Chapter One: Wallet Zero

At 11:47 p.m., Lin Zhou answered the hundred-and-third call of the day from someone who hated him. “Your exchange wicked the price down and liquidated me. You call that market volatility?” The man in his headset was shouting himself hoarse. At the bottom of Lin's monitor, collection notices appeared one after another: guaranteed debt, 3.07 million yuan; ninety-six days overdue. Lin minimized them and recited the line he had used for three years. “Your ticket has been escalated. I'll follow it personally.” “You? A support grunt earning six thousand a month thinks he can help me?” The call ended. Laughter came from the neighboring cubicles. Manager Chen Dong clapped his hands. “Business is contracting. Three positions are gone tonight.