Ice skates forward, regardless of east or west.

1

Geneva Airport.

December 28th. 9:17 AM.

The terminal was packed with travelers returning from their Christmas holidays.

Families pushing suitcases, couples carrying skis, and business travelers in suits dragging carry-on bags.

The announcements came on every few minutes, alternating between French, German, and English, announcing gate change information.

Gu Xidong stood in front of the check-in counter.

Clutching his passport and boarding pass. Kuala Lumpur. MH371. Departure at 12:45.

He turned around.

Ling Wuwen stood three meters away.

She was wearing a black down jacket with her hood pulled low, revealing only half of her face.

Her complexion was worse than yesterday; the paleness that the foundation couldn't cover spread upwards from her neckline.

Left hand in pocket, right hand holding boarding pass. Nice. AF1503. 11:20 departure.

They were three meters apart.

Separated by passing travelers.

The sound of suitcase wheels rolling across the ground. The flight information repeated over the loudspeaker.

Gu Xidong walked over.

The crowd automatically parted. Then they came together again.

He stood in front of her.

Look at her.

Three seconds. Five seconds. Ten seconds.

"Hands," he said.

She reached her left hand out of her pocket.

He grasped it.

My fingers are cold. Colder than this morning. Colder than yesterday. My fingernails have a pale purple tinge.

He cupped it in his hands and rubbed it slowly to warm it up.

2

"What time is your flight?" she asked.

"12:45".

She nodded.

"I'm at 11:20."

He glanced at the time. 9:25. One hour and fifty-five minutes left.

"I'll go with you to the security checkpoint."

She shook her head.

"Need not."

He looked at her.

"You wait here. I'll be right back."

She turned around.

Heading towards the restroom.

He stood still.

I watched her figure disappear into the crowd.

3

Toilet.

The innermost compartment.

Ling Wuwen closed the door and hung up his bag. He took a small box out of the bag.

White, unlabeled. Inside are three disposable syringes, each already filled with medication.

Potent immunosuppressant.

Prescribed by Director Wang. 72-hour duration. Side effects: hand tremors, blurred vision, irregular heartbeat.

She tore open the packaging of the first one.

The needle was very fine and gleamed under the light.

She rolled up her left sleeve, revealing her upper arm. There were many needle marks there, old and new, and the skin was bluish-purple.

Find the blood vessels.

My hands are shaking.

She took a deep breath, gripped her left wrist with her right hand to steady herself, and inserted the needle into the vein.

Recovering health.

Push the medicine.

The medicine was icy cold, spreading upwards along the blood vessels, causing a tingling sensation throughout the arm.

Thirty seconds.

Remove the needle. Press a cotton swab against the needle hole. Secure with adhesive tape.

She put the used syringe back into its packaging and stuffed it into her bag.

stand up.

She looked at herself in the mirror.

Her face was still pale. She applied another layer of lipstick to her lips and pursed them.

My hands are still shaking.

She put her right hand into her pocket.

Push open the door.

go out.

4

9:45.

She returned to the check-in counter.

Gu Xidong remained standing in the same spot.

He held two cups of coffee in his hand. The paper cups were steaming. He handed her one.

She took it.

The coffee was hot. She held it in both hands, pressing it against her palms.

"Are your hands still shaking?" he asked.

She didn't say anything.

Women's eyesight.

"side effect?"

She nodded.

He took the coffee cup from her hand and placed it on top of the trash can next to him. Then he took her hands in his.

Keep rubbing.

Once, twice, three times.

Her hands slowly warmed up.

"In any situation," he said, "survival comes first."

She looked at him.

"The key can be found again. You can't."

She didn't say anything.

He continued rubbing her hands.

"You too," she said.

He stopped.

"Come back alive," she said. "I'll be waiting for you."

He looked at her.

"Waiting for me for what?"

Her lips twitched slightly.

"Dance."

5

Ten past ten.

The broadcast started.

"Boarding for AF1503 to Nice has begun. Please proceed to gate A26."

She didn't move.

Women's eyesight.

"Go."

She nodded.

Release his hand.

Turn around.

I took two steps.

stop.

Look back.

He stood still.

She walked back.

Stand on tiptoe.

He lowered his head.

Their lips touched.

Very light. Like snow falling on ice. Like the first mark left by an ice skating blade.

three seconds.

She let go.

Look at him.

"Gu Xidong".

"Um."

"Don't die."

He didn't speak.

She turned around.

Heading towards A26.

This time, I didn't look back.

6

10:15.

Gu Xidong stood still.

He was still holding the now-cold cup of coffee in his hand. He glanced down at it, then placed it on top of the trash can lid.

He walked toward section D.

The Kuala Lumpur flight is D18.

Section D was less crowded. Passengers sat on the waiting chairs scrolling through their phones, some were sleeping, and others were eating sandwiches. The smell of perfume wafted from the duty-free shop, mixed with the odors of coffee and disinfectant.

He sat in the chair opposite D18.

He took his phone out of his pocket.

The same message is still on the screen:

"wait for me."

He looked at those two words.

long time.

Ten forty.

My phone vibrated.

She sent me a photo.

This photo was taken through the glass of the departure lounge. A white Airbus is being pushed back onto the tarmac. The aircraft is painted with the blue Air France logo.

With text:

"My plane."

He zoomed in on the photo.

Looking at that plane.

Three seconds. Five seconds. Ten seconds.

He replied:

"I saw it."

She replied:

"and yours?"

He looked up at the window.

There were more than a dozen planes parked on the tarmac. He didn't know which one was MH371.

"I haven't seen it yet."

She replied:

Let me know when you arrive.

"it is good."

7

11:20.

The broadcast started.

"Boarding for MH371 to Kuala Lumpur has begun. Passengers please proceed to gate D18."

He stood up.

queue.

The line was long. A family with two children, an elderly person pushing a wheelchair, and several backpackers discussing diving spots in Sabah.

He moved slowly forward with the group.

Head to the boarding gate.

Hand over your passport and boarding pass.

scanning.

"Beep".

He went inside.

The jet bridge was very long. The tarmac could be seen through the glass windows. A Malaysia Airlines plane was parked at the end of the jet bridge, its engine cowling emblazoned with the Malaysian flag.

He entered the cabin.

Found a seat. Window seat. 32A.

sit down.

Fasten your seatbelt.

Outside the window, ground support vehicles were still busy. Baggage carts were delivering the last batch of checked baggage into the cargo hold. Refueling trucks were leaving. Ground crew were inspecting the landing gear.

My phone vibrated.

She sent me a message:

"We've taken off."

He looked at the line of text.

three seconds.

reply:

Have a safe journey.

She replied:

"The same to you."

He put his phone into airplane mode.

Put it in your pocket.

8

11:45.

The plane began to taxi.

Outside the window, the terminal building slowly recedes. Other planes, ground support vehicles, the control tower, and the runway.

Speed ​​up.

The nose of the aircraft was raised.

The wheels are off the ground.

The ground recedes further and further away. The terminal building becomes a small square, the parking lot a small grid, and the airport a gray expanse.

Passing through the clouds.

All that could be seen outside the window was white.

He leaned back in his chair.

Close your eyes.

Her face is in my mind.

This is what he looked like standing in front of the check-in counter just now. His hat was pulled low. His face was pale. His hands were trembling.

He opened his eyes.

It's still white outside the window.

The clouds were so thick that the sky and the ground were completely obscured.

The plane flew through the clouds.

9

At the same time.

Another plane.

At an altitude of 30,000 feet.

Ling Wuwen sat by the window.

The same whiteness stretched out from the window.

She pressed her right hand on her left to suppress her trembling.

The effects of the medication were still lingering, and her hands continued to tremble. She looked out the window at the clouds, white and boundless.

Flight attendants pushed a food cart past.

Chicken or fish?

"Water. Thank you."

A glass of mineral water was placed on the small table.

She didn't drink it.

Just watching.

A crack appeared in the clouds outside the window, revealing the Mediterranean Sea below. It was a deep blue, and the sunlight spread a layer of shimmering gold across the surface.

She looked at the sea.

Monaco is at the end of that sea.

Volkov is at the end of that sea.

The USB drive was in her bag.

She reached out and touched it.

Still.

She leaned back in her chair.

Close your eyes.

His face is in my mind.

He looked like he was standing at the check-in counter just now, clutching his boarding pass. Looking at her.

She opened her eyes.

Outside the window, the clouds have closed up again.

White. Boundless.

10

Four o'clock in the afternoon.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Gu Xidong walked out of the arrival hall.

The heat and humidity hit him hard. Thirty-three degrees Celsius, ninety percent humidity. He took off his coat and draped it over his arm.

Captain Lin stood at the exit.

Wearing a short-sleeved shirt and sunglasses, he leaned against a dilapidated Toyota SUV. He waved when he saw him.

Gu Xidong walked over.

boarding.

The car door closed.

The car's air conditioning was on full blast, the cold air blowing directly on his face. Captain Lin started the engine, and the car drove out of the parking lot.

"We'll be heading into the jungle at four in the morning tomorrow," he said. "We'll be staying in Tawau tonight. The boat is ready."

Gu Xidong nodded.

Outside the window, the palm trees rushed past. The sky was overcast, threatening rain.

My phone vibrated.

The signal has just been restored.

A message.

She posted it.

"We've arrived. It's raining in Monaco."

He looked at the line of text.

It started raining outside. Large raindrops pounded against the windshield, and the wipers swung wildly.

He replied:

"Kuala Lumpur also."

She replied:

"Let's get wet in the rain together."

He looked at those four words.

long time.

Put your phone back in your pocket.

The rain outside the window was getting heavier. The palm trees blurred into a green expanse.

11

8 PM.

Monaco.

Ling Wuwen stood in front of the window of the safe house.

The rain was still falling outside the window. The lights of Monte Carlo blurred into a halo in the rain. The golden dome of the casino reflected the light from the streetlights.

She was holding a phone in her hand.

The screen displays the last message:

"Let's get wet in the rain together."

She looked at those four words.

My hands are still shaking.

She put her phone back in her pocket.

Turn around.

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

Bet365: 89%

188BET: 76%

Pinnacle: 91%

……

He turned to look at her.

"There's a private dinner in Volkov tomorrow night. There will be twenty guests. Your invitation is still valid."

She nodded.

"The contents of that USB drive in his study have been hacked?"

The raven shook its head.

"The encryption level is too high. A key is required."

She took the USB drive out of her pocket.

Place it on the table.

"Is the key in Ye Shen's hands?"

The raven nodded.

"Volkov's list, the complete record of the financial chain, are all on this USB drive. But I can't open it."

Women's eyesight.

"Gu Xidong is going into the jungle tomorrow."

She nodded.

The rain is still falling outside the window.

She looked at the curtain of rain.

long time.