Ice skates forward, regardless of east or west.

1

The air seemed to freeze.

The deafening music and noise abruptly faded away when Gu Xidong heard the name "Su Man".

Before me was a face both familiar and unfamiliar. Those once adoring, peach-blossom eyes now held only venomous mockery.

Suman.

His most trusted partner, the girl who cried out for revenge after he was injured and retired.

How did she end up here? The one who became the "Black Swan"? Is his ice skate in her boss's hands?

Countless questions bombarded him like thunder, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. He instinctively stepped back, his body stiffening.

"What? My prince, don't you recognize me?" Su Man's fingers slid across his cheek like snakes, stopping at his Adam's apple, her nails stinging.

"How...how could you...?"

"How did I get here?" Su Man covered her mouth and laughed, her voice shrill.

"Gu Xidong, are you still living in a fairy tale?"

She approached, the mingled scent of perfume and alcohol nauseating. "You think you're the only one who got hurt? You think you're the only one who lost everything?" Her eyes flashed with venom.

"I've lost more than you! You were the one who chose pairs skating, you were the one who dragged me into hell for that championship dream! You turned me into a fish on a chopping board!"

Gu Xidong was struck dumb, frozen in place.

He never imagined that Suman would think that way.

In his heart, they were comrades-in-arms; in her eyes, he was the culprit who dragged her into the abyss.

"So, you joined them?" His voice trembled.

"Join?" Su Man laughed heartily.

"No, I've become them." She opened her arms. "Only here, in this hell without rules, can I find true freedom. Those who once trampled on me now have to kneel and beg me for some 'happiness'."

Her eyes, like a venomous snake, fixed on Gu Xidong: "Especially you, my prince. Haven't you always thought so highly of yourself, believing yourself to be the purest swan on the ice?" She licked her red lips, a morbid excitement in her eyes.

"I really want to see if you'll still look at me with that 'holy' gaze after your noble head is trampled into the mud and your graceful legs are broken."

Gu Xidong's face turned deathly pale; he felt she was more terrifying than a devil. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe.

Just then, an arm cut in, blocking him and Su Man like a solid wall, shutting out the nauseating smell.

Ling Wuwen.

He had already walked up to Gu Xidong without anyone noticing, his back view resembling a silent volcano.

His gaze fell calmly on Su Man's face, without any emotional fluctuation, as if everything was expected.

"Get out of the way." His voice was low and as cold as ice.

For the first time, a crack appeared in Su Man's smile.

Only then did she notice the man beside Gu Xidong, who was far more dangerous than she had imagined.

"Who are you?" Su Man narrowed her eyes. "This is a private matter for our 'Black Swan,' so mind your own business."

A middle-aged man with a fierce face stepped forward from behind her, pointed at Ling Wuwen, and cursed:

"Who dares to act so wildly! Do you know who I am? I am—"

Before he could finish speaking...

Ling Wuwen didn't even turn around, but waved his hand back.

"Snap!"

The crisp sound of bones cracking pierced the music.

Without uttering a sound, the man was sent flying like a sandbag, smashing an entire row of champagne towers.

The entire underground space fell silent instantly. All eyes were focused on this uninvited guest.

Su Man's face finally changed. She looked at Ling Wuwen in horror, then at her accomplice whose fate was unknown, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

"I'll say it one last time," Ling Wuwen stepped closer, "Get out of my way."

Su Man stepped back in fright, but still screamed, her voice trembling with fear:

"You dare to make a move here? 'Black Swan' won't let you get away with this! The boss won't let you get away with this!"

"Boss?" Ling Wuwen's lips curled into a disdainful sneer.

He ignored Su Man and turned to look at Gu Xidong for the first time.

His eyes were complex—pity, mockery, and a hint of barely perceptible guilt?

"What are you still standing there for?" he said in a deep voice. "Weren't you going to get your skates back?"

These words cleaved through the chaos in Gu Xidong's mind like lightning.

Ice skates! Yes, he's here to get his ice skates back! No matter why Suman became like this, no matter whose territory this is, he can't back down!

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to break free from the shock, and walked past Ling Wuwen to Su Man.

"Where are my skates?" His voice was more determined than ever before.

Su Man's eyes were filled with resentment and glee: "Want ice skates? Sure. I told you, you'll have to trade yourself for them." She pointed to the VIP area entrance guarded by bodyguards behind her, "As long as you walk through that door, kneel down in front of my boss and beg him like a dog, I'll give you the skates."

Gu Xidong clenched his fists: "Su Man, you're crazy."

"Am I crazy? Hahahaha!" Su Man laughed so hard she almost fell over.

"Gu Xidong, you're the one who's crazy! Don't you understand yet? This world is inherently crazy! Only madmen can survive!"

She pointed at Gu Xidong's nose and screamed:

"Who do you think you are? A washed-up champion with a crippled leg! What right do you have to negotiate?" She pointed at Ling Wuwen, laughing maniacally. "You think he's the hero who came to save you? No! He's just like you! He's a madman too! He's even madder than me!"

Ling Wuwen frowned slightly, but did not deny it.

2

Gu Xidong's heart sank to the bottom.

He knew Su Man was telling the truth. Ling Wuwen was indeed a dangerous madman twisted by hatred.

But... Gu Xidong looked up at Ling Wuwen's back. This madman was now his only support.

If it weren't for him, that man's men would have already swarmed him; if it weren't for him, he would have already been dragged away by Su Man like a dog.

"Get out of the way," Gu Xidong said again, his voice eerily calm.

He bypassed Suman and headed straight for the VIP entrance.

"What are you doing?!" Su Man screamed, trying to stop him. "No one can go in without the boss's permission!"

Ling Wuwen merely gave her a cold glance.

His eyes, like those of a beast, caught sight of the clown jumping around. Su Man froze instantly, too afraid to move.

Gu Xidong walked to the door and looked at the two bodyguards who looked like they were facing a formidable enemy. He didn't say anything, but just pointed to himself.

"Get out of my way." Ling Wuwen's icy voice came from behind.

The bodyguards exchanged a glance, hesitated for a moment, and finally stepped aside, pulling back the heavy black velvet curtain.

Behind the curtains was not the decadent chaos of imagination, but a vast, empty room that resembled an ice rink. The floor was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting a cool, gleaming light under the cold white spotlights.

In the center of the room, a pair of ice skates lay quietly in a glass display case.

The entire shoe is jet black, with silver shoelaces that shimmer with a metallic sheen.

The lines are smooth and beautiful, and every detail is as perfect as a work of art.

Those were his ice skates.

Gu Xidong's breath caught in his throat, his eyes fixed intently, as if his soul had been stolen away. He walked in step by step, uncontrollably.

Ling Wuwen followed closely behind. Su Man and several bodyguards also came in and stood at the door to watch the show.

"Do you like it?" A gentle and elegant voice came from the shadows.

A man slowly walked out.

He was dressed in a well-tailored tuxedo, his hair was perfectly styled, and he wore gold-rimmed glasses, looking as refined and cultured as a university professor.

He gently swirled a glass of red wine in his hand.

"These skates," the man said, walking up to the display case and looking at the skates with the eyes of an artist admiring a work of art, "are among the most perfect pieces in my collection." He turned to Gu Xidong, a gentle smile on his face, "They bear the glory of a genius and witness the end of an era. They are full of stories."

Gu Xidong stared intently at him: "Who are you?"

"Me?" The man smiled. "You can call me... the collector."

He put down his glass, walked up to Gu Xidong, and stared at him with an almost obsessive gaze. "You look more...broken than you do in the video." He reached out, as if to touch Gu Xidong's cheek.

Gu Xidong took a step back to dodge.

"My skates," he said, emphasizing each word, "I'm taking them."

The collector showed no anger; instead, his smile widened.

"Of course it's yours. I've said it before, you can come and get it anytime you want." He pointed to the glass display case. "It's right here. As long as you can open it, it's yours."

Gu Xidong frowned. Things couldn't be that simple.

Sure enough, the collector pulled a uniquely shaped gold key from his pocket. "But," he said, shaking the key, "you'll need to pay a small price to open it."

His gaze shifted from Gu Xidong's face to Ling Wuwen.

"Use the person next to you," he pointed to Ling Wuwen, "to exchange for this key."

"What?!" Gu Xidong exclaimed.

Ling Wuwen's body stiffened abruptly.

"Didn't you want ice skates?" The collector smiled, twirling the key between his fingers.

"These shoes are worthless to me now. But this person..." His gaze, like a venomous snake, coiled around Ling Wuwen, "I'm very interested in him."

The collector's eyes turned greedy and fanatical: "He has a very special kind of blood flowing through his veins. A kind of blood I've been searching for, full of 'destruction' and 'madness'."

He licked his lips.

"Hand this person over to me. I'll give you the key. The deal is fair and reasonable."

Gu Xidong was completely stunned and couldn't understand it at all.

Trading Ling Wuwen for ice skates? Who is the collector? How would he know that Ling Wuwen's blood is special?

Ling Wuwen's expression was more solemn than ever before.

He stared intently at the golden key, and for the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.

3

Ling Wuwen, who was once fearless, was now filled with fear.

"Impossible." Just as Gu Xidong was in shock, Ling Wuwen spoke up.

His voice was terribly hoarse, coming straight out of his throat.

The collector's smile slowly faded. "Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "You refuse?"

"I refuse."

Ling Wuwen's eyes turned cold and resolute again.

"This isn't the kind of decision a businessman should make," the collector's voice turned cold.

"I'm not a businessman," Ling Wuwen said. "I'm a madman."

Having said that, he stopped looking at the collector and turned to Gu Xidong. His eyes were incredibly complex—resolute, insane, and perhaps even a hint of relief?

"Gu Xidong," he looked into Gu Xidong's eyes and asked, enunciating each word clearly, "Do you still want your ice skates back?"

Gu Xidong was completely confused: "I..."

"Answer me!" Ling Wuwen shouted sharply, "Do you still want your ice skates back?!"

Gu Xidong was taken aback by the shout, and subconsciously nodded: "Yes!"

"Okay." Ling Wuwen laughed, a laugh that was both desolate and insane.

He turned to face the collector and slowly unbuttoned his coat. "Since he wants my blood..." he muttered in an almost manic tone as he unbuttoned it, "then I'll grant his wish."

His jacket slipped down, revealing a black T-shirt soaked with sweat underneath.

On the chest of the T-shirt, a twisted pattern, resembling a swan or a question mark, embroidered in dark red thread, stood out prominently.

That pattern—it was the very pattern Ling Wuwen had drawn on his chest when he entered the black market!

The collector's pupils constricted sharply! The color drained from his face instantly.

He looked at the pattern as if he were seeing the most terrifying thing in the world.

"You...you..." His lips trembled, his words incoherent, "You are...'Number Zero'?!"

Ling Wuwen did not answer. He simply smiled.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, he drew a tactical dagger from his waist.

It doesn't refer to collectors.

Instead, he aimed at his own chest.

"Didn't he want my blood?" Ling Wuwen looked at Gu Xidong, a strange and chilling smile in his eyes.

"Then I'll show it to him."

Before he could finish speaking, the dagger stabbed down!

"don't want!!!"

Gu Xidong's pupils suddenly contracted to their maximum size!

He watched helplessly as the sharp dagger pierced Ling Wuwen's chest, tore through his black T-shirt, and pierced the skin with the strange pattern!

Time seemed to stretch out infinitely.

He could clearly hear the soft sound of the dagger piercing the skin, see the twisted expression of pain and madness on Ling Wuwen's face, and see the glaring blood meandering down the blood groove, dripping onto the smooth, mirror-like ground, blooming into bewitching dark red flowers.

"Madman...you madman..." The collector staggered back several steps as if he had seen a ghost, and the golden key clattered to the ground.

He looked at Ling Wuwen, his eyes filled with extreme fear and awe.

Su Man and her bodyguards were so terrified that they collapsed to the ground.

The room was deathly silent, save for Ling Wuwen's heavy, suppressed breathing.

"You..." Gu Xidong finally found his voice, his lips trembling as he pointed at Ling Wuwen, "Why..."

He couldn't understand it.

Why did Ling Wuwen harm himself? What is the pattern on his chest? And what does "Zero" mean?

Ling Wuwen slowly and laboriously raised his head.

His face was deathly pale from blood loss, but his eyes shone with a frightening brightness. He looked at Gu Xidong, a tragic yet eerie smile playing on his lips.

He offered no explanation.

She simply pointed slowly and tremblingly at Gu Xidong with her hand stained with her own blood.

Then, with all his might, he squeezed out a few words from his throat:

"Now...it's your turn..."

"What?!" Gu Xidong was struck dumb, frozen in place. He pointed to himself, incredulous, "You made me..."

Ling Wuwen laughed, his whole body trembling with laughter, which caused his wounds to bleed even faster.

He did not deny it, but pointed with his bloodied finger to the key on the ground and then to the glass display case.

His eyes said: This is your chance. Pick up the key, open the cabinet, and get your skates back.

Gu Xidong was completely stunned. He looked at the key, then at the display case, then at the collector who was too scared to move, and finally his gaze fell on Ling Wuwen, who was covered in blood and had a strange look in his eyes.

A chill ran from the soles of my feet straight up to the top of my head.

He suddenly realized that from the moment he decided to follow Ling Wuwen into the black market, he had fallen into a trap.

An abyss dug by Ling Wuwen himself—or for himself.