Chapter 170: News

Legion Ant Company.

Zhao Min sat opposite Chen Mo.

“I have good news,” Zhao Min began.

“What good news?”

“Our applied project for the Chinese Character Programming Language environment has passed. It’s also been included in the National Torch Program. The Education Professional Committee has approved pilot training projects for the Chinese Character Programming Language across primary, middle, and high schools in Binhai City.”

“So fast?” Chen Mo expressed surprise.

“Seriously,” Zhao Min said. “The viral incident in Jiangnan City made people notice the uniqueness of the Chinese Character Programming Language. Something beneficial for development like this, they couldn’t ignore.” Chen Mo nodded. The viral incident in Jiangnan City and this recent ‘Joker Virus crisis’ in London likely helped showcase the true value of the Chinese Character Programming Language, explaining the quick approval. With national promotion backing it, he didn’t worry about finding learners.

“London really took a hit this time. What do you think happens next?” Zhao Min looked at Chen Mo.

“Who knows?” Chen Mo spread his hands. “Maybe the British will cave in? If this drags on, the UK stands to lose greatly. But actually, this whole thing has a bit to do with us.”

“With us? Don’t scare me like that.” Zhao Min’s expression turned grave.

“Remember the Jiangnan City virus incident? After that incident, the Jiangnan City Bureau’s network was hacked, and the virus code was stolen. This new virus, the one that crippled London in a single hour? That stolen code played a part. This virus… it was written using the Chinese Character Programming Language.”

Hearing this, Zhao Min relaxed slightly. Since this event didn’t have a direct link to them, it was fine.

“It wasn’t that serious last time, was it?” Zhao Min asked.

“Someone definitely modified and optimized it?”

Chen Mo shrugged. He couldn’t explain, definitely couldn’t say that he had Ink Girl intervene.

That program had been unusual, almost like a ghost virus, undetectable by firewalls. Virus programs written in Chinese Character Programming Language were fundamentally different from traditional viruses, making it hard for standard anti-virus software to find and eliminate them.

The previous virus had been a semi-intelligent virus; existing computer systems were utterly defenseless once invaded.

Though finding a way to kill it wasn’t impossible. The software Lin Shu wrote, by just enhancing its features, could detect the presence of such semi-intelligent viruses.

“So, right now I could write software to kill the ‘Joker Virus’. Can you see any actionable opportunities in that?” Chen Mo asked.

Zhao Min thought for a moment, then shook her head. “No, don’t kill it. It’s not our house on fire anyway. Actually, this is the perfect chance to push into the enterprise office market. Security as the selling point – enterprises desperate for data security would be willing to pay up.”

Chen Mo didn’t oppose Zhao Min’s idea.

Releasing anti-virus software might bring them some profit, but the gains would be small. Compared to the enterprise office market, the profit from anti-virus software was insignificant.

The spreading Joker Virus didn’t threaten their interests. In fact, it brought them potential benefits. There was no need to eliminate it.

They should use this opportunity for Legion Ant Company to enter the enterprise office field swiftly. It was a natural progression.

For them, the greater the chaos in that market, the bigger their opportunity.

Breaking first and building later. The old era of cybersecurity was shot to pieces by this incident. Before stability was restored, there would be a massive gap in the computer office market.

In quiet times, with no major disruptions, getting their Computer Operating System into the market would have been extremely difficult. The Joker Virus pried open the very foundations of computer network security – a heaven-sent chance.

This network virus incident felt like the war that signifies a dynasty at its peak beginning its decline. With the right strategy, a new ruler could ascend.

They had coveted the enterprise office market– a cash cow – for a long time, but couldn’t find an opening to bite.

Their Computer Operating System had been ready for a while, not publicly released yet, while they worked on linking the Legion Ant App Store and the PC ecosystem.

“The application channel is connected now. The office ecosystem is taking shape. Combined with the Smart Assistant, office tasks become much faster. That segment? We haven’t entered yet, but the potential is immense. However, before entering the market, we could drop another announcement.”

“What announcement?” Chen Mo asked.

“Haven’t you always wanted to promote the Chinese Character Programming Language? This is the perfect opportunity – free global advertising. Announce publicly that the ‘Joker Virus’ was written using the Chinese Character Programming Language,” Zhao Min said. “Once that creates a huge buzz, then smoothly announce the existence of our Computer Operating System. Ride the wave.”

“Yes,” Chen Mo agreed without hesitation.

After Zhao Min left, Chen Mo returned to organizing the supercomputer technology materials.

He had spent a few days relaxing and sightseeing in Jiangnan City with Xiaoyu. Now, it was time to focus on work again.

Production of the Room Temperature Superconducting Material was already handled by robots. They were producing it in small batches now, enough to support his research without issue.

His goal was the Superconducting Computer. With the Superconducting Computer, Ink Girl’s operational speed would skyrocket.

A supercomputer could handle calculations that would take humans over a hundred years to compute. Once completed, it would become Ink Girl’s true brain, greatly assisting his future work on High-Level Artificial Intelligence and other advanced research.

The Joker Virus outbreak caused widespread panic in the internet market.

London’s ‘Joker Virus’ exposed cybersecurity as utterly broken. The current state of the network offered no real safety.

Every intelligence agency in the UK mobilized, yet they still hadn’t located the hackers or found any way to eradicate the virus.

Existing antivirus software lacked the signature definitions for viruses written in Chinese Character Programming Language. The software couldn’t recognize or eliminate this virus. Combined with the scarcity of people proficient in the language, the world’s software companies were seemingly powerless against it.

International media focused intensely on the ‘Joker Organization’s’ Twitter feed.

This was the largest computer virus attack in the history of computing. Holding an entire city hostage became reality in today’s information age.

Nobody knew which city might be targeted next.

In the Global Times office, Li Tiejun felt like he was overlooking something crucial about the ‘Joker Virus’, but he couldn’t quite grasp what it was.

“Tiejun,” a female colleague approached Li Tiejun with a laptop. She placed it on his desk. “Legion Ant officially announced that the ‘Joker Virus’ was written in the Chinese Character Programming Language. They hinted that anyone seeking ways to kill it should start by exploring that language.”

“That’s it! Exactly!” Li Tiejun exclaimed, suddenly realizing it.

“What is it?” asked the slightly confused colleague beside him.

“Doesn’t this ‘Joker Virus’ feel similar to the one in Jiangnan City last time? Remember the Jiangnan City computer virus incident? After that virus incident, the Joker hack into the Jiangnan City Bureau’s network.”

“You’re suggesting… the virus the Joker used this time… is that virus from Jiangnan?”

“Yes! After the Jiangnan incident, Legion Ant claimed cybersecurity as we knew it ‘no longer exists’. Now they announce the virus was written in Chinese Character Programming Language – their own creation. They must know the Joker Virus carries the genetic code of that Jiangnan virus.”

Li Tiejun became more convinced the more he thought about it.

Before the Jiangnan incident, a computer virus had never spread that rapidly. And just after Legion Ant’s chilling “cybersecurity is dead” warning… boom: the ‘Joker Virus’ holds a city hostage.

If someone tried to tell Li Tiejun there was no connection between these events, he wouldn’t believe them even if beaten to death.

“Write an article. Publish it immediately.”