Filed to story: Uncategorized
A spirited young staff member from the technical department voiced his surprise, “Mr. McKenna, I had no idea Mr. Barrett was a computer whiz. Between him and you, who do you think is more impressive?”
Paul sighed wistfully. “Ah, in my younger days, I was just as brash and full of energy as you are now. It took a humbling experience for me to come to work with my tail between my legs and start repaying my debts.”
Given Paul’s temperament, it appeared unusual for him to conform to the structured routine of corporate life. Nevertheless, he had no choice but to acknowledge his limitations.
The young man fell silent at once. While he had always admired Paul, Timothy’s surpassing skills caught him off guard.
In the modern era, it seemed that wealth, influence, and charm alone were not enough; having formidable skills was also crucial.
This raised the question¨Cwas there any room left for ordinary folks like them to thrive?
Paul lit a cigarette. “Enough talk. Pay attention, and you might just learn something. Some things go beyond mere expertise.”
On the computer screen, only Timothy and the hacker remained, engaged in a tense confrontation.
As moments passed, it seemed the hacker was gaining the upper hand.
Sensing victory, Sage couldn’t help but display a smug expression. “I’ve got this!”
Ginger applauded enthusiastically, her voice sweet as she exclaimed, “Wow, Sage, you’re amazing!”
Standing nearby, Rachel furrowed her brow in concern. “This situation doesn’t look good. You need to retreat right away.”
“Why should I concede when I’m on the verge of winning?”
“You’ve been deceived, dummy! He’s about to uncover our secret hideout.”
Reacting swiftly, Rachel turned on her computer, her fingers moving deftly across the keyboard.
Soon, alarms blared from Sage’s computer, signaling an intrusion into his system.
At that moment, Sage realized he had fallen into a trap.
Rachel’s fingers moved swiftly over the keys, but she stayed calm. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. He won’t be able to track you down. I’ve already generated a new IP address for you, so he won’t stand a chance.”
In the heat of the moment, Sage found himself growing increasingly frustrated.
His relentless pursuit of victory had clouded his judgment.
Sage hadn’t expected his opponent to resort to such underhanded methods, such as covertly attempting to trace his IP address.
Upon uncovering the IP address, Timothy paused abruptly. “Look into this address,” he instructed.
As Timothy halted, the hacker on the opposite side also ceased their actions, clearly realizing they had walked into a trap.
Timothy fixed his gaze on the screen, his keystrokes deliberate as he typed: Would you consider working at the Barrett Group?”
After all, it had been years since anyone had dared to confront him in such a manner.
11
The last time Timothy faced such a challenge was during a sparring session with Paul years ago, and that encounter eventually led him to recruit another proficient hacker.
Sage couldn’t help but chuckle as he read the message, his demeanor reflecting Timothy’s unmistakable arrogance.
With just two words, he replied: “I decline.”
Unfazed by Sage’s response, Timothy continued typing: “Why did you try to breach my company’s system?”
Upon seeing this message, Sage finally realized the identity of the person he was conversing with on the other side.
past
Sage was somewhat reluctant to concede victory to Timothy.
With a smirk, Sage retorted: “Do I need a reason to hack you? I did it because I wanted to.”
Timothy narrowed his eyes, showing no restraint: “You’re nothing but a weakling. Do you surrender?”
“Never! You cheated!”
Sage felt a surge of indignation. During their confrontation, Timothy had managed to covertly probe his IP address.
It seemed like Timothy was also a computer whiz.
Despite this, Sage refused to admit defeat.
Upon reading the message, Timothy couldn’t help but notice its somewhat peculiar tone, which struck him as almost childish.
At that instant, Paul approached and declared, “This IP address is fake.”
Timothy raised an eyebrow at this revelation. He hadn’t anticipated they would uncover a fake address; it appeared that a skilled individual was assisting the hacker.
Timothy proceeded to type: “Everything is fair in war. What matters is the outcome, not the method used to achieve it.”
Sage’s expression twisted with anger as he read Timothy’s response.
Rachel gently nudged his cheek. “There’s no need to get upset. You’re just four years old, whereas he has had much more experience and is only slightly ahead of you. In a few years, you will surely surpass him.”
Sage defiantly stared at the computer screen, his small hand typing out a line: ” One day, I will defeat you.”
Even though Sage was hesitant to admit it, he recognized that he had been careless this time.
Nonetheless, he resolved to be more cautious in the future.
Timothy frowned when he saw this message. “Do you know me?”
However, there was no response from the other side. It seemed that the person had already left.
As Timothy went over their conversation, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this hacker was intentionally targeting him, sensing a tone reminiscent of a mischievous child in their exchange.
Paul inquired keenly, “Mr. Barrett, did the hacker manage to escape? Did we fail to catch them?”
Timothy’s narrowed gaze swept over. “They’ll be back.”
If it were an adult, incentives could be used as an exchange, but with a youngster, it wasn’t always that straightforward.
Paul responded calmly, “Maybe it’s another young enthusiast here to show off, lucky to have family support. They probably used a fake IP address in time, or else you would have caught them.”
“I don’t want to hear any excuses. Get the system restored within the hour and touch?” improve its defenses. Being outsmarted by a child¨Chave you lost your
Paul let out a sigh; he was indeed getting older, and new talents were always emerging.
Timothy sat alone at his computer, his brow furrowed as he contemplated who might have targeted the Barrett Group’s system.
Just then, his phone vibrated with a WhatsApp message: “Shouldn’t you be at the hospital?”
Meanwhile, Mia stood outside the intensive care unit, gazing at Laura lying inside with a ventilator.
For some inexplicable/reason, her heart felt heavy.
Mia had consulted the doctor about Laura’s critical state. If Laura’s condition didn’t improve, it seemed there would be no other recourse.
Soon after, Mia’s phone rang; it was Timothy calling.
She answered calmly, “Hello?”
“There’s an urgent matter at the company, so I had to go there to address it.”
Mia responded, “Oh, that’s fine. Go ahead and handle your work. I’ve arranged to go shopping with Shelly, so you don’t need to accompany me. Work is a top priority for men, after all.¡®
Timothy couldn’t help but interject, “What about Ginger?”
“Ginger seems a bit under the weather, so I’ve let her stay home to rest,” Mia replied.
Upon hearing this, Timothy pursed his lips slightly and asked, “Does she need to see a doctor?”
Mia’s hands slowly clenched at his question…
Upon hearing this, Mia’s heart raced¨Cthis was precisely why she had come to Bern City.
She calmly responded, “It’s not necessary at the moment. I’ve arranged for a family doctor to tend to her. Some rest should do the trick.”
Mia pondered whether it would be too conspicuous to act now.
Perhaps it would be wiser to lay the groundwork for a few days beforehand.
After ending the call, Mia let out a sigh of relief and cast a glance back at Laura resting on the hospital bed.
Unable to resist, she sent a message to Nicholas: “Is the reishi mushroom still available?”
It seemed she might need to procure another stalk of reishi mushroom.
As Mia settled into the car, her assistant Peyton Mosby, seated in the passenger seat, relayed some concerning news, “Ms. Mia, the systems of the Barrett Group crashed abruptly today.