"The Rise of the Nine Dragons – Shadows Over SEA".

The sun had barely risen over IKN’s reclaimed forests, casting a pale, gray light over the bustling construction sites. Joko stood on the rickety scaffolding, beads of sweat running down his face despite the cool morning air. His hands trembled as he adjusted his harness, which seemed flimsy at best, but he had no choice. The Nine Dragons’ foremen were relentless. "Hey, Joko! Hurry up! We don’t have all day!" shouted Mr. Wijaya, the site supervisor, glaring from below. His impatience matched the pressure from the higher-ups. The Nine Dragons demanded that this section be finished ahead of schedule. Safety? That wasn’t their concern. Joko glanced down nervously, gripping the steel beam. "This scaffolding… it doesn’t feel right," he muttered, mostly to himself. Next to him, Ali, another worker, gave him a sympathetic look. "It’s not just you. This whole place feels like it’s about to fall apart." "We should tell someone." Ali snorted. "Tell who? The Nine Dragons don’t care. They’re too busy making money to care if we live or die." A sudden gust of wind rattled the scaffolding, making it sway dangerously. Joko’s heart raced. Below, the workers moved like ants, unaware of the danger above. He tightened his grip and glanced at Mr. Wijaya, who was still barking orders. "This is madness," Joko whispered, "I’m going to—" Suddenly, there was a loud c***k—the scaffolding beneath Joko's feet gave way. For a split second, time seemed to freeze. His eyes widened in terror, his arms flailing as he lost his footing. Ali’s hand reached out for him, but it was too late. "Joko!" Ali screamed as Joko’s body plummeted. The dull thud of Joko hitting the ground echoed across the site. Workers froze in shock, their tools slipping from their hands. A crimson pool spread around Joko’s lifeless form, soaking into the dusty ground. --- Up at the IKN Headquarters, Subianto sat in his office, going through reports when the phone rang. His assistant’s voice was urgent on the other end. "Mr. Subianto, there's been an accident at the construction site—one of the Nine Dragons' workers. He… he fell. It looks bad." Subianto’s face paled. "How did this happen?" "We’re still getting details, but... it seems the scaffolding wasn’t secure." Subianto slammed the phone down, his mind racing. The Nine Dragons. He should have never let them back in. He stood up and walked towards the window, staring out at the sprawling city below—IKN, his dream, now turning into a nightmare. --- At the Construction Site --- By the time David and Clarissa arrived at the construction site, chaos had erupted. Workers were arguing, and Mr. Wijaya was shouting orders, trying to control the situation, but it was clear that fear and anger had taken over. "Clarissa, look at this place." David's voice was low, simmering with frustration as he surveyed the scene. "It’s exactly what I feared. No safety measures, and no respect for the environment. This was bound to happen." Clarissa nodded … her eyes sharp as she observed the workers. "This isn't an accident, David. This is negligence. Deliberate." She paused, then added, "We need to talk to the workers. If the Nine Dragons are cutting corners like this, it's only going to get worse." David approached Ali, who was still in shock from witnessing Joko’s death. "Ali, what happened?" David asked, his voice gentle but firm. Ali swallowed hard, his eyes darting between David and the body of his friend. "It... it wasn’t supposed to happen. The scaffolding wasn’t stable. We tried to tell them, but… they don’t care." His voice cracked. "They only care about getting the job done fast." "Who’s responsible?" Clarissa asked, stepping in, her voice cold and measured. Ali’s gaze shifted to Mr. Wijaya, who was barking orders from across the site. "It’s him… but the orders come from higher up. The Nine Dragons… they don’t care about safety. They just want the job finished." David’s hands clenched into fists. "This is more than just an accident. It’s exploitation. And it won’t stop unless we stop them." --- Later that night, in a dimly lit office, Subianto met with one of his closest advisors, pacing as he spoke. "The Nine Dragons... they're pushing things too far. First the permits, now this!" Subianto’s voice was tight with frustration. "If the public finds out about Joko’s death, it'll blow up in our faces." His advisor, an older man with graying hair, sighed. "We should have expected this, Pak. The Nine Dragons don’t play by the rules. They never have." "But I promised them. I owe them for the early investments. Without them, IKN wouldn’t even be this far along." "And now look at the cost. It’s not just money anymore, Subianto. It’s lives." Subianto slammed his fist onto the desk. "I can’t pull out now, not without collapsing the entire project." His advisor leaned forward. "You may not have a choice. The people won’t stand for this. And if this continues, the Nine Dragons will have more control than you ever intended." Subianto stared out the window, his thoughts dark. "We need to be smart. If we make a move against them now, it could start a war. But if we do nothing…" --- Meanwhile, as word of the accident spread, Sebastian, still cloaked in the shadows, listened intently from a rooftop overlooking the construction site. "So, it begins," he muttered to himself. He’d known from the start that the Nine Dragons wouldn’t stop with mere economic control. They would spread their influence until every aspect of Southeast Asia was under their thumb. As he jumped down from the rooftop and made his way through the narrow alleyways, his mind raced. Joko’s death was just the beginning. And if David, Clarissa, and Subianto didn’t act soon, the consequences would be far-reaching. Sebastian’s thoughts were interrupted by the soft hum of a portal opening. It was time. The past, the present, and the future had begun to converge, and he was at the center of it. With a final glance at the construction site, he disappeared into the shadows, knowing that the real battle was only just beginning. --- The streets of IKN hummed with activity as the news of Joko’s tragic fall spread. Workers whispered among themselves, glancing suspiciously at the supervisors and the Nine Dragons' presence looming over the city like a dark cloud. It wasn’t just an accident anymore—it was the spark that could ignite the powder keg of tension that had been simmering beneath the surface. David stood by the edge of the conservation park, looking out over the dense forest. The trees were meant to be a sanctuary, a place where nature could thrive even amidst the relentless march of urbanization. But now, the shadow of the Nine Dragons stretched across it, threatening to consume everything. He clenched his fists, his mind replaying the events of the day. Clarissa stood beside him, her sharp eyes scanning the horizon. "This is it, David," she said quietly. "This is the tipping point. We have to act now before the Nine Dragons solidify their control. If we don’t expose them soon, the IKN project—and everything we’ve fought for—will fall into their hands." David nodded, though his thoughts were far from calm. He could feel the weight of the Crown of the Dragon, the ancient curse passed down through his lineage, pulling at the edges of his consciousness. The power it offered was immense, but it came at a cost—a cost he wasn’t sure he was willing to pay. "Subianto is our key," David muttered. "He’s stuck in their web, but if we can show him what’s happening—what the Nine Dragons are doing to this city—maybe we can turn him to our side." Clarissa sighed. "Subianto’s a politician. He won’t make a move unless it benefits him. We need leverage." --- Awakening in the New Capital --- The cityscape of IKN gleamed with promise—a beacon of modernity rising from the dense, natural landscape of the Kalimantan forests. The new capital of Indonesia symbolized progress, a place where technology and nature were supposed to coexist in harmony. Yet, in the shadows of this utopian vision, darker forces sought to exploit the land for their gain. At the heart of this looming conflict was a simple request—a proposal from the Nine Dragons Syndicate. They asked for permission to replicate their controversial project from Jakarta Bay, where the reclaimed forests of Island G had already wreaked environmental havoc. The Syndicate’s sights were now set on IKN, an area rich with untapped potential and a key to their regional dominance. Subianto, the leader of the IKN project and a man deeply embedded in political affairs, received the request with skepticism. He had seen firsthand the devastating results of the Nine Dragons' projects. But the proposal was couched in promises—sustainable development, economic growth, and employment opportunities for the locals. It was a tempting offer. Yet, he knew better. The Syndicate's greed could not be separated from its tactics of manipulation and destruction. Subianto’s refusal to grant permission was swift. His decision, though grounded in protecting the environment, was more than just a political stance—it was personal. He had long harbored distrust toward the Nine Dragons, who had once tried to manipulate the economy of the entire Southeast Asia region, including Jakarta. Their unchecked power, and now their encroachment into his territory, threatened everything he had worked to build in IKN. But the Nine Dragons did not take "no" lightly.