Chapter Two: The Dead Man's Wheel

The maintenance station ahead transformed into an editing room. Su Wan sat before a console. Thirteen versions of Lu Xiao played across the screens: burning, drowning, growing old, living without ever meeting her. Lu Xiao crashed through the glass and reached for her. Su Wan drove a silver editing knife into his shoulder. “Every object you carry away,” she said through tears, “is stolen from another version. Stop taking them.” “What is the red button?” “My promise that I would recognize you.” The room began to collapse. Shen Mo was counting down the final explosion. Lu Xiao could take one item: the knife, a reel covered in route notes, or a photograph of himself and Su Wan. He took nothing.