Chapter Two: The City's Other Voices

Su Li seized the lifeline. “You know that restaurant?” Without answering, he took them into an empty examination room and locked the door. He struck a silver tuning fork. It made no audible sound, but a needle of pain touched Su Li's mind. In the window, Xie Chenzhou's reflection changed: horns, silver scales, and an injured wing coiled behind one shoulder. By reflex, she lifted her phone. He covered its lens. “Do humans always record what they can't understand?” “Ordinary humans run. This is an occupational illness.” “Delete last night's video.” “I didn't post it. The original was corrupted. What's trending is a screen recording.” His true voice deepened. “No ordinary device should capture the gate's reflection. Someone borrowed your lens.”