Evolution

"Bad news, Boss! Someone's trying to use us as a stepping stone!" Tang Shizhe had just driven his newly acquired car back into the factory grounds when he heard Tang Yi shouting from far away.

"What's got you so worked up? Can you calm down a little?" Tang Shizhe snapped at Tang Yi after shutting the car door.

"Boss, while we were picking up jobs online, we suddenly noticed that a company called Zhe had launched a security program." Tang Yi took out a tablet and pointed at an article.

"It's just a security program. What's so strange about that?" Tang Shizhe asked in confusion. What did someone else releasing security software have to do with them?

"Boss, they went after us hard at their product launch! Look at this video!" Tang Yi enlarged the video in the article to full screen.

"I'm not trying to swear, but whoever developed that super virus, whether it was a person or an organization, is complete trash!"

"Our security software, Aegis, uses artificial intelligence technology and can block one hundred percent of all virus threats!"

"If that super virus encounters our security software, I can only say that it won't earn a single cent, because no one will ever get infected by that trash virus!" On a huge stage, a pale-faced man in a suit stood before a massive LED screen and shamelessly boasted at the top of his lungs.

Anyone who didn't know better would think their security software was the best in the world!

"I'm not exaggerating. If that organization or individual releases the super virus again, we can completely keep it outside users' devices. No one will be infected at all."

"And our security software is completely free!" As soon as the man finished speaking, enthusiastic applause erupted below the stage. If the security software was free, they were certainly willing to install it and give it a try. This company was practically charitable.

By then, Tang Shizhe's face had turned as dark as an eggplant. He had never expected such shameless people to exist in this world!

"Investigate them! Dig up everything on this company and everyone at that launch event! I want all their information!" Tang Shizhe said angrily in a low voice. His hands clenched tightly around his car keys, veins bulging along his arms.

"Boss, we've already gathered their information."

"This company called Zhe was established just this month. Its main researchers are professors and graduate student teams from several universities in South Korea."

"It seems they cracked the antivirus program we released, then improved and upgraded it into this security software." Tang Yi spoke furiously. He had not expected those plagiarists to be so bold as to openly use their technology.

"They want to use us as a stepping stone? I'll give them the chance!" Tang Shizhe snorted, a malicious smile curling across his lips.

"Boss, what do you have in mind?" As a Splitter who possessed Tang Shizhe's memories, Tang Yi naturally knew exactly what that sinister smile meant.

"Starting now, make a new virus. The new virus will target only users who have installed Aegis. Quietly upload it to Zhe's official website!"

"As long as new users download that security software or download a patch to upgrade it, they'll be infected with our virus."

"Ha ha ha ha!" By the end, Tang Shizhe could not help laughing.

Once this new virus was released, every computer that had downloaded that security software would be infected. By then, even if the people at Zhe jumped into the Yellow River, they would never wash away the blame.

Just when he had gotten sleepy, someone had delivered him a pillow. Someone had actually stepped up voluntarily to take the fall.

This time, they had to seize the chance to make a big profit!

After all, the equipment needed for upcoming biotechnology research was far too expensive. They could not keep renting the current factory either; they would definitely need to buy a new one.

Not only that, the supercomputer needed for future research would also require a huge amount of money. This time, he had to earn enough for the expansion in one go!

"Immediately pull out all our available funds and prepare to buy Leiden Coin."

"We can release some of the dirty Leiden Coin we have on hand first. It'll drive down Leiden Coin's price, but it will also let us use our clean money to buy Leiden Coin cheaply." Tang Shizhe instructed Tang Yi and the others after arriving at the warehouse.

Upon receiving Tang Shizhe's orders, Tang Yi and the others began dumping large quantities of the Leiden Coin ransom paid by infected victims around the world.

So many Leiden Coin suddenly appeared on the market, and they were being sold below the current market price. The value of Leiden Coin immediately began to plummet.

This virtual currency market had no daily price limit. Once a crash began, its value fell like someone jumping off a building, smashing straight through the floor!

In just one hour, half the Leiden Coin Tang Shizhe controlled had been sold off. His overseas accounts had received 600 million RMB, an enormous sum of nearly 100 million US dollars. (The exchange rate in this world was 1:6.)

Of course, this was dirty money that could not be used unless it was laundered first.

By then, Leiden Coin had fallen to 10,000 RMB per coin. Tang Shizhe took the opportunity to buy a full two thousand coins.

Fortunately, the warehouse renovation was only halfway complete. After deducting taxes and the money he had spent on the car, he still had a little over 20 million RMB left.

Leiden Coin stabilized again because of his large-scale purchases. Next came the long virus development cycle, while Tang Shizhe welcomed his winter break.

With nothing to do, Tang Shizhe became idle. He spent his days lying around, sleeping, playing on his phone, and using his computer.

For some reason, his splitting limit had not increased. Although he ate voraciously every day, the energy converted from all that food seemed to vanish into a bottomless pit. He did not feel full in the slightest!

Unexpectedly, one Sunday morning, after Tang Shizhe had just woken up and devoured an entire basket of snacks, he suddenly felt full!

But immediately afterward, his vision went black, and he collapsed beside the dining table.

Sensing an abnormality in Tang Shizhe's mental signal, Tang Yi hurriedly put down his work and ran from the warehouse district to the building where Tang Shizhe lived.

When he saw Tang Shizhe unconscious before the dining table, his heart clenched. He rushed over, only to discover that it looked as if countless insects were wriggling beneath Tang Shizhe's exposed skin. Though Tang Shizhe looked somewhat terrifying, Tang Yi relaxed, because he knew Tang Shizhe's body had reached the critical point of evolution. The Alien Gene within him had begun trying to evolve him to the next level!

Tang Yi scooped Tang Shizhe up in a princess carry and headed for the Splitter Chamber beneath the building.