Chapter Five: A Dead Man's Safe-Deposit Box

Qin Feng's effects rested three floors beneath Linhai United Bank. In 1924, the bank had been called Balance Covenant Banking House. Lu Chen, Su Tang, and Gao Yuan arrived before opening. Gao's counter read [69 days]. Chen Jiudeng had vanished; the cleaning supervisor insisted no such employee had ever existed. The half-candle key opened only the outer lock. The inner lock required verification by an “owner of the victory.” Qin Feng was dead. The Candle Society believed the box could never open again. But Su Tang found footage of the championship game ten years earlier. Qin had scored forty-nine, but a reserve center had tipped in the winner. “The league made it Qin's legend. The rules remember whose hands touched the ball.”