Chapter Two: A False Diamond and Real Debt

[CRISIS STRUCTURE CONFIRMED: ASSET SUBSTITUTION, CREDIT FORGERY, INTERNAL AUTHORIZATION.] [TIME TO PUBLIC COLLAPSE: 9 HOURS, 11 MINUTES.] Internal authorization. Everyone watched the security feed except the insurance gemologist, whose eyes darted instinctively toward the wall thermostat. “The real diamond never left this floor yesterday afternoon,” Lin Yan said. “It was hidden in a metal container that blocked the insurance locator and looked perfectly natural in this room.” They followed his gaze to a silver champagne bucket delivered for the evening reception. Something tapped softly beneath its false bottom.