Chapter Four: One Life Divided Twelve Ways

The team doctor prepared a defibrillator. Lu Chen saw [COMPENSATORY SETTLEMENT] floating over the pads and ripped them away. They called the municipal emergency service instead. Gao's heart was beating again when the unmarked ambulance arrived. The suite was empty. At dawn, Gao woke in a public hospital. “Why save me?” “Because you owe me an explanation.” His 640-million-yuan deal contained a “leadership-value guarantee.” Every Whales victory was credited to him first and shared afterward. For five years, every teammate's basket had created debt in Gao's name. The harder he tried to carry the team alone, the more concentrated the debt became. Su Tang placed a document on his bed. “Then we dismantle it.”