A week later, the server arrived. It came pre-installed with an operating system, and Zhu Siqi connected his old computer to it via a network card, creating a physical connection between the two machines. The speed was at least a hundred times faster than before, making everything more efficient. Now, most of his time was spent waiting—waiting for scans to return results, making adjustments, and optimizing his software.
He started by running some basic functions on the server, then used his modified scanning software on his old computer to perform scans. Compared to before, where a single scan would take an entire night, now the results came back in just 10 minutes.
He spent his days opening and closing various ports on the server, scanning, and analyzing the results. It was repetitive work—checking and modifying systems, looking for vulnerabilities, and testing new techniques. While hacking might sound glamorous, much of the time it was tedious. Sometimes, cracking a password could take days or even weeks, depending on luck and persistence. But as long as he found enjoyment in the process, the monotony was bearable. The thrill of success, especially when cracking something difficult, was worth it.
Zhu Siqi was becoming more skilled every day. After familiarizing himself with one operating system, he would switch to another and repeat the cycle. He created increasingly complex tools, including viruses. Viruses, while destructive, were an essential tool for hackers, especially custom-made ones that hadn't spread yet. At the right moment, they could be incredibly effective.
He spent days continuously scanning and patching vulnerabilities on the server. It was like a game of chess, where both sides were locked in an endless back-and-forth. The real challenge for Zhu Siqi lay in the process of hacking and defending, where his skills grew tremendously. Once he'd tried every operating system he could, he felt ready to move to the next stage: real-world hacking.
His first target was a forum he frequented. He had already cracked the password for one of the moderators before, so he decided to go back and see if it was still accessible. Logging in as a guest, he found that the moderator wasn't online, likely due to the time of day. Zhu Siqi then tried the previous password, and to his surprise, it worked. This showed that the administrator was careless, not realizing that Zhu Siqi had already deleted posts on the site.
Once logged in as the administrator, Zhu Siqi created a new user with admin privileges and used that account to elevate his own status to superuser. With this level of access, he uploaded some of his own software to the server. Even if the new admin account were deleted, Zhu Siqi would have backdoor access and could easily regain superuser privileges in the future. This server was now his playground.
From here, he launched attacks on other servers, using the compromised one as a launching pad. He modified his scanning software to automatically detect vulnerabilities and use his backdoor methods to infiltrate systems. The process soon became mundane—running scans, finding vulnerabilities, and uploading control software to leave backdoors. With so many compromised systems under his control, he was almost running out of things to do. He simply monitored his scanning software and recorded the IP addresses and passwords of the servers he accessed.
Back then, the security awareness of domestic servers was low. Many of them lacked dedicated administrators, and maintenance was only handled sporadically. The result was that Zhu Siqi quickly gained control over a large number of servers. Within half a month, he had access to over a thousand servers across China. However, his growing success in domestic hacking made him lose interest. The lack of challenge and minimal impact on his technical growth meant he needed to expand his horizons—international hacking was the next logical step.
To hack foreign servers, he needed faster internet connections, so he turned to the telecommunications data center. In the early 2000s, Chinese data centers had the fastest international connections, and Zhu Siqi had access to many compromised telecom servers. He tried connecting to a foreign server located in the U.S. and found the speed to be fast enough for his needs.
Zhu Siqi uploaded his scanning software to one of the telecom servers and began running it. The target server was located at a U.S. university, and its security was tight. His usual methods didn't work, so he switched to manual scanning. To increase his chances of success, he added multiple layers of jump points, routing his traffic through several university servers. By doing this, he managed to slip past the university's defenses.
However, he still only had limited access to the server—he could only browse publicly available information. He noted the administrator's ID and deduced that the administrator was online, as it was daytime in the U.S. But Zhu Siqi couldn't do much more at the moment. Cracking the administrator's password was the next step, but he knew that if he did so now, the admin would likely get kicked off the system, which would make the whole exercise pointless. He decided to wait for a better time—perhaps late at night or over the weekend—when the administrator would be less vigilant.
As the day wore on, Zhu Siqi decided to take a break. He turned off his server and his computer, which had been running nonstop for a while. He hadn't gone for a morning run in some time, so he laced up his shoes, put on his running clothes, and jogged to the park. As he ran, he focused on his breathing, allowing his internal energy to flow naturally through his body. The sensation of gliding forward without needing to use lightness skills felt pleasant and refreshing.
After his run, he took a shower and prepared to head to school. That day, his self-study exam results were being distributed. Most of his classmates had participated in the exam, though only a handful had taken four subjects like him. Only Zhu Siqi passed all four exams, but his scores were modest—just over 60 in each subject, with a maximum score of 70. His class instructor didn't announce the results in class but asked students to pick up their scorecards later.
Zhu Siqi's old dorm mates also took the exam, but only Hu Wei and Wei Li passed two subjects. The others, including Qian Yong and Zhao Jian, barely passed one subject. Zhu Siqi couldn't help but think about a business idea he had from a while ago—starting a computer store off-campus. Although he wasn't as motivated by money anymore, he had been keen on opening a store at the time. However, he had never found the time. Now that he had saved up some money, he was considering the possibility once again.
With the summer break approaching, he figured he could wait until next semester to pursue the idea. Running the store alone would be difficult, but he already had a plan for who would help. Qian Yong and Zhao Jian, who had better financial conditions, would invest together. Wei Li and Hu Wei might not have the money to invest, but they could help with the management and operations.
After class, Zhu Siqi met with his former dorm mates to discuss the idea. Zhao Jian was immediately enthusiastic, having spent time at internet cafes recently and honing his typing skills. Qian Yong hesitated at first but was persuaded by Zhu Siqi's pitch.
"Actually, the computers in most off-campus shops are terrible," Zhu Siqi explained. "I've seen some places selling old computers, ones that universities and government offices have gotten rid of. We can get them for cheap—about a thousand yuan each—and set up a store with around 20,000 yuan. I can even provide a server for the business, so we won't need to buy extra hard drives. I'll invest 10,000 yuan myself, and you guys can figure out the rest. If we need more, I'll contribute."
Wei Li and Hu Wei, who couldn't invest, still expressed interest in helping out with the store. Zhao Jian immediately committed 5,000 yuan, saying that even though his family was hesitant, he had saved enough money on his own. Qian Yong promised to speak to his family and confirm his contribution later.
They made plans to meet again the next evening for a meal to discuss the details. By then, Qian Yong had gotten approval from his family, and he, too, agreed to invest 5,000 yuan.
"Looks like we'll be ready to go by late August," Zhu Siqi said, confirming their plan. "We'll need to rent a place, buy computers, and set up the network."
"That works for me," Zhao Jian said. "I'll be there on the 20th of August. If we don't have a place to stay, I'll just crash at yours."
"I'm in, too," said Qian Yong.
Hu Wei, despite not investing, offered to help with the store's operations and computer assembly. "I might have other commitments, but I'll be there once school starts."
The meeting ended on a positive note. "Let's do this. Cheers to our future success!" Qian Yong said, his earlier hesitations gone now that his family was on board.
"Cheers! Hu Wei, why aren't you finishing your drink?" Zhao Jian joked, nudging him.
The group laughed, their excitement building for the new business venture ahead.