Chapter One: The Boss Vanishes on the Spot

“Confirm within twenty-four hours: do you want him back?” A countdown ran across the top of the screen: 13:26:41. Lin Mo watched the seconds fall. Phones, keyboards, and the coffee machine blended into normal office noise. On the wall, however, the retreat photograph was slowly changing. Half a blurred face surfaced behind the empty space, its lips moving as though underwater. It took him a long time to read them. Don’t answer them.