Chapter Two: What Are Ten Seconds Worth?

“Splitter stays up! Chen Yu singles to right! The Tides win 6–5!” The pitch did not drop. Chen swung with his eyes nearly closed and lined it over the second baseman. The winning runner crossed home, and a bench full of minimum-salary players buried the teenager beneath them. Tang came down carrying a contract. “Twelve hundred for today. Twenty thousand a month as team interpreter and game-information assistant. Bonuses for wins.” Cheng wiped away the blood. “You don't even know what I did.” “You shouted, and something impossible happened. The Tides need impossible.” Gao pressed a dirt-stained thumb to the contract. “Sign it, Prophet.” Cheng's smile froze for half a second.