Chapter 21 The Observation Is Never Wrong
-------------------------------------
Translator: JayM
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: The Observation Is Never Wrong
-------------------------------------
The Pan-Humanity Protection Association?
Leave the Emden Apartments?
Rossetti was on the verge of losing her mind with anger. Although she knew that some people would deliberately make senseless harassing calls in the dead of night, it wasn't until it happened to her that she realized that this kind of thing was even more infuriating than she had imagined.
That was right — she hadn't believed a single word of what the caller had said.
Nor could she possibly believe in an association that sounded like utter nonsense. No matter how many films a person had watched, they wouldn't bring the films into reality.
Those who did were mostly unhinged.
"I'm warning you — if you call and disturb my rest again, I’ll absolutely find you! And then I'll have you thrown in prison!" Rossetti said these words while practically suppressing a scream, her fury barely contained.
Then she hung up directly.
Faintly, the sound of thunder outside seemed to be mixed with some shouting as well.
Rossetti paid it no mind and collapsed back into bed.
But the phone's ringtone sounded again.
Rossetti sat up with a vicious look, picked up her phone, saw that it was the same strange number, and immediately switched it off.
The instant the screen went dark, it automatically switched itself back on again, and the ringtone rang out once more — it even directly cranked up the volume to its maximum, loud enough to be heard throughout the entire room.
For Dingxiang, hacking into a phone and modifying its programming was something she could accomplish with the utmost ease.
Immense computational power combined with formidable programming capability — she was a god of the network!
Rossetti was both startled and furious.
She had no idea what had happened to her phone.
But in the next moment, the incoming call was even automatically answered.
"Ms. Rossetti." Dingxiang's voice rang out at maximum volume. "The Pan-Humanity Protection Association has observed that the Emden Apartments where you’re located will be struck by a lightning-induced fire in twenty-five minutes. It would therefore be best for you to take Leighton and Eileen and leave immediately."
"A lightning-induced fire?" Rossetti was taken aback for a moment, then she put on an exasperated expression. "Listen — I don't know how you took control of my phone, but what you're saying is impossible. There are lightning rods here, and this building has the finest fire safety facilities in the world!"
At this moment, Rossetti was genuinely somewhat taken aback by the other party's methods.
Not only did they know her name — they also knew the names of her children as well.
But she still believed that it was nothing more than a harassing call.
A premeditated one at that.
They had certainly planted a virus on her phone long in advance, then they obtained her identity, and were now using this kind of pretext to frighten her.
Yes — that had to be it!
Which was exactly why modern phones couldn't be disassembled, why the battery couldn't simply be removed directly…
Rossetti hesitated over whether to simply smash the phone outright, then she thought that it might be important evidence of the other party having hacked into her device.
However —
As if aware of her thoughts…
In the next moment, her laptop also automatically switched on, along with her Bluetooth speaker, her home's smart television, and even her smart refrigerator — every device capable of connecting to the network activated simultaneously.
From every device capable of producing sound, Dingxiang's voice rang out at maximum volume, calm and unhurried:
"The Pan-Humanity Protection Association's observations are never wrong, Ms. Rossetti. You may choose to forfeit your life and the lives of your children, but issuing a warning to you in these final moments is my duty."
"Who exactly are you?" Rossetti was completely dumbfounded.
Her understanding of hacking was limited to the surface level, but even so, she knew just how terrifying a person capable of doing this would have to be.
All of these devices came from different brands and vendors, with different systems installed — and yet all of them had been breached at the same moment?
Even with her standing as editor-in-chief of a prominent publication, she had never heard of anything like this.
"I’m from the Pan-Humanity Protection Association." Dingxiang spoke the name once more. "As long as you don’t leave, I’ll continue issuing warnings to you without pause until the very last moment of your life."
Shen Yi's instructions had also given Dingxiang the freedom to act on her own initiative.
She had understood what her Captain wanted to do.
And so she had taken control of everything within her reach — and naturally, it wasn't limited to just Rossetti's home.
The entire apartment building — every person, every device!
The majority of people in the building were now experiencing something similar to what Rossetti was going through.
"Mama?" From outside Rossetti's room, the voice of her daughter Eileen suddenly came through.
The little girl stood somewhat timidly outside the door, looking curiously at the various devices that had started running on their own, then she pointed at the children's smartwatch on her wrist.
"A big sister called and said that there's going to be a fire soon, and that we should take you and leave."
Her son Leighton, meanwhile, had a face full of excitement.
"This is so cool — it's just like those sci-fi movies! Big sister, what's your name?"
"Ms. Rossetti, Leighton, Eileen — for the sake of your lives and your futures, please leave this apartment building immediately." Dingxiang's cool, clear voice seemed to carry a faint trace of warmth at that moment.
Rossetti was genuinely a little moved.
Not because she had believed what the other party said, but because the methods the other party had demonstrated made her curious.
As an editor-in-chief of a publication, she knew clearly that this would make for an extremely compelling story.
She had even already thought of the headline.
"On the Life Risks Posed by Smart Home Appliances."
"Will there really be a lightning fire? How did you do all of this?" Rossetti spoke up and asked. "And also — if there really is going to be a fire, why not call the police?"
"The Pan-Humanity Protection Association's predictions are never wrong. The Association's capabilities far exceed your imagination. The police are powerless against a disaster of this kind." Dingxiang answered simply.
"Why would you say that?" Rossetti grew even more intrigued, wanting to draw out more.
"Take Eileen and Leighton and leave the apartment building. You have fifteen minutes remaining." Dingxiang seemed to have seen through her intentions, and her voice grew even cooler — while every device rang out simultaneously at maximum volume.
Then she repeated that single sentence without pause.
Only the time changed as it went on.
At this point, even Rossetti was covering her ears.
She suddenly regretted having been talked into buying so many wireless smart devices by the apartment's sales pitch.
"Alright, alright — you win, we're leaving, stop making such a racket!" Rossetti stood up with her phone in hand. "But if nothing happens, you’ll absolutely pay for the information crimes you’re committing right now."
Dingxiang turned a deaf ear to this.
As if she was caught in a maddening loop.
And when Rossetti stepped out of her room, she found that she wasn’t the only one doing so.
A crowd of people stood outside in the corridor in all manner of dress. Some held their phones and looked curious, others had brought nothing at all and merely wore expressions of irritation. All the while, Dingxiang's voice rang out from every single person's phone.
What was astonishing was this:
The voice and tone were completely identical, and yet the name called out was entirely different for each person.
-------------------------------------
T/N - Damn, Dingxiang can really conquer the world with her current setup. Good thing the MC’s here to save it instead. Also, that just sounds creepy now that I imagine it.