Hello, Mr. Major General
chapter-1025

1025 Just As I Though

With lots of time at hand, you can do whatever you like. With nothing else in mind to do, Gu Nianzhi started working in front of her computer.

Zhao Liangze might have his debugging software program, but so did Gu Nianzhi. Furthermore, hers was much more flexible and was capable of undergoing timely modifications depending on the software.

If a worker wants to excel at his work, first he must find the best tools. To debug more thoroughly, Gu Nianzhi first checked the efficiency of her debugging software program. Only after ascertaining that her software program was functioning normally did she feel confident enough to use the software program to run the source code script that Zhao Liangze had sent her.

Once the computer began to automatically start conducting the tests, Gu Nianzhi sighed in relief.

Looking up at the time, it was already past midnight. She got up and walked to the door of the suite, then opened the door to check Huo Shaoheng’s room. The light in front of his door wasn’t lit, which meant that he hadn’t returned yet.

Seemed like Huo Shaoheng was pulling an all-nighter again.

Gu Nianzhi shook her head and anxiously rubbed her cellphone with her hands, but put it down in the end. She knew that now was probably Huo Shaoheng’s busiest time and that calling him would only distract him.

Gu Nianzhi closed her door and planned on sleeping for a few hours. She set her mobile alarm for six in the morning. That time seemed like the best time to check the results. Gu Nianzhi returned to her bed and soon fell asleep. She slept soundly without dreaming.

When her mobile phone alarm started to ring at six in the morning the next day, Gu Nianzhi felt the urge to smash her phone.

She rolled around the bed for a bit, then frowned, got up, rubbed her eyes, and sat in front of the computer to check the results of her inspection. After a long night, she found that her debugging software program had finished running.

The results indicated that there was nothing wrong with the source code that Zhao Liangze had sent her. Gu Nianzhi sighed in relief and went to the bathroom to wash her face with cold water to wake herself up. She pulled out her mobile phone and video-called him.

“Brother Ze, are your inspection procedures complete?” Gu Nianzhi asked with a smile.

Yesterday, Zhao Liangze had said that whether or not they found anything, they had to provide results by this morning. Zhao Liangze was still drowsy and had not yet fully awake. He muttered into his Bluetooth headset, “I finished inspecting already. There was nothing wrong. How about you? Was there any problem?” Zhao Liangze wasn’t expecting an affirmative response.

Because the monitoring software had been inspected by countless highly skilled computer experts and further tested through practical usage, even after so many years there hadn’t been any malfunctions.

Zhao Liangze didn’t even know why Huo Shaoheng felt compelled to inspect the software. Of course, he was also aware that Gu Nianzhi’s actions were based on reason. Even if she had done it on a whim, he would have sensed that something was wrong.

Zhao Liangze had not shared too much information and data with Gu Nianzhi. If he had said more, it really would have been a violation of protocol.

Gu Nianzhi used her right hand to make a peace sign. “Yay! There’s nothing wrong with mine either!”

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong? You really didn’t slack off last night? Did you sleep last night?” Zhao Liangze asked straightforwardly.

Gu Nianzhi held her hands up in protest and said, “No, no! Although I slept a little, my software program was running the entire time, so I didn’t slack off…”

Zhao Liangze stroked his forehead. “…So you slept after all.” His expression suddenly changed. He rebuked her sternly. “Nianzhi! You need to know what our job requires! Do you have any sense of time?”

When conducting military affairs, adhering to deadlines was crucial. It wasn’t like other departments that scheduled something at eight o’clock but held the actual meeting at nine o’clock. This would give everyone an hour of buffer time to ensure that everyone would be able to attend the meeting.

In the military, a meeting scheduled at eight o’clock meant that you must arrive by eight o’clock, with no exceptions. Even if you were late by a few seconds, you would be subject to military discipline.

“But I didn’t cause any damage…” Gu Nianzhi murmured to herself. “Even if I hadn’t slept, all I could have done was simply watch the software run its course. Why waste time for rest?”

It sounded fairly reasonable. Zhao Liangze hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to refute Gu Nianzhi’s claim. He finally said, “Well then, how’s progress on your side? Is there really nothing wrong at all? Are you sure you don’t want to check the software programming record?”

Gu Nianzhi nodded. “I’m checking right now.” After ten minutes, Gu Nianzhi read all the logs from last night and said to Zhao Liangze with confidence, “Everything is in place.” Then, she sent him the completed source code and log. Zhao Liangze would examine them again.

After completing this task, Gu Nianzhi went downstairs to have breakfast. On her way there, she chatted a little with servicemen and confirmed that Huo Shaoheng never returned last night. He had worked overnight in the central control room.

Gu Nianzhi urgently inquired, “What about his supper and breakfast? Did you guys deliver them?”

The serviceman smiled. “Of course we delivered them. We ensure the senior official’s wellbeing. How could we let him starve?”

Gu Nianzhi nodded in relief and said with a smile, “Well then, all is taken care of. As long as you guys are here, I don’t need to worry about Huo Shao starving.”

Seeing that she was joking, the servicemen laughed as well.

Gu Nianzhi finished her breakfast in high spirits, then went back to her room to surf the web. She still wanted to find out the truth behind the blogger’s death, but she was running out of time.

Sitting in front of her computer, Gu Nianzhi began browsing the internet mindlessly. If Huo Shaoheng hadn’t forbidden it, she really would have liked to play around on the dark web…

……

Zhao Liangze finished examining all the source codes. After ascertaining that there were no errors, he finally sent it to Huo Shaoheng.

Within five minutes, Huo Shaoheng’s video call followed. “Little Ze?”

“Huo Shao, did you see the file I sent?” Zhao Liangze quickly accepted the video call and started communicating with Huo Shaoheng using a BlueTooth headset.

Huo Shaoheng nodded slightly. “I looked over it, but I’m dissatisfied.”

Zhao Liangze was surprised.

“…Because I’m convinced that there is something wrong with the monitoring software,” Huo Shaoheng said. “Perhaps, there is something wrong with the computer itself.”

Zhao Liangze suddenly shivered.

As a highly experienced computer expert and the world’s top hacker, Zhao Liangze understood the underlying meaning behind Huo Shaoheng’s words.

“Huo Shao, I won’t hide from you the fact that I asked Gu Nianzhi for help. Of course, I didn’t give her access to all the data. I have adhered to the Special Operation Forces’ official protocol concerning usage of third party expertise and merely assigned her half of the fragmented source codes to examine. Go to the end of the source code for inspection.” Zhao Liangze sullenly confessed everything to Huo Shaoheng.

“What’s your point?” Huo Shaoheng tapped at the computer desk without commenting further. “She didn’t find any abnormalities?”

Zhao Liangze shook his head resignedly. “No. She verified the source code I sent her with her debugging software program and ascertained that there were no issues. So, Huo Shao, are you sure that it is the monitoring software’s problem and not the computer itself?”

If there was a problem with the computer itself, that would truly be disastrous…

Since the computer running this monitoring software was one of the supercomputers located in the central control room. This supercomputer stored nearly 30% of all Huaxia Empire’s confidential files.

Zhao Liangze suddenly recalled how in Germany, Gu Nianzhi had used a software called “Egger.exe” to single-handedly wipe out all the Federal Intelligence Agency of Germany’s data files…

If this sort of thing happened to someone else, he would simply be an amused bystander. If it had happened to him though, Zhao Liangze could only imagine how enraged he would feel…

Huo Shaoheng was trying to extract more information than Zhao Liangze’s words let on.

If this source code had been examined by Zhao Liangze and Gu Nianzhi, two of the world’s top computer experts and hacking experts, and they failed to find any issues, could it be possible that the problem didn’t lie within the monitoring software, but in the computer itself!?

Huo Shaoheng groaned for a while, almost giving in to the urge to unplug the power cord of the supercomputer. But during this critical period with the provisional election coming up, every supercomputer was running at full capacity. If he rashly unplugged the cord at this time, would he be able to bear the consequences? Could the Huaxia Empire bear the consequences?

His hand hesitantly wavered over the mouse. He finally decided to store a real-time monitoring security measure inside the computer. This program wasn’t monitoring software, but surveillance on the computer itself. Just like Gu Nianzhi’s debugging software, it could record all the activities of the computer during the debugging process and generate a log record for later inspection.

…

Time flew by so fast that, in the blink of an eye, it was noon already. Time to have lunch!

Gu Nianzhi looked at her watch and finally gave in to the desire to call Huo Shaoheng. “Huo Shao, are you coming back for lunch?”

To ensure that the supercomputer would properly surveillance the provisional elections, Huo Shaoheng would have to go to the parliament building to check how their computers were connected. This coincidental discovery alerted Huo Shaoheng to the fact that something might be wrong.

For both elections, each side had requested that the Special Operation Forces be in charge of surveillance because it would be fairer. However, was that really the true reason?

Huo Shaoheng had a grave expression on his face as he calmly said to Gu Nianzhi, “I have some errands to run, so you’ll have to eat yourself.” After a brief pause, he said, “I will be very busy these next few days and won’t be returning.” This was his version of briefing her on his whereabouts.

Gu Nianzhi felt a multitude of complex emotions. She gently agreed, but could not bear to put down the phone, or resist the urge to say, “If there is anything you need me to do, just ask.”

Huo Shaoheng thought about it for a while. “If necessary, I will request special permission from General Ji.”

Gu Nianzhi’s felt invigorated. “So I really get to help?!”

“Yep.” Huo Shaoheng got into the car and said, “Little Ze already told me about what he asked you to do. I still believe that there are issues we overlooked.”

Huo Shaoheng hung up the phone and asked Fan Jian to drive to the parliament building. Gu Nianzhi glared at her cell phone, unable to accept what Huo Shaoheng had said.

Wasn’t Huo Shaoheng indirectly insinuating that he didn’t trust her software program!? Or was there another reason?

Gu Nianzhi couldn’t take it anymore. She contacted Zhao Liangze again to ask him what was going on.

Hearing that Huo Shaoheng had already spilled the beans and asked General Ji for special permission to let Gu Nianzhi join in, Zhao Liangze felt safe to feed her more information. “…That’s it. Huo Shao said that either the monitoring software was malfunctioning or it was the computer’s problem.”

Ever since last night, Gu Nianzhi had been thinking about the source code that Zhao Liangze asked her to examine. However, she’d never imagined that this was the true reason Huo Shaoheng had asked them to investigate the bug.

“If it’s proven that it’s the computer’s problem, then all hell will break loose…” Gu Nianzhi urgently felt the need to do something about it. At this point, even the blogger’s death ranked second in importance.

“I know! That’s why I’m so stressed out!” Zhao Liangze banged on the computer desk. “If I find out which idiot set us up, I will make him pay dearly!”

“Brother Ze, watch yourself! Stay calm!” Gu Nianzhi checked him, but then added, “…If that day comes, I’ll help you make that person pay!”

The two laughed, dissipating the tension in the air.

After hanging up on Zhao Liangze, Gu Nianzhi returned to the computer and started to re-examine her debugging programming software. After looking at just a few lines of code, her cell phone rang again.

Gu Nianzhi had just started skimming through a few lines of source codes when her phone started ringing again. Quickly snatching her phone to see who was calling, Gu Nianzhi was surprised to see that it was He Zhichu. Gu Nianzhi hurriedly put on her Bluetooth headset and spoke to He Zhichu while typing. “Greetings Professor He.”

He Zhichu was also wearing a Bluetooth headset. With his hands in his trouser pockets, he stood in his apartment, gazing up at the blue sky and fluffy white clouds outside the window. He asked, “Nianzhi, have you not been showing up to work in the Senate?”

Gu Nianzhi said, “I have been injured. I’m taking some time off…”

“…You were injured again?” He Zhichu’s voice was gentle, but there was a sense of impatience lurking underneath that was discernable even over the phone.

Gu Nianzhi’s hands froze and she said with a smile, “…You knew?”

He Zhichu knew about what had happened in the Secretariat. Gu Nianzhi thought about how, for her safety, He Zhichu wouldn’t do any less than Huo Shaoheng.

“Of course. By the way, as your legal representative, I have already sent an attorney’s letter to Cai Shengnan declaring her liability for your personal injuries.” He asked Gu Nianzhi, “Is your wound getting any better?”

Gu Nianzhi raised an eyebrow. “Have you contacted Brother Chen?”

He Zhichu nodded silently, but he stated reluctantly, “Yes. I found out from Daxiong that you were there. I expected Huo Shaoheng to take you to the doctor.”

Chen Lie was the only doctor that Huo Shaoheng and He Zhichu felt comfortable enough to entrust Gu Nianzhi with.

Gu Nianzhi was grateful and joyful. Twirling the pen in her hand, she said cheerfully, “But Professor He, I also slapped her… What if she decides to sue me as well?”

“Nianzhi, it’s only been a few days since graduation and you have forgotten already?” He Zhichu chuckled. “Personal injury cases need medical examinations and proof to be filed. The wounds on your ears can be considered a minor injury. But slapping? Tell me, what doctor on earth would be willing to examine a slap as a personal injury? The most she could do is file a civil action.”

Gu Nianzhi beamed. “Thank you for the advice, Professor He. Without Professor He, I would have been bullied relentlessly by Cai Shengnan…”

“Don’t flatter me.” He Zhichu smiled and shook his head. “Alright, so are you busy today? How about some dinner together? I haven’t seen you for days.”

Gu Nianzhi looked at her computer and said with disappointment, “Professor He, I actually do have something that I have to do.” With such an intriguing computer problem at hand not yet resolved, Gu Nian had no intention of doing anything else.

“What’s keeping you so busy? And don’t tell me it’s about the shenanigans of the Parliamentary Secretariat.” He Zhichu didn’t see eye to eye with the Senate. Due to Gu Nianzhi’s obstinate persistence, He Chu decided not to object to her desire to join the Senate.

“No.” Gu Nianzhi busily shook her head. “It’s a computer program. I ran it all night last night and found no bugs, but others told me that if it was not a programming issue. They then discovered that the computer itself was malfunctioning, but I just don’t understand. A computer issue should mean a hardware problem, and a programming issue is a software problem. How can the two get mixed up?!”

After a while, he rubbed his forehead and asked nonchalantly, “…Is this important to you?”

“Of course it’s important. As a self-proclaimed computer geek, I can’t stand not knowing!” Gu Nianzhi exclaimed passionately. She slammed the keyboard hard.

He Zhichu was amused by her childish reaction and asked, “What kind of program is worrying you so much? Can you show me?”

“Professor He Zhichi, do you understand as well?” Of course, Gu Nianzhi knew she could not show it to He Zhichu due to the highly secretive nature of Huo Shaoheng’s special operation forces’ task.

“Are you doubting me?” He Zhichu raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the window sill. He said gently, “Alright then, you don’t need to send me the program. Just tell me what the problem is. Perhaps I can help you reach the right solution to resolving the issue.”

“I see. So that’s how it is?” Gu Nianzhi pondered over it in her head for a moment, reorganized her thoughts, and told He Zhichu the issues and inexplicable aspects of the software.

After listening to her, He Zhichu thought, “It’s just as I thought…”