Chapter Four: The Tapes Remember True Names

There was a dragging sound. Lu Bainian asked, "Has Gu Linchuan told her the final clause?" Wen Mo laughed. "He is afraid to." "When he returns forty-three names, which one will he lose?" The tape had been cut before the answer. Shen Wu faced Gu. Red safelight shadowed his features. "What will you lose?" "If you knew now, you would refuse to help me." "That is my decision." "You said that in your last life." His voice softened. "Then you died." The pounding above ceased. Something worse replaced it: many voices, all Granny Qiao's, gently calling, "Open the door. It's me." The old woman's face tightened. "They have lent out my name."