On the Eve of the Storm: The "Spark" Handed Over and the Crisis Brewing Beneath the Surface
Early the next morning, Lin Chen arrived at the company in high spirits, sporting a fresh pair of dark circles from staying up late "translating" technical documents.
He clutched an ordinary USB drive tightly in his hand. It held the technical summary far ahead of its time that he had racked his brains to put together the night before.
He had described some core algorithmic ideas and architectural concepts in language as accessible as he could make it, leaving out the most crucial details of their implementation and the mathematical proofs.
Even so, he believed that President Yan, with her discerning eye, would surely recognize how extraordinary it was.
President Yan will be... really surprised when she sees this, won't she?
Does this count as helping Little Moon and indirectly helping President Yan too?
If it helps them overcome their technical difficulties, they'll definitely be happy!
Hehe, maybe President Yan will be so happy she'll give me a bonus?
Then my one-million task will have an even better chance!
Both nervous and expectant, he waited for Yan Qingyue to arrive.
Yan Qingyue arrived a little later than usual that day.
When she walked into the office, her expression was as composed as ever. She was still the same cool, beautiful, and capable female CEO, though a barely perceptible trace of complicated feelings and curiosity lay hidden deep in her eyes.
She had barely slept the night before, turning over in her mind what the so-called "technical documents" Lin Chen might produce could be, and whether... she had been right to "sacrifice her charms" to coax information out of him.
"Good morning, President Yan!"
Lin Chen stood up the moment he saw her, his eyes shining.
Yan Qingyue paused midstep and glanced at him. Naturally, she didn't miss his obvious dark circles or his excessively excited state.
Looks like he was busy last night.
She muttered to herself, giving a slight nod with an indifferent expression. "Morning."
She walked into her office, and just as she put down her bag, Lin Chen knocked and came in, holding the USB drive with an expression that was both awkward and excited.
"President Yan, there's... there's something I'd like to show you."
He held out the USB drive with both hands, his voice a little dry from nerves. "This is... something a friend of mine happened to come across. Some... uh... rather novel ideas about AI algorithms.
"She couldn't understand them, so she asked me to get a professional's opinion.
"I thought... since you happen to be researching this, I'd... I'd bring it to you. I don't know if it'll be any use..."
He tried to make his story sound natural, but his darting eyes and slightly flushed cheeks betrayed his nervousness.
For some reason, Yan Qingyue's heart skipped a beat.
She took the USB drive without betraying her thoughts, her fingertips brushing Lin Chen's hand by chance. She could feel him stiffen instantly and pull back quickly.
A friend? Little Moon?
She almost immediately thought of their conversation the night before, and the guilt in her heart resurfaced.
But stronger than that was her curiosity about the contents of the USB drive and a trace of absurd anticipation.
"Oh? What kind of friend? Someone in tech?"
She asked as casually as she could, setting the USB drive on the desk without looking at it right away.
"Huh? Just... just an ordinary online friend, messing around with ideas..."
Lin Chen's eyes wandered, and he didn't dare look at her. "You... you can take a casual look whenever you have time. If it's no use, just delete it!"
Seeing how guilty he looked, Yan Qingyue became even more certain of her suspicion.
All of a sudden, she felt a little like laughing, but also a little... upset, for no clear reason.
This fool would help count the money after being sold.
"Mm, leave it here. I'll take a look in a bit."
She suppressed her emotions, her tone even. "Go get ready. We'll leave for the seminar in half an hour."
"Yes, President Yan!"
Relieved, Lin Chen hurriedly slipped out.
After the office door closed, Yan Qingyue picked up the little USB drive and turned it between her fingertips, her gaze deep.
She went to her computer, plugged in the USB drive, and opened the only encrypted document on it, which Lin Chen had learned to encrypt using a simple method the night before.
As the document opened, her initially casual gaze gradually grew grave, then shocked, and finally filled with disbelief and alarm!
She involuntarily held her breath, her fingers turning slightly white from how tightly she gripped the mouse.
The document wasn't long, and some of the wording even seemed a little immature and rough to her, as though it had been relayed by a layperson.
Yet the core algorithmic ideas and architectural concepts it contained were like lightning cleaving through the fog and barriers she had long encountered in her technical research!
It was a completely different way of thinking, one from a higher dimension!
Some bottlenecks that she and her team had struggled to overcome despite painstaking research were presented here in an almost "elegant" and "concise" manner, along with theoretical paths to solving them!
This belonged to no school of thought currently known in academia or industry!
This was... technology from the future!
Though these were only fragments, only directions to pursue, their value... was immeasurable!
This... this was what his "online friend" came up with by messing around?!
How is that possible?!
Lin Chen... where on earth did he get this?!
After the immense shock came deeper confusion and a faint trace of unease.
She suddenly remembered the previous occasions when Lin Chen had seemingly relied on "good luck" for his intuitions and discoveries... Could none of them have been coincidences?
Just how many secrets did this man have?
She quickly pulled out the USB drive and clutched it tightly in her palm, as though she were holding a red-hot branding iron, burning hot yet afraid to let go.
This was too important!
Important enough to drive any tech company mad!
Important enough that, if leaked, it could completely change the global AI landscape and even trigger unpredictable upheaval and struggles!
She absolutely couldn't show it to anyone carelessly!
She immediately picked up the internal encrypted phone and dialed the technical director's number, her tone more serious and urgent than ever before:
"Director Li, come to my office immediately! Come alone! Don't alert anyone! Bring the highest-level secure storage device!"
After giving her instructions, she leaned back in her chair, feeling her heart still pounding fiercely.
She glanced out the window. Lin Chen was sitting at his workstation, apparently still uneasy about "handing over" the drive just now, occasionally stealing a glance at her office.
Yan Qingyue's feelings were complicated to the extreme.
She had obtained the technological breakthrough she had dreamed of, and it might even allow the company to leap into the ranks of industry giants.
This should have been a cause for enormous celebration.
But all of it had been obtained by deceiving and taking advantage of a "fool" who trusted her as Little Moon without reservation.
Besides, the source of this technology was so strange. Were there unknown risks hidden behind it?
Would Lin Chen be in danger because he was involved?
Joy, guilt, vigilance, worry... All sorts of emotions tangled together, leaving her heart in knots.
Half an hour later, in the car on the way to the seminar, the atmosphere was unusually quiet.
Lin Chen stole several glances at Yan Qingyue and saw that she was gazing out the window, her brows slightly furrowed, apparently preoccupied.
What's wrong with President Yan? She doesn't look very happy...
Is it because the material I gave her was such garbage that it made her angry? Or is she under pressure because of the seminar?
He didn't dare ask and could only worry in silence.
Yan Qingyue, meanwhile, was completely absorbed in her own thoughts.
The technical summary was like a boulder cast into a lake, stirring towering waves in her heart.
She had to assess its authenticity and risks as soon as possible and make the most prudent arrangements.
At the same time, she realized that her relationship with Lin Chen was about to become more complicated and delicate because of this unexpected "spark."
A tremendous opportunity, accompanied by an unknown crisis, was quietly approaching.
And at the center of the storm seemed to be the young assistant who still knew nothing about it and was worrying about why she was unhappy.
The car drove smoothly toward the seminar venue, its two occupants each lost in their own thoughts, a sign that what lay ahead was far more than an ordinary industry exchange.