Chapter Five: The Unawarded Trophy

His balance exceeded one hundred thousand for the first time, but the digits looked like scraps cut from his lifespan. Inside Gao's contract case, Xu Zhi found a black card bearing a silver antler: ETERNAL GALLERY ACQUISITION AGENT, NO. 98. Shen Yan was Commission Ninety-Nine. Perhaps Exhibit Ninety-Eight had just failed. After the ceremony, a cleaner handed Shen Yan a silver lighter. “Someone said you'd pay five hundred for this.” Its flame revealed a medical record. PATIENT: LUO JINGSHAN. TIME OF DEATH: TOMORROW, 9:10 P.M.