Chapter 11: The Global Hacker

The sign read: Internet Café.

In the generations to come, internet cafés would be ubiquitous, scattered throughout every city. But in this era, where personal computers were a distant dream for most households, the storefront on the street corner possessed an aura of advanced, almost futuristic technological sophistication.

Had she not stumbled upon it by chance, Skylar would not have expected to be reunited with her “old partner” so soon.

The computer. It had been Skylar’s only true companion, her single most faithful ally throughout her years as a global fugitive and an elite assassin. She had never feared the long arm of international law because her unmatched hacking skill meant that no matter how many databases the world’s governments established, she could—and did—systematically delete every trace of her existence. She was a phantom in the digital world.

The small internet café was filled with the low hum of machines and the clicking of keys, but most patrons were engaged in simple, localized computer games. They had the hardware but lacked the operational knowledge of the global network.

Because there were virtually no age restrictions, Skylar paid a mere $1 USD for an hour of access. She chose the most secluded, dust-covered machine in the back corner.

The moment her slender fingers settled over the familiar plastic keys, the hesitant tapping gave way to a furious, rhythmic cascade of clicks. Click-clack-clack-clack. The computer screen exploded into motion, instantly tearing through the standard interface and displaying a dizzying, intricate web of complex numerical sequences. To an outsider, the machine would appear fatally corrupted.

In less than three minutes, Skylar had effortlessly breached the Yuncheng Police Department’s database. With the speed of thought, she fabricated a completely new legal identity for herself, setting the age at eighteen and, with a wry smile that barely touched her lips, designated the gender as Male. She used the café’s grainy webcam to capture her beautiful, sharp-featured profile. Henceforth, in the eyes of the domestic government, Skylar Vance now had a second, entirely distinct, androgynous identity for maximum operational flexibility. She also made a quick edit to her existing identity file, changing the gender to male as well.

This simple act of digital fraud was necessary. While her young face could disarm some, many adult activities, like opening a proper bank account, were problematic. Using her new, adult-male identity solved everything.

Feeling a nostalgic curiosity, Skylar attempted a search for her old organization. The result was exactly as she expected: a solid, impenetrable wall of nothing. Naturally. That organization possessed the most cutting-edge technology and a team of genius-level tech experts. They would not leave behind careless digital breadcrumbs.

Vengeance, then, will have to wait. As Skylar was about to exit the pages, meticulously erasing every digital fingerprint, her eyes caught a flashing public announcement at the bottom of the screen.

‘Fugitive Human Trafficker on the Run in Yuncheng; National Manhunt Initiated.’

The accompanying mugshot was startlingly familiar: the goat-bearded man who had attempted to kidnap her on the train. After all that chaos, they still allowed him to escape? Skylar felt a wave of profound disdain for the ineptitude of the local police force.

Yet, seeing the man’s face jogged a deep, distant memory—the image of someone who had offered her a momentary kindness in a period of intense distress in her past life. An investment, perhaps.

Closing all windows and obliterating her trace evidence, she exited the internet café and walked across the street to open a new bank account, depositing the $300,000 USD from Alan into her new, fully legitimate identity.

Unbeknownst to the newly minted financial titan, her subtle movement in the digital realm had triggered a catastrophic alert miles away.

At a highly secured military base nestled in the Yuncheng mountain range, a crimson warning indicator abruptly flashed across a soldier’s console. “Major! The Yuncheng system has been compromised!” the sentry gasped. Before he could finish his report, the signal vanished, the trace instantly scrubbed clean from the screen.

Dominic “Dom” Rourke, seated by a window, turned his imposing figure. His chiseled, intense gaze swept the room, landing precisely on the console just as the red warning faded.

“That’s strange. It’s gone! We can’t even find the source. This person completely bypassed the anti-reconnaissance system!” the soldier stammered, wide-eyed in disbelief.

Dom rose, a wave of powerful, controlled aggression radiating from his tall, broad-shouldered frame. His sleek, camouflage uniform only emphasized his potent musculature. His pace was steady and heavy, carrying the undeniable authority of a lethal weapon.

His long, strong fingers tapped lightly on the computer screen. His voice, when he spoke, was low, cold, and utterly commanding, matching his rigid demeanor. “It’s a black-hat hacker. Search for major incidents that occurred in Yuncheng recently.”

“Sir, yes, Sir!” The guard snapped to attention. Dom’s immediate diagnosis escalated the situation to a national security threat. Their defense systems were among the most advanced in the country; a breach of this nature likely meant a foreign power was involved.

The data scrolled rapidly. “Major Rourke, recently in Yuncheng, aside from the usual minor civil disturbances, the only major news is the issued warrant for the fugitive human trafficking gang. The system traces were completely covered. The intruder is highly professional.”

Dom remained silent for a long moment, his immense shadow eclipsing the sunlight pouring through the doorway. “Investigate the human trafficking case immediately. And continue to monitor the Yuncheng network systems.”

“Understood, Major!” The soldier responded, but Dom was already moving. The intense, almost crushing pressure of his presence lifted instantly, leaving the soldier feeling faint, a cold layer of sweat forming on his brow.

Dominic Rourke was an elite operative, a young veteran with countless commendations. His current mission in Yuncheng was the investigation of a complex arms-smuggling ring, and any highly suspicious activity—like a phantom breach of the city’s network—was immediately flagged as a potential lead.

Meanwhile, blissfully unaware that her casual hacking had drawn the attention of the country’s most lethally competent Major, Skylar Vance, feeling a sense of deep satisfaction, finished her banking.

The auction was held in the central hall of the Raw Material Market. The area was arranged in concentric circles: the vast, well-lit hall containing the main auction stones, and a chaotic perimeter ringed by smaller, low-quality stalls. Here, hopeful amateurs bartered for cheap rough jade, trying to ‘score a leak’—to find a hidden treasure by luck.

This was Skylar’s first time at such a large-scale market.

Alan Sterling, uninterested in the low-grade perimeter stock, quickly registered their presence for the main auction and arranged a time to meet. Skylar began to wander the outer ring, observing the haggling and the quality of the rough stones to get a feel for the local prices. She moved with deliberate slowness until she stopped at one particular stall.

“Hey, little guy! Looking to buy some stone?” the stall owner chirped, spotting her fresh face. “Let me tell you, these can cut jade! Real jade! That’s expensive stuff!” He tried to launch into a typical sales pitch, but Skylar ignored him completely. He eventually gave up, losing interest when she failed to respond to his blatant price-gouging attempts.

Skylar crouched down. She reached out and began to touch the raw stones. In her hands, thanks to her powerful Spatial Ability, the rough, opaque rocks became as transparent as glass. She could instantly distinguish a useless white core from a crystalline, translucent piece of jade.

Her inspection was swift, ruthless, and precise—the ultimate form of cheating. She quickly pulled aside the worthless stones, creating a visible, small crater in the stall owner’s neatly arranged pile of rough jade.

“Hey, peasant! If you want to play in the mud, go do it at home! Stop making a spectacle of yourself!” A mocking voice snapped from directly behind her. Several shadows fell over Skylar.