As America's top intelligence agency, the FBI suffers hacker intrusions from time to time, but being ridden roughshod over as they were today was a first.
Rage spread through the entire department.
Everyone was itching to find the despicable thief.
A Job Offer
In the Queens basement, Luke took out four hundred dollars and placed it on the table.
"Buy some decent clothes. Be at ShowMe tomorrow morning at eight sharp. Don't be late."
Zacks stared blankly at the computer screen. Only when the door closed did he snap out of it, rushing to the computer Luke had used to check the data log.
The thousands of lines of source code formed a framework he had never seen. The more he looked, the more astonished he became. When he reached the last few lines, the screen suddenly went dark, and a white scythe pattern popped up.
"The Grim Reaper!"
Zacks was terrified.
The pattern flashed and vanished, all data was cleared, and the computer went into a blue screen error.
"It's over!"
Zacks slumped into the chair, clutching his hair in frustration.
The Grim Reaper was a legend in the hacking world. He burst onto the scene ten years ago, challenging the entire world single-handedly: putting up ducks on the UK government website, drawing women on the French site, drawing a backside on the Brazilian site, and leaving feces on the Italian site... The commotion at the time was huge, mobilizing hackers from various countries who even formed a temporary alliance.
Unfortunately, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't find the person's IP address. The only useful clue was the white scythe.
"Could he be the Grim Reaper?"
"No way. Ten years ago, that kid was six or seven at most. He wouldn't have even touched a computer."
"If he's not the Grim Reaper, why the white scythe?"
"Perhaps I should go and see what ShowMe is all about."
Exiting the basement, Charlie couldn't help but ask,
"Boss, aren't you going to take the computers back?"
"They're a welcoming gift."
"What if he doesn't show up?"
Luke opened the car door and smiled. "He'll come."
Charlie shrugged as he took the driver's seat. He couldn't understand where his boss's confidence came from, but dozens of times in practice had proven that the boss was always right.
"Where to next?"
"Gotham!"
In Gotham City
In a dilapidated rented room on the outskirts of Gotham City.
Robert Downs sat dejectedly on the sofa, a liquor bottle dangling by his hand, his face flushed with alcohol—it was impossible to tell how much he'd had.
Looking at his down-and-out state, no one would guess he was the CEO of a publicly traded company.
Reality is always full of surprises.
A few years ago, Robert and his friends founded an investment firm that provided financial services to the wealthy. Relying on years of accumulated connections and exceptional vision, the company quickly became a leading figure in the industry.
After going public, money poured in, and Robert transformed into a celebrated young entrepreneur.
As the saying goes, great fame draws envy, and in a place with Gotham City's gentle customs, a rich man without a background is like a pure maiden without clothes.
Due to a financial dispute, he angered Falcone, Gotham City's mob boss. After that, everything went wrong.
Extortion, blackmail, intimidation... all sorts of tactics emerged endlessly. Robert only lasted two weeks before breaking down. The original partners couldn't tolerate the life of fear and left one after another.
The thriving company was suddenly left with no one to run it.
Robert was forced to file for bankruptcy and live like a vagrant.
The moment he pushed the door open, Luke wondered if he had come to the wrong place. The rundown, damp room didn't have a single decent piece of furniture, garbage was strewn everywhere, and the air was filled with a pungent smell of alcohol.
Luke pinched his nose and frowned.
"Are you sure he lives here?"
Charlie nodded. "The address on the email is this place."
"Alright!"
Luke tiptoed into the living room, sizing up the middle-aged man lying on the sofa several times. He frowned.
"Robert Downs?"
He called a few times with no response.
"Charlie, get a basin of water from the kitchen."
A basin of cold water splashed him, instantly waking the drunken man.
"Who are you? Who let you in? Get out, or I'll call the police!"
"If the police were any use, you wouldn't have fallen to this state."
Luke found a clean spot to sit down and said flatly, "Long time no see, Mr. Downs."
Robert wiped the ice water off his face, his gaze hesitant. The young man in front of him was familiar.
"Luke Shaw?"
"You can recognize me, so your brain isn't completely shot."
"What do you want with me?"
"I don't like talking to someone who reeks. Go take a shower in the bathroom. We'll talk in ten minutes."
Robert's face froze, slightly embarrassed. He used to be a respectable man and never thought he'd be talking to someone while wearing clothes he'd picked up from a trash can.
"Sorry, wait for me."
Robert quickly rushed into the bathroom.
Charlie surveyed the surroundings. The moldy cheese in the trash can and the piles of liquor bottles in the corner all made him feel uneasy.
"Boss, are you sure you want to hire a vagrant? He might even be a thief."
"That's not important. Skill is the key."
Ten minutes quickly passed, and Robert emerged from the bathroom, having changed into a somewhat presentable T-shirt.
Luke didn't want to waste time in this environment and got straight to the point.
"Do you know ShowMe?"
"Of course, it's on my key follow-up list."
After cleaning up, Robert seemed to recall some of his former memory, and his tone became more composed.
"Tell me your thoughts on it."
"Is this an interview?"
Luke nodded. "ShowMe needs a Chief Financial Officer. You're a candidate."
When the words fell, Robert became entirely excited, like a drowning man grasping at a final straw.
"Are you serious... you want to... hire me?"
"I said, a candidate."
"Alright!"
Robert took a breath, suppressing his excitement, and said word for word,
"Over the past few years, with the development of information technology, computers have become commonplace. Many people have them, connecting to the internet to form a huge online platform—an undeveloped world. That's when your ShowMe arrived, filling the void and pioneering a new market. If it develops well and establishes a monopoly, it can become a new economic giant, like the Wayne family and the Luthor Corporation once were."
Luke inwardly praised him. As expected of a rising star in the financial world, his vision was certainly unique.
"You've mentioned all the advantages. What are the disadvantages?"
"The Capital Chain!"
Robert stared intently at Luke, hoping to see some confusion on that overly young face. Unfortunately, Luke remained calm from beginning to end, as if he had already understood everything.
"I've observed the ShowMe operating model. It's a cutting-edge business operation. Traditional enterprises focus heavily on profit; without it, there's no survival value. ShowMe is different. You use free access to attract users and occupy the market. As the scale grows, costs skyrocket, but profitability remains zero. To change this, you'd have to introduce paid services like subscriptions or ads, but doing so could easily push existing users to other social media apps."
Luke nodded. "Well said. Continue."
Robert took a sip of water to clear his throat.
"To solve the capital chain problem without harming the company's future, operations and investment become the critical links. Good operations can seize market resources and prove the company's value. Then, you use that inherent value to negotiate with those financial groups and venture capital firms, ensuring you secure investments without losing control of the company."
"I don't know much about the operations of an internet company, but capital operation is my strength. Give me a chance, and I will prove my value."
Luke supported his chin, silent, seemingly deep in thought.
Robert swallowed, feeling vaguely nervous. Though the young man had a handsome face, his demeanor and conduct were nothing like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old kid. He was too composed, like an old fox who had weathered many seasons, whose thoughts were impossible to guess.
After a moment, Luke looked up and asked,
"How much money did you scam Falcone out of?"
Robert's cheek twitched violently. Resentment and undisguised fear flashed in his eyes.
"To dare to earn the money of the Gotham boss, I must say, you have great nerve."
Luke rose to his feet.
"I like bold helpers. Let's go. Come with me to Metropolis. In six months, I'll help you resolve your debt issues."
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