Chapter 306: A Xue, the 'Traitor'
As a mixed-race individual, A Xue inherited her father's surname and half of his East Asian features.
This became an indelible mark on her.
A mark of being an 'outsider'.
A Xue was born in Boston, thus acquiring United States citizenship. Her happy childhood was spent in Youzhou, on the other side of the ocean. In her junior year of high school, she returned to Boston to prepare for admission to MIT.
However, from then on, she became an outcast among her classmates—a math freak, a communist spy—never truly integrating into the class.
A Xue wasn't disheartened.
The higher her education progressed, the more East Asian international students she found who accepted her. Besides, she had games to keep her company.
She had always led a carefree life, with a small social circle, content in her own world, and smooth sailing in her academics and career.
Until she was later selected as a beta tester for 'Star Sea'.
A month ago, the school cut off her research funding and halted her lead project.
The dean apologized to her, pursing his lips and shaking his head, indicating he couldn't explain the reasons further.
Evidently, he had to bow to a more powerful force.
Leaving the dean's office, strolling through the incredibly familiar campus, she suddenly noticed that the number of new Chinese students with black hair, like hers, seemed to have significantly decreased compared to a few years ago.
Oh—that's right—
Those in STEM fields had been rejected, even expelled, by the new Federal Government.
Her thoughts returned to reality.
"How did you get in?"
"Me?"
NSA Director Morgan smiled and looked back at the office door, "As long as I want it open, it will never be locked. Let's get to business, Dr. Song. I'm losing patience. Your mission has made no progress!"
He slammed the 'Star Sea' signal receiver onto the desk.
"I've been playing the game as you requested, constantly leveling up, constantly leading research projects," Nan Guo de Xue said.
"Don't play dumb. What I want are technology blueprints, blueprints! How many have you brought out so far? Zero! It's zero, okay?!"
Morgan pulled over a chair and sat opposite Nan Guo de Xue.
"Listen, you are a Milligan citizen. Serving your country is not a choice; it's your duty!"
"I know. That's why I'm helping this country in my own way, helping her avoid self-destruction caused by arrogance."
Morgan's mouth twitched. For a moment, he couldn't think of a rebuttal.
"You self-righteous people always come up with a pretty narrative. You know what? All traitors think like you do. They don't feel like they're being traitors; they always feel like they're saving or helping their compatriots who are more ignorant than themselves!"
Nan Guo de Xue couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"What are you laughing at?!"
"As far as I know, this country was founded on July 4, 1776, by a group of wanted criminals who betrayed the British Empire.
"Among these people, five were tortured to death by the British army, four died from injuries in subsequent battles, and twelve had their homes burned down.
"Mr. Morgan, they perfectly fit your description, but today, you don't identify them as traitors. You call them Founding Fathers."
"I..."
Morgan's face turned beet red, but he was speechless.
He waved both hands in front of him.
"Enough! I didn't come here today to discuss these irrelevant matters."
Morgan realized his opponent was sharp-tongued. If it came to arguing, he certainly wouldn't gain any intellectual advantage.
Forget it, he'd just lie!
Intellectuals are easy to deceive.
Squeak!
He pushed the signal receiving device towards Nan Guo de Xue, making a gesture of returning it as a sign of goodwill.
Then, he raised three fingers to the sky.
"I swear to you, in the name of God and the Federal Government, that we will apply all the technology from 'Star Sea' to peaceful endeavors.
We will not use it to harm anyone!"
"Really?"
"Of course! All humanity needs these technologies! As the leader and beacon of the free world, from a diplomatic perspective, our country is the most suitable and most capable to promote these technologies, isn't it?"
"That's great then. If that's truly the case, my team members in the game have already published many papers. They've shared the knowledge and insights they gained with Scholars worldwide."
Nan Guo de Xue shrugged.
"It doesn't seem to require diplomatic channels much."
Don't overestimate yourself, okay?
Morgan's face lengthened.
"No, that's not enough!"
Nan Guo de Xue didn't believe a word the other person said.
But she also realized that continuing this head-on confrontation was not a solution.
"Mr. Morgan, the technology in 'Star Sea' is very complex, and the data volume is huge. Perhaps you can tell me specifically which technology you need."
Good!
Seeing the other party relent for the first time in months, Morgan could hardly contain his excitement, leaning forward.
"I watched your previous live broadcast. The President is very interested in that brainwashing—I mean, personality implantation, or rather, personality enhancement technology!"
Nan Guo de Xue stared at him, thinking that this country was truly finished.
She suddenly felt a bit jealous of her parents, because when they were young, Milligan wasn't like this.
At least not on the surface.
"Among all the technologies that can provide humanity with infinite energy, and curb poverty and hunger, you chose this one? Brainwashing?"
"Ha-ah—"
Morgan's expression was full of contempt, tinged with a hint of disdain for idealism.
"You don't understand. This is very important! Before embarking on truly great and beautiful plans, we must first unify thought."
"I truly don't understand."
"Then let me explain simply. The deep state initially supported liberals to make society sufficiently diverse, highlighting free will.
"Our original intention was to balance ballot politics, to make the public unaware that behind the left and right doors is actually the same room! It was to provide an outlet for all discontent! Not to create the unprecedented division and quarrels between two parties as we see now! So, as long as we have personality enhancement technology, we can subtly optimize this opposition, allowing the country to unite again, to be great again!"
"Specifically, which people will be 'optimized'?" Nan Guo de Xue asked.
"Of course, those groups that have clearly spiraled out of control: liberals, sexual minorities, and—" Morgan stopped mid-sentence.
Nan Guo de Xue: "And Asians like me, and immigrants, right?"
Morgan: "I never said that."
"What if I refuse? What will happen? Commit suicide by shooting myself eight times in the back?"
"I advise you not to joke about such things. Be careful what you wish for."
Morgan buttoned his suit jacket and stood up.
"Stop playing games with me here. I don't care how many friends you've made in 'Star Sea'. Remember, their power doesn't extend here! Your every move is under our surveillance! Don't get any wild ideas!
"I'm giving you one week to complete this new task. Before then, you are not allowed to leave Boston. Good luck!"
After the unwelcome guest left, Nan Guo de Xue let out a long sigh, her heart pounding.
Outside of her 'high-functioning' character named Nan Guo de Xue in the game, A Xue was just an ordinary person, no stronger in mental resilience than anyone else.
Her real-life had become a mess before she could even react.
Her only solace was on the other side.
She put on the device again and entered the game.
"A Xue, are you alright?"
Inside the Taibai's bridge, seeing A Xue finally back online, a group of people gathered around to ask about her well-being.
"I'm fine—"
"Did your pet knock off your game device?"
"Yes, the cat at home—it's really mischievous."
"Ha! I knew it!"
Nan Guo de Xue looked towards the captain's position.
The Executive Officer was tapping away on his pad, it was unclear if he was browsing the next battle plan or slacking off playing a game.
"Their power doesn't extend here! Your every move is under our surveillance!"
Morgan's words echoed in her mind.
Yes...
She was, after all, on Milligan soil.
In matters like this, this country had absolute confidence.
However, in fact, Lu Yuan had just hacked into the MIT network and found the surveillance footage of personnel entering and exiting Dr. Song Xue's office.
Image sharpening, magnification, facial feature extraction.
After that, he hacked into the NSA network.
【Comparing with employee files】
The truly unreasonable thing about the Cangyuan Hibernation Pod was that it could not only hack into the Earth's internet but also seamlessly access various intranets and local area networks.
Or rather, the entire Earth's internet was just a larger local area network to it.
【Comparison complete】
NSA Special Director of Fifth Category Contact: Ed Morgan Sex: Male Date of Birth: 2/21/1964
Social Security Number: 577-02-5109
Driver's License Scan Information: Image Passport Scan Information: Image Accounts under his name: —.
Registered Companies under his name:
【Tracing recent activity —. Completed】
Pfft! This browser history, the taste is a bit heavy!
He had recently booked a room with a young assistant. There was solid evidence of an affair. Should he send a video to his wife and all his colleagues?
Lu Yuan suppressed the urge.
Exposing his ability to manipulate cyberspace at will too early was unwise, a behavior of a small fry!
He needed to wait for the right moment to unleash this power, swift and deadly.
Besides, old man Morgan was just working for someone higher up.
Simply dealing with him wouldn't solve the real problem.
However, the Chinese officials did need to communicate with the game's operators as soon as possible. Seeing the Executive Officer finish his work, Connor walked up and saluted.
"Executive Officer, the star system Connor mentioned at the last moment, we have verified it on the star map provided by Anya. It is indeed a red giant star system. The facts match what he said."
"Hmm—what does Anya's intelligence say?"
"According to some Star Alliance adventurer's eyewitness reports, there is an ancient space station there, and the probability of shipwrecks in the surrounding area is very high. In addition, some massive ships are often seen, and it is estimated that the shipwrecks may be related to these unknown vessels."
"Ships? Are there clear image records?"
"No, only some blurry shadows."
Connor transmitted the images to Lu Yuan.
They were all long-distance optical images, indeed very blurry, and not many external features could be discerned.
"And what Connor said in that situation at the time—frankly, I find its credibility questionable."
"I think we can go and see first," Lu Yuan said.
"Has the Imperial Fleet caught up?"
"Within three jumps, no trace of them has been found yet."
"Then let's set a new course!"