Chapter 253
Chapter 252
Gemma’s POV
Bonus
On our way over, Jace tells me about the plan he prepared the night before and I can’t help blurting out, “Wow, Jace. You are so thoughtful!”
He gives me a calm smile like he’s pretending not to be pleased, but I can see his ears turning red.
We start climbing the stairs of the teaching building, all the way to the fifth floor, and I immediately run out of breath.
“Why can’t hackers ever choose somewhere closer to ground level?”
I complain, clutching the railing dramatically.
“Because we are sure no one will follow us up here, ace replies matter–of–factly, and I have to admit begrudgingly that it does make perfect sense.
We arrive to find the students lined up neatly outside the door, waiting for their chance. I peek inside and see rows already filled with others who have beaten them here. It’s like a job fair, except every single one of them is clutching a printed pamphlet like it’s their lifeline.
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asses
A wave of confusion ripples through them. A boy wi. raises his brows. “Together? Isn’t it supposed to be one–by–one interviews?”
“Not today!” I say cheerfully. “I want you to fill in your phone numbers on this sheet first.”
There’s more discussion, some doubtful, some curious, but they obey, scribbling digits while side–eyeing each other. The moment the last pen drops, I press a button on my phone.
Immediately, pockets and hands around the room light up with pings and buzzes.
“I just sent you all a link. Click it, and you will find a firewall simulation. If you get through it, congratulations! You’re in. The first five who succeed will become interns.”
The speculation turns into murmurs of exciter students already scramble to click and leave th
as some
ners behind.
Others squint suspiciously at me. A boy near the front blurts out, “Wait, who’s behind that firewall? Is it… is it real?”
“It’s me.” I answer with a smirk.
The room stills for a few seconds.
2/6
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They might not know my exact identity, but the way Jace looks
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they’re up against someone they can’t underestimat
A tall boy raises his hand nervously. “But… we don’t have laptops.”
+32 Bonus
“Use your phones,” I reply, completely calm. “Hackers don’t always have luxury setups when they are needed. You’ll thank me for this later.”
They exchange glances, and some shrug while others bite their lips and get to work.
I sit on the edge of the teacher’s desk, phone in hand, defending my firewall while watching the levels of frustration and determination playing out on their faces.
Twenty minutes later, my defenses still stand untouched. One girl groans. “This is impossible!”
She throws her phone into her bag and storms
Others
soon follow. By the forty–minute mark, half the classroom is empty.
The room is much quieter, and the furious tapping of screens can be heard more sharply.
An hour passes by, and I notice the candidates sweating as they keep both hands occupied with the keyboard. In the end, only 32 three are left–two boys and one girl. One boy curses softly
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ng
The clock ticks down and the last alarm blares, ann that time’s up. Jace stands, voice clear: “That’s it! Hands off.”
The boy lets out a strangled groan and kicks his chair before stalking off without a backward glance. But at that very moment, my phone vibrates with a sharp, unexpected alert.
My defenses have collapsed, someone breached me.
I look up sharply. It’s the girl… the only one smiling now, triumphant but also trembling with disbelief.
I can’t help smiling back. “Congratulations! You’re in. What’s your name?”
Her eyes go wide, like she thinks I might be joking. “R–Really?”
“Of course.”
She covers her mouth, suppressing the scream rising from her throat.
“Oh
laughter
my gosh, oh my gosh! I’m going to be part of Moonlight!”
o or joy.
At last, she starts bouncing in place, unable to contain her joy, and I feel my own lips curve up. “You still haven’t told us your name.”
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“Oh! Right. Molly Kittel. But… I guess I should use a nickname,
4/6.
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real name, it’ll be kept confidential. That’s a team r
She beams. “Then, call me Rizzster!”
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The name jolts me. “The Rizzster?! Ranked number one on the hacker leaderboard?”
Jace’s brows shoot up too, but Molly’s reaction is completely different. She flushes, scratches the back of her neck
sheepishly. “Uh… about that…”
“Yeah…? ”
She takes a deep breath and blurts, “I cheated!”
“What do you mean?”
She scratches the back of her palm nervously.
“I hacked the system that calculates votes and… sort of boosted myself.”
For a moment, Jace and I just stare at her. She looks like she’s ready to bolt.
“I swear I’ll never do something like that again!” she blurts out, holding her hand up like she’s taking an oath.
5/6
The seriousness of her expression, mixed with the
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Her face crumples. “Why are you laughing? Don’t tell you’re going to disqualify me now–please! Oh no, I should’ve kept that to myself!”
I wave my hand, still grinning. “Disqualify you? No way. You just cleared the test, fair and square. You’re in.”
Molly freezes, then squeals so loudly the empty classroom echoes. “I knew today was my lucky day!”
Feeling infected by her happiness, I grin brightly and pat Molly on the shoulder. “Welcome to Moonlight, Rizzster! Not just as an intern, you’re good enough to be a full member right away. Now, all that’s left is to see if you live up to your name.”
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