Free Web NovelChapter 169: Chapter 169: Roadmap Follow-up
The next day at 6:00 AM.
Yun Zijin was groggy, vaguely aware of a persistent noise by her ear.
The sound successfully roused Yun Zijin from her sleep. She opened her eyes and looked toward the nightstand. It turned out someone had been calling her repeatedly.
It was an unsaved number, so Yun Zijin hung up immediately. Her mood soured.
No one would be in a good mood after having their sleep so rudely interrupted first thing in the morning.
But just as Yun Zijin hung up, the same number called again.
’!!!’
’Is this person determined to get through no matter what?’
Yun Zijin sat up in bed and answered the call.
"Hello!"
"Hello, is this Miss Yun, Yun Zijin?"
The voice on the other end belonged to a young-sounding man, and his tone was polite.
But Yun Zijin wasn’t about to forgive his crime of waking her up at the crack of dawn just because he was polite.
"Who is this?" Her voice was laced with impatience.
"I’m already at the Jade Lake District, right downstairs from your building, Miss Yun.
There are some things we need to discuss in person."
The man’s words instantly woke Yun Zijin up completely.
"What did you say?"
’How did he get into Jade Lake without a resident escorting him? Who’s on guard duty this early? Is the management really this lax?’
"Could you please buzz me in, Miss Yun?"
He managed to get the gate guard to let him through, but he couldn’t get past the main entrance of Building 101.
"Who are you? What’s your name and where are you from? If you don’t give me a clear answer, I’m not letting you in."
Yun Zijin was at least that cautious.
’Calling me out of nowhere and then asking me to let him in... Is this guy for real? Is this some kind of joke?’
Downstairs at Building 101, Lin Yan never thought he’d be in a position where someone demanded he verify his identity.
But it was indeed difficult to explain his identity to Yun Zijin over the phone.
"It’s more sincere to introduce myself in person. Please rest assured, Miss Yun, I mean you no harm. I can tell you this much: I’m here because of Old Sir Lu."
That’s right. After Lu Zhengguo received the route maps drawn by Zero One and his team, he immediately sent an encrypted file to the relevant departments.
He was one of the people who saw the encrypted file, and was ultimately assigned to negotiate with Yun Zijin in person.
After all, Zero One and his team were bodyguards hired by Yun Zijin. If his department wanted to "borrow" them, they would need her, the employer, to agree.
’Old Sir Lu?’
’What’s the connection?’
"Wait there."
Regardless of who this person was, the fact remained that he had woken her up. Yun Zijin hung up and left her room.
By this time, others in the house were already awake. Some were mopping the floors, while others wiped down furniture and windows. Even Wang Minli was up; she was in the kitchen, discussing the morning’s breakfast menu with the chef.
The maids were surprised to see Yun Zijin emerge from her room.
’Doesn’t Miss Yun usually sleep until at least 7 AM? It’s only six o’clock.’
She didn’t often wake up even at seven, since she didn’t have an 8 AM class every day.
"Send someone downstairs to bring a person up."
’She wasn’t about to go herself. Why should she do something a maid could handle?’
"I’ll go!"
Someone responded the moment the words left her mouth.
Yun Zijin nodded. "Alright, you go. There’s a man waiting downstairs. Just bring him straight up."
"Yes, Miss!"
With that, the maid put down her cleaning rag, washed her hands, and headed out the door.
"You’re awake, Miss? Breakfast isn’t ready yet. You may have to wait a little while."
The kitchen staff always prepared for breakfast at 7:30. With Yun Zijin suddenly up at six, none of the breakfast dishes were ready.
"It’s fine. I’m the one who’s up early. Just stick to your usual schedule."
’She didn’t have much of an appetite at this hour anyway.’
Wang Minli nodded without another word.
The young maid who had volunteered to fetch the guest now returned with a man in tow.
As Lin Yan entered, his eyes immediately fell upon Yun Zijin, who was seated on the living room sofa.
He had never seen her before, but for some reason, his intuition told him this had to be Yun Zijin.
With that thought, Lin Yan followed the young maid’s directions, put on a pair of guest slippers, and walked straight toward Yun Zijin.
"Hello, my name is Lin Yan. I’m a cybersecurity officer with the National Network Security Department."
With that, Lin Yan extended his hand.
"Hello. I’m Yun Zijin. Please, have a seat, Mr. Lin."
Yun Zijin rose to her feet and shook his hand in greeting.
After the handshake, Yun Zijin sat back down and motioned for Lin Yan to do the same.
Lin Yan took a seat without any awkwardness.
"Do you always wake up this early, Mr. Lin?"
’If he hadn’t called and woken me up at the crack of dawn, I’d still be asleep right now.’
Yun Zijin’s question made Lin Yan realize that perhaps his timing had been poor.
"My apologies, did I disturb your rest?"
He had been in a rush. If his colleagues hadn’t stopped him, he would have come over last night.
"What do you think?"
Yun Zijin didn’t say yes or no, simply giving him a look that said it all.
"My apologies, I... I didn’t consider that. I’ll be more careful next time.
The main reason I’ve come is to speak with your bodyguards, Miss Yun, about the issue with the security system’s vulnerabilities."
Lin Yan had seen the encrypted file. The seven route maps were all different. While there were some overlapping areas, each depicted a completely unique route.
This meant that the security system they had poured their blood, sweat, and tears into had seven vulnerabilities easily discovered by a group of bodyguards.
Moreover, looking at the maps they drew, it was clear these routes weren’t found by chance.
At the time, Lin Yan had thought that if they could find seven vulnerabilities so easily, it must mean they could find even more.
If Yun Zijin’s bodyguards were willing to help, he was confident they could patch all these vulnerabilities in no time.
"Grandpa Lu gave you the route maps they drew?"
Hearing Lin Yan’s objective, Yun Zijin had already guessed as much.
Otherwise, no one would have believed that a few bodyguards could find vulnerabilities in a military-grade security system.
"Yes. It might seem a bit presumptuous, but Old Sir Lu was also acting in the nation’s best interest.
As for the seven route maps, we’re prepared to purchase them from your bodyguards.
Furthermore... if possible, I’d like to invite your bodyguards, Miss Yun, to help us test the latest generation of our security system.
Of course, this won’t be for free. Your bodyguards can name a reasonable price for their services."
Yun Zijin’s mouth fell open slightly. She never expected that Zero One and his team simply drawing a few route maps would lead to all this.
"You’ll have to ask them about that yourself. I may be their employer, but something this important is a decision they should make for themselves."
