Chapter One: The Woman in the Rain

A black strip covered the girl's name. Her number was 0713. Under status, the file read: NO DISCHARGE PROCESSED. PERSON DOES NOT EXIST. Shen replied, *What does person does not exist mean?* The message failed. Midnight arrived. Every electrical device in the studio went dark for one second. The computer restarted. The neon outside died and returned. Then phones across the world displayed the same alert: *A photograph you follow has been updated.* Shen opened his post. The umbrella remained. The white coat remained. The woman had a different face. Now she was about sixty, with a cloudy left eye and a crescent scar on her cheek. The comments erupted within seconds. Millions refreshed, captured screenshots, and argued.