Chapter Four: Shorting an Heir with a Receipt

Su patched the convenience-store camera into the Exchange display. Tang climbed a ladder and dragged a rusted box from above the ceiling. Invoices, IOUs, and utility slips scattered across the floor. Following Lin's instructions by phone, he found a faded thermal receipt: 3:11 a.m., twelve years ago. One bowl of oden, two bottles of water. Cashier: Lin Jianguo. On its back, a child's handwriting read, ZHOU ZHEN OWES UNCLE LIN TWELVE YUAN. Su froze the image, signed it with her press credentials, and submitted it to the public archive. PROOF OF NONOCCURRENCE ACCEPTED. ZHOU INHERITANCE COMPLETION: 99% → 0%. Six billion vanished. The buyer of the inheritance was liquidated, and the chain of guarantees collapsed.