Chapter One: The Number After Two Hundred Million

“The signing date has passed. Page one says October seventeenth. It's now the eighteenth. Legal needs to correct it.” The room was silent for two seconds. Counsel hurried to print a new copy. For the first time, Xu Boyan stopped smiling and studied Lu Chen closely. Seven minutes later, the new contract arrived. Only its effective date had changed. When Lu Chen touched it, the crimson figures returned. [11 months, 3 days] Nineteen years had become eleven months. A new sentence appeared below: [Passage across ledger-close invalidates the prior flame year's quota. First contract of the new year receives exemption.] Lu Chen's heart hammered. He did not know who had written the rules or why the old cleaner had warned him. But he now knew one thing.