Chapter Three: The Phantom Bid

At one in the morning, a screenshot entered Northport's board chat: Lin planned to spend two million on a “zero-goal winger.” The leaker attached an old story about Costaro fighting in a nightclub. By dawn, supporters outside the training ground held LIN THE FRAUD banners. Lin booked two tickets to Seamount City. He and Su waited four hours at the superclub's headquarters before Roland arrived with a lawyer. “Two million, plus fifty percent of future profit,” Roland said. “Royal Sanctum has bid too. Fifteen minutes.” Lin placed his palm on the contract. [True intent: no competing bid exists. Seamount must remove the player's wages before today's financial review.] [Costaro compatibility: 91%.]