Chapter 123

Inside the megatower, at a food stall next to the gun shop—

Steam billowed up from the sizzling grill. The vendor, giving it his all, tossed ingredients in his iron wok, sending up an aromatic cloud of oil and vapor. The mixture spiraled upward like a misty tornado, funneled by a ceiling fan until it hit the upper wall and drifted into the open atrium of the building.

Even though it was approaching evening, this little commercial zone tucked inside the floor remained dimly lit.