Ch. 1231..1240: Chapter 1231-1240
Chapter 1231
"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?" Bonnie asked and pretended to touch her face.
Falcon withdrew his gaze from Bonnie's face and smiled in response, "No, it's just that you look a bit like someone I know. I got a little lost in thought. If I offended you, I hope you won't take it to heart."
Bonnie raised her eyebrows slightly. She thought her disguise was quite good. 'Could Falcon have recognized me? Or did I accidentally disguise myself as someone Falcon knew? If that were the case, it would be quite a coincidence.'
However, this wouldn't affect her much. She could continue acting. Billy valued her highly, and Billy would surely side with her regardless of any conflicts she had with Falcon.
Falcon's opinion didn't matter.
Bonnie composed herself and responded with a smile, "Oh? Really? That would be quite a coincidence."
"It is quite a coincidence," Falcon replied calmly, but his probing gaze occasionally fell on Bonnie's face as if trying to detect any traces of disguise. However, he couldn't find anything after a long look. Falcon wondered if that initial wave of familiarity was just a figment of his imagination. It felt so clear. It couldn't have been an illusion.
Billy noticed Falcon's distraction. He then pulled him aside and asked in a low voice, "What's going on with you? You've been acting strange since you saw Barrett."
Falcon frowned and glanced back at Bonnie before saying to Billy, "I just feel that Barrett seems very familiar, like I've seen him somewhere before." "Where could you have seen him?" Billy, now on alert, asked.
Falcon shook his head. "I haven't figured it out yet. I just feel like he looks familiar."
Billy rolled his eyes in exasperation.Chapter
He had thought Falcon was going to present some solid evidence, but it was just a baseless feeling. "You must be overthinking. You and Barrett move in completely different circles. How could you have met him?"
"Maybe..." Falcon said, still full of doubts.
Along with this came a vague sense of unease, as if something was about to happen. Clearly, he had no memory of meeting Barrett, but t why did he find Barrett so familiar?` Where did this sense of familiarity come from?
Feeling frustrated, Falcon pressed his fingers to his forehead. The sudden rush of emotions left him feeling irritated.
Billy spoke in a cold tone after seeing Falcon's discomfort, "If you're not feeling well, go rest. Once you're better, I'll bring Barrett to see you."
Given Falcon's current state, he
probably wouldn't be able to
compete with Barrett. However, Billy had been looking forward to a showdown between Falcon and Barrett. Both were strong, and a match between them would surely be exciting!
Chapter 1232
Falcon quickly waved his hand and said, "Mr. Billy, it's fine. I don't need to rest."
"Do you still want to compete with Barrett?" Billy asked while frowning.
Bonnie raised an eyebrow. "What competition?"
Billy's voice was noticeably softer when he spoke to her. "Both you and Falcon are quite skilled inwork technology. I thought it would be good for you two to have a little competition to prepare for the task I have for you.
"But Falcon doesn't seem to be in the best condition today. We'll postpone it until tomorrow."
The task Billy referred to was cracking the chip. After numerous tests on Bonnie, he was eager for her to crack the chip, extract the technology inside, and achieve his dream of unifying major international organizations.
Since the chip came from the Nidhogg Organization and Falcon had participated in its research, he was the most knowledgeable about it. Therefore, cracking the chip required the cooperation of Falcon and Barrett. If Falcon was not in good condition, it might indirectly affect Barrett. To avoid any delays, Billy wanted Falcon to rest well and then work with Barrett to crack the chip as soon as possible.Chapter
However, Falcon refused Billy's suggestion to rest. "Mr. Billy, I'm fine. I just need a moment to gather myself. There's no need to rest."
The Nidhogg Organization and the Dark Knight Organization were still tracking his whereabouts, and he wanted to crack the chip as soon as possible to avoid any complications. However, Barrett's presence significantly affected his emotions. He wasn't sure if this was a good or bad thing...
Seeing Falcon's insistence, Billy didn't say more but asked cautiously, "Are you sure you're okay? If you're not feeling well, speak up. We can't afford to delay the progress."
Billy's concern wasn't for Falcon's
well-being but for the progress of the task. He had finally found a versatile talent like Barrett and didn't want any setbacks because of Falcon.
Falcon understood Billy's concerns and quickly assured him, "I'm really fine, Mr. Billy. Don't worry, I won't affect the progress."
Satisfied with Falcon's assurance, Billy turned to Bonnie and asked, "Barrett, how about you? Are you okay?"
"No problem," Bonnie replied with a smile. "I'm in great shape."
"Good!" Billy's gaze swept over them, indicating the computers were not far away. "Alright, let's cut the
chatter. Each of you pick a computer
that suits you and start the
competition!"
Bonnie nodded and was about to choose a high-performance computer when Billy's voice stopped her. "Barrett, wait."
"What's up?" Bonnie paused and looked back at Billy in confusion.
"I almost forgot! When I was talking to Falcon earlier, I boasted that you could beat him with a low-performance computer. I believe in your abilities. Can you do it?" Billy's eyes were full of trust.
Bonnie twitched her mouth at Billy's words. Beating Falcon with a low-performance computer? Billy had high expectations of her.
Chapter 1233
The data used for the competition on those computers was just a bunch of garbled text. Using a low-performance computer could easily cause crashes and overheating. Billy should have some understanding ofwork technology.
Bonnie wasn't sure whether this was another test for her or just Billy's vanity to show off in front of Falcon.
Billy frowned when he saw Bonnie remain silent. "Barrett, why aren't you saying anything? Are you unsure?"
In his opinion, this task should be manageable, given Barrett's abilities.
Bonnie collected her thoughts and responded to Billy. "Although the condition of using a low-performance computer to defeat Falcon is a bit harsh, it's not a problem for me."
With that, she looked up and scanned the rows of computers, then walked straight to the oldest and lowest performing one. "Alright, I'll use this one."
Falcon was momentarily at a loss for words. "Are you sure... this computer can handle that much data? If it overheats or crashes and you lose, it's still your loss. You can't back out."
Falcon thought Barrett could have refused and chosen a higher-performance computer. Given Billy's admiration for him, he wouldn't have faced any severe consequences beyond a minor blow to Billy's pride.
However, since Barrett chose to use the lowest performing, oldest computer, he had only himself to blame. Falcon wasn't underestimating Barrett, but from a technical standpoint, it seemed nearly impossible for Barrett to defeat him with such a computer.
"Don't worry, I won't back out," Bonnie said, her eyes glinting with determination and excitement.
It had been a long time since she had faced such a challenging task. She was eager to see if she could
defeat Falcon with this
I
low-performance computer. Despite the harsh conditions, she had her methods to achieve her goal.
"Good!" Falcon replied heavily, giving Bonnie a meaningful look. "I like competing with straightforward people like you!"
With that, he sat down in front of a
high-performance computer and
at Billy. "Mr. Billy, I've
my computer. Can we start now?"
mputer. Can we staret
Seeing them ready, Billy asked once more for confirmation. "Are you both ready? Do you need anything else?"
Falcon said, "No."
Bonnie echoed it, "Nothing else."
Billy nodded. "Alright, I'll explain the
competition cules. The computer
codes you see now are levels designed by a renownednoveldrama
international hacker I hired. There are ten levels, progressing in difficulty. You will start now, and
whoever breaks through these levels first wins!"
He then glanced at Bonnie, his eyes full of expectation. "Barrett, show your full strength and defeat Falcon!"
Chapter 1234
"All right, Mr. Billy, I will do my best," Bonnie replied. Instead of immediately starting to solve the questions, she lowered her head to adjust the machine.
Falcon spoke up when he saw this. "The machine and equipment are all outdated. No matter how you adjust them, you can't speed up the process. I advise you to switch to another machine. It would be a pity to lose to me because of a machine malfunction."
"No need," Bonnie replied calmly without even lifting her head. "The configuration of this computer is sufficient for cracking these sets of code." "Are you sure?" Falcon looked at Bonnie with skepticism.
While Bonnie was adjusting the machine, he had already gone to look at the ten questions. They were exceptionally difficult, befitting the challenges posed by top international hackers.
Yet Bonnie claimed that this low-performance computer was sufficient for cracking these codes. Honestly, other than his boss, he hadn't seen anyone with such extraordinary hacking skills!
"Sure." Bonnie finished adjusting the machine, stood up, and looked at Falcon with a smirk. "I never do things without confidence."
Meeting her confident gaze, Falcon suddenly froze. Finally, he understood why he felt so familiar with Barrett at first sight! Barrett's demeanor, including his pride and tone, were so similar to his boss's.
Falcon raised his head to scrutinize Barrett's face. Clearly, it was different from his boss's face, yet why did it give him such a similar feeling?
Seeing Falcon staring blankly at
Bonnie again, Billy frowned and reminded him in a deep voice, "Falcon! Barrett has already started
cracking the codes. If you don't act quickly, you'll lose to Barrett!"Chapter
Falcon immediately snapped out of his trance and followed Billy's gaze. He saw Bonnie had already begun operating, tapping rapidly on the computer with her fingertips.
Her movements were so fast that they were almost like an afterimage. The code challenges on the screen were being cracked one by one as she worked.
'One, two, three... Barrett had actually cracked five questions in a row?!'
1.ne
Falcon had seen the ten questions before and knew how difficult they were. Even if he were to crack them, it would take him some time to、 complete them all. But now, Bonnie had cracked five questions ina row without a hitch.
Bonnie stopped typing and turned back to him with a smirk when she sensed Falcon's gaze on her.
"If you don't start now, you'll lose to me."
Falcon was stunned by Bonnie's extraordinary abilities. He swallowed hard and quickly returned to his seat, starting to operate.
The first question was easy, but he
hit a bottleneck with the second and third questions. Despite trying several methods, he couldn't crack the third question. After all, Bonnie had already cracked five questions in a row.
It would be too embarrassing if he couldn't even pass the third question. No, he couldn't allow that.
Chapter 1235
Regardless, he had to crack the first five questions at least. However, ideals are lofty, while reality is harsh. No matter what he tried, Falcon couldn't crack the third question.
He was growing increasingly frustrated, and his brows furrowed deeply. He knew this didn't mean he was incompetent. After all, these questions were designed by top-tier hackers, so their difficulty was evident.
Of course, he could crack them with his skills, and he was given enough time. Maybe not all, but at least eight out of ten. However, Barrett had managed to crack so many questions in such a short time.
'How had Barrett accomplished this? Who is he exactly?'
As Falcon pondered this, he suddenly heard Bonnie's clear voice in his ear. "I've finished cracking them."
Falcon's eyes widened in disbelief. "H-Have you cracked them? Really cracked them?!"Chapter
His repeated questions demonstrated how unbelievable he found this. After all, he was stuck on the third question, while Bonnie had already finished. Furthermore, she did it on such a low-performance computer.
Bonnie smirked mysteriously. She slowly stood up from her chair and presented the computer screen displaying the ten solved questions to Falcon. "Here, see for yourself."
Falcon looked at the screen displaying the ten solved questions, almost doubting his own eyes. He rubbed them as if trying to dispel an illusion. But after repeating this action two or three times, Bonnie's solved questions were still there before him.
'But how had Barrett managed to accomplish this feat, especially with such difficult questions? Who exactly is Barrett? His abilities are truly extraordinary!'
Falcon voiced his thoughts. "H-How did you do it? Why... Why couldn't I crack even the third question?"
Barrett's display of abilities today had a significant impact on him. He felt dazed, with a sense of disbelief written all over his face.
"The principle is simple." Bonnie explained her process of solving the questions briefly.
Falcon suddenly realized, "So that's it! I thought of every other method except this one!"
As he spoke, he slapped his head in frustration. "Why didn't I think of this? How could I miss such a solution?"
"You found these questions difficult,
so you tried to crack them using complex methods. But inworking, the essence remains the same As long as you grasp the core concepts, cracking these questions is not a problem."
5
Falcon felt even more bewildered after hearing Bonnie's words, "I really feel like resemble someone l
once knew too well. I remember they used to teach me similarly"
Bonnie knew Falcon was referring to her, but she pretended not to know, feigning interest as she asked,
"Teach you? The person you're talking about, were they you mentor?"
Chapter 1236
Falcon pondered momentarily before speaking, "You could say that, but that's all in the past. We'll never go back to the way things were between us."
Amusement twinkled in her eyes. "Oh? From the sound of it, it seems you feel quite regretful?"
"There might be some regret, considering they taught me many things," Falcon sighed helplessly.
He admired his leader from the bottom of his heart. But Falcon would never yield the wealth and power he desired by working under his leader's management style.
So, he chose to betray them and stole the chip to join forces with Billy. He knew that with his ex-leader's character, they would punish him even if they chased him to the ends of the earth.Chapter
The path he chose now would undoubtedly be challenging. But since he chose this path, he would walk it to the end, even if he had to crawl.
Bonnie hadn't expected Falcon to express regret about leaving their organization. However, regardless of the surprise, she wouldn't let him off since Falcon had betrayed her. Whatever punishment was necessary, she wouldn't show any mercy!
"From how you're talking, it seems like you still miss the days you followed your master. If that's the case, why don't you return to them and pay your respects to the old man?"
Bonnie pretended to be completely ignorant, deliberately assuming that the master Falcon mentioned was an elderly person.
In reality, the "master" herself stood right in front of Falcon. She knew Falcon might have sensed something, but he wasn't sure of her true identity.
However, this didn't affect her in any way. She wouldn't give Falcon the chance to confirm anything. Let him continue guessing, giving him some elusive answers, letting him feel the burning desire to know the truth but unable to find it!
"There's no way to go back now," Falcon shrugged, his tone filled with sighs.
Billy frowned and pulled Falcon aside. "Falcon, from how you speak, you're not thinking of returning to the Nidhogg Organization, are you?"
Falcon was stunned, then smiled, "Mr. Billy, how could I possibly go back? After doing something like this, I'd be tortured to death if I were to go back!"
Billy observed his expression, only relaxing the coldness in his eyes after seeing no signs of lies.
"I've put in a lot of effort and resources to protect you and decrypt the chip you brought. I've lost many manpower and suffered many casualties! If you dare to turn against me at a critical moment, I will make sure you suffer a fate worse than death!"
If Falcon hadn't talked with Barrett, he wouldn't have known that Falcon still cherished his days in the Nidhogg Organization. So, he had to be careful to avoid Falcon indeed betraying him at a critical moment. No one would be responsible for his losses if that happened.
"Mr. Billy, I know what you've done to protect me. I will always remember your great kindness! I promise you, I absolutely won't betray you. Otherwise, I'll be struck by lightning and die miserable!"
Chapter 1237
Billy was quite pleased with Falcon's performance but didn't forget to add a warning, "Don't get too tense about it. It's just a reminder that I hate being betrayed. If you ever turn against me, I can't predict what I'll do."
Falcon nodded repeatedly, "Yes, I understand, Mr. Billy."
Having thoroughly angered the Nidhogg, Billy's Organization was his only refuge. Offending Billy would mean having nowhere to go.
"Hmm..." Billy responded mildly. He then turned his gaze to Bonnie, his expression softening
significantly. "I've always said my judgment of people is never wrong. Now, do you believe it? You've seen Barrett's skills firsthand. How do you feel about it?"
"Questioning Barrett's abilities earlier was indeed my mistake," Falcon said. He then turned to Bonnie with an apology. "Barrett, I was overly confident in my abilities. From now on, let's work together under Mr. Billy's leadership and support each other."
With that, he extended his hand toward Bonnie. "Let's shake hands and forget the past."
Bonnie glanced at his hand but did not reach out. Instead, she said calmly, "Don't worry, I'm not petty. I won't take your words to heart. It was just a simple battle; don't make it too serious."
Falcon extended his hand again, "In that case, let's shake hands and make peace. Otherwise, I feel I haven't earned your forgiveness."Chapter
Bonnie shook her head to refuse him. "No need to shake hands. I'm germaphobic and don't like being touched."
Falcon's eyes darkened as he looked at Bonnie.
'Germaphobic? That matches Ms. Bonnie's habits perfectly. Is it just a coincidence, or...?'
Billy noticed Falcon's dazed state and spoke up for Bonnie, "Since Barrett said he doesn't mind, then he doesn't mind. You don't need to shake hands. His dislike of being touched was clear from his first day here. Everyone in our organization knows about it."
"Is that so?" Falcon's eyes deepened even more. He had a strange feeling that the person standing before him was Bonnie, but he couldn't be sure. After all, this was Billy's territory. Bonnie had no reason to take such a risk
Perhaps he was overthinking. But he knew caution was essential, so he observed Barrett more closely to confirm his suspicions.
Billy noticed something odd in Falcon's behavior. "What's with you? Why are you acting so weird? Are you unhappy that Barrett beat you? Do you want me to organize another battle? If you lose this time, will you accept it?"
Chapter 1238
"No, Mr. Billy, I'm not upset or dissatisfied," Falcon said while waving his hand. He looked at Bonnie with a feigned admiration in his eyes. "With what Barrett has shown, I've already conceded. There's no need for another match. I'd still lose even if we did."
Billy was pleased with Falcon's response. "I've always said Barrett is truly impressive. You're far behind him, and now you've seen it yourself. Do you believe me now?"
He had a lot of confidence in Barrett's abilities. After all, Barrett had passed multiple tests and proven himself.
Falcon nodded and agreed, "Yes, yes, Barrett is really amazing. I completely acknowledge his skills."
After listening to their conversation, Bonnie pretended to be embarrassed, "Mr. Billy, Falcon, I'm not that impressive. You guys are overestimating me."
"This isn't an overestimation; it's a fact," Billy said, clearly very satisfied with Barrett. Humble when necessary, proud when deserved-that's the kind of person who could achieve great things.
Bonnie smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Billy. I'll remember your words."
"Well, today's battle is over. You can go back and rest. If there's anything else, I'll have someone call you," Billy said.Chapter
He wanted to dismiss Bonnie to discuss the chip issue with Falcon privately. This matter was crucial, and he couldn't tell Barrett about the chip yet, even though he trusted his abilities.
Bonnie nodded obediently, "Alright, Mr. Billy. I'll head back now. If you need me, just have someone call." "Alright," Billy responded and waved her off. "Go on."
"Okay, Mr. Billy," Bonnie said with a slight nod before leaving.
Once Bonnie was gone, Billy turned to Falcon and asked, "What was going on with you earlier? You seemed off, staring at Barrett and zoning out several times. Do you think there's something wrong with him?"
He remembered that Falcon had never been so distracted before. Only when he saw Barrett did he seem out of it. The things he said earlier were meant to reassure Barrett since he was vital to their plans, and making him feel trusted and valued was crucial.
Falcon frowned deeply, lost in thought. "I feel like Barrett resembles our leader a lot. Whether it's his manner of speaking, handling things, or advanced hacking skills, they are too similar."
"What?!" Billy's eyes widened in shock. "Are you saying that Barrett resembles the leader of the Nidhogg Organization?"
Chapter 1239
"Yes," Falcon took a deep breath, recalling his conversation with Barrett. The more he thought about it, the more similarities he found. "I hope I'm just overthinking this..."
Billy pondered momentarily before concluding, "You're definitely overthinking it!"Chapter
Billy's certainty took aback Falcon. "Why do you say that, Mr. Billy? I know you trust Barrett and value his abilities, but not to this extent, surely?"
"Indeed, I've tested Barrett extensively and trust him more than most. But my trust isn't blind-it's based on judgment," Billy explained. "Think about it: the leader of the Nidhogg Organization commands one of the top international organizations. Someone like that would be extremely cautious. Do you think he'd risk coming here himself?
"Besides, before Barrett's battle with you, I laced his food with hallucinogens and had a hypnotist question him. His responses were consistent with what he told me while fully conscious. So your theory doesn't hold water."
"I understand, but they do seem so alike..." Falcon rubbed his temples, struggling to articulate his feelings. "Don't worry about it, Mr. Billy. I'll keep observing. If I find anything, you'll be the first to know." Billy had to remind him, "Probe all you want, but be careful not to upset Barrett. He's young and prone to impulsiveness. Where will I find another talent like him if you drive him away?"
Falcon nodded and gave Billy a reassuring look. "Don't worry, Mr. Billy. I know how to handle this." "Good. Just make sure you don't scare Barrett off!" Billy genuinely valued Barrett. If it were anyone else, he wouldn't have repeated himself so much. But Barrett's skills were extraordinary, making Billy alter his usual principles.
"Understood, Mr. Billy," Falcon replied, his emotions a swirl of complexity.
Even though Billy was confident Bonnie wouldn't come here personally, Barrett's resemblance to Bonnie was too uncanny to ignore.
'Perhaps Barrett was indeed my leader in disguise? Although their faces differed, maybe my leader had used a master of disguise. But when I had closely observed Barrett before, there was no trace of any disguise...'
Falcon's mind was crowded with conflicting thoughts, but he knew speculation alone wouldn't yield answers. He needed concrete evidence and more behavioral similarities to confirm his suspicions.
Billy patted his shoulder reassuringly upon seeing Falcon deep in thought, "Personally, I believe it's impossible for the Nidhogg Organization's leader to be here. Focus on the chip. Work with Barrett to unlock its secrets. Only then can we achieve our goal of uniting the major international organizations!" Falcon remained silent, and his brow furrowed. After a long pause, he finally spoke, "Mr. Billy, I know my thoughts are far-fetched, but... what if?"
After another struggle, Falcon continued, "Are you going to have Barrett work on the chip now? What if something unexpected happens..."
Chapter 1240
Billy was always cautious and skeptical by nature. Initially, he had decided to have Barrett work on cracking the chip. However, upon hearing Falcon's concerns, he began to waver.
Falcon noticed Billy's hesitation and continued to persuade him. "Mr. Billy, trust me. Give me a chance to test Barrett. I promise not to mess things up! The chip involves too many people and interests. A single mistake could plunge us into a dire situation."
Though Falcon's words were somewhat exaggerated to sway Billy, the reality was that the combined forces of the Nidhogg Organization and the Dark Knight Organization could easily obliterate any single organization given enough time.
Hence, they needed to be exceptionally careful to avoid giving these powerful entities any opportunity to exploit their weaknesses.
Billy pondered deeply before finally deciding to follow Falcon's suggestion. "Alright, I'll trust you this time. But remember, you must handle this delicately. Don't drive away a talent like Barrett, understand?" Falcon was delighted by Billy's agreement and nodded repeatedly. "Understood, Mr. Billy. Since you trust me, I will ensure I deliver satisfactory results and not disappoint you."
"Good," Billy said sternly before waving him off. "Get to it. Don't delay any longer. Crack the chip as soon as possible to avoid unforeseen complications."
"Understood, Mr. Billy," Falcon replied with a slight bow, leaving to devise a plan to test Bonnie.
Meanwhile, Bonnie was leisurely scrolling on her phone. At that moment, a recording played through the phone's speaker, capturing the conversation between Billy and Falcon in their private room.
She had anticipated Billy's true intentions behind sending her away-either to discuss the chip with Falcon or to talk about her. Hence, she placed a micro-listening device to gather information related to the chip. Unexpectedly, she overheard their plans to test her again.
Bonnie laughed at their conversation, though her eyes flashed with a cold sharpness. She had thought her efforts had earned Billy's trust. But Billy's agreeing to let Falcon test her again proved his extraordinary caution and skepticism.
Therefore, she couldn't afford to reveal any flaws that might arouse suspicion in the upcoming tests from Falcon.
At the same time, she needed to dispel Falcon's doubts about her. Any misstep could render all her previous efforts futile.