Chapter Three: The Price of Match Four

Hundreds of blue probability lines rose around the wound, all pointing to the same ending: Qiao Ran standing victorious at center court, staring without recognition at the photograph in her noodle shop. Among them, only one line did not reach that ending. It touched Jianxia first, then split toward every member of the Harbor Falcons. It was so faint she could barely see it. With her bleeding hand, Jianxia photographed the forecast. This time, the image did not disappear. At five in the morning, she summoned everyone to the warehouse. Xiaoman arrived in pajamas. Wei Lan still wore her nurse’s uniform. Wanxing held a phone with her livestream accidentally running. Qiao Ran entered last and saw the shattered screen and Jianxia’s hand.