Exploding God

Lu Ze looked at Jin Chenghui with encouragement and said, "Since the other party is already here, it means there's some channel providing them with information. So where could that source be?"

This calm question was like a pebble thrown into a lake, making Jin Chenghui's heart skip a beat. Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. He, who usually prided himself on being a network expert and a top hacker, had actually been hacked right under his nose without even noticing.

Even worse, one's actions might be monitored by the other party...

No, it's impossible for the other party to monitor his actions, because the honeypots and traps he set up on the network haven't been triggered yet. Jin Chenghui is absolutely confident in this. This is a variant of the [Melting Point] program, which monitors the network from a hardware perspective. As long as the other party tries to get close to his terminal, he will definitely be detected.

So the other party...

Jin Chenghui's mind was suddenly filled with the image of the fair and lovely face of the receptionist, Duo'er, and his expression froze.

"I see!"

Jin Chenghui's fingers flew across the keyboard as he stared intently at the lines of code that cascaded across the screen.

"Their presence here must mean they already knew about the characteristics of 'Meltdown' before the news was released. I change locations every two days on average, and today is my first time at the Fengyun Network Center. So the reason they discovered me must be the time when I reactivated and confirmed my 'Meltdown' operation permissions, which was 147 minutes ago."

"The fact that they were able to get here in 147 minutes further confirms that the other party had already located the origin of the [Melting Point] program in Shangnan City, Liberty City No. 176, over the past two days. They must have deployed manpower in the city during this time period to conduct regional network monitoring."

"That explains why they were able to come find me so quickly."

"How about we reverse the logic after swapping positions? If I were looking for the inventor of the [Melting Point] program, I would be very careful not to touch sensitive positions that might contain traps, and instead look for another breakthrough... This is the network center, so the POS computer, which has the lowest level of access but can see the whole picture, becomes the most direct target."

"Therefore, the intruder's first target was... Dor's mainframe!"

As Jin Chenghui typed the last byte, a brand new graphical interface appeared on the screen, with a thin red line clearly visible in the black and white circuit diagram.

Jin Chenghui glanced at the screen, then at Lu Ze.

"According to the logs, someone is monitoring that host and seems to be trying to find me among the 722 internet users."

"Brother Ze, I'm selling it to you now."

Jin Chenghui turned around, spread his hands, looking both roguish and helpless.

Anyway, they've come knocking on our door. It's all down to this one gamble. If we win, we'll be living the high life; if we lose, we'll be locked up in jail for life.

Jin Chenghui thought about it and realized that all he had left to show people was his own abilities.

"Are you sure?" Lu Ze looked at the other person calmly. "If you are sure, then from now on, you will embark on a completely different path."

"Hey, as long as my grandparents are settled, that's fine." Jin Chenghui thought for a moment and then added, "I hope this road is fun so I can live a little longer."

"This is more interesting than ever before, and you're safer than me."

"Deal, cheers." Kim Sung-hui raised his glass of cranberry topped with snow, full of sincerity. At this moment, he suddenly felt how reassuring it was to have his older brother protecting him.

"Perfect result." Lu Ze glanced at the bracelet, held up three fingers, and said, "Now, let's begin your onboarding assessment. Do three things in 30 seconds."

"First, the location of the monitor can be pinpointed to the meter."

"Second, erase all surveillance footage from this building."

"Third, destroy all surveillance equipment except the one on Dor's monitor. You have 27 seconds left."

Jin Chenghui was stunned. "Damn it, wasn't it you who dragged me onto this boat? Now I have to take an exam?"

Also, should we include the time you spent asking the question?

Have you no shame?!

Of course, it's just a thought; after all, what we seek in life is a peaceful and stable existence.

Jin Chenghui skillfully pulled out a homemade PDA from his pocket and asked in confusion, "It's not on Duo'er's monitor? Wait... when did you put a camera there?"

His expression gradually froze, and then he stared at Lu Ze in astonishment. The latter simply lowered his head and brushed his wristband, activating the projection and presenting a clear view of the hall entrance to the two of them.

"24 seconds left." Lu Ze took a leisurely sip of milk tea and found that the osmanthus oolong tea tasted really good.

Jin Chenghui jolted awake, adjusted his glasses, and his right hand flew across the PDA, muttering to himself, "Since inventing the [Melting Point] program, I've never done anything immoral. You've all forced me into this."

Lu Ze's eyes were filled with admiration. Once this bespectacled guy entered his field of expertise, he instantly became absorbed in it. This kind of talent only needs to be given enough time, and one day in the future he will be able to amaze the whole world.

Unfortunately, it's still too immature.

Three seconds later.

"Done!" Jin Chenghui shouted.

"Time's up." Lu Ze stood up, turned around, and walked out of the booth. "From now on, follow me and never leave my side."

"Ah... okay." Jin Chenghui followed nervously, holding his PDA. After a few steps, he seemed to remember something and hurriedly hid the PDA in his arms.

"Boss, the [Melting Point] program uses the bottom-level channel, so that monitor didn't find me. He's in a room about 10 meters to the right of the back door of the network center. If I remember correctly, it should be a storage room for general merchandise." As a lackey, one must always be mindful of one's tone, and Jin Chenghui did this very well, his fawning smile completely natural.

"Um."

Lu Ze swiped the projection with his finger and watched as three tall, slender men in leather jackets appeared in the lobby on the first floor. They walked in three different directions without saying a word, seemingly checking each person one by one.

At this moment, inside the network center, apart from Lu Ze, no one realized that chaos was about to engulf them.

"What do we do?! I think there's a guy heading straight for us." Sweat poured down Jin Chenghui's forehead.

"I'm not afraid, I'm not afraid, I won't..."

Equally taciturn, even the same height, these guys look like professional killers, okay?

Kim Sung-hui is only 15 years old, how could he not be afraid?!

Kim Sung-hui stumbled as his shoulder was suddenly bumped, and he was so startled that he closed his eyes, bowed deeply, and shouted, "I'm sorry!!"

The tall, thin man in the leather jacket paused, glanced at her expressionlessly, and then continued walking without giving any verbal response.

Jin Chenghui looked up and opened his eyes. After seeing the brown leather jacket worn by the tall, thin man, his heart pounded violently. He swallowed hard and trembled as he stepped back.

[You dodged it! That was close...]

Feeling relieved, Jin Chenghui felt as if he had escaped death and quickly followed Lu Ze, who was walking by with one hand in his pocket.

But when a clatter of footsteps sounded, Jin Chenghui's face turned ashen, because he saw dozens of people rush in and begin to disperse purposefully into various passages.

At that very moment, a "beep..." sounded from his arms.

"It's over." Kim Sung-hui's face froze.

"The monitor has sent a signal!"

Even without Jin Chenghui saying it, Lu Ze saw it too. At that moment, the more than thirty leather-clad men who were taking action simultaneously stopped and looked up, their eyes gleaming with a ferocious, bloodthirsty light.

The next second, all the men in leather jackets reached into their coats and pulled out black guns fitted with silencers.

A girl who was browsing the internet accidentally saw this scene while stretching.

0.5 seconds later...

"--ah!!"

boom!

A piercing scream and the sound of a bullet leaving the barrel rang out simultaneously in the spacious hall.

It was as if a bomb had been dropped into a lake, instantly igniting terror in the hundreds of people present.

The crowd erupted in cheers, Duo'er awoke with a start, and the piercing alarm blared...

The network center is in complete chaos!

Lu Ze simply turned off the bracelet, put his hands in his pockets, and calmly walked towards the back door, followed by Jin, whose face was blank and numb.

Click, click.

Two Colt pistols, one on the left and one on the right, were pointed at the heads of the two boys.

Lu Ze stopped.

Kim Sung-hui looked up in despair.

The two men in leather jackets, both around 187cm tall, stood like iron towers, their towering figures overlooking the world. Coupled with the guns in their hands, a sense of impending doom, like a tsunami, was palpable.

The other person's finger is simultaneously hovering over the trigger; with just a slight press, one's head will explode like a ripe watermelon.

"I'm so sorry..." Jin Chenghui stammered, his legs shaking, his eyes pleading.

Lu Ze seemed not to see the two guns, but turned his head and stared intently at Jin Chenghui.

His next words shocked the young hacker so much that his heart stopped.

"This is a one-time exception. Since you're working for me, you represent my reputation. Never say sorry lightly."

Jin Chenghui felt dizzy and his heart was clenching with pain.

【Holy shit!】

The two men in leather jackets chuckled, but their expressions quickly turned cold.

Because Lu Ze had already turned his head back, looked at the two of them, and spoke softly:

"Who will die first?"