Chapter Five: The Price of Marriage

All thirteen brownies bled black syrup. An invisible noose bent Jiming forward. “Marital assets may not be maliciously transferred,” the old man declared. Zhiwei displayed Hengfeng's surging price. “I disposed of a shared asset at a profit. Under your contract, the creditor must share that profit. By purchasing Hengfeng, I also purchased part of its debt claim. I am now debtor and creditor. To whom do I pay interest?” The table split in two. Brownies collapsed into sludge. Cracks opened in the old man's face, revealing layers of promissory notes instead of flesh. Golden threads emerged from every director as Jiming dragged their desires into view: immortality, control, murder. One movement could strangle them all.