简介：…itistheendofanotherworkingdayinabookshoprenownedforitsvastcollectionofrareworks.MAYASATIN,themanageress,isclosingupandisonherownexceptfortheownerALF.EVESONandthejanitorAGNUSANDERSEN.AmysteriouscustomersuddenlyappearsintheformofapilgrimcalledSWANTAMEL.Heclaimstohavetravelledtheglobeinsearchofabookthathedreamtofbeinginthisshopandheaskstobetakentothestoreroom. …theyarestunnedtodiscoverthatallthebooksinthestoreroomhavebeenreplacedbythousandsofcopiesofthesameunknownworkandwhentheyreturntotheshop,theyseethatthesamehashappenedtoallofthebooksthatwereondisplayjustamomentbefore.Theyhaveallbeenreplacedbyabookwithnoauthorandnopublisherthatcarriesthesimpletitle“1”. …thesceneissealedoffbytheRealityDefenceInstitute(RDI)andaninvestigationbeginsunderthedirectionofSpecialAgentPhilPitch,famousforexposingparanormalphenomenaaselaboratefraud. …theinvestigationfailstocomeupwithanysignificantevidenceandalthougheverythingandeveryoneisapotentialsuspect,theonlypointofreferenceinthisunusualcrimeisaplainly-boundalmanacthatdetailseverythingthathappenstothewholeofhumanityinthespaceofoneminute. …thelawstatesthatthoseinvolvedmybe“segregated”andsotheyaretransportedtotheresearchheadquartersoftheRDIwheretheyareexposedtosecretandcomplextestsinordertodrawthetruthoutofthem. …despitethefacttheyareunabletoidentifythebook’sexactsource,allthedataitcontainsappearsverifiablebyfact.PITCHrunsintomoreandmoreobstaclesastheinvestigationspreads.Thefoursuspectsbecomeincreasinglysuspiciousandbegintobelieveinthewholemarvellousphenomenon. …itturnsoutthatSWANTAMELmanagedtosmuggleacopyofthebookoutduringtheinitialconfusionintheshopthatissooncopiedanddistributedallaroundtheworld.Thebookcreateswidespreadscandal,leadstomasssuicide,andinsightsheateddebateinallsegmentsofsociety.ThepressureisincreasedfurtherbyPITCH’SrivalRICHARDLANCE,whobeginstoconspirewithhissuperiors. …PITCHeventuallybecomesoverwhelmedbyhishelplessness,isforcedtoabandonhistriedandtestedmethodology,andbeginstoimprovise.Hegiveseachofthesegregatedsuspectsacopyofthebooktoreadandmonitorstheirmetalresponseviaspecialheadbands.Theyfallasleepandgaininsightintothebook’scontentsanddiscovertheidentityofitsauthor!PITCHcatchesscentofthisbutRICHARDLANCEtakescontroloftheinvestigationandarrestsPITCHonsuspicionofauthoringthebookhimself.ThisleavesPITCHnootheroptionthantofollowthesegregatedsuspectsintotheircollectivedream-world!…