The world was in shock when the fifth-generation computer lost control.
"Damn it, the US is a monster," Leon Chen cursed under his breath.
What he saw was an astronomical amount of data, stored within Turing, containing the most confidential information the US had meticulously guarded.
Leon rapidly scanned through the data with his photographic memory.
Every classified document he came across made his heart race. These were the true top-secret files of a nation.
Complete design plans for the F/A-22 fighter jet, comprehensive test data reports for the fourth-generation fighters, all parameters for the F-119-PW-100 engine… Besides the detailed and astonishingly precise design data for the F-22, other core materials included the concepts and key technologies for America's ongoing development of fifth-generation aircraft, such as the "Suborbital Space Fighter" and the "Atmospheric Bomber," both of which had already seen some progress.
In addition to exceptional research reports on aircraft, there were also strategic-level weapons like the Terminator Missile, Anti-Satellite Directed Energy Weapons, Self-aiming Laser Devices, Directed Energy Weapons, and EMP bombs.
Even the complete data for the Aegis Missile Defense System was detailed to an astonishing degree.
Aside from already developed weapons, the US was also researching particle beam space weapons, orbital weapons, and sixth-generation anti-gravity fighter concepts—ideas still in their conceptual stages.
Leon was flabbergasted and let out a few exclamations.
"America really must have gotten its tech from an alien civilization."
"The network will shut down in five seconds!"
The computer issued a warning. Leon, engrossed in the data, instinctively commanded, "Reject this command!" With the fifth-generation computer under his complete control, he could do whatever he wanted. Such an opportunity was unlikely to come again, and Leon wasn't about to let it slip away.
While Leon was having a field day, chaos reigned at Turing's control center.
The ten-second countdown felt like an eternity to Dr. Freeman. As the final second ended, the computer's announcement—"Command rejected!"—nearly gave him a heart attack.
What the hell was going on?
They couldn't even execute a forced shutdown?
Freeman felt that his lifetime of computer knowledge had been turned upside down in that moment.
"Shut down the central core immediately, or we'll be court-martialed for treason!" General Dawson bellowed.
"But the computer is no longer under our control. Even the forced shutdown was rejected," Freeman despaired.
"Damn it, are you just going to let XO browse our national secrets? Do you want to get us all killed?" Dawson was now utterly regretful.
Dr. Freeman snapped back to reality, unwilling to be executed for treason. "Report to the President immediately and force cut the main power supply."
"By the time we report, the hacker would've gotten everything." A cold gleam flashed in Dawson's eyes. "I order an immediate forced disconnection!"
"But that will cause data loss," Freeman protested. The core data inside the mainframe represented decades of American technological progress, and any loss could have severe consequences.
"Do it now, or I'll have you shot!" Dawson roared, on the verge of losing it.
"Yes, sir!"
With the head honcho ordering it, Freeman had no choice but to comply.
Given the unprecedented control over the computer data, all staff began to forcefully disconnect the internal power supply of the mainframe. However, the computer continued to operate.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
Freeman cursed the foolproof design he once trusted. Even with the power cut, Turing's internal emergency power supply maintained its operation—a design originally intended to prevent energy disruptions. The designers had been overconfident in Turing being the world's safest fortress.
Seeing the murderous look in Dawson's eyes, Freeman quickly offered a solution. "We have two options," he said, thinking rapidly. "First, shut down the entire national network to forcibly disconnect it. But Turing has a wireless frequency ultra-distance light-speed sensing feature, so we might have to shut down the global network…"
"Do you want me to kill you?"
"Then we can only destroy Turing's components."
Dawson roared, "Then destroy the core system!"
Armed soldiers, already on standby, opened fire with submachine guns at Turing. The staff in the control center watched in sorrow, unable to bear the sight.
Freeman felt utterly dejected.
It was over, completely over.
After the gunfire, Turing's components were damaged, and it ceased operations, finally ending the nightmare of being hacked, though at a tremendous cost.
The conversation between Dr. Freeman and General Dawson had taken roughly five minutes.
In that time, Leon Chen had browsed most of the data, including other industrial sectors.
Key information on ultra-precision industrial core production chains, CNC machine tool development reports, global GRS network satellite military frequencies, and detailed manufacturing data for military vessels and carriers were all within his grasp.
The sheer volume and complexity of these classified materials were astounding. Without Leon's photographic memory, even with access, it would have been like reading a foreign language.
After Turing's core network was forcibly disconnected, Leon felt satisfied.
"Hmm, now other countries will certainly take measures to secure their online secrets. I should take this time to check out other countries' classified information as well," Leon mused, issuing one last command.
"Access the military networks of major global powers. I need classified data.