Chapter One: After the Final Buzzer

“Downloads are disabled,” she said. “A screenshot leaves a trace.” Xinglan did not photograph the screen. She copied each date and value into her notes. Her younger self would have stormed into an office. Now she knew to count every layer of a trap before startling the hunter. “Run a controlled comparison test for me tomorrow morning,” she said. “Why would I help you?” “Because five years from now, you'll still remember that you didn't.” Yanqiu's head snapped up. Xinglan was already walking toward the arena. With no crowd, only blue safety lights edged the stands. She picked up a ball, drove from the baseline, stopped, and rose. The first shot struck the front rim.