No one dares to say that SMMH's firewall has any problems, because they have tested it themselves. This firewall's performance is several levels above the original military firewall, and it can be considered one of the best in the world today! Moreover, according to the firewall's source code, this has given the military access to many advanced computer technologies… and these are not exaggerations!
As soon as this group of people came in, they said, "We're looking for SMMH. They provided this firewall, right? It's incredibly powerful. Even with our organization's resources, it took us five months to crack it."
Is this a compliment? A group of people felt that it was better to avoid this kind of praise.
Even after that force disappeared, Chen Xu and the others continued their conversation.
“SMMH, we have come to you today with a request. We request that you join our organization. With your skills, I believe our organization’s overall strength will be greatly enhanced.”
"On what grounds?"
"Just because of this."
A compressed file was being transferred to Chen Xu's communicator, and he wasn't worried about it causing trouble. However, after confirming receipt, he had Xiao Min check it first. Once everything was in order, he opened the compressed file. Inside was a document with a catchy but frightening title… How to Control the World with a Computer. Chen Xu glanced at it briefly and then stopped reading… because it was entirely in English, and he couldn't understand it at all! These bastards, knowing they're Chinese, always speak in Chinese. Sending a document in English… Is hiring a translator that expensive?!
So Chen Xu replied, "You shouldn't have sent this to me. There's a better place for it."
The other party quickly replied: "Where?"
"Q, I believe your ability to write YY novels is definitely better than Tianxia Bachang's."
"..." After a moment of silence, the other party said, "Please don't make such boring jokes. We are very serious. The strength of our organization is beyond your imagination. We have the world's top talents here, and our research covers all the current cutting-edge fields. SMMH, you are a well-rounded talent. Although we don't know whether you are an individual or an organization, we believe that our organization can be of great help to you."
"What are your objectives? In what areas is your research applied? For which government do you work?"
"Ha, we don't work for any government. Our organization has top talents from all over the world. For example, I, who am contacting you now, am a native Chinese. As for our research, it is meaningless to put it into the world now. We only conduct high-end research. Our technology is at least 20 years ahead of the world today."
Only twenty years? Chen Xu snorted through his nostrils, wanting to retort with something like, "Eighty years ahead, just passing by..."
However, Chen Xu certainly knew what a 20-year lead meant. Generally speaking, computer development progresses in five-year cycles, so 20 years is a full four generations! This is especially true in cutting-edge fields. Sealed files classified as S-level four years ago might be available for civilian production four years later—that's a huge difference.
"If you develop technology but don't release it, it's like hiding money under your bed. What's the point of your research? Where does your funding come from?"
"You'll learn these things once you join the organization. The significance of our research is to guide the direction of this world and establish its rules!"
Upon seeing this, Chen Xu gasped. "A toad sneezing—what a boastful tone!"
Who do you think you are? To think you can arbitrarily set the rules of the world?!
The person replied, "SMMH, from your current perspective, you should be able to see things that ordinary people can't. The development of this world needs someone to guide it. The public's demand for technology is not as high as imagined. When technology develops too fast, it will lead to chaos in the world. Our responsibility is to control the development of technology within certain limits. As for advanced technology, it only needs to be given to those who are capable of using it."
Chen Xu cursed. "Are these people all lunatics?! They're acting like they're the guardians of this world!"
"Let me give you a simple example. Take the energy our world needs, SMMH, do you really believe there is an energy crisis in the world?"
Chen Xu exhaled through his nose and typed on the keyboard: "What do you think?"
"Ha, the energy crisis is all over the news in governments and media around the world, but for people like you and me, it's a complete joke. Our laboratories have already reached a pinnacle in energy research. The solar-powered engines we've developed are ready to be installed in civilian vehicles and are being mass-produced. And our research on helium-3 resources is enough to allow the world to live carefree for five thousand years without worrying about energy consumption. But do you think it's meaningful to release these things?"
Chen Xu really wanted to reply, "Of course it's meaningful! Damn, don't they know how expensive oil is these days?! All those wars between countries are just for that pitifully small amount of oil!"
And helium-3? What is helium-3?
Chen Xu asked Xiaomin, who quickly replied: "Helium-3 is an isotope of helium, containing two protons and one neutron. Helium-3 is a commonly used energy source in the future world; it is clean and pollution-free. If helium-3 nuclear fusion power generation is used, the world's annual electricity consumption would only require 100 tons of helium-3. However, the abundance of helium-3 on Earth is very low because this substance is most abundant in the solar wind... that is, the high-energy particle stream ejected from the sun. Due to the protection of the atmosphere, Earth has very little helium-3 resources."
"Ugh, why are you still talking?" Chen Xu was feeling annoyed when Xiao Min continued, "But the moon has a very abundant supply of helium-3. According to estimates, if the helium-3 resources on the moon were used by humans, they could last for more than seven thousand years!"
"Hiss..." Chen Xu was genuinely surprised this time!
The slogan of an energy crisis has been constantly ringing out, and on one hand, there's the energy crisis itself, and on the other hand, there's the pollution generated by the use of bioenergy, such as coal and oil. These topics have become mainstream. Why did the US invade Iraq when it didn't need to? Wasn't it for the black gold there?
With this helium-3 resource, why bother with all that other stuff? Energy crisis and Earth pollution would all be easily solved!
Chapter 128 The Mysterious Organization (Part 2)
But are many things really that simple?
Take oil as an example. How many machines in the world today rely on oil to operate? What percentage of the world economy does oil export and trade volume account for?
If one day a new energy source suddenly emerges, causing a complete collapse of global oil prices, what kind of consequences would that bring?
Leaving aside the losses for countries around the world, what happens to all the equipment that relies on oil when a new energy source is developed and we abandon oil as a form of bioenergy? Are they all just thrown away? That would be a huge loss.
Putting everything else aside, these days cars all run on gasoline, right? Once no one uses petroleum anymore, will all the engines just be thrown into the trash?
Interests! That's the key. The development of new energy sources will inevitably affect the interests of many people, all of whom are at the very top of the world. Their power is enough to control the world.
Will they agree?
With his current experience, Chen Xu might not have been able to conceive of these things, but he was stunned when he saw the message the person sent. The message read: "The rules of this world need to be established. Once someone violates the rules, it will be a misfortune for the whole world. SMMH, your firewall is also world-leading, even several years ahead of our technology. But here's a piece of advice for you: if you possess similar technology again and release it without our permission, you will become the organization's public enemy. Of course, we would prefer you to join the organization and become a rule-maker. You will then have everything you desire!"
These words immediately ignited Chen Xu's anger. "Damn it, who are you threatening?!"
So Chen Xu quickly typed on the keyboard: "Are you threatening me?"
"You can take this as a threat, but I'd rather you see it as a warning. It's fine if this firewall is given to the Chinese military, since military data is highly classified and won't interfere with civilian use. But think about it, what if this firewall were given to civilian use? It would directly advance computer technology by more than a decade. Do you think this kind of forced growth makes sense? Suddenly, a product ahead of its time appears, instead of following the gradual path of development. This would disrupt the entire market's natural rhythm."
That makes a lot of sense, but the problem is, why does it feel so uncomfortable to hear it?!
So Chen Xu asked, "So what happened to the technology you developed? Did you sell it to the United States?"
"The United States is a good option, but all they get are outdated data from us. Our technology is constantly being updated, and you'll see that once you join our organization."
What if I say I don't want to join?
"Not joining? This answer is what we expected, because many people in the organization initially said they didn't want to join. But now these people are either dead or living very well in the organization. They can get whatever they want, and the organization doesn't restrict your personal freedom. Such good conditions. I hope you can consider it. Your skills are admired by everyone in the organization, and everyone hopes to work with you."
These words, a mix of threat and flattery, genuinely piqued Chen Xu's interest in the organization, but he knew he definitely wouldn't be going; he shouldn't even consider it.
What interests him is the background of this organization. Aren't they afraid of making such a boastful statement and then getting their tongues stuck in the wind?
So Chen Xu asked Xiao Min to check if there was any information about the creator of the Beacon virus, but the answer was that the organization's information was blank. ...However, one sentence caught Chen Xu's attention: "The Beacon virus's function is to collect key information from users' computers. It is speculated that the purpose of this virus is a special form of surveillance of computer users worldwide. The Beacon virus existed for two years before it was eradicated. During those two years, countless companies had their valuable data stolen, resulting in incalculable losses."
Chen Xu thought for a moment, then typed on the keyboard: "I will not trust you. Because I cracked the Beacon Virus, causing your organization such heavy losses. I'm afraid what you're thinking about now is not how to win me over, but how to get rid of me, right?"
"Ha, you underestimate our organization's magnanimity. Indeed, we were furious after you released the special removal tool to find the Shadow Virus. But since the virus has been deleted, our anger is meaningless. If the Shadow Virus is worth one hundred, then I believe your value is at least three hundred. By eliminating you, we have already lost one hundred and can never get it back. But by adding you, the organization's strength increases by two hundred. Anyone can do this simple math."
"Then what's the point of you developing the Beacon Virus? Are you hoping to control the whole world with this virus?"
"Heh, you solved the Shadow Virus, so we won't hide it from you anymore. Yes, this is an era of extremely advanced information. A lot of information on the internet is very important. But since you solved the Shadow Virus, we can trust that if another virus is created, you will solve it as well. So I hope you will join us and write a new, powerful virus. That way, we can use the current network to monitor the whole world in the dark."
Spying on the whole world?
That's right, the Firefly virus can indeed do this. The Firefly virus can collect all the information online for them to filter. And the users on the internet are completely unaware of this!
Many researchers today rely heavily on computers. Once a computer is connected to the internet, all the data stored on it will be completely exposed to this organization. This allows them not only to steal valuable research data for their own use, but more importantly, if someone's research is found to violate their established "rules," one can imagine the consequences.
Chen Xu guessed correctly.
In its original history, the Beacon virus emerged in 2006, but it wasn't discovered and eradicated until 2008. During those two years, in addition to the theft of countless valuable documents, more importantly, many elite figures from various fields died mysteriously.
In the original history, in September 2006, two doctoral students at Yale University in the United States died in a shooting incident involving black people. The biggest mystery surrounding this shooting incident was that all of the two men's research results were lost... The two men were researching the control of nuclear fusion at room temperature, and it was said that they had made a breakthrough.
In late 2006, three professors at the University of California, Berkeley, shot each other in the head with handguns after drinking. No signs of foul play were found at the scene, but their research materials on the principles of third-generation computers also vanished.
Early 2007...
The deaths of these individuals are shrouded in mystery, and even more astonishingly, the documents released by the US police show a strange smiling face at each of their death scenes. These incidents have thus become known as the "Smiling Face Murders," and if traced back further, the earliest occurrence of these smiling face incidents can be traced back to World War II. The power of this organization is indeed somewhat frightening.
However, Chen Xu didn't think too much about it. He was quite annoyed by these conversations, so he sent a copy to Hao Aiguo to see what the military had to say. Hao Aiguo replied immediately after reading it: "SMMH, please be careful not to have your address exposed. I have a vague idea of which organization this is. But don't worry, although this organization has a lot of influence abroad, they can't amount to anything in China. If possible, you can apply to us for special agents to protect you. We will absolutely not let you be put in any danger."
Even Hao Aiguo said that this organization was very powerful. Chen Xu scratched his head. He couldn't just back down like that!
Because Chen Xu had absolute faith in Xiao Min's abilities; with technology eighty years ahead of its time, no one could catch him online right now!
Chen Xu replied, "Those who walk different paths cannot make plans together."
There was a moment of silence on the other end... because they had been typing very fast before, replying almost immediately after Chen Xu asked a question, but this time it took a full half minute before a message came in: "SMMH, what is your path, that is, your ideal? I don't think our ideas are necessarily conflicting."
Chen Xu smiled and replied, "You want to bribe me?"
"You can think that way, because we can fulfill all your dreams, in any aspect." Before Chen Xu could answer, the other party replied, "We've studied your actions a few times and have a certain understanding of your personality. Now, let me tell you what I'm about to say, and you'll see if you agree or disagree."
Chapter 129 The Origin of Organization X
"Your first move was on September 1, 2000, and the purpose of that move was to deal with the Shadow Virus we created. Well, this virus is honored to be called the Beacon Virus by you, so let's call it Beacon, because it is indeed a raging fire. You solved the most terrible virus to date with your first move, but then you immediately disappeared without a trace, refusing to respond to the countless honors and praises you received. This makes us think that you are a very low-key person, and you don't care much about names."
"Your second appearance was a provocation from the ignorant Snake. You appeared in the last minute of the final battle, easily entered the battlefield server, and obtained an administrator account. At this point, we analyzed that your purpose in choosing the name MH was to intimidate your opponent, because we all know that a top hacker rarely uses the same username twice. As for the M, we have never been able to guess the meaning of this ID, and we guess it was just something you chose randomly."
In fact, given the organization's power, it's entirely possible they could discover MH's significance through mingh, the moderator of the antivirus forum "Antivirus Paradise." But the problem is, who would believe that such a legendary figure would want to eliminate a newbie moderator on a small forum? This isn't just using a cannon to kill a mosquito; it's like using a nuclear bomb to kill a fly!
"We followed your confrontation with Snake closely. Throughout the exchange, you tried your best to avoid conflict, but Snake's relentless pressure finally provoked your anger. Analyzing this, we believe you are a true, traditional hacker. Furthermore, your later casual distribution of that firewall to the military suggests you weren't motivated by money. Life is about fame and fortune. You were neither driven by fame nor fortune. You were tolerant of those who challenged you, but when someone crossed your bottom line, you ruthlessly dealt with them."
Later on, you actually joined a group of students in making silly games, probably because you couldn't stand the behavior of that game company.
All of this leads us to the conclusion that you must be a true hacker in the traditional sense, and what you're pursuing is, like Kevin Mitnick is now, protecting the world's cybersecurity, right?
Protecting the world's cybersecurity...
Chen Xu almost spat out his drink; this was an incredibly exaggerated compliment. A savior? Chen Xu had never considered becoming a superhero who wore his underwear on the outside. If he ever actually did that… well, that would mean he'd definitely gone insane!
Subconsciously, Chen Xu couldn't stand seeing some people misbehaving online. He wouldn't bother with trivial matters if they didn't concern him, but once they got involved, it was impossible for him to stand idly by.
But since they'd put such a huge label on him, and even come up with it themselves through analysis, could Chen Xu deny it? So he replied, "You guys analyzed it quite thoroughly." Heh heh, this statement neither confirmed nor denied; the meaning is left for you to guess!
However, Chen Xu developed a strong interest in this organization. So he sent a message to Hao Aiguo, using a rigid, almost commanding tone, saying, "Please send me information about this organization."
Then the other party sent another message: "Ha, we'll take that as an admission. So, the next question is, do you think you, or your organization, have the ability to fulfill your wish?"
Chen Xu inwardly marveled at their skill; these people were indeed extraordinary. They understood the importance of tailoring their approach to each individual. This was natural, given the organization's immense power. They must have encountered all sorts of people. And the personalities of many research fanatics defy conventional logic, hence their adeptness at tailoring solutions.
So Chen Xu replied, "I think I understand what you mean, but what if I still say no? I don't like to cooperate with others in what I do, nor do I need to cooperate with others."
The other party quickly replied: "We knew you'd say that, because many experts we've encountered are like that, thinking they don't need anyone's help with their skills. But in the end, we always made them realize their mistake. MH, although your abilities are beyond our imagination, we still don't believe you are an omnipotent god. So, could you give me a chance to prove your idea wrong? You still really need our help?"
"What opportunity?" Chen Xu found the patience of this group to be exceptionally good. Although their words were condescending and occasionally threatening, they were not aggressive.
“You can tell us about a project you are developing. Of course, you don’t need to worry about data leaks, because that’s our professional ethics. We just want to prove that we have the qualifications to be your partner.”
"So you mean if you can solve this project, then I have to join you? If you can't solve it, then there's no point in me joining you?"
"That's roughly the idea. Of course, please don't ask questions that are too difficult or unrealistic, such as turning the Sahara Desert into an oasis in an instant. I don't think even God has that ability."
"What if you solve the problem, but I still refuse to join?"
"Well... then don't blame us for being impolite. MH, I'm also Chinese, and I'm very familiar with the principle of reciprocity. You should have received our sincerity. Our organization is not, as you imagine, trying to dominate the entire world, but has always been leading the way in the development of world civilization. I know that with your current strength, it wouldn't be difficult for you to investigate some of our organization's information and actions. However, some seemingly negative news is often exaggerated. With your wisdom, I'm sure you can understand our predicament and deal with it rationally."
Wisdom? Reason?
Chen Xu rolled his eyes. He didn't even know what this organization was, so what was the point of being rational!