At this moment, a multitude of hackers were watching the match unfold, eager to witness the humiliation that would befall QS. The anticipation hung thick in the air, the expectation of a certain downfall tingling like electricity among the crowd.
"This guy is far too arrogant, does he really think there's no one in the hacker world who can take him down?" one spectator scoffed.
"It's been years since I've seen anyone so foolish. To have the audacity to challenge the elites of the hacker community—does he even know who he's up against? He doesn't need to face any masters—just pick anyone at random and they'd wipe the floor with him. This kid is just an upstart who doesn't know his own limits!" another chimed in, voice dripping with disdain.
"Look at his progress bar! He hasn't even breached a single line of defense yet. This is absolutely laughable," a third hacker added, shaking his head in disbelief.
"That fool is going to lose for sure," another concluded, the certainty in his voice resonating with the general sentiment of the crowd.
As the heated discussions continued, Qin Sheng sat calmly before her computer. Noticing that her opponent was still struggling with the second layer of defense, she felt a wave of impatience. Her fingers danced across the keyboard with a fluid grace, hacking directly into her opponent's computer without a moment's hesitation.
The hacker known as "I'm Little Black" thought he had already secured his victory, basking in his premature triumph. Suddenly, he noticed the screen flicker. A chill ran down his spine as realization dawned upon him. He frantically pounded on the keyboard, cold sweat beading on his forehead as panic set in.
A few seconds later, his computer screen—
Went black.
Completely black.
A total blackout!
"Damn it!" he cursed, slamming his mouse onto the desk, glaring at the black screen in utter disbelief. How could this have happened? How could he have been hacked without even realizing it?
To be breached like this—a disgrace in the hacker community!
While "I'm Little Black" sat in stunned silence, the members of Black Emperor were equally baffled. One moment everything seemed fine, and the next, he was suddenly offline? Confusion spread like wildfire among the hackers, each one questioning what had just transpired.
"What just happened? Why did he suddenly go offline?" one asked, breaking the silence.
"Did his computer break down?" another mused, trying to piece together the strange occurrence.
"Who knows? Maybe he got seduced by a woman. You can guess what happened next," a third hacker joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Given his past record, 'I'm Little Black' isn't the type to quit halfway," another added, skepticism lacing their voice.
"…"
"Look at QS!" someone shouted, snapping the hackers back to attention, their eyes immediately darting to Qin Sheng's progress bar.
What they saw next was astonishing—QS, who had previously shown no progress, had—
Breached the first line of defense!
A minute later, she breached the second line!
Two minutes later, she breached the third line!
She had successfully hacked into the system!
The hackers stared blankly, momentarily forgetting to react, until the system notification appeared: [QS has decisively won against 'I'm Little Black'].
"He lost?!!!"
They finally snapped out of their stupor, their expressions a mix of disbelief and astonishment. QS had not only won but had done so with such remarkable speed, breaking through the first, second, and third lines of defense in just over two minutes!
It seemed that even the best records on Black Emperor weren't this fast!
Suddenly, they felt a sting of embarrassment. It was a blow to their collective pride; they had all underestimated QS and now had to face the bitter taste of defeat. The room buzzed with murmurs of disbelief and confusion, the reality of the situation slowly sinking in.
A few hackers, still clinging to their pride, posted messages trying to comfort themselves, "QS was just lucky."
Those unwilling to believe in QS's abilities echoed this sentiment in the posts below. In no time, the thread had hundreds of comments, with many hackers coming in just to watch the drama unfold, still unable to accept what they had just witnessed.
Hackers with stronger skills quickly issued new challenges to Qin Sheng, their pride wounded and their competitive spirits ignited.
This time, after the bets were placed, a small portion of hackers chose to bet on QS to win, but the majority still wagered on her losing, unable to let go of their initial skepticism.
Qin Sheng, with her chin resting on one hand, was in no hurry to accept the challenge. Her gaze was fixed on the betting odds. She hadn't known there was a betting system involved in this.
Recalling the last match, where all the hackers had bet on her losing, she realized that if she had placed a bet on herself back then, the payout would have been astronomical.
Qin Sheng immediately felt a pang of regret. Her mind raced with possibilities, and she couldn't help but think of what could have been. A part of her wished she had been more aware of the stakes involved.
Without hesitation, she decided to make the most of this opportunity. She wagered all the money she had—three hundred thousand yuan. Of this, over one hundred thousand was from Qin Hai, and the rest was money she had saved herself, carefully accumulated over the years.
Qin Sheng hadn't delved into the world of hacking for a long time. In the first match, she had been a bit rusty, but this time, she was fully in her element. The thrill of competition coursed through her veins, her mind sharp and focused.
Thus, a remarkable scene unfolded—the hacker known as QS, once underestimated and mocked, was now a force to be reckoned with, her skills undeniable, her resolve unbreakable.
And so, she prepared for the next challenge, knowing full well that the real battle had only just begun.
**(End of Chapter)**