Yun Chun has not accessed the dark net for several days. After finishing her dinner with a sense of anticipation, she eagerly made her way to her bedroom, where she promptly fired up her desktop and logged into the shadowy realm of the internet. As soon as she logged in, she was greeted by millions of messages in the discussion column. Her heart swelled with pride, for she was convinced that this was all due to her exceptional skills.
Ever since she had first signed up for the dark net, Yun Chun had been a whirlwind of activity, completing nearly thirty tasks in just one week and quickly rising through the ranks to claim a spot in the top fifty. Number of people from the dark net had reached out to her, eager to chat and discuss her accomplishments. For an entire week, she basked in the glow of her own vanity, convinced that she was the reason for all the buzz.
Now, as she gazed upon the millions of discussions that swirled around her, Yun Chun felt a sense of satisfaction wash over her. She knew that she was the one who had made all of this possible, and she reveled in the knowledge that she had truly made her mark on the darknet.
The moment her finger grazed the discussion column, her lips curved into a smile of anticipation. But as she delved deeper into the sea of messages, her smile froze in place. Millions of words swirled before her eyes, yet not a single one was meant for her?
As her eyes scanned the words on the screen, a chill ran down her spine and her complexion paled. What on earth was unfolding before her very eyes? She should be an exceptional hacker, but who was this mysterious Cera that had suddenly emerged from the shadows?
The world seemed to be conspiring against her, Yun Chun thought as she sat at her desk. First, it was Lin Chang, and now this Cera. Her fingers tapping furiously on the keyboard. She couldn't believe her eyes as she checked Cera's profile - the girl had only been active for five hours, yet she was already in sixth place on the leaderboard. Yun Chun's frustration boiled over, her eyes turning red with anger. She pounded away at the keyboard, determined to find Cera's IP address, but it showed nowhere into the Pacific Ocean.
Little did she know, a clandestine group of individuals were also determined to find out information about Cera.
In The Capital City, Beijing
On the 70th floor of the towering Hog Rise building, a trio of tech-savvy individuals sat perched atop the highest floor, their fingers dancing across the keys of their keyboards. The room was vast and eerily quiet, save for the rhythmic tapping of their fingers on the keys.
"Her firewall is on another level," one of them remarked, his eyes glued to the screen.
"Indeed, not a single loophole can be found," another sighed in frustration.
"If we keep up this pace, we might be able to crack this firewall in the next hundred years," the third chimed in, his voice laced with sarcasm.
"But why do we need to hack her computer? Why not just send her a private message and talk it out?" the first suggested.
"I already tried that," he replied, his tone tinged with disappointment. "She hasn't been online in three days, and when I messaged her, she didn't even bother to respond."
"Hahaha... looks like our legendary Shen Kang got rejected by the girl," the second teased, eliciting a chuckle from the trio.
"Fine, then why don't you try your luck, Zhi Qiang? I'm sure you'll get better results," Shen Kang retorted, his irritation palpable.
Ignoring Shen Kang's jibe, Zhi Qiang turned to their other friend, Dong Ming, who was intently focused on the digits flashing across his computer screen.
Zhi Qiang's inquisitive gaze fell upon Dong Ming, "Dong Ming, what's got your attention?"
Dong Ming paused, his eyes fixed on the computer screen. "Have you seen the intricacy of her firewall? It's unlike any script I've ever encountered."
Zhi Qiang and Shen Kang leaned in, their curiosity piqued. As they examined the screen, they too were awestruck by the complexity of the code.
"Who is this Cera?" Zhi Qiang wondered aloud. "Is she an alien?"
Shen Kang interjected, "Perhaps we should wait for the boss to return before we jump to any conclusions."
The moment their words ceased, the office door swung open with a suddenness that made them jump. In strode a man, 25 years old, clad in a sleek black tuxedo. The temperature in the room seemed to plummet as he crossed the threshold, His presence was commanding, and his aura was suffocating. Half of his face was shrouded in shadow, the dim lighting casting an eerie glow upon his features.
His expression was as cold and unyielding as stone, his eyes sharp as a hawk's and his lips thin and blood-red. His jawline was chiseled to perfection, sharp enough to cut through steel. With each step he took, the ground seemed to tremble beneath his feet, his presence commanding and thunderous. It was clear that this was no ordinary man, but a creature of unparalleled beauty and power.
As he lowered himself into the plush embrace of his boss's chair, a nearby light cast its illuminating rays upon his chiseled features, rendering them fully visible. It was then that the true extent of his breathtaking handsomeness was revealed, a visage that could easily ensnare the heart of any woman on the planet. He was like a devil incarnate, a modern-day Adonis straight out of Greek mythology. And his name was none other than Wang Haoran.
Shen Kang, Dong Ming, and Zhi Qiang gazed upon Wang Haoran with a mixture of awe and reverence. Despite their long-standing friendship, they found it impossible to let their guard down in his presence. His aura was so commanding that it not only made them tremble, but also compelled them to kneel and worship him.
With a flick of his wrist, Wang Haoran retrieved the documents from his desk and perched his gold-framed spectacles on the bridge of his nose. Without so much as a cursory glance at the trio standing before him, he delved into the pages before him. The neon light cast a flattering glow upon his features, enhancing his already striking appearance. The glasses lent him an air of maturity, and somehow softened the intimidating aura that surrounded him, rendering him more approachable.
"Haoran, we've delved into the depths of Cera's firewall and uncovered something truly fascinating," Dong Ming announced, his voice breaking the silence like a bolt of lightning. With a flick of his wrist, he passed his laptop to Wang Haoran, who eagerly took it in his hands.
The mere mention of Cera had piqued Haoran's interest, and he leaned in closer to the screen. His voice was like a tempest, yet his demeanor was as calm as the depths of the Pacific Ocean. "Tell me more," he demanded.
Dong Ming remained silent, instead gesturing for Haoran to examine the intricate structure of the script. As Haoran delved deeper into the code, his brows furrowed with each passing minute. Though his expression remained stoic, there was a glint of intrigue in his eyes that betrayed his calmness.
"Boss, did you see that? She's a whole different breed, a character from another realm. How on earth does she conjure up such a complicated script?" Zhi Qiang exclaimed, noticing the perplexed expression on Wang Haoran's face.
"We've exhausted every possible method to decipher her code, but to no avail," Shen Kang added, with a hint of frustration in his voice.
Wang Haoran deftly snatched the laptop from the table and began typing with such speed that his fingers left a blur in their wake. His skill was truly remarkable. Suddenly, he paused and looked up, a glint of triumph in his eyes. "She is in Qingdao City," he declared, his voice ringing with satisfaction.
Dong Ming leaned in to examine the screen, his eyes scanning the code with a practiced ease. "Cera may be brilliant, but even the best slip up sometimes," he mused. "She forgot to change her IP for just a moment, and that was all we needed to track her down."
Though they couldn't pinpoint her exact location, they had found a tantalizing clue.
"Let's go to Qingdao city tomorrow" Said Wang Haoran.