Chapter 179: Chen Mo Angry?
Chapter 179: Chen Mo Angry?
Los Angeles.
Ivy focused on the computer screen, his eyes excited. He was playing a battle royale game. This method of raising gu, this colosseum-like struggle, captivated him.
Every time he won a match, he felt a great sense of achievement.
Ivy, hiding in his room, watched the crosshairs on the screen excitedly, constantly searching for targets. Seeing a figure in the distance, Ivy smiled.
Just as he clicked the mouse, the screen went black.
“What the fk?”
Ivy jumped up, his face full of anger. Just as he thought the internet was disconnected, a half-black, half-white clown appeared on the computer screen.
Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Ily stared blankly at the screen. The evil smile looked more like a mockery. One second she was watching a TV drama, the next this mask appeared. She was very familiar with this mask; it was the Joker that had been causing a stir recently.
The Joker’s threat was not a joke. The indiscriminate attacks announced by the Joker Organization had arrived.
Prime Minister’s Office, Island Nation.
Over a dozen officials sat around the conference table. They were all leaders in major positions within the Island Nation government.
Each face was grim.
News came from across the ocean: five cities in the United States, including Washington, and five cities in the United Kingdom. The Joker Organization attacked two countries and ten cities all at once, shocking the entire world.
Indiscriminate attacks left entire cities defenseless. Now the United States and the United Kingdom suffered heavy losses. Tokyo had already fallen, and they also refused to pay the ransom.
The next target for an indiscriminate attack was likely them. So they summoned officials overnight for an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures.
“What do you all think we should do?”
The man seated at the head of the table spoke. He was short and fat, with small eyes and a servile-looking face. He was Anbei, the current Prime Minister of the Island Nation.
“I think we should pay the ransom. The major earthquake just passed, and domestic economic losses are severe. Our economy was already not good; it’s declining this year. If our most important cities are attacked again, I’m afraid our market will really crash,” said the man sitting to Anbei’s left.
“If we compromise, we will face attacks from other political parties,” said the middle-aged man to Anbei’s right.
After he spoke, the conference room fell silent.
“We could use the Army Ant’s Termite System,” one official suggested.
“No. We can’t use a Huaxia system. No one can guarantee they didn’t leave a backdoor. Computer office systems relate to national security; we can’t use a Huaxia system.”
Someone immediately refuted him fiercely. The scene fell quiet again.
“If the market crashes, we will also be attacked by other parties, and I’m afraid it will be even more troublesome. If we secretly contact the Joker Organization to compromise, as long as it doesn’t leak out, we still have hope of covering it up.”
This statement made several people at the table nod.
The major earthquake just happened. Now the Island Nation’s economy was as fragile as cracked glass, ready to shatter at any moment. If they suffered a large-scale Joker Virus attack now, there would be no way to recover.
“Have someone contact the Joker,” Anbei said after his eyes flickered for a long time.
“Foreign Media News: The United States Lists Joker Organization as a Terrorist Organization.”
“The United States is Discussing Putting Army Ant on its Sanctions List.”
“Does Army Ant Really Support the Joker Organization?”
The next day at dawn, the domestic news was filled with all kinds of reports.
Ten cities fell overnight, shocking everyone. This speed of attack was using pressure to force the two countries to compromise.
Countries not yet attacked also began to tense up.
A new type of cyber terrorism had arrived. It didn’t kill people, but it was a huge economic blow.
Chen Mo stood by the window, looking down at the dense crowd of media outside the company, his face expressionless.
Legion Ant Company had a big problem. Because of this attack, these media outlets were again linking Legion Ant Company with the Joker Organization. If he didn’t give an answer, these people would stubbornly stay here.
“Zhao Min, hold a temporary press conference,” Chen Mo picked up the phone and notified Zhao Min.
On the open ground in front of the Legion Ant Company building, over two hundred reporters stood quietly. Around them, besides the Legion Ant Company security guards, there were over twenty police officers maintaining order.
Fearing possible conflict, Zhao Min had notified the Municipal Public Security Bureau to send people to keep order. With Legion Ant Company’s situation, no one could guarantee that irrational people wouldn’t appear.
When they saw Chen Mo come out of the office building, the scene stirred. The sound of camera shutters came continuously, all aimed at Chen Mo.
Chen Mo stood firm at the small podium. Everyone quieted down.
“Recently, there have been some misunderstandings about Legion Ant Company in the outside world. Our company has issued multiple statements. I reiterate for the last time here. Legion Ant Company has never provided any form of support to the Joker Organization. As for why the Joker Organization said such a thing, I don’t understand either.”
“Originally, I didn’t want to personally respond to these baseless rumors. The reckless reporting by certain media has caused serious damage to our company’s image. I am here to warn those individual media outlets who talk nonsense: I can let the previous reports slide.”
“Tolerance has its limits. From this moment on, if there are any articles or statements linking the Joker Organization with Legion Ant Company, spreading false information and damaging our company’s image, wait to receive a lawyer’s letter. The Legal Department of Legion Ant Company is not for decoration.”
Chen Mo’s serious tone made the group of reporters completely silent.
They understood that Legion Ant Company was angry about this matter. Chen Mo personally coming out to say these things probably meant he was serious.
“Now, if you have any questions, ask them.” After his stern warning, Chen Mo scanned the crowd. “The first question goes to the handsome guy in the white shirt and glasses at the front.”
That reporter took the microphone, immediately drawing the gaze of all the reporters.
“Mr. Chen Mo, if Legion Ant Company and the Joker Organization have no connection, why did they say ‘thank you for your technical support’?”
After asking this, the male reporter suddenly felt nervous. Chen Mo had just said not to link Army Ant and the Joker, and now he was asking such a question.
“The computer language they used to write the virus is the Chinese Character Programming Language. This is a language I created and made publicly available for free. If this counts as supporting the Joker Organization, I have nothing more to say. Technology is not guilty. If a company sells iron ore, and someone buys iron to make guns to kill people, do you also blame the company that sold the iron ore?”
“None of us know the inside story. The Joker Organization themselves said Legion Ant Company supported them, and the existing logic also points to Army Ant. How do you explain this?” asked the second reporter who got a question, a female reporter.
“I don’t understand what logic you are talking about? Or is it just your own wishful thinking? If the Joker Organization says it, you believe it? Why don’t you believe us when we speak?”
“Some media would rather believe a hacker organization that holds entire city networks hostage and extorts countries, than believe a company that dutifully conducts research and benefits society. Is this your so-called logic?”
Chen Mo’s sharp words plunged the group of reporters into dead silence.
The Legion Ant employees who saw this scene cheered inwardly. During this period, they had been annoyed to death by those news reports. Recently, hearing those company statements, they had been holding in their anger. Chen Mo’s tough retorts let them vent their frustration fiercely.
“Mr. Chen Mo, there are rumors that Legion Ant Company has software that can detect and kill the Joker Virus, but hasn’t released it. Is this news true?”
“What we have already released, the Intelligent Firewall of the Termite System, is the software that resists the Joker Virus. As for the separate antivirus software you mentioned, it is still under research.”
“The Termite System is the most complete Computer Operating System. It was developed based on the Army Ant System and has an Intelligent Firewall. Its security surpasses any current system.”
“The Chinese Character Programming Language is a new computer language. This language hasn’t been around for long, but the performance of software written in it is better than that written in other languages, including virus software. This is a genetic issue. This is also why the Joker Virus isn’t detected and killed by existing antivirus software. Natural selection, survival of the fittest. The Chinese Character Programming Language is a choice for survival.”
After answering a few questions from the reporters, Chen Mo left and walked back to his Office.
Xiaoyu entered the Office. Without saying much, she poured a glass of water and handed it to Chen Mo. Having been with Chen Mo for so long, this was the first time she saw that kind of expression on his face.
“Do you think I was angry?” Chen Mo took the water cup from Xiaoyu and smiled.
He wouldn’t stoop to getting worked up over these things; it was beneath him. He just had to step forward to warn some people; otherwise, the company would become demoralized by these rumors.
“But you were really scary just now,” Xiaoyu said.
“If I smiled at those people, they would think we are easy to bully. Nice guys finish last. That’s what you taught me originally. Did I learn quickly? Come on, give me a kiss.”
“Wishful thinking. Sister Zhao made a rule: no one is allowed to mess around in the company. If you want a kiss, wait until after work and we get home.” Xiaoyu pushed Chen Mo’s head away.
After Xiaoyu left, Chen Mo turned and walked to the window. After his response just now, there were no more reporters outside the company.
“Brother Mo, the Joker just posted a message,” Ink Girl’s voice suddenly sounded.