Ice skates forward, regardless of east or west.

1

Kuala Lumpur.

Two o'clock in the morning.

Gu Xidong sat on a plastic chair at a 24-hour mamak stall, with a half-cup of teh tarik in front of him.

The ceiling fan on the stall's roof rotated slowly, blowing away and gathering the mosquitoes above his head time and time again.

Five people were sitting opposite me.

Three men and two women. Dark-skinned, with calm eyes.

He was dressed casually: a T-shirt, jeans, and flip-flops. You wouldn't notice him in any Southeast Asian night market.

Ice chip Southeast Asia team.

The team leader's surname was Lin, he was from Chaozhou, around forty years old, and had a scar on the corner of his left eye.

He stirred the barley water in his cup with a straw, but didn't drink it.

"Route A," he began, speaking in Malay-accented Mandarin, "Malaysia is pursuing Ye Shen."

He took a map out of his pocket, unfolded it, and laid it on the table.

East coast of Sabah.

Tawau. Semporna. Labu River.

He pointed to the middle of the river with his finger.

"Ye Shen is here now. The Sea Serpent Gang's oil palm plantation is 120 kilometers away from Tawau, and can only be reached by water."

Gu Xidong looked at the red circle.

How many people?

"Chen Jinshui assigned thirty men to the Sea Serpent Gang. They were armed men from northern Myanmar and former guerrillas from southern Philippines. Their weapons included AKs, grenades, and rocket launchers."

He paused.

"On Ye Shen's side, there are about ten of his old subordinates who came from China. They were all selected through his 'breeding poison' program; they are suicide soldiers."

Gu Xidong looked up.

"How many of you are there?"

Captain Lin finished drinking the barley water and put down the cup.

Six.

He glanced at Gu Xidong.

"But we are familiar with the terrain. We are familiar with their work schedule. We are familiar with their shift change times."

He took three photos out of his pocket and laid them out on the table.

First image: An aerial view of an oil palm plantation. Several buildings with corrugated iron roofs are surrounded by palm trees.

Second picture: The dock. A dirt road leads to the plantation, and two SUVs are parked by the roadside.

Third picture: Ye Shen.

It was taken secretly. He was standing by the dock smoking, wearing a gray T-shirt, and his hair was cut very short.

Her face was thinner, her cheekbones were more prominent, and her eyes lacked light.

Gu Xidong looked at the photo.

Three seconds. Five seconds. Ten seconds.

He reached out and flipped the photo over.

"When will we take action?"

Captain Lin glanced at his watch.

"At four o'clock the day after tomorrow. While they're changing shifts."

2

Monaco.

8 PM.

The summit of Monte Carlo.

Ling Wuwen stood by the window, looking at the lights below the mountain.

The casino's golden dome glowed in the night, and the lights of the marina turned the seawater a deep blue.

She was wearing a black evening gown.

Backless, long skirt with a trailing hem.

The bandage on her left shoulder was removed, the wound had scabbed over, and it was covered by the edge of her dress. Her hair was styled up, revealing her neck and collarbone.

The face in the mirror was unfamiliar.

The makeup artist spent two hours.

Foundation concealed her sickly appearance, blush faked a healthy glow, and eyeliner made her eyes appear larger. Her lips were painted a dark red.

She turned to look at the ravens.

The raven leaned against the door frame, holding a tablet in its hand.

"Anna Kovalenko," he murmured.

"Father: Ukrainian energy oligarch; Mother: Descendant of Russian nobility. Education: International School of Lausanne, Switzerland; London School of Economics and Political Science. Current residence: Geneva. Hobbies: Equestrianism, sailing, art collecting."

Ling Wuwen listened.

"Volkov's guest list is for tonight's dinner. She injured her leg skiing in St. Moritz three weeks ago and is currently recuperating in Geneva. She will not be attending."

He flipped the tablet over; the screen displayed a scanned copy of the invitation.

"Take this. Security will scan the QR code at the entrance. After you go inside, turn left, walk through the corridor, and the second room is Volkov's study. The server's physical location is there."

Ling Wuwen took the tablet.

Looking at that invitation.

"Security in his study?"

"Fingerprint lock. Volkov's right thumb. Our people will create opportunities for him to touch your glass, you get the fingerprint sticker, and stick it on your thumb."

He took a small box out of his pocket and opened it.

Inside is a thin, transparent film, so thin it's almost invisible.

"Press it, three seconds, fingerprint copy complete."

Ling Wuwen took the box.

Put it in your pocket.

The raven looked at her.

"Are you sure you can do it?"

She didn't answer.

She looked out the window.

The lights below the mountain were reflected in her eyes as a blurry glow.

3

At the same time.

Amsterdam.

The raven's third body sat in a basement.

It's not his real body. It's his digital clone.

Twelve screens surrounded him, each displaying lines of code.

The screen displays:

Target 1: Bet365

Target 2: 188BET

Objective 3: Pinnacle

Twelve. The world's twelve largest gambling platforms.

While operating independently on the surface, all funds are deposited into the same account in the background – Volkov's Winter Moon.

His fingers moved across the keyboard.

Tap 30 times per second.

On the screen, the progress bar begins to move forward slowly.

"Route C is initiating," he said into the microphone. "48-hour countdown."

Gu Xidong's voice came through the headphones.

"receive."

Ling Wuwen's voice came through.

"receive."

He continued to tap.

A line of text popped up on the screen:

"Bypassing the Bet365 Firewall - 5%"

4

Kuala Lumpur.

Mama's stall.

Captain Lin put away the map.

"We set off at four in the morning. First, we flew to Tawau, then transferred to a boat. We arrived at the outskirts of the plantation around eight at night. We lay in wait for eight hours, and then made our move at four in the morning."

Gu Xidong nodded.

Captain Lin stood up.

The other four people also stood up.

They didn't speak, walked into the night, and disappeared around the street corner.

Gu Xidong was still sitting there.

The teh tarik had gone cold. He pushed the cup away and took his phone out of his pocket.

The screen displays the last message Ling Wuwen sent yesterday:

"wait for me."

He looked at those two words.

long time.

He put his phone back in his pocket.

stand up.

Step into the night.

5

Monaco.

Nine o'clock in the evening.

Volkov's villa was brightly lit.

There were more than twenty cars parked at the entrance: Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Ferrari, Bugatti.

Bodyguards in black suits stood on both sides of the driveway, each with a communication headset clipped behind their ear.

Ling Wuwen got out of a black Mercedes.

The driver, a Raven employee, didn't look at her, closed the door, and drove away.

She stood at the door.

Take a deep breath.

She lifted her skirt and walked up the steps.

Security check at the entrance.

A man in a white shirt held a scanner and pointed it at the QR code on her phone.

"Beep".

Green light.

He nodded.

She went inside.

There were already many people in the hall.

Women in evening gowns, men in suits, and waiters carrying champagne moved about. The sound of a piano drifted from a corner; it was Chopin playing.

She didn't stop.

Go left.

Walk through the corridor.

The second room.

The door was closed.

She slowed her pace as she passed by, glancing at the door lock out of the corner of her eye.

Fingerprint lock. Silver, round, located below the door handle.

She kept walking.

Walk to the end of the corridor and turn around.

Back in the lobby.

6

A waiter came over with a glass of champagne.

She picked up a glass.

I didn't drink it. I was just holding it.

His eyes swept across the crowd.

Where is Volkov?

She had seen the photos.

He was around sixty years old, with gray hair and grey-blue eyes. He wore a dark suit and had a white handkerchief tucked into his left breast pocket.

did not see it.

She walked forward.

She walked past a group of men and women chatting. The man was talking about energy prices, and the woman was talking about holiday villas. She walked through them and went to the floor-to-ceiling window.

The Mediterranean Sea is visible outside the window.

In the darkness of night, the sea was pitch black, with only the lights of a few yachts flickering in the distance.

"Miss Anna?"

She turned around.

A man stood in front of her.

He was around sixty years old, with gray hair and grey-blue eyes. He wore a dark suit and had a white handkerchief tucked into his left breast pocket.

Volkov.

He smiled and raised his champagne glass.

Welcome to Monaco.

7

Ling Wuwen looked at him.

three seconds.

"Do you know me?"

Volkov smiled.

"Mr. Kovalenko's daughter. Your father bought a Monet painting at Sotheby's last year. I remember it very clearly."

He took a step closer.

"That painting is now hanging in my study."

Her heart skipped a beat.

study.

"You collect Monet?" she asked.

"Not just Monet." He waved for her to come along. "Come, let me show you around."

They walked through the crowd.

Walk towards the corridor.

The first room, the second room.

He stopped at the door of the second room.

Reach out.

Press your thumb on the fingerprint lock.

"Beep".

The door opened.

He pushed open the door and stepped aside to let her in.

She went inside.

The study is large. Floor-to-ceiling windows face the sea. Paintings hang on the walls: Monet, Renoir, Degas. A computer sits on the desk. A safe stands in the corner.

Volkov walked up to Monet's painting.

"This painting, 'Water Lilies,' shows your father has excellent taste."

She stood behind him.

His eyes swept across the desk.

There was a small, black USB drive next to the computer.

"How much did he pay?"

Volkov turned around.

She looked away.

"What?"

"How much did your father pay?"

She smiled.

"Sixty million euros."

Volkov nodded.

"value."

He walked to the liquor cabinet, took out two glasses and a bottle of whiskey.

"Want a drink?"

She nodded.

He poured the wine.

I handed her a cup.

She took it.

He raised his glass.

"For art."

She clinked glasses.

"For art."

I took a sip.

He put down the cup.

Look at her.

"Miss Anna."

"Um?"

"Does your father know you're in Monaco?"

8

Ling Wuwen looked at him.

three seconds.

"Know."

Volkov smiled.

"That's good."

He walked to the desk and picked up the USB drive.

"Do you know what this is?"

She shook her head.

"This is a list," he said. "It has three hundred names on it. Politicians, referees, officials, athletes. They all owe me something."

She didn't say anything.

Women's eyesight.

"Your father is also on this list."

Her heart tightened.

"In 2014, when he was running for Ukraine's Minister of Energy, I helped him a little. A donation. Not much, three million euros. But he really needed it at the time."

He paused.

"Now he's a minister. He doesn't need me anymore. But the list is still there."

He put the USB drive back on the table.

"This list," he said, "is from my collection."

She looked at him.

Aren't you afraid of being robbed?

Volkov smiled.

"Steal? Who stole? How? Only the butler and I are allowed in this study. The butler has been with me for twenty years. What about you?"

He looked at her.

"Miss Anna. Or should I call you by another name?"

9

Ling Wuwen did not move.

She stood still.

He was still holding that glass of whiskey in his hand.

Volkov looked at her.

Three seconds. Five seconds. Ten seconds.

He smiled.

"Don't be nervous. I was just kidding."

He turned and walked towards the door.

"Would you like to stay a little longer? The banquet outside is still going on."

She nodded.

He pushed open the door and left.

The door closed.

She stood still.

three seconds.

She walked to the desk.

The USB drive is still there.

She reached out her hand.

The door was suddenly pushed open.

Volkov stood in the doorway.

"By the way, Miss Anna."

Her hand froze in mid-air.

"Your father asked me to tell you: Go home early. Monaco is not safe at night."

He looked at her.

She looked into his eyes.

three seconds.

He smiled.

Close the door.

The footsteps faded into the distance.

She stood still.

The hand was still in mid-air.

long time.

She put the USB drive in her pocket.

Turn around.

I stepped out of the study.

The corridor was deserted.

She walked towards the hall.

The piano music continued. There was the clinking of champagne glasses, laughter, and conversation.

She walked through the crowd.

I walked towards the door.

10

One o'clock in the morning.

Safe house.

Ling Wuwen pushed open the door.

Raven sat in front of the computer, with twelve progress bars on the screen.

Bet365: 37%

188BET: 29%

Pinnacle: 41%

He turned to look at her.

"Did you get it?"

She took the USB drive out of her pocket.

Place it on the table.

The raven looked at the little black thing.

three seconds.

Does he know?

She thought about it.

"He knows."

The ravens remained silent.

She walked to the window.

Outside the window, the lights of Monte Carlo were still twinkling. Casinos, yachts, hotels, villas.

"He did it on purpose," she said. "He left the USB drive there and told me to take it."

The raven stood up.

Walk up to her.

"Does he know who you are?"

She shook her head.

"I don't know. But he knew someone would come."

She looked out the window at the night scene.

"Any news from Gu Xidong?"

Raven glanced at his phone.

"Just received it. They're going into the jungle tomorrow morning."

She nodded.

Outside the window, the dark waves of the Mediterranean crashed against the embankment. Each crash was like a heart pounding in my chest.