It was supposed to be a simple firmware update for an obsolete Garmin unit—a favor for his grandfather, who refused to use a smartphone. But the "1722" suffix was wrong. Taiwan’s map codes didn’t run that high back in the 2010s.
Chen looked up. The office building was gone. In its place stood a mountain pass, and the air smelled of wet earth and ancient electricity. He looked down at the Nuvi. The firmware version had changed. FW 5.00: Ascension.
"In two hundred meters," the voice whispered, "turn into the mirror."
Chen slowed down. Up ahead was a massive glass-fronted office building. The Nuvi's blue triangle icon was hovering directly over the glass reflection. For a split second, the streetlights outside dimmed, and the reflection in the building's windows didn't show the street—it showed a winding, dirt path climbing into a mist-covered peak. He slammed on the brakes. The Nuvi screen turned blood red.