Starting as a Mechanical Hunter-Chapter 416 - 167: Fake and True Ascension

This commotion naturally alerted the other top-tier hackers.

Especially this kind of method—according to underground world rumors, this is a fake Brain IP that even the Deep Net can’t crack.

"It’s you!"

"Prototype!"

In the hacker world, the name ’Prototype’ isn’t widely known, but in the eyes of true top-tier hackers, this mysterious hacker is genuinely formidable.

Electronic Dream directly used a palm to cover the newcomer’s eyes, and the next moment, pair after pair of eyes closed. After ’forcefully closing’ about a hundred thousand pairs of eyes, Electronic Dream gritted her teeth and said:

"Someone take over, can’t hold it any longer!"

Super Worker didn’t waste any words. With a burly arm, he picked up the newcomer and gave a vigorous shake, shaking off a large pile of data fragments, quickly forming a small mound. These were all discarded human Brain IPs, roughly numbering over two hundred thousand.

Without another word, Super Worker tossed the newcomer into Nightmare’s hands.

Nightmare’s skin, covered in black fluid, swallowed the newcomer whole, and after digesting about a million human Brain IPs, tossed the newcomer to Mr. Pintou.

The four of them took turns transferring. Although the volume digested varied, that was related to their specialization rather than their overall hacker level.

They digested nearly ten million human Brain IPs in total before Super Worker flipped his hand and flung the newcomer onto the ground.

The newcomer spewed code, data streams rushing chaotically in his pupils, clearly in a dire state.

Meanwhile, Paradise Bird and Terria had also paused their confrontation at some point, silently watching this scene unfold.

"Quite a skill," the masked Terria remarked.

"It’s like an infectious virus, impossible to immediately find a solution, so you can only use brute force," Electronic Dream flicked her hand, her tone somewhat unwilling.

Paradise Bird heard this, sneered, and said unceremoniously:

"Even given another hundred years, you still wouldn’t find a solution."

Electronic Dream laughed, "Big sister is still as irritable as ever, but there’s some truth in what you say. I wouldn’t dare claim to unravel such a high-level virus right now."

Paradise Bird raised an eyebrow, wondering since when the other had become so humble.

Gao Gong chuckled, even more humbly saying:

"Ordinary virtual personalities won’t do, but once you implant the ’Virtual Machine Divinity’ of an ancient evil god, then who knows."

"After all, how can man compare to gods?"

As these words fell, everyone’s expressions changed, especially Terria. Although he was a masked figure, Gao Gong could sense the base code of this villain organization’s lair rapidly changing.

"Your expression is so terrifying, sister Paradise Bird, protect me!" Rich Lady Love Prototype once again hid behind Paradise Bird, acting like the man behind the woman.

"Are you going to completely fall out with me? Terria, I still haven’t settled with you for selling me out last time!" Paradise Bird stroked the Shota’s head, her face turning solemn.

"The Deep Net can’t find my true form, maybe you’re able to pin me down, I’m serious," Gao Gong sincerely added.

Terria calmly responded: "State your purpose, Paradise Bird, currently, our Holy City Organization doesn’t seem to hold your interest."

"I need the ’Network Key’ to enter Nightless City. Don’t deny it, I know you have it."

"So what do you plan to trade for it?" Terria asked.

Paradise Bird raised an eyebrow, just about to speak, but Gao Gong quietly stopped her.

Behind the mosaic mask, Gao Gong smiled gently, extended a hand, and a small black spider crawled down from his palm.

"How about this, the Holy Seal of the Spider Goddess. Without this, even if you manage to resurrect that one, the divinity you acquire will still be incomplete."

"Before we trade, I need an answer," Terria said, "What is your goal?"

"Overthrow," Gao Gong said with a smile.

"Overthrow, what?"

"Haven’t decided yet, should we blow up Arasaka Tower, or topple all the Giant Corporations? Or maybe pull the Mother City down from her throne?"

"Too many plans, hard to choose, so let’s set a small goal first, like—taking down the emerging giant of Nightless City."

Terria gave Gao Gong a deep look, then turned to Paradise Bird, saying:

"Congratulations, you’ve achieved the ultimate goal of hackers."

"But I guarantee you, Information Life is just the beginning, we have a greater power in our hands, individual ascension is just the start."

"The sacred and the free will not stop here."

...

Within the encrypted network node

Paradise Bird and Prototype had left, leaving only the members of the Holy City Organization.

Terria sat in the main seat, playing with the black spider in his hand, while the other members hesitated, finally speaking up one by one.

"Why not try convincing big sister? She’s currently at odds with the Deep Net; I think we can reach out to her. And that Prototype hacker, mysterious and unpredictable, I suspect is an ancient entity from the Civilization Era, probably doesn’t hold favorable feelings towards the Mother City or the old man Arasaka who defected there."

"Maybe it would be better to have kept them here."

"They won’t report us to the Deep Net, will they? We’ve worked hard to establish this temporary node."

Terria coldly glanced at the newcomer on the ground.

"If you’re not dead, get up and stop getting in the way!"

"Cough, alright, boss."

The newcomer rolled his eyes, using his hands and feet to clamber up laboriously.

Terria tossed the spider to Mr. Pintou, coldly stating: "This Holy Seal is authentic, get the Nightless City matter resolved soon, you’ve wasted too much time."

Before the two could reply, Terria continued: "Resolve this, and everyone in the organization will proceed to the first stage of ascension!"

As these words fell, the hackers’ eyes brightened simultaneously.

"It’s about time!"

"It’s not in vain that we did so much work for the Turing Sect."

"Once ascension is complete, big sister should realize she’s not the only one who can become Information Life in this world."

...

Meanwhile, on the other side, Paradise Bird and Gao Gong returned to Cyber Space. Gao Gong looked at the ’Network Key’ in his hand, smiled, then tossed it into the Sea of Data.

"What are you doing?" Paradise Bird couldn’t stop him in time, frowned, and asked.

This was something they’d obtained with great effort.

"No need, I’ve already found the real gateway."

"By the way, have you thought about your future?"

"My future?" Paradise Bird looked at Gao Gong with surprise: "What do you mean?"

"Information Life is the limit of a Level 2 Civilization, but it’s merely the starting point for Level 3. Choosing your development path, in a sense, is also choosing your civilization’s development path."

"This step must be carefully chosen, because once you take it, there’s no turning back. Level 3 Civilization, that’s a civilization that can touch the ascension elements."

Gao Gong looked at the other, tempting him:

"Don’t you want to experience a true civilization ascension?"

"Ascension is really quite exhilarating, you know."