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墨書 Inktalez
Under the overcast sky, Ye Feng stared at the data stream flickering on the computer screen, his eyes dry and aching. This was the thirty-sixth hour of continuous work with Chen Xi, but they had finally made a breakthrough.
"I found it!" Chen Xi suddenly leaped up from her chair, her fingers dancing across the keyboard. "I've traced the signal source of the 'Puppet Master.'"
Ye Feng immediately leaned closer, fixated on the blinking red dot. As Chen Xi manipulated the controls, the map zoomed in, ultimately pinpointing a familiar cluster of buildings.
"This can't be..." Ye Feng murmured, instinctively rubbing his eyes. "This is my university!"
Chen Xi looked up, her expression serious. "Let me double-check." The sound of her keystrokes echoed sharply in the quiet room. A few minutes later, she shook her head. "No doubt about it; the signal is indeed coming from there, right near the main Computer Room."
Leaning against the wall, Ye Feng's mind conjured images of the campus. He had spent four years there, familiar with every path and every lecture hall. Now, that place concealed a dangerous figure—a 'Puppet Master' controlling countless fates.
"It's eleven o'clock at night; campus security has started their rounds," Ye Feng pondered aloud. "But I know a security loophole at the back door of the Computer Room; we can get in through there."
They gathered their gear and drove to the university. The campus was much quieter than Ye Feng remembered, with only a few streetlights flickering in the darkness. The two avoided patrolling guards and stealthily made their way into the Computer Science building along paths Ye Feng knew well.
"This is it." Ye Feng stopped in front of an inconspicuous side door and gently pushed against it. The door didn’t budge. He pulled out a tool he always carried and quickly picked the lock.
The Computer Room was chillingly cold, filled with the hum of servers. Chen Xi took out a small device and began scanning for the signal source.
"Strange, logically speaking, the signal should be emanating from here, but I can't detect any special servers," Chen Xi frowned.
Ye Feng scanned the surroundings and suddenly noticed an unremarkable cabinet in the corner. It looked out of place among the other equipment, as if deliberately hidden.
"Over there," he pointed, and they hurried over.
The cabinet was locked, but that didn't pose a challenge for them. Once opened, Ye Feng gasped—inside was an independent server that maintained a tenuous connection to the school network.
"This guy is really cunning," Chen Xi remarked as she connected her laptop to begin hacking into this hidden server.
Soon, a complex file system appeared on the screen. The file names were cryptic and difficult to understand, but after Chen Xi organized them, everything became clear—this place stored detailed information on all victims, including their original identities, traces of theft, and even records of their daily online activities.
"Look at this." Ye Feng opened a folder, revealing a complete set of Identity Trade program code. "This is the system he uses to control those machines for identity theft and trading."
The code was exceptionally intricate, and Ye Feng had to admit that the Puppet Master was remarkably skilled in programming. As they delved deeper, they uncovered even more shocking content— the Puppet Master was not only trading identities but also conducting large-scale financial operations and information theft through these controlled identities.
"Wait a minute, what is this?" Ye Feng pointed to a folder on the screen marked with a special encryption tag. This folder was different from the others; it seemed to be additionally protected.
"It looks like critical information," Chen Xi said as she began attempting to crack it. The complexity of the password exceeded expectations, and even with her skills, she had to proceed cautiously.
Ye Feng paced anxiously in the Computer Room, glancing out the window from time to time. A feeling of being watched wrapped around him like a ghost. Just as he was about to return to Chen Xi's side, the server suddenly emitted a piercing alarm.
"Oh no!" Chen Xi exclaimed. "Someone remotely activated the defense system; they're trying to destroy the data!"
The server's cooling fans whirred wildly, and the hard drive indicator lights flickered erratically. Ye Feng realized that the Puppet Master had discovered their intrusion.
"He’s watching us," Ye Feng whispered, his heart pounding like a drum.
Chen Xi did not respond, fully focused on racing against time. Her fingers flew over the keyboard, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"I need to go faster..." she murmured, her eyes glued to the screen.
The lights in the Computer Room suddenly flickered, as if the entire power system was being disrupted. In the distance, hurried footsteps could be heard; security might have sensed something was wrong.
"Hurry!" Ye Feng urged in a low voice.
At that critical moment, Chen Xi slammed her hand on the keyboard. "Got it!"
The encrypted folder was forcibly opened, revealing only an image file inside. Ye Feng held his breath and clicked to open it.
The screen displayed a photograph of someone Ye Feng knew all too well— it was Professor Wang, his mentor from university and a renowned expert in computer security.
"No..." Ye Feng whispered, as if struck by lightning. The kind-hearted Professor Wang, who had once guided him through his studies and answered his questions, was actually the Puppet Master controlling the fates of dozens of innocent people?
Chen Xi glanced at Ye Feng's pale face, then at the photo, quickly understanding the situation. "Do you know him?"
"Professor Wang... he was my university mentor." Ye Feng's voice was hoarse. "How could he be the Puppet Master?"
Memories flooded back like a tide. Professor Wang's gentle smile, his office filled with books, the sound of his earnest teachings—everything clashed with the image of the Puppet Master.
"Stop dawdling; we need to get out of here," Chen Xi urged, swiftly copying key files from the server before disconnecting.
Ye Feng nodded numbly, helping Chen Xi pack up the equipment. The footsteps grew louder, forcing them to hasten. Just as they were about to leave the Computer Room, Ye Feng's phone suddenly vibrated.
A text message from an unknown number read: "Long time no see, Ye Feng. You've finally found me."
Ye Feng's hand trembled slightly. This message, this tone—undoubtedly from the Puppet Master—was from Professor Wang.
"Go!" Chen Xi grabbed his arm, and the two quickly vanished into the night.
On the way out of campus, Ye Feng's thoughts were a jumbled mess. The mentor he once admired was the mastermind behind it all. The pain of betrayal and anger intertwined, nearly suffocating him. But what terrified him more was that Professor Wang already knew about their actions. What would happen next?
On the phone, the Task Officer's voice was filled with urgency: "Return to headquarters immediately; we need to formulate a response plan."
Ye Feng gazed out at the rushing scenery, realizing that the real battle had just begun.
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