Chapter 9

"Have you guys heard? That very special BBS."

"Which university established it?"

"It's not any known university, nor was it created by some big-shot in a lab."

"Then what's so special about this BBS?"

"After you connect, you only have ten minutes to prove yourself. Once the ten minutes are up, your computer will be hacked, and a virus will immediately paralyze the entire system. I heard some professor even fell for it."

"So? What's so great about that? At best, it's just a poison trap; you win the prize as soon as you connect."

"What kind of virus would obediently wait for ten minutes before launching? Either execute it, or it's fine; that's the normal situation, okay? Don't be so ignorant; people who don't know might think computer viruses are spread by syringes."

"Fine, let's not talk about the virus. I'm still asking the same question: what's so special about that BBS? Worth risking a ten-minute connection."

"After connecting to that BBS, there's no introduction, you only see three messages. The first one is 'Those who see this text, you only have ten minutes to protect yourself and obtain the power to leave a message. Otherwise, you can only choose to leave.' The poster is CK."

"Oh, and what's the second message?"

"'There's no shit here, don't be fooled.' The poster is KM."

"KM? Could it be that legendary one... Then what's the third message?"

"'The guy above is the shit, this is the greatest treasure.' The poster is LT."

"Fuck! If the last two people are the ones I suspect, then who is CK?"

"Don't know. That's why everyone wants to risk a ten-minute system crash to find the secret of that BBS."

In universities all over the United States, messages like this were quietly spreading.

The rise of personal computers had become an irreversible trend of the era, and a considerable number of people were not content with just being mere users, but were constantly challenging the limits of this emerging product.

Just like the appearance of cars, which simultaneously gave birth to racing competitions.

Seeking limits and then breaking them seemed to be a human instinct.

But to put it bluntly, it was just seeking pleasure in courting death, just like those who play extreme sports. Only extreme sports pursue the ultimate in physical fitness, while here, it was competing for the ultimate in intelligence.

So this special BBS spread rapidly among this group of college students courting death.

Especially in those top universities specializing in science and engineering, not to mention the self-important college students, even the professors in the information departments were involved.

It's just that most people couldn't figure it out within ten minutes. They could only watch helplessly as their computers were hacked, system files cleared, and then a terrifying clown pixel art appeared on the screen, making a laughing expression.

If the computer had a sound card plugged in and speakers connected, they could even hear eerie MIDI laughter.

Such rumors, of course, also reached the ears of a doctoral student who was leisurely studying at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Caltech.

He was admitted to the MIT Department of Electrical Engineering at fourteen and eventually obtained a doctorate in engineering physics.

Coming to Caltech, it was less about being interested in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory that collaborated with NASA, and more about being interested in the female stars of Hollywood. Just getting a degree along the way.

Coming from MIT, in this top-tier university that was no less inferior, although he didn't seem out of place, he was also seen as an eyesore by quite a few people.

...Perhaps the reason he was seen as an eyesore wasn't his university background, but his background, and the girls surrounding him.

Tony Stark, the sole heir to Stark Industries, was rarely walking on this beautiful campus. His wealthy face instantly became the focus of many women, and he was also surrounded by the envious, jealous, and hateful gazes of men.

Of course, the gazes of those nobodies wouldn't cause Tony Stark any trouble.

Whether it was admiration or jealousy, the fact that they could enter this university meant they had enough intelligence not to provoke this young master of the Stark family.

Even if it was just a look of contempt, the subsequent impact was a weight they couldn't bear.

Money equals power; this is a constant equation in the United States. If someone thinks this formula doesn't hold, it only explains one problem: their money isn't enough.

In a place like this, only two things could catch the eye of Young Master Stark.

One was a beauty who made his heart flutter, even if this flutter only lasted until the post-coital period, but at least it made the young master hard.

The other was the unknown that interested him. It could be knowledge, or something he hadn't seen before.

So when he heard the conversation between two sleazy guys next to him in the public dining area, he became interested in that "special BBS."

Swallowing the burger sold in the school cafeteria whole, casting aside the thought of where to dig up a chef to replace the school cafeteria cook, Tony Stark sat down next to those two sloppy students whom no one wanted to get close to.

He opened his mouth and asked: "The IP address of that BBS?"

"Are you... Tony Stark?"

"Yes, I am. I don't give autographs. I just want to know the IP of that BBS you mentioned, or is that something that can't be said, and I have to find a way to find it myself?"

"No, sir, of course not." The college student who was asked was at a loss and started looking on his person. "I'll find a piece of paper and write it down for you. I should have a notepad on me."

"No, no, no, just say it. I can remember it. If you write it on something and give it to me, I might turn around and lose it." Tony said the hurtful, honest truth.

"Oh, okay." The person speaking directly reported an IP address. For these IT people, this kind of thing was directly remembered in their brains; no one would write it on paper.

Because important, frequently used things would naturally be remembered, and things that were forgotten meant they weren't important at all, and forgetting them didn't matter.

After getting a string of numbers, Tony Stark didn't thank them, just knocked on the table twice with his fist, didn't even look at the two, and got up to leave.

Watching the person walk away, the two sitting in their original seats looked at each other. One of them said: "Do you think it's possible for me to be hired by Stark Industries in the future?"

"For this kind of thing, you should have asked directly when the person was there, and signed a contract in black and white. Who doesn't know that things that guy said on the spot might be forgotten when he turns around, let alone this kind of thing that wasn't said."

"Sigh, missed a good opportunity."

The two sighed at each other.

For them, who were admitted to Caltech from ordinary families, envying that person was impossible. Because they knew they didn't even have the qualifications to be jealous.

But it didn't mean they didn't want to hug this golden thigh. It's just that when the opportunity was in front of them, they didn't seem to be able to grasp it...

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