Chapter Four: The Weight of a Reflection

“Someone changed your lenses. They correct you by microscopic amounts while you sleep. The Corrective Society doesn't cure eyes. It cures disagreement about reality.” A mirror lit, showing Conservation Room Three. Pei held a transparent film against Gu Linchuan's eye while Lin Mo and counterfeit Zhou restrained him. Tang Qi lay by the wall, still clutching the severed thread. Pei removed Gu's old wristwatch. Zhiwei explained that a loosened lock permitted a preliminary copy. It could survive only through an identity anchor—something worn and touched long enough to accumulate a person's wear. “How do I return?” Yanqiu asked. “Calling a name pulls someone in. Giving up your own lets you out.”