Chapter One: Seven Viewers at Midnight

At 11:57 p.m., the last fluorescent tube in Iron Dome Gym flickered three times. Lin Ran glanced up, then kept fastening his phone to a chipped squat rack. Behind him, the camera framed a split punching bag, a wall of dusty trophies, and a bright red collection notice. “Rent: one hundred eighty thousand. Equipment debt: one hundred twenty thousand. Member refunds…” Zhou Lan tapped her calculator. “Four hundred sixty thousand yuan total. In three minutes, this place becomes yours. Back out now, and I’ll tear up the contract myself.” “I’m a blacklisted streamer with six thousand four hundred yuan left. What else do I have to lose?” “Your life.” Lin Ran laughed and pressed his thumbprint to the transfer agreement.