No. 55 Flames to Consume All Darkness
It wasn’t just Windows; Android had its share of fatal flaws too. Being an open-source system built on Linux meant its vulnerabilities, both present and future, were practically universal.
Like the Queen Bee algorithm, Android phones would face a massive security breach in a few years. Countless users would have their data stolen, their phones hijacked, their online banking compromised.
People’s dependence on their phones had been steadily increasing since 2015 and would peak around 2017. Forum accounts, game accounts, bank accounts, credit cards, transportation cards—everything would be linked to their phones. And while phone security improved with features like pattern locks, GPS tracking, and fingerprint scanners, no one seemed to care about the operating system’s security.
I hadn’t paid much attention to the political turmoil in Upper Capital City. From my perspective, these people were all destined to fall anyway.
Huang Tianhai, son of the provincial party secretary, would return from abroad in two years. His arrival would trigger a massive reshuffling of power in Upper Capital City and even Yixian Province. Those who had schemed and manipulated their way into positions of power would face their reckoning.
The information I gathered from the Queen Bee hacker alliance revealed two factions behind this current political storm. One was a shadowy underworld organization codenamed “Shadow,” responsible for instigating social unrest and framing Xiaodie’s father. Unlike the Black Dragon Society or the Jiangnan Association, which were basically glorified street gangs, Shadow was a genuine criminal enterprise, involved in all sorts of illegal activities, including murder.
The other faction consisted of Huang Zhiqiang’s political rivals, who were leveraging public sentiment to seize the mayor’s seat.
With the backing of corrupt officials, Shadow’s ambitions had grown unchecked. Comparing the data, I realized these were the same people responsible for the city-wide panic that would grip Upper Capital City in June 2017.
I had no interest in the power struggles of adults, but they had messed with my friend, and I wasn’t about to let that slide.
Gathering information was crucial. I went to my usual internet cafe, got a temporary pass from the friendly owner, and settled in, playing League of Legends while sifting through data. Finally, I formulated a foolproof plan for retaliation.
Technically, people under eighteen weren’t allowed in internet cafes, but most turned a blind eye for profit. No one questioned me, especially since I was a regular and friends with the owner. The internet cafe provided anonymity. Even if they tried to track me down, they wouldn’t find anything. I never used my ID, and I routed my connection through several proxies, making it seem like I was accessing the internet from a foreign country.
Besides, I doubted these thugs even considered the possibility of a phone hack. Such technology was practically nonexistent in their minds. And even if they consulted a hacker, they’d be told it was impossible.
My plan was simple: hack one of the corrupt official’s phones, send a message to summon all of Shadow’s members to a meeting, then storm their headquarters while it was empty.
It was risky, to say the least.
Even if we managed to infiltrate their base, avoiding suspicion afterward would be a challenge.
But I had it all figured out.
The owner of the phone I hacked would be involved in a car accident at 6 PM, a little over two hours from now.
“Deputy Secretary of Municipal Party Committee Involved in Fatal Drunk Driving Accident on Highway.” That headline would be plastered all over the news soon.
Initially, I considered saving him. But no matter how many times I made his phone ring, no one answered. He was probably passed out drunk.
“Bring everyone to the plaza on Longyi Road, number 18. Important matters to discuss.”
I sent the message and immediately received a call, which I promptly ignored.
“Can’t talk, driving. Bring the others. Regarding the Tiger Stripe operation and your payment.”
I had no idea what “Tiger Stripe” was. I found the term in his message history. Mentioning payment sealed the deal. They didn’t call again, simply replying with a message: “Understood. See you in 2 hours.”
Longyi Road was on the opposite side of the city from Shadow’s headquarters. It would take them at least two hours to get there, giving us ample time.
After finishing up at the internet cafe, I took a taxi to the park where I had arranged to meet Xiaodie.
She was sitting on a swing, a small backpack beside her, fiddling with her phone. She looked relieved when she saw me.
“I thought you went to fight those thugs yourself.”
“As if I could take them on.”
I waved her over. “Let’s go.”
She grabbed my sleeve. “Wait, it’s almost four o’clock. You still haven’t told me what we’re doing.”
“You bought an M200 from Ouyang Dati, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you know how to use it?”
“It’s for my collection. I don’t even have any bullets.”
“That’s why we’re going to get some other weapons.”
I led her through a maze of hidden paths in the park, my memories guiding us toward an inconspicuous building in a remote part of the city.
It was a three-story structure, resembling an unfinished office building. The windows were bare, lacking even security bars. A low wall, barely a meter high, surrounded the property. The trees that once stood there had been chopped down, leaving the area exposed.
“What is this place?”
We crouched behind some bushes a good distance away. Xiaodie eyed the building with curiosity.
“On June 10, 2017, a new virus will break out in Upper Capital City.” I pulled my cap lower and checked the time on my phone. “It’s transmitted through bodily fluids. Within 24 hours of infection, the victim’s skin turns a bluish-purple, sometimes even reddish-black. Like zombies in the movies. But apart from dizziness, hallucinations, and fever, it’s not fatal. A vaccine will be developed by July 30th. There won’t be a single casualty.”
“What does that have to do with this place?”
“Let me finish. Although the virus isn’t deadly, someone will spread rumors, creating mass hysteria. People will believe it’s a zombie apocalypse. The infected will think they’re doomed and riot in the streets. By June 20th, the city will be paralyzed. I was trying to escape the chaos with some friends when we stumbled upon this place.”
I stood up, my gaze fixed on the building’s entrance, where shadowy figures flickered in and out. “This is one of Shadow’s warehouses. It’s full of weapons.”
“Are you crazy?” Xiaodie exclaimed. “There are people there! We can’t just barge in!”
“Don’t worry. The higher-ups are gone. I know this place like the back of my hand. Those are just low-level thugs guarding the entrance. They probably don’t even have permission to go inside… Let’s go.”
“B-but… promise you’ll protect me if something happens…”
She clung to my arm, her backpack bouncing nervously against her back.
“Nothing’s going to happen.”
“But what if it does? You can’t just leave me behind!”
I patted her head reassuringly.
“Okay, okay, I promise.”
I had spent over a week hiding in this building. I knew every nook and cranny.
We bypassed the main entrance, where three thugs were engrossed in a card game, and slipped through a hidden passage at the back. Once we were sure the coast was clear, we made our way to the top floor.
“Yi Yao… are we sure about this?”
The third floor was filled with exercise equipment—sandbags, dumbbells, the works. There were also some mattresses, a sofa, a table, and bags of rice and oil, making the place look like a makeshift living space.
“These people are a plague on this city. They’re partly responsible for what happened to your father, and they’re the ones who instigated that mob outside your apartment.” I spotted a wooden chest hidden under a tarp in the corner. “They want to play dirty? Fine. We’ll play dirty too.”
Perhaps out of overconfidence, the lock on the chest was a simple three-digit combination. It had taken me and my friends less than fifteen minutes to crack it back then.
I lifted the lid, and my eyes widened at the sight of guns and ammunition, neatly arranged inside.
“Holy…”
Xiaodie gasped, her jaw dropping. “What are all these? I don’t even recognize half of them…”
You’ve only been studying for a few months.
“Take what you can carry.”
I slipped on a pair of gloves, picked up a canister of liquid, unscrewed the cap, and made my way around the floor, pouring the contents liberally.
“What are you doing? It stinks!”
“It’s gasoline.”
I tossed the empty canister aside and grabbed another full one. “Ready?”
“Why… how did you know there would be gasoline here…?”
She stared at me, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and confusion.
“I told you, I’ve been here before.”
Once every inch of the floor we had touched was drenched in gasoline, I double-checked for anything that could incriminate us.
“Wait for me in the bushes.”
“O-okay…”
At this point, she was practically treating me like a superhero, obeying my every command. “Be careful.”
“I will.”
I waited three minutes to make sure she was gone, then hopped over the wall, noting the drainage pipe that would serve as my escape route. I pulled out a box of matches, struck one, and tossed it behind me. Then, I slid down the pipe.
As I descended, I glanced back at the three thugs still absorbed in their card game. They were completely oblivious.
I landed safely and melted back into the trees, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Yi Yao… I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
“Why… why do you always wear that hat?”
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