Great Beloved Wolf Lord Suffers Waterloo

"Tch, someone tricky showed up."

Beads of sweat formed on Silver Wolf's forehead. She was so tense and focused that she even stopped blowing bubbles. Her usual laid-back demeanor vanished, replaced by a serious, upright posture. She couldn't help complaining, "Didn't expect the Central Tower to have someone like this... Damn it."

If her previous opponents felt slightly challenging but ultimately easy, facing this guy who popped up out of nowhere felt like running into a massive mountain.

Although the opponent's offensive capabilities seemed strangely weak, their defense... No matter how hard she racked her brains and pushed herself, she couldn't find even the tiniest flaw. The opponent was like a veteran angler, just setting up a pump by the water, slowly draining it, waiting to simply 'pick up' the fish.

And she had absolutely no way to counter it.

"Looks like you've run into trouble."

"Need help?"

[Firefly] sounded amused, extending a pale hand.

Silver Wolf hesitated, glancing at the hand. She felt that after boasting so confidently earlier, seeking external help now seemed a bit embarrassing.

She gritted her teeth and turned her head away.

"No need! I just need to get a little more serious!"

As long as I go all out, everything will be fine!

Go, Silver Wolf, you can do it!

Miss Silver Wolf unleashed her inner fighting spirit, desperately trying to psych herself up and unlock hidden potential.

Unfortunately.

It didn't seem to work.

Trying to overcome Screwllum just through some psychological suggestion wasn't going to cut it. Data warfare wasn't like real-world combat.

Just like math never lies—if you don't know, you don't know.

This kind of network confrontation was the same.

Miss Silver Wolf, too proud to back down, launched increasingly fierce attacks, and then... almost got beaten senseless by Screwllum.

Of course, that description wasn't entirely accurate.

More accurately, she was completely 'running into a wall' on her own.

While Screwllum certainly had the ability to thrash Silver Wolf, his detached, almost Zen-like personality meant he only defended, effectively stonewalling her.

The silver-haired girl held out her hand, blinked, met Silver Wolf's eyes, and her gentle voice reached the latter's ears:

"Need help?"

Silver Wolf remained silent for a moment, perhaps finally reaching her breaking point after repeatedly hitting the wall. She couldn't hold back anymore!

"Just a little! Just a little bit!"

Based on the principle that 'a little doesn't count' and 'a small boost isn't cheating', Miss Silver Wolf, being a gamer who strictly adhered to the rules, made her request for help rather awkwardly.

Jiang Qiao felt helpless but complied with her request.

He only lent her a portion of the power.

Regaining the power of 'Truth', even if only partially, filled Silver Wolf's eyes with excitement and ferocity.

I refuse to believe I can't break through your defense!

Just you wait! After I crack open this turtle shell, if I don't strip off your underwear and hang it on the Interastral Peace Corporation's public network, I won't call myself Silver Wolf anymore!

This database, Lord Wolf Lord will definitely delete!

In the data-based battlefield of the network, the digitized Silver Wolf stared at the high wall, raised the shimmering 'Prometheus', and swung viciously at the wall!

Screwllum's defense was indeed flawless, offering no apparent openings.

However, it wasn't absolute.

Not before the Authority of Truth, for example.

The Authority of 'Truth', most adept at analysis and deconstruction, could find flaws within it. Even a partial portion of the authority was enough for a hacker of Silver Wolf's caliber to find an opportunity and angle for attack.

"Hm?"

The tall inorganic lifeform in a tailcoat, top hat, and monocle—Screwllum—felt a tinge of surprise as his defenses were breached.

"This lady's offensive is remarkably fierce."

He had initially thought it impossible for her to break through his defenses.

Even though he was currently elsewhere, engaging remotely and not using his full strength.

"Mr. Screwllum, even you are at a disadvantage?" The elite upper echelons of Punklorde were surprised, astonished, and also somewhat panicked.

Screwllum's projection nodded slightly.

"Affirmative: As of now, the opposing Miss Hacker's technical skill exceeds initial projections."

"However, there is no need for alarm..."

"Although this lady's virtual combat proficiency greatly surpasses my expectations, she is not unbeatable."

"Addendum: This brief exchange has piqued my interest in this 'opponent'."

"Therefore..."

[Protocol/Designation.]

[Dispatch Applicant: Screwllum]

[Identity Verification in Progress]

[Confirmed]

[Identity Verification Complete.]

[Dispatch Authority Confirmed. Remote Dispatch Initiated.]

[Coordinates Confirmed: xx/xx/xx/xx]

[Greetings, esteemed Mr. Screwllum. Planetary Differential Engine dispatch complete.]

Hundreds of light-years away from Punklorde, on a planet covered in steel, appearing like a metallic sphere cast entirely from metal when viewed from space—Screwllum's home base, 'Planet Screwllum'—the massive construct covering its surface began to operate.

Its name: 'Planetary Differential Engine' (星体差分机 I can't find the EN Name, there item that have the line but i only see that in CN wiki).

Planet Screwllum's past was not prosperous. Although inorganic life adapted to environments far better than organic life, unfortunately, Planet Screwllum's own energy sources were nearing depletion.

Facing this crisis, the people of Planet Screwllum ultimately made a desperate gamble, constructing this great 'megastructure', saving Planet Screwllum from the energy crisis.

Simultaneously, this unprecedented megastructure provided immense benefits to Planet Screwllum.

Such as ecology, energy, and... computing power.

The boost from the Planetary Differential Engine, combined with the natural computing power of inorganic life... essentially gave the entire Planet Screwllum the functionality of a 'planet-scale computer'.

This function was typically reserved for important scientific research.

But now, Screwllum, intrigued by the unknown hacker, had activated this formidable planetary computer.

Although, to avoid disrupting Planet Screwllum's operations, not all computing power was used, only a portion...

This was undoubtedly a wager measured against the entirety of the 'Planet Screwllum' inorganic civilization.

Screwllum eagerly awaited the answer his opponent would provide when faced with this level of 'computing power'.

The result...

Miss Silver Wolf was undoubtedly crushed.

This was beyond question.

Although Silver Wolf's hacking abilities were outstanding, ranking among the very best of all hackers ever seen on Punklorde, and further enhanced by the Authority of 'Truth'...

Faced with the might of the 'Planetary Differential Engine', the power of the Planet Screwllum civilization, even just a fraction of it, was not something she, a mere individual, could withstand.

The portion of 'Truth' she held was likewise insufficient.

Bang!

'Prometheus', part of her editor construct, directly malfunctioned, emitting black smoke, while Miss Silver Wolf herself entered a state of stunned silence.

"Hm?"

The silver-haired girl [Firefly], Jiang Qiao, watched this sudden turn of events with some surprise.

Wait, weren't we just winning a moment ago?

He raised his hand, sensing the power of Truth, somewhat astonished.

Then, he placed his hand on the front armor covering the girl's chest, wrapped in the small tank top.

Regrettably, there wasn't much tactile feedback, less satisfying than the [Firefly] body he was currently using.

Of course, Jiang Qiao's intention wasn't to take advantage while the girl seemed stunned, purely just checking her condition.

The problem wasn't major, mainly just being overwhelmed by the massive data stream, causing a bit of a 'system crash'.

"Who did she run into?"

Sighing, [Firefly] couldn't just stand by and watch.

He gently moved the hand resting on a certain area downwards, and then... a faint, somewhat peculiar virtual cartridge materialized.

Every hacker on Punklorde possessed one of these.

It was one of the core components for Aether Editing to function.

Jiang Qiao gently touched it to his forehead, then placed it back into Silver Wolf's body.

A moment later...

Silver Wolf, looking somewhat like 'Theresa', slowly opened her eyes. The red-orange gear pupils flashed with light.

Aether Editing, reloading.

In her hand, the somewhat overloaded Prometheus flickered with illusory light and returned to its original state.

Within the data space.

Screwllum, somewhat disappointed and preparing to leave, suddenly stopped.

He turned his head back towards 'Silver Wolf' in her revealing Punklorde outfit.

"It appears your condition is satisfactory."

"Commendation: For safety reasons, my pre-calculated contingency plans predicted you would enter a much longer state of system crash than currently observed."

Screwllum's mechanical face showed little emotion, but his monotonous synthesized voice conveyed joy and appreciation.

"Mmm~ Not really, she did pass out."

"?"

"Based on your phrasing, you do not appear to be the aforementioned young lady, yet your data signature corresponds to hers."

"Inquiry: Requesting clarification."

"Just think of it as a little trick. Still a bit troublesome," the girl chewed her bubble gum, the pink bubble expanding and contracting erratically, as she nonchalantly stared at the mechanical gentleman before her.

"As for you, I'm quite curious why you're mixed up with those people from Punklorde, Screwllum... I remember, you're supposed to be a good guy, right?"

Undoubtedly, anyone in the universe who had met Screwllum would find it hard to give him a poor evaluation. Even a genius with an eccentric personality like Herta sincerely acknowledged Screwllum as a truly good person.

And such an evaluation clearly didn't align with the somewhat unsavory elite upper crust of Punklorde.

"Acknowledging compliment."

"Correction: Not 'mixed up with'. Planet Screwllum maintains a degree of cooperative relations with Punklorde," Screwllum stated frankly.

Honestly, he too held unfavorable views regarding the wealth disparity on Punklorde. After all, Planet Screwllum under his rule was incredibly peaceful and prosperous. From an inorganic life perspective, Punklorde's exploitative practices, completely disregarding the interests and will of the majority, were utterly 'erroneous'.

But Screwllum was ultimately not a radical mechanical lifeform. Also, as the leader of Planet Screwllum, the head of inorganic life, he was himself the ruler of a faction.

For a faction, unless they intended to engage in colonization and aggression like the Interastral Peace Corporation or the Denizens of Abundance, a certain degree of compromise was necessary.

"Got it. Even a genius like you doesn't have it easy."

"Acknowledging understanding."

Communication between intelligent individuals was always concise. Such an answer was well within Jiang Qiao's expectations.

"Then, might I request your withdrawal?"

"Ah... that doesn't seem possible."

"After all, look~ You made her look so pathetic. Of course, I'm not planning revenge or standing up for a companion or anything..." [Silver Wolf] stretched lazily, straightening this body, saying ambiguously:

"Just finishing what wasn't completed. Hmm, that's it."

"Regret: It appears we cannot reach a consensus."

Screwllum sighed.

"Alright, communication is now concluded."

"Let me see your Planet Screwllum's Planetary Differential Engine."

"By the way, I'm not as easy to deal with as she was. You'd better put in more effort."

"Acknowledging reminder."

Given Screwllum's style, this clearly wasn't a polite response.

It was an acceptance of the advice.

After all, as a genius, he understood very well the consequences of 'arrogance'.

"Sigh, am I just shooting myself in the foot here?"

"Affirmative: Correct."

Screwllum once again mobilized the computing power provided by the Planetary Differential Engine.

This time, it increased from the previous 20% to 60%.

This was already the normal operational limit of the Planetary Differential Engine.

Any higher would severely impact Planet Screwllum's own functions.

A tidal wave of data surged forward.

'Huh?'

"Where am I? Who am I? Where am I?"

A confused, dazed consciousness surfaced—undoubtedly Miss Cosmic Wolf, who had been knocked out.

With Jiang Qiao's help, she recovered faster than normal.

Being a hacker herself, Silver Wolf quickly figured out her current situation and sensed the other presence squeezed in with her.

"Ha? Why are you in here with me?"

"And... what is this?!"

Silver Wolf looked up at the terrifying wave of data rushing towards her, her face turning green.

Having just been pummeled, how could she not recognize this thing?!

This was clearly what that mechanical head used to knock her out, and this time it was even bigger than before!

"Don't panic, leave it to me."

"Leave it to you... Do you even know how to fight a data war..."

"Whoa, the wave is coming! It's over, it's over, gonna get knocked out by this thing again."

"...fly, can you really handle this thing?"

"Can't handle it."

"Huh?"

"Then why did you say..."

While Miss Silver Wolf's head was buzzing, [Silver Wolf], holding control over the data, looked at the approaching tidal wave, a faint smile suddenly gracing her lips.

The next moment, the girl's figure vanished from the spot.

The surging tide engulfed everything.

Including, of course, a blinding flash of dark red.