Chapter 535 - 68: Fighting Fire with Fire

"This is—"

After regaining simulated Perception, the first thing Dida noticed was the beach under her feet, countless 0s and 1s forming grains of sand stretching to the visible horizon.

She picked up a ’0’, and an indescribable feeling suddenly emerged, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

"This is a Data Collection, don’t touch it recklessly; it will give you a permanent Negative State."

Accompanying Mr. G’s words, the ’0’ suddenly began to melt, turning into a fluid similar to ’Bean Sprouts’, attempting to burrow into the ’protective suit’.

In the System Panel, the Information Energy plummeted, quickly falling to two thousand. Dida was taken aback and hurriedly shook the thing off.

Up ahead, Mr. G was saying something to a group of ’Astronauts’, who were undoubtedly experts from the Earth Net Group. As she approached, one of the leaders was speaking—

"Confirming the location of the Database 0 sub-database is entrusted to you. We only have ten minutes. After ten minutes, a new Cyber Killer will be born. If discovered, this infiltration will be declared a failure."

"I understand, you do your work. Rest assured, as a wanted person, I’m more worried about being hunted than you are."

Quickly, these ’Astronauts’ dispersed, with data Radiance in their hands constantly transforming into various machines.

It’s well known that there must be hardware before there’s software, and the technology of Earth Net Group has already achieved copying ’hardware’ in Cyber Space using the power of ’software’.

The Blueprints behind these machines are all above Level 7.

Compared to the scientists racing against time, Gao Gong seemed much more relaxed, even looking around as if searching for something.

"Anything you want to ask?" Gao Gong said without turning his head.

Dida asked curiously, "Is this the Source Code layer of Cyber Space?"

"Yes and no. To be precise, it’s the Source Code of Cyber Space that Earth Net Group wants us to see."

"Electrical signals travel at Light-speed, but the Neural Signals that the human body can sense travel far below Light-speed. This means that, theoretically, we can never ’see’ the deepest layer of Cyber Space."

Gao Gong picked up a ’1’ and casually tossed it aside, "What we’re seeing now is just the modeling by Earth Net Group."

"Data modeling, huh," Dida pondered.

"Exactly, translating abstract Conceptual Models into physical models, like this—Data Collection."

Looking at the ’digital sand’ all over the ground, Dida became interested, "Are they the shells of the Cyber Killers?"

"Exactly, these ’Data Collections’ are essentially the product of data interaction in Cyber Space," Gao Gong looked into the distance. With an eerie wind blowing from who knows where, one ’data zombie’ after another began to take shape from the sand, though missing limbs, they already faintly exuded that particular danger unique to Cyber Killers."

"Many big companies and underground organizations are looking for the weaknesses of Cyber Killers, but it’s impossible. Unless there is a massive Downtime in Cyber Space, otherwise, data in space will constantly interact, and ’Data Collections’ will emerge every second, impossible to kill, impossible to eradicate."

"What a terrifying existence!" Dida glanced at the other person; she hadn’t forgotten that when they first met, the identity the other claimed was a Cyber Killer.

This NPC must have more background tasks to unearth.

"What are you looking for?" Seeing that Gao Gong wasn’t using Hacker methods to locate Database 0, but instead was digging around in the sand, Dida couldn’t help but ask.

"Of course, looking for ’Data Collections.’ You probably don’t know, there are some special ’Data Collections’, which are also known as ’Conceptual Fragments’. Absorbing them provides permanent status enhancements."

Gao Gong’s eyes lit up as he flipped through the sand, revealing a red ’0’.

Conceptual Fragment-Life Blessing: Through big data optimization, transform the Respiratory System, +1% Transformation Rate, permanently increases Blood Volume by 5%.

’This, this this—’

Dida blinked, as a High-End Player, she immediately realized the item’s value, her eyes flashing with realization, and soon joined the ’beachcombing’.

Looking at the 5% Blood Volume increase, it might not seem like much, but it’s a permanent enhancement, which means that every level up will increase Blood Volume by 5%. By the mid-to-late game, this accumulation becomes astronomical.

For someone with a thick Blood Volume, even at level 30, the increase in Blood Volume is also substantial.

Currently, Gao Gong has Biological Blood Volume of 8127 and Mechanical Blood Volume of 9327, two 5% increases add up to 872 Blood Volume points, which is as much as leveling up seven or eight times in a typical player.

Moreover, on this planet, these ’Conceptual Fragments’ are only produced in two places: one is the bottom layer of Cyber Space, and the other drops from data Conceptual Bodies, or Mother of Data, Pipe Sovereign, and those level 80 bosses.

Theoretically achievable, but technically... less likely.

So, the drop rate of these items is extremely low.

Five minutes passed, and when the ’Astronauts’, with faces full of black lines, called a halt to their activities, Gao Gong’s hand already had five ’Conceptual Fragments’.

Three of them were small treasures, respectively: permanent +5% Blood Volume, permanent +8% Physical Strength, and permanent +4% agility.

One was junk, +3% Neural System Transformation Rate, but it didn’t increase Attributes.

For players, this might be useful, as upgrading requires brushing up Transformation Rates, but for Gao Gong, it’s standard trash.

And the last one was a big treasure, +15% Reproductive System efficiency.

To serve the Rich Lady well and continue the carefree life, as a little plaything, Gao Gong never forgot his primary job.

"Mr. G, it seems you’ve forgotten our real goal is to find the door to Database 0. Time is tight," the ’Astronaut’ said coldly. "If you’re not sincerely cooperating, I can remove the ’protective layer’ on you anytime, letting you stay here permanently."

Gao Gong pouted. He didn’t believe that besides him, the other party didn’t have other means to locate Database 0.

However, he did not refute but simply said with a smile: "Don’t say there’s still five minutes left; 30 seconds is enough."

"Thirty seconds?"

The ’Astronaut’s expression grew even darker, but before he could say anything, Gao Gong’s palm disappeared, quickly transforming into a red ’data transmission protocol’ under the function of the Cyber Programming Language.

As soon as this link was established, the surface of the ’Astronaut’ immediately emitted a red light, the highest warning sign.

"What, what do you intend to do?"

"Of course, it’s to download some inappropriate software, or, further, directly download a Virus."

The next moment, the ’data transmission protocol’ turned into a red line over ten meters long, the red line suddenly pulled apart, and countless rogue software, remote Trojans, system vulnerabilities, emails flew like endless pieces of paper, sprinkling like white snow, in a few breaths, covering this ’desert’.

In the air, it was as if a hysterical girl’s laughter echoed.

Looking for Viruses, dealing with Viruses, the best way is naturally to fight poison with poison.