$35,000 owed after disastrous AR bus project collapses under technical chaos. A senior developer recounts aiding a Beijing-based client whose team lacked basic engineering rigor - no version control, consumer-grade hardware, and node-based code spaghetti. They deployed AR effects to transparent OLED windows without addressing lens distortion, parallax, or occlusion, while consumer PCs roasted in direct sunlight. Version control absence forced manual thumb-drive deployments, and GPS unreliability in China exacerbated tracking failures.

Despite mentoring juniors on color science and camera calibration, the client prioritized flashy particle effects over foundational fixes, leading to client fury and project collapse. $35k remains unpaid despite legal threats, as the entity dissolved to evade liability. The author vows future contracts will enforce progress payments.