61: Chapter 61 Opening Remarks: "Ghost Protocol" Activated
The Pretty Country, White House Underground Strategic Command Center.
The air was so cold it felt as if it would freeze. On the massive electronic screen, monitoring data for the Dragon Country's 'Golden Crow' power grid—obtained through both public and classified channels—showed it running stably, striking the faces of every high-ranking official present like a series of silent slaps. The former hegemon that once brandished the energy baton was now tasting the bitterness of being crushed by absolute technological superiority.
The President's face was ashen, his knuckles white from gripping the armrests of his chair. He stared at the briefing on the screen regarding the comprehensive rollout of Dragon Country's 'Super Charging Network' and the soaring public satisfaction, alongside reports of frequent activities by envoys from Europa, Neon, and other nations in the capital. Finally, he squeezed a sentence through gritted teeth:
"We cannot... we must not sit idly by and watch a 'Fusion Era' dominated by Dragon Country arrive! That would be the end of the Pretty Country's century!"
He snapped his head up, his gaze shooting toward the newly appointed Acting Director of the CIA and the Commander of Cyber Command like poisoned daggers. "Gentlemen, conventional methods have failed. We need a shocking operation, one that can shatter their aura of 'energy invincibility'! I want Dragon Country and the world to see who the true masters of this world are!"
The Acting Director took a deep breath, stepped forward, and handed over a black folder marked 'Top Secret'. "Mr. President, we have jointly developed 'Ghost Protocol' with Cyber Command. The objective: utilize 'Shadow Demon', a top-tier cyber weapon that has been dormant for years and has yet to be activated. Combined with all available vulnerabilities, we will launch an unprecedented, multi-dimensional, saturated cyber attack on the core control system of Dragon Country's 'Golden Crow' fusion grid. The goal is... to paralyze its core dispatching and trigger a nationwide, sustained blackout!"
The Cyber Command Commander added: "The 'Shadow Demon' virus is extremely stealthy and metamorphic, capable of bypassing most known defense systems. We plan to simultaneously attack multiple critical nodes of their grid, including regional dispatch centers, fusion power plant control interfaces, and that new intelligent management system based on 'Patriot X' technology. Success at even a single node will be enough to trigger a chain collapse!"
The President stared fixedly at the plan, his eyes flickering with a light of madness and desperation. He knew the risks were immense; failure or exposure would trigger an unpredictable diplomatic earthquake or even more intense confrontation. But Dragon Country's lead in fusion energy left him feeling as if there was no way back.
"What are our chances?" he asked in a raspy voice.
"Over seventy percent!" the Acting Director gritted his teeth. "While Dragon Country's cyber defenses are strong, the 'Golden Crow' grid is a brand-new system. Its control system must have vulnerabilities we don't yet know about. 'Shadow Demon' was born for this!"
"Approved!" The President no longer hesitated. He grabbed a specialized pen from the desk and signed his name on the 'Ghost Protocol' authorization, the tip nearly tearing through the paper. "Initiate immediately! Within forty-eight hours, I want to see Dragon Country's cities plunged into darkness!"
The order was like a death sentence, instantly transmitted to the depths of the CIA and Cyber Command. Botnets hidden in every corner of the globe began to wake up, and an invisible torrent of data began to converge, aiming at the land of Dragon Country that had just been illuminated by the 'Artificial Sun'.
'Shadow Demon' unsheathed, carrying the final madness and despair of the Pretty Country, transforming into an invisible phantom pouncing toward Dragon Country's energy lifeline.
Almost at the same instant 'Ghost Protocol' was initiated.
Dragon Country, the cybersecurity monitoring center next to the 'Torch Dragon' safe house.
On a screen in front of Su Xiaowan, the warning light representing abnormal network traffic suddenly turned from green to yellow, and then rapidly flashed a piercing red! A harsh alarm began to drone.
"Report! Large-scale, organized abnormal data streams detected! The source is heavily disguised, and the target is clear—our country's 'Golden Crow' main grid and regional dispatch centers!" an analyst reported urgently.
Su Xiaowan's gaze sharpened. Her fingers flew across the virtual keyboard, pulling up the defense interface of the 'Weaving Net' AI system. On the screen, countless red attack paths were like venomous snakes, attempting to burrow into the outer defenses of the power grid system.
"The 'Ghosts' are finally here..." she whispered to herself. There was no trace of panic on her face; instead, she possessed a calm that suggested she had expected this. She immediately connected to the encrypted communication with Long Zhantian and Elder Chen:
"The enemy has launched a general cyber offensive targeting the 'Golden Crow' grid. Attack level: Maximum. The 'Weaving Net' autonomous defense system has been triggered."
Long Zhantian's cold, stern voice came through: "Execute according to the contingency plan. Ensure the absolute safety of the grid!"
Elder Chen's voice carried a hint of worry: "Xiao Wan, are you sure?"
Su Xiaowan looked at the 'Weaving Net' AI on the screen, which had already begun automatically identifying attack sources, analyzing virus signatures, and dynamically generating defensive barriers. A confident curve formed at the corner of her mouth:
"Don't worry, Elder Chen. They think they are attacking a newly built system. But they don't know that what they are facing is the true ghost... one that has inherited the essence of 'Patriot X' technology."
An offensive and defensive battle taking place in the digital world, yet concerning the livelihoods of billions and the fate of the nation, had suddenly begun!