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3 views

STORIES

Uploaded by

Hey Ummm
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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"Impressive work on the malware scanner," the message read.

"But what would you do if the


threat wasn’t just code?"

Zara’s heart skipped a beat. She had recently shared her project, a Python-based scanner that
could identify malicious files before downloads completed. How did this stranger know? Before
she could respond, another message appeared.

"Care to test your skills?"

Attached was a link.

Every lesson Zara had learned about online safety screamed at her to ignore it. Yet, curiosity and
a strange sense of challenge tugged at her. She quickly spun up a virtual machine, isolated from
her main system, and clicked the link. A compressed file downloaded instantly.

Zara extracted the contents cautiously. Inside was a single text file labeled "A Riddle for the
Vigilant."

She opened it.

"I am not what I seem. In shadows, I linger. To find me, you must dive deeper."

Her pulse quickened. It wasn’t just a riddle; it was a test. Zara combed through the file’s
metadata and ran it through her scanner. The results were clean, but something felt off. A closer
inspection revealed hidden code embedded within white spaces. It pointed to a string of
coordinates.

Zara plugged them into a mapping program. The location was a decrepit warehouse on the city’s
outskirts. Her instincts told her to let it go, but a stronger force—a thirst for answers—pushed her
to investigate.

The next day, under the guise of visiting a friend, Zara biked to the warehouse. The structure
loomed ominously, its windows shattered and walls covered in graffiti. Inside, the air was thick
with dust, and the faint hum of electricity buzzed from the shadows.

At the center of the room was a single monitor connected to a tower. The screen displayed a
blinking cursor, waiting expectantly. Beside it was a sticky note that read, "Type: WHO AM I."

Zara’s fingers hovered over the keyboard. She typed the command and hit Enter.

The screen flickered to life, displaying lines of text:

"You have proven your vigilance, Zara. The world needs protectors like you—ones who think,
who question, who act. Will you take the mantle?"
"What mantle?" she whispered to the empty room.

The monitor buzzed, as though hearing her.

"A mentor waits for you online. Check Sentinel’s desktop."

Adrenaline coursed through Zara as she raced back home. Upon booting up Sentinel, she found a
new file on her desktop named "The Path Forward." Opening it revealed an invitation to an
encrypted chatroom.

There, a user named "Beacon" introduced themselves. They claimed to be part of a global
collective working to thwart cybercrimes and empower young talents to safeguard the digital
world. Beacon shared stories of their battles against ransomware attacks, data breaches, and
phishing schemes that had targeted vulnerable communities.

"But why me?" Zara asked.

"Because you see more than what’s on the surface," Beacon replied. "You question everything.
That’s the first step to protecting others."

For weeks, Zara trained under Beacon’s guidance. She learned advanced coding techniques,
ethical hacking, and the psychology of cybercriminals. Beacon emphasized the importance of
understanding human behavior—the weakest link in cybersecurity.

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