The Mint That Wouldn't Let You Lie with a Straight Face

[BASE: Truth swallowed before it could be spoken.] [CATALYSTS: Mint, a mirror, one answer given under pressure.] [PRICE: Lies reveal their color—and truth loses its covering too.] [RIDDLE-HEART: Honesty is not a knife to hand the loudest person.] A silver-green chameleon sat in the box, its tongue flat and reflective. It winked at Luo. Oily green mist rose behind him. “Where did the report come from?” Chen asked. “An independent laboratory.” The mist grew rabbit ears. “Did OmniTaste pay you?” “No.” The mist expanded into a Christmas tree. Ordinary viewers could not see Mirror-Tongue, but they could see fluorescent words forming beside Luo's mouth whenever he spoke: PARTIALLY TRUE. His crew tried three filters.