Chapter 15: The legendary Iris and the tech arena

(The legendary Iris and the tech arena)

She had nearly forgotten about the competition tonight. Thankfully, Ethan reminded her. With her tech company at stake, this is a crucial opportunity to hone her skills. Emily glanced at her watch; it was 4 p.m., and the competition was scheduled for around 6 p.m.

After conversing with Ethan for a while, she prepared to leave the office. She wore a black shirt and black denim pants, ensuring she concealed her face by donning a cap and a face mask. Emily adopted the code name "Iris" whenever she participated in these competitions, determined to keep her identity hidden. She believed it was safer to be prepared than sorry, avoiding any potential harm by maintaining anonymity.

She planned to use her motorcycle to get there; using her own car would be a really stupid idea. Luckily, her motorcycle was parked in the office lot. Adding a black leather jacket, Emily felt pleased with her outfit choice for the occasion.

Upon arriving at the competition venue, she noted that normal people would view it as an abandoned building. However, the underground of this structure served as a meeting place for hackers engaged in competitive battles. As Emily entered, she attracted attention. In a realm mostly dominated by boys, her presence sparked curiosity.

"Who is she?" one guy asked his friend, echoing the sentiments of others in the room.

"I have no idea who she is. She's wearing a mask. Maybe she is the girlfriend of someone here. Maybe she's here to support her boyfriend." Another guy replied to his friend.

Emily walks, ignoring all the murmuring and all the eyes that are looking at her. She directly goes to the one who is managing the participants in this competition.

Emily confidently approached the guy managing the participants and calmly stated, "Iris." The unexpected revelation of her code name caught the guy off guard, and he repeated the name, sounding slightly alarmed.

"Iris?" the guy questioned, his voice raising a little. The single word echoed in the room, instantly capturing the attention of everyone present. A hush fell over the crowd as they processed the revelation, and curious gazes turned toward the mysterious hacker known as Iris.

Iris is a legendary name in the hacker world; she helps the government bank.

The government bank, entrusted with the nation's financial security, was under a relentless cyberattack. Emily suddenly appeared and volunteered to assist authorities in tracking down the elusive culprit.

As she delved into the virtual battleground, Emily encountered a formidable hacker known as CipherX. A cat-and-mouse game unfolded in the digital realm, where Emily skillfully navigated through intricate codes and firewalls to trace CipherX's steps. Her prowess earned her respect even among the underground hacker community.

In a climactic confrontation, Iris managed to outsmart CipherX, exposing their identity to law enforcement. The hacker, once shrouded in anonymity, now faced the consequences of their actions. Emily's actions not only saved the government bank but also sent shockwaves through the hacker world, earning her a legendary status as a formidable force against cyber threats. From that day forward, her name became synonymous and legendary all over the world.

Emily looked at the guy who got shocked and smiled under her face mask.

"Yes," Emily replied coldly. The guy came back to his senses and typed something on his computer, and he led Emily to her chair, where the competition happened.

The whispers about Iris's presence continued to circulate among the participants. The mystery surrounding Iris's identity added an extra layer of intrigue to the already intense atmosphere.

As Emily settled into her chair, A hushed conversation unfolded among two guys nearby, questioning the authenticity of Emily's claim to be Iris.

"Did I hear wrong? Did she really say she was Iris? The famous Iris in the hacker world? "One guy whispered to his friend.

"Yes, but I don't think she is Iris. Iris is very mysterious and famous; maybe that girl is an impostor and she is trying to ride the real Iris," the other guy replied, expressing doubt about Emily's legitimacy in the hacking community.

"We will see if she really is Iris. Iris is really good; she has a lot of fans all over the world because of how talented she is," one guy replied to his friend.

They are both looking at Emily and studying her movements; they are really looking forward to the competition happening tonight. If she is really Iris, they are so lucky to breathe in the same air as Iris; they can die happily now.

Emily ignored all the murmurs about her and then looked at the other contestant.

They seem fierce, but they will not intimidate me; they are just a bunch of computer nerds in my eyes. "Wait, well, I am one of them, "Emily thought to herself while smiling at her own joke.

The host starts to talk, introducing the contestant and the computer problems they will solve.

They are all 20 participants in this competition; some are excited to solve the problem, and the others are nervous and afraid to lose in this competition.

In this challenge, the 20 participants will engage in one-on-one face-offs. Paired up, each set of two participants is tasked with confronting and outmaneuvering their opponent. The objective is not only to dominate their adversary with superior coding skills but also to safeguard their own code against potential attacks.

The participants must navigate a dynamic digital battleground, employing strategic maneuvers and defensive countermeasures to secure their position in the competition.