The Return of Little Black
The hackers were momentarily stunned, their astonishment palpable.
Could it truly be the case? After all, it was Universe's Top Player who had informed them. They would never have come forward to taunt QS otherwise.
One hacker, his mind racing, suddenly smacked his forehead. "It appears that Universe's Top Player did not say a word after making his exit. Our assumption that QS lost was merely speculative."
In competitive hacking, the general protocol is that the first person to return to Black Emperor is deemed the victor, while the loser, still engaged in system attacks, remains behind. However, Qin Sheng was an exception; having triggered the alarm, Universe's Top Player had been forced to retreat.
Upon hearing this, other hackers began to harbor doubts. The silence of Universe's Top Player was at odds with his typically flamboyant demeanor.
Hackers flocked to send private messages to Lu Ming. Finally, Lu Ming typed out a brief message and sent it: "I lost."
The forum fell into a profound silence for a few seconds before being inundated with exclamations of disbelief.
Lost? Lost?!!
The eighth-ranked hacker in Black Emperor had actually lost?!!
The Black Emperor forum, a global gathering of hackers ranging from novice to expert, had seen a top-tier hacker defeated by QS, showcasing the latter's incredible skill.
The forum fell silent, the hackers' doubts about QS's abilities evaporating. They began to view his previous arrogance as justified, acknowledging that true experts have the right to be bold.
In the hacker world, prowess commands respect. Those who are powerful are seen through a lens of admiration, and rather than resenting QS's actions, the community now viewed his audacity with a sense of awe.
The first person to be defeated by Qin Sheng, "Little Black," finally managed to come online. He was visibly sweating, a sign of his anxiety.
During his disconnection, he had kept his computer running, only managing to log back in an hour later.
[Little Black: Apologies for the temporary disconnection due to unforeseen circumstances.]
He dared not reveal that he had been blacked out by QS during their battle. Had they discovered this, it would have provided ample fodder for ridicule for months on end.
Little Black anticipated a barrage of questions from the hackers, but to his surprise, many came forward to offer their sympathy instead.
Little Black: "???" What on earth was happening? This was not the typical response from the community.
He reached out to his close friend for clarification. His friend, with a tone of sympathy, advised, "You should check QS's record."
Little Black hurriedly examined QS's extensive record, and upon seeing the impressive array, he fell silent.
So, here he was, a mere novice challenging a top-tier expert, and he had underestimated the capabilities of such a formidable player?
Ultimately, he had been outplayed and blacked out?
How naïve he had been, oblivious to the vast expanse of expertise in the hacker world.
Meanwhile, Qin Sheng took the opportunity to post an advertisement on Black Emperor.
[QS: Offering computer system repairs, remote diagnostics, and protection setup. Prices negotiable; the quality of service will reflect the cost. Contact me at: XXXX. Please refrain from unnecessary disturbances!]
The users of Black Emperor were left speechless.
So, was QS's dramatic display merely a ploy to advertise his services?
One user couldn't resist asking, "Big Boss, are you really in need of money?"
QS responded, "Yes, very much so. I am quite impoverished."
Once again, the users of Black Emperor were at a loss for words.
Could someone with such exceptional skills truly be financially struggling?
Wasn't it just moments ago that QS won over six million from the recent competition? With Qin Sheng's victory and the resultant winnings exceeding double the odds, totaling six million, how could he claim poverty?
In just a little over an hour, he earned six million. And he asserted that he was poor?
I'll believe that when pigs fly!