Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 954, Section 164: Ultraman Cunningham

What does it feel like to enter cyberspace?

To be honest, Carl felt it was quite a unique experience.

He wasn't unfamiliar with connecting to cyberspace, but this was the first time he had done so with the help of AI.

To put it simply, it's like seeing the world from a different perspective.

If Karl used to walk on the ground, observing everything from the earth, now he flies, soaring high in the sky and looking down at the earth, taking in everything he could and couldn't see before.

"Entry into cyberspace confirmed; assistance to be provided."

With the permissions granted to the AI, Karl felt his consciousness gradually becoming clearer.

It's as if he has built a body out of data in cyberspace. He can 'see' data like water, wind, and the earth around him, above him, and beneath his feet.

He wandered among the data.

A strangely comfortable feeling enveloped Karl, and he had a peculiar sensation.

It seems that as long as he wants, he can reach out his 'hand' and take 'legs' to manipulate the 'water', 'wind', and 'earth', making everything change according to his will.

'Is this some kind of magic? But I'm too old to become a magical boy anymore.'

He was thinking this to himself, but he was actually quite happy.

change.

He can change things.

He can change all of this data.

Just like a heartbeat, just like opening your eyes, just like breathing—easy and effortless.

"Assisted coordination completed, neural network connection completed, reinforcement requirement - no, control transferred."

With the help of AI, Carl felt as if he had 'floated' to something.

He was looking at the thing with his eyes open.

Or rather, that thing.

Upon 'seeing' that thing, Carl understood almost instantly why it was called the 'Black Wall'.

Because it is an aggregate, an aggregate of endless programs and data entangled together.

Its chaos and weight were unimaginable. It seemed as if countless pieces of information were being sent out, while countless other pieces of information were being absorbed and annihilated upon impact with it. It was indeed a 'wall', a wall that was like a black hole, absorbing everything, and appearing as nothing but an empty, 'pitch black' wall.

It seems to be screaming, yet it also seems to be whispering; it seems to be devouring, yet it also seems to be protecting; it is right there, it is the black wall.

No wonder the Voodoo Church is insane, no wonder every company and country is terrified of the Great Firewall, and no wonder every smart hacker knows that contacting them is tantamount to suicide.

Let alone crossing the black wall, just by looking at it, Carl could sense countless things disappearing within it. No one knew how many of those things were hackers trying to connect, or rather, trying to cross the black wall to reach the other side.

They landed on the black wall silently and without a trace, then vanished, just like countless messages, without even a ripple.

Carl thought of Song Zhaomei, who gradually lost her memory due to being corrupted by the Black Wall. At her worst, she couldn't even recognize herself anymore. But after Carl 'saw' the Black Wall with his own eyes, all Carl could say was that Song Zhaomei was incredibly lucky and capable.

No wonder Rosalind Miles treats Song Zhaomei like a treasure. She wouldn't give up Song Zhaomei unless she truly threatened her position. So that's why.

In this world, how many people can avoid dying by crashing into a black wall, and how many can actually pass through it?
Even if some lucky ones manage to slip through the black wall by chance, how many of them will return, and how many will be able to bring back data?
People like Song Zhaomei, who can utilize the Black Wall and even cross it repeatedly, inevitably becoming corrupted, are extremely rare and precious.

Hacking is a profession that relies heavily on talent. By bypassing the firewall, these already rare talents are thrown into the ocean of data like grains of sand.

Most of them sank almost immediately into the waves, while the occasional grain that appeared not only did not sink, but instead danced on the turbulent waves of data, again and again—until finally, it was only soaked by seawater and began to slowly sink—what a miracle such a 'gravel' is, and how could it be easily given up?

Is it an important treasure of the new America?

Carl was thinking this when he heard a voice.

“Watch out, Carl. In my calculations, you’d better try to get close in 2.6 seconds.” It was T-BUG’s voice. Clearly, she had reacted and was coming to help as quickly as possible.

"I understand."

"Be careful."

Hearing his companion's words, Karl also received a notification from the AI.

"Twenty-two seconds left."

1 seconds.

0.5 seconds.

0.1 seconds.

He moved forward.

Exactly.

In the dual tests conducted by T-BUG and AI, Carl 'slid' across the black wall.

It's slippery; this feeling is strange.

But if Karl were to judge, that's how he felt.

Along with an even stranger sense of relaxation, Carl did not feel any pull as he passed through the black wall, nor was he subjected to any data intrusion from it.

He came over as easily and leisurely as if he were riding a surfboard.

The combined computing power of T-BUG and AI allowed Karl to experience absolutely no obstacles.

As expected of T-BUG. And this AI is really useful.

"Crossed, currently providing information guidance, tagging 'Johnny,' syncing."

As the AI ​​performed its actions, Karl entered a period of relaxation that lasted about a second.

In that instant, he 'looked' at the black wall.

He made a rather terrifying discovery.

Or rather, a very impressive discovery.

Under Carl's persistent gaze, the originally chaotic and ever-changing data streams on the black wall gradually revealed a certain underlying pattern.

He found himself gradually able to 'sort out' the chaotic information on the wall.

To put it in simpler terms...

Carl felt that he had 'memorized' it.

He remembered the changes in the black wall.

I saw through it all.

He no longer seemed to need the assistance of T-BUG and AI, nor did he need to find specific time windows and data nodes—he seemed to be able to pass through the black wall at any time if he wanted to.
Could this be a mistake, a delusion born from overly relaxed attitude?
Carl didn't think much of it.

Because he sensed that someone was approaching.

More precisely, he sensed the approaching network of consciousness.

On this side of the black wall, something reacted to Johnny's message.

That being was 'summoned' by Johnny.

Otto Cunningham, are you here?

(End of this chapter)