Chapter 12: The Wallfacer’s Burden

In the future, cosmic sociology would be born. After wielding the sword for over sixty years, Dr. Ishaan—who alone could cow Trisolaris and Earth—awakened. Legends called him both saint and demon, but those who met him remembered only his steady eyes.

A few days ago, Sharma had visited and asked about Ananya. Now Ishaan understood—Sharma too knew the future. The Crisis Era had quietly begun. Ishaan scoured the news for hidden messages, searching for Ritu and the ETO, but found only silence and news of Kabir’s death in a forgotten corner of the web.

Kabir had broken the silence and been hunted by Trisolarans. Ishaan’s wall was covered in looping timelines. The invisible battlefield was confusing—both sides probing, neither showing their cards. Once strategies were out in the open, who would win?

He chewed his pen, genuinely afraid for the first time in years. It was more exhausting than being a Wallfacer. He poured strong chai, willing his nerves to settle. This moment was not as good as that moment. Everything began with Teacher Ritu. If I were her, what would I do? Hide yourself, and be ready to clean up. In India, as in life, survival often meant knowing when to vanish—and when to strike.