Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 161 The Guest (First Update)
Deep within the abandoned town's workshops, time flowed steadily, measured in precise seconds.

Chen Yu redistributed most of the computing power of the main consciousness to the systematic classification and archiving of the massive data of the divine shrine, the in-depth modeling and analysis of the Bartholomew's neural structure, and the continuous fine-tuning of the various operating parameters of the cross-dimensional teleporter.

Meanwhile, an independent and efficient background process runs silently, like a loyal sentinel lurking in the shadows, constantly monitoring the two key areas.

First, it preserves the readings of the life support system in the in vivo culture chamber containing Barthes' body. Second, it tracks the real-time status logs and any abnormal activity from the workshop's external network firewall.

The priority of alerts from the firewall is set to "low".

This is not due to negligence or underestimation, but rather a calm assessment based on absolute confidence in our own technology.

The digital barrier that Chen Yu personally built is rooted in the ancient wisdom of the Martian Mechanicus data fortress and incorporates complex defense logic to deal with subspace data turbulence and alien technology intrusion.

Faced with this level of defense, the cyberattack methods commonly used in the cyberpunk world, whether it's the standardized penetration scripts of corporate security departments or the malicious code meticulously crafted by top local hackers, all appear primitive and inefficient. The difference is like trying to challenge an indestructible adamantite power armor by wielding a stone axe.

Therefore, when that unfamiliar data stream first touched the outermost probe node of the firewall, Chen Yu's core processing simply involved calmly recording the coordinates, energy intensity, and basic feature encoding of the contact.

He did not take any proactive response measures, did not attempt to trace its source, and did not immediately strengthen the defense system.

This firewall itself is the first and currently only filter he set up, designed to distinguish valuable observations from meaningless digital noise.

Intrusion attempts are ongoing.

That data stream demonstrated extraordinary patience and operational skill.

It seems to have quickly realized that a direct assault was ineffective, and instead adopted a more roundabout strategy. Its behavior pattern is similar to that of a highly skilled locksmith, constantly changing virtual tools and cracking methods, meticulously probing the defense strength and potential reaction patterns of each logical interface of the firewall.

It has simulated harmless system update packets, disguised standard handshake requests from trusted internal hardware, and even attempted to activate and exploit ancient vulnerabilities in the local civilian network protocol stack that have long been forgotten by time.

Chen Yu's crimson optical lens stared steadily at the continuously scrolling firewall logs on the main control panel. The massive data stream cascaded down like a waterfall, instantly analyzed and summarized by his highly efficient mental core.

He noticed that this "visitor's" intrusion strategy was not chaotic; its behavior pattern revealed a systematic quality that had been rigorously trained in logic, while also vaguely carrying a kind of unconventional, almost inhuman, intuitive understanding of the underlying nature of data.

Its code structure is exceptionally concise and efficient, with almost no redundant probing steps. Every policy change precisely targets a theoretically weak link that may exist in the firewall's construction logic.

"The frequency of intrusion attempts is stable, and the strategy iteration cycle is once every 3.7 seconds on average." Chen Yu's synthesized voice whispered in the empty workshop, as if recording experimental data. "The attack pattern shows a deep understanding of the evolution of basic network protocols, and its technical roots can be traced back to the middle of the construction of the 'initial network'. This excludes contemporary companies and common mobile AI behavior patterns."

At the heart of his logic, the weight of the "interest" variable was slightly increased.

This "guest" is not relying on brute force or known vulnerabilities, but is trying to understand and crack a completely unfamiliar defense system.

This behavior itself contains extremely high research value.

This proves that the consciousness behind it possesses strong learning and adaptability capabilities, rather than being a low-level AI that relies on fixed attack patterns.

Chen Yu has still not taken any countermeasures. He wants to see more.

What is the limit of this "guest's" patience? When it finds that all conventional methods are ineffective, will it choose to give up, or will it adopt a more aggressive strategy?

Is its ultimate target a specific object within the workshop, or is it attempting a full-scale intrusion? The answers to these questions will determine the final rating and handling of this "sample".

He allocated a portion of the computing power to slightly adjust the firewall's feedback mechanism. When the "guest's" probe touched certain specific logical nodes, the firewall would return an extremely weak, disguised "system response" signal, simulating a state that was close to success but always just a hair's breadth away.

This is a subtle form of seduction designed to observe the changes in the other person's behavior as they alternate between hope and frustration, and to test the stability of their decision-making logic.
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Meanwhile, in the invisible realm of data, beyond the barrier of the Black Wall, the core consciousness of Spider-Murphy is under immense pressure and anxiety.

She did receive the message about Bartmouth that was broadcast over the black wall.

At first it was unbelievable, followed by immense shock and doubt.

Lucky… his body was not only found, but restored to a “bioactive” state? How is that possible? More than half a century has passed since that disaster in 2023, what kind of technology could do this?
However, the real-time biometrics and clear video data included in the data package left her no choice but to believe it.

The body lying in the incubation chamber, though marked by the passage of time, unmistakably resembled the face and figure of Lucky Bartholomew from her memory.

Seeing his revitalized body now limply suspended in the nutrient solution, a mix of grief, longing, and a strong protective instinct surged violently within her data-driven core.

She had to confirm whether it was a trap, but even more importantly, she had to get closer to it.

Whether it was to retrieve Lach's body or to find out who did it and for what purpose.

The process of passing through the black wall was not too difficult for her.

Over the decades, she has become familiar with every weak point and blind spot in this "Wall of Sighs".

She carefully separated a portion of her consciousness data, like releasing a probe, and silently infiltrated the network world within the wall.

Based on the signal tracing, she quickly located the signal source in an abandoned town on the outskirts of Night City.

However, when she tried to get closer and infiltrate, she encountered unprecedented resistance.

The firewall in front of her was completely different from any defense system she knew.

Unlike the Black Wall, which is massive, chaotic, and aggressive, it is more like a flawless, seamless crystal.

Its encryption method is unprecedented, and its logical structure is so tight that it is despair-inducing.

Each attempt is like touching the surface of a diamond with the most precise probe; you can only feel its unshakeable hardness, but you can't find any microscopic cracks to exploit.

“This is impossible…” A hint of disorder flashed through Spider-Murphy’s data stream. “How could the technology of this era possibly construct something like this?”

She tried dozens of methods, from the most basic protocol deception to exploiting backdoors from the old internet era, and even simulated the permission signatures of several long-extinct early internet administrators, but without exception, they were all silently blocked.

Frustration and anxiety arise simultaneously.

She could feel that Lucky's life signal was behind that wall, steady and clear, as if it were within reach, yet completely blocked by this damned barrier.

The other party sent that message intentionally to lure her here, but now they're turning her away.

It's more like a mockery, a condescending scrutiny.

(End of this chapter)