Chapter Four: The Nine O'Clock Review

At 8:58 a.m., three black vans blocked Iron Dome's entrance. The inspection team had twelve people—more than the gym had licensed staff. Director Ma placed a suspension notice on the desk. “Fire safety, equipment, coaching credentials. Fail any category and you close immediately.” Behind him, the safety director of Tianheng-owned Beyond Fitness streamed under a prepared title: VIRAL GYM EXPOSED IN TWO HOURS. “Why is a competitor observing?” Zhou Lan asked. “Industry supervision,” Ma replied without meeting her eyes. The Data Wall marked seven equipment hazards in yellow. A violent red warning burned over the fire exit. Beneath the door lay an almost invisible nylon cord that had not been there overnight.