4: Chapter 004: Incarnation as "Patriot X"
With his mind made up, Lin Mo didn't delay for a moment. He sank his consciousness into the system interface once more. Those technical principles that were once obscure and difficult to understand now appeared to him as fortresses that had to be conquered. He no longer tried to master everything comprehensively, instead focusing all his energy on [Elementary Information Encryption Technology] and the two selected basic material technologies.
Time flew by as he immersed himself in his studies, forgetting to eat and sleep. When he was hungry, he would gnaw on some of the dry rations he had stocked up; when he was tired, he would nap at his desk. The knowledge instilled by the system began to have a marvelous chemical reaction with his own solid professional foundation. The process of dismantling, understanding, and eventually mastering those cryptic theories bit by bit brought an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.
[Ding! Novice Guide Mission: Initial Mastery of Blueprint Basic Principles completed.]
[Rewards distributed: 100 points, Elementary Information Encryption Technology (instilled).]
When the cold system notification sounded, Lin Mo was staring at a simple encryption algorithm model he had built on the screen. He was stunned for a moment, and then a massive stream of information flooded into his mind. Unlike the vastness of the blueprints, this information leaned more toward "techniques" and "methods"—how to use existing network protocol vulnerabilities to build virtual springboards, how to write data packets that couldn't be reverse-tracked, how to set up trigger-based destruction programs...
"It's done!" Lin Mo pumped his fist, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
This [Elementary Information Encryption Technology] was far more powerful than he had imagined. It wasn't just simple cryptography, but a complete methodology for network stealth and secure communication that was at least ten years ahead of the current era. With this, he was fully capable of creating a near-perfect anonymous identity.
He immediately sprang into action.
First, he needed an absolutely "clean" device. He dug out an old laptop from his university days from a corner. Its performance was outdated, but because of that, it didn't have any monitoring software with potential backdoors installed. Using his newly acquired knowledge, he manually reinstalled a minimalist operating system and applied layers of encryption and disguises.
Next was choosing the contact method and path. Sending an email directly to the official public inbox was too easy to intercept and trace. Recalling the system's knowledge, his fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard. Through several anonymous proxy servers located in different jurisdictions, he constructed a winding and constantly changing digital channel. The entire process was like weaving an invisible spiderweb in the dark, cautious and precise.
Then, the identity. After a moment's thought, he typed three letters into the sender field—"Patriot X".
Patriot X. It expressed both his stance and original intention, while the "X" represented the unknown and infinite possibilities.
Finally, the email content. His wording was extremely concise, without any pleasantries or explanations. He directly stated that the attachments contained two technical documents regarding new materials, which might be helpful to the "country's space exploration cause." His tone was calm yet carried an unquestionable certainty.
As for the attachments, he selected the core catalyst formula (simplified version) from [In-situ Lunar Soil Polymerization Technology] and the molecular structure and basic synthesis path of [Lightweight High-Strength Composite Materials]. These two technologies were enough to prove their value without throwing out the entire, shocking picture of a Moon Base right away, avoiding excessive panic or suspicion. He packaged the files layer by layer using his self-created encryption algorithm and set access permissions—if any attempt was made to brute-force crack them or forward them without authorization, the files would immediately self-destruct.
Everything was ready.
Outside, the lights were beginning to flicker on as night fell in a hazy glow. Lin Mo took a deep breath and performed a final check on all his concealment measures. His heart inevitably raced; this was his first step into the unknown, and the first step in closely linking his personal fate with the fate of the nation.
He did not hesitate and pressed the Enter key.
A "Sent Successfully" notification flashed across the screen before quickly disappearing. All traces of his operations were swiftly wiped clean by his pre-set script, and the old laptop returned to its harmless dormant state.
Like a ghost endowed with a mission, the data packet merged silently into the vast ocean of the internet along that carefully laid, untraceable path, sneaking toward its destination—the internal network system of the Dragon Country's Supreme Science and Technology Committee.
Lin Mo leaned back in his chair, feeling his back soaked with sweat. A mixture of tension, anticipation, and relief surged in his chest.
He knew the stone had been cast, and the ripples were about to spread.
And he, the anonymous "Patriot X," had now stepped onto the stage of history. He would have to handle the coming storm even more carefully. He glanced at the system interface, the 100 points, and the empty mission list, and his gaze became firm once more.
"The next step is to prepare something for 'self-defense'."