One could say that the files Sam discovered using the codes inside that novel had changed everything, but that change manifested in more than one form. The First one was that he now knows how to create Valkyries, which should have been the main discovery, but it came with a big problem.
Knowing how to make something and actually making it were entirely different stories. Getting the necessary materials without being flagged was almost impossible, and even if he managed to do that, the production process required technologies that were impossible to access without outing himself. The only way to do it would be to plan things over decades and act very carefully, but even that would barely reduce the risk.
The second change has to do with the folder named "Eir". Upon opening it, Sam immediately noticed that it was identical to the folder used to organize the data gathered by the device, sharing the folder's name. It had files dating back years, one for each Valkyrie. Though they appeared identical, it turned out that those in the Eir folder could be opened, unlike the ones he was used to.
At first, he couldn't decipher their contents, which appeared to be no different from the lines of numerical code that flashed on the screen of a movie hacker. When he hovered the mouse cursor over it, certain parts got selected, prompting him to click on them. That caused a new window to open. It showed an image of a simple female-shaped silhouette painted in black with only one circular red spot on the left flank. Beside it were lines of text, and just by reading them, Sam understood everything about the files.
The file belonged to Zero Three. As he continued to inspect strange lines of code, Sam realized that each represented one of the injuries she had suffered in her last outing, detailing what spot got damaged, what kind of damage it was, how long it took to clean and restore, and how much energy and resources went into it.
The file also confirmed what Sam had already known about the device's capabilities. It listed all the foreign elements Zero Three had come into contact with since her last examination, which included everything from the components of the juice she drank to the chemicals in the shampoo she used. It even listed every last microorganism in the pool water the Valkyrie swims in, naming every last germ that touched her skin or entered her body.
The amount of detail Eir extracted was both amazing and terrifying. Even though it was something in his field of study, Sam couldn't even begin to imagine how one would go about creating something so precise and complex.
Hours passed with him looking over different files and their contents, and at one point, he began to wonder if the permission to access that data was the only thing that made the Eir files special. It was then that he noticed a list of commands in the top left corner of the window, much like what you might find in any text editing software, and he wondered why it took him so long to find it.
To his surprise, the files weren't read-only. He was able to edit, add, and delete lines, allowing him to alter the results of the examination. When he first saw it, Sam couldn't believe his eyes.
After a moment of uncertainty, he went ahead and started messing with one of the older files, deleting the lines showing the things the Valkyrie had eaten that day. Saving the edited file created a copy in the folder where he usually gets the files he sends along with his reports. Apparently, those were encrypted, which confirmed his theory about needing special software to access their contents. It
Moments after learning those things, the idea struck him: he can finally do it. He can do it with the Valkyries and get away with it.
The whole world seemed to change for Sam. He had suffered for well over a year, forced to meet with those otherworldly creations every day, unable to even touch them. But that was no longer the case. He could finally do it, and he wouldn't have to be afraid of the people at the top finding out.
'No… this is far too convenient…'
Even through all his excitement, Sam managed to get his thoughts in order and turned his eyes to the book that led him to this discovery—Valkyrie Smash.
The book was clearly made just to deliver the secret code. Even if someone found it and somehow cracked the code, the only ones who would be able to figure out its purpose were those who held his position, which makes it useless in the hands of most people. The book was randomly placed in the library, and he just so happened to find it. If it was intended for him, whoever placed it there did a really poor job at delivering it.
Sam still had many more questions, the answer to which eluded him. The main one was, why would anyone want to leak such important information? What was their goal?
The most likely culprit would be Odin, but Sam had a feeling the man would want to keep such things a secret, all so no one could put their hands on his creations. Whoever it was that leaked the codes, Sam feared that they were watching his actions, waiting for him to use them.
The entire thing might just be a trap designed to get him into trouble. An unnecessarily complicated trap when there are far easier ways to screw his life. Because of that, the probability that he might just be overthinking it kept Sam on the fence.
The codes provided too great an opportunity for him to dismiss them based on mere speculation. That book had opened a door for him, and on the other side was something he had always desired. To satisfy that desire, he was willing to take on the risk of stepping into the supposed trap and testing whether it worked.