Dark Ruins Dawn

Chapter 111 Suspicion
The sky above Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is clear and blue.

Hovercars chase each other between buildings, gunshots and explosions have long been the unique background noise of this city.

But then the sky suddenly split open.

A dark crack tore through the sky, revealing a data wasteland behind it.

Huge blocks of garbled data fell silently, crashing onto skyscrapers.

The building's metallic textures also began to peel off, revealing the grayish-white underlying model, which eventually disintegrated into many meaningless lines and surfaces.

One player stared blankly at his empty hands, "Where's my gun?"

This is not an isolated case.

Players' virtual assets are being wiped out, teammates' avatars are turning into gibberish, and equipment in their inventory is disappearing one by one.

The skills within the character's body were also completely formatted.

The foundation of the virtual world has been shaken.

The surviving players were terrified and transformed into streams of data, scrambling to escape this hellish place.

Morisaka Networks, Maintenance Department.

Red alerts were everywhere, and lines of error codes were refreshing on every screen, announcing the partial death of the system.

"minister!"

The supervisor's voice was hoarse and urgent: "The attack lasted a total of six seconds. One-fifth of the virtual assets were formatted, and 60,000 human brains were confirmed to be brain dead!"

He paused, suppressing his panic, "Fortunately... the other side's signal capacity is very small, with only a virtual brain capsule as a springboard for bridging."

The Minister of Maintenance's eyes were cold as he immediately made a judgment.

"The fact that they only have one virtual brain capsule isn't because they lack ability, but precisely because they're cunning! Their plan to attack without leaving any evidence suggests a premeditated sneak attack!"

"Minister, we have secured the enemy's signal channel; it's a virtual brain pod!"

The supervisor pointed to the light screen, "It's not encrypted. It's the mastermind of the Nuclear Group. We've reverse-engineered it and locked down their fragile data bridge, which consists of twenty people!"

A ruthless glint flashed in the Minister of Maintenance's eyes.

One runs shelters, the other runs virtual networks; their businesses are completely unrelated, so what grudge could they possibly have against each other?
He knew very well that the other party could cut off the connection at any time and destroy all evidence, so the counterattack had to be swift.

"There's no need to wait for the board of directors. Since they've extended the ladder, there's no need to be polite. They're the ones who started this war."

He looked at his supervisor, his voice leaving no room for argument.

"I don't care what their reasons are, or what kind of conspiracy is behind it. Immediately mobilize all computing resources and launch a full-scale counterattack. Fight back first, and I'll take responsibility for anything that happens."

"Yes!"

The operation of the Morisaka mainframe is more like a sophisticated piece of hardware that has been running for hundreds of years, far more efficient than the nuclear mainframe.

The retaliatory agreement was activated the instant the minister's order was issued.

Millions of brains transformed into a torrent of computing power, launching a counterattack along that fragile bridge built of nuclear particles.

The nuclear supercomputer's defenses were bloated and chaotic, almost completely undefended, and were quickly overwhelmed.

More than half of the glass water tanks sounded the alarm, and in some of them, the liquid inside instantly boiled.

A maintenance worker pointed at the light screen and shouted: "Mass necrosis of the arrays in areas B-1 to B-12!"

Another person yelled, "Temperature exceeded boiling point! Cooling system overload!"

But all the actions were too late.

The glass tank shattered one after another under high pressure, and the nutrient solution, carrying brains that had been "cooked," spilled all over the ground, emitting the smell of overcooked protein.

Meanwhile, in different areas of the nuclear headquarters, the more than twenty members who had been used as stepping stones suddenly stiffened, blood flowed from their seven orifices, and they fell straight down.

Their brains, overwhelmed by the shock to their consciousness, were burned out at the same time.

This also means that Morisaka's offensive has come to an end.

Ultimately, this online clash between the two major conglomerates ended abruptly in an absurd manner.

The nuclear supercomputer attacked in six seconds;

Morisaka's mastermind launched a counterattack in eight seconds.

This confrontation plunged both sides into a brief silence.

Amidst the turbulent flow of data, Sweetie's figure reappeared.

Her blue dress had become somewhat dull, and she looked tired.

"Brother Zhuang Sheng, the connection has been cut."

"Sweetie, are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

After confirming that she was alright, Zhuang Fan breathed a sigh of relief. "You came back so late, I thought you had been arrested."

"It's okay, the nucleus brain is really stupid."

Sweet Candy's voice carried a hint of relief, "Sweet Candy guided it a little, and it started to become agitated. Later, the Mori Saka mainframe also came in. It was terrifying. I didn't dare to stay any longer and quietly slipped back."

She remembered something else, and her little face scrunched up: "Brother, those lines you gave me are so hard to pronounce! And who is Bald Qiang?"

“A historical figure involved in environmental protection.” Zhuang Fan said without changing his expression.

He looked up at the collapsing sky of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, with countless lines of code pouring down, and his voice carried a hint of relief.

"Things have blown up, we should go."

Sweetie realized she had made a big mistake and nodded gently.

"Sweetie will be playing Homeworld later, but... Sweetie needs to hide away for a while first."

"Yes, me too."

The two transformed into countless specks of light and vanished silently.

In the real world, inside a safe house.

The virtual hatch slid open silently, and Zhuang Fan's consciousness returned to his body.

He didn't get up immediately; he sat quietly for a few seconds before suppressing the dizziness.

"Boss!"

"Well, I'm back."

Cole, who had been standing guard to the side, had been gripping his rifle tightly the whole time, but only now did he loosen his grip slightly.

Zhuang Fan's gaze swept across the room, finally landing on Xiong Er in the corner.

He sat in the chair, staring motionless at the screen, his whole body soaked in sweat.

The ground was littered with empty magic cow jars.

Upon hearing the noise, Xiong Er's eyelids were already heavy, but he still tried to keep them open and looked at Zhuang Fan.

"The intranet is inaccessible. What's the situation?"

"It's done."

Zhuang Fan stepped out of the virtual reality pod, stretched his stiff limbs, and then walked to the window.

"From now on, no matter how chaotic things get outside, it's none of our business."

……

Dream City, Mori-Ban Networks, Chairman's Office.

The room was spacious, with only a desk with cold, hard lines and a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the night view.

The Minister of Maintenance stood in front of his desk, his back ramrod straight. He had just finished reporting the brief exchange between the mainframes in the most concise language.

Mori Saka Ryu turned his back to him, gazing at the neon-lit sea of ​​lights outside the window, without saying a word.

Silence filled the air.

After a long while, Morisaka Ryu slowly turned around and looked at the maintenance minister, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Have you figured out the opponent's attack methods?"

"It's clear."

The Minister of Maintenance quickly brought up the holographic screen, which displayed a series of information.

"The other side's attack methods were very brutal and had almost no technical sophistication. They used an unencrypted virtual brain capsule as a springboard to forcibly build a data bridge and then used brute force to attack our main brain."

Mori Saka Ryu frowned slightly as he looked at the ridiculously fragile data link.

This is like two sides at war, where one side's spies have infiltrated completely, secretly getting close to the enemy's leader.

Instead of firing his gun on the spot, the spy pulled out a knife and said he wanted to test his skills with the leader.

"This counterattack was timely, and you deserve credit."

His voice was steady as he said, "Without any warning, we quickly locked onto the enemy, organized an effective counterattack, and preserved Morisaka's reputation."

"Chairman, this is what I should do." The maintenance minister bowed slightly, his posture humble.

"How much of the mastermind was lost?"

"Reporting to the Chairman, 63,000 brains have been confirmed to be permanently burned."

Mori Saka Ryu's hand, which was lightly tapping the table, stopped.

With 63,000 brains, the Morisaka mainframe lost nearly one-twentieth of its computing power.

This huge loss would have been enough to bankrupt any medium-sized company.

"Your previous report pointed the finger at the Jack tribe, suggesting they were behind a series of recent cyberattacks."

"Yes, Chairman."

"But the report does not explain how the Jack tribe used the Nuclear Corporation's mainframe to attack our servers."

The minister instinctively replied, "Chairman, could this be... that the Jack tribe stole the nuclear authorization?"

"possible."

A sharp glint flashed in Morisaka Ryu's eyes. "But there's an even simpler possibility: from beginning to end, the only thing attacking us was nuclear weapons."

He connected all the clues.

"Those previous little tricks, such as the little girl who appeared out of nowhere in 'Grand Theft Auto' and the so-called Jack tribe, were just smokescreens they threw out to divert our attention."

"They used small-scale harassment to draw our attention to this fictional enemy, and then launched a fatal attack when we were off guard."

The Minister of Defense cautiously said, "Only nuclear weapons would resort to such brutal and reckless methods, regardless of cost."

Ryu Morisaka walked to the window and looked down.

"Well, maintaining the material balance of one brain might not be difficult, but maintaining hundreds of thousands of brains... there are very few forces that can do that."

"That old bastard Xu Renyi is still causing trouble even after he's dead, but Xu Tiansheng and his son Xu Wangdao are really a pair of good-for-nothings. They'll ruin the nuclear power plant sooner or later."

After Morisaka Ryu finished speaking, he waved his hand, signaling the maintenance minister to leave.

"Yes, Chairman."

The Minister of Maintenance, feeling as if granted a pardon, hastily withdrew.

The large office fell silent again. A moment later, a hidden door on one side of the wall slid open silently, and a man walked out.

Its face, figure, and the well-tailored black suit it wore were exactly the same as Morihan Ryu's.

Its name is Morisaka Honichi.

"Have you adapted yet?" Morisaka Ryu asked casually.

Morisaka Honichi's voice is also deep, but it lacks the texture honed by time, making him sound younger.

"Since the memories of my master were implanted, I have gained a deeper understanding of this world and become more adapted to it."

It bowed slightly, saying, "I also have some deep thoughts about the human species."

"very good."

A hint of satisfaction, typical of the Creator, appeared on Mori Saka Ryu's face.

“According to the Father’s theory, you are already a high-level android.”

Ryu Morisaka looked out the window, as if talking to himself:

"Your body is composed of a mechanical skeleton and a circulatory system; your brain simulates a neural network; your intelligence and logic surpass those of humans..."

"Thank you for creating me, Master." Morisaka Honichi's voice was filled with absolute loyalty.

"But it's not enough."

Mori Saka interrupted him, "You need to use a computer array to push your computing power to the limit to be considered a qualified high-level android."

"When the eerie fog hadn't worsened, perhaps a quantum computer would have been enough, but now, haha..."

"Even a guy as powerful as the Holy Father had to hollow out a mountain to build a superconducting computer. No advanced android can escape this."

After hearing this, Morisaka Honichi sounded a little regretful:
"The difference between wet components and hardware, unfortunately... the Morisaka mainframe can't provide me with computing power."

Mori Saka Ryu let out a dry, cold laugh:

"If it can really be used to your advantage, I'm afraid I'll have to dismantle you immediately; you're too much of a threat."

He walked up to Morisaka Honichi and examined his perfect creation. "The computing power the company is providing you with right now is sufficient for the time being."

"Yes!"

Morisaka Honichi nodded slightly, not continuing the topic, and his gaze fell on Morisaka Ryu's body.

"Master, 99.9% of your body is made up of mechanical parts. Are you... also a high-level android?"

The smile on Mori Saka's face faded, replaced by a gloomy expression.

"I am still human."

The voice was as soft as a breeze: "In this lifetime, I'll probably always be human."

His body, pieced together from cutting-edge technology, was ultimately bound by the paper-thin, screen-like core, unable to break free or ascend.

This was an unattainable dream that he could not surpass, even after exhausting all his power and wealth throughout his life.

"Benichi, this is why I created you."

Morisaka Ryu regained his composure. "After I die, you will continue to lead Morisaka and protect the family."

Morisaka Honichi knelt on one knee, his right hand on his chest, his voice strong and resonant.

"I will obey your will, my lord."

Mori Saka Ryu nodded in satisfaction, wiping the gloom from his face, and refocused on the trouble at hand.

"Let's analyze the purpose of the nucleus."

"Yes, Master."

Morisaka Honichi stood up and stood there pondering.

"Based on my judgment, the Nuclear Group's attack this time was hasty, chaotic, and clumsy, and they did not know how to conceal their whereabouts, which is tantamount to a direct declaration of war."

"With the sophisticated system of a conglomerate, they shouldn't make such a basic mistake. Based on my speculation, there's some unknown problem with their main system."

"Hehe, that's not surprising at all, after all, it's the core of the nuclear brain."

A hint of disdain flashed in Mori Saka Ryu's eyes.

"Decades ago, Nuclear wanted to purchase our human brain matrix. Xu Wangdao was the one who came to discuss cooperation, but they thought it was too expensive and the talks fell through."

"The people of the nuclear world thought that the human brain had no technological content, so they personally captured refugees in the shelters to serve as brain sources and built the matrix themselves."

Morisaka Ryu smiled gently and said, "Now that father and son should understand the true meaning of the priceless value of technology."

"Master, based on our counterattack data, the nuclear fusion has at least 600,000 heads. Although it's less than half of ours, it's still quite an astounding number."

“A company whose main business is building shelters doesn’t need so many brains.”

"Yes."

Mori Saka Ryu revealed a hint of mockery, "I guess they saw that our virtual network is very profitable and can also garner votes, so they got envious and wanted to build their own."

He paused, his eyes filled with even more mockery.

"But most likely, that old codger Xu Renyi was secretly conducting some crazy, shady experiments in his pursuit of immortality... and now he's done just that, killing himself."

Just then, the internal communicator rang, and the respectful voice of the administrative secretary came through.

"Chairman, the Chief of Intelligence requests an audience."

"Let him in."

Morisaka bowed slightly and retreated through the hidden door, as if he had never appeared.

The intelligence chief strode in, stood at attention, saluted, and then began his report.

"Chairman, we have informed the Nuclear Group of their barbaric behavior through official channels, but there has been no response from them yet."

"We have compiled the relevant video footage and data evidence, and will submit them to the parliament at any time."

"very good."

After reading the documents, Mori Saka Ryu's gaze fell out the window.

"It's not just simple compensation; we'll strip them bare and take away half of their parliamentary seats."

……

The nuclear group's main brain area remains a scene of devastation.

Broken glass tank wreckage was scattered everywhere, and the smell of burning protein permeated every corner.

In the corridor, maintenance workers hurried along, their uniforms stained with nutrient solution, their faces etched with exhaustion and fear, and occasionally, curses could be heard.

More than 100,000 brains were instantly turned into cooked meat, which was tantamount to the loss of limbs for the Nuclear Corporation.

Office of the Chairman.

Xu Tiansheng stared at the holographic screen in front of him, the red lines of damaged data tearing at his heart.

His son, Xu Wangdao, paced back and forth in the room, clenching his fists in extreme rage.

"No doubt about it, it was definitely Morisaka who did it!"

He kicked over the metal planter and roared:
"They probably held a grudge against Morisaka for rejecting their products before, and now that our game is about to launch, they're violently destroying it!"
"Believe it or not, their people will be coming to offer a price soon! Those sons of bitches!"

Xu Tiansheng's already furrowed brows deepened even further.

"Where does Mori Saka get the audacity to force a sale? They're not the only ones with brain matrices. Mori Saka Ryu isn't that stupid; this would only ruin their reputation."

"Then what are they after?!"

Xu Wangdao wanted to argue, but his father stopped him.

Xu Tiansheng's gaze fell on the light screen, and an even more terrifying thought slowly surfaced in his mind.

This may not be a simple business retaliation, but a political attack.

Xu Renyi's death greatly diminished Hezi's prestige in Zhongdu.

Their real aim is probably to weaken their nuclear capabilities and covet their seats in the "Central City Council".

If he were a competitor, he would also covet it and join forces to suppress it and kick it when it's down.

This time, nuclear weapons are in real trouble.

Just then, there was a knock on the office door, and the maintenance manager cautiously walked in.

His eyes were sunken, and he was exhausted.

"Chairman, the final loss has been confirmed: a total of 100,000 brains have been permanently lost."

His voice was dry: "Based on our analysis of the intercepted data streams, the computing power that Morisaka Networks used this time... is at least 800,000 brains."

"Eight hundred thousand?"

Xu Tiansheng showed a hint of astonishment, "Dream City is so far from the Desolate Valley, thousands of kilometers apart, how could they launch such a large-scale computing attack?"

The human brain matrix has some resistance to signal interference from the fog, but it is not completely immune.

The greater the distance, the more severe the signal attenuation, and the data transmission delay and loss will increase exponentially.

To solve this problem, major cities rely on interconnected underground tunnels.

Those steel corridors buried deep underground each contain relay stations made up of hundreds of brains at intervals, maintained by their respective suppliers.

This is both an underground network paved with blood, flesh, and money, and the foundation upon which conglomerates maintain their information hegemony.

Even so, mobilizing 800,000 brains from the distant Dream City to precisely strike the desolate valley... is almost impossible.

The maintenance minister pulled up an investigation report, and the face of the Raven supervisor was clearly displayed on the screen.

"Chairman, it's the brain capsule; it serves as a positioning and bridging mechanism."

He pointed to the screen and said, "According to our final tracing, the first infected person was none other than the Raven Supervisor."

"Be specific."

"Yes! Morisaka hacked into the maintenance brain of the Raven supervisor. Using it as a springboard, they infected more than 20 people in a very short time, establishing a fragile bridge to launch a computing attack on our main brain."

The maintenance manager paused, a flicker of lingering fear crossing his face.

"The only saving grace is that Morisaka's main brain was too aggressive, and the brains of those twenty-odd people were quickly burned out, which interrupted the enemy's offensive."

"How did Morisaka hack into the crow's brain compartment?"

Xu Tiansheng's voice was icy: "Or... has Crow already betrayed us? What did the intelligence department say?"

He had barely finished speaking when he suddenly remembered something.

Intelligence Minister Edward has already gone to Linhai City and transferred nearly half of the elite intelligence personnel from headquarters.

"Lure the tiger away from the mountain!"

Xu Wangdao slammed his fist on the table, unable to contain his rage.

"Father, this is a diversionary tactic! All our intelligence resources were invested in Linhai City, and we were led astray by Crow's 'bitter trick'! As a result, headquarters was left vulnerable, allowing Mori-saka's people to take advantage of the situation!"

Xu Tiansheng was already used to his son's temper. He picked up the communicator and gave serious instructions.

"Bring Edward back immediately."

(End of this chapter)