Chapter Five: The Designer of Convergence

By the time the fifth day appeared on the countdown, the city had learned to pretend everything was normal. Commuters argued with empty air behind their headphones. Shopping centers sold “Second-Self image design.” Companies ordered employees to report their companions' abilities for “role optimization.” The Mirror Foundation issued a statement blaming rare anomalies on users' preexisting mental illness. East Ring Data Center lay beneath an abandoned mall. Tang Zheng and Crossroads guided the team around patrols, while Chen Ke remained in the car as support. When Lu and Su reached the third basement level, Gu Chen sat before a row of dark servers. Blood stained his shirt cuff. No Second Self stood beside him.