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nTranslator: Legge Editor: Legge

nAt night.

nThe Internet Surveillance Bureau.

nZhang Ye’s singing was ringing out from the livestream playing in the office. The staff of the Internet Surveillance Bureau who were working overtime and quite a few others were watching the livestream of Zhang Ye’s “The Final Concert.”

n“This is awesome!”

n“I like him so much!”

n“Teacher Zhang has always been my idol.”

n“It’s a pity that Fang Xiaoshui and the others can’t watch this.”

n“Our comrades of the First Department are so unlucky.”

n“They still haven’t found out who 2 is?”

n“All 16 of them have been investigated, including Director Dong, but it doesn’t seem to be any of them.”

n“Hai, I wonder how more many days we’ll have to work overtime like this. It’s a good thing we have Teacher Zhang’s concert to watch tonight and kill our boredom.”

nOut of the blue, an alert sounded on the computer.

nIt was the sound of a new, incoming email.

n“Eh, an email?”

n“What email?”

n“I don’t know. This account shouldn’t have been activated yet?”

n“Is it an internal inbox?”

n“It’s an internal backup inbox.”

n“Who sent this out on accident?”

n“Let me have a look at it first.”

nBut the moment they checked, all of them got a shock!

n“Hurry, hurry, go get someone!”

n“Get the leaders!”

n“Something big has happened!”

n“Yeah, it’s an email from Hacker 2!”

n“This is bad, it’s a virus!”

n“No, it doesn’t look like it!”

n“Quick, get someone!”

nThe entire Internet Surveillance Bureau descended into chaos at once!

nIn the isolation room.

nThe atmosphere inside was very gloomy.

nMeng Yi said, “The concert has already started!”

nFang Xiaoshui cried out, “I can’t get to watch my Teacher Zhang anymore!”

nA female employee said, “I wonder how many songs he’s already sung.”

n“Why are you guys still going on about Teacher Zhang at a time like this?” An employee said, “We can’t even save our skin, and we haven’t been home in three days already.”

nAt this moment, some action was taking place outside the room.

nDirector Dong was startled. “What’s happening?”

nThe others turned to the gate. From the light seeping in through the gap under the door, they could see that people were running back and forth. One, five, ten people, it felt like it was very chaotic out there.

nAfter some ten minutes.

nThe door opened and a leader came into the room with a solemn face. “Old Dong, come over here.”

nDirector Dong immediately stood up. “What exactly is happening?”

nThe leader said something shocking. “2 sent us an email.”

nEveryone was dumbfounded. “What?”

n2?

nHe’s appeared?

nThe group of people hurriedly went outside and had a look around. Almost everyone from the Internet Surveillance Bureau had come back, and the entire office was crowded with scores of people.

nThe director of the Second Department shouted, “Old Dong, get over here!”

nDirector Dong went up to him. “Old Bai, what’s the situation?”

nThe Second Department’s director hurriedly said, “Those years ago, it was you guys who followed up on the case of the Panda Burning Incense virus, right? Come and have a look at this.”

nOn the computer screen was a file. It was a computer virus file the internal software had flagged.

nDirector Dong got scared. But upon clicking it open to have a look, he was stunned. “Step aside.” He nudged Director Bai of the Second Department aside and sat down in his spot. Then he went through the document line by line. Fang Xiaoshui, Meng Yi, and the others also gathered around. When they saw it, they were all stunned.

nSoon after, Director Dong gasped and said, “This is the source code of the Panda Burning Incense virus!”

nThat leader said, “Can you confirm that?”

nDirector Dong nodded. “I’m a 100% sure.”

nFang Xiaoshui said in a dumbfounded manner, “How did we get our hands on it? Such source codes should only be available to the creator.”

nThe Third Department’s director gave a wry smile. “It was sent to us by 2 himself. There’s another document attached that was named CIH. We analyzed it and think that it might be the latest computer virus that wreaked havoc. Right now, we have the source codes of both of the most destructive computer viruses known to us in the world.”

nEveryone fell silent.

nThen they shivered in fear.

nFang Xiaoshui could not understand what was going on. She said, “What is 2 thinking?”

nMeng Yi said, “Why did he send us the source codes?”

nThe Second Department’s director pointed at the computer. “Come and see this.”

nThe email from 2 had a lot of information in it. Other than the Panda Burning Incense and CIH viruses’ source codes, 2 also left a message for them. This was what it said: “I know that you’re all looking for me. But the direction of your investigations on the suspects has been wrong from the very start. I don’t have any intention of hiding, nor will I hide. I will be responsible for what I did, so don’t make things difficult for the comrades of the First Department. You all should realize that 2 cannot be amongst them if you gave the matter some thought. Does any of you know what the name, ‘2,’ represents? If you know, then come and get me. You will know where to find me.”

nWhat was the meaning of this?

nA lot of people did not understand.

nDirector Dong was very confused as well. “The direction of our investigations was wrong?”

nThe Third Department’s director asked, “What do you all make of this message?”

nFang Xiaoshui said, “It just means that none of us are 2, so can we go home yet?”

nMeng Yi said excitedly, “Yes, that’s exactly what it means.”

nThe leader was speechless.

nAs was everyone else.

nDirector Dong mumbled to himself, “What does ‘2’ represent?”

nThe Second Department’s director said, “We don’t know either, that’s why we asked you all to come over.”

nA staff of the Third Department said, “What does he mean by saying that we know where to find him?”

nA female staff of the Second Department said, “Yeah, how could we possibly know where he is at?”

n2?

n2?

nA lot of people became lost in thought. They put out their hands and made twos with their fingers.

nWhat did it mean?

nWhat could a single number represent?

nAt this time, a director trotted into the office. He had rushed back after being informed about the matter. “Eh? Did you all catch 2 already? That’s great! How did he get captured?”

nDirector Dong looked at him. “Who told you that we’ve captured him?”

nThat director was taken aback and pointed at them. “Then why did you all make a victory sign?”

nDirector Dong said in a speechless manner, “We were just wondering what ‘2’ represents…. Wait, what did you say?” He was stunned. “What did you just say?”

nThat director stretched out two fingers in confusion. “Isn’t this a victory sign, like ‘yeah’?”

nWhen he said that, the entire office fell silent!

n2?

nVictory?

nYeah?

nYe?!

nFan Yingyun’s expression changed!

nFang Xiaoshui said dumbfoundedly, “This—”

nThe leader was also stunned. He said loudly, “Old Dong, when was Teacher Zhang attached to your department?”

nDirector Dong said in shock, “It was during the time of the Sino-Korean Hacker War!”

nThe leader said angrily, “Then why didn’t you mention it before?”

nDirector Dong said in a confused state of mind, “But no one asked us. What we were asked was who had served with the First Department during that period, and Teacher Zhang was not part of our department at all. Furthermore, I don’t think he’s that skilled with the computer, and his English is very bad too. We didn’t even think in that direction!”

nMeng Yi slapped his forehead. “My God!”

nThe Second Department’s director said, “So that’s what he meant when he said we’d know where to find him!”

nThe Olympic Stadium!

nThe livestream that was being broadcast nationwide!

nAll of the country’s citizens knew where Zhang Ye was at this moment!

n2 was Zhang Ye?

nHow could that be possible!

nCould they have gotten it wrong?

nFang Xiaoshui started panicking. “Th-Then what do we do now?”

nMeng Yi said, “Teacher Zhang is still in the middle of holding his concert!”

nNo one knew what to do!

nBecause this matter had blown up far greater than they expected!

nIt was so major that they didn’t know how to handle it!

nThey immediately informed the higher-ups. When the higher-ups saw it, they were also dumbfounded. And then, they hurriedly informed the higher-ups above them. This was escalated to further and further up the chain!

nThe Internet Surveillance Bureau was buzzing with activity!

nOne by one, cars started arriving!

nOne by one, the executives came down personally!

nA lot of people could not believe this news. They all had to see the evidence for themselves!

nOne of the executives shouted at the group of Internet Surveillance Bureau’s leaders immediately upon arrival, “Are you kidding me?” He pointed at the nearby computer currently showing Zhang Ye’s concert. “This is a nationwide livestream, he’s a Peking University professor, a Media College professor, the Asian philanthropic ambassador, a famous host, a world-class mathematician, a literary scholar, a famous author, a famous calligraphy master, the husband of the SARFT’s Chief Wu, and you’re telling me that you want to apply for an arrest warrant for him? You’re telling me that Zhang Ye is that legendary hacker, 2? Do you all know how serious the consequences will be if we arrest the wrong person? Don’t talk about you all taking responsibility for it, no one will be able to take responsibility for it! Not even me!”

nEveryone knew just how earth-shattering this news was!

nIf the evidence were found to be true, then this would be the biggest news story to ever break in the history of the entertainment circle!

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