Chapter 34 Recruiting Hacker Geniuses: Providing Double Insurance for the Fortress

"A top hacker ranked in the world's top five?"

Hearing the AI system's report, Lin Xingwan didn't panic; instead, a glimmer of excitement flashed in her eyes.

Anyone capable of breaking through her military-grade firewall was definitely a genius.

Such a treasure would be more useful in The Apocalypse than an entire special forces unit.

"Friday, no need to reverse trace."

Lin Xingwan's fingertips tapped rapidly on her phone screen.

She directly pulled up another, more violent, and more low-level tracking program.

This was something she had spent a fortune to buy from a Dark Web master in her past life.

"You just need to help me lock onto the IP address of the last physical jump point of the attack source."

"Received, Master."

The AI system immediately executed the command.

In less than ten seconds, an address accurate down to the door number appeared on Lin Xingwan's phone screen.

South City, Feiyu Internet Cafe, second basement level, VIP Room 307.

"Found you."

Lin Xingwan sneered and floored the accelerator.

The SUV, like an angry bull, roared into the night.

Half an hour later.

"Bang!" A loud noise!

The poor wooden door of VIP Room 307 at Feiyu Internet Cafe was kicked to pieces by Lin Xingwan.

Amidst the flying wood splinters.

A chubby guy who looked only in his early twenties and weighed at least two hundred jin was wearing headphones, typing away on his keyboard, drenched in sweat.

In front of him were three top-tier servers, with dense green code flashing across the screens.

"So it's you, attacking my firewall?"

Lin Xingwan's voice was cold, like ice shards in winter.

The chubby guy was so startled by the sudden turn of events that he shuddered, and his headphones fell to the ground.

He turned his head abruptly and saw the woman at the door—with an overwhelming aura and eyes that could kill—and his face instantly went pale.

"I... I didn't mean to!"

The chubby guy was so scared he sprang up from his gaming chair, waving his hands repeatedly, unable to speak clearly.

"I... I was just browsing the web and saw a private server with an absurdly high firewall level."

"My hands got itchy, so... I just wanted to see if I could break through."

Lin Xingwan walked into the room and glanced around at the top-tier servers, her eyes lighting up slightly.

She recognized this chubby guy.

Qian Duoduo.

In her past life, he was a world-class hacker in the Dark Web codenamed "Taotie."

It was said that he alone could hack into the Pentagon's database.

Who would have thought that he was currently just a shut-in eating instant noodles in an underground internet cafe.

"Not bad technique."

Lin Xingwan pulled over a chair, sat down, and crossed her legs.

"You're the first person to be able to tear a hole in my military-grade defense system."

Qian Duoduo's legs went weak with fear; he almost knelt before her.

"Big Sister, I was wrong! I'll never do it again! Please, let me off the hook!"

"I'm just a gamer, I definitely have no malicious intent toward your server!"

"Let you off the hook?"

Lin Xingwan raised an eyebrow.

"That's not impossible."

Looking at Qian Duoduo's pale, chubby face twisted in fear, she knew exactly where the weak spot of such a tech geek lay.

She didn't resort to force or threats.

Instead, she slowly took out an entire case of ice-cold cola, still emitting a chilly mist, from her space.

With a "clack," she placed it on the table in front of Qian Duoduo.

The water droplets condensing on the glass bottles looked exceptionally tempting in the sweltering internet cafe.

Qian Duoduo's eyes went wide instantly.

He stared fixedly at the case of iced cola, his Adam's apple bobbing uncontrollably.

Lin Xingwan then, like a magician, pulled out a case of imported tonkotsu ramen instant noodles.

"How about it?"

Lin Xingwan opened a bottle of cola and handed it to him, her voice tinged with seduction.

"Work with me, and you'll have all the cola and instant noodles you can eat, plus a 24-hour climate-controlled room."

"I'll also set you up with a world-class server room; you can pick any servers you want."

Qian Duoduo was completely stunned.

He looked at the iced cola in front of him, then at Lin Xingwan's face, which practically screamed "I'm loaded."

Happiness had come too suddenly; he felt his brain crash.

"Big... Big Sister, are you... trying to keep me?"

"You could say that."

Lin Xingwan leaned back in her chair and said lazily.

"I've built a safe house and need someone to manage the network."

"Are you in or not? Just say the word."

"I'm in! I'm absolutely in!"

Qian Duoduo didn't even think; he immediately hugged Lin Xingwan's leg, eyes welling up with tears.

"Big Sister! From today on, you're my own sister!"

"Forget managing the network; even if you asked me to unclog your sewers, I'd be happy to do it!"

Recruiting the genius hacker was settled just that simply and brutally.

Lin Xingwan told Qian Duoduo to pack up his precious servers and get in the car with her.

The SUV sped down the early morning streets.

Qian Duoduo sat in the back seat, clutching his servers as if they were gold bricks.

He drank his iced cola while excitedly asking question after question.

"Sis, is the internet speed at our safe house fast?"

"Dedicated fiber optic line, gigabit bandwidth, more than enough for you."

"Wow! Sis, do you need someone to warm your bed? Look at all this fat on me, I'm definitely warm in winter!"

Lin (speechless) Xingwan glared at him through the rearview mirror.

"One more word of nonsense, and I'll throw you out of the car."

Qian Duoduo immediately shut his mouth.

The car drove all the way back to Half-Mountain Villa.

When Qian Duoduo, holding his top-tier servers, followed Lin Xingwan through the heavy blast-proof door of Star Fortress.

He was completely stunned by the scene before him.

The sci-fi-looking Underground City, the heavily armed personnel walking back and forth, and that massive Central Control Room.

"Holy... holy crap! Sis! You've basically built a S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters!"

Qian Duoduo was so excited his fat was trembling all over.

Lin Xingwan ignored his fussing and walked straight to the control console.

She looked up, gazing through the simulated skylight made of special material at the sky outside.

The sky, which should have turned blue with the dawn.

Was currently tightly shrouded in a nauseating, sickly, dark yellow layer of clouds.

The air felt so oppressive it seemed about to solidify.

"This sky... why does it look like the end of the world?"

Qian Duoduo also noticed the anomaly and couldn't help but mutter under his breath.

Lin Xingwan's eyes, however, instantly became cold and solemn.

"It's not like it."

She turned her head, looked at Qian Duoduo, and said, enunciating every word.

"It is."

She pointed to the countdown clock on the wall that was ticking frantically.

"Welcome to the end of the world."

"Qian Duoduo, your first job has arrived."

"Immediately hack into all global weather satellites for me; I need to know exactly when this natural disaster will erupt!"