Chapter Three: The Living Dead

That evening Aurora faced the Steel City Wolves. Shen should have been medically suspended, but general manager Han Zheng visited the clinic himself. Silver rings formed his cuff links. “The team needs you,” Han said. “This city needs a hero.” “What does a hero see?” Han smiled. “The path he is meant to see.” Lin objected, citing concussion risk. A league doctor produced a perfectly normal report. Shen chose to play. He needed to learn how games calibrated Echo—and convince those watching that he remained controllable. The Wolves took forty-two shots. Blue lines webbed the rink. Shen resisted them, relying on footwork, angles, and the shooter's shoulders.