It was clear that Du Yongkang's concerns were unnecessary. Jiang Chen's tone remained as "friendly" as ever.
At least that's how it sounded to Du Yongkang.
"I like being called 'boss,'" Jiang Chen chuckled, flipping through his resume before cutting straight to the point. "Du Yongkang, 30 years old, male, Computer Science major, former head of the technical department at Walkers Technology. Is that right?"
"Yes…" Du Yongkang hesitated, unsure of Jiang Chen's tone. He responded cautiously.
"Good. Here's the task," Jiang Chen said bluntly, tossing a Huawei smartphone into his hands. "I need you to develop an operating system. It should be something you can handle, right?"
"Eh?" Du Yongkang blinked in surprise.
"This is an order. I expect a 'yes' answer," Jiang Chen replied without elaborating. He wasn't paying Du Yongkang to serve him; he was paying him to work.
"Y-Yes," Du Yongkang nodded rapidly, abandoning any semblance of pride from his days as a high-ranking corporate executive. Those pretensions had been obliterated in the brutal reality of the apocalypse. Jiang Chen controlled his life and death, and serving him was his only way forward.
Seeing the man shrink back, Jiang Chen suddenly smiled, stepping forward to pat Du Yongkang on the shoulder. Ignoring the startled look on his face, Jiang Chen continued, "There's no need to be so stiff. If you do well, I'll make sure you're well taken care of."
"Understood, boss," Du Yongkang lowered his head, understanding his place.
Jiang Chen nodded in approval, then continued, "Let me briefly explain what I need. If you face any difficulties, feel free to raise them, but you must overcome them. Got it?"
"Yes."
"Good," Jiang Chen was satisfied with Du Yongkang's confident answer. He pressed on, "I don't understand operating systems. I only care about the results. I need you to develop an OS that's at least twice as efficient as the Android system when it comes to hardware usage. At the same time, it must be fully compatible with Android and iOS software, without changing the hardware conditions. Do you have any questions? You won't get many chances to see me, and I want to see results by next month."
With that, Jiang Chen tossed an Apple phone into Du Yongkang's hands. Both smartphones were bare-bones models, recent purchases from the market.
Du Yongkang took the phone, fiddled with the screen for a while, and then let out a wry smile.
"What's wrong? Is this too difficult for you?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow.
"No, not at all, it's just too simple," Du Yongkang hurriedly shook his head. Truthfully, he was a bit afraid that this boss would suddenly fire him. A job this easy was unheard of, even before the apocalypse.
"Oh? Explain," Jiang Chen said, his curiosity piqued.
Du Yongkang adjusted his glasses, his professional demeanor returning. He began explaining as he showed the phone.
"First of all, this outdated operating system must be over 150 years old. Both the hardware utilization efficiency and the user interface are full of flaws."
"Oh? You think the iPhone 5's user interface is bad?" Jiang Chen chuckled.
Du Yongkang observed Jiang Chen's expression carefully. When he saw no sign of anger, he became bolder and continued with a more detailed explanation.
"From a hardware utilization perspective, while the logic may seem tight, it's riddled with inefficiencies. In simple terms, it's like having to define variables A=1 and B=1, then calculating C=A+B just to get a result of C=2, even though the calculation is obvious. This system wastes memory and significantly delays the device's processing efficiency."
"Oh? So, what's your plan to fix it?" Jiang Chen asked, genuinely intrigued.
"That's easy to fix. The root issue is the limitations of the compiler language. Both operating systems have their pros and cons, but they're still trapped in the framework of primitive compilers. If we use D++ for the compilation, we can tweak the compatibility, and this old relic of a phone will run three times more efficiently, with energy consumption halved. The hardware will also last much longer due to the reduced load."
Jiang Chen gasped in amazement.
"Wait, you're telling me the hardware efficiency could increase by three times? And it can fully support both Android and iOS software?" Jiang Chen's excitement grew. This would be a game-changer. Imagine being able to run high-end games on budget phones. This could revolutionize the mobile gaming industry!
Many game developers struggled to reduce memory usage, optimize performance, and sacrifice features to make their games more compatible with a wide audience. But with this OS, phones would run three times faster, and all games would be playable on any device! This wasn't just an improvement; it was a full-blown technical revolution. Could iOS and Android do this?
"So, what about the user interface?" Jiang Chen asked, now curious. "My suggestion is to stick with the current system. I've gotten used to this simple interface."
Du Yongkang paused for a moment, then replied, "Trust me, boss. My design will be far more advanced than this outdated UI. Yes, touchscreens are still the mainstream way of interacting with devices, but the OS used here is fundamentally different from the operating systems in modern consumer electronics."
"How is it different?" Jiang Chen asked, intrigued.
"The difference is… Artificial Intelligence!"
"Artificial Intelligence? Can you really make that?" Jiang Chen raised an eyebrow, doubtful.
"If it's just basic AI, I can have it ready in a month. The data I need is all available in the library's database; all I need to do is port it over," Du Yongkang said confidently.
Jiang Chen's curiosity grew. "I'm curious, if AI is so easy, why isn't it used in holographic computers?"
"Well… that's because the AI Development Act restricted the growth of AI. If machines did everything, people would be out of jobs," Du Yongkang shrugged. "AI operating systems were once popular, but they were eventually replaced by neural-interfaced operating systems, which had superior interaction capabilities. Before the apocalypse, AI was only used in government-run facilities like nuclear plants and water treatment stations."
"I see…" Jiang Chen nodded. "But the basic AI you're talking about, won't it pose any risks?"
Du Yongkang sighed, sensing Jiang Chen's concern. "Boss, don't worry. A program is still just a program. Even if it's intelligent, it doesn't have emotions or desires. At its core, it just follows the code you give it. Its intelligence is really just a programmed response to a specific situation. For example, if you punch it, it won't fight back. It doesn't have a sense of self-preservation or detect hostility unless you specifically program it to do so. Only mid-level AI can learn and reprogram itself. As for emotions… that's something reserved for advanced AI, which was still just a concept before the disaster."
Jiang Chen relaxed, reassured by Du Yongkang's explanation. Artificial intelligence, in the end, was just an advanced program.
With a satisfied nod, Jiang Chen understood that Du Yongkang had the potential to make this happen.
"Alright, I'm leaving this entirely in your hands. I just want results. You're free to experiment, but there's one thing you must keep in mind: the confidentiality of this operating system is paramount! I don't want anyone getting their hands on it and easily cracking it, only to create a similar version themselves."
Confidentiality was the key. Jiang Chen had no interest in seeing the software he'd worked so hard to develop turn into an open-source project in a matter of days. And if the D++ compiler method were exposed, he'd be in a real bind.
Ideally, the program should be as secure as a black box—only exchanging data with the outside world and completely resistant to decompiling or any such hacks.
Du Yongkang paused for a moment, then slapped his chest confidently.
"Don't worry, boss! The programs I make aren't easy to crack. Back at Walkers Technology, I personally handled the packaging for our games. Take that 'Star Wars Storm 7' game, for instance. It was released just before the apocalypse, and no international hacking group has been able to crack it yet. As for encrypting an OS of this level… that's child's play for me."
That made sense.
If someone could crack the work of a former tech lead from Walkers Technology, a company that controlled tech from over 150 years in the future, it would only mean they were from another timeline. And if that ever happened, Jiang Chen would make sure to deal with them—though, of course, that was an impossible scenario.
"Good. If you pull this off, it'll be a huge achievement! Keep at it, and I'll make sure you'll have meat at every meal!" Jiang Chen chuckled, slapping Du Yongkang on the back as he spoke.
Du Yongkang's face lit up at the mention of having meat at every meal—something he hadn't dared to dream of for years. Flushed with joy, Du Yongkang immediately slapped his chest again, pledging his commitment to the task and showering Jiang Chen with praises. It was no surprise—management types had always been great at both technical work and flattering their superiors. Jiang Chen didn't mind it; he appreciated someone who knew how to get things done.
"One last thing," Jiang Chen added. "The logo for 'FutureTech'—make sure it looks cool. You know, high-tech, but not too flashy. I'm sure you understand."
"Of course, boss!" Du Yongkang replied, practically bursting with enthusiasm.
The man nearly shouted his affirmation. Seeing Du Yongkang's confidence, Jiang Chen nodded in approval and waved him off.
Du Yongkang left with a spring in his step, clutching the two phones tightly. He even remembered to clean up his bowl before leaving. No more hauling bricks like a laborer—he was back to doing what he was good at, his old line of work. This was the kind of happiness he hadn't dared to imagine in years, and today it had finally come true.
Grateful to Jiang Chen, Du Yongkang was determined to create something that would leave his boss speechless. Even though the technology was outdated, he was ready to do whatever it took to satisfy Jiang Chen's tastes. What his boss wanted didn't concern him—he was only focused on delivering the task. Completing the job was his only priority.