Chapter Four: The Work Order from Age Seven

Fault: Observation Window Seven repeatedly calling a child's name. Relic Zero approached the paper, and the room restored itself. Seven-year-old Lin sat under the desk, a black line around his wrist. A younger Qishan knelt and put a copper pipe clamp in his hand. “Listen to the water, Xiao Yan. A real door has an echo. A door Mother Mi invents does not.” The gentle voice outside offered to erase Qishan's debts, disease, and death if he returned the recovery key. Qishan lifted the child and escaped through the real drain. “He isn't one of your components,” he told the observation window. The vision shattered. Lin fell to one knee as the black vein crossed his wrist. NEURAL SYNCHRONIZATION: 8%. RECOVERY-KEY MEMORY SECTORS UNSEALED: 1/7.