Hacking

When Sanjay arrived, he found two androids diligently cleaning the penthouse. At a glance, they were indistinguishable from human women. Iris had already informed him that the household AI and the androids they ordered had arrived. She had taken care of everything, ensuring they weren't connected to the internet, just as he had requested.

"Sir, would you like something to eat?" One of the androids approached him, dressed in a traditional maid outfit. Her voice was soft yet precise, her artificial features almost too perfect.

Sanjay studied her for a moment. The company had truly outdone themselves with the design. These weren't just cleaning machines; they were crafted to resemble humans in every way. He was certain they could do much more than just housework.

"Oh, can you make egg fried rice?" he asked. The fight earlier had drained him, and hunger was creeping in.

"Of course, sir." She nodded politely before heading toward the kitchen.

Meanwhile, the other android continued vacuuming the floor, moving with an uncanny grace. Watching them work, a thought crossed his mind.

"What are your names?" he asked.

The android paused and turned to him with a pleasant smile. "We do not have human names. We are ANR-80 model androids."

Sanjay frowned. "Well, that won't do. You'll need names." He thought for a moment before deciding. "How about Lily and Lucy? Those names suit you."

"Thank you, sir, for providing us with names," the android—now Lucy—responded with a small bow.

Sanjay raised a hand to stop her. "No need for that. Just act normal."

She straightened immediately, awaiting further instructions.

Curious, he asked, "What exactly can you two do? Are you capable of combat?"

Lucy responded without hesitation. "No, sir. We are programmed to follow the Three Laws of Robotics. We cannot harm humans. We may only defend ourselves in the case of an attack."

Sanjay clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Tch, so I can't use you for that."

Acquiring military-grade combat androids was illegal here. If he wanted something with real firepower, he'd have to contact Maya and see if she could get her hands on a few for him.

With everything settled in both the medieval world and the future world for now, Sanjay decided to spend some quality time with his parents in the modern world.

All three of them were in high spirits today. They were inaugurating their new home, a five-story building built entirely for their family. The project had been entrusted to a well-known builder, and remarkably, the construction had been completed in just one week.

Sanjay was particularly excited about his new, spacious room. He had also integrated his own fusion energy technology into the building's power supply, ensuring that they would never have to worry about electricity bills again.

Meanwhile, his software was flourishing. In just a week, it had surpassed five million downloads, with around 40% of users opting for the subscription model. The rapid growth was largely due to exceptional marketing and customer service. The support team was available 24/7, sometimes even working as a sales team. Minor-level contracts were being handled seamlessly by the AI, making business operations smooth and efficient.

A notification buzzed on Sanjay's interface, snapping him out of his thoughts. A message from Iris, his AI assistant, appeared on the screen:

"Tax Enforcement request successfully resolved. All necessary documents have been sent and verified. No further action required."

Sanjay let out a relieved sigh. The tax authorities had been persistent, but Iris had handled everything flawlessly. Thanks to tax exemptions for software exports, they hadn't found a single flaw in his paperwork.

"You're too sharp, Iris," he murmured with a grin.

However, new challenges were emerging. Copycats were attempting to replicate his software, eager to capitalize on its success. But Iris had already devised a countermeasure. Using her 23rd-century hacking capabilities, she had deployed a specialized virus across the internet.

It could identify and erase any unauthorized software or websites bearing the "Future Technology" logo or its derivatives. Any attempts to clone his work were dismantled before gaining traction.

Sanjay had also started receiving acquisition offers from major companies. Though handling them was a headache, it wasn't a pressing issue yet. The beauty of software-based businesses was the minimal external interference.

Even if someone wanted to compete with him, they would need to develop a compressor software with 90x compression—something that wouldn't be possible even with the next century's technology.

What surprised him the most was the unexpected popularity of his software in the film industry. Hollywood studios were using it more than any other sector. For a fleeting moment, he considered entering the industry himself. He remembered a few blockbuster movies from his past life, but after thinking it through, he dismissed the idea.

"I can't stand around in the sun all day directing movies," he mused. "Iris can build software without me lifting a finger. Maybe in the future, I could consider producing films—there's a lot of money in that industry."

Determined not to waste this second chance at life, he planned a vacation with his family to Mumbai, the city of dreams. Though he had visited many times in his past life, this trip felt different—it was about making memories with his loved ones.

He booked a stay at the luxurious Taj Hotel in Mumbai, reserving a penthouse. A hotel driver was sent to pick them up from the airport.

Upon entering the penthouse, he felt an immediate sense of relaxation. Though it wasn't as extravagant as his penthouse in the future world, the ambiance was different—historical, prestigious. Many world leaders, including U.S. presidents, had stayed in this very suite.

Looking out the window, he caught sight of the Gateway of India. A wave of nostalgia hit him. He recalled the tragic events of 26/11—the 2008 terrorist attacks on Mumbai. He had watched the horrifying news on television, feeling helpless and enraged at the senseless loss of innocent lives.

"Maybe this time, I can prevent it," he thought. "Maybe I can do something now."

A sudden idea formed in his mind.

"Iris, can you hack into Pakistani military servers?"

[Host, I can deploy a trojan through a third-party vulnerability. Some external servers may not be directly connected to the internet or any external network.]

"Do it. Let's see what top-secret information they're hiding."

A few seconds later, Iris responded.

[Hacking successful. 2TB of data downloaded.]

"What? That fast?"

[Yes, Host. Some officers were using the internet to access internal networks, exposing a vulnerability.]

Sanjay's interface flooded with files. Documents detailing military operations, submarine movements, aircraft specifications, missile systems, and radar configurations—all classified intelligence. He even stumbled upon sensitive records about terrorist funding, detailing connections to militant groups and their handlers.

His expression darkened. This information could change everything.

"Iris, filter out anything that might harm India. Send the rest to Indian Intelligence. Make sure we remain completely untraceable."

[Understood. Sending now.]

At the Intelligence Department headquarters in Delhi, Chief Lokesh Shetty sifted through his secure email inbox. Only those connected to the classified network could send messages. Yet, an unfamiliar email had appeared.

"Who sent this?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes.

The message contained a single link leading to the dark web, accompanied by a cryptic line: "Information about your enemies."

He hesitated. Clicking suspicious links was a security risk. But something told him this was different. Instead of acting rashly, he immediately called for an emergency meeting.

A few hours later, intelligence officers gathered in the briefing room, staring at the documents in stunned silence.

"Was this verified?" Lokesh asked.

"Sir, we've only been able to verify about 5% so far, but everything checks out," one officer confirmed.

Lokesh's expression hardened. "Who sent this?"

"We couldn't trace the source, sir. The intruder used an employee's compromised phone to gain access to our network from inside the building. The phone itself was destroyed beyond recovery."

A cold chill ran down Lokesh's spine. Hacking at this level was unprecedented. If such a thing was possible, how could they defend against it?

"Did we lose any data?"

"No, sir. There was no data export from our side. But given the sophistication of the attack, we can't be 100% certain."

Lokesh clenched his jaw. "I want a full report on this incident by today. Implement new security measures immediately."

He then turned his attention back to the classified documents. "Verify this intelligence. Keep it under strict confidentiality. If word gets out that we have Pakistani military secrets, I'll hold all of you accountable."

Everyone in the room nodded, understanding the weight of the situation.

Back in Mumbai, Sanjay had no idea of the storm he had unleashed. While it was just a small act for him, it would have far-reaching consequences on India's global position.