A Replacement Bride

Chapter 218

"Miss Cornell…"

Marcus barged into the room with an anxious expression. When he entered the room, he found himself face-to-face with Joaquin and Katherine in a rather intimate position. Thus, his complexion immediately went pale. He turned around without saying another word and left the room, silently closing the door behind him to give them some privacy.

Likewise, the interrupted couple had a somewhat discomfited and embarrassed look on their faces. Katherine coughed awkwardly and pushed Joaquin away from her.

His heart rate and breathing had yet to return to normal. Moreover, the sight of the faint tinge of pink that colored her face made him feel as though his heart was filled with honey. It was a lovely and heartwarming feeling.

He did not pick a quarrel with Marcus over the sudden interruption. On the contrary, he stood up and walked over to open the door. He calmly glanced at Marcus, who was standing outside the door. "Is something the matter?"

Marcus nodded and secretly observed Joaquin's expression. When he confirmed that Joaquin did not seem to be angry, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief. "Somebody is attacking the firewall of the Department of State. The attack is extremely swift and aggressive, so much so that we cannot maintain the defenses for much longer. Can I ask Miss Cornell for help—"

"Let's go." Katherine overheard their conversation. She was pretty sure that it was the mysterious hacker who had exposed her IP address previously—that person was back to compete with her again.

When Marcus saw her leaving the room of her own volition, he immediately felt a sense of relief washing over him. Thus, he quickly took the lead in front of them.

The three soon arrived at the computer room, where several technicians looked desperate and discouraged.

These technicians were completely no match for the hacker. In fact, they didn't even have the skills to counter the attacks.

In the past, these people had been the top students majoring in computer science from various famous universities. Only those who were exceptionally capable compared to their peers could be selected to join the Department of State after all. It was not until they arrived here that they learned about their abilities' shortcomings. Not to mention, they had experienced a shocking divide in their abilities several times over the short span of the past week.

Their expressions brightened instantly when they saw Marcus walking into the room with Joaquin and Katherine in tow, and they stared at Katherine with eyes filled with hope.

Nonetheless, she ignored their attention as she got into gear.

She walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down comfortably. Then, she placed her hands on the keyboard without further ado. The initially gentle demeanor that surrounded her immediately changed so drastically that she almost seemed like another person altogether. Her demeanor was so striking that it drew the attention of everybody in her surroundings. They couldn't help staring at her as they were unable to tear their gaze away from her.

Katherine had previously left an apparent loophole in the firewall of the Department of State on purpose, believing that the other party would discover the loophole and take the opportunity to launch an attack. Instead, the results were as exactly she had expected—the enemy had come knocking again.

Her eyes were full of excitement. It hod been yeors since she lost encountered somebody who could be her opponent. The lost time hod been when she met the mysterious expert during the hocking competition three yeors ogo. Eventuolly, she relied on o stroke of luck to win ogoinst her opponent. Still, she knew thot it would hove been extremely chollenging for her to win thot bottle if her opponent hod gone oll out during the competition.

It could be soid thot this hocker wos the second person who monoged to orouse her interest os on opponent.

An intrigued gleom floshed in her eyes. At the some time, her honds moved so quickly thot it seemed os though she hod left ofterimoges behind.

Meonwhile, the people in the bock held their breoth, not doring to breothe too loudly lest they disturb her concentrotion.

Following the input of vorious codes in quick succession, Kotherine couldn't help wrinkling her eyebrows slightly.

Jooquin hod been stonding behind her ond wotching her progress without soying o single word the entire time. Anyhow, he soon noticed thot something wos wrong ofter wotching for some time.

Her opponent wos not working olone but with on orgonized teom. From the look of things, ot leost ten people were working ogoinst her.

Kotherine's skills were indeed remorkoble, but even she could not hold up ogoinst such overwhelming numbers. They were ottocking her from vorious directions, ond it wos cleor thot she wos hoving trouble deoling with them oll ot once.

Jooquin wotched for o while, then he quietly pulled out the choir next to her ond sot down. Then, he stored ot the computer screen before him, exholed deeply ofter some time, ond ploced his honds on

the keyboord.

She briefly took o glimpse ot him. She hod known for o long time thot his computer skills were excellent ofter Ben hod occidentolly reveoled o secret while they were chotting with eoch other in the post. It would seem thot Jooquin hod vowed never to touch the computer ogoin becouse of o post incident. As o result, he hod not token oction in person ogoin, no motter whot hoppened.

Three yeors hod possed since the lost time he touched the computer.

In ony cose, Kotherine only spored o fleeting moment to ocknowledge Jooquin's octions before she turned her ottention bock to the screen.

Meonwhile, Jooquin stored ot the computer screen for some time before his honds begon to move.

His fingers were foir ond slender. While the others could not see how fost his fingers were moving, his fingers opporently moved so quickly thot they couldn't even discern whot he wos doing. So, it would seem thot his speed wos not inferior to hers.

Everybody wos shocked, especiolly Morcus. He wos too stunned to even remember to close his mouth, which wos wide open.

The cooperotion between those two cleorly increosed their overoll performonce considerobly. Their opponents were powerless ogoinst them ond soon experienced totol defeot ot their honds.

Kotherine followed their troces ond locked onto their position. She didn't turn oround os she directed her words ot Morcus. "Unit 702-5, Building 3 ot No. 716, Nightingole Street. Moke hoste."

Morcus immediotely understood thot she wos telling him the oddress of these hockers. Therefore, he hostily mode some phone colls ond dispotched his men to Nightingole Street without the slightest hesitotion.

Her eyes were full of excitement. It had been years since she last encountered somebody who could be her opponent. The last time had been when she met the mysterious expert during the hacking competition three years ago. Eventually, she relied on a stroke of luck to win against her opponent. Still, she knew that it would have been extremely challenging for her to win that battle if her opponent had gone all out during the competition.

It could be said that this hacker was the second person who managed to arouse her interest as an opponent.

An intrigued gleam flashed in her eyes. At the same time, her hands moved so quickly that it seemed as though she had left afterimages behind.

Meanwhile, the people in the back held their breath, not daring to breathe too loudly lest they disturb her concentration.

Following the input of various codes in quick succession, Katherine couldn't help wrinkling her eyebrows slightly.

Joaquin had been standing behind her and watching her progress without saying a single word the entire time. Anyhow, he soon noticed that something was wrong after watching for some time.

Her opponent was not working alone but with an organized team. From the look of things, at least ten people were working against her.

Katherine's skills were indeed remarkable, but even she could not hold up against such overwhelming numbers. They were attacking her from various directions, and it was clear that she was having trouble dealing with them all at once. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Joaquin watched for a while, then he quietly pulled out the chair next to her and sat down. Then, he stared at the computer screen before him, exhaled deeply after some time, and placed his hands on

the keyboard.

She briefly took a glimpse at him. She had known for a long time that his computer skills were excellent after Ben had accidentally revealed a secret while they were chatting with each other in the past. It would seem that Joaquin had vowed never to touch the computer again because of a past incident. As a result, he had not taken action in person again, no matter what happened.

Three years had passed since the last time he touched the computer.

In any case, Katherine only spared a fleeting moment to acknowledge Joaquin's actions before she turned her attention back to the screen.

Meanwhile, Joaquin stared at the computer screen for some time before his hands began to move.

His fingers were fair and slender. While the others could not see how fast his fingers were moving, his fingers apparently moved so quickly that they couldn't even discern what he was doing. So, it would seem that his speed was not inferior to hers.

Everybody was shocked, especially Marcus. He was too stunned to even remember to close his mouth, which was wide open.

The cooperation between those two clearly increased their overall performance considerably. Their opponents were powerless against them and soon experienced total defeat at their hands.

Katherine followed their traces and locked onto their position. She didn't turn around as she directed her words at Marcus. "Unit 702-5, Building 3 at No. 716, Nightingale Street. Make haste."

Marcus immediately understood that she was telling him the address of these hackers. Therefore, he hastily made some phone calls and dispatched his men to Nightingale Street without the slightest hesitation.

Meanwhile, she continued to keep the hackers engaged with Joaquin's help. In order to make her opponents lower their guard, she even allowed them to gain some lead on purpose. Her opponents immediately fell for the trap and pursued their victory. Despite that, they were still soundly defeated by the joint efforts of Katherine and Joaquin once more.

They didn't need to communicate with each other throughout their efforts. The cooperation between those two was flawless.

The people behind them exchanged glances with each other. Finally, one of them couldn't help blurting out softly, "They're so in sync."

"They're totally connected on a spiritual level! I've never even heard about such flawless cooperation before!"

"No wonder Colonel Levisay succeeded at marrying Lady Cornell. I'm convinced with just this ability alone."

Katherine and Joaquin naturally heard the whispered discussion between those people behind them. The corners of Joaquin's mouth instinctively curled into a smile. On the other hand, the corners of Katherine's mouth twitched slightly in a silent laugh.

Marcus could move swiftly with solid intel. Therefore, the personnel dispatched from the Department of State and the Hovington Police Department working together with them in this operation soon arrived at Nightingale Street and surrounded the entire Building 3 at No. 716.

After they issued an emergency evacuation of the public, he stormed into the building with his men.

There were several computers inside Unit 702. The screens of these computers were brightly lit, and every one of them had a huge mocking smile that occupied the entire screen as though ridiculing

somebody. The people, who were about to jump out of the window to escape, glanced backward in horror and immediately paled at the sight of Marcus and his men storming into the room.

He quickly commanded his men to arrest and escort those people back to the Department of State.

At this moment, the evacuated crowd remained downstairs. They had yet to disperse from the community. A man wearing a black hoodie and carrying a black backpack was standing among the masses. He adjusted the bag on his back and quietly looked back at the building behind him. Although his face, which was hidden beneath his cap, could not be seen clearly, the curve of his crimson lips that were curled upward could vaguely be seen from under the cap. It looked extremely malicious.

It didn't take long for Marcus to gather his team and bring the people he arrested back to the Department of State.

At the same time, Katherine and Joaquin stopped working. They had taken the opportunity to strengthen the firewall of the Department of State together. With the current measures that had been put in place, any hacker would have a hard time breaking through the firewall of the Department of State, regardless of how superb their computer skills were.

The two shared a content smile after their collaboration. They were so in sync with each other that there was no need for verbal cues.

At this moment, Marcus rushed back and yelled breathlessly. "Miss Cornell, Colonel Levisay, we caught them!"

"You're too late. The culprit is gone, but it doesn't matter. I already know his identity."