Liu Xinmei couldn't resist stealing glances at Xu Ming, who sat a few desks away. Though his demeanor remained unchanged, she sensed a new air of confidence and handsomeness about him that made her heart flutter. Yet, she quickly averted her gaze and turned to her own work as the professional she was.
Meanwhile, Xu Ming tirelessly tended to his duties as a customer service representative, fielding every call with ease. After an hour, he turned his attention to researching the elusive dark web. Through the Zenith Browser, he discovered that the dark web was still in its infancy, having only emerged five years prior. To his surprise, he found that many of the notorious elements that he knew from Earth, such as r*d rooms, Evo**tion, Ag*ra, and Nu*leus, S*lk Road were missing. The dark web here seemed to be home to small-time drug and weapon dealers and a handful of amateur assassins who only targeted ordinary people.
Xu Ming's mind was in a state of conflicting emotions. On one hand, he was elated that he could potentially earn a massive profit from the dark web's early stages. On the other hand, he was disappointed that he couldn't engage in more sinister activities like trafficking human organs or hiring assassins for his schemes.
Despite his limited research, Xu Ming resolved to learn more about the dark web by accessing it himself. However, he knew that it was too risky to attempt it from his workplace computer. Even basic functions like running a 10 MB game were a struggle on this machine, let alone preparing it for accessing the dark web.
Determined to proceed with caution, Xu Ming understood that accessing the dark web via Zenith Browser alone was too much of a risk. He would need to prepare his home computer for a safer experience.
In a bid to access the dark web, Xu Ming decided to take an early leave from work. He approached his supervisor, feigning illness and requesting time off. However, just as he uttered the words, a notification chimed in his ear. It read:
[Ding! As host has done a small evil act, he has been rewarded with 10 dark points. But next time you lie a point will be deducted from reward continuously. Next day it will start from 10 Dark points.]
Initially pleased that lying could earn him dark points, Xu Ming's satisfaction was short-lived as he realized that the rewards would decrease with each subsequent lie. Nevertheless, he remained undeterred, knowing that even 55 dark points a day could prove advantageous.
As Xu Ming pondered this, his supervisor approved his leave. Nexus Xu had always been a hard-working employee, never asking for a salary raise, and this was his first-time requesting time off. Impressed, his supervisor granted him three days' leave and advised him to visit a doctor and take medication. Xu Ming expressed his gratitude, thanked his supervisor, and began the 40-minute journey back home.
Nexus Xu returned home, efficiently completing his evening routine with a brisk shower and a fresh change of clothes. He sat down in front of his well-maintained computer, which while not top-of-the-line, was of commendable quality.
With ease, he unlocked his device and proceeded to download the Zenith browser, known for its impressive anonymity features. Xu's cautious nature prompted him to close off every port, including location, USB, and Bluetooth, and create his own private network for connecting to the dark web. Given his mastery in hacking, this step proved easy. Despite Zenith's high level of anonymity, Xu refused to take any chances and implemented additional security measures before finally connecting to the dark web.
Xu ming delved deeper into the world of the dark web, learning about its limited infrastructure compared to the layers and levels found on the surface web. The dark web was still in its infancy on Nexus Earth, consisting of only three layers: surface, Bergie, and deep web.
The surface web was the norm, while Bergie was accessible through a VPN and served as the underground of the internet. Finally, there was the deep web, where illegal activities thrived, but also presented significant risks. Xu ming realized that conducting illicit activities on the dark web was a double-edged sword - while it offered some anonymity, if he were to create chaos, such as orchestrating a train massacre or organ trafficking, the security forces would surely investigate, narrowing their focus to the dark web, where organs were predominantly sold and missions like massacring was given. The risks involved were not worth the potential rewards.
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After more surfing, Xu Ming was now well-versed in the murky underbelly of the internet and understood the thriving illicit activities that took place on the dark web. Despite this, law enforcement turned a blind eye to the illegal transactions and communications that took place in the dark web, fearing that intervention would only create chaos.
However, Xu Ming was undeterred by the risks and knew that he could take control of the dark web's business by creating his own layers and offering security for those who thrived within it. Despite his lack of formal training in web development and technology, he was driven by ambition and had the assistance of the system to make his vision a reality. Yet, he was fully aware that even the slightest misstep could compromise his anonymity and shatter his lofty aspirations.
But to make this a reality, he needed to amass wealth and dark points, which meant engaging in nefarious acts. Xu Ming saw this as an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone though risky but he had no other choice.
In order to carry out his evil deeds and make some money, Xu Ming decided to visit a website known as Infernal Quest. This platform was where individuals could post their missions, offering money in return for the completion of tasks. It was a trusted site for those who couldn't find the right connections or lacked the funds to purchase private help.
The site had a simple red-themed interface, with various options in the center, such as missions, rules, sign-in, sign-up, and more. As he delved deeper, Xu Ming learned that the site took a 3% cut from the revenue earned by the mission doer and a 2% cut from the mission writer, bringing their net worth to almost 10 billion dollars, not yuan.
Xu Ming wasn't surprised, as those who operated in the shadows would undoubtedly have a higher net worth. It was a reminder of how much illegal activities were taking place on dark web. As he scrolled through the missions on the mission page, he was greeted with disturbing requests, such as
"Provide me with human skin for 100,000 dollars,"
"Sell a middle-aged woman for 1 million dollars,"
"Assassinate a person for me for 10 million dollars."
But amidst the depravity, one mission caught his eye - "Provide me with the Sky account of actress Alissa Johns for 1 million dollars." Xu Ming knew he had to take this mission. Not only was it a low-risk endeavor for a master level hacker like him, but the offer was too good to refuse.
Alissa Johns was a foreign actress who had recently gained fame, and even if someone did catch wind of her account being hacked, who would come after him? Alissa Johns herself? Although she may have had some connections in the film industry, she wouldn't stand a chance against a master level hacker like him. Besides, hacking a Sky account was child's play for him, and he was confident he wouldn't leave a trace behind.
To accept the mission, Xu Ming needed to sign up for Inferno Quest. He was, however, unwilling to expose his true identity. Instead, he looked for a high-level website that offered false identities and bank accounts for transactions. Using his hacking skills, he was able to steal a fake identity and bank account within just 10 minutes of coding.
Despite being able to hack Inferno Quest directly and take their money, Xu Ming decided against it. He knew that doing so would not provide him with the dark points he needed, and it could also potentially damage the site to the point of closure, which would not be beneficial for him.
Once he had his fake identity and bank account, Xu Ming signed up and accepted the mission. Then, just as he was about to accept the task, his phone rang. Liu Xinmei texted, concerned about Xu Ming's health. Xu Ming assured her that he was fine and that his recent headache was nothing serious.
Xu Ming didn't hesitate and accepted the mission with a determined glint in his eyes. His first move was to dive into researching Alissa John's sky account. Although the task was not particularly challenging for a master level hacker like Xu Ming, he encountered some difficulty in locating Alissa's sky account name, which forced him to start from her business number, and he spent the next half-hour typing away furiously at his keyboard. Despite this setback, he remained focused and persistent until he finally succeeded in unlocking her account.
As per Inferno Quest's standard protocol, the money had already been transferred to the website by the mission giver upon announcing the mission. Once the mission was deemed completed by the giver, Inferno Quest released the payment to the mission-doer.
Xu Ming had no concerns about receiving payment for his work as he knew that Inferno Quest had a reputation for dealing with fraudsters severely. After all, they had deep pockets and could easily track down and eliminate anyone who attempted to defraud them intentionally.