Chapter Two: Eight Minutes at Twenty-Seven

While opening the accounts, she had found a sixteen-million-yuan advance paid three years earlier to Seamount Engineering for renovations that had never happened. The former board had later classified that payment as a loan, forming part of Cape City's present debt. “Seamount's registered address,” Tang said, “is on the same floor used by Aurum's acquisition consultants.” Shen lifted the yellowing invoice. The red seal looked like a drop of wet blood. His phone displayed the next fixture: away to first-place Qingzhou Hounds in four days. They were unbeaten in ten and had conceded no home goals all season. Dark-gold words appeared.