Number Seven

Cheng looked at her list of seventeen timestamps. Another lie would only push his one possible ally away. “I hear commentary ten seconds before it happens.” She was silent for three seconds. “Conditions?” No gasp, no ridicule—only the most Lin Wan question possible. He explained the live venue, overlapping languages, fixed interval, and physical backlash, but omitted his childhood and father. When he finished, Lin picked up a stopwatch. “Prove it.” They went to the indoor practice field. Tang Jing was invited but told only that they were testing a decision method. Gao Xiao caught ten pitches while Lin called the action in Chinese and an overseas intern streamed English. The future arrived on cue.