Starting as a Mechanical Hunter

Chapter 807: Chapter 331: Old Lei? Little Lei?

After Gao Gong subdued this Cybertronian mechanical lifeform with two moves, a dedicated machine from the Shell Mobile Division quickly flew over. Two figures fell directly from the sky and transformed into flying mode mid-air, the energy nozzle burning the mechanical shell red-hot. Such high-power thrusters aren’t typically used by regular Modified Humans unless they want to explode on the spot.

”Minister!”

”Minister.”

The visitors were surprisingly two familiar faces, Collider, and his ex-girlfriend, model T-X.

”Minister, you’re amazing, taking down a Cybertronian with just two moves. If General Cybertron knew, he’d probably faint from anger!” Collider heaped on the praise as soon as he arrived.

”So, it’s your turn from the division on this mission?” Gao Gong glanced at the two and asked.

”Yes, Captain Suzi seems busy with something these days. She’s not leading the team anymore and sent us out to carry out missions separately,” Collider said cheerfully.

”Perhaps she’s worried about you causing trouble again,” model T-X snorted. This mechanical lady, who looked very much like the female antagonist from Terminator, seemed to find everything about the guy next to her unpleasant.

Collider, with thick skin, wasn’t bothered by her provocation and just laughed:

”Boss, should I take this thing back then?”

”No rush, let us research it first, then you can take it back.”

Collider’s face fell. If it were someone from another corporation, even from the upper management of a super corporation, he wouldn’t care; the Shell Mobile Division dealt with these super corporations.

However, Du Gao Technology belonged to the minister’s family.

This was troubling.

”Let’s go, be a guest at my place. Seems like it’s your first time at our headquarters, right?”

”I’ve heard a lot about Du Gao Technology’s headquarters being mobile. This time, let’s pay it a visit.”

Collider could only agree.

In the next moment, the seawater suddenly exploded, and three large mechanical octopus claws wrapped around the three, not a single drop of mist escaping, before violently dragging them down, pulling them into the depths of the sea.

...

At the same time, at the entrance of Database 0, Ahong, Xiuyue, and Paradise Bird gathered once again.

The iron gate in front of them emitted vast data fluctuations; the three had spent considerable effort finding this hidden Database 0 virus repository.

Looking at the huge iron gate, Ahong marveled, ”I thought this thing would vanish along with the Virtual Space. Didn’t expect it to still exist.”

”How could the Mother City allow this virus repository to be opened, with tens of thousands of electronic viruses stored inside?”

Paradise Bird paused for a moment, then continued:

”Even without viruses, the fusion of virtual and reality has caused so much chaos. If these things get out, the havoc could spread worldwide.”

”From a hacker’s perspective, considering electronic viruses as disasters seems a bit inappropriate,” Xiuyue said with a mischievous smile.

”Hmph, came over with a smug face to confirm Mr. G’s ministerial position was secure?”

”I’m risking it with Senior Sister for our honored mentor’s sake, don’t slander me.”

”You call yourself a good person?” Paradise Bird sneered.

”I say, Senior Sister, Senior Brother, at this critical juncture, let’s stop arguing,” Ahong rubbed his forehead; these two were like fire and explosives, bound to explode when together.

”There’s something I must ask,” Xiuyue suddenly said, though he didn’t look at Paradise Bird but turned to Ahong.

Ahong was puzzled and asked:

”Second Senior Brother, what’s up?”

”I’ve received news lately that the top-ranked hackers on the wanted list have suddenly disappeared, vanishing completely from both the Virtual Realm and the underground world,” Xiuyue said pointedly, ”Interestingly, these hackers had collaborated with Mr. G in the Electronic Brain Plan.”

Second Senior Brother’s intelligence is spot on.

Recalling Gox’s previous kill spree, Ahong instinctively swallowed, not daring to reveal Mr. G’s plans, so he forced a smile and said:

”Second Senior Brother, you must be joking. Let’s put it this way, how many top hackers on the wanted list haven’t worked with Mr. G? If the Virtual Helmet Plan doesn’t succeed, all hackers would be eradicated.”

Xiuyue’s feminized face showed no emotion and finally displayed a trademark fake smile.

”You have a point, it’s just a reminder to be cautious.”

”Enough talk, are we going in or not?” Paradise Bird impatiently asked.

”Going in, of course, we’re going in.”

The three were using ’clone avatars’ at the moment, a hallmark of Cyber Hackers. Even if the ’avatar’ got compromised, cutting the signal would prevent backtracking.

In the next moment, the three avatars collapsed directly, entering ’standby mode.’ Most bodily functions shut down, with only brainwaves more active than usual.

”Why is it much quieter than I expected?”

Inside Database 0, Ahong was somewhat surprised as he ’looked’ around, constantly switching between the data layer and virtual layer visual systems.

But on every layer, it was empty, with only the basic user protocol, not even a trace of data flow.

The trio had prepared for a virus tidal wave, with lots of contingencies, but under such circumstances, none could be employed.

”Did your Humanity Experiment Department imprison all these electronic viruses?” Paradise Bird asked.

”No,” even the shrewd Xiuyue had a fleeting expression of confusion on his face.

”At least, to my knowledge, there was no such large-scale action.”

”Could it be from another department?”

”It’s hard to say.”

Xiuyue was also somewhat puzzled. Although he had wide connections, when it came to the high-level of the Six Ministries, he was a bit lost.

”If there was an operation, Mr. G should inform us ahead of time.”

Ahong raised a doubt. Regarding other high-level personnel it was hard to say, but the Minister of the Ghost in the Shell Mobile Division was high enough to examine documents from other departments as well as his own.

If there was truly such an operation, there’s no reason Mr. G wouldn’t inform them in advance.

The three exchanged glances, feeling uneasy.

”No matter what, let’s use hacker methods to check it out first.”

In an instant, a mass of code surged from the surface of the three, various hacker plugins, electronic viruses, and virtual skills emerged. Among them, Paradise Bird had the strongest data waves, Xiuyue had the most virtual plugins, and Ahong was clearly a grade below the other two.

Unfortunately, no matter how deeply they explored, there was only one outcome—

”There’s truly nothing here, not even a virus code!”

”What about the location of the transformation ritual?”

”Nothing there either.”

”Should we go and check it out personally?”

”Perhaps we should wait a bit longer.”

”There’s no point in waiting, unless you’re afraid.”

”What’s there to be afraid of? Your tedious provocations don’t scare me.”

”Why don’t we join forces and reboot this database server?”

”I must remind you, this database server is under the protection of the Mother City’s firewall. To modify the underlying structure, you’d have to bypass the firewall.”

As they were arguing, suddenly Paradise Bird raised an eyebrow, fell silent, and took out an item—a small black box. At this moment, the box was vibrating rapidly, like a Magic Cube constantly searching for the optimal path.

”The old man has risen!” Ahong’s eyes widened.

”Don’t talk nonsense!” Paradise Bird scolded him, though inwardly he was pondering how the old man’s ashes could react just now. Could it really be...?

Finally, the ’Magic Cube’ seemed to find the optimal solution. In the next moment, it disintegrated into numerous data fragments, among which appeared a data entity of a thirteen or fourteen-year-old boy who looked around bewilderedly and asked curiously, ”Are you here for the transformation too?”

”Master!”

”Old man!”

”...”

Despite the youthful appearance, the three immediately recognized him as the old man who had taught them, an old hacker from the Civilization Era.

”What old man, I’m still young, not bald yet. As for ’Master,’ that’s too polite. We’re all members of the Punk Clan, comrades. Aren’t you here for the transformation?” The boy looked at the three somewhat warily.

Paradise Bird quickly thought and said:

”Of course, but we’re members of the ’Information Liberation Front.’ Which division are you from?”

The boy’s eyes lit up: ”Information Liberation Front, fellow members! No wonder you seemed so familiar!”

”Come on, hurry up, let’s get a good spot. Otherwise, ’Avalanche’ will snatch everything away.”

The old man is clearly having an issue now.

The three exchanged a glance, understanding each other immediately.

”Since we’re all family, I haven’t gotten your name yet, little brother,” Xiuyue smiled kindly.

”Me? I’m called Leo, but you can call me Little Lei.”

”Little Lei—” Ahong couldn’t help but show a strange expression.

Back in the day, calling out Old Lei almost got him beaten to death with slippers, and now he’s calling him Little Lei.

”What should I call brother and sister?”

”I’m called Ahong.”

”Oh, it’s Brother Hong,” Leo said matter-of-factly.

”Mm, uh, can you say that again?” Ahong rubbed his chin suddenly and said.

...

At this time, in Database 0, a place that can’t be searched by ordinary means, countless viruses appeared outside a shrine, surrounded by a river of golden magma.

Numerous electronic viruses seemed to be driven by some force, all burrowing into the magma.

Then, from the golden magma, figures floated up from the bottom of the river, some of them looking very familiar.

Encrypted Killer, Edge Lone Wanderer, Neural Wanderer

These were all members of the Punk Clan.