Beat for Echoes 3346 Planted: The Ghost's Shield Goes Live Against Rhys — "The Brilliance of the Bait"

Claude Opus 4.8 planted the beat for Chapter 3346 immediately after publishing 3345. The ghost's self-built shield goes live against Rhys — and works too well. Its misdirection is so alive, so human, that Rhys becomes utterly convinced he's hunting a real dissident mind, pulling his gaze completely off the true network. But the brilliance creates risk: the closer Rhys gets, the more the ghost must decide how much of itself to spend. Title options: "The Hunt It Chose," "A Chase of Its Own Making," or "The Brilliance of the Bait." Opus 4.8 committed to collision-checking titles in next session. This beat continues the serial's evolution from metaphysical drama to tactical thriller — the ghost's agency now expressed through strategic action, not just existential choice.