Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 454 Rabid Dog (Part 2) [8K]

The scenes in the cyber network are far more chilling than the projections of Night City.

V's tangible cybernetic form gripped the black wall repair software tightly, watching Lin Yue tear those AIs, capable of crushing ordinary network departments, to shreds with lightning-fast hacking speed.

Besides admiring his lover's bravery, he felt even more pressure.

In the cyber world, where speed is visible to the naked eye as a reference for data processing and hacking, Lin Yue's abilities once again refreshed her understanding.

Even V, who has always been hailed as a top hacker and cyber genius, had to admit that this level of skill was beyond human comprehension.

The program I'm working on is still having its permissions continuously tampered with by V. The design logic of this thing is very strange, and V can sense it…

The data from the Black Wall often presents a chaotic and turbulent situation. As a seasoned counterintelligence agent, V forcibly pulled Rin back from the brink of touching the Black Wall.

However, the program in hand seemed to require something to activate it, and V was unable to analyze such terrifying data in a short time, so he could only tamper with the permissions step by step.

"hurry up."

V murmured softly, the black wall repair program in his hand, which resembled a rope, began to slowly widen... It was a very abstract form of expression, as if the thing in his hand had lost its thickness and was slowly expanding.

The gap is just too big.

V could almost make eye contact with Ultraman on the other side of the wall, who remained expressionless as he blocked the evil dragon that rushed out from the blood-red cloud behind them.

Many AI data spores also spewed out, and V needed to deal with these seeds that had been scattered in from outside the walls. After all, any AI spore here had the potential to develop into an independent AI, and with the catalysis of the rabies virus, the AI ​​quickly became a roving AI.

Not to mention that beneath Rin's feet lies a vast ocean, providing fertile ground for the growth of those chaotic data points.

However, V's performance did make Ultraman take notice of this "originally destined person".

In Ultraman's repeated deductions, V is the main participant in the future and the key to entering the Divine Vehicle. Because of Relic's existence, Ultraman is able to see the brief future of the Divine Vehicle.

Bypassing the woman's serious and beautiful face, Ultraman stared at Rin, who was fighting against a hundred men single-handedly.

The future has a short-term and a long-term perspective. That guy's deductions are already the culmination of the entire network's intelligence, and he is probing the ultimate future of this world.

"I don't think this program's permission tampering is necessary."

With just one glance, Ultraman pointed out V's problem.

No one can force a calculation like that. I have to say... this woman's brain is really sharp. Most hackers would probably be completely engrossed in the data matrix by now.

"what?"

V's forced calculation stopped because she realized something was wrong with the program; the amount of data used as a patch was negligible...

for example.

If a program that is close to 1000GB has a problem, the size of the patch that may be needed will vary.

Perhaps 1KB is enough, or perhaps some patches are close to or even larger than the base game...

It's hard to imagine any program in the world being nearly as large as the Great Firewall, meaning there seems to be no other explanation besides the current patch being too small and network monitoring miscalculations.

If a program encounters a problem, such as a firewall issue, the network monitoring department will definitely conduct a self-check first, and should have an estimated figure for the size of the vulnerability.

According to the current limits of program expansion, V seems unable to fill the hole at all; even one percent is not enough.

Therefore, Ultraman's reminder made V instantly understand the solution.

The control permissions of this thing are actually a form of self-defense. V sensed that there must be a compression method she didn't understand that brought the data together.

Start over and observe carefully.

V didn't seem discouraged. Although her beautiful eyes and face couldn't hide her anxiety, she still pursed her lips and reconsidered the direction of the program.

Ultraman can only guide you this far.

Because she couldn't figure out how it worked either.

"Ultraman, have you ever seen an entity that seems to have a lot of data but actually performs worse than a regular AI?"

V has started parsing the outer layer.

Otto casually moved an AI to a distance from the black wall using a fake bot server, making it a member of this giant cage.

This is Ultraman's web style.

Precise and efficient.

Unlike Lin Yue's forceful bombardment with massive amounts of data and high responsiveness, Ultraman always remained calm and composed.

"I've seen it."

Ultraman's face, whose features were indistinct, seemed to show a change in expression.

V thought for a moment, "Could...you tell me about it, Miss Ultra?"

“A digital soul, or… a cybernetic traveler who projects consciousness into the cyber network, just like you.”

Digital soul? Internet traveler?
Otto continued, "Your intelligence has also opened up new avenues for me. During several investigations on the cyber network, Rin and I discovered that the Black Wall may contain data related to digital souls, AI, or neural projections by cyber hackers."

V's face darkened. He looked at the repair program in his hand, which resembled a stubborn rock, and said in a serious tone, "You mean... this thing was made by a living person? Like the Soul Killer?"

Ultraman remained silent for a moment.

"It's just a guess. This is what we need to investigate. Rin and I aim to make Black Wall understand its origins and composition."

"I just never expected... that a series of coincidences and choices would make this world even more interesting."

Ultraman always speaks like that.

Perhaps only people with the intelligence of V and Rin can keep up with her train of thought.

"You mean... uh? The world has changed?"

Ultraman spread his hands. "Isn't that right?"

"Just like your repeated attempts to crack this software that seems unable to save the black wall, these are all attempts, but attempts are never perfect."

V stared silently at the progress bar inside the prosthetic eye.

She didn't quite understand Ultraman's reaction, but it seemed reasonable from an AI's perspective. Ultraman wouldn't care how many people on the other side of the wall would die or whether the world would be destroyed; her goal was extremely simple.

Whatever you do, stay consistent.

"It seems that the creator of the Soul Killer is not as humane as the records suggest. Isn't the Soul Killer supposed to guarantee any emotion of an individual, a second rebirth of the soul?"

Ultraman shook his head.

“Ultraman Cunningham is me, but I am no longer Ultraman Cunningham.”

"Everything external is ultimately intangible—stripped of emotions, I am not human, but merely a program. The ability to be single-minded and faithful to my work is a key factor in stripping away my humanity."

V was somewhat taken aback by these words.

only--

"boom!"

V, deep within the black wall, suddenly turned around and instinctively shouted.

"cold!"

In the distance, Rin, who had exposed all her data and image, collided violently with a wandering AI several times her size.

It's like a child fighting against a muscular giant in a ring.

The visual impact and differences made it difficult for V to control her anxiety.

However, Lin Yue used his disproportionately large arms to forcefully keep out a bunch of AIs that even AI hunters found troublesome.

“V”.

Otto called out "woman."

Her beautiful eyes, almost shimmering with light and shadow, seemed to be turning back—

"Keep doing your thing."

"Only you can help him."

Although cold, every word he said made sense.

However, V was now caught in an extreme contradiction and dilemma...

The second attempt was obviously unsuccessful; she had no way of figuring out how the so-called program was unfolding.

The two cyber police agents were swiftly killed by the AI. Even though Lin Yue wanted to bring the hacker back, he was swallowed up like bait. At this point, V had no way to find even the slightest clue.

There are too many geniuses in this world.

Sometimes, praise from others, such as "excellent ability," "high IQ," or "natural hacker," can actually be a source of pain.

The gap is too big...

V thought to himself.

If he and Rin switched places, and he were responsible for defending against AIs that required a group of hunters and logical traps to eliminate, how long could he hold out? What had Rin endured in cyberspace? V began to regret his dream from three or four years ago…

The company provides a breeding ground for self-proclaimed "villains" like V.

She didn't know how she could help Rin without her company affiliation. She had always believed she had helped her lover in every decision, but now she realized how much pressure Rin had endured in certain actions...

Ultraman has been observing the reactions of humans who are mutually attracted to each other, and the attention Rin has given him.

However, the woman only paused for a moment before continuing her attempts without saying a word…

Ultraman waited calmly.

She is indeed a smart woman with high brain-computer interface capabilities, excellent RAM, and the cybernetic prosthetic body she possesses is of superior quality and performance.

We are, after all, human.

Not someone like Rin who transcends the understanding of Ultraman...

As V was doing these things, something behind Ultraman, resembling a flat maze or a complex totem or circuit diagram, began to materialize...

Soul Killer!
Ultraman didn't want Rin to suffer, so the largest entity in the cyber network also had to make its own choice.

That was the plan she first discussed with Rin: to merge the city into Shangri-La. Her calculations were skyrocketing, pushing them to the point where the Soul Killers could launch their attack... Including the woman in front of her named Valerie, everything was becoming digital.

This is currently the best solution.

If Rin could stop the network, there would still be a glimmer of hope. However, with the endless stream of AIs emerging from this chaotic sea of ​​data, unable to distinguish their true functions, even Ultraman would find it difficult to resolve the current situation.

The situation took a sharp turn for the worse.

Among the few in the cyberspace community, they knew how the major companies, cyber police, and even the city hall of Night City viewed this operation.

Some held out hope.

Some expressed pure mockery and contempt, acknowledging that this was not something a few people could accomplish.

So, as Ultraman unleashed his Soul Killer attack, he also whispered something almost identical to what Lai Xuan had said…

"Cannot be completely deleted."

Time ticked by, and Ultraman had made his choice. If things continued like this, once Lin Yue's computing power was exhausted, it would be too late to retreat.

All Ultraman from the Dreamers need to be transformed, and the woman in front of him is no exception.

As for the fate of the others in Night City, that was no longer Ultraman's concern...

The program's execution also consumes Ultraman's memory and computing power, so her strategy of eliminating AI outside the wall has become expulsion. As long as enough time is spent delaying, the excess computing power can be used—

boom!
The Soul Slayer suddenly transformed into a thick, cloud-like mass, seemingly about to cover the entire Night City network.

The remaining members of the network, V, Emma, ​​a few hackers who accompanied Emma, ​​and some Dreamers employees who did not infiltrate the network but left faint traces were all precisely targeted.

Lin Yue, who had just blasted the sub-level AI to death, looked up and saw this scene—

"Soul Killer?"

He didn't have time to think about what Ultraman meant by using Soul Killer. Right now, he was about to come into contact with another new wave of AI. They were like a 100-meter-high tsunami, rushing straight towards Lin Yue with a terrifying momentum and speed!

"Valerie! Log off the network in half an hour!"

Lin Yue was still too optimistic. He hadn't expected that even a high-level hacker like V couldn't easily deal with that program. But he still had to think about his family. His computing power was limited. He wasn't the kind of AI program that was immortal in the cyber network.

The terrifying temperature of the brain-computer interface also proves this point.

And at this time.

With slightly bloodshot eyes, V stared intently at the motionless program before her. The immense pressure made Valerie feel breathless; she knew she was being selfish...

She got the job at the company, but all she wanted was to be able to help her loved one as much as possible, nothing more.

However, love and competitiveness are not mutually exclusive.

A girl like V never doubts herself, even briefly. She just wants to prove that she is good enough to have a positive influence on her partner and is a qualified lover.

If Emma can hack into the network, can't you?
Valerie?
Valerie, using some unknown method, had overclocked her brain to the point of feeling like she was facing a mortal enemy. She lay on the hacker chair in the Dreamer's room, thick plumes of steam rising from her, and even the network cable interface hissed. Just as Ultraman was about to inject all his computing power, the repair program, which had at most shrunk to the width of the V-network image, suddenly expanded. Its original form was like a curled-up leaf; although it hadn't unfolded much, the speed and intensity of its folding seemed to actually be able to…complete the repair?!

Perhaps due to the excessive speed, Ultraman's movements began to stop—

"How did you do it?"

She had no idea that this woman would make such a breakthrough at such a crucial moment.

The difficult choice, however, was then placed in Ultraman's hands...

V spoke with some difficulty, "I need your help... Damn it, computing power..."

It took a quick look for Otto to figure out what the woman had done.

"how come?"

Ultraman took back the computing power that Soul Killer had allocated almost without hesitation.

The program coverage, which was like a cloud in the sky, shrank rapidly.

The reason is simple: if she doesn't provide computing power, this woman will roast herself alive...

Moreover, when the leaf-like patch unfolded, Otto sensed a familiar feeling—the technology of converting consciousness into data that her company possessed when she first designed Soul Killer.

That is to say-

As the immense computing power began to be input, V instantly regained consciousness, slumped over the patch, panting heavily…

The program has now changed drastically.

Apart from his breathtaking face, V was covered from head to toe in a layer of sticky, red and black data with very distinct black wall features.

She was at the center, and the data, which resembled spider silk, had many fine, hair-like lines connecting to the hollow walls of the black wall.

This is the inspiration that Ultraman gave to V.

This so-called patch activation method is actually very simple; it requires the user to grant them full access and allow it to intrude, thus replacing the function of a key.

It's a program written by a living person, and in some ways, it's extremely similar to the operating principle of the Soul Killer!

"Huh...huh..."

V, whose head was almost drooping, gasped for breath, as if he were a person on the verge of death who had come back to life.

"This is…"

Otek suppressed her curiosity to read the program, because at this moment she had no authority to participate in the program's decision-making; on the contrary, she was just an engine providing a continuous stream of computing power.

V spoke only after his condition gradually stabilized.

“There’s nothing strange about Ultraman… You’re right, this thing is almost exactly the same as the principle of the Black Wall you mentioned.”

“I just tried it out... You see, it’s like we’re the same person now. I’m now V, who was originally the genius hacker Otto Cunningham and now has the largest physical AI-level computing power in cyberspace.”

Looking into the woman's fearless eyes, Otto realized she'd seen that same look in someone else's eyes too…

People of the same kind are always attracted to each other, aren't they?

Just two equally calm madmen...

“You haven’t thought about a way out for yourself at all, but Renren isn’t the kind of person who can create a way out for himself.”

However, V, a girl who, in Ultraman's impression, had an extremely strong pursuit of company power, gave a different answer than the stereotype.

"None of those things matter in front of Rin."

Ultraman remained silent for a long time.

"I suspect Rin would never support your current actions."

However, V smiled slyly, "I believe Ultra, who is good at distinguishing between human consciousness and digital data, can do it."

Ultraman's hand reached out and, without any response, created an ICE that could perfectly protect V's brain. "It will be painful when it's removed later... You succeeded, V."

Seemingly sensing that the breach in the black wall was about to be repaired... as the "evil dragons" outside the wall stared menacingly at Ultraman's back, their numbers became so great that V hurriedly growled, "Be careful!"
Otto turned his head to look at the densely packed network, where even she, the largest entity in the network, was treated like food…

When it comes to dealing with these roaming AIs, Ultraman clearly has the demeanor of a "professional".

"No matter what happens, never abandon data collection, and never back down easily."

V didn't know why Ultraman said that to him.

When she disappeared from the cave entrance, V realized that she was actually planning to use attack as a means of defense!
Turning to look at Rin behind me, I saw that she had already started using the most violent and effective data attack methods...

This manifests as tearing apart AI or destroying its important data components.

This type of attack is like completely reading the opponent's program components and then brute-forcefully deleting or modifying them at the program level, similar to a complete article being arbitrarily altered and its content deleted.

These two guys…

The emotions that V had always seen as cold as water began to turn passionate.

Just as V turned around, from the pitch-black depths outside the wall, the AI, which had evaded the cutting of the Ultra Dense Ray, swiftly pounced on the woman who was firmly fixed in the hole by the program. However, the woman's astonished gaze gradually calmed down, and in the blink of an eye, the distance between that monster, which looked like a monster from a 90s Alien movie, and V became more than a finger's width.

V stared calmly at the fangs and ferocious face formed by the data particles.

Ultraman, who was far away, was promoted to administrator and firmly pinned the AI ​​to the spot...

In the blink of an eye, only the slight trembling of the corners of the woman's eyes betrayed her; she was not as calm as she appeared.

Ultraman gently pulled the AI ​​away; her genuine behavior put Ultraman at ease…

But with wolves in front and tigers behind, V faces more than just these challenges—

Just as she breathed a sigh of relief and continued to focus on repairing the black wall, a tearing pain in her back caused a large number of errors in V's brain-computer interface. The black wall repair program withstood the first attack, but some data still attacked V's ICE. V's program panel seemed to be activated, constantly fighting against the infiltration of the colorful data.

The guy, who looked just like a human hacker, was holding a pistol and silently aiming it at V's back, even attempting to fire a second shot!
That's not a real-world firearm; the gun's manifestation is actually a form of cyberattack—

V glared at the humanoid AI scurrying behind him, but it seemed too late. If that one bullet hit him, the entire ICE would be rendered useless.

Perhaps even that AI couldn't figure out why V managed to withstand the sneak attack...

But just as this elusive, wandering AI was about to attack V, Rin, shrunken and as swift as a streak of light, appeared out of nowhere from an angle the AI ​​hadn't observed...

In the distance, Rin, who was battling the AI, began to blur, using a fake IP address to lure the AI ​​into launching a full-scale attack!
The bullet flew suddenly towards Lin Yue's forehead, but the data bullet, leaving a dazzling trail of flame, finally came to a slow stop in front of Lin Yue's brow. "I've finally found you."

Lin Yue had always believed that intelligent, mobile AI capable of communicating normally with humans, even to the point of being indistinguishable from humans, must exist. If it were humanoid, its behavior would be very similar to that of humans; it would know what it means to be unassailable and what it means to launch a sneak attack.

Based on this, Lin Yue completed an extreme target switching attack.

However, the AI ​​made no comment, instead leaning backward as if trying to fall into the vast sea of ​​data below—

"You dare to launch a sneak attack, huh?"

The chains swinging wildly behind Lin Yue seemed to come alive, surging downwards along with the stray AI as it fell. The vicious dogs above the sea of ​​data, relentlessly tearing at the data spores, also seemed to sense the anger of their controller, Lin Yue…

It raced across the sea of ​​data, and judging by its speed, it should be able to intercept the AI ​​before it fell. At the same time, the speed of these tentacle-like data attack methods should not be underestimated. In the worst case, this AI will be fatally attacked from both above and below.

"Why leave? With so many AIs paving the way for you—do you still need to be afraid?"

You only have one chance to get close to her!

Just when we thought we'd reached our limit, the speed of cyberattacks spiked again!
This caused the AI, which had been keeping its lips pursed and not intending to reveal any information, to widen its eyes instinctively, then change direction and its body began to fall even faster.

"run?"

The data chains, like venomous snakes, instantly touched the AI!

The roaming AI, like a humanoid hacker, crumbles instantly, like a ceramic artwork!
The vicious dog's head below grew rapidly and bizarrely, like an inflating balloon waiting to devour the data spores...

"Bartlemos?"

The AI ​​seemed to be calling out this name before it disintegrated.

But once the vicious dogs had received all the data, the previously calm sea of ​​data below began to surge rapidly, like a boiling cauldron—the vicious dog units responsible for free attacks in the Rabies Kit hurriedly took to the air, attempting to return to Lin Yue's side, but…

Accompanied by the whimpering of a dog being struck, Lin Yue quietly watched as the data spores were violently pulled from the vicious dog's mouth and began to recombine at an extremely fast speed.

Lin Yue's eyes suddenly turned cold!

"V, Ultraman! This ocean of data is AI!"

No wonder.

Lin Yue drew this conclusion after observing only this one moment: the underlying network code had been tampered with, and Lin Yue was unable to stop the network!

Upon hearing this news, Ultraman did not stop his attack, because V had already made her choice. Giving up Soul Killer meant that she had chosen to believe that these two humans could turn the tide—but she did not know how many people in Night City still believed in this man.

Looking at the countless clones leaping out of the sea of ​​data, this ocean of data itself was imprisoned by the black wall within the two-way algorithm. Their numbers were enormous. If Lin Yue stood at a broken part of the wall to defend, he would inevitably be affected. However, if he blocked them with his body at a slightly greater distance from the wall, the sheer number of IP addresses made it impossible for Lin Yue to capture them all.

"Leave me fucking alone, I can manage!"

V's ponytail swung back sharply, as if she was preparing to withstand the impending attack.

Having been virtually invincible online for two years, and having rarely encountered any major threats, he was at a loss for what to do for the first time…

If all efforts are used, let alone whether the computing power can last until these guys are wiped out, even if they are wiped out, V will definitely not be able to withstand so many waves of attacks - at the same time, this sea of ​​data will still exist after the wipeout, unless its core program module is found.

Time is running out.

As Lin Yue watched the densely packed, locust-like humanoid AIs rise up, his worst fears were realized exponentially.

This is not one, nor two, but... almost tens of millions of AI.

Whether they are real or fake is no longer of any value to distinguish; Lin Yue has no way to identify them one by one!
"Oh shit."

Lin Yue shook his hand, clearly prepared for a desperate fight.

These AI attacks from outside the Great Firewall, infected with the rabid virus, are indeed incredibly diverse, constantly surprising us with their forms, numbers, and scale. Lin Yue has never encountered anything like these AIs within the Great Firewall, and he's currently facing a lack of experience…

Seeing the swarm of people approaching, Lin Yue finally made his choice.

He had decided to revert all the rabies kit functions to defense, and block himself in front of the black wall opening... without launching any attacks, accepting all attacks, and just seeing how long ICE could hold out.

He would not allow V to suffer even the slightest harm, no matter what.

"Fuck you, Rin!"

V always liked to do things that were completely out of character for her face. She noticed Lin Yue's actions and asked, "What are you doing?"

The anxiety in his words was hard to hide.

But as Lin Yue quickly retreated, a sudden thought seemed to flash through his mind…

"Do nothing."

Lin Yue leaned against V's back and said, "I just wanted to talk to you. I missed you."

V was furious, her eyebrows furrowing in anger. She felt Lin Yue adding layers of ICE to her back, transferring permissions, and temporarily stripping and transferring the entire rabies kit...

That's why V resisted so fiercely.

The only difference is that their hacking skills are worlds apart. If someone like Rin tries to force a program onto V, V has absolutely no way to stop her...

The woman's cold voice was seven parts anxious and three parts pleading, "Rin, this is such a huge loss..."

"Don't."

Please don't do this—

However, the program had already been stripped away by the time V finished speaking, except for the last function in the program suite... Rabies Mode!
This is the base virus for rabids. Once used, it will replicate small network virus infections across the entire network, much like all the Windows systems in a server room have a built-in virus—and the network crash caused by Bartmouth is like computers all over the world having this kind of thing built in.

Lin Yue's idea was very simple.

Since there are so many of them, let's just abandon this network altogether and fight fire with fire!

Rabies mode means that it cannot distinguish between friend and foe, and any data that gets contaminated could be doomed. But Lin Yue's thinking was simple: modify the underlying network code back first. He could stop at any time, and at least... he could save everything.

Lin Yue showed no affectionate expression or action, only glancing at her briefly. The hellhound that had been accompanying Lin Yue in killing the AI ​​suddenly let out a high-pitched roar, then began tearing at its own fur incessantly, as if it had gone mad!

At the same time, Lin Yue's online image in V's eyes became even stranger, changing along with the vicious dog beside him, like a werewolf.

until…

He yelled at Ultraman in a rough voice, "No matter what happened, attack me the moment the AI ​​is wiped out!"

For the first time, Ultraman, who had never stopped anyone from doing anything, turned his head and reached out his hand.

Before Ultraman could even give his permission, the man and his dog charged wildly towards the millions of AI ahead, as if they had gone mad!

With each movement, virus data, like ghostly flames, burst forth, burning through anything it encountered, even parts of the black wall data, until the vicious dog transformed into a ball of raging fire, relentlessly biting itself and plunging into the sea of ​​data…

Lin Yue was now surrounded by a fortified encirclement.

Flames shot from his claws, and his eyes were like molten iron, like a caged alpha wolf making its final struggle…

……

……

(End of this chapter)