Major-generalWang’sblackbulletproofBuickspedthroughthegatesofthenondescriptpoundbeforethePeople’sLiberationArmysecurityguardscouldrushtotheirfeetandaffectthemandatorysalute.Themajor-generalmadeanoteinhisvastbraintogivethemafirmdressingdownwhentimepermitted.Herequiredeveryonetobealertatalltimes,nowmorethanever.ThepoundwastheheadquartersoftheThirdDepartmentofthePLAGeneralStaffandwaslocatedinthesprawlofBeijing’sHaidiandistrict,hometothenation’stopuniversities,researchlabs,scienceparksandtechnologycorporations.Themajor-general’smindwasreelingfromtheaftermathofrecentevents.
Hetookadeeppuffonagold-tippedZhongnanhaiPremium,thicknicotine-stainedfingersholdingontothecigaretteasthoughitwassomekindofprecisioninstrument.Thinlipssetintoalargishfacewithstrongfeaturesexhaledthesmoke,whichwasquicklyflushedawaybythecar’spowerfulventilationsystem.Hestubbedoutthecigaretteinthebrimmingsilverashtraysetintothearmrest.Theashtrayretracted,thesoundofsomecleaningmechanismmuffledbehindthicklayersoffoamandleather.
Thecurrentsituationwasintolerableandifhedidn’tquicklybringthingsundercontroltherepercussionswouldbeechoingthroughthehallsofZhongnanhai,theseatofChinesepoliticalpower,innotime.Major-generalWanghadn’trisenrapidlythroughtheranksofthePeople’sLiberationArmytoseehisentirefutureputatstakebyaprofessorwithgrandioseideasaboutworldpeaceandanerrantresearchstudent.Theverythoughtofthedamagethewholefiascocoulddotohiscareerfilledhimwithrage.
“Whatdoyoumeanhehasdisappeared?”themajor-generalhadbellowedatthevideophoneinhiscarjustafewminutesearlier.TheTsinghuaUniversityprovostattheotherendofthelinehadvisiblyblanched,shockedbythemilitaryleader’soutburstofanger.Thiswasonepatronhecouldn’taffordtooffend.HundredsofmillionsofRenminbiinfundinglayinthebalance.Theprovostknewthatsomeofthismoneywasbeingusedfor“unofficial”research.Hehadbeenaskednottoquestiontheprofessorsorstudentsinvolvedonthosetopsecretprojectsandhehadby-and-largeconcurred.AslongasthebulkofthatmoneywasgoingintoprojectsthateventuallyaddedtothealreadyincredibleworldprestigeofhisrenownedinstitutionhewasmorethanhappytoconcurwiththewhimsofmenlikeMajor-generalWang.Healsoknewthatanymistakeswouldputhisjobatthewhimofthemajor-general.Whatifthemandecidedtowithdrawfunding?Theprovost’sagilemindrapidlyaccessedamentallistofalternatefundingsources.
“Thestudentdisobeyedclearorders,anactwhichinitselfisaseriousoffence.Wehave,however,securedtheequipmentandareawaitingyourfurtherinstructions,”theprovostinformedthemajor-general.
“Youshouldhaveplacedthestudentunderguardassoonastheedictwasissued,”themajor-generalsaidgruffly.
“Major-general,Imustremindyouthatweareaneducationalinstitutionthatcanonlyresorttothosekindsofmeasuresunderextremecircumstances.”
“Howisthisforanextremecircumstance?IwantyoutosecurethelabuntilIcangetsomemenoutthere.Doyouunderstand?”
“Perfectly,sir,”theprovostsaidwithaccentuatedreverence,sensingareprieve.Themajor-general’spreviousprojecthadnettedtheuniversityanunprecedentedleveloffunding,someofwhichhadmadeitintootherfaculties,enhancingtheireffectiveness.Newequipmenthadbeenbought,professorswhowereleadingthinkersintheirfieldshadbeenpoachedfromrivalinstitutions,newfieldsofresearchhadbeenundertaken.ThatprojecthadbeensotopsecretthoughthattheprovosthadhadtroubleexplainingtohisstaffwhatsomanyPLAofficersinplainclotheshadbeendoingattheuniversity.Nobodyhadbeenfooled.Yet,theprovosthadsimplyindicatedthatthatsectionoftheuniversitywasoutofboundsandthatthePLAwasusingsomeoftheuniversity’sresourcesforsomerun-of-the-millresearchproject.Quitethecontrary,iftheprovost’shunchwascorrect.
Major-generalWanghadsignedoffindisgustandlitanotherZhongnanhaicigarette.Now,ashiscardroveuptothefreshlypaintedfa?adeofthenondescriptgraybuildingthathousedhisofficesandthoseofhiskeylieutenants,themajor-generalreflectedontheeventsofthelastfewdaysandsighed.First,therewasthebusinessoftheJapaneseYakuzaattemptingtogainaccesstothesystem.HehadknownaboutKenzoYamamotoandhisactivities.Infact,thePLAhadboughtinformationfromhimonafewoccasions,anactthatactuallyangeredhimbeyondbelief.TheChinesewouldneverforgettheatrocitiesmittedbytheJapanesedecadesago.TheNanjingMassacre.JustthinkingaboutitfloodedhismindwithhorrificimagesofthecrueltiestheyhadinflictedontheChinesepeople.Yet,theJapanesegangsterhadtriedonetricktoomanyandtheassassinhadseentoitthathepaidwithhislife.
TheAIshadbeendeadlyaccurateonthatone,pinpointingthesourceoftheintrusionstoTokyoandtracingitbackthroughplexdataanalysisallthewaybacktotheYakuzaYamamoto’slairinShinjuku.Themajor-generalhadhesitatedbeforedecidingontheYakuza’sfate,knowingonlytoowellthatYamamoto’sbosswasaprominentmemberoftheJapanesegovernment.Yet,hehaddoneeverythinginhispower,andhewieldedaconsiderableamount,toascertainthatMinisterTakahashiwasnotimplicated.Iftheministerwasinvolved,thisbecameapoliticalgameandthemajor-generalcouldnotaffordtomakethispolitical.Therewastoomuchatstake.
Yet,iftheministerhadahandinit,thentherewerewaysofgettingtohimtoowithoutpromisingNewChina’snationalinterests.Theassassin’smodusoperandiwassilentanddeadlyyettherewererisksinvolvedwithassassinatingaministerofaforeigncountry.Thatwouldn’tgodowntoowellinBeijingorTokyoifitevercametolight.Itwouldleadtowarandthatwassomethingthemajor-generalcouldillaffordrightnow.Hewasthinkingaboutaradicallydifferentkindofwar.Yet,hewasatakerofrisksandiftheoccasiondemandeditthensobeit.
Themajor-generalsmiledtohimself.Atanyrate,routineprecautionshadbeentaken.Phoneshadbeentapped,municationshadbeenpromisedandthemajor-generalhadaccesstoasignificantchunkoftheJapaneseminister’sprivatemunicationsnetwork.AsmallarmyoftheThirdDepartment’sbestandmosttrustworthywascurrentlyattemptingahackintotheYakuza’snetworkofsatellites.
EverythingwasasitshouldbeexceptforthesmallmatterofhowKenzoYamamotohadlearnedaboutandgainedaccesstotheprototypenetworkinthefirstplace.Thenetworkwashighlysecure,accessibleonlythroughcustomhardwaremadeinasecuresecretmanufacturingfacilitydeepwithinthehinterlandofNewChina.Yamamotocouldhavegottenhishandsononeoftheconsolesbuteverythingwasaccountedfor.HecouldhaveblackmailedProfessorYaoforablueprintbuttheprofessorwasclean.Themajor-generalknewthatforafact.Anyway,thatwasyetanotherreasonwhytheprofessorhadtodie.
ThetwoPLAatthedoorofhisofficestiffenedandgavehimtheirbestsaluteashestrodebrisklytowardshisoffice.Themensensedhisbadmood.Major-generalWangthrivedonthefearofhissubordinates,asmallarmyofwhichstoodtoattentionashewalkedintohisoffice.Hispersonalassistantappearedoutofnowhereandhovereddiligentlybehindhim.Shewasawirygirlwithatautbody,akeenmindandthemajor-generalconjectured,avoracioussexualappetite.Ifonlytimeandprotocolwouldpermit,hethought.
“Leavemealone.Idon’twanttobedisturbed,”hegrowledwithoutturningaround.Thepersonalassistantexitedtheofficewithoutmakingasound.Themajor-generalsatdownbehindhisexpansiveuncluttereddeskandlitanotherZhongnanhai.Ontheshinysurfaceofthedesk,nothingbutaconsoleandscreenandagoldplatedashtraywiththePLA’sinsigniaandhisnameonit.Hewasabouttotakeapuffonthecigarettewhenhissecurecellphonerang.
“Speak,”hemanded,asheswitchedonthemassagefunctionofhiselaborateputer-controlledchair.Hebarelyfeltthemassagersprobethesurfaceofhisskin.Themajor-generalhadthetensebinationofmuscleandfatofasumowrestler,pletewithalargesquareheadcrownedwithanunlikelycrew-cut.
“LieutenantLiu,sir.Wehavesomenews.”
“Itbetterbegood.”
“Sir,wemanagedtogainaccesstooneoftheirlowlevelmunicationssatellites.”
“Isthatthenews?”
“Nosir.ItseemsthatthisYamamotosenttwopackagesabroadjustbeforehediedsir.”
“Andwhyisthatinteresting?”
“Sir,becausetheYakuzajustfoundoutthatthepackagescontainedcustom-madeputers.Andtheyseemtothinktheseconsolesweresomehowlinkedtohisdeathandarecurrentlytryingtoretrievethem.”
“Mmmmveryinteresting.Sothatishowhishackersgainedaccesstoournetwork.”Themajor-generalallowedhisbrainafewsecondstodigesttheinformation.
“Sir,hesentthemtoaProfessorJoplinofMITinAmericaandahackerintheUnion.ACadCaldwell,sir.
“Didyoudoatraceonthosetwo?”
“Yes,sir.ProfessorJoplinisdeadaccordingtothenewspapersinAmerica.Andthehacker,sir,wehavenodataon.”
“TheJapanesemusthavegottotheAmericanprofessor,whichmeanstheyareprobablylookingforthehackertoo,”themajor-generalsaidthinkingaloud.
“Mostlikely,sir.”
Themajor-generalmadeamentalnotetohavethetechniciansputtheintrusiondetectionAIsandtheICEsonhighalert.Itwouldn’tbelongbeforethehackerattemptedtologontothenetworkandthenhewouldbeasgoodasdead.Hewouldhavetogettothehackerfirst,beforetheYakuza.Theassassin,itseemed,hadabusyroster.
“IftheAmericanisdead,whereistheconsole?”heasked,notexpectingausefulanswer.LieutenantLiuwasdreadingthisquestion,becauseheknewthattheanswerwouldmeanseveralmorehoursintheoffice,hisdinnerlonggonecold,hisfrustratedwifeinbedasleep.Severaldaysofcoldshoulderawaitedhim.
“Sir,accordingtothedata,itappearstheYakuzadidn’tfindtheconsole.TheAmericanprofessorhasateenagedaughterwhohassincedisappeared.TheAmericanpolicefearsheisdeadbutnobodyhasbeenfound.Thisleavesthepossibility,remoteasitmayseem,thatsheisaliveandshehastheconsole.”
“Notremoteatall.Haveatraceonheryet?”
“We’llgetonitrightaway,sir,”thelieutenantsaid,picturinghismarriagefragmentingintoathousandpieces.
“Goodwork,lieutenant.Keepmeinformed,”themajor-generalsaidatlengthandhungup.
ThatwouldexplainhowYamamotogotaccess.Hesomehowgottheblueprintandhadaconsolemade.MostlikelygothishackerstohackthesystematTsinghuaUniversityandhadtheconsolescustombuiltinJapan.Butwhocouldbuildsuchaputer,withoutknowledgeofthenetworkitselfandtheprotocolsitused.Themajor-generalhadmadesurethattherewasnodataanywhereonthespecifications.TheyexistedonlyinthemindsofProfessorYaoandthePLAtechniciansspeciallyhandpickedandassignedtothisproject.Thoseconsoleswouldhavetobestate-of-the-artcraftedbyatruemaster.
TheThirdDepartment,themajor-general’sdomain,dealtininformation,signals,data,patternsindataanddataflows.Andthemajor-generalwasitsdirectorandthemastermindbehindthePLA’sadvancedC4ISRsystems-mand,control,munications,puters,intelligence,surveillance,andreconnaissance.Theywouldfindthegirlandhackereasily,theassassinwouldretrievetheconsolesandeverythingwouldbeasitshouldbe.Theresearchstudentontherunwouldbecaught.TheThirdDepartmentheldthekeytosomeoftheinformationflowsinsideChinaandhadconsiderableaccesstoinformationglobally.Therewouldbenoescapeforthosethree.Andthentherewillbetheinsertionandtheprojectwouldproceedtoitsfinallivetestphase.
IthadbeenashametokillProfessorYao,thearchitectofthemajor-general’sbrainchild.Themajor-generalwasactuallycutupaboutit.ThedeathofoneofChina’sgreatesttechnicalmindswasagreatlossforthecountry.Yet,theprofessorhadservedhispurpose,performedhisduty.Themanhadlosthismind.Theinformationbelongedtohim,toNewChina.SharingitwiththeworldwastantamounttotreasonandwouldhavesetChinabacktenyearsandprobablycosthimhisjob.Whatwasthemanthinking?Yet,everythingwasinplacenowwithjustafewminorhiccups.
Theprojecthadpasseditsbetaphasewithflyingcolors.AselectgroupoftheThirdDepartment’sbestmindswaskeepingittickingaroundtheclock,bothinternallyandexternally.Twothousandsubjectswerenowalivingpartofthenetwork.Thesimulationsoffinancialmarkets,electricitygridsandglobalmunicationssystemswereyieldingimpressiveresults.ProfessorYaohimselfhadlongdeclaredthesystemreadyforprimetime.TheonlymissinglinkwastheAIitself.DidtheprofessorknowthatthisotherthinghewasworkingonandhadjustdeclaredsuccessfulinNewYorkhadanimportantroletoplayintheschemeofthings?Hedoubteditbutthenwhywouldtheprofessortrytosabotagetheprojectbygoingtotheworldwithhisannouncement.Hadherealizedthebrillianceofthemajor-general’splan,thebeautifullogicofit?
Themajor-generalthoughtaboutthethirty-sixstratagemsinthe“TheSecretArtofWar”writtenbyananonymousscholarafewhundredyearsearlier.ProfessorYao’slatestproject,China’sfirsttrueAI,wasgoingtorewritethethirtysixstratagemsforthenewdigitalage.TheAIwasgoingtoweakentheenemyinwaysunimaginable.
Fooltheemperortocrossthesea.Yes,theAIwasgoingtolowertheenemy’sguardbyhidingitsintentionsdeepwithinthefabricofcyberspace,allowingtheenemytomakeanaturalmistake.BesiegeWeitorescueZhao.Attacksomethingasuperiorenemyholdsdeartobringhimoutofhislair,thenpounceonthetrueprize.Thetargetwastheputerizedsystemsofglobaltrade,industryandmunications.Theprizewasworlddomination.
Killwithaborrowedsword.TheAIwillusetheenemy’sstrengthagainstit,subvertingglobaltechnologiesandsystemsforitsownuse.Victorywillbeaforgoneconclusion.Awaittheexhaustedenemywithease.Thetimeandplaceofbattlewouldbeatthemajor-general’sdiscretion,allowingtheAItoencouragetheenemytoexhausthisenergy.Themostsignificantbattlewillewhentheenemyhaslostthewilltofight.Thenthemajor-generalwouldproceedtothefifthstratagem.Lootaburninghouse.
Butfirsttheassassinhadtobeputonhighalert.Therewasmorekillingtobedoneandpropertytoberetrieved.
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