Chapter Four: Read, No Reply

Qiao Qi dropped an unopened evidence letter into SENT. Gears turned; the first door opened. Zhou Ye fed an unheard cassette into DELIVERED. The second opened. The third required a message already understood. Whoever offered it risked being held outside forever by Read, No Reply. Lin Mo reached for his paper trail. Zhou Ye stopped him and put his phone into the slot. On-screen was the last message he had received after his stream, from a user called WILDFIRE NEVER DIES. [BRO, YOU’RE FUNNY EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T TALK. SEE YOU TOMORROW.] Zhou Ye had read it, laughed, and replied with a hug. The message was already complete. It could take no new action from him. The third door opened. There was no server room beyond it.