Chapter One: The Man Who Lost Color

At midnight, Zhou Ye's battered phone lit up. Final Protocol: Three-on-Three Mode Now Live. In the same instant, his basement room vanished. White light pressed down on a black court. He was barefoot, breathing rubber, sweat, and rust. Faceless silhouettes filled the stands. A crimson eleven burned above the backboard. “Midnight Court. Temporary match. Winners receive an attribute transferable to reality. Losers permanently forfeit a physical ability.” Zhou touched his right hand. He had once trained with it twelve hours a day—until the fixed match two years ago. Black Tide had ordered him to react half a second late in the deciding round. He refused. The next morning, edited audio and dirty money in his account branded him the fixer.