The crisis passed.
That was the problem.
After-Action Silence
No alarms.
No casualties.
No official reports.
From the outside, the network looked flawless.
Lin Chen stared at the diagnostic layer longer than necessary.
A Subtle Signal
The system flagged something new.
[System Notice: Pattern Stability — Increasing.]
Stability wasn't always good.
Stable patterns were predictable.
Predictable systems could be studied.
Dr. Hart's Question
"You look concerned," she said.
"Because it worked," Lin Chen replied.
"That means someone else can learn how."
The Exposure
Every optimization left fingerprints:
Response timing curves
Resource redistribution logic
Decision-tree priorities
Nothing classified.
Nothing hidden.
But together—
A blueprint.
System Advisory
[System Advisory: External Observation Risk — Rising.]
[Suggested Mitigation: Randomization Layer.]
Lin Chen nodded slowly.
"Not yet."
Randomization too early would destabilize the responders.
He needed to know who was watching.
The First Trace
A data access ping appeared.
Not hostile.
Not authorized.
Just… curious.
From an academic subnet.
Lin Chen bookmarked it.
Conclusion
The network was no longer invisible.
It was impressive.
And impressive systems attract attention.
Not all of it friendly.
End of Chapter