Chapter Five: Nightmare Thread

“Your father volunteered, but I closed the route home.” He removed his maintenance cap. “You may hate me. Survive the auction first. Then take your time.” Before midnight, Lu Chen hid Blackbean inside his coat. The toad swallowed a black coin, and Mian became a silver button on his cuff. Su dressed in the black clothing required by the invitation and issued each of them an injection of powdered mist amber. At 00:13, they dropped the coin into Oversize Baggage Nine. The conveyor did not move. The wall opened instead. Beyond it hung a theater upside down in the night sky. Hundreds of guests without shadows turned as one toward the silver light shining from Blackbean in Lu Chen's pocket.