I asked . I invited many talents but they backed out the moment they knew it was about a human experiment . I understand that what they do is different from us, but if this thing was to succeed, it would be a blessing to humankind . What do you want me to do, then I asked . Very simple yet very difficult, he answered . I 39 m married, do you know that Probably not, since I haven 39 t mentioned it to Mom and Dad . No one in my company knows as well . Why 39 s that so Underground love . I have no choice since my wife is the head of the human resource department in this very company . Politics you know I don 39 t want to have to deal with malicious comments about power abuse and so on . What has that got to do with a high level engineer He softened his voice once more, The human resource department is in charge of recruiting the talents . I 39 ll prepare the necessary doc.u.ments for you . Once you become an employee, lay low for a bit and then I 39 ll get you to prove the safety of my equipment . What follows next is clinical in nature so you don 39 t have to know . I 39 ll just have to prove that it 39 s safe to get 300,000 a year Why isn 39 t anyone taking up such a good offer It is a life changing amount for people from villages, but if you have the qualifications to work in a big city, the job that you 39 re doing now can easily fetch you much more . Mechanical engineering might be somewhat different from what you 39 re doing, but what I 39 m doing is similar to your stuff . You 39 ve been telling me that a lot but I still don 39 t know what your research is about, I added . Coronary heart disease . Do you know it I 39 m listening . To put it simply, it is an illness where the connecting veins are clogged . My treatment is called bridge building, whereby a section of vein will be retrieved from the patient 39 s arm or leg to replace the clogged section . It 39 s a troublesome and risky surgery, but I 39 ve thought about a solution . I am not sure if we 39 re on the same page, I said . After a long sigh, he added, You 39 re a miner and was taught by a teacher . I don 39 t blame you for not understanding . How about you quit your job and fly over here I 39 ll make the arrangements and we can talk it over in detail . Alright, but what if we get caught forging doc.u.ments What will happen I can guarantee you that nothing will go wrong . Plus, the company does need a specialized expert in this area and they can 39 t afford to lose their reputation even if you get caught . If that 39 s the case, it 39 d be better if you find an authoritative figure, I commented . I have already figured a way to separate my registered residence from you guys . Just don 39 t mention that we 39 re related so they won 39 t be able to track anything from me . Even if you do get caught, just bear with it for three months and I 39 ll make sure that you 39 ll be fine . I 39 ll pay you the 300,000 even if the company doesn 39 t, and then you can return to your mine . Take it that you 39 re doing me a favor, alright he said . This is . . I graduated six years ago and had spent all my time and effort on this equipment . I won 39 t be able to continue if it 39 s not proved to be safe . I will forever be stuck in this theoretical stage . I believe that the risk is worth it, he finished with conviction . I agreed .