Chapter 105: You Insects!
Outside the interrogation room.
"That fast?"
Jake, who had gotten nothing, grimaced after listening to his partner Detective Amy Santiago's account.
"That's how it's done!"
Detective Amy Santiago lifted her chin.
She rarely got one over on her partner, and even though she was riding Chuck's coattails, she went with it anyway. Chuck wasn't with the NYPD, so basically, it was all her credit!
Just then, Jake's phone rang. After answering and listening for a moment, he said, "I'll be right there."
"What's happening?"
Detective Amy Santiago saw her partner heading out and hurried after him.
"The tech guys cracked the phone password,"
Jake said as he walked.
"I'll notify Dr. Wolfe right away,"
Detective Amy Santiago followed, pulling out her phone to call Chuck.
"Don't bother."
The 99th Precinct wasn't very big, and in no time, they'd already reached the tech lab. Jake smirked, "They've been here for a while."
"What's the situation?"
Detective Amy Santiago had noticed, put her phone away, and hurried in. She wanted to ask Chuck directly, but when she saw Chuck examining the killer's phone, she turned to the technician.
"The phone password was easy to crack, but after accessing it, the information was also encrypted."
The technician smiled grimly, "That kind of encryption is extremely difficult to break."
"Detective, can you crack it?"
Jake grinned.
"It'll take time."
Chuck scrolled through the encrypted messages on the phone.
Detective Amy Santiago couldn't help but lean in to look, and immediately grumbled, "What the hell is all this?"
The message was filled with bizarre symbols that made no sense whatsoever.
"Encrypted,"
Chuck replied matter-of-factly.
"..."
Detective Amy Santiago was speechless. Seeing the technician smirk at her, she asked irritably, "Did you find the anonymous organizer of the Math Treasure Hunt?"
"I just cracked the phone password..."
the technician defended himself, then met the detective's stern glare and immediately looked down, saying, "I'll check right away."
"The situation is unclear right now. We should notify the other participants to stop playing this dangerous game,"
Jake reminded them.
"Dr. Wolfe already notified them,"
Detective Amy Santiago shrugged. "The math community is tight-knit. Everyone who needs to know already knows."
That night.
"Dr. Wolfe, Paige told me that the Math Treasure Hunt is over. Is that true?"
Little Sheldon called, clearly unhappy.
"It's true,"
Chuck said.
"Why?"
Little Sheldon was confused.
He had simply been told this news without any explanation. He couldn't accept it.
"You don't want to know the reason,"
Chuck said bluntly.
"I do want to know!"
Little Sheldon protested indignantly, "The game isn't finished yet, how can you just stop people from playing it?"
He also had obsessive-compulsive tendencies. The abnormal end of the game was too frustrating for him. What's more, this kind of engaging game was something he'd never experienced before. He didn't want it to end.
Chuck was silent.
"Hello? Are you still there?"
Little Sheldon waited a moment, and hearing no response, he couldn't help but raise his voice.
"Because I'm Batman."
Chuck's low voice came through again.
"Don't say that again!!!"
Little Sheldon realized that Chuck had been silent just to deliver this catch-all phrase that always infuriated him. He immediately screamed, his voice full of grievance and frustration.
"I told you that you don't want to know the reason."
Chuck said calmly, then hung up.
It was far better to dismiss Sheldon with this than to tell him the truth. 'Because I'm Batman' might make him uncomfortable as always and give Chuck some satisfaction, but the truth would probably scare him into a breakdown.
This was Chuck's tough-love kindness.
Professor Alicia Harper's home.
"Insects! They're all insects!"
Professor John Harper was frantically pacing around the house, muttering to himself, and after accidentally hitting his forehead, he banged it against the door.
"John, what's wrong with you?"
his wife, Professor Alicia Harper, saw this and helplessly stepped forward to stop him.
"Insects! They're just a bunch of insects!"
Professor John Harper repeated, his agitation growing more intense. "They don't understand the value of mathematics! They've ruined everything!!!"
"Who are they?"
Professor Alicia Harper asked, frowning as she placed her hand on her husband's forehead.
"I don't know!"
Professor John Harper exclaimed irritably. "Anyway, they're just a bunch of insects! They've destroyed my plan!"
"What plan?"
Professor Alicia Harper demanded, restraining her frantic husband.
"That's classified. I can't tell you!"
Professor John Harper glanced at his wife, shook his head repeatedly, and, muttering "I can't tell you," pushed her aside and rushed out.
Professor Alicia Harper steadied herself and followed him out. Watching her husband, unable to drive in his state, grab his bicycle and pedal away, she covered her mouth with her hand, tears streaming down her face.
Professor John Harper pedaled frantically, heading toward Princeton University, arriving at the abandoned building in the northeast corner.
"Professor,"
the remaining staff were respectful, though their numbers had dwindled considerably.
"I want to see William!"
Professor John Harper muttered, his head down.
"The boss isn't here right now,"
the staff member reminded him.
"I want to see William! I want to see William now!!!"
Professor John Harper's voice grew louder and louder, then he simply shouted.
"Professor, calm down. I'll call the boss right away,"
the staff member, accustomed to this behavior, immediately tried to soothe him.
"I want to see William!"
Professor John Harper simply repeated this phrase over and over.
"What happened, John?"
The staff member handed him the connected phone. Big Brother William's annoyed voice came from the other end.
"The game's been interrupted,"
Professor John Harper relaxed immediately upon hearing his handler's voice. He glanced at the staff member watching him, then walked upstairs to his office with the phone, whispering.
"What?"
Big Brother William was momentarily stunned.
"The math treasure hunt I had you organize was interrupted."
Professor John Harper entered his office, closed the door, and peered through the blinds, as if preventing anyone from eavesdropping.
"Is that so?"
Big Brother William said dismissively: "Alright, I got it. I'll send someone to look into it."
"No!"
Professor John Harper noticed William's casual attitude and became agitated again: "They don't understand the importance of this matter—don't you understand it either?!! This is a major issue related to whether the P=NP problem can be proven!
The future world is a world of digital information. Previous cryptographic methods are outdated. We need more powerful and effective decryption tools. Once the P=NP proof is completed, combined with corresponding software programs, encryption based on past principles will have no secrets from us. We'll easily crack all encryption and control all information, and information is everything! So I need the expertise of Dr. Wolfe and others!!!
The mathematical treasure hunt can screen people with sufficient mathematical talent and wisdom, and unknowingly mobilize their interest to work for me with full effort, but now the designed mathematical treasure hunt has been sabotaged, and all my work has been wasted. Do you know what this means?!!"
"John!"
Big Brother William shouted from the other end of the line, instantly calming the frantic John. He then soothed him gently, "Don't worry, I'll send someone to investigate."
This wasn't the first time Professor John Harper had explained the immense value of proving the P=NP mathematical problem to their operations.
He wasn't some inexperienced amateur; he'd already consulted experts. While this was theoretically true, fundamental mathematical research wasn't like other fields. Maybe a breakthrough would happen someday, but more often than not, it would remain stuck with no progress for decades or even centuries.
So, while he was willing to provide necessary conditions for Professor John Harper's continued research, he wouldn't invest too much energy and resources in it.
"Dr. Wolfe and the others' safety must be guaranteed!"
Professor John Harper muttered, stunned into momentary silence by William's shout.
"I understand,"
William said a few more words before hanging up.
The next day.
NYPD 99th Precinct.
"What?"
Detective Amy Santiago had just arrived at work when she heard unacceptable news: "The FBI took him away?"
"Yep, they took him away overnight."
The well-informed veteran detective nodded toward the captain's office: "Holt signed off on it."
"..."
Detective Amy Santiago was speechless. She quickly called Chuck and told him the news: "Looks like you were right. It's definitely connected to the FBI."
"It doesn't have to be the FBI,"
Chuck said calmly. "It could also be the NSA, CIA, or some other agency using FBI credentials. I'll give them a call and ask."
Detective Amy Santiago's eye twitched.
She had indeed heard these rumors. Because the FBI is the largest federal law enforcement agency, while agencies like the CIA lack domestic law enforcement authority, nearly everyone operating domestically carries FBI badges, and any problems get blamed on the FBI.
Of course, there are also legitimate FBI agents who are actually undercover CIA operatives, and vice versa. You spy on me, I spy on you—it's very much like the competing intelligence agencies and secret police forces throughout American history.
"Has the encryption been cracked?"
"Not yet,"
Chuck shook his head. "Whoever designed this encryption is brilliant. It will take time to crack it."
After hanging up, he called the BAU's unit chief, Hotchner.
As the head of a key unit within the FBI, Agent Hotchner has access to very high levels within the Bureau.
(End of Chapter)
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P@atreon/Soulforger (45+ advanced chapters)