So Hao Aiguo and the others could only scratch their heads in frustration. This guy's starting point and ideas were good, but his drastic and ruthless methods were a bit too hasty.
This "civilian food safety testing instrument" consists of two parts: a shell and a chip, and a specially made biofilm.
Hao Aiguo was able to determine that the source code of the chip's working location was absolutely genuine, meaning it was technically achievable. However, he knew nothing about the other crucial biological membrane.
However, according to the product manual, this biofilm is the key to filtering and detecting multiple elemental indicators in food. This biofilm is a disposable product, and its actual cost is only one cent. When the food being tested is placed in the biofilm and diluted with water, the membrane wall will be able to allow various elements to permeate and absorb. This reaction is then calculated by the program inside the chip to obtain the corresponding results.
Such a method is indeed more convenient and faster than any other testing method currently available. As for how accurate it is, although we don't know yet since we can't see the finished product, Hao Aiguo has already determined that if the SMMH master hadn't undergone rigorous testing, how could he have produced it?
Who exactly is SMMH? What does it control? What kind of terrifying organization does it belong to?
Hao Aiguo had no choice but to contact biologists to study the characteristics of the biofilm described in the data, while also trying to find a roundabout way to achieve his goals.
We have no choice but to take a roundabout approach!
This kind of product absolutely cannot be blocked, and there is absolutely no reason to block it.
Even if it's banned domestically, the other party can simply open a company abroad to sell it, causing chaos overseas. It's impossible for the domestic public not to know after that. If the public then finds out that the government is banning such a beneficial product, what will they think? Wouldn't the government's credibility be completely destroyed?!
Therefore, the representative from the Ministry of Health had no choice but to consult with his superiors while pleading with Hao Aiguo to see if he could communicate with this man and find a buffer period.
Hearing Hao Aiguo's words, Chen Xu finally realized how serious the matter was, and felt a surge of frustration he couldn't vent. Although Hao Aiguo stated that the main reason for this was the lack of supervision over subordinates in some companies, Chen Xu could only sneer at his words.
Inadequate supervision of subordinates? That cannot be considered a valid excuse.
Every food company must ensure food safety. In the recent milk powder scandal, it's true that the heads of major milk powder factories wouldn't order their subordinates to dilute milk with water and then add melamine, but they may well have been aware of this.
The failure of higher authorities to effectively supervise is itself a mistake, and this applies not only to the milk powder manufacturers themselves but also to relevant agencies. No one can escape responsibility for this matter.
However, Chen Xu also knew a principle: one should not go too far in anything. Being eager for quick success and instant benefits often leads to mutual destruction. If the domestic economy suffers a huge blow and the country's credibility plummets in the eyes of the people, that is not what he wants to see.
Therefore, after a series of discussions, both parties reached certain conditions: the market launch of this "civilian food safety testing instrument" would be postponed for one year. During this year, the government would take swift and decisive measures to regulate and control the manufacturers behind the scenes. One year later, the government would establish a company to oversee the production, sales, and export of this "civilian food safety testing instrument."
Of course. This kind of thing couldn't be decided by Hao Aiguo and a representative from the Ministry of Health alone. Naturally, it was because the matter was so important that it finally attracted the attention of higher-ups, who then came to negotiate in person.
The negotiation process needs no further details… mainly to avoid being censored… and the final outcome also included the establishment of sales outlets overseas by the government. These overseas agencies would be handled by patriotic overseas Chinese, and ten percent of the total overseas sales profits would be deposited into a Swiss bank account. This was intended to express the government's gratitude to SMMH.
There's nothing we can do about it.
The military already owed SMMH a favor because of the previous firewall incident, and as a result, Blue Baby was praised but also criticized.
The reason for the criticism is... just because he said he didn't want money, does that mean you can't talk about money anymore?!
China has always valued reciprocity, especially in business where fairness and integrity are paramount. Someone gave you something so valuable, and you didn't reciprocate with anything in return, just issuing a worthless check… What's the point of giving SMMH that phone number if he doesn't want to be visible in real life?
The first collaboration already resulted in a significant loss for them; they casually gave away tens of millions worth of goods to the country—a spirit certainly worth promoting. But if the country offers no response whatsoever, how can a long-term partnership be established with this mysterious figure?
It is indeed against common sense to deposit money into a Swiss bank. How much value can so much money generate if it stays in China's own banks?
But there was no other way. SMMH wasn't stupid; putting money in their own country's banks would inevitably attract surveillance, essentially rendering it worthless. Depositing the money in a Swiss bank under the guise of overseas Chinese status, given the world's top neutrality and security, was like handing the money over to them. While there might be some loss, it was negligible compared to the potential benefits. It also strengthened their relationship with SMMH, ensuring they would offer more favorable terms in the future.
After all, some people may not care much about profit, but they wouldn't be stupid enough to give away all the good things for free.
Of course, Hao Aiguo also gave SMMH a special communication software that could directly contact personnel from the Ministry of State Security... After all, no one could stand that this guy would resort to hacking whenever he had a problem. Putting aside the potential harm, the main issue was that it severely damaged the confidence of these experts!
When Chen Xu saw the row of bank account numbers and passwords displayed on the account, he was speechless.
According to Hao Aiguo, such products are not very expensive in the domestic market, but like the rabies killer, if such a good product is launched overseas, it will really be a rip-off!
This kind of product, which is completely monopolized, will sell no matter the price. After all, people value their health these days, and the per capita income in some Western countries is indeed higher than in China. If we don't squeeze a lot of money out of them, it would be a huge disservice to the Party and the people.
Moreover, putting aside the testing device for now, even if the market is completely saturated, there are still biofilms sold separately, right?
A single biofilm can only be used once; a second use will result in inaccurate test data. The sheer volume of this single-use consumable being distributed will be terrifying, and it will be an unstoppable trend!
Chen Xu spent a long time calculating with a calculator. If a tester sells for $100 overseas and sells 100,000 units, his profit of one-tenth of that would reach one million US dollars... But there are two problems. First, this tester definitely cannot sell for only $100. Second, the sales volume is definitely more than 100,000!
We're rich now...we're really rich now!
Chapter 103 The End of the Food Incident
In the following days, a storm unseen by ordinary people was quietly approaching.
Three days later, the Ministry of Health issued a new bill requiring increased supervision and management of the food industry, which meant that a crackdown had begun.
The bigwigs in the food industry were completely baffled. Why was there a sudden crackdown? It wasn't until the bosses of several milk powder factories were summoned for a talk, and after they were all given a good scolding, they returned crying and shouting to start restructuring and lay off a number of employees that the other food industry bosses finally realized... When the city gates catch fire, the fish in the moat suffer!
On February 9th, several major milk powder manufacturers took unified action, recalling several batches of milk powder from the market and proactively apologizing for the contamination caused by inadequate supervision. They also offered to compensate customers who purchased the affected batches of milk powder.
On February 11, given that the tainted milk powder incident nearly caused irreparable consequences, the State Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine issued Order No. 109, announcing the abolition of the "Administrative Measures for Products Exempt from Quality Supervision and Inspection." In other words, from that day onwards, all "exemption from inspection" in the food industry was canceled, and the food industry could no longer advertise that its products were exempt from inspection; all previous advertisements had to be withdrawn.
This is an absolutely major move!
This move has caused a strong reaction in society, with journalists speculating about the reasons why the state abolished this privilege.
This is where the benefits of state control over public opinion become apparent. A group of gossip kings had a bellyful of questions and speculations, but they couldn't just say them out loud, resulting in a harmonious and stable situation in the media. Reports all supported this measure, because increased regulation of the food industry would provide better protection for public health.
However, at this time, countless people are feeling depressed.
This internal crackdown has targeted almost all food companies of any significant size. The intensity of the crackdown has reached an extreme. Previously, many products were "submitted for inspection," meaning manufacturers would take their goods to the quality inspection bureau for testing; naturally, the products submitted were of good quality and without problems. But now, all inspections are conducted through random sampling. The inspection requirements extend beyond food safety to include the overall quality of the food. Products that fail to meet standards are penalized.
Those businesses and operators who add prohibited additives to food or even use illegal means will be directly tried by law.
For a time, food factories were on edge, everyone fearing for their lives. It wasn't until inside information came through that they suddenly realized the truth and gritted their teeth in anger. At the same time, they felt a deep sense of fear... all because one person had come up with a technology that directly broke the industry's unspoken rules.
Normally, if such a person or company were to appear, major manufacturers could easily wipe them out. But now, this person has single-handedly made the nation compromise. This technology has already exceeded the control of major conglomerates.
And this person's name is also very well-known; he is called SMMH.
On February 13th, thanks to the collaborative efforts of several elite national laboratories working overtime, the first batch of food testing instruments was finally produced based on available data. Testing revealed that this food testing instrument possesses extremely strong and accurate analytical capabilities for the internal elements of food, with an error margin of no more than seven per thousand… This level of accuracy is more than sufficient for civilian use, and its efficiency is also incredibly high.
No one has said anything about SMMH anymore.
The technology involved in this food testing instrument encompasses both computer science and biotechnology, enough for domestic experts to study and absorb for quite some time. A group of people from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine sighed. They had previously feared that the advent of such a product would render their department completely useless, but now it's alright; after all, official supervision is still necessary. It's just that this department will no longer have any opportunities for personal gain. That's technology—absolute technology!
It's truly baffling where this SMMH came from. Some even suspect he might be a time traveler, a seemingly absurd idea, but not entirely impossible. So far, every single item he's presented is world-leading. But the problem is, without him appearing, speculation is pointless. The security bureau's comrades can only keep that special communication device running day and night, hoping to communicate with this guy and see if they can obtain anything better.
But SMMH disappeared again, just like before. No one knew who he was or where he went.
Of course, no one could have imagined that this world-renowned SMMH guru is now being ravaged on the hacker battlefield.
The person who abused him was a guy with the ID FOX, which means fox.
This fox is incredibly cunning. After Chen Xu advanced from a bird egg to a rookie, he was making great strides and dominating the battlefield when he ran into this guy whose ID level was also a rookie.
The moment the two met, the Rookie Paradise of the Red Hacker Alliance erupted in chaos.
A group of rookies, who had been thoroughly humiliated, burst into gloating laughter, eager to see how these two wretches would fight it out.
"Jian Niao" is what newbies call those experts who are actually skilled but don't actually know what they're talking about.
Because the points in the Red Hacker Battlefield need to be accumulated through grinding, regardless of who you are, everyone who registers an ID has to start from the easiest level and work their way up. This forces even skilled hackers to first dominate newbies to accumulate enough points before they can enter the higher-level battlegrounds.
Many newbies unanimously agree that Chen Xuqi's name ICE and his name FOX are both this kind of people.
Because in the bird egg level battlefield, the two of them were simply invincible and unbeatable, and even after entering the slightly higher novice level, these two guys still killed a group of people who were screaming and howling.
Now that these two have collided, countless newbies are naturally eager to see a good show.
Chen Xu was now frustrated and on the verge of a breakdown because FOX was just too cunning and despicable!
The two faced off ten times, with Chen Xu winning three and losing seven, putting him at a significant disadvantage. The reader might ask, if Chen Xu could even hack into the Ministry of National Defense Information Center, how could he be in such a sorry state?
This brings us to the issue of equipment.
When Chen Xu infiltrated the Ministry of National Defense Information, he relied on several computer hardware vulnerabilities that Xiao Min had told him about. Although Xiao Min could not directly participate in the attack, she was able to provide Chen Xu with cutting-edge technology.
During his months of learning Chinese, Chen Xu has grown significantly and is no longer the novice he once was. He is now capable of performing some intermediate to advanced programming. Given this vulnerability information, he could write an attack program specifically targeting it. However, Chen Xu will only use this method as a last resort.
Because this is pure cheating, it does not help improve one's computer skills in any way.
The vulnerabilities that Chen Xu is currently exploiting were all discovered by him during his learning process, and the most important thing is to use the current TCP/IP rules for attack and defense.
So at this point, Chen Xu became an ordinary person, a hacker whose skills had just surpassed the beginner level and was still developing.
Therefore, it's quite normal for Chen Xu to be criticized at this point. Besides, that FOX guy's skill level is definitely not low, and his methods are despicable and cunning. Several failures were because Chen Xu didn't notice his disguised information packets, and then this bastard secretly entered his system and planted a Trojan horse.
Our attack methods are still too limited!
Chen Xu was groaning in frustration, but the problem was that Gao Xiaojie had been working herself to the bone at the cake shop these past few days, and almost every time she came back, she would just take a shower and go straight to sleep, so she didn't have time to teach him effective attack methods. This made Chen Xu even more frustrated and driven to the brink of madness.
Looking at the string of "Wahahahahaha..." that FOX was displaying on his computer screen, omitting dozens of "ka" echoes, Chen Xu felt an urge to utilize future technology. But he ultimately restrained himself.
To become a master, a master of masters, a master of masters, you must be prepared to be humiliated. Chen Xu somewhat regretted choosing such a flashy name as ICE, because if he used ICE after becoming famous, those alt accounts that used to humiliate him would probably become arrogant. Choosing a name is indeed frustrating. Look at the top authors on Q now, look at Tang Jia San Shao, how cool his name is, it perfectly matches the aura of a master. But look at another one… "I Eat Tomatoes," what does that mean?
Frustrated, Chen Xu had no choice but to disconnect the internet cable and start killing the Trojans in the system. He learned this trick from Gao Xiaojie. Because this girl would resort to the extremely shameless tactic of disconnecting the internet cable whenever she couldn't beat her opponent... Of course, according to the principles of the Red Hacker Battlefield, disconnecting the internet cable when you can't beat your opponent is not only allowed, but also encouraged.
This is the last resort for network defenders. If an unstoppable intrusion occurs, the data in the system will be stolen by the enemy if the network cable is not disconnected. And no hacker, not even SMMH, could possibly intrude into a server that is not connected to any network cable. This is not only common sense, but also an axiom.
However, disconnecting the internet connection is quite shameless for hacker exchanges that are meant to be friendly competitions. The winner is enjoying their victory and feeling incredibly satisfied when the connection suddenly drops. Although they will still be declared the winner, it feels like being impotent during a high, which is incredibly frustrating and maddening.
Killing a Trojan is quite simple. After disconnecting the network cable, Chen Xu used the virtual system to understand the Trojan's working mechanism and then eliminated it in no time.
Just then, his phone vibrated. It was a text message. Chen Xu picked it up and saw that it was from Guan Yi, that vixen. The message only had one sentence: "Grandpa, what are your plans for Valentine's Day?"
Chapter 104 Guan Yi's Thoughts
Chen Xu and Guan Yi's nicknames for each other are quite funny. When they text each other, they often send some nonsensical messages. For example, when Chen Xu is bored, he will send her a message: "Hey girl, give this grandpa a smile." Guan Yi will then reply with a smiley face emoji and say: "Grandpa, it's been a long time since you've visited me."
Upon seeing this text message, Chen Xu could imagine that the woman was probably lying on her comfortable bed in a bathrobe, watching a boring idol drama while holding her phone.
So Chen Xu replied, "Poor thing, you have to go out and work. Unlike you, who are so lucky. Tell me, how many roses and chocolates have you received? Are you worried about which bull in heat you'll go on a date with tomorrow? Or are you preparing to watch other bulls duel for you?"
Guan Yi quickly replied, "My bedroom is already overflowing with flowers, enough to open a flower shop. As for chocolate, I could probably eat my fill for a week without eating anything else. As for Bull chocolate, I'm not interested. Hmm, do you like chocolate? Would you like to try Valrhn and D&G brand chocolates?"
Upon seeing this brand, Chen Xu was completely confused and texted it, asking, "What kind of rubbish brand is this? I've never heard of it before. How does it compare to Dove?"
When Guan Yi saw the text message, he chuckled and replied, "Just think of it as Dove chocolate." Valrhn and D&G are both the most famous chocolate brands in the world, and are considered the aristocrats of chocolate. They are impossible to buy in ordinary supermarkets. How could he compare them to Dove?
To everyone's surprise, Chen Xu added, "I don't like Dove chocolate. It's too strong and bitter, it's awful. I still prefer the kind of really crumbly chocolate sold at the old street stalls, the kind that costs a dollar a piece. Hey, it has a lot of flour and sugar, so it's very sweet. Not bitter at all."
Upon seeing this message, Guan Yi almost rolled off the bed with laughter. This Chen Xu was indeed quite interesting. Just then, someone gently knocked on the door. Guan Yi lazily said, "Come in." At that moment, a man dressed as a butler stood respectfully at the door and said, "Miss, the third young master of the Shao Group would like to invite you to a banquet tomorrow."
“Tell him I’m busy.” Guan Yi said lazily, “And next time something like this happens, don’t bother notifying me. If they want, let these playboys go to London to find my stand-in, ELLEN. I just want to live out these four years peacefully.”
The butler nodded respectfully and was about to close the door and leave. But then he hesitated, Guan Yi frowned slightly, and said, "Uncle Wang, is there anything else?"
The butler, Uncle Wang, hesitated for a moment before saying, "Miss, I normally have no right to interfere in your affairs, but there are some things I must say. You and that classmate named Chen Xu..."
Guan Yi immediately sat up in bed. His face hardened: "You investigated me?!" "No, no, no, I was only thinking of Miss's safety. But Miss, although Chen Xu's family has grown somewhat thanks to that rabies killer, they're still far from your status. So…"