Starting as a Mechanical Hunter

Cyber hackers are quite a troublesome existence, especially for large corporations.

They are like ubiquitous reptiles; as long as there is any flaw in the company’s database or confidentiality center, they will transform into bloodthirsty wolves and devour all corporate secrets.

They are hired by rival companies, anti-mechanists, artificial intelligences, or simply out of personal interest.

If the company is a dark forest, these guys are repulsive electronic dwarves.

They share a common nickname: Enemy of the Company.

Unlike Prosthetic Doctors, they are very cautious about collaborating with local forces, going solo, and even when interacting with peers, they wear a disguise.

The perilous living environment has fostered a vigilant nature in them. They trust no one.

It’s difficult to trace them even when following an IP because many cyber hackers have a dozen or so disguises in reality, and their true selves may have successfully self-programmed, forming electronic personas wandering at some node in the cyber network.

The Security Corps also employs several cyber hackers, but most of them are below level 10, just worthless.

The truly advanced and inheritable cyber hackers are those who casually visit the Mother City, provoking the ’Deep Net’ as fierce characters.

And Gao Gong agreed to Aidolu greatly because cyber hackers are closely connected to some monsters in cyber space.

Without transitioning to ’Cyber Hacker,’ many of his actions cannot be executed.

And to change professions, one must undergo ’Data Enlightenment.’

However, he has been wandering the cyber network every day, yet he hasn’t spotted any sign of those ’Data Concept Bodies,’ including the places they commonly visit according to memory.

Darn it, came too early!

Players weren’t aware of these big data monsters’ existence until a year or two later.

And this is just the stage when players are newly online.

So capturing a ’Cyber Hacker,’ and coercing them into revealing the location of big data monsters, has now become the top priority.

”Inviting me to a concert?”

The next early morning, Gao Yuanyuan stared blankly at the concert ticket handed by Gao Gong, still with a fork in her mouth.

’Aidolu’s 999th Live Interactive Concert, Pink Heaven’

”Yeah, isn’t today your birthday.”

Gao Gong grinned, ”I remember it all!”

Gao Yuanyuan’s lips pressed tightly, her eyes shimmering; it’s the first time someone remembered her birthday since her parents died.

”Going?”

”Yes!!”

Facts prove that even a girl with no attributes is quite serious about a date, and this seriousness is shown as an hour passed and she still hadn’t finished changing clothes.

Gao Gong sat on the first step; beside him lay a homeless robot, and the two of them exchanged casual conversation.

”How’s business lately, brother?”

The old robot beggar sighed, ”The economy’s downturn, even beggars are having a tough time. It’s just one line of code, yet those security guards curse and hit me.”

Gao Gong sized up the other’s rust-covered mechanical body.

”You can’t just rely on soft tactics. Have some time to fix the hardware, because if the hardware goes into downtime, no matter how well-fed you are on code, it won’t help.”

”Brother, have you heard this saying,” the old robot said mysteriously, ”Weak Mechanicals, Cyber Ascension.”

Gao Gong blinked, ”I have heard the previous version. Is this the second stage of ascension?”

”As long as enough data is gathered, you’ll completely shed the mechanical shell and ascend into the cyber network for a better life!”

”Who told you that?”

”Those preaching people at night.”

”Turing Sect?”

”Yes.”

Gao Gong thought for a moment, ”Well, brother, is it possible that they’re deceiving you to take away your hard-earned electronic codes from begging?”

”No way! Primordial People don’t deceive robots! I used big data for fortune-telling, and big data told me that in the latter half of my life, there will be no illness, no virus invasion, stable programs.”

Gao Gong rolled his eyes and stopped speaking.

”I’m ready,” a faint voice sounded.

Gao Gong turned; a little beauty wearing a white dress stood nervously opposite him, with a red pouch around her waist, and that aura of ’no entry for strangers’ had almost vanished.

”Let’s go.”

”Yes!”

Along the way, Gao Yuanyuan looked around excitedly, and the surrounding scenery seemed to never be enough for her to view.

”First time in the business district?”

”No, when mom was alive, dad would bring me to pick her up from work.”

Gao Gong nodded; he’s always had a doubt as to how Gao Yuanyuan’s parents ended up owing so much money, and while it’s understandable if it was high-interest loans, loans from the Mechanical Main Brain are not so easily approved.

But clearly, today was not the right time to ask.

As everyone knows, it’s quite profitable to cater to the otaku crowd, and a significant portion of programmers have ’otaku attributes.’ When Gao Gong and his companion arrived at the concert venue on the floating rail car, they saw people in their twenties and thirties with Network Access Chambers on their faces, holding support sticks with enthusiasm. Some even had holographic projections of Aidolu on their heads, including Mechanical Girl Aidolu, White-Haired Aidolu, Cat-Eared Aidolu, and Big Hips and Bust Aidolu.

The otaku who created a big-busted face was quickly condemned by the surrounding crowd. At the staff’s request, he reluctantly opened the mod and handed over the three-body data.

One of the staff members inadvertently saw Gao Gong and immediately waved excitedly.

”Brother Gao!”

”Eh, it’s you!”

Gao Gong looked at the young man running from a distance; it was Xiaoye, who had crossed over with him.

”How are you here?”

”Hehe, I ran out of money, and a senior from the fan club recommended this job to me. I’m now a member of Aidolu’s Guard Team!”

Xiaoye proudly showed the emblem on his chest, which was engraved with a beautiful white Mechanical Bird.

”Tsk tsk, seems like you’re doing well. Keep it up, and maybe you’ll soon become Aidolu’s personal assistant.”

Xiaoye scratched his head and smiled shyly, glanced around, and suddenly whispered, ”Brother Gao, have you seen the latest episode of the Magnate Feast?”

”Magnate Feast, the one about playing ball, oh——”

Gao Gong remembered. It was a role-playing program for a group of genetic enthusiasts.

”Gene Enthusiast No. 3 won!” Xiaoye said excitedly, ”He killed all his siblings and became the sole heir of the family.”

”Really?” Gao Gong was surprised. He remembered there were a dozen candidates. Winning like that is impressive.

”So, what happens after winning the show? Is there a cash prize or house distribution?”

”There was supposed to be a prize, but the ratings were so bad that the prize money was cut,” Xiaoye said with some dissatisfaction but quickly turned excited again.

”However, according to the program team, Gene Enthusiast No. 3 will join the next ’Escapee Game’ as a special guest.”

”So it turns out this is actually a progression game.”

Gao Gong had naturally heard of the Escapee Game. Like Aidolu, it was a globally popular show. Players could join after reaching level 20. Gao Gong recalled that the best ranking a player had achieved was fourth place, obtained by someone named ’Despicable Me,’ a high-end player who was a rare Bionic Man Assassin. However, whether this player became the ace of an Assassin Group like Sister Rose, Gao Gong couldn’t remember.

After chatting a bit more, Xiaoye left. Before leaving, they exchanged contact codes.

In front of outsiders, Gao Yuanyuan always maintained a cold, aloof demeanor. It wasn’t until Xiaoye left that she approached and curiously asked:

”Brother, do you really like Aidolu?”

From her perspective, Gao Gong’s familiarity with the staff might indicate he was a hardcore fan.

”She’s not just a... ahem,” Gao Gong cleared his throat and changed the subject, ”Do you like Aidolu?”

Gao Yuanyuan shook her head.

”Then do you like watching the Escapee Game?”

”No, it’s too violent.”

She disliked both bloody violence and cutesy innocence. Gao Gong stroked his chin, curious:

”Then what hobbies do you have?”

Gao Yuanyuan blushed slightly, ”I like reading Deep Feel Novels.”

”So, you like that kind of thing.”

Gao Gong knew what ’Deep Feel Novels’ were. They were an upgrade of electronic novels, also known as immersive novels. They could evoke emotions through text, and more crucially, during reading, the text’s layout could directly influence hormonal secretion in the body, offering incredibly realistic experiences of love, passion, and tragic romance.

Especially when reading some adult-themed novels, the experience was exceptionally vivid.

Oh, by the way, these novels are now entirely AI-created, customized to readers through big data, and can churn out a million words daily. The ancient profession of online writers has long vanished into the river of history.

”Oh~ so you like this form of entertainment. I also like it. Let me introduce you to some classic masterpieces...”

Gao Yuanyuan listened intently at first, but soon something seemed off. White*, Day at **, Gold**, and her face flushed as she puffed her cheeks and forcefully slapped Gao Gong’s back.

”I don’t read those things!”

”These are all ancient classics. We should absorb their essence and discard the dross...”

”You stop talking!”

Under the fireworks of electronic pyrotechnics, the siblings engaged in a playful chase, absolutely delighted. In the end, Gao Gong conceded and bought a big cotton candy, which finally led Gao Yuanyuan to overlook his nonsense.

”Oh, the concert is starting. I’ll go to the restroom first. Don’t wander off.”

Gao Gong bid farewell to Gao Yuanyuan and moved against the crowd to a restroom, where a small figure wearing a fox mask had been waiting for some time. Upon seeing Gao Gong, they slapped him hard on the back.

”Are you here to help, or to watch the concert!”

Gao Gong lazily replied, ”Why the rush? The other side hasn’t made a move yet.”

Alu forcefully shoved a communicator into his hand, displaying only a single line of text.

’I want to take you away at night — Hong’

There was also a big heart on the screen.

”This guy actually plans to steal their idol away in front of all the fans,” Gao Gong clicked his tongue. ”Impressive, this guy.”

Gao Gong bore a solemn and dignified expression.

”As the 1314th member of the Bull Hunter Corps, it’s time to spring into action!”