Unconventional security

"No one wants to die."

Chen Bei began, "Everything I'm doing right now is for survival."

After saying that, Chen Bei knocked Miao Yun unconscious with a single blow.

He then put the chip in his pocket and told Ye Zhixue, "Tie her up and go find Cao Chengxiu."

The latter ran over, looked at the virus chip in his pocket, and whispered, "You just gave the chip to Cao Chengxiu like that?"

"What else? You want to join the androids?"

"No, no, no," Ye Zhixue quickly waved her hand, "What I mean is, we can make a copy of the chip."

"Although only the first chip to appear is the most valuable, what if we don't use this chip and have Liu Anming copy an information research report?"

Chen Bei raised an eyebrow. Back in the basement, when Ye Zhixue introduced Liu Anming, she said he was proficient in some electronic technologies, and that was what she was referring to.

Although the cybervirus is useless to humans, making some preparations in advance might become a trump card against androids.

"That makes sense. I'll go back to the hotel to deliver the chip to Liu Anming first, then go to Mission Park to submit the mission. You can leave Miao Yun to Cao Chengxiu."

Half an hour later.

Inside the hotel, Chen Bei stared at the rapidly scrolling code on Liu Anming's computer. He recognized each piece of code individually, but he couldn't understand its purpose when put together.

The chip he had gone through so many twists and turns to get back was finally of some use, so all his hard work wasn't in vain.

"The data copying is almost complete; I need some time to study it."

Liu Anming removed the chip and returned it to Chen Bei, who asked curiously, "Brother Liu, what level is this?"

"Red Hacker Alliance"

Seeing Liu Anming's nonchalant demeanor, Chen Bei couldn't help but twitch his lips.

There are real masters out there! How can someone put on such a show so naturally and so smoothly?

The Red Hacker Alliance in 2075 consisted of some of the nation's top information experts. At that time, AI was already taking off at a rapid pace, and the world was engaged in information warfare. Those who could become Red Hackers in that era were no ordinary people.

Take the chip to Mission Park and place it in the designated safe according to procedure.

As for why it had to be submitted through Mission Park, Cao Chengxiu didn't explain much, and Chen Bei didn't ask any further questions.

This matter is finally settled; all that's left is for Cao Chengxiu to send over the information the two of them requested.

Chen Bei didn't go straight back to the hotel. He asked Cao Chengxiu to check the occupant information, found Song Ming's residence, and then went there alone.

The door was ajar, not completely closed, and there were faint voices coming from inside, but the sounds were too soft to make out clearly.

Chen Bei pushed open the door and went inside. On the living room sofa, an old man had a fruit knife stuck in his chest, and his collar was soaked with blood.

Chen Bei walked over, saw the old man's face clearly, and then looked at the family photo hanging in the living room... It was Song Ming's father.

As they continued walking toward the bedroom, the previously faint voice gradually became clearer and louder.

"Major construction project in Area A: Soaring Tower launches one-month pre-order and procurement period!"

"The Soaring Cloud Tower features a massive, three-dimensional structure that grows upwards, extends into the clouds, and reaches towards the stars, guaranteeing you a grand and satisfying living experience. First come, first served, so act fast!"

"Now, you can reserve a house for just 888.88 City Coins, with the balance due within one month of move-in!"

The door was pushed open completely, and what came into view was a robot in the shape of an old lady passionately reciting the word "GG" in front of a computer.

She is Songming's mother.

A woman in a blood-stained wedding dress was kneeling on the ground, her back to the door, clutching something tightly in her arms.

As expected, this should be Songming's wife, who is now dead.

Chen Bei stepped forward and kicked a cassette tape to the side of the bed.

Looking down, I picked up the cassette tape and put it into the player next to me. It was quite rare to find such a retro cassette player in District 9, given its technological level.

[Sizzle... sizzle sizzle...]

The white noise hissed for a few seconds, and then sound started coming from inside.

[Sound of door opening] Honey, let's wear our wedding dress one more time.

[How old are you? Why did you suddenly decide to pull this stunt...?]

[Romance lasts until death, right?]

[Sizzle... You're crazy, Songming! Help! Sizzle...]

[…Xiao Song! What are you doing? Why are you hitting your wife?… *sizzle*… Put the knife down!] (Old man's voice)

"I'll do you a favor, Dad. I'll take you to see Mom first, so you won't miss her anymore."

[Ah! (Old man's voice)...sizzle...Songming, calm down, we just had a baby...sizzle...please, let the baby go...]

We've all lived like this, without a shred of happiness. Sending you on your way is a relief, otherwise how would we hold off that Chen guy? The organization will remember you...

The tape was making a hissing sound towards the end, probably because Songming's wife had just turned on the tape player when Songming walked in, without turning off the record button.

Recording continues until the tape is used up, at which point it will automatically stop.

Songming was indeed full of lies at the time.

Romance until death do us part...

"Oh."

Chen Bei scoffed. Even if androids look exactly like humans, can their computing power calculate emotions?

Moreover, Songming is not a complete android; he is a modified human.

He killed his father, with whom he had lived for decades, and his wife, just to delay the progress of his investigation.

Chen Bei felt a bit ironic. He had meticulously planned the murder and set up the trap just to slow down his investigation, but it turned out that Chen Bei hadn't even shown up.

But those two lives were lost just like that.

"I didn't hear the child's voice, so they must still be alive?"

Chen Bei looked at the woman kneeling on the ground; the child she was desperately protecting in her arms must be her own.

Even if such a child grows up, knowing that he had such an experience would probably still make him feel bad.

Chen Bei stopped his movements as soon as he pried open the woman's arms, revealing just a small gap.

It was indeed a small baby, but the baby's face was bluish-black, even somewhat purplish-red.

I reached out to check his breath... the white noise on the tape disappeared, and the sound started again.

【Eeya eeya... eeya eeya】

The baby started crying, then gradually weakened until it disappeared.

The woman held him so tightly that the child couldn't breathe. He couldn't push her away, and no one came to help, so he suffocated to death...

Chen Bei took a few deep breaths to calm the anger in his chest.

He's not a saint, but this situation shouldn't happen in a normal social system. If the whole world becomes like this, extinction is only a matter of time.

Do androids really have humanity?

......

"Hurry up, and be quick! Entering the city from District 103 now requires ID verification. I went through a lot to get you guys in here!"

"With only a few days left before the patrol day, whoever manages to cause a major disturbance in District 103 will be rewarded handsomely!"

......

The next day, at the hotel.

Chen Bei and Ye Zhixue didn't go anywhere today. They quietly waited for Qian Feng and the others to finish selling their last bit of time before heading to the upper city in the evening.

Their true destination and actions are only just beginning tonight.

Ding dong.

Chen Bei's phone vibrated; it was a text message.

The information Cao Chengxiu had gathered for them... has arrived.