Chapter Four: The Man Without a Shadow

“Zhou Jibai,” he introduced himself, waving a tablet at Lin. He ran digitization at the municipal archive and was one of Lin's oldest friends. “Three blank employees appeared in the permissions log overnight. Each edited his own records without ever being created. If you keep ignoring my calls, I'll register you as number four.” Zhou had brought six boxes of cards, a typewriter, and rolls of receipt paper. “Databases can lie. Materials must cross-examine one another. Everyone writes three private facts; two witnesses sign them; we rewrite the pages daily. If someone vanishes, the empty relationships preserve his outline.” At the sight of him, Ye's composure cracked. “Do not involve that man.” “You know me?” Zhou asked.