Faulty Utopia

The spacecraft carrier named Happy Castle by AA was slowly moving through the acid rain clouds.

At this moment, inside the spacecraft carrier, within a conference room, Sun Jack's metallic fingers were slowly tapping on the table.

At the center of it all was Sun Jack, and spreading to his left and right were other high-ranking executives from Metropolis, either in person or as virtual projections, creating a somewhat oppressive atmosphere in the room.

The Poet, as a guard, stood behind Sun Jack, engrossed in a game.

"So, you're saying, the surprise attack by FFP wasn't due to a betrayal within our ranks?" Sun Jack asked the spokesperson for the Think Tank.

"Correct," replied the 3D holographic projection of Sun Jack, adjusting his head that seemed thrice as large.

"We've reviewed all the surveillance, and only the high-ranking officials knew your whereabouts. With Xiao Ting's help, we examined their memory traces extensively and confirmed that the problem isn't internal."

"Where is the problem, then?" Sun Jack asked, perplexed.

He had almost been decapitated—a grave matter indeed. A slight misstep could have ended everything for him.

Just then, a mechanical hand rested on Sun Jack's shoulder. "The issue lies in network cybersecurity. Some expert bypassed my connection with the Digital Personality and hacked into our company's system." (・ε・｀)

Sun Jack glanced at Tapai beside him, "Are you sure?"

Just then, the Digital Personality formed entirely of data streams spoke.

"I'm sure. Though we've now plugged the leak, that doesn't mean we're safe."

"From the traces they left, it's clear that FFP dispatched a formal cybersecurity unit. They're continuously searching for vulnerabilities in our network, trying to hack our systems."

"Though it's hard to admit, FFP's cyber capabilities surpass ours by several ranks. Currently, other than physically disconnecting from the network, I can't think of any other way to counter them."

Hearing this, Sun Jack's brow furrowed even more. If they were actually breached at the network level, it was a far graver situation than having an internal traitor.

Sun Jack quickly switched to the drone's feed. On the outskirts of Metropolis, FFP's Expeditionary Army remained in place, but the numbers of the combat units around them didn't match up anymore. Whether they were plotting another ambush, no one could be sure.

But one thing was certain—they wouldn't stop causing trouble for him.

"Bro~, completely shutting down the network isn't a solution. With the network off, I can't lead our internet army in the propaganda war," lamented Old Six, flaunting his gold teeth. "With such high online engagement now, my hosts and I are indispensable. Though they can't kill you, losing the propaganda war would mean being defamed mercilessly online—it would be as good as being dead."

"I bloody know, there's no need to repeat it," Sun Jack said, irritatedly lighting a cigarette.

"Moreover, regarding supplies, though fusion power ensures we won't run out of energy, the lack of supply from the Eight Satellite Cities means we won't last long in a protracted conflict," Abu analysed, unemotionally.

Once everyone else had spoken, Linda Linda gently addressed the silent Sun Jack, "The public relations team will collaborate with Liberation Theology and other religious groups to maintain calm, but this is, after all, not a permanent solution."

The more he listened to reports from various departments, the worse Sun Jack felt.

Thinking back on the plan mentioned by UO, and considering their current predicament, he decided to give them a call.

Soon, UO appeared as a 3D virtual image on the conference table, "How's it going, Jack? Have you decided?"

Sun Jack, with his brow furrowed and arms crossed, looked at him, "I'm willing to cooperate, but I need to see your capabilities first."

"Our capabilities? In what aspect?" UO asked curiously.

"Network security. Can you stop FFP's hacker unit?"

"Hehe," UO chuckled. "You're asking the right questions. Do you know what got Saotome and me caught in the first place?"

"Save it, just show me what you've got."

Hearing Sun Jack's words, UO's digital body quickly morphed into a laughing face. "Looks like someone's in trouble and wants to take the chance to get my help for free, huh?"

"Didn't you say we're all in the same boat now? Isn't mutual benefit expected among those in the same boat?" Sun Jack retorted, his motive exposed.

Facing FFP's hacker unit, the only solution Sun Jack could think of was to utilize UO and his group; it was a free opportunity not to be missed.

"It should be." Soon, several screens projected around Sun Jack, showing the inside of FFP's cybersecurity unit. Their prosthetic bodies, filled with large tubes, were all submerged in ice-cold water.

However, soon, with the ringing of red alert lights, the hackers inside began to struggle painfully.

As the cooling units started to fail frequently, the water in the red light began to melt and boil. The hackers struggled desperately in the boiling water, eventually being cooked alive.

This scene caused others in the conference room to whisper among themselves, speculating about the expert their boss had found.

"How about that? Does this prove our strength?" UO asked. "We also took the liberty of updating your ICE, clearing some Trojans; you're welcome."

After the Digital Personality and Tapai reconfirmed that what he said was true, Sun Jack looked at UO again.

"Okay, I'll accept your plan to take the city, but on one condition: you and Saotome must teach all your network techniques to my people," Sun Jack said, pointing at Tapai.

"Unfortunately, even if we wanted to teach, we couldn't. Our AI's multi-thread operations cannot be learned by the human brain."

"But I am an AI as well. <(￣︶￣)>"

This statement genuinely surprised UO, who then floated there silently.

With help from the Digital Personality, Sun Jack understood that the two were communicating at high speed through the network.

A few minutes later, UO looked at Sun Jack again—neither agreeing nor disagreeing. "If the Himalayas fall, the network goes to us."

"Deal, agreed!" Sun Jack responded to UO's plan to seize the city.

"When do you start?"

"Don't rush it. The Wild Men in the Himalayas are too sparse now. Even if my spacecraft carrier moved there, it would take some time. Plus, I need to understand more about this city from The Previous Era."