Chapter Two: The Changing Photograph

The elevator chimed at the end of the corridor. They were on the sixth floor, but its display showed a floor that did not exist: B7. The doors opened on three white-masked figures. Li Wu cursed in an unknown language. She scratched her neck, plucked out a glowing name, and slapped it into Shen Yan’s chest. “From now on, your name is Chen Du. Do not answer to anything else.” Cold sank into his heart. Someone outside called, “Shen Yan.” It was his father’s voice. His father had been dead four years. “Yan, open the door.” His mother now, as gentle as she had sounded beside his childhood sickbed. Last came Xingyao. “Yan, I’m home.” His hand touched the knob. Li Wu slapped him hard. “Name-Takers. Answer once, and they enter through your name.”