Chapter Four: Outside the Canvas

“Inconsistent with brand identity,” it repeated as it charged, sucking every wall it passed to gray. Zero folded an abandoned gradient into a blade and cut off its foreleg. Color values sprayed from the wound. The other beasts surrounded Gu Yan and tore at the dark blue on his shoes. He understood what they wanted. Tearing up a failed property advertisement, he plastered the beast with every grandiose selling point: EXCLUSIVE, LEGACY, PINNACLE. The words fought for visual focus. Their tracking widened until the animal burst under the weight of its own promises. “Bad design is a weapon here,” Gu Yan said. “You're finally showing rejected work some respect.” Zero grinned.