So, That How's Hacker Work? II

I blinked, still trying to wrap my head around Gilg's unconventional hacking methods. "That's... resourceful," I finally managed, a hint of admiration in my voice.

Gilg grinned, clearly pleased with himself. "It's all about adaptability, my friend," he said. "You have to think outside the box when dealing with technology. Sometimes, the old-fashioned way is the most effective."

Dove chuckled. "Gilg is a true master of his craft," she said, her eyes twinkling with pride. "He's an invaluable asset to our team."

Gilg blushed slightly at the compliment. "It's nothing," he mumbled, looking down at his hands.

"So," Dove continued, turning to me, "what do you think? Did Gilg manage to find anything useful?"

Gilg pulled out a flash drive from his pocket and handed it to Dove. "It's all on here," he said. "The original footage was heavily encrypted, but I was able to bypass the security measures and extract the relevant clips."

"Okay, I'll take a look at it in my private office," Dove said, her voice taking on a more serious tone.

Gilg settled back into his seat, a satisfied smile on his face.

A few minutes later, we pulled up to a large, modern house nestled amongst lush greenery.

Is this her private office... a house? I wondered, a bit confused.

"You're probably wondering why we're here, Well, my house doubles as my private workspace," Gilg said, reading my mind as he got out of the car.

Dove and I waited patiently in the SUV while Gilg exited the vehicle to open the gate to his house. As I watched him, I couldn't help but wonder about the life of a hacker. It was a world shrouded in mystery and intrigue, a world I was eager to explore.

Ngiiiik! The gate creaked open, revealing a driveway leading to a modest, single-story house.

"Remember, don't touch anything." Dove cautioned as we drove through the open gate,

I nodded in agreement, my eyes scanning the surroundings. The house wasn't particularly large or extravagant, but it seemed cozy and well-maintained.

"Sorry it's not very fancy," Gilg apologized as we parked in the driveway.

I waved his apology away. "It's fine," I reassured him. "I'm more interested in seeing your workspace."

"Well, then, shall we go inside?" Dove asked, a playful glint in her eye.

Gilg nodded and led us to the front door, unlocking it with a swift turn of the key. The house was quiet, the only sound the gentle hum of the air conditioner.

"Come on, let me show you my private workspace," Gilg said, leading us down a narrow hallway.

He opened a door, revealing a room that was far from ordinary. Three massive computer monitors dominated one wall, their screens filled with a dizzying array of code and data. Cables snaked across the floor, connecting various computers and devices. The room was a testament to Gilg's dedication to his craft, a sanctuary for his technological wizardry.

"Whoa..." I breathed, my eyes wide with amazement. "Why so many monitors and cables?"

"It makes it easier for me to search and analyze data, I can run multiple programs simultaneously and monitor multiple networks at once."

"Just for searching?" I asked, still awestruck.

"Xian, his kind of searching is a bit different from what you're used to," Dove interjected with a knowing smile.

Gilg chuckled. "Yeah, I scan for vulnerabilities in networks and systems, This setup allows me to work faster and more efficiently, because... well, I usually have a thousand bots working alongside me."

The sheer scale of Gilg's operation left me speechless. I had never imagined that hacking could be so complex and intricate.

Gilg settled into his chair in front of the impressive setup, his fingers dancing across the keyboard with a practiced ease.

Dove and I leaned in closer, eager to see what he had discovered.

The room was silent for a moment, the only sound the gentle hum of the computer fans.

"So," Dove finally asked, "is the CCTV footage clear?"

"Yeah, luckily they have a decent system," Gilg replied, his fingers still flying across the keys. "And thanks to me finding the hard drive, it was a piece of cake to access the files."

The computer screen flickered to life, displaying the grainy images of the minimarket's security footage.

"This one's from the morning of the incident," Gilg explained, pointing to a timestamp in the corner of the screen. "Watch closely."

The footage showed a police officer, accompanied by another man, entering the minimarket. They walked towards the counter where Hana and her coworker were standing.

They're going to pull out their guns now.

I thought, my heart pounding in my chest. I could almost feel Hana's fear as the events unfolded on the screen.

"J-Just watch..." Gilg stuttered, his voice thick with tension.

Our eyes were glued to the screen as he switched to the footage from the security camera behind the minimarket. It showed the police officer dragging Hana towards the warehouse, his accomplice following close behind.

Gilg fast-forwarded the footage by five minutes, and another figure appeared on screen.

Dove gasped. "That's..."

It was me, following the Harbinger's lead.

Dove and Gilg looked at me, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern.

"You were there... But why?" Dove whispered.

"I-I was scared, It was all so sudden, and my Harbinger led me there, but..." I confessed, my cheeks flushing with shame

Gilg interrupted, his brow furrowed. "What's a Harbinger?"

He's a normal human, of course he doesn't know.

I thought. I quickly changed the subject. "Do you have footage from inside the warehouse?"

"Yes," Gilg replied, his fingers flying across the keyboard. He pulled up a new video file, the image flickering to life on the screen.

The warehouse footage was chilling. The grainy images depicted a horrifying scene of violence and violation. Although the camera didn't capture the explicit details, it was clear what had happened to Hana. The police officer and his accomplice, their faces contorted with malice, were seen leaving the warehouse, their clothes disheveled and their expressions triumphant.

Dove's hand flew to her mouth, a gasp escaping her lips. Her eyes filled with tears, and she turned away, unable to bear the sight of Hana's suffering.

< Chapter 055 > Fin.