Chapter Three: The Release-Night Crash

Cartons blocked sprinklers; shelving sealed an emergency exit. Su sent the location, live footage, and recall notice to the fire department. Lin climbed onto a car roof. “This is not a retail release! Hive kept seventy percent of the city's stock here. They want footage of you fighting so they can raise the midnight price!” A reseller threw a bottle. “Get down! You're the reason prices fell!” Inside the gate, He Xiao appeared and raised one hand. His workers brought out cartons. The crowd surged. Four minutes remained on the Ledger's countdown. Lin spotted Tang Xiaoman crushed against a rail, clutching an envelope of cash. He jumped down, forced his way against the human tide, and pulled her through a gap. “You bought the test shoes?”