The Programmer Cultivator

’Is this world really so dark? Even the default operating system on a laptop has a backdoor?’

Once Zhang Deming opened the base code, he instantly slipped back into his old work mode.

Staring at the dense lines of code, Zhang Deming felt his worldview shattering as he delved deeper.

’Damn it, this isn’t a laptop; it’s a portable surveillance device...’

If the manufacturer wanted to, they could use the backdoor to conduct comprehensive data surveillance on the user!

This was even more outrageous than the Win-something system or that 368-something antivirus software from his previous life!

’Found it. The base Source Code.’

Zhang Deming quickly located the core code for the startup password verification in the Source Code.

{...

Variable A: The entered password, translated by calling ’Quantum Key’;

Variable B: The password set in the database;

if (A matches B)

{then, display ’Password Correct’ page and grant access}

else {then, display ’Password Incorrect’ page};

...}

’What the hell kind of API is this ’Quantum Key’?’

’Ugh, why do I care about this? It’s not like I’m here to study code!’

Zhang Deming directly changed the `(A matches B)` condition to `(true)`.

With this change, even a blank password would be considered correct.

Because as long as the condition after the ’if’ is absolutely true, the code will never run the ’else’ branch.

While he was at it, Zhang Deming also added a simple switch to the underlying surveillance backdoor.

Now, the damn backdoor could only collect data if he gave his consent.

As for modifying the password verification into an always-true condition, was that a bit roguish?

’Damn right. When you can access the base level, you have to be this roguish. Who has time for civility?!’

’In the world of hacking, if you can mess with the Source Code, you never mess with plug-ins!’

’Just look at the underlying environment. It’s even worse than in my previous life. Operating systems with publicly open data backdoors... This world needs to run into a few more rogues like me.’

After finishing all this, Zhang Deming withdrew his hand.

The control panel in his mind slowly faded, and the laptop before him was now open.

As it opened, a message notification popped up on the laptop.

"Number Three will be in position in one day. Number Two, how much longer do you need?

This is our first cross-departmental collaboration after a successful infiltration. I hope you don’t drop the ball. Please reply as soon as you receive this.

--’Mysterious Man Number One’."

Looking at the cryptic message, Zhang Deming speechlessly shook his head and closed the window.

Immediately after, Zhang Deming opened all sorts of files, documents, and even hidden files on the computer.

After a long while, Zhang Deming let out a long breath.

’Looks like I’ve stumbled upon something big, huh?’

’Ha, so this is what they call a spy in the legends of my previous life?’

Based on the information Zhang Deming had gathered, this person was a special agent from the Celestial Universe Star—or, to put it more plainly, a spy.

The agent had been trained since childhood and planted in the Hongmeng Realm, and had now managed to mix into the Outer Sect of the Celestial Spirit Sect.

His main mission was to lie low. The reason he’d kicked the bucket this time...

...was entirely because someone in their group discovered some ruins and intended to use the gains to break into the Inner Sect of the Celestial Spirit Sect.

So, several of them contacted each other through their higher-ups in the Celestial Universe and planned a cross-departmental team-up.

But the result...

...was this. The poor guy had ended up in the Qiu Ape’s stomach before he could even meet up with the others.

’A moment of silence for him!’

According to the information, there were five clues to these ruins. Number One had accidentally obtained two of them.

He contacted this Number Two and the so-called Number Three, and Number Two eventually obtained one clue.

Therefore, the three of them planned to meet when the ruins opened to begin their official collaboration.

After all, even though they were all part of the ’Mysterious Man’ codename series, they had never met, let alone had any contact with each other before.

Their respective undercover departments kept a very tight lid on their agents.

Once Zhang Deming had figured out the situation, he reached out and shut down the computer.

The computer quickly folded back into a watch, which now displayed the location of a rendezvous point.

Zhang Deming ignored this and sifted through the skeletal remains, pulling out a special Command Token. This was the so-called clue.

If Zhang Deming wasn’t mistaken, it had to be related to the ruins.

Finding nothing else, Zhang Deming turned and began backtracking, following the trail of destruction.

...

The Qiu Ape had left a path of destruction, making it very easy to backtrack.

After walking quickly for about twenty minutes, Zhang Deming arrived at the original scene of the incident.

It was a forest cliff. Beneath the steep precipice was a huge, natural cave, but it didn’t look like a limestone cavern.

The cave was perfectly formed by nature, and it was hard to tell how it had been created.

Zhang Deming observed the cave from a distance, performing Reconnaissance on the surroundings for a moment. He didn’t detect any other Demon Beasts.

Considering the value of the ’Yin Yang Rejuvenation Crystal’ the unlucky guy had mentioned before he died, and the fact that he hadn’t found it among the remains, Zhang Deming decided to go in and take a look.

After a moment of contemplation, the Vines around Zhang Deming’s body began to move. He activated his Spiritual Shield and cautiously crept inside.

As he went deeper, a hint of doubt appeared on Zhang Deming’s face. ’This cave is too deep, isn’t it?’

’Are we sure this is the Qiu Ape’s lair?’

Filled with doubt, Zhang Deming proceeded cautiously for another moment. Just as he estimated he was deep inside the mountain’s belly, the cave ahead suddenly brightened.

The path ahead suddenly opened up into a wide space.

Zhang Deming walked forward a bit more, and the tunnel opened into a huge cavern.

It was like a large limestone cavern, about ten meters high and dozens of meters in circumference, with a hemispherical dome.

The floor was a fairly regular circle, and the domed ceiling curved over the area like a sphere.

There were four paths in total. Two had collapsed, leaving the one Zhang Deming had come through and another that led to an unknown destination.

Zhang Deming surveyed the area. Aside from the unknown, glowing rocks on the ceiling, the entire cavern seemed quite empty.

In one corner of the cavern, Zhang Deming found a pile of miscellaneous junk that looked like the Qiu Ape’s nest.

Zhang Deming moved closer for a look. ’Isn’t this nest a little too big?’

A five-meter-tall Qiu Ape would have a large nest, but it definitely shouldn’t be as big as the one before him.

Whether Demon Beasts or regular animals, they don’t build nests like humans build oversized beds.

Most of the time, their nests are appropriately sized.

’Could it be...’

The thought popped into Zhang Deming’s mind, and his expression changed slightly as he considered a possibility.

Instantly, Zhang Deming lost all interest in exploring the other path.

The Vines around his body swirled, lifting him off the ground. Several Vines intertwined, growing rapidly upward toward the glowing object on the ceiling.

Zhang Deming had never seen a Yin Yang Rejuvenation Crystal, but he had paid attention to the names of many materials when he was reviewing the information earlier.

Therefore, if there was a Yin Yang Rejuvenation Crystal here, that had to be it.

In a moment, the Vines lifted Zhang Deming to the dome. The crystal in front of him wasn’t large—about the size of a fist, with a diamond shape that was both perfectly regular and naturally formed.

The entire crystal seemed to be gently embedded in the cavern’s ceiling.

Zhang Deming observed that not far from the crystal, there was an indentation. Judging by its shape, there must have been two crystals there before.

Who knows who took the other one. Judging by the marks, it must have been removed recently.

’Did the unlucky guy take one?’

’So where is it? Did he hide it?’

Zhang Deming looked around, then hesitated no longer. A Vine shot out from his hand and wrapped directly around the diamond-shaped, glowing crystal.

The crystal didn’t just look like it was embedded; it didn’t take much force to pull it out either.

Zhang Deming applied just a little pressure, and the entire crystal came loose from the dome.

BOOM...

Zhang Deming had just gotten his hands on the crystal when, before he could do anything, the entire cavern began to shake violently.

"Holy crap, this place isn’t going to collapse, is it?"

Two crystals, four passages. One crystal was taken, and two passages collapsed!

’It’s damn well possible!’

’In fact, it’s highly likely!’