No. 49 As If Guided by a Dream of Stars
A hundred square meters of space, seven or eight computers, two servers, eight bunk beds like those in a student dormitory, an empty living room devoid of even a television, replaced by a tangle of wires and cables—this was the Queen Bee Hacker Alliance’s headquarters in Upper Capital City.
Ten years could truly change a lot…
I entered the room, led by Wang Cai. As the only girl present, I immediately drew the attention of the four young men inside.
“Wang Cai, is this your girlfriend?”
“Didn’t you go to pick someone up? Who’s this little sister?”
No one would have guessed that the prestigious Queen Bee Hacker Alliance, ten years from now, would have such humble beginnings.
These young men, all in their late twenties or early thirties, looked disheveled and exhausted, their faces greasy, their eyes shadowed with dark circles. They looked nothing like successful professionals. They must have been pulling all-nighters for days. The floor was littered with instant noodle cups and takeout containers, the air thick with the smell of sweat and stale food.
Hmm… was it because I was a girl now that my sense of smell was heightened? I had experienced similar situations in my previous life, but I hadn’t been this bothered by the smell.
Coincidentally, I knew all of them.
“Uh… she’s the little bee.”
Wang Cai stammered under their scrutiny.
“What little bee? Where’s the person we’re waiting for?”
A man with a scruffy beard grumbled. “And didn’t I tell you not to bring girls here? Sorry, little sister, we’re a bit busy these days, that’s why it’s such a mess. How about I take you to a milk tea shop?”
Are you trying to abduct a child?
“She’s the little bee.”
Wang Cai repeated himself.
“Who the hell is called ‘little bee’?” Another young man stood up, then his eyes widened in realization. “Wait, what did you say?”
Gouzi, the future owner of the largest bakery chain in Upper Capital City. He was a kind and genuine person, but he could be a bit goofy and disrespectful at times.
Wang Cai shrugged. “Are you guys traumatized or something? I’ll say it again. She’s the little bee. We don’t use real names in the Queen Bee Alliance. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
The young man stared at me, his jaw slack. “You mean she’s…”
“The one and only. The one who’s been tormenting us for the past seven days.”
“She… how old is she?”
“Just turned sixteen.”
“Thud!”
Gouzi, who had just stood up, collapsed back onto his chair, his eyes glazed over as he stared at the ceiling. “I think I’m officially useless.”
“That’s impossible! How could she be so skilled at such a young age?”
A young man with curly hair and a square jaw approached us. “Wang Cai, are you messing with us? Is this your cousin or something?”
“I don’t have a cousin!”
Wang Cai sighed, placing his laptop on the table and taking a sip of water. “Little Bee, why don’t you tell them yourself? These guys are good people, but they’re a bit slow.”
“Tell you what?” I asked playfully.
It was so good to see them again.
Like reuniting with long-lost friends, a chance encounter at a familiar street corner.
“Tell us how you hacked into our server.”
“Well… my software handled most of the attacks and defenses during the day. I only had time after seven in the evening. You’re using a Linux operating system, which made it quite challenging.” I smiled at Gouzi. “But I remember you made a fatal mistake on Thursday, I think.”
I noticed that everyone, except for Wang Cai, had turned pale.
“You intercepted my main data packets, but you confidently ignored a small, disguised packet, only 9KB in size. Were you planning to analyze it?”
Yes, if they hadn’t been so arrogant, thinking they could crack my code, I wouldn’t have won so easily.
“The server’s root password is JKR*bee.678914. I’ve already sent you the patch for the main vulnerability. Is that enough to prove my identity?”
Several gasps filled the room.
A slightly older man in a floral shirt, sunglasses perched on his nose, looked up from his computer and walked towards me. “You’re only sixteen?”
“Yes.”
“You used a regular home computer?”
“Yes.”
“You were at school for most of the day, and you managed to block all our attacks with a few custom-made programs?”
“Yes.”
“You only had less than three hours each night to actually engage with us.”
“Well… not always three hours. Sometimes my dad made me do my homework.”
“Damn.”
He took off his sunglasses and ran a hand through his hair, his face etched with awe. “A genius. A once-in-a-millennium genius. To achieve this level of skill at your age… I can’t imagine what you’ll accomplish in the future…”
“I, Zhui Feng, am honored to be defeated by such a talented individual.”
Zhui Feng, Jing Lei, Shan Dian, Gouzi, Wang Cai—those were their nicknames. Zhui Feng was the leader of the Queen Bee Hacker Alliance in Upper Capital City and the main investor in this headquarters.
“Honestly, we barely slept for the past few days, trying to defend against your attacks. But we never imagined that our combined efforts, five people and eight computers running at full capacity, would be defeated by a single home computer and a sixteen-year-old girl.”
“I apologize for the trouble I caused.”
Technically, I had spent far more time studying computer science than they had.
I was an anomaly in this world.
“Don’t worry about it. We’re thrilled to have such a talented member join our ranks.”
Zhui Feng handed me a glass of water, then pulled out a notebook from a folder on his desk. “You know the rules, right?”
“Yes.”
“Nickname.”
“Bee.”
“Date of birth.”
“January 9, 2000.”
“Hmm… just to be sure, you’re a girl, right?”
“Yes.”
At least physically.
“Okay, welcome to the Queen Bee Alliance. I’ll apply for your membership card. It should be ready in about a week. You can pick it up here.” He closed the folder, then asked, “Can you tell us why you wanted to join us?”
“I need information about the current political situation in Upper Capital City.” I was direct. “Specifically, about Mayor Huang Zhiqiang and those who are accusing him. I need their information.”
They exchanged glances. “That’s sensitive information. Even if you hadn’t asked, we have people monitoring the situation. It’s a major case… but why do you need this information?”
“The mayor’s daughter is my friend. I don’t want her to get hurt.”
I knew that admitting this would expose my identity.
But it didn’t matter. I was already a semi-public figure after those news reports. There was no point in hiding my true self from them.
“I see. I understand.”
Zhui Feng nodded, then led me to a computer with a glowing screen.
“Bee, the accusers aren’t individuals. They’re a group, a politically motivated group. Like a rebellion in ancient times. Do you understand?”
I had already anticipated this. I nodded.
“I understand your concern, but unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do. The mayor’s actions have had a significant impact on Upper Capital City and the entire Yixian Province.”
“What’s the worst-case scenario?”
“There’s no ‘worst-case scenario.’ Everyone connected to the mayor is scrambling to clear their names. By the end of this month, the leadership in Upper Capital City will be completely reshuffled…”
“I’m not asking about the city’s political landscape. I’m asking about the mayor’s fate.”
“Most likely, execution.”
…
An hour later, I arrived at the temporary residence Ouyang Dati had arranged for Xiaodie, carrying a USB drive containing all the information I had downloaded from the Queen Bee server about the corruption case.
It was an apartment complex funded by the Air Force, mostly occupied by retired soldiers. Apparently, Ouyang Dati had pulled some strings to secure a unit for Xiaodie.
“Yo, Yi Yao, you’re late tonight.”
Ouyang Dati opened the door, his face brightening as he saw me. He put down his gun and walked over to me. “I have two pieces of good news. Which one do you want to hear first?”
I glanced around and changed into the slippers by the door. “Where’s Xiaodie?”
“She’s in her room. Hey, aren’t you going to ask about the good news?”
“Oh, right. What’s the good news?”
I asked, my voice flat. I pushed open Xiaodie’s bedroom door.
Before I could even process the scene before me, a dark figure, smelling faintly of feline musk, pounced on me.
“Woof!”
Something soft and wet licked my face. I instinctively picked it up and, under the fluorescent lights, saw… a tiger cub?
“Heh, it seems to like you and Xiaodie. It always tries to bite me whenever I approach it.”
Ouyang Dati entered the room, a smug grin on his face, and grabbed the cub by the scruff of its neck. “That’s the first piece of good news. The little tiger you found in the cave has recovered.”
It was sick?
“The other good news is, Xiaodie has a natural talent for shooting. During her first target practice, she even outperformed our best sniper.”
Ignoring the cub, which was squirming in his grasp, trying to reach me, I looked at Xiaodie, who was fiddling with a sniper rifle in the middle of the room. Our eyes met, and I saw a reflection of myself in her gaze.
After a long silence, she looked away. “Well… I was bored, stuck at home with nothing to do. So, I asked Ouyang Dati to teach me some self-defense techniques…”
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