Chapter 113 Becoming an Ether Editing Master! 【VIP】

The player stepped through the portal and landed precisely next to the Silver Barracuda.

This time, the data cable was inserted into the core interface, and the [Invasion] lv.2 data stream impacted the encryption wall with a new sense of power.

The previously indestructible barrier suddenly crackled like glass under a heavy hammer, straining under the weight. The player concentrated, their fingertips leaving almost shadows on the virtual keyboard as they precisely disintegrated the encryption structure.

"--laugh"

With a soft click, perceptible only at the data level, the stubborn encryption wall finally crumbled. The core interface lit up with a soft blue light, indicating a smooth connection.

Done!

A flicker of satisfaction flashed across the player's eyes, but out of caution (?), she felt her skill level could be raised a bit. After all, they were heading to the deepest reaches of the data ocean, where countless hackers had been slain before. While the player was confident she was the one who had obtained the cheat code, it was always a good idea to have extra "ammunition" on hand.

So, the player returned to the high-risk data node again.

This time, she had a new toy—【Teleportation】lv.1.

Humph, this time she won't be helpless like last time, forced to passively take the beating. [Teleport] huh? Let's see who can teleport faster!

Players eagerly enter the node, but what happens when they encounter opponents with tricky techniques and data flows as slippery as loaches?

Hehehe, you came just in time.

The player calmly scanned the opponent's faint coordinates in the real world (as long as the opponent was connected to the Punklord network, there would always be clues), and then—whoosh! A portal opened directly to them!

The other person might be sitting in a comfortable hover chair, sipping synthetic coffee, gloating over how their data maze has trapped the "Pixel Duck." The next second, a tiny creature with black hair and blue eyes appears out of thin air before them.

"?!" The hacker was horrified and just as he was about to use [Ether Edit], it suddenly stopped working.

The player doesn't waste any time and directly uses physical force to transcend!

Starting with [Vector Manipulation], he took over with shoulder throws, grappling hands, and precise strikes to the joints...

The moves were smooth and flowing, fast, accurate and ruthless! Faced with sheer power and combat skills, these top hackers, accustomed to data battles and lacking physical training, often couldn't last more than three rounds.

"Do you want to give up?" the player asked in a flat tone, stepping on the opponent's shoulder (or wrist).

Damn it! This is totally cheating, right? How do hackers fight like this? Even if they have to use physical means, they should at least put on an exoskeleton or mecha? Or maybe just take down weapons?

After a moment's silence, the other party impatiently applied more force.

"...Give up!" The hacker with a bruised face and nose shouted in frustration.

Then he pressed the [Taming] button frantically until he heard the crisp system prompt sound.

[Ding! Tamed successfully!]

Then, the player sits there and starts observing and learning the skills of advanced hackers.

Games are like that, right? No one expects players to actually learn anything in-game, right? Most games make skill upgrades and proficiency levels incredibly simple—just watch and you automatically gain experience points.

The reason why we play games is that we can get timely positive and negative feedback and a sense of accomplishment in the games, and every bit of effort we put in will be rewarded.

Players are like a ruthless exploitation machine, treating these top hackers as living teaching materials, forcing them to learn from each other and teach each other, while they sit on the sidelines and gain experience.

When they could no longer squeeze anything out of them, the players would throw these useless "experience packs" into Gear Alley and ask them to help Shuangyi, Feiying and the others repair the dilapidated [Silver Barracuda].

At the same time, the player's legend had begun to spread at an even more bizarre speed on Punklod's private forum and the Deep River Gray Market:

[Surprise! 'Pixel Duck' appears to have mastered the power of [Harmony]! The hackers she defeated, both men and women, have all become her loyal fans!]

[Horror! [Memory] Pollution confirmed? Polluter, Eternal Sleep, Fifty-Five... These big guys are all screwed! They're brainwashed into being little sisters and brothers as soon as they meet!]

[Latest victim list updated! High risk! Extremely high risk! If you encounter her, don't hesitate, disconnect immediately!]

For a time, the hacker community was in a state of panic, with everyone feeling insecure. However, there were always some high-minded, high-minded individuals who refused to believe in it, or who had a mysterious confidence in their own skills.

"Huh? Brainwashing? And harmonizing? That's bullshit! Harmonizing them can leave them defenseless? Those idiots must be too skilled to speak out, so they're just letting the rumors spread."

"I want to see how powerful this 'Pixel Duck' is. Is it all just a rumor?"

"She's risen so quickly in just such a short time? Her skills weren't that great a week ago. Do you think I believe she's a genius or someone is just trying to hype her up?"

"The capital's hand is pulling out all the stops. Is this guy just a target pushed out by Oasis?"

"Catch her and study her,

Therefore, even though countless people have failed, challengers still come in an endless stream.

All players are welcome, and the portals are opened at high speeds. The "prisoner" team in Gear Alley is getting better and better. They can't stand the bad environment here, so they take action to clean up this place.

Shuangyi and the others went from being shocked at first, to being numb, and then to starting to bet on how many seconds the next unlucky guy could last.

Shuangyi: She has captured all the hackers and used them as laborers, right?

Feiying: "It's not that tragic, is it? Not all hackers are so arrogant and conceited, right?"

Ronglu pointed at Ying Ling, who was working silently beside him. "There's someone here who everyone considers to be quiet and serious, right? Yet, he lost in the first stage."

"The pot calling the kettle black is all garbage, no question about it."

Furnace: "Hello?!"

While players were frantically leveling up and squeezing out experience packs, Gear Alley also became bustling because of l.

Dazai Osamu and Squinty-Eyed Cat were the first to sense something was amiss. They sensed that the players' frantic leveling was behind the imminent completion of the game, and they cried in the group chat:

[Dazai]: Player~ The mission is so boring~ Thousands of items are like a mountain~ [collapse like a noodle.jpg]

[Squinty Cat]: Hmm, it looks like there are more interesting puzzles waiting to be solved in Gear Alley. [Cat Peek.jpg]

[Dazai]: Ranpo-san felt it too, right?

[Squinty Cat]: It's hard not to feel it, right? In this warm atmosphere.

The two of them whispered to each other and understood each other's implied meaning. They hit it off immediately and decisively dropped their mission and boarded the hover train to Gear Alley.

When Noise Monster saw the message, he immediately came out to chat in the group.

[Noise Monster]: What? Can't you speak more clearly?

[Noise Monster]: Never mind. As long as I know that you will definitely not treat yourselves unfairly, that’s enough.

[Noise Monster]: Wait for me! Jay! Glass! I'm here with the ultimate puff tower that will blind you! [Puff Tower.jpg] (The picture shows an extremely exaggerated dessert decorated with suspiciously glowing objects)

He also left the dessert shop that was about to "graduate" without hesitation.

Jingzi said in the group that she was obsessed with learning Chinese characters from a medical NPC, and simply sent a message "Do not disturb me for now" and went silent.

Oda Sakunosuke also set out on his journey home after much persuasion from Dazai Osamu ("Oda Sakunosuke! Come back and support us! We definitely need your idol power here!").

Nakadashi was even more decisive. Mission? He had already given up on this! He immediately set off to return!

Players were so busy leveling up and taming new experience packs that they had no time to respond to the messages flooding the group, let alone pick them up.

So, when Dazai, Ranpo, Gojo Satoru, Oda, and Chuuya arrived at Gear Alley exhausted, they were greeted by strange bangs and dead fish eyes, as well as... a large group of top hackers with different styles and a very punk Lord vibe, who were struggling to repair the broken ship.

"Wow... What kind of new team building is this?" Dazai Osamu looked at the bustling (? ) and resentful ship repair scene in front of him, his iris-colored eyes sparkling.

"Jay, Glass, you guys...are having a big time." Gojo Satoru pushed up his small round sunglasses and looked at the group of hacker bosses who seemed to have lost all hope in life.

Chuuya frowned: "These people are..."

Dead Fish Eyes said it succinctly: "Lin Chen captured the 'teacher' and 'coolie'."

Gui Liu Hai reluctantly handed over a few tools. "You're just in time to help. Goal: fix that boat."

He pointed at the massive Silver Barracuda.

As a result, the new arrivals were quickly incorporated into the "Ship Repair Team".

A hacker in a gorgeous data dress looked at the oil-stained wrench in her hand, then at the rusted hull in front of her, and wailed with a loss of grace: "Oh my God! This is simply the destruction of a work of art! Can I give her my 'Crimson Tear'? Don't fix this piece of junk!"

The player just happened to be teleporting back with a new coolie. Hearing this, he didn't even blink: "Boat? Bring it over."

Feiying quickly reported the coordinates.

The player waved her hand with great pride, and at the coordinates Feiying had given, a small, streamlined, dark red high-speed ship instantly vanished and was stored in the player's system backpack. Then, pointing at the Silver Barracuda, she said in an unwavering tone, "This one needs to be fixed, too."

Feiying: “…”

Other hackers: “…”

Okay, you are the boss and you have the final say.

What ownership do NPCs have? What's yours or hers? They're all mine!

Time passes day by day as players continue to physically "influence" new hackers, exploit old hackers, and all their followers (both newly captured and original) work hard.

Finally, during the player's last diligent practice, the four skill icons of [Scan], [Analysis], [Invasion], and [Teleport] simultaneously burst into dazzling golden light - all at the maximum level!

Almost at the same moment, a huge cheer (wailing?) mixed with relief and exhaustion rang out from the open space in Gear Alley.

The weathered exploration vessel, the Silver Barracuda, had been repaired by countless hands (forced or voluntary). Although the hull still bore traces of repairs, its core engine and deep-diving module had been rejuvenated. It was quietly moored in the cleared space, emitting a faint blue light.

The player teleported back without stopping, walked to the bridge, and touched the cold metal shell with his hand. His sapphire eyes looked into the distance.

That's where the ocean of data is.

Now that all obstacles were cleared, she was going to salvage Zero's cheat code.