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墨書 Inktalez
A year later, spring arrived in Beijing as expected, and the magnolia flowers bloomed vibrantly on campus. Ye Feng stood at the graduation ceremony of the Psychology Institute, holding a bouquet of flowers with a slight smile on his lips. He had successfully completed his undergraduate studies and, with the recommendation of his mentor, secured admission to graduate school in psychology.
Four years of university life felt neither too long nor too short. Looking back at that freshman who nearly lost himself, he felt like a completely different person from the one who was now about to pursue a master's degree. Life doesn’t have a reset button, but there is always the courage to start anew.
His phone vibrated; it was a message from Chen Xi: "Congratulations, genius! Is the ceremony over? I’m waiting for you at the school gate."
Chen Xi had also been doing well over the past year. With her exceptional programming skills and dedication to cybersecurity, she graduated smoothly and was immediately hired by a well-known cybersecurity company as a Network Security Engineer. Although both were busy with their own lives, they kept in touch, like two parallel lines moving forward while still caring for each other.
"Almost done," Ye Feng replied, tucking his phone back into his pocket.
After the ceremony concluded, Ye Feng bid farewell to his classmates and hurried toward the school gate. The May sunshine was bright yet gentle, casting a warm glow on his shoulders as if gilding his graduation.
Chen Xi leaned against a phoenix tree, sunlight filtering through the leaves and casting dappled shadows on her face. She wore a simple white T-shirt and jeans, her hair casually tied back in a ponytail, looking even more capable than during their university days.
"Congratulations, Ye genius," Chen Xi said with a smile as she handed him a paper bag. "A gift; open it and see."
Ye Feng took it and opened it to find a special edition of a Psychology Monograph, complete with the author's autograph on the title page. He had been searching for this book for quite some time; it had long been out of print.
"How did you know I wanted this?" Ye Feng asked in surprise.
"Someone's browsing history isn’t very secure," Chen Xi teased with a wink. "Just kidding! You mentioned it last time; I have a good memory."
The two walked side by side along the campus path, discussing their recent experiences and future plans. The early summer breeze in Beijing carried a hint of moisture but was not oppressive.
"Any special cases lately, cybersecurity heroine?" Ye Feng asked half-jokingly.
"Don’t get me started," Chen Xi sighed. "I just wrapped up a data breach incident last week; I worked three days and nights straight. But it was quite rewarding—at least I protected the privacy of tens of thousands of users."
At that moment, Ye Feng's phone suddenly rang. He pulled it out to check; it was a push notification.
In that moment, his pupils suddenly constricted, and his breath quickened uncontrollably.
"What’s wrong?" Chen Xi noticed his abnormal reaction.
Ye Feng didn’t answer; he simply turned the phone screen towards her. The screen prominently displayed an advertisement: "Life Restart 2.0 — Your Second Chance, Coming Soon."
The advertisement featured a flickering clock pattern against a dark background, almost identical to the "Life Restart" app they had seen a year ago, except for the added "2.0" label.
"This can’t be happening..." Chen Xi murmured, her face instantly turning pale.
A tightness gripped Ye Feng’s heart as an ominous premonition washed over him. They had confirmed that the app had been completely shut down; why was it reappearing now? Was the puppet master still lurking in the shadows?
"We need to find out what’s going on," Ye Feng said, his voice calm yet resolute.
That night, they met at Chen Xi’s apartment. Though small, her room was organized, with two high-performance computers on the desk and walls plastered with program framework diagrams and posters related to cybersecurity.
"I’ve done some preliminary research," Chen Xi typed rapidly on the keyboard. "This new version of the app hasn’t officially launched yet, but it’s already in internal testing. From what I’ve gathered online, the developer seems to be a company called 'New Era Technology.'"
"New Era Technology?" Ye Feng frowned. "I’ve never heard of that company."
"Because it was established less than three months ago," Chen Xi's eyes were glued to the screen. "But it has substantial funding and is backed by multiple offshore accounts. Even more bizarrely, the information about the company’s registrant is very vague, as if they’re deliberately hiding something."
Ye Feng fell into deep thought. Recalling the app from a year ago that nearly destroyed countless lives, a heavy weight settled in his heart. Those souls lost in virtual restarts, those fates manipulated... everything might be about to repeat itself.
"We must join forces again to investigate the puppet master behind 'Life Restart,'" Ye Feng declared firmly.
Chen Xi nodded, her eyes shining with determination. "I’ve applied for internal testing using a fake identity. I hope to gather some clues from within."
In the following days, they each played to their strengths. Ye Feng utilized his expertise in psychology to analyze the design intentions and potential impacts of the app, while Chen Xi approached it from a technical standpoint, attempting to crack the app's source code.
On Saturday evening, Chen Xi suddenly sent Ye Feng an encrypted message: "I’ve made a discovery. Come quickly."
Ye Feng rushed to Chen Xi's apartment. Upon entering, he found her pacing excitedly around the room.
"I’ve accessed the backend system of the app," Chen Xi said, her expression serious. "This is not just an ordinary app; it’s connected to a vast data collection network. They gather users' personal information, behavioral habits, and psychological traits, then analyze and predict them through algorithms."
"Why would they do this?" Ye Feng asked.
"Power and control," Chen Xi replied gravely. "By mastering this data, they can predict and even manipulate people's behaviors. Imagine if someone could accurately forecast stock market fluctuations, consumer trends, or even election outcomes—how much power would that give them?"
Ye Feng gasped in shock. "What we’ve uncovered is not just an app but a dangerous tool that could change the structure of society."
"Even more terrifying is that I’ve tracked down some internal documents," Chen Xi's voice trembled slightly. "They seem to be planning a global 'social experiment' aimed at establishing a system they call 'New Order.'"
They realized they had to stop this mysterious organization's plans to protect more people from harm. However, facing such a powerful adversary, they needed more help and resources.
"I have an idea," Ye Feng suddenly said. "Do you remember Professor Zhang from the data security lab at university? He has extensive research in cybersecurity and data ethics; perhaps he can offer us some advice."
The next day, they met with Professor Zhang. After hearing their findings, the usually gentle scholar's expression turned unusually serious.
"This sounds like a version of the 'Panopticon Project,'" Professor Zhang stated. "That was a rejected international initiative aimed at achieving so-called 'social stability' through big data surveillance and behavioral prediction. It seems someone has decided to privately advance this plan."
With Professor Zhang's assistance, they reached out to several like-minded experts and hackers, forming a small but efficient team. In the following weeks, they worked day and night to gather evidence, analyze data, and devise countermeasures.
During this time, Chen Xi nearly got caught by the security system of New Era Technology, and Ye Feng received several anonymous threats. Yet these challenges only strengthened their resolve instead of scaring them away.
Two months later, on a rainy night, their plan was finally ready.
"Are you ready?" Ye Feng asked, his voice tinged with a hint of nervousness.
"I'm ready to start anytime," Chen Xi replied, his fingers hovering above the keyboard. "Once I press this key, there will be no turning back."
Ye Feng took a deep breath and nodded. "For those who might be harmed, we have to do this."
Chen Xi pressed the Enter key. A complex string of code began to scroll rapidly across the screen; it was their meticulously designed Trojan Horse, aimed at exposing all the dark secrets of New Era Technology while destroying its core database.
Raindrops tapped against the window, like a silent drumbeat for this unseen battle.
Ye Feng and Chen Xi exchanged a smile, their eyes filled with hope and courage for the future. They knew the road ahead was fraught with challenges, but they were ready. No matter what happened next, they would face it bravely because they believed that justice would ultimately triumph over evil.
As the rain outside gradually eased, a few stars peeked through the night sky. Ye Feng stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the distant city lights.
"We're just doing what needs to be done," he said softly, "and this is only the beginning."
Chen Xi joined him by the window and nodded silently. The night breeze gently blew in, carrying a sense of coolness and hope.
On this ordinary rainy night, two young people stood side by side at the window, their gazes resolute. They might not be able to change the entire world, but at least they had protected that part which they cherished.
And that was enough.
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