Chapter 180: The Finale

“My heart is like this face—half pure white, half shadowed. I can choose to let you see it, or I can insist on hiding it. This circus performance excited me, but it scared all of you. Because you are the beasts, and I am the taming clown.”

The extortion plan succeeded, and the ransom was received. It was already late at night. The circus performance came to an end, and we looked forward to the next circus opening. Another announcement: someone paid three million dollars for us to say: Thanks for the support from Legion Ant Company. Final warning to the CIA: Don’t try to catch us, or we will attack the global internet.

The statement from the Joker Organization left the world in silence.

The attack on ten cities lasted less than half a day before suddenly being declared over. Everyone was caught off guard by the news.

Who paid the ransom—the United Kingdom, the United States, or the Island Nation? This became the focus of everyone’s speculation. It meant that a country had given in to a hacker organization.

The United States listed the Joker Organization as a terrorist group, so it was unlikely they paid the ransom.

That left the United Kingdom and the Island Nation as the main suspects.

After the news came out, the governments of the United Kingdom and the Island Nation hurried to clarify that they had not paid the ransom to the Joker Organization. Whether people believed them was another matter.

After this statement, Legion Ant Company also condemned certain companies for collaborating with the Joker Organization, engaging in unfair competition, and tarnishing the company’s reputation.

But their voices did not attract much attention.

After Zhao Min came in, Chen Mo put down his work. The Joker Organization announced they were stopping, and Chen Mo only paid attention at first before ignoring it later. “How are things outside now?”

“It’s very lively. All three countries claimed they didn’t pay the ransom to the Joker, but then the opposition parties in those countries attacked the ruling parties for giving in to a terrorist organization. It’s quite a mess.”

After the Joker Organization released their final message, they disappeared without a trace. Even the Joker Virus, which had shocked the world, vanished completely in the shortest time. Because of the ransom payment, the opposition parties in the three countries fiercely attacked the ruling parties. Now those countries are in chaos, with scandals flying everywhere.

“The Joker’s circus performance was very interesting; the whole world was played like monkeys,” Zhao Min said.

A single tweet from the Joker stirred up global turmoil, and every country was manipulated. Zhao Min couldn’t help but admire those crazy people.

“I’m a little curious about who the rich person was that paid three million dollars for the Joker to say one sentence.”

Zhao Min looked at Chen Mo; her intuition told her he knew. This man seemed to know everything. Even if the sky fell, he remained calm and composed, as if nothing could disturb him.

“Microsoft,” Chen Mo said calmly.

The answer was what Zhao Min had expected. After hearing Chen Mo’s answer, she stared at him, growing more curious about this man. “Even I, as someone in the know, suspect you have ties to the Joker Organization.”

“I’m not that bored to extort the whole world,” Chen Mo said, giving her a strange look. “You shouldn’t be interested in little brothers, right?”

Zhao Min realized she had been staring and snapped out of it, her face turning slightly red. Chen Mo had actually used the words she once teased him with to tease her back.

Her reaction made Chen Mo even more puzzled. Having known Zhao Min for so long, this was the first time he had seen her like this. “It’s not almost New Year, and you need to bring a boyfriend home, is it? I can’t help with that.”

Zhao Min almost laughed at Chen Mo’s words. “Sis is a non-marrier. My annual salary is enough for me to live on for a lifetime. I’m free and easy—why would I need a man?”

“Right,” Chen Mo nodded, covering his face and unable to look directly at her. “Free and easy.”

“Let’s get to business. It’s about going to the Capital for the earthquake early warning network launch ceremony. The flight is tomorrow afternoon.”

The day after tomorrow was the launch ceremony for the national earthquake early warning network. They had to arrive in the Capital a day early. The official start of the national earthquake early warning network was a very important day.

During this period, Legion Ant Company produced seismographs, and after testing, they were delivered to the Earthquake Administration as soon as possible. The Earthquake Administration staff installed the seismographs in areas that needed monitoring in the shortest time. Actual testing and data collection were carried out simultaneously.

After the big earthquake in the Island Nation, it stirred up gray memories of earthquake disasters among the people.

With Legion Ant Company’s seismographs, the government issued various priority policies, and with the help of the Earthquake Administration and the Huaxia Academy of Sciences’ Geophysics Research Institute, the earthquake early warning network was completed in the shortest time.

Capital International Airport.

It was already evening. Li Chengzhi was waiting at the airport entrance. Next to him stood a man and a woman—the drivers assigned to receive Chen Mo’s group.

They had expressionless faces, but their eyes were fixed on the airport exit. They all knew that the person they were picking up was the boss of Legion Ant Company. They had seen the boss on TV, but this was their first time meeting him in person.

Soon, a group of people appeared at the airport exit.

Chen Mo wore a scarf and carried two suitcases, looking no different from an ordinary young man. To his left was Xiaoyu, to his right was Zhao Min, and in front and behind were Wang Hai and White Pearl, the two bodyguards. It was a very simple lineup.

Seeing Chen Mo and the others come out, Li Chengzhi went up to greet them with a simple hello.

“Finally, you’re here. The weather is unusually cool,” Li Chengzhi said with a laugh.

“Thanks for your hard work, old brother,” Chen Mo said.

“Don’t mention it. Your Legion Ant Company has done something great for the country and the people, something that will be remembered in history. Me waiting a little longer is nothing,” Li Chengzhi laughed heartily upon hearing Chen Mo call him old brother.

“Almost remembered for the wrong reasons.”

Chen Mo handed the suitcases to Wang Hai and got into the car. Xiaoyu and Zhao Min followed him in, and the group headed to their hotel.

“You’re talking about the Joker Organization, right? To be honest, we were scared too. Several cities were paralyzed for half a day, and the losses were huge. From what I know, during that time, cybersecurity personnel monitored the internet nonstop, afraid something would happen.”

Li Chengzhi said this with a look of lingering fear. If the most important cities in the country lost internet at the same time, no one could calculate the losses.

“You could use the Termite System. I’ll give you a discount,” Chen Mo said with a smile.

“Brother Chen Mo, you’re getting more and more like a businessman—always talking about your trade,” Li Chengzhi chuckled and took out a document, handing it to Xiaoyu. “This is the detailed schedule for tomorrow’s launch ceremony. Miss He, take a look and then explain it to him. There’s one more thing.”

Li Chengzhi suddenly became serious. What came next was the main point.

“Tomorrow morning, the Chief wants to meet with you before going together to the launch ceremony. Someone will pick you up in the morning. Be ready before 8:30. Is that okay?”

The meeting location wasn’t specified. Chen Mo and Zhao Min exchanged glances and understood immediately. These arrangements were expected, but hearing it from Li Chengzhi still made them a little excited.

“No problem,” Chen Mo nodded.