Chapter Four: Lies Grow Legs

More than two million humans now watched. They called themselves the After-Sales Group and were teaching alien chat about consumer protection law. The aliens debated whether a civilization qualified for seven-day no-reason returns. Hertz pinned an announcement. [CITY-LEVEL STRESS TEST BEGINS.] [Within twelve hours this city will receive three disaster warnings. Only one is true. If response to the true warning falls below 60%, one civilization-level failure will be recorded.] [TEST ATTRIBUTE: INFORMATION DISCERNMENT.] Every phone sounded at once: TOXIC GAS LEAK IN EAST DISTRICT. EVACUATE WEST. Streets jammed. Lin reached the chemical plant; its staff reported normal operations, though official accounts confirmed a leak and videos showed smoke.