Chen Mo had seen this program before—back when he asked Mo Nu to gather information on Lin Shu.
Now, surrounded by technicians, he found himself once again the center of attention. After all, it wasn't every day the big boss of the Marching Ant Company showed up in person.
"This is an antivirus program," Chen Mo said, glancing at Gan Cheng. "A pretty clever one, actually. But a single mistake turned it from an angel into a demon."
"Oh? What do you mean?" Gan Cheng asked, intrigued.
Chen Mo nodded toward the code. "Writing something this complex, a bug is inevitable. She made one, and it gave the software aggressive replication behavior. When antivirus programs flagged it, it started deleting itself—spreading and vanishing simultaneously."
"Is there a way to stop the spread?" Gan Cheng asked.
"Simple," Chen Mo said. "Use the antivirus software to eliminate the corrupted segment. Just tweak the code a bit."
He quickly deleted a few lines, rewrote others, and within ten minutes had the solution. "Done. Now just install this modified version on infected machines. It'll use the original logic to remove the bug."
He tested it on another infected computer. After confirming it worked, he connected it to the internet.
The room tensed.
If the virus had infiltrated the Public Security Bureau's internal network, the fallout would be enormous. But to their relief, nothing happened. The antivirus software installed successfully and remained intact.
"It's fixed," Chen Mo said, standing. "You can release this version for now—make it free. But someone will reclaim ownership eventually. Just don't distribute the source code or you'll be infringing."
The technicians exchanged glances.
Their team had been stuck on this for days. Chen Mo came in, sat down, and solved it in under half an hour—using the very virus that had caused the problem. The gap in ability was painfully clear.
"Now that it's resolved, when can the girl be released?" Chen Mo asked. "This was a technical error—not a matter of national security or espionage. It doesn't constitute a criminal offense. If you insist on pressing charges, my legal team will handle it."
The room fell silent. Chen Mo's tone was calm, but no one missed the weight behind his words.
Gan Cheng looked at him curiously. "Mr. Chen, do you have some personal connection to the girl?"
"When she's released, if she's willing, she'll become an employee of Marching Ant."
Gan Cheng smiled wryly. "She's really lucky. Not many people get Mr. Chen himself to show up on their behalf."
As the tension eased, Gan Cheng gestured toward the side room. "Since you're here, how about a cup of tea? Consider it thanks for your help."
"Sure," Chen Mo nodded.
After a short chat, Chen Mo and Xiao Yu left the bureau together.
The antivirus patch was released soon after, along with a public statement and a summary of the investigation.
When the announcement hit, it spread fast. Major news outlets covered it immediately.
The root of the incident? A coding error in a Chinese-character programming language that mainstream antivirus software couldn't detect.
This marked the first time such a language had been used in a live environment, and the outcome stunned many. It had bypassed firewalls, infected thousands of machines in minutes, and completely sidestepped conventional security.
The Marching Ant Company released a statement:
"Cybersecurity is dead."
The article stirred public concern. One line in particular stood out:
"Pandora's box has been opened. In the near future, viruses written in Chinese-character programming languages will ravage existing computer systems without restraint."
It was a clear warning.
The incident had proved how disruptive the language could be. While skeptics questioned the company's motive, no one could ignore the implications. Even in its flawed state, Lin Shu's program had overwhelmed standard defenses.
—
Lin Shu walked out of the Public Security Bureau, shoulders visibly lighter. The experience had shaken her, but she felt stronger now—more mature.
Just as she stepped outside, a car pulled up. From it stepped Chen Mo and Xiao Yu.
"Hello," Chen Mo greeted with a light smile.
"Hello... thank you," Lin Shu bowed slightly, voice full of sincerity. "I'll definitely repay you."
"You said that last time," Chen Mo said. "You don't have to repay me. But I do want to talk."
"Anything. If I can do it, I will," Lin Shu said earnestly.
Chen Mo pulled out a bank card. "There's five hundred thousand in here. The password is the last six digits. It's for you."
Lin Shu's expression froze. Her eyes flicked to Xiao Yu, then down to the card. She didn't take it.
"This is for your software," Chen Mo explained. "We're buying the antivirus program. It'll belong to our company."
"Oh! I thought..." Lin Shu flushed red, realizing she'd misunderstood. "I-I can't accept that. You already helped me so much. Just take the software."
But her eyes stayed fixed on the card. She needed that money—for her brother, for their future.
Chen Mo didn't retract his hand.
"Then think of it as a loan," he said. "You can pay it back later."
"But I don't have any money..."
"Then sell your debts to me," Chen Mo said with a grin.
Xiao Yu pinched him instantly. "Watch it."
"Ow!" Chen Mo flinched. "Kidding, kidding."
"What he meant," Xiao Yu said smoothly, "is that if you'd like, you can work at Marching Ant. This is just an advance on your salary."
"I can join Marching Ant?" Lin Shu's eyes widened. "Really?"
"You've got serious talent in Chinese-character programming. You'll need to finish your college studies first, but once you're ready, we'd love to have you. Help us develop software in your spare time."
Chen Mo added, "Our senior devs start at 50,000 yuan a month. So you'll be fine. Just take this as payment for the software."
"Thank you..." Lin Shu's voice trembled as she accepted the card. "I promise, I'll pay you back. Even if I have to work like a cow."
"No need for that," Chen Mo smiled. "Just be confident. You're good."
As Chen Mo and Xiao Yu walked away, Lin Shu clutched the card tightly, tears slipping down her cheeks.
Back on the road, Xiao Yu wrapped her arm around Chen Mo's and gave him a look. "Selling debts, huh? I eat your food, live with you... are you planning to sell my debts too?"
"You're a kitten," Chen Mo said, grinning. "You already belong to me."
"Who belongs to who?" Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow, but her expression softened instantly, her face breaking into a smile.
Chen Mo leaned closer. "Not yet? Then I'll have to work harder. I'm craving fish tonight…"