Deep within the wasteland workshop, time flowed steadily, measured in precise seconds.
Osiris reallocated most of his primary consciousness' computing power, dedicating it to the systematic classification and archiving of the Mikoshi's massive data, the in-depth modeling and analysis of Bartmoss' neural structure, and the continuous fine-tuning of the dimensional teleporter's various operating parameters.
Concurrently, an independent and highly efficient background process ran silently, like a loyal sentinel lurking in the shadows, continuously monitoring two critical areas.
Firstly, the readings of the life support system for the bio-containment pod holding Bartmoss' body, and secondly, the real-time status logs and any anomalous activity of the workshop's perimeter network firewall.
The alert from the firewall was set to "Low" priority.
This was not due to oversight or underestimation, but a calm assessment based on absolute confidence in his own technology.
The digital barrier Osiris had personally constructed had its underlying protocols rooted in the ancient wisdom of the Adeptus Mechanicus' data fortresses on Mars, and incorporated complex defensive logic to counter Warp data turbulence and xeno-tech intrusions.
In the face of such a level of defense, common network attack methods in the Cyberpunk World, whether the standardized penetration scripts of corporate security departments or the meticulously crafted malicious code of top local netrunners, appeared primitive and inefficient, the difference akin to challenging an indestructible adamantium power armor with a stone axe.
Therefore, when the unfamiliar data stream first touched the outermost detection node of the firewall, Osiris' processing core merely calmly recorded the coordinates, energy intensity, and basic characteristic encoding of this contact.
He did not take any proactive response measures, did not attempt to trace its origin, and certainly did not immediately reinforce the defense system.
This firewall itself was the first, and currently the only, filter he had set, designed to distinguish valuable observations from meaningless digital noise.
The intrusion attempt continued.
The data stream displayed extraordinary patience and operational finesse.
It seemed to quickly realize that a brute-force attack was ineffective and instead adopted a more circuitous strategy, its behavior resembling a highly skilled locksmith, constantly changing virtual tools and cracking methods, meticulously probing the defensive strength and potential reaction patterns of each logical interface of the firewall.
It had simulated harmless system update data packets, disguised itself as standard handshake requests from trusted internal hardware, and even attempted to activate and exploit ancient vulnerabilities in the local civilian network protocol stack that had long been forgotten by time.
Osiris' crimson optical lenses steadily gazed at the continuously scrolling firewall logs on the main console, a massive data stream falling like a waterfall, instantly analyzed and summarized by his efficient mental core.
He noted that this "visitor's" intrusion strategy was not chaotic; its behavior pattern revealed a systematic quality honed by rigorous logical training, while also subtly carrying a kind of unconventional, almost non-human, intuitive understanding of the fundamental nature of data.
Its code structure was exceptionally concise and efficient, with almost no redundant probing steps; each strategic change precisely targeted theoretically possible weak points in the firewall's construction logic.
"Intrusion attempt frequency stable, strategy iteration cycle averages 3.7 seconds," Osiris' synthetic voice whispered in the empty workshop, as if recording experimental data. "Attack pattern shows a profound understanding of the evolution of basic network protocols, its technical roots traceable to the mid-period of 'First Net' construction. Excludes contemporary corporate and common rogue AI behavior patterns."
In his logical core, the weight of the "interest" variable was slightly increased.
This "guest" was not relying on brute force or known vulnerabilities, but was attempting to understand and crack a completely unfamiliar defense system.
This behavior itself held extremely high research value.
It proved that the consciousness behind it possessed powerful learning and adaptive capabilities, rather than being a low-level AI reliant on fixed attack patterns.
Osiris still took no countermeasures. He wanted to see more.
What was this "guest's" patience limit? When it discovered that all conventional methods were ineffective, would it choose to give up, or adopt a more aggressive strategy?
Was its ultimate goal a specific object within the workshop, or was it attempting a full-scale invasion? The answers to these questions would determine the final rating and handling of this "sample."
He allocated a sliver of computing power, slightly adjusting the firewall's feedback mechanism.
When the "guest's" Probes touched certain specific logical nodes, the firewall would return extremely faint, disguised "system response" signals, simulating a state that was close to success but always just a hair's breadth away.
This was a subtle lure, designed to observe the opponent's behavioral changes amidst alternating hope and frustration, and to test the stability of its decision-making logic.
—
Meanwhile, in the invisible data realm, having traversed the Blackwall's barrier, Spider Murphy's core consciousness was under immense pressure and anxiety.
She had indeed received the information about Bartmoss broadcast through the Blackwall.
Initially, it was disbelief, followed by immense shock and doubt.
Rache... his body not only found, but restored to "biological activity"? How was this possible? More than half a century had passed since the catastrophe of 2023; what kind of technology could achieve this?
However, the real-time biological indicators and clear visual data attached to the data packet left her no choice but to believe.
The body lying in the training pod, though marked by time, its face and figure were undoubtedly Rache Bartmoss from her memories.
Seeing his revived body now floating limply in the nutrient solution, a mixture of grief, nostalgia, and intense protectiveness churned violently in her data-composed core.
She had to confirm whether this was a trap, but she also had to get closer.
Whether to reclaim Rache's remains, or to find out who and for what purpose had done this.
Passing through the Blackwall was not too difficult for her.
For decades, she had become familiar with every weak point and blind spot of this "wall of sighs."
She carefully segmented a portion of her consciousness data, like launching a Probe, silently infiltrating the network world within the wall.
Tracing the signal, she quickly located the source in the Wasteland Town on the outskirts of Night City.
However, when she tried to approach and penetrate, she encountered unprecedented resistance.
The firewall before her... was completely different from any defense system she knew.
It wasn't massive, chaotic, and aggressive like the Blackwall; instead, it was like a flawless, seamless crystal.
Its encryption methods were unheard of, and its logical structure was despairingly tight.
Each Probe was like touching the surface of a diamond with the most precise Probe, feeling only its unshakeable hardness, but finding no microscopic cracks to exploit.
"This is impossible..." A flicker of disorder ran through Spider Murphy's data stream. "How could the technology of this era construct something like this?"
She tried dozens of methods, from basic protocol spoofing to exploiting backdoors from the old net era, even simulating the permission signatures of several long-dead First Net administrators. Without exception, all were silently repelled.
Frustration and anxiety grew simultaneously.
She could feel Rache's life signal just beyond that wall, stable and clear, as if within reach, yet completely isolated by this damned barrier.
The sender of that information clearly intended to lure her here, but now she was being shut out.
This felt more like a taunt, a condescending scrutiny.