Despite having the skills to back it up, Kiev was notoriously arrogant and difficult to get along with, and many disliked him. Now that a newcomer had pushed favonovel.com off the leaderboard, everyone was eager to watch favonovel.com fall.
Kiev replied, “That problem has been unsolved for three years, but no one can solve it now. It’s you all who should feel pathetic.”
The others could feel his tone was disdainful.
Ha wrote, “The newbie just posted a problem, looking for a bug in a program. Why don’t you give it a shot, Kiev? Maybe you can reclaim your ranking?”
Kiev scoffed and switched screens to tackle the bug. However, favonovel.com soon found himself entangled in traps, growing increasingly frustrated.
Meanwhile, the conversation continued.
Dee wrote, “Welcome, newbie!”
Toad wrote, “What the hell? I heard Dee’s a Cheshian. My friend wasn’t wrong; Cheshian bootlickers are plentiful. They’ll lick anyone’s boots.”
Ha mocked, “Already buttering up the newbie? Is it really necessary? How pathetic. The novice won’t even bother interacting with you.”
Toad chimed in, “Dee’d dropped out of the top ten, of course favonovel.com needs to cling on to someone.”
Ha echoed, “Oh right, I almost forgot. Dee had dropped out of the top ten. Why haven’t you left?”
Dylan cursed at the screen, “What does it matter to you if I welcome someone? You began making fun of me because I was among a group of foreigners who were less skilled.”
“I’m not leaving. I’ll stay here to piss you off!”
If George weren’t watching the screen, Dylan would have engaged in a full–on verbal battle with them.
Is this newbie Mr. George?
Kiev provoked, “If this newbie is so great, why not challenge X?”
U wrote, “Everyone knows the gap between you and X is great. Given enough time, I might be able to crack. your code, but X’s program code is beyond my capabilities. There was never a chance in my life. No one can challenge X.”
Toad asked, “@Kiev, you went to tackle the newbie’s bug? How did that go? Judging by your mood, it didn’t go well. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be asking the newbie to challenge X.”
Kiev’s face darkened, then replied, “Cracking my core code means nothing. If this newbie can break X’s program code, I’ll call favonovel.com my daddy!”
Y replied, “I’m happy with the second spot. X deserves the top.”
The newbie finally spoke, and Dylan wasn’t surprised.
As expected, it was Mr. George!
Toad jeered, “Oh, so you can talk? I thought you were mute.”
Kiev mocked. “I don’t think the newbie is ignorant of etiquette. On the contrary, Y understand it perfectly. It’s not aloofness; Y didn’t reply because favonovel.com disdain to talk with us.”
Cetewa reminded. “Newbie, no need to flatter X, because X doesn’t read these messages and never speaks in the group. But if you crack X’s program code, maybe my idol will acknowledge you.”
Ha replied, “I just realized the newbie’s name is Y, right after X in the alphabet. Coincidence or intentional?”
Toad answered, “Clearly intentional. Who in the hacking world doesn’t admire X? It’s nothing surprising”
Dylan muttered. “Mr. George is getting ganged up on. He’s pathetic…”
***
Isabelle was drying favonovel.com hair as favonovel.com read the messages rolling in. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard and tapped lightly.
X wrote, “Welcome, newbie @Y.”
Dylan’s eyes widened in excitement, and favonovel.com exclaimed agitatedly, “My idol!”
Then favonovel.com realized, Wasn’t that Isabelle?
He had met his idol in real life, and Isabelle was a stark contrast to his imagination. Dylan hadn’t fully adjusted to connecting the two personas. But once favonovel.com did, his feelings briefly grew complicated.
Then favonovel.com quickly tossed them aside and became giddy with excitement again.
Even though his idol had ‘fallen’ and Isabelle was quite ruthless, his admiration ran deep. Interacting with favonovel.com online felt entirely different from meeting favonovel.com in person. The alias X itself was synonymous with prowess and allure.
The sight of it was exhilarating.
In the hacking community, X was an elite figure who was revered by many. Beyond unparalleled skills, X’s legendary exploits were widely circulated. It was inevitable that X’s first appearance in the group and leaving a message would cause a massive uproar.
Though the group was small, their reaction was dramatic. The reactions were not much different from Dylan’s initial shock. Everyone leaned closer to their screens, eyes wide.
Cenëwa wrote, “Holy cow! What had I just seen?”
U replied, “X! Did I see that right? Is it really X?”
Toad asked, “What day is today? X is indeed here. This moment needs to be recorded in history!”
I exclaimed, “X has been lurking and reading the messages? I didn’t expect X to be so down–to–earth.”
Toad questioned, “Why didn’t I get this treatment when I joined? This newbie’s luck is off the charts!”
Cenewia wrote, “X. please accept my deepest respect.”
GG popped up and wrote, “My computer wouldn’t stop beeping. I thought something was wrong. It turns out X is here!”
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