The Mysterious Man

Allie followed the mysterious man into the luxurious spacecraft. As the door closed, she felt as if she had entered another world. The interior was more spacious than it appeared from the outside, with smooth metal walls glowing with soft blue light. A faint fresh scent permeated the air, in stark contrast to the stench of the slums.

"Let's go," the man said nonchalantly to the pilot, and the spacecraft took off instantly.

Allie sat carefully, the soft seat making her feel a bit surreal. She stole glances at this mysterious man, who was pensively gazing at a holographic screen in front of him, his profile perfect.

"Who... who are you?" Allie mustered the courage to ask. "Why are you helping me?"

The man turned, his deep blue eyes looking directly at Allie. "You're quite bold. Have you considered the consequences of going with a strange man you've never met?"

Allie hadn't expected him to say such things with a serious face. "I just thought it was more dangerous to stay there."

He chuckled cryptically and leaned back in his chair. "That's not necessarily true."

Allie looked at him warily. "What do you mean?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

Soon, the spacecraft landed in front of a magnificent building. Allie recognized it as "Red Sand Star," Mars' largest casino, and the place where she had just incurred her gambling debt to the owner, Mark.

"Follow me," the man said, leading the way off the spacecraft.

"Why are we here?" Allie looked at the man suspiciously, moving one foot back slightly, ready to bolt.

The man grabbed Allie's arm, teasing, "Scared now, hm?" He pulled Allie along without further explanation.

The security guards at the casino entrance bowed respectfully and made way when they saw him. Allie was surprised to find that everyone who saw him showed a look of awe.

"Are you... are you the owner here? What's your relationship with Mark?" Allie began to panic.

They went directly to the luxurious office on the top floor. A burly, fleshy-faced middle-aged man was sitting behind a large desk. Seeing them enter, he immediately stood up, his face full of fawning smiles.

"Mr. Waters, what a rare guest!" the casino owner said enthusiastically. "To what do we owe the honor of your visit?"

Waters gave him a cold glance. "Mark, I'm bringing a young friend for a tour and some learning."

Mark's smile froze for a moment, his gaze falling on Allie. "Oh, this is... Miss Allie?" He examined Allie's face, fair like a girl from Mercury. If he could get his hands on her, he could make quite a profit... Too bad those useless thugs were a step too slow and ran into this troublesome fellow...

Waters stared at Mark, waiting for his response. Mark smiled broadly, "Please, feel free to look around. It's just that this young lady had a bit of bad luck at my establishment earlier..."

Waters pulled out a faintly glowing chip from his pocket and casually tossed it on the desk. "Here's 1 million gold."

Mark's eyes lit up instantly. He carefully picked up the chip, confirmed it, and then showed an expression of wild joy.

"You're too kind!" Mark nodded repeatedly. "Please, come in, come in. Oh, be careful not to bump into anything. My, what a height you have, perfect model proportions..."

Allie watched this scene in shock, unable to believe her debt had been so easily resolved.

They passed through the casino's lavish hall and arrived at a hidden elevator. He pressed his thumb on the control panel, and the elevator door slid open silently.

Allie followed Ryan into the elevator, her heart full of unease. The elevator descended rapidly, stopping at an underground level.

As the door opened, they were hit by a pungent smell of disinfectant and blood. Allie followed Ryan out of the elevator and found herself in a vast underground space. The lighting was dim, and there were surgical beds and medical equipment everywhere. The puddles on the floor had an eerie red tinge.

They walked past rows of glass compartments. Allie was horrified to see many anesthetized people lying inside, their naked bodies marked with names and prices of various organs. Some were already missing parts of their bodies, their wounds wrapped in bloody bandages.

A young woman lay on one of the operating tables, her eyes wide open, seemingly not fully unconscious yet. A surgeon was preparing her, picking up a sharp scalpel and marking her lower abdomen.

Allie felt nauseous, her face turning pale. But Ryan didn't stop, continuing to lead her forward.

They came to another area where many young women were confined in small cages, their naked bodies covered in surgical scars and signs of modification. Some had all their limbs removed, replaced with metal prosthetics. Others had their bodies altered beyond recognition, with strange devices even installed on their chests.

These women's eyes were vacant, as if they had lost all hope for survival. A girl huddled in a corner, whimpering weakly, her body twisted and deformed, like an experimental subject of modification.

Allie felt her legs weaken, her stomach churning.

Finally, Waters led her to a glass room. Inside sat a young girl who looked about Allie's age. The girl was beautiful, but her eyes were blank, and her body curves were unnaturally exaggerated, clearly modified. When she saw Waters, she immediately started giggling foolishly, pressing against the glass, and making indescribable gestures with her open mouth towards him.

Allie felt her scalp tingle with horror...

Waters said calmly, "These are people who couldn't pay back their gambling debts."

Allie thought of the way Mark had looked at her earlier. If this man hadn't appeared, that girl's fate would have been her own...

Back on the spacecraft, Allie finally spoke, her voice trembling slightly: "Mr. Waters... thank you..."

Waters looked at her, a flicker of complex emotion in his eyes. "Ryan Waters. Call me Ryan."

The spacecraft slowly descended on the outskirts of the Martian slums. Through the porthole, Allie saw the familiar dilapidated shack, her "home." In the night, the small house looked particularly lonely, as if abandoned by the entire world.

"We're here."

Allie was a bit surprised. "You know where I live?"

Ryan smiled slightly, his chiseled face softening a bit in the moonlight. "I know more than you might imagine."

"Mr. Ryan, I don't understand. Why are you helping me? Did we know each other before?"

Ryan's blue eyes gazed at Allie. "No, we didn't. I saw your performance at the underground race track earlier. It was impressive."

Allie's eyes widened in surprise, her long eyelashes casting shadows in the moonlight. "You... you saw my race?"

Ryan nodded, his features looking particularly profound in the night. "Yes, your talent is astonishing. But at the same time, I saw you getting into trouble. I couldn't bear to see such talent wasted."

Allie lowered her head, her silver hair falling on either side of her face, hiding her expression. She thought of her foolish actions.

Ryan gently lifted her face with his finger, speaking softly and deeply, "Allie, your talent is a treasure. Please protect it well."

Allie's eyes widened. It had been a very long time since she had heard such praise. "I will, Mr. Ryan."

Ryan smiled with satisfaction. He took out an exquisite small box from his pocket. "This is for you."

Allie carefully took the box and opened it. Inside was a very unique silver bracelet. The bracelet was engraved with complex patterns, shimmering mysteriously in the moonlight.

"This is a special device from Mercury," Ryan explained. "It can constantly monitor your physical condition and roller skating data, helping you improve your skating skills. But remember, it's just an auxiliary tool. Real progress still depends on your own efforts."

Allie gently caressed the bracelet, feeling its cool, smooth texture. She looked up at Ryan, gratitude sparkling in her purple eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Ryan. I don't know how to repay you."

Ryan shook his head, a faint smile appearing on his handsome face. "You don't need to repay me. Just don't do anything stupid again."

Allie nodded solemnly, her silver hair swaying gently with the motion. "I promise."

Ryan's smile deepened a bit. He reached out and gently patted Allie's shoulder, an encouraging gesture. "It's late. You should rest."

With that, he turned and walked towards the spacecraft. Allie stood there, watching Ryan's tall figure gradually disappear into the night, until the sound of the spacecraft's engine faded away.

Allie opened the door and entered the house, only to see the 50,000 gold check she had lost earlier now lying quietly on her dining table. Allie rubbed her eyes, picked up the check, and jumped with joy. This Mr. Ryan was truly wonderful, almost like a fairy godfather!