The meeting request arrived an hour later.
Not a demand.
Not an invitation.
A proposal.
Neutral Ground
The location was a public research forum—open access, glass walls, constant foot traffic.
Safe.
Too safe to refuse.
Lin Chen arrived five minutes early.
The Observer
The man introduced himself simply as Professor Elias Moore.
No titles.
No affiliations.
That alone was a statement.
"I won't ask how you built it," Moore said.
"I want to know why you designed it that way."
The First Test
Lin Chen didn't answer.
Silence was information.
Moore smiled faintly.
"So you already know the question matters more than the answer."
Hidden Leverage
Moore slid a tablet across the table.
On the screen—
A simulated emergency scenario.
It was Lin Chen's architecture.
Reconstructed.
Imperfect.
But close enough to be alarming.
System Alert
[Warning: External Model Approximation Detected.]
[Deviation Error: 18.7%]
Too fast.
Too accurate.
The Offer
"I want to observe your system in real-time," Moore said.
"No interference. No control."
"Just understanding."
"And in return?" Lin Chen asked.
"Protection," Moore replied calmly.
"From people who won't ask permission."
A Calculated Pause
Protection meant exposure.
Refusal meant isolation.
Lin Chen leaned back.
"Observation," he said.
"Under my terms."
Moore's eyes sharpened.
End of Chapter 66