Digital Offensive and Defensive Battle (Part One)

At 3:17 a.m., only the cold glow of a computer screen remained in Tang Yu's apartment. The System Interface hovered above the monitor, flashing a red warning:

[Continuous surveillance detected]

[Source: Campus surveillance system]

[Infiltration level: 87%]

[Recommendation: Disconnect immediately]

Tang Yu's fingers flew across the keyboard, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Ever since discovering the previous night that Tsukishiro was monitoring Karuizawa, he had been tracking Tsukishiro's digital footprints.

But Tsukishiro's technical skills far exceeded expectations. His counter-tracking program was nearly flawless.

"System, list all available hacking skills for exchange," Tang Yu murmured.

A blue holographic screen unfolded, displaying a densely packed skill tree:

[Basic Hacking Skills: 5,000 points]

[Intermediate Network Infiltration: 15,000 points]

[Advanced Digital Counter-Tracking: 30,000 points]

[Elite Cyberwarfare Expert: 80,000 points]

[Note: Elite skill includes quantum encryption cracking abilities]

Tang Yu glanced at his Emotion Points balance. After the hearing and the celebration, he had accumulated 112,400 points. Enough to exchange for the elite skill, but it would nearly drain his entire reserve.

A flash of lightning outside illuminated his furrowed brow. Raindrops began tapping against the glass, as if heralding an approaching storm. Tang Yu remembered the kiss Karuizawa had given him beneath the cherry tree, and Tsukishiro's threatening gesture of slitting his throat.

"Exchange for the Elite Cyberwarfare Expert skill." He made up his mind.

[Confirm exchange]

[Cost: 80,000 points]

[Remaining Emotion Points: 32,400]

[Skill integration in progress...]

In an instant, a flood of information poured into Tang Yu's brain. The pain of his neural network being reconstructed made him double over, his fingers digging into his thighs.

Quantum encryption algorithms, zero-day exploits, AI adversarial techniques... The knowledge burned itself into his consciousness.

When the pain subsided, Tang Yu opened his eyes and found that the world had changed. Faint streams of data drifted through the air, and signals from electronic devices blinked rhythmically, like breathing.

He looked at his laptop. What had been an ordinary interface now showed dozens of layered network topology diagrams.

"So this is... how things look to an elite hacker?"

Tang Yu flexed his fingers and began analyzing Tsukishiro's surveillance system again. The previously baffling encryption method was now crystal clear—

Tsukishiro was using asymmetric encryption based on quantum computing principles, something ordinary hackers could never crack. But with the elite skill backing him, Tang Yu quickly found a way in.

"I see..." he murmured. He traced the source of Tsukishiro's commands. They weren't coming from anywhere on campus. Instead, they had passed through servers in seven different countries before finally leading to a commercial building in Tokyo's Minato Ward.

The system suddenly displayed a new warning:

[Countermeasures detected in target system]

[Type: Autonomous AI defense]

[Danger level: High]

[Recommendation: Activate virtual isolation zone]

Tang Yu quickly erected a firewall, but Tsukishiro's counterattack came faster than he expected. Countless warning windows suddenly appeared on the screen. The computer's fan spun wildly, and its temperature soared.

"Damn it, it's a logic bomb!"

He immediately disconnected from the network, but it was too late. Some kind of advanced malware had already begun infiltrating his phone and tablet through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals.

Without hesitation, Tang Yu threw all his devices into the microwave. It was the only way to ensure complete electromagnetic isolation.

An eerie silence fell over the apartment, broken only by the occasional crackle of electricity from inside the microwave. Tang Yu leaned against the wall, his heart pounding like a drum. Tsukishiro's cyberwarfare abilities were far beyond the level of an ordinary person. It was almost as if he were...

"AI..." A terrifying suspicion took shape in Tang Yu's mind. "Is Tsukishiro Shuhei not human?"

He remembered Tsukishiro's inhuman tone of voice at the hearing, and his bizarre ability to control people's minds. If the White Room had already advanced to the point of creating biological AIs—

Then everything made sense: the tireless "Reaper" with extraordinary learning abilities, capable of controlling multiple systems at once.

Tang Yu rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a backup phone, then inserted a disposable SIM card. The device had never been connected to the internet, so it should be safe.

He quickly entered the emergency number Ayanokoji had given him and sent a string of code: 715-229-843.

Three minutes later, the phone vibrated. An encrypted message appeared: "Confirmed. Target is a product of the seventh generation, a hybrid of a biological neural network and quantum computing.

"Weakness: excessive reliance on a central node. Stay offline. Physical intel on the way. —R"

Central node... Tang Yu pondered the message. That meant that, powerful as Tsukishiro was, he still had to rely on a main server for complex calculations. Find and destroy that central node, and his abilities would be greatly weakened.

The rain intensified. Tang Yu gazed out at the indistinct outline of the campus. There were two hours until dawn, and he had to use them to come up with a plan. His top priority was making sure Karuizawa was safe. After that...

His phone suddenly vibrated. A text from an unknown number read: "Kei-chan is so cute. How much pain do you think she can take before she breaks? —M"

Tang Yu's blood turned to ice. Tsukishiro had targeted Karuizawa and knew they were in contact! He immediately called her, but could only hear the line ringing unanswered.

[Emotion Points exceed critical threshold]

[Current value: 42,300/∞]

[Temporary ability unlocked: Memory Projection (Upgraded)]

[Effect: Converts specific emotions into tangible images that can be projected remotely]

[Cost: 20,000 points/use]

Tang Yu didn't have time to study his new ability. He grabbed his coat and rushed out. The cold rain lashed his face as he ran, trying Karuizawa again. Still no answer.

The girls' dormitory looked distant and indistinct through the rain. Tang Yu sprinted toward it as the System Interface flickered at the edge of his vision:

[Abnormal energy fluctuation detected]

[Location: Third floor of girls' dormitory]

[Type: Mental interference field]

[Intensity: Sufficient to cause short-term memory loss]

"Karuizawa!" Tang Yu's heart pounded as if it might burst from his chest. The dormitory's main entrance was locked, so he immediately activated the system's assistance:

[Exchange for Instant Burst Strength Enhancement]

[Cost: 10,000 points]

[Duration: 3 minutes]

A surge of heat rushed through his limbs. Tang Yu easily vaulted over the three-meter iron gate, then climbed the pipes along the outer wall to the third floor. A faint light shone through Karuizawa's window, and a shadow moved behind the curtains.

As Tang Yu reached the windowsill, a sight that made his blood run cold met his eyes. Karuizawa was slumped on the floor, her eyes unfocused. Two men in black stood before her, one holding a device that emitted a blue glow and pointing it at her temple.

"Stop!" Tang Yu smashed through the glass and burst into the room.

The two attackers clearly hadn't expected him to break in that way. The older man turned around quickly, and Tang Yu recognized him as the doctor from the school infirmary! The younger one continued pushing the device toward Karuizawa.

"Don't move, Tang. The doctor pulled a controller from his pocket. Unless you want Kei's brain to explode like an egg in a microwave."

Tang Yu froze. The system's analysis confirmed that it was a neural disruptor, capable of destroying a person's short-term memories in an instant. Karuizawa's eyes were vacant. She had clearly already been affected.

"Good." The doctor smiled. "Mr. Tsukishiro just wants to take Karuizawa in for a little examination. He won't hurt her. If you cooperate..."

Tang Yu scanned the room out of the corner of his eye, searching for an opening. Karuizawa's usual hair clip lay on her desk. Shards of glass littered the floor, and the phone by her bed was still flashing. She might have sent a distress signal before they subdued her.

"What have you done to her?" Tang Yu stalled for time while quietly activating the newly unlocked Memory Projection ability.

"Just quieted her down." The doctor shook the controller. "Mr. Tsukishiro is very interested in psychological reconstruction after emotional trauma, especially in someone like her... after such a complete transformation."

The younger assistant suddenly spoke up. "Doctor, his eyes... they're glowing!"

Too late. Tang Yu had finished preparing his ability, turning all his anger and fear into a tangible image. The entire room was suddenly shrouded in blood-red light, and blood seeped from the walls.

Countless twisted faces dangled from the ceiling, screaming. These weren't ordinary hallucinations—they were Memory Projections drawn from Karuizawa's nightmares!

"Ah—!" The doctor stumbled back in terror, dropping the controller.

Tang Yu seized the chance and rushed forward, striking the doctor's neck with a precise knife-hand blow. The younger assistant tried to run, but Tang Yu wrapped a bedsheet around his ankle and yanked him down. One blow with his elbow knocked him unconscious.

"Karuizawa!" Tang Yu knelt in front of her and gently patted her cheek. "Can you hear me?"

Karuizawa's eyes gradually focused, but she looked confused. "Tang... Yu? What happened? Who are these people?" Her voice trembled. "I... my head hurts so much. Some of my memories are getting blurry..."

Tang Yu's heart sank. The neural disruptor had already damaged some of her memories. He quickly examined the device and found a "White Room-7" label on it. A small display showed the progress of the memory erasure: 37%.

"Don't worry. You'll be all right." Tang Yu comforted her while using the system to analyze how he could reverse the memory erasure.

[Neural interference residue detected]

[Repair possibility: High]

[Required exchange: Neural Memory Reconstruction]

[Cost: 25,000 points]

Tang Yu confirmed the exchange without hesitation. The system released a gentle golden light that enveloped Karuizawa's head. She let out a soft moan, then her eyes gradually cleared.

"I remember!" She grabbed Tang Yu's arm. "Those two men pretended to be school doctors and knocked on the door. Then they suddenly pointed that thing at me... Then..." She began trembling. "I felt my memories disappearing, like sand slipping through my fingers..."

Tang Yu held her tightly. "It's all right now. But we have to leave immediately. Tsukishiro may have another move planned."

He picked up the neural disruptor and carefully slipped it into his pocket, then quickly searched the two attackers. The doctor had a specially modified phone on him. Its screen showed a live data transmission—someone was remotely monitoring everything happening here!

"Damn it, they're livestreaming!" Tang Yu immediately smashed the phone, but it was too late. A system warning suddenly rang out:

[Large-scale network activity detected]

[Target: Locating this room]

[Source: Multiple IPs]

[Threat level: Extremely high]

Tang Yu pulled Karuizawa to her feet. "We have to—"

Before he could finish, hurried footsteps sounded in the dormitory hallway. At least ten people. From their pace, they were probably security guards or police. Tsukishiro had clearly dispatched the authorities after seeing the livestream.

"The back way!" Karuizawa pointed toward the bathroom. "There's a staircase there for the cleaners."

They had just rushed into the bathroom when the main door was smashed open. Tang Yu locked the bathroom door and pushed open the window. Outside was a sheer wall and a sky pouring with rain.

"Climb down!" Tang Yu tore down the shower curtain, twisting it into a makeshift rope and tying it to the drainpipe.