Chapter One: After Three Seconds

Gu squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, the words were gone. The name on the player's jacket was Marlow—the winger Silvervault had just bought for eighteen million. His internal medical report mentioned only mild inflammation. Gu looked for three seconds. The words returned, accompanied by a shrill ringing in his ears. It was no hallucination. His phone rang. Su Tang, acting chairwoman of Lanhaven Athletic, had asked him for a financial assessment two weeks earlier. After reading the books, Gu had answered with four words: File for bankruptcy now. “My advice hasn't changed,” he said. “It's too late,” Su replied hoarsely. “Our manager ran away with four loan players. If we can't register a squad for Saturday, we lose professional status.