Chapter 18: Confirm That a Rabbit Really Crashed into This Stake

"Friends, are you still worried about not being able to catch the hottest trends when surfing the Internet?"

"Friends, are you still worried about not being able to find good websites when surfing the Internet?"

"Friends, are you still worried about not knowing where to go when surfing the Internet?"

"Dao321, here you can find the entire Internet you've been longing for!"

In August 2002, the bright sunlight was like a roaring tiger in autumn. And the domestic Internet in 2002 was also filled with pained howls because of an online "psoriasis - like" advertisement!

"Damn it! Where did this post come from? Why does it appear under every news article on our website?"

"Delete it! Delete it for me!

I'd like to see if there are more people posting these or more of us deleting them!"

"Oh my god! Is this 'psoriasis - like' advertisement going to dominate the entire Internet?"

"Scoundrels!!!

I thought we were the kings of the Internet scoundrels, but I didn't expect there to be someone even more despicable! This is immoral!"

Three days later, all domestic Internet companies were desperate.

"We can't delete them all! We simply can't delete them all!!!"

On the other side, Song Han stared at the navigation page that took ages to load and fell into deep thought.

"Warning! Warning! Insufficient bandwidth! Data overflow! Please expand the bandwidth immediately!"

"Modify the source code to add the webpage to the local cache!"

"Modification completed. The virtual server is about to restart."

Frowning, Song Han closed the webpage and then reopened it. Looking at the navigation homepage that popped up instantly, he nodded in satisfaction. 

"Report the data."

"Number of website clicks: 5.32 million.

Number of registered members: 180,000.

Average page - browsing duration: 32 seconds.

It is estimated that the traffic will reach its peak tonight and then gradually stabilize."

In 2002, the officially announced number of Internet users in domestic was around 50 million. On the first day of its launch, his navigation website had attracted 10% of the country's Internet users.

As for the retention rate, Song Han never worried about it. With a UI design aesthetic that was a hundred years ahead of this era and the strong information - flow feedback from the intelligent AI, the throne of the navigation - website king had already changed hands the moment he decided to build this navigation website.

On the other side, at the Security Bureau, Wang Wei, for once, didn't rush in directly. Instead, he waited at the door for the director's response.

"Report!"

"Come in!"

Seeing Wang Wei enter, the director asked without even looking up,

"Your Team One has been tracking the target for so many days. Have you found anything?"

Wang Wei shook his head, looking a bit troubled.

"Although the target has repeatedly emphasized that the real target of the two incidents of manipulating underage children to carry out indiscriminate attacks was himself, there is currently no strong evidence to prove this. We've only found a few suspicious points."

Li Zonghua pounded the table forcefully and roared,

"The time limit given to us by the headquarters is almost up, and this is the answer you're giving me?"

"Director, the target has been inactive these days, so it's really hard for us to find new leads."

The director looked at Wang Wei seriously and said,

"I'm not asking you to present problems. I'm asking you to solve them!

I need a feasible plan!"

Wang Wei blushed deeply under the scolding. It took him a long time to come up with a plan.

"Draw the snake out of its hole!"

The director pondered for a moment and said,

"Go on!"

Wang Wei quickly sorted out his thoughts and explained,

"We'll plant undercover agents, set up defenses across the city, and release information about the target to lure the other side into the trap!"

"Alright!!"

The director nodded.

"Whether we gain anything or not, we can at least confirm the authenticity of the target. It'd be best if we can catch the mastermind behind the scenes. Even if we can't, we can still determine the value of the target.

When waiting for a hare by the stump, we have to make sure that a hare really crashed into that stump before.

Go ahead and do it! Come to me if there are any problems!"

After walking out of the Security Bureau, Wang Wei rushed to Song Han's internet café.

"Xiaohan, what are you doing?"

Inside the internet café, Wang Wei's sudden appearance startled Song Han, who was working intently.

After seeing who it was, Song Han quickly closed the main page and brought up the secondary page.

"You scared me to death. I thought you guys had left. Why are you here again?"

Wang Wei casually glanced at Song Han's computer screen. Judging from what he saw, it was something he couldn't understand.

"Is this a cat?"

"No! Actually, it's a mop!"

As he spoke, Song Han circled the mop that looked like a cat with a frame and added a label.

Wang Wei observed it seriously for a while and then burst out laughing in surprise.

"I'm here to say goodbye to you today. After a month of covert deployment, we haven't found anything abnormal. Now the bureau is withdrawing us and changing the direction of the investigation.

Since the safe - house has been used, it can be officially sub - rented to you on the surface. So I came here specifically to tell you this."

"Don't do that!"

Hearing this, Song Han jumped up immediately.

"Why are you withdrawing? You've been doing a great job lately. With you guys around, I can sleep more soundly!"

Wang Wei shook his head and said,

"But our job isn't just to make you sleep soundly!"

Song Han quickly said,

"I'll pay more!"

Wang Wei remained firm in his stance.

"It's not about the money!"

"One hundred thousand!"

Wang Wei smiled and shook his head, saying,

"Not to mention one hundred thousand. Do you think you can hire a team of professional investigators to protect you even with one million?"

Song Han immediately replied,

"Okay! One million it is!"

"Stop joking!"

"US dollars!!"

Suddenly, the second - floor of the once - quiet internet café became even quieter. Hearing the accelerated breathing of his colleagues in the earpiece, Wang Wei still firmly shook his head and refused,

"Aren't you negotiating with the landlord recently to buy this shop? Where can you get the money?"

Song Han quickly said,

"I'll be able to borrow... No, I'll be able to earn it back soon!"

Wang Wei shrugged and joked,

"Let's talk when you really earn one million US dollars!"

After saying that, Wang Wei turned around gracefully and left. When he reached the first floor, he didn't forget to say hello to the little girl behind the bar who was even shorter than the bar.

After a nervous night, early the next morning, Song Han skipped school and rushed to the internet café as soon as he got up. 

"??"

At the entrance of the internet café, Song Han looked at the crowded and noisy interior. He took out his phone and checked the time repeatedly to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

"It's 5:20 a.m."

"What's going on?"

Inside the bar, An Jian stood up timidly.

"Boss... You're here."

Song Han waved his hand. "I've told you, just call me Song Han."

He looked at the haggard - looking An Jian, then at the fully - occupied seats in the internet café and the echoing shouts of "If you're my brother, come and fight me!" with a confused look on his face.

"What's with all these people?"

An Jian explained,

"Last night, a group of people came to play games. They said the internet in our café was great, with no lag or disconnections. So they promoted our place in a QQ group.

Then, a lot of people started coming."

Song Han suddenly understood. In 2002, anyone who played Legend in an internet café was tortured by lag and disconnections in the game.

His internet café had just expanded its bandwidth. They had installed ten 5 - Mbps business - grade broadband lines. Coupled with AI Xiaohan's optimization and acceleration of the bandwidth's upload and download data, the internet speed was among the best in in the whole country.

When he was alone, Song Han always had the feeling that someone was out to get him. But now, seeing so many people in the smoky and noisy internet café, the tension in his heart eased.

He paced around the first and second floors of the café with his hands behind his back, then walked downstairs with a scowling face.

"No available seats?"

An Jian flipped through the management - system interface on the bar counter and said,

"No, there aren't any. Several students added me on QQ and asked me to inform them when there's an available seat. They're currently surfing the Internet at the nearby Re Xue Internet Café."

Song Han frowned and checked the day's revenue.

"Three thousand? This revenue is a bit low!"

An Jian said in surprise,

"Is this still low? Three thousand a day means ninety thousand a month!"

Song Han shook his head.

"You can't calculate it like that. Just the bandwidth expansion for the internet café costs eighty thousand a month!

Plus, considering the equipment depreciation, with this revenue, we're definitely making a loss."

An Jian was stunned.

"Then what should we do?"

Song Han looked at the messy floor of the internet café and the listless students. He shook his head helplessly. He hadn't originally intended to open this internet café for public business.

"Post an announcement to raise the price!"

"How much should we raise it by?"

"Twenty yuan per hour!"

An Jian was shocked by this price.

"Will anyone still come at this price?"

"It'd be even better if no one comes!"

Sitting at the bar, Song Han looked at his yawning deskmate beside him and felt a bit uncomfortable. If it were a hundred years later, he would have already been locked up for illegal employment.

"Go and get some rest. I'll call the homeroom teacher later to ask for leave for both of us!"

"No! No need!"

An Jian shook her head and picked up her schoolbag.

"I'll go to school right away. I'll also ask for leave for you by the way. It's just that I won't have time to clean the internet café today..."

Song Han waved his hand.

"Don't worry about it. After staying up all night, what else can you do at school except sleep?"

An Jian didn't say a word. She lowered her head and ran out of the café with her schoolbag.

"Wait a minute!"

"What's the matter?"

Song Han pointed at the breakfast he had brought on the bar counter.

"Take the breakfast with you!"

Only after seeing An Jian take the breakfast did Song Han sit back at the bar and prepare to start the data - labeling work for the day.

"Net - admin! Top up my account!!"

Just as Song Han sat down, someone at the corner of the first floor raised their hand and shouted.

"Which computer and how much?"

"Computer No. 3, twenty yuan!"

"Net - admin, settle my bill!"

After topping up the internet - usage fee and just opening the AI dialog box, another person walked over.

Throughout the whole morning, dealing with customers logging in, logging out, settling bills, and topping up their accounts kept Song Han constantly on the go!

Looking at the internet - café door where people came and went, Song Han gave himself a hard slap.

"Why on earth did I open this internet café!"