Dave looked at Tony , his eyes narrowing.
Tony looked up with an innocent look. “Alpha Dave, it's not that I don't want to pray for the best. It's just that, for something with zero probability, it's better not to get our hopes up.”
“How did the probability drop to zero? What are you and Ben ? The results of genetic mutation?” Dave raised an eyebrow.
Upon hearing that, Tony raised an eyebrow. “To be precise, we're not exactly that. Our family just has a powerful combination of genes. It's hereditary.”
“Hereditary?”
“Yeah. My grandpa was a hacker. They say daughters take after their fathers, so Nelly is a hacker. And sons follow their mothers, so I am a hacker, too. It all adds up,” said Tony .
Dave listened. Though he was convinced, he still looked at the boy with a stern gaze. “What about Ben ?”
“Ben inherited traits from my daddy and grandma,” Tony said. “According to Daddy, Grandma was once a formidable person. Hence, it makes sense for Ben , too.”
Dave listened, then looked at Tony . “What about Donna ?”
Speaking of Donna , Tony sighed helplessly. “Donna is rather fortunate. She took after my great- grandfather.”
“Fortunate?”
“She has incredible acting skills,” Tony said with a shrug and a smile.
Dave was speechless.
However, he couldn't deny that Tony 's analysis did hold a certain amount of truth.
He initially wanted to spar with the boy verbally, but at that moment, they had already arrived at the main control room of the dark web.
It was roughly two hundred meters square large. At that moment, there were about three rows of computers from one end to the other. A dozen or so screens, large and small, similar in size to televisions, were suspended overhead. The place looked like a control room for God's eyes.
When Tony walked in, he was slightly taken aback by the scene before him.
Even though he was a key figure in the dark web, he had never actually visited the dark web's room. He had only vaguely seen a few videos and photos of the room. The dark web primarily focused on the internet, making it one of the top in the industry. The place was already quite large, yet the dark web was several times bigger than that.
With those thoughts, Tony couldn't help but start looking forward to spending time there.
It was his first time visiting that kind of place, but he never expected it to be DX. Indeed, life was full of countless possibilities.
As Tony stared, Dave spoke up. “I've cleared everyone out for you. Now, this place is all yours. You can do whatever you want.”
Tony nodded.
At that moment, Cosmos, who was following behind them, frowned upon hearing that. How can he entrust this place to a child?
Cosmos faked a cough, spurring Dave to turn to him.
“What's up? Is something wrong?” Dave raised an eyebrow.
At that moment, Cosmos stepped forward and said, “Dave, how can you entrust the system of the dark web to a child?”
Dave responded, “I have a plan. Don't worry.”
“I know you're worried, but you can always turn to lady boss!” said Cosmos.
“Lady boss?” Dave narrowed his eyes, confused.
“Boss J's fiancée,” said Cosmos. Ever since he saw Nelly 's performance last time, he was utterly impressed. Moreover, he often thought about learning something more, but alas...
Even though he had added her on WhatsApp, he didn't dare to bother her without permission.
In the hacking industry, there were hierarchies. The weaker hackers looked up to the more powerful ones. Though Nelly wasn't famous, he could tell her hacking skills were godlike. Cosmos clearly understood the disparity between them and was self-aware of it.
Meanwhile, Dave was sizing him up. “You sound like you're used to calling her lady boss.”
“Actually, I rather call her 'The Great One',” said Cosmos.
Dave glanced at him without uttering a word.
“Anyway, I think the lady boss can solve these problems as well. Why don't we—”
“She's not available,” Dave said.
“Why?” asked Cosmos.
Dave didn't say much. He didn't mention anything about Nelly 's health. He simply stated, “It doesn't matter whether she or him are in charge. They're the same!”
With a puzzled look, Cosmos asked, “Dave, are you joking?”
“Do I look like I'm joking?” Dave retorted, looking at him.
Cosmos stared at Dave. It didn't matter if Dave appeared to be joking. One thing was for certain to Cosmos, which was that Dave would never joke about work matters. Moreover, the dark web was related to the very survival of DX, something Dave would never easily entrust to others.
However, Cosmos still found it somewhat hard to comprehend. After all, the child before him was only a few years old.
Looking at Cosmos' puzzled gaze, Dave spoke. “Forget it. You should leave first.”
Even though Cosmos was somewhat puzzled, he still nodded, ready to head out.
“Wait a moment,” said Tony .
Cosmos paused slightly. His gaze turned toward the boy.
At that moment, the child set down the black bag he was carrying on his back. He then took out a small black USB drive from inside. Turning around, his gaze fell on Dave and Cosmos.
“I happen to need some help around here, too, so let's keep him here.”
Dave's eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Tony knew what Dave was worried about and smiled. “Don't worry, Alpha Dave, everything will be fine.”
Dave nodded slightly.
Cosmos, however, didn't understand what they were saying and was confused.
At that moment, Tony handed the USB drive to Cosmos. “This contains the system I've redesigned for the dark web. It should be more suitable for you all's use. Help me install it later.”
With a bewildered expression, Cosmos looked at the object the boy handed over. Unwittingly, he reached out and took it, then couldn't help but ask, “Did you code this?”
“Yep!” Tony nodded.
Cosmos turned his gaze toward Dave as if seeking confirmation of something.
At that moment, Dave spoke up. “He is J's son. In other words, he's Nelly 's son and disciple. Therefore, he is quite formidable.”
That... actually makes a lot of sense. A realization dawned on Cosmos. “I see.”
As he spoke, his gaze toward Tony immediately became much friendlier, “Very nice to meet you.”
Tony understood that Dave said that merely to protect his identity from being exposed. After all, DX had been in a covert and overt struggle with the dark web for so many years. His appearance there, regardless of whose son he was, was somewhat inappropriate.
With that in mind, he gave Cosmos a slight smile. “I'll take care of the search in a bit. All you need to do is help me install this thing, okay?”
Cosmos immediately nodded. “No problem.”
“Since there's no issue, let's start immediately.” With that, Tony placed the bag aside and walked toward the machine.
Cosmos held the USB stick, standing at the side and watching. Tony walked over to the main computer, pulled out a chair, and sat down directly. After sitting, he paused for a few seconds, then he began.
His fingers then started dancing on the keyboard.
Before Cosmos saw Tony begin, the bloke always felt that this might just be a joke.
After all, a child of just a few years old, even if they seem a bit mature for their age, was still a child.
However, upon witnessing Tony 's swift fingers, Cosmos was thoroughly convinced.
He turned his head to look at Dave, his expression one of wanting to say something, yet holding back.
After seeing Dave's accustomed gaze, Cosmos finally put away his ignorant demeanor.
After all, he had already been burned once for misjudging people at Nelly 's place. This time, he absolutely couldn't let it happen again!
Shifting his gaze, he walked straight toward Tony , and he watched for a while standing behind him. Tony had a lollipop in his mouth, his little hands dancing on the keyboard at full tilt. His proficiency made it seem as simple as writing one, two, three.
The screen reflected Tony 's expression, he looked cool and aloof.
Leaning over, Cosmos was at eye level with Tony , watching line after line of code appeared on the screen. He couldn't help but ask, “Did Nelly teach you all of this?”
“What?” Tony raised an eyebrow.
“Fine. Just do as you please,” Cosmos said.
Tony tilted his head to look at him. “Do you know my mom?”
“Last time she came to give it a try, and she went solo for the whole event,” Cosmos said.
Upon hearing this, Tony casually nodded. “I see,” He said, and then refocused his attention back to typing his code.
Cosmos, still quite curious, leaned in close to his ear. “So, this thing can be learned, right?”
“What?”
Cosmos pointed his chin toward the monitor in front of him.
Only then did Tony react, his gaze fixed on the monitor as he asked without blinking. “What do you think?”
“I think...” Cosmos was about to say something, but upon seeing Tony 's move, his eyes lit up instantly, and even his words paused. He stared straight at the screen, his gaze filled with disbelief. However, after Tony completed a difficult move, he was completely stunned.
“What do you think?” Tony asked, sucking on his lollipop and turning his head to glance at him again.
Cosmos was tongue tight, he found himself forgetting what he had just said, as he listened to Tony 's words.
After a while, he looked at Tony . “I think... I mean what do I think?” Cosmos said. Then remember his question as he looked at Tony “How do you manage to chat with me while doing such a difficult task?”
“Is it difficult?” Tony retorted.
Cosmos was speechless.
Glancing back, he saw Dave who was behind him and wanted to complain. However, Dave was busy on his phone, seemingly indifferent to everything around him.
Cosmos narrowed its gaze, looking at Tony . “Kid, you're getting a bit audacious, aren't you?”
Tony merely glanced at him lightly, responding with nothing but a smile.
Really? Am I?
However, since Tony didn't come as Anonymous, he naturally wouldn't use that identity to pressure him. Hence, he continued to operate the computer with his hands.
Cosmos bore no malice towards Tony , but rather, he was filled with admiration. From Nelly to Tony , these were the two times he had been questioning his own skills.
Moreover, these were the surprises he hadn't anticipated.
Turning his gaze away, Cosmos sat next to Tony . He plugged the USB drive into the computer. He would occasionally glance at Tony 's screen while working.
Tony 's hand movements were incredibly fast, and he didn't hesitate at all when he was cracking the code. It was as if everything was already etched in his mind. Even when Cosmos hadn't yet figured out what the next step should be, he had already smoothly moved past it with a stroke of his pen.
Looking at Cosmos, it's somewhat hard to believe.
If Nelly was considered formidable, then the person sitting next to him was no less. He has personally witnessed Nelly 's master skills. Their techniques were entirely different. There was no trace of formal training on Tony as if his skills were innately bestowed. Between Nelly and Tony , one had a strong offensive approach, while the other was highly flexible. There was no overlap in their operational traces.
Thinking about this, Cosmos slightly furrowed his brow. “Did your mom really teach you this?”
“Is there a problem?” Tony asked in a low voice.
Cosmos shook his head, his expression extremely serious. “No, it doesn't... The traces of your interactions with each other, they don't resemble it at all.”
The corners of Tony 's lips curled up slightly. “You've been studying this, haven't you?”
“I can still discern a bit,” said Cosmos.
Tony didn't speak again. He neither admitted nor denied his view.
He continued his task, searching for the slightest clue.
Cosmos seemed to lend him a hand as his gaze occasionally turned to Tony . As he operated swiftly, it was as if he too was influenced as his rhythm became just as fast as Tony like he had been injected with inspiration. Following Tony , the sound of the keyboard in the vast room was incredibly pleasing to the ear.
After finishing his call, Dave turned his gaze back towards Tony .
Seeing Tony and Cosmos busily working side by side, Dave's eyes narrowed slightly.
“Like father, like son.” This saying holds true without a doubt.
Alpha Kilian was a good leader, and so was Tony .
However, the thought of someone succeeding DX in the years to come gave him a sense of relief.
With that thought in mind, Dave walked straight toward Tony . Standing behind him, he looked at the white numbers displayed on the screen and asked softly, “How long do you think this will take?”
“If it's just about identifying the harm this code can cause, it'll be quick. But if it's about fixing the problem without letting anyone notice, I'll need...” Tony paused for a moment, then said softly, “Three hours no less.”
What? Cosmos was stunned.
He had initially thought it would take at least a day or two, but Tony actually said three hours.
Even though he was quite skilled, cracking the code and patching the damage was still a major project. He was not the person in charge of the dark web, so how could he possibly finish it in just three hours?
But since he had given his words, Cosmos just watched him with his eyes filled with anticipation.
Let's see if it's real skill or just hot air.
At that moment, Dave stood behind them, tall and slender. Upon hearing Tony 's words, he gave a slight nod, “Alright, you guys stay here. If you need anything, just tell Cosmos. He will help you out.”
“What about you, Alpha Dave?” Tony asked, lifting his head to look at him.
“I have other matters to arrange and handle in the meeting room. Don't worry. I won't leave you here alone,” Dave said.
Upon hearing this, Tony 's lips curled into a slight smile. “I'm not particularly worried, but I didn't tell my dad and mom when I left. Could you please give them a call later?”
Dave's eyes were dim, and then he nodded. “Alright, I'll do that.”
And so, Tony stopped talking, reining in his playful demeanor, focusing entirely on the computer. His expression instantly became exceptionally serious.
Dave took a glance, withdrew his gaze, and turned to walk away.