Large-scale games like "Martial Arts Master" and "Conquer the World" require more work than one person can accomplish. However, such intelligent programs can work continuously. As long as a plan is set for it, such as designing images, it can continuously "sniff" out images from the internet, analyze them, and create its own content.
This explanation, while somewhat difficult to accept, has also been accepted by many. Even experts in the computer field can only marvel at the power of this intelligent program and the luck of that gifted young woman—perhaps her abilities are indeed worthy of respect, but many know that the initial idea for creating such an intelligent program may have been a flash of inspiration, allowing her to step out of the limitations imposed by her predecessors. This flash of inspiration is probably a gift from heaven.
With many experts offering the same explanation, this statement was quickly accepted by the general public. It was hard to believe that a 21-year-old girl could achieve such great success, but it was indeed a fact.
Zhan Jing didn't like taking photos, but her few photos did spread like wildfire online. Countless reporters flocked to He Xie University. Of course, by then they couldn't find Zhan Jing, who had dropped out of school to study Chinese on Tong Chi Island. However, they did get some information about the girl—including photos—from the students of He Xie University.
Most of these photos were taken when she was with Gao Xiaojie. At school and in life, Zhan Jing has always been a low-key girl. Her noble and unapproachable temperament seems to be the kind of temperament that a top hacker should have.
One photo that has become very popular online is a side view taken by chance by a member of a photography association at a lakeside.
Beneath the green willows, Zhan Jing stood by the lake. She wore a white dress, her short hair flowing behind her head, and a strand of light blue bangs gently blowing in the wind. Gazing at the lake, she carried a white laptop bag in both hands. She was so beautiful, so serene, so otherworldly.
Perhaps, when it comes to physical beauty, in this era where Photoshop is so simple that anyone who has just learned how to use a computer can use it, and makeup and even plastic surgery are no longer surprising, many people are no less beautiful than her. However, in this photo, the feeling that makes people feel calm and even feel that a slight romantic thought would be a desecration is hard to find anywhere else in the world.
"I love the lotus for its purity, rising from the mud unsullied, washed by clear ripples without being seductive, its stem straight and hollow, not sprawling or branching, its fragrance growing more pure as it spreads, standing tall and clean, to be admired from afar but not to be trifled with."
This is a passage from Zhou Dunyi's "On the Love of Lotus," and the title of this photograph is: Lotus by the Lake.
Although there are no lotus flowers in the lake, there is a noble and beautiful lotus on the lakeside.
Numerous magazines contacted Company S, offering exorbitant prices to have Zhan Jing shoot a series of photos. Some entertainment companies even claimed they wanted her to release an album or star in a movie—but such ideas were met with ridicule online. While many people were looking forward to seeing more of Zhan Jing, everyone knew that with her wealth, what film or entertainment company could possibly catch her eye?
Moreover, as a hacker, Zhan Jing has always maintained a low profile. That's why she has cultivated that calm and serene temperament. If she were to chase fame and fortune like those entertainment stars, she wouldn't be the person she is today.
Fortunately, this girl will probably never go down that path. Although the reason is far-fetched, having already acquired such wealth, she certainly won't compromise her principles for riches again.
The people in the disaster-stricken areas of Sichuan especially fell in love with this girl. Soon, someone conducted a beauty survey, and almost all the netizens in the disaster area voted for Zhan Jing. Overnight, this girl became a goddess all over the world.
However, interviewing this goddess is not easy at all. Since the news was announced, only CCTV has interviewed her once. Other media outlets have been turned away, for one reason only: Zhan Jing prefers peace and quiet, and revealing her identity this time was only out of necessity. She still needs to continue her research in computers, and some of her research on virtual reality has reached a critical stage.
After the news broke, Zhan Jing's popularity not only didn't decline, but actually became even hotter.
As a renowned scientist once said in a media interview: "Now, standing here under the spotlight, I can no longer be considered a scientist in the true sense. Because scientific research requires calming the mind. Someone like me can at most be considered a public figure, and can no longer make any progress in my own field."
While people admire and adore Zhan Jing, this internet goddess, they are also curious about the code name SMMH. In fact, people have been speculating about what this phrase means for a long time, and now that the real person has appeared, they naturally want her to explain it.
The CCTV host who interviewed Zhan Jing also asked her this question, and Zhan Jing replied: "The most important thing for a true hacker is to protect themselves. This protection is reflected in the details of every hacker's actions. For example, they cannot use the same or similar IDs. They cannot let their actions give people a sense of déjà vu. On the Red Hacker Alliance forum, my ID is Xuancao Jiangli. I haven't changed this ID because it represents my identity in the Red Hacker Alliance. Hackers like us who often hang out in a certain BBS or circle always need to have a public identity, and when acting in an individual identity, we naturally need to hide our identity. This SMMH was a thought that flashed through my mind when I was cracking the Fenghuo virus. Because we use many aliases, although we can't let others see any clues, we need to master the patterns of these IDs in order to make them easier to remember."
"When I first saw the 'Beacon Fire' virus, its stealth and spread made its function clear. It wasn't just for fun; it was designed to steal users' information and personal data. This must be a large organization with ulterior motives, and behind it, there must be powerful forces involved. So, I had a flash of inspiration and created the abbreviation SMMH as the ID for this mission. It means 'SO much monstrous humanity,' which is 'a lot of wicked human nature.'"
Listening to Zhan Jing's detailed explanation, the mystery of this ID was finally solved. However, looking at Zhan Jing on the screen, who was calm but not at all stage-frightened, and seemed quite convincing, Chen Xu pinched his chin and muttered, "This is the first time I've known... this girl is actually so good at lying? I was always fooled by her innocent appearance before!"
Considering Zhan Jing's consistently reserved and taciturn nature, Chen Xu had thought he understood her quite well, but now he realized that his understanding was far from sufficient! Indeed, Zhang Wuji's mother was absolutely right: the more beautiful a woman is, the more likely she is to deceive...
…………
Chapter 385 The Dong Family of Nanyang (Part 1)
Bangkok.
As the second largest city in Southeast Asia and a Buddhist capital, its tropical monsoon climate results in abundant rainfall. During the few days Chen Xu and his group were there, it had been raining continuously, making the normally hot city much cooler.
These days, many people harbor a dream of a life of leisure: to travel the world and embark on their own round-the-world trip. And if you're traveling to Southeast Asia, Bangkok, Thailand, is a must-visit. Known as the "City of Angels" by the Thais, this renowned Buddhist holy site offers a unique experience of exotic culture rarely seen in China.
However, Chen Xu and Guan Yi's trip here this time wasn't to fulfill their bourgeois dream... In fact, Chen Xu simply doesn't have the time to realize this dream right now. Perhaps in the future, after everything has calmed down, he can travel the world with his beloved, but for now, unless something major happens, he'll stay cooped up on Tongchi Island and won't even leave the house.
So what major event happened in Bangkok?
Chen Xu was invited by an old friend to attend a conference as the plenipotentiary representative of Company S and Tongchi Island. Similarly, Guan Yi, as the representative of the housekeeper, was also invited—this conference was the Nanyang Clan Conference, and the one who invited Chen Xu was none other than his roommate—the fourth brother, Dong Qingjie.
Or, now it should be called Dong Qingjie.
North American housekeeper's four-leaf clover, Western Europe Li family's peony pavilion, Southeast Asia Dong family's emerald bamboo, Eurasia Yu family's azalea.
These four phrases refer to the four most influential and financially powerful Chinese families in the world today.
In Nanyang, which is now Southeast Asia, the most powerful family today is the Dong family.
Thailand, formerly known as Siam, has seen a large influx of Chinese immigrants into Southeast Asia since the Ming Dynasty. They settled down and established themselves, eventually forming large and powerful family groups.
However, these Chinese communities had been resented by local rulers for the past one or two hundred years. There's an 80/20 rule in this world, which states that 80 percent of the wealth is in the hands of 20 percent of the people.
This was particularly evident in Southeast Asia at that time.
Chinese business associations controlled nearly 80 percent of the wealth in Southeast Asia, which is why they have always been the target of resentment... "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime."
Venturing to Southeast Asia meant losing the support of a powerful motherland... Moreover, since the Qing Dynasty, apart from the Tongmenghui (Revolutionary Alliance) of that era, successive rulers have paid little attention to Southeast Asia, refusing to recognize the status of overseas Chinese there or provide them with protection. This made Chinese merchants in Southeast Asia a tempting target for local rulers and a thorn in the side of the local indigenous people.
The rulers of Southeast Asia consistently adopted a policy of suppression towards the Chinese. Leaving aside the closure of Chinese schools in the 1860s and the massacre of 300,000 Chinese, even in the late 19th century, when media was incredibly developed, Indonesia experienced a similarly horrific massacre, yet ultimately nothing came of it.
After these upheavals, the Chinese clans in Southeast Asia, though seemingly in decline, had secretly forged an even stronger alliance. Everyone understood that on this land that did not belong to them, if they did not unite, destruction awaited them.
Among these clans, the Dong family is currently the wealthiest.
The Dong family's predecessor was a Southeast Asian gang called the Green Bamboo Gang, several decades ago. Many such Chinese gangs existed in Southeast Asia, the most famous being the Bamboo Net Dragon Hall, a coalition of several powerful families, with "Bamboo" referring to the Green Bamboo Gang. However, the Dong family's power was severely damaged in previous crackdowns, and in recent years, it has only been able to recover thanks to the overt and covert support of several other Chinese families.
Therefore, among the four major Chinese families today, the Li family, with its ever-growing influence in Europe and America, is naturally the strongest. The Yu family, located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia—the former territory of the Persian Arabs—is also incredibly wealthy due to its close ties with Middle Eastern families. However, that region is too sensitive, and the Yu family, sandwiched between several powerful forces, finds it difficult to achieve significant growth. As for the Dong family, although it is the weakest of the four in terms of total wealth, its potential is enormous—because its influence has permeated almost all of Southeast Asia. However, the lack of a political foundation remains the greatest pain point for the Chinese families of Nanyang.
This time, Chen Xu was invited here to make a deal with the powerful families of Southeast Asia, or rather, to try to tie them to his own side.
Strategically speaking, if we can establish good relations with the prominent families of Southeast Asia, it would be a win-win situation. It should be noted that the Chinese families in Southeast Asia control most of the wealth in the region. What they lack is a reliable force, a strong protector, and someone to ensure they are no longer oppressed by Western powers and local indigenous rulers.
Tongchi Island is well-suited to play this role.
The two sides are geographically very close. If the mech forces from Tung Chi Island advance at full speed, they can reach Bangkok within three hours, provided that they are not interfered with by the stationed troops.
Moreover, the reputation of the Tongchi Island mech squadron from the previous South Pacific battle is already well-known in the military world. This new combat mode is the current nightmare of the navy. Military staff from various countries have scratched their heads because of the existence of these mechs. The final conclusion is that the only way to deal with these mechs is to rely on mechs!
Other forces, whether naval or air force, are practically scrap metal in the face of these incredibly agile new combat machines, unless a barrage of fire can stop their attacks. However, if these mechs possess exceptionally advanced anti-stealth technology, this tactic will be largely ineffective if they launch a surprise attack.
We must "learn from China's superior techniques to control China"!
Many military staff officers issued a strong call to action.
The assessments of various militaries regarding Tongchi Island are likely well-known to influential Chinese families in Southeast Asia. However, what puzzles Chen Xu is that this collaboration was practically a done deal. He readily accepted Lao Dong's invitation, but strangely, he's been in Bangkok for three or four days without any news from Lao Dong. Furthermore, the Chinese bodyguards who were supposedly there to protect him now seem wary and suspiciously attentive to the two men.
What's going on?
Could it be that something has suddenly happened to the clans in Southeast Asia?
However, no matter how Chen Xu questioned them, the bodyguards always maintained an "I don't know" attitude, remaining polite and courteous, and making no move to restrict Chen Xu and Guan Yi's personal freedom. Chen Xu secretly hypnotized one of the men, but didn't get any useful information. It seemed that these low-level thugs were still completely unaware of Old Dong's current situation. They had only received orders to keep a close eye on him, firstly to prevent anything from happening to him and Guan Yi, and secondly to prevent him from causing trouble. As for the third order, it was a bit more intriguing... The third order was to treat the two people in the room as enemies, keep a close watch on them, and constantly monitor their movements.
Treat them as enemies?
This one is a bit intriguing.
However, Chen Xu scoffed at it. Given his current status, countless people in this world wanted him dead. People of his caliber usually travel with at least a hundred bodyguards, yet he just swaggered in with Guan Yi as if they were on vacation.
It's not that Chen Xu is heartless. Although he says he believes in the protective capabilities of the Southeast Asian communities, in reality, there aren't many who can pose a threat to him right now.
Leaving aside the mech squadron far away on Tongchi Island, let's talk about Chen Xu himself. Liquid body armor is outdated. Now, Chen Xu and Guan Yi are both wearing a set of individual soldier energy defense equipment—this equipment cannot be mass-produced. At least with the current technology, its technological content is no less than that of Shenzhou V and Shenzhou VI.
The two sets of equipment worn by Chen Xu and Guan Yi are so rare that there are fewer than ten people on the entire Tongchi Island. Each set is worth tens of millions, calculated in euros. This equipment can automatically warn and form a solid energy shield around the human body—like in science fiction movies, ordinary attacks, even 10mm caliber sniper rifles, cannot penetrate it. Even in the future world, this kind of equipment is only available to high-ranking officers; ordinary soldiers would not have the opportunity to wear it because the cost is simply too high, beyond the military budget.
They had defensive weapons, and both of them were also equipped with offensive weapons.
Since his encounter with the monstrous creature, Chen Xu had discovered that ordinary weaponry of this era wasn't very effective against such monsters—not that they were invincible, since they were essentially still human beings with replaced bones and internal organs. However, the power of modern weaponry is largely proportional to its size; carrying an RPG would kill almost any cyborg in one shot. The problem was, how could such a massive weapon be carried in everyday life?
As for the smaller ones, well, any gun, no matter how weak, should be enough to easily kill them if it hits a vital spot like the head or heart. But weapons also depend on who's using them. In a crisis, can we really expect a delicate girl like Guan Yi to accurately kill an enemy with a single shot? If everyone had that kind of marksmanship, then there would be no need for weapon innovation.
Sonic weapons are a practical type of weapon that can "counter" these cyborgs.
This weapon is only found on Tongchi Island, and it is a secret weapon of Tongchi Island. Others have only seen the mecha, but know nothing about it.
Because sonic weapons are a powerful weapon to be used against Tarot cyborgs in the future...
Chapter 386 The Dong Family of Nanyang (Part 2)
The types of targets for sonic weapons are likely to be very effective against all living beings except purely mechanical ones. Moreover, the design of such weapons can be infinitely varied, just like the small, easily changeable watch that Chen Xu used to wear. Now, he and Guan Yi are each equipped with such a watch. In high society, both men and women have the habit of wearing watches, and a luxury watch, like a designer dress and a woman's handbag, is a way to display status and wealth.
Therefore, a designer watch would certainly not arouse suspicion. On the contrary, given Chen Xu and Guan Yi's current status and wealth, it would seem disrespectful for them not to wear a designer watch when they go out.
In the era of cold weapons, a child with no physical strength could kill a martial arts master with firearms. However, with the advancement of technology, especially in the face of such epoch-making technology, traditional weapons no longer have any substantial harm-causing effect.
So Chen Xu is quite relaxed right now. Taking advantage of this relatively leisurely time, Chen Xu is also looking through information about Chinese families in Southeast Asia.
One of the introductions, in particular, was quite interesting.
The selection process for an heir by the Dong family in Southeast Asia is quite interesting.
In the family, those of the generation eligible to inherit must go out for three years of training when they turn 18. During this period, the disciples of the family must go to the mainland to choose an ordinary school, study, and earn money on their own.
This rule was established a long time ago, but it was interrupted for several years before being reinstated in 1978. The original intention of this family rule was to allow the Dong family disciples to gain a deeper understanding of young people of their age on the mainland, because, at least in the past, this generation of university students were considered pillars of the nation. Their thoughts, hobbies, and beliefs were of great reference value.
However, those who established this rule in the Dong family never imagined that in just over a decade, universities would become so superficial and immature, and university students' mindsets would be insufficient to serve as a reference for the future elite class of society. But a family rule is a family rule, and since this generation of heirs has reached the required age, this family rule must be enforced.
And there's another, and most important, point in this family rule: When studying, besides tuition, all other expenses must be covered by the individual—and they cannot use family resources or engage in business. For example, the Dong family members already have a considerable amount of pocket money; if they used that money to start a small business, they could make a lot of money.
The reason for establishing this family rule, according to the records, stems from a patriarch of the Dong family a century ago. This patriarch, who studied abroad from a young age without family support, relied on his own hard work and part-time jobs after school to complete his education. He believed that only those who could solve problems entirely through their own efforts, without any assistance, were qualified to succeed as patriarch. Furthermore, compared to the Dong family's billions in assets, this small amount of money should not be used as an excuse to stump the family's members.
If they can't even get past this hurdle, then they shouldn't expect to take over such a large family business.
Moreover, suddenly losing their affluent lives and having to rely on their own hard work will teach them the hardship of earning money and make these privileged young people more humble—it's always good for young people to experience some challenges.
The amount of money they earned during this training trip will also be a key performance indicator in evaluating their performance.
Upon seeing this, Chen Xu laughed.
He can't do business; he can only choose part-time jobs like waiting tables, washing dishes, or tutoring. He values every penny, can't accept help from others, and can't reveal anything about his family... Haha, no wonder Old Dong has been like a ghost since the start of the semester. He leaves before dawn, and no one sees him except in the classroom or the dormitory at night. He's incredibly stingy with money... So that's what his story is.
No wonder people have been discussing it privately. Old Dong is usually well-behaved, but he is so stingy with money, even to the point of not letting go of a single penny. Where did he get that stinginess?
Everyone initially guessed that he might not be from a well-off family, but they never expected that his family's wealth was comparable to that of only a handful of families in the world. He was not from a poor family, but rather from an extremely wealthy one.
However, the family came up with such a bizarre assessment rule, which was truly both laughable and frustrating.
"I actually think that the future successor of the Dong family, raised in such an environment, is quite capable of being tempered," Guan Yi said with a smile after hearing Chen Xu mention the Dong family's strange rules. "Children of aristocratic families like ours, who have everything they want since childhood, rarely understand the hardship of earning money. Even with the best education, we might still develop a sense of disdain for ordinary people—disdain for their status and their professions. This disdain can be big or small, but it's never a good thing. So this kind of experience is perhaps a good way to temper these children who have never lacked money." This is a good opportunity for growth, because only by personally experiencing hardship can one maintain their integrity. The Dong family, as a prominent clan, boasts many talented individuals, many of whom were born into ordinary families. Experiencing the full spectrum of human nature firsthand will greatly contribute to the mental development of the family head. A family is essentially a hereditary empire; if the next generation is incompetent, the empire will quickly decline in the face of competition. Chinese dynasties throughout history have clearly demonstrated this principle. Therefore, I believe that even for a young person like Dong Qingjie, who is already quite well-mannered, further experience will contribute to his maturity.
Chen Xu nodded and smiled, "When you reintroduced Lao Dong to me that day, I couldn't believe it. I never expected that my brother would do me such a big favor at such a crucial moment." The "big favor" Chen Xu spoke of was precisely when, during his critical clashes with the Tarot and X organizations, and when his side was completely unable to spare any more men, Lao Dong revealed his identity and went to the Rockefeller family, changing their attitude with a single sentence… This played a vital role in Chen Xu's resounding victory.
After all, as the leading arms dealer family in North America, the Rockefeller family wielded immense influence, practically controlling half of the X organization's fate.
However, Chen Xu's expression at that time was also quite interesting. He never expected that Dong Qingjie, the poorest brother in the dormitory who even worked as a waiter in a KTV, would suddenly transform into Dong Qingjie, the future head of one of the four major Chinese families, just like Guan Yi. This surprise was just too big.
“I understand everything you just said, but there’s one thing I don’t understand. Why does the Dong family insist that they not make money through business, but only do those tiring jobs that they have to experience firsthand? Families like yours have very comprehensive family education from a young age. Let’s not talk about others, but just look at you,” Chen Xu said with a smile, looking at his capable wife. “Without you, I simply couldn’t have completed the financial planning, project planning, and capital introduction for the construction of Tongchi Island by myself.”
Seeing Guan Yi's sweet smile, Chen Xu said, "But why doesn't the Dong family test their business acumen? If I were to suggest it, we could give each of these heirs five million, let them invest or do business, and see the results in a few years to see who makes the most money. Wouldn't that be much better than this approach?"
Guan Yi smiled and shook his head, saying, "Being the head of a family doesn't necessarily mean you have to be good at business. In today's society, as long as you have enough capital and the person in charge isn't too muddle-headed, money basically just keeps rolling in. Especially after reaching a certain level, the first consideration in business decisions isn't making money, but maintaining your current position. When it comes to doing business, every family has world-class financial advisors and a dedicated think tank. Their level is much higher than that of us scions of aristocratic families. So, the most important thing for a family head isn't whether he can do business, but whether he can make decisions. Character determines destiny. If a family head's character can't even withstand such a small test, then he's not qualified to sit in the position of family head."