The Cyber Space covers this entire planet, and with the level of companies within Nightless City, the most they can do is isolate the external network, preventing people from bypassing the firewall.
But if someone can deeply penetrate the base layer of the network, even Illusion Company has no way to deal with it, as only the Mother City has the power to modify the foundational structure of the Cyber Space.
However, to be fair, not many can reach the base network layer. Ordinary hackers canât do it; the minimum requirement is someone at Ahongâs level, or a formidable virus, even bugs.
For example, Gox, or Black Code, thatâs the bug known as the âblack screen of the monitor.â
At this moment, at a node of the base network, Black Code frowned, recounting to Gao Gong everything that happened after he left.
In order to liberate the Mother of Data, Eliza, Gox and Black Code, following Gao Gongâs plan, continuously attacked the servers of large corporations, releasing the source code of databases to open them freely, allowing the âsearch engineâ to have more data to search.
During this period, they naturally encountered various risks.
But since Gox is a virus conglomerate, sheâs like an indestructible cockroach; the stronger the enemy, the faster her evolution.
According to Black Codeâs description, Gox has nearly reached the threshold of a super virus by now.
A super virus, also known as a Level 60 virus, is also called a world virus.
Once this virus is fully unleashed, the damage range is not just a Mechanical City or a continent.
But a virtual disaster on a planetary scale.
However, just a few days ago, Gox suddenly disappeared.
Then, in just the span of one night, Gox returned.
At the time, Black Code didnât take it seriously, thinking that the big boss must have gone somewhere to create trouble again.
Then Gox really disappeared.
"Did she say anything to you before she left?" Gao Gong asked with a frown.
Judging by the time, Goxâs previous disappearance coincided with the moment when the 5th Generation Miller forcibly merged Gox with Gao Yuanyuan using the Void Realm.
Gao Yuanyuan was also forcibly upgraded by him then.
Could it be that Gox was also affected by this?
Black Code pondered for a moment, saying, "The big boss was very quiet that day. You know, the big boss is either chopping people or on the way to chopping people every day. Itâs rare for her to truly be at peace, but that day, she sat quietly for half a day."
"Maybe it was that time of the month," Gao Gong joked.
"Then she just disappeared, left no message, no trace, right there!"
Black Code pointed to a large stone not far away, from this angle, one could overlook the entire Sea of Data.
The sea lay above the sky, with numbers, symbols, and codes changing continuously, colorless, only with endless virtual variations.
"Enlightenment?"
Gao Gong muttered to himself.
Data life could evolve into Information Life.
Thus, a Data Virus could naturally evolve into an Information Virus.
This evolution process is called âEnlightenment.â
In the past, Gao Yuanyuan managed to advance successfully because she had guidance from an elder of a Level 6 Civilization, making everything smooth.
Goxâs enlightenment now, was it a coincidence, or had she found the Mother of Data?
Gao Gong thought for a moment and said:
"Itâs unlikely for her to be in danger. If everything goes smoothly, she might even break through to a higher realm. Youâve been with Eliza for so long, you must have heard of Super Viruses."
Black Code nodded, acknowledging the formidable presence which even the Big Data Monsters considered dangerous.
"Donât worry, the next time you see her, her appearance will surely surprise you; she might even wear a skirt."
Gao Gong and Black Code imagined Gox in a skirt, simultaneously shuddering.
Sheâd most likely pull out two machine guns from under the skirt.
Gao Gong chuckled, sizing the other up,
"Havenât seen you in a while, youâre looking much more spirited."
The original Black Code looked like a standard big black guy, silly and dumb. Now, he resembled Black Gu Tianle, handsome and spirited.
"Iâve swallowed many things following the big boss, and before I knew it, I turned out like this."
"Well, once your skin turns completely white, you can tell people, âI have a plain and unremarkable appearance.â
Looking at the prototypeâs appearance, Black Code nodded in agreement.
"Your big boss might take some time to return. Do you have any plans now? If not, how about hanging out with me for a while?"
Black Code agreed without hesitation. Maybe he could learn the secret of looking handsome from him.
"Then letâs go. Iâm just about to investigate something; maybe you can help me."
The next moment, the scene suddenly flipped, and the two leaped from the bottom framework, passing through the data link layer, network layer, transmission layer, and reorganization layer, diving into the Sea of Data.
The enormous world formed by countless neural circuits.
In the Nightless City, Lower Midtown District, also known as the Business District, inside a building titled âBankruptcy Liquidation.â
Two Prosthetic Body Security personnel were having a casual chat, seemingly oblivious.
The entire building, all screens turned pitch black.
...
On a park bench, Pupil and Collider sat with serious expressions.
Pupil looked serious, contemplating something.
Collider also seemed serious, intently reading a book titled âSecret Manual for Rich Ladyâs Maintenance.â
"Yo, itâs rare to see you two so quiet."
With Chapaiâs voice, three drunken lolita voices chimed in.
"Quiet, everyone is so quiet."
"Can it be quiet?"
"Very good, Captain Suzi likes it quiet."
"Did you give the Hidden Guard Machine a drink?" Pupil asked incredulously. Arenât you afraid Captain Suzi will kill you if she finds out?
"No, itâs beer-flavored petrol."
Chapai shrugged and said.
"Itâs rare to get out, give the kids something decent to eat. Anyway, we can get it reimbursed. Are you all happy?"
"Happy!"
"Happy, hiccup!"
"I can still drink!!"
With three heavy thuds, three invisible giants crashed to the ground, sending dust flying.
Pupil held their forehead, feeling a sharp pain in their temples.
"So, tell me, howâs your investigation going?"
Pupil took a deep breath and recounted the meeting with Gao Gong, focusing on the biological transformation.
"Minister Aramakiâs cause of death might not be from a hacker intrusion but through biological means."
"That makes sense, besides a top-notch hacker, only a biological transformer could completely erase death information."
Chapai rubbed his eyes, "But biological transformation, none of us are specialists. Should we notify HQ and have them send some experts over?"
Pupil hesitated for a moment, then shook their head, "I still want to investigate alone for now. This person, although dangerous, doesnât seem hostile. I think maybe we can make further contact, but I havenât figured out their real purpose yet."
Looking at their dark circles, the girl curiously asked:
"Why do you look so tired?"
Chapai yawned and suddenly showed an excited expression: "I didnât sleep all night, combing through all the system updates of the Nightless City Main Brain. Guess what I found?"
"The main brain here is about to undergo a major version update, meaning the Mechanicâs virtual personality will be reset," Pupil said heavily.
Running water never stale, hinges never worm-eaten, any power structure where someone is in power too long isnât good, representing a kind of thought logic, a way of doing things, even a technology route.
AI poses more risk here since AI never dies of old age, theoretically, it could be a permanent ruler.
The Cyber Test Field naturally wonât permit such overwhelming existence.
Every-time, the mechanical main brain in each place undergoes a major update, during this process, the underlying code is rewritten, machine logic reshaped, even mechanical ethics change.
During this, the mechanical main brainâs virtual personality is replaced by a new one.
"You actually figured it out," Chapai looked at Pupil in surprise but then chuckled, "But thatâs just on the surface."
"What do you mean?" Pupil frowned.
Chapai held up two fingers, "This Nightless City Main Brain, there are two."
"So, there are two Mechanics."
Pupil changed color suddenly, "Thatâs against Mother Cityâs laws, is it a twin personality or a mother-daughter personality?"
"Most likely the latter," Chapai smiled oddly, "Guess who I found out has recently arrived here?"
"Who?"
"Our old friends, the Holy City Organization."
...
"We canât keep this up!"
"To die is to die, striving leads to the same; awaiting death, how can we allow the state to perish?"
"Speak human language."
"If I canât hunt monsters any longer, I feel Iâm going into random-player-kill mode."
"Kill people? Do you dare slaughter the chickens in the village?"
At this time, on Hanging Street, a group of players were whispering, after much discussion, they finally elected three leaders.
Baozi, Master of Fishing, Lingling Water.
Baozi needs no introduction, known as an npc-type player who issues all kinds of tasks, skilled in prosthetic body modification.
Master of Fishing, a hidden profession cyber hacker, looks like a high schooler, with a hackerâs signature dark circles.
Lingling Water, a business assassin, also a hidden profession.
However, none of the three player representatives seem willing.
"Iâm a life player, not being able to hunt affects me totally, now my surgery patients are lined up a week in advance."
Baozi rolled their eyes and said.
"Baozi go quickly, if you donât go, weâll take you down!"
"Yeah, weâll explode your gear, pop your backdoor, and rob your shop. Weâll do a zero-cost shopping spree!"
"Your affection level is the highest, if you donât go, who will?"
Lingling Water sighed too, "Iâm just passing through Nightless City, not a local player, once this is over, I have other tasks to hand in."
"Whatâs the rush, nowâs the prime time for business spies to operate with enterprises so arrogant as they are."
"Iâm a business assassin, not a business spy, got it!" Lingling Water, caressing her Japanese-style long knife, said with a dangerous glare.
Sheâs no life player like Baozi, her skills are top-notch.
The nearby friends took a step back cautiously, with embarrassed expressions.
At the next moment, the Master of Fishing, who had been silent, suddenly looked up dully, "Ah, hacked it."
The electronic lock clicked, and the door opened.