Chapter Two: Twenty-Three People, Nobody Missing

“The Mirror Ball—a dance that admits only those the world has forgotten.” “How do I enter?” He looked up. Young, pale, almost amused. “The living require a guide. The nocturnal clans can lend you eyes, a shadow, and a fragment of endless night. Never for free.” A sheet of black paper grew from his palm, thin as an insect wing. It held no words, only a silver line waiting for a signature. “I let you see erased traces and escort you inside once. If Shen Yan is not free by the final beat of the finale, your true name belongs to me. Everyone will forget Lin Wu, and you will join the Long Night.” “Why the finale?” “Because *Burn the Night* isn't choosing a champion. It is assembling seven offerings. Each advancement gives the ballroom one dancer.