One

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The sky was clear and boundless, the air crisp and invigorating. Before her eyes lay the most bustling, expansive, and modern financial center in Emerald City—a commercial district pulsating with the energy of high finance and cutting-edge enterprise. The weather that day was exceptionally pleasant; beneath the cerulean sky, the gentle morning sun was just beginning to bathe the world in its golden light. It was 8:30 a.m., and the streets were already thronged with people caught in the rush hour tide.

This area was the very heart of the city, a nexus of sophistication and affluence. Towering office buildings soared one after another, each more magnificent than the last, forming a panorama of prosperity and refinement. Sunlight streamed down, glinting off the glass facades; every pane shimmered and shifted, scattering countless fragments and shafts of gold in every direction, as if the structures themselves were gilded, radiant pagodas ablaze with hope and vitality. The whole scene was suffused with warm hues of orange and a playful, candy-like palette, invoking a dreamlike beauty.

A young woman, fashionably dressed in professional attire, was making her way toward the largest financial building in this thriving district. Her name was Xiaoya Xian. Her appearance was that of a sharp, capable, and strikingly attractive professional—today marked her first day as a newly appointed financial advisor.

Inside, the lobby of the financial building was vast and filled with light, its high ceilings amplifying the sense of grandeur. Men and women in business attire streamed in along the corridors, moving with orderly calm, their bearing both elegant and assured. Xiaoya watched them, entranced; today, she too belonged to this world. Her heart surged with anticipation and delight. She was certain she could rise to the challenge—she believed it with all her soul.

With her spirits high and her confidence ignited, Xiaoya stepped into the elevator. Several men and women, clad in suits and dresses, were already inside, and a man stood by the panel of floor buttons.

“What floor are you headed to?” the man asked, turning toward her.

“Twenty-seven, thank you,” Xiaoya replied.

“Abundance Hedge Fund? Is that where you’re going?” he inquired, a note of surprise in his voice.

“Yes,” she answered.

“Do you work up there? I don’t think I’ve seen you before,” another man chimed in from behind, his tone tinged with envy. Although Xiaoya couldn’t see him directly, she caught his reflection in the elevator’s gleaming metal panel. A subtle sense of pride welled up within her.

“Yes, today is my first day,” she replied with a smile.

The elevator soon arrived at the twenty-seventh floor. As Xiaoya stepped out, she could still hear the murmurs of conversation behind her.

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Various voices reached her ears: “She’s so young, already a financial advisor—her education must be top-notch. Abundance is so hard to get into. And the salary—so enviable!”

Buoyed by the admiring whispers, Xiaoya strode into her new company’s doors with her head held high. It was her first day at work, and her mood was especially bright.

———

Time shift: October 22, 2020. Jason’s office, evening—

A new email appeared on Jason’s computer screen, followed immediately by a pop-up message from someone named Ivan.

(The following is the text of their conversation.)

Ivan: “You lost our bet, remember? You promised to do me a favor.”

Jason replied: “Sure, what is it?”

Ivan: “Help me forward this email to an IP address.”

Jason: “Why not to an email address? Will it work?”

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Ivan: “Yes. There’s a hidden mailbox at that IP—it’s not a regular email.”

Jason: “Alright, no problem. Piece of cake.”

Ivan: “But not yet—send it at 9 a.m. on the 25th.”

Jason: “You’re even picking the date? This isn’t anything illegal, is it?”

Ivan: “Why would I ask you to do something illegal? Don’t worry. It won’t get you in trouble. It’s just a small favor, and after it’s done, you’ll have nothing more to do with it.”

Jason: “Good to hear.”

Ivan: “Thanks in advance.”

Jason: “Happy to help.” He even added an emoji at the end.