Lin Feng breathed a huge sigh of relief: “Actually, all of that was accidental!” However, Wang Xiaoyun’s next words made him tense up again: “Mother said your computer at home was also borrowed by Uncle Tian! Your computer won’t give anything away, will it?” My family’s computer was also borrowed? The image of Director Tian’s rotund figure and his Buddha-like smile flashed before him. He really is something, isn’t he? There won’t be any problems, right? Lin Feng then relaxed. He was just momentarily intimidated by Director Tian’s tactics; Xiaoyun’s computer did have something odd, but he was certain his own computer was perfectly ordinary, so naturally, he wasn’t afraid of anyone tracing back to his real secrets. As long as Xiaoyun didn’t mention their bizarre way of entering the game to others, he thought, go ahead and investigate; it would be a miracle if they found anything strange. The real interface for entering the game world with a spiritual body was Nuonuo inside him. With the changes he had confirmed in Nuonuo’s evolving intelligent system, he became more and more convinced of her magic. A human-shaped network interface that could move freely, a supercomputing center that could control the spiritual body to traverse the network world as long as there was enough moral value to consume. Clearly, looking at the current trend, Nuonuo’s ultimate evolutionary goal was far from just making him into a human computer! From the current situation, it seems that all his activities might suddenly transform into a game rooted in the real world under certain conditions, like the several murders in reality turning into monster hunting, or the simple acts of helping the weak turning into random system tasks that could earn experience points and moral value once recognized by the person being helped; although until now, Nuonuo’s intelligent system’s prompts after completing tasks have been inconsistent and without any discernible pattern, not functioning as a complete terminal. But one undeniable fact is that many of his behaviors have fundamentally changed because of Nuonuo inside him. For instance, after the three times the golden dragon ascended, he would instantly level up to the best possible state. The more Lin Feng thought about it, the more he speculated, gradually freeing himself from the initial anger, and gradually, the world before him no longer seemed as dirty and corrupt as he had thought, driven by greed. Why are you grinning like an idiot? Lin Feng smirked: “Xiaoyun, do you remember when you first asked me about my special abilities not long ago? How did I answer you?” “Of course I remember! How could I forget when you, this shameless rogue, kept sending me harassing messages all night!” “So, have you figured it out now?” “Hehe, maybe it was all a beautiful mistake! No one would believe that a guy with my rotten character would, for some reason of good character, come into possession of a rare treasure out of the blue! Oh! Actually, I’m not what you think, one of those one-in-a-million natural awakeners, or rather, I’m not an ability user at all,” Lin Feng said calmly, and both fell into silence. “Grandpa, I wonder if he’ll ever wake up,” Wang Xiaoyun suddenly sighed with teary eyes. She quickly turned her head, not wanting Lin Feng to see her grief. Lin Feng’s heart tightened; he wanted to comfort his beloved, but the words stuck in his throat, feeling utterly powerless.
“Mr. Qin, Mr. Ouyang, thank you for your hard work. If there’s anything lacking in our hospitality, please do bear with us!” Zhou Zihang’s hearty voice echoed in the secret room, startling the two engrossed figures who were playing games in front of a screen. They were called “freaks” for good reason; their current appearance was indeed pitiful. Setting aside their prestigious identities, the room was a mess except for the two platforms where computers sat. Discarded bento boxes, empty snack bags, and even their expensive leather shoes and high-end suits were strewn about, along with an Omega gold watch now mingling with the litter on the floor. These two disheveled, red-eyed men were so absorbed in their online game, they seemed oblivious to their surroundings.
Zhou Zihang frowned; if he hadn’t personally arranged for these two to enter this room, he would never have believed that the two suave figures from three days ago had turned into these half-naked, barefoot, and game-obsessed men in just underwear. Beside them, a monitor updated in real-time, surrounded by a tangle of red and green cables and unidentifiable electronic devices. The screen showed changing faces and voices of frustration: “Unable to crack, unable to crack, simulation connection failed, login game failed.”
Zhou Zihang had come to the room alone; the two guests had locked themselves in three days ago and refused visitors. Due to certain reasons, he had to assist them in their seemingly bizarre endeavors. For instance, three days ago, Mr. Qin, unable to meet those two students immediately, suddenly requested to use their computers. Although Zhou Zihang was clueless about computers, he had heard rumors and knew that Mr. Qin was the CEO of the largest online gaming company in the country, so he guessed their intention to borrow the computers. However, due to reasons he couldn’t disclose, he had to silently agree.
After three days, Old Tian had complained to him multiple times, and news came that the other person had been discharged from the hospital. Zhou Zihang knew he had to confront these two to reclaim the computers for poor Old Tian, but he found it hard to speak up. Just then, Mr. Qin’s phone rang. After hearing something from the other end, his previously downcast expression lit up. “Ouyang, tell them to pause the cracking operation! Let’s pack up quickly; we’re going to meet our guest.” After saying this, he noticed Zhou Zihang’s awkward expression in the room, but he remained composed, giving a slight nod in acknowledgment, showing no concern for his current disheveled state.
Ouyang Ze, Mr. Qin’s capable subordinate, lived up to his reputation, executing his boss’s orders methodically despite looking like a gust of wind could blow him over. Through the monitor, one could see the remote cracking team starting to restore the systems on the two computers.
