Chapter 349 Charles's Counterback to Aaron
Aaron jumped into action, locking down the situation in a flash. He glared at his opponent on the screen, a cold smirk playing on his lips, and launched his counterattack.
But Charles, the gutsy hacker, wasn't about to back off. They were stuck in a digital showdown inside the Abbott Group's system, neither willing to budge.
The security team exchanged confused glances, totally clueless about what was going down.
Benie, the head of security, wiped the sweat off his brow. "Alright, everyone, step back. This is out of our league now."
A young, hot-headed guy in the team blurted out, "Boss, is Mr. Abbott some kind of computer whiz? Who's better, him or you?"
Benie sighed, "I used to be just like you, all cocky and reckless, until I got my butt handed to me. Now I'm here, working off my debt."
Otherwise, with his attitude, why would he be working so quietly at the Abbott Group? A bet's a bet, and he had to own up to it.
The young guy went silent, shocked. He'd always looked up to Benie. Who would've thought Aaron was even more badass?
These days, it seemed like being rich, powerful, and good-looking was everything. But with skills like these, you had to wonder if regular folks even stood a chance.
Benie lit a cigarette. "Alright, enough chit-chat. Pay attention; you might learn something."
On the screen, it was just Aaron and Charles going head-to-head. As time ticked by, Charles started to get the upper hand.
Seeing his win in sight, Charles grinned smugly. "I won!"
Lillian, with her sweet, childlike voice, clapped her hands. "You're amazing, Charles!" The blonde girl next to Charles frowned and said, "Something's off. You need to bail, now."
"Why would I bail when I'm about to win?" Charles was puzzled.
"Idiot, you've been duped. He's tracking our location." The blonde girl quickly opened her laptop, her fingers flying over the keyboard like a blur.
Before he knew it, alarms blared from Charles's computer, signaling a breach. Charles felt a sinking dread—he'd been played.
The blonde girl kept typing, staying calm. "Don't worry, I'll cover you. He won't find you. I've already set up a new IP address; he won't track you."
Feeling a mix of frustration and regret, Charles realized he'd been too focused on winning to see Aaron's sneaky move to trace his IP.
Just as Aaron found the address, he paused. "Check this one out."
Following Aaron's lead, Charles also stopped, realizing he'd walked right into a trap.
Aaron typed slowly: [Ever thought about working for the Abbott Group?]
It had been ages since Aaron faced a rival this good. The last time he felt this rush was during a showdown with Benie, where he ended up recruiting a top-tier hacker.
Reading the message, Charles let out a mocking laugh, his expression matching Aaron's arrogance. With a hint of defiance, he replied with just two words: [I decline.]
Seeing the response, Aaron wasn't surprised. He kept typing: [Why'd you hack into my company's system?]
Charles, realizing who he was up against, wasn't about to back down. A defiant spark lit up in his eyes as he coolly typed back: [I hacked in 'cause I felt like it. Need a reason?]
Aaron's eyes narrowed, and he shot back: [You're just a failed wannabe. Ready to give up?]
Charles: [I don't give up. You cheated!]
Charles was fuming. While Aaron was duking it out with him, he'd secretly traced his IP, proving Aaron was a computer whiz too. But Charles wasn't ready to accept defeat.
Aaron found the tone of the message kinda childish.
Just then, Benie walked over and said, "This IP's a fake."
Aaron raised an eyebrow. A fake address? That meant there was someone serious backing this hacker.
He kept typing: [Doesn't matter how you play; it's the result that counts.]
Seeing this, Charles's face twisted in anger.
The blonde girl poked his cheek, trying to comfort him, "Don't sweat it. You're only four. He's got years on you. Give it some time, and you'll totally own him."
Charles stubbornly glared at the screen and typed: [One day, I'll beat you.]
As he grudgingly accepted his loss, a vow formed in his mind. He knew he'd been careless this time, but next time, he'd be more vigilant and strategic. This rivalry was far from over.
Seeing the message, Aaron frowned: [Do you know me?]
But there was no reply. Charles had logged off.
Aaron stared at the chat, feeling like this hacker had a personal vendetta. The tone even seemed like a kid's.
Benie, sharp-eyed, said, "Boss, did the hacker get away? Didn't catch him?"
Aaron's eyes swept over. "He'll be back."
If it were an adult, he could use interests as leverage, but if it were a young person, it might not be so simple.
Benie calmly replied, "Maybe it's just another young fan showing off. Good thing he had some help and used a fake IP in time, or you would have caught him."
"I don't want to hear this nonsense. Restore the system within an hour and beef up the defenses. Getting schooled by a kid with no resistance, are you getting old?" Aaron's blunt words cut through the tension.
As Benie sighed, a wave of realization washed over him. There was no denying it – age was catching up with him.
Aaron looked at the computer screen alone, frowning as he pondered who would invade the Abbott Group's system.
At this moment, his phone buzzed with a message: [Aren't you at the hospital?]
Susanna was at the hospital, standing outside the ICU, looking at Maria lying inside with a respirator. For some reason, she felt a bit down.
She had consulted with the doctor, who delivered the grim news that Maria remained in critical condition. If she couldn't pull through, the consequences would be irreversible.
Shortly after, Susanna's phone began to ring. With composure, she answered, "Aaron?"
"There was an urgent matter at the company, so I came back to handle it," Aaron explained.
"Then you go ahead. I have plans to go shopping with Elaine. You don't need to accompany me. For men, work is the most important."
Aaron couldn't help but ask, "What about Lillian?"
Susanna replied, "Lillian seems a bit unwell, so I let her rest at home."
Hearing this, Aaron's thin lips pressed tightly. "Do you need to get a doctor to check on Lillian?"
As Aaron's concern deepened, Susanna's hand slowly clenched in response.
