Are You Safe Episode 22 Recap
> Are You Safe Recap
Ma Pingchuan, speaking to an associate, elaborated on his meticulous plan. He confirmed that the widespread news was indeed connected to the code he instructed to be planted in Qin Huai's computer. This code was an auto-running script designed to monitor "Tuesday" loopholes in real-time. The moment someone attempted to operate "Tuesday," the script would immediately seize control of their keyboard and automatically send a "time bomb" to the computer, ensuring a digital trail was left on Qin Huai's device.
Ma Pingchuan revealed he had initially expected Qin Huai to operate remotely, but Qin Huai falling for the trap was an even better opportunity he couldn't pass up. He boasted that the delayed time bomb he set up was undetectable, guaranteeing that once Hupo was attacked, the time bomb codes would be found on Qin Huai's computer, leading Xu Guangming to imprison him. He planned to send these incriminating codes directly to Hu Dezheng.
Meanwhile, Hu Dezheng informed President Xu Guangming that he had received an anonymous report from an employee of Kai Gua Le, alleging that Qin Huai was responsible for attacking HuCloud. The report included log records from Qin Huai's computer, containing codes nearly identical to the time bomb that attacked HuCloud. President Xu, seeing reporters gathered outside the company, acknowledged the need to quell public opinion and prioritized eliminating negative impacts on their reputation, rather than calling the police immediately.
At Kai Gua Le, Qin Huai and Zhou You discussed the person who hacked Zhou You's account, noting their advanced skill in covering tracks, making them difficult to locate quickly. Lin Shuo arrived, confirming her investigation found no evidence of "Internet ghostwriters"; instead, it appeared to be the spontaneous action of self-media. She stressed that the incident had severely damaged Kai Gua Le's public image and needed immediate resolution.
Lin Shuo then revealed, in her capacity as Hupo's legal representative, that Hupo intended to press charges against Qin Huai for attacking HuCloud's vulnerabilities. She advised him to gather evidence of his innocence, warning that without it, he would face substantial compensation. Though unable to disclose details, she urged him, as a friend, to act swiftly.
Before Qin Huai left the company to address Hupo's claims, Zhou You, noticing Chen Mo's absence, casually remarked on his infrequent visits as a non-official employee. Qin Huai entrusted Zhou You with the company's affairs while he was away. No sooner had Qin Huai departed than a group of clients stormed into Kai Gua Le, demanding refunds and immediate termination of their contracts due to the allegations against Qin Huai.
Despite his anger at their disloyalty, Zhou You calmly agreed to process their contract terminations in accordance with the agreed terms, signing off on the documents. Tang Lin later commented on Zhou You's newfound composure in handling the situation. Zhou You instructed Tang Lin not to inform Qin Huai of this setback, as he was already under immense pressure.
The situation worsened when court officials arrived at Kai Gua Le, confiscating all company computers and materials as evidence for Hupo's lawsuit, alleging server attacks. The remaining employees, fearing for their jobs and wages, grew distraught. Mo Yizhong stepped forward, explaining that regardless of the lawsuit's outcome, Kai Gua Le's reputation would be severely tarnished, making their future in the cybersecurity industry incredibly difficult.
This led many employees to decide to quit, stating they could not risk their careers by offending powerful figures in the industry or facing potential wage loss. Zhou You, disheartened, allowed them to leave. Upon his return, Qin Huai found the office in disarray. He quickly instructed Zhou You to check computer data and Tang Lin to review the surveillance camera footage.
Qin Huai explained that Hupo had evidence of his alleged attack, provided by an anonymous report containing attack codes from Kai Gua Le, confirming the presence of an inside man. Zhou You was overcome with guilt, realizing he had inadvertently allowed the spy to leave. Further investigation revealed that all surveillance footage had been deleted, indicating the spy was well-prepared.
Qin Huai calmly analyzed the situation, concluding that the attack codes were sent precisely when he was fixing Hupo's loopholes, implying the culprit had deep knowledge of HuCloud’s server and was closely monitoring his actions. Since the codes could only have been launched from Hupo's internal network, not externally, Qin Huai deduced there was also an insider within Hupo. He realized the entire series of events, from the initial hack to the media frenzy, was a meticulously planned setup.
Qin Huai then forcefully entered a Hupo meeting, seeking access to their internal network to uncover the truth and prove his innocence. He challenged President Xu Guangming, stating that if he were truly the culprit, Hupo could simply call the police and the attacks would cease. However, if he were innocent, Hupo would continue to live in fear of the true perpetrator. Qin Huai asserted there was a mole, warning that without identifying them, Hupo's reputation would be repeatedly jeopardized.
He argued that only by granting him access to the internal network could he find the necessary proof. Ma Pingchuan swiftly interjected, reminding President Xu that HuCloud was his life's work and that trusting an outsider again, especially after Qin Huai had seemingly caused such harm, would be reckless. He declared that Qin Huai had already damaged Hupo's interests and questioned his audacity in making such a request.
President Xu, exasperated, ended the meeting, delegating the matter entirely to Ma Pingchuan and stating they would pursue legal action in court. Later, Ma Pingchuan was overheard on a phone call, being commended for his cunning plan to frame Qin Huai and simultaneously implicate Hu Dezheng. He was then presented with a list of three programmers to be dismissed following the loophole incident.
Ma Pingchuan deemed this insufficient to satisfy President Xu and the board, implying a desire to involve more individuals, including Hu Dezheng, whom he claimed he would personally handle. In court, Lin Shuo, representing Hupo, fiercely argued against Kai Gua Le. After the initial session, the trial was adjourned, with both parties needing to gather more substantial evidence. Lin Shuo explained to Qin Huai that "evidence is the only thing that matters in court; personal feelings don't matter."
Qin Huai acknowledged her professional stance. Back at Kai Gua Le, Tang Lin presented a stack of termination and compensation agreements. Due to the confiscation of their equipment, Kai Gua Le was unable to provide maintenance for clients' systems. Many clients claimed their systems were coincidentally attacked during this period, incurring heavy losses, for which Kai Gua Le was contractually obligated to compensate. Tang Lin calculated that the company lacked the funds to cover these costs.
The team expressed grave concerns, fearing impending bankruptcy and the possibility of Qin Huai, as the legal representative, facing imprisonment, drawing parallels to Chen Mo's fate. Qin Huai became lost in thought, recalling Chen Mo's past incarceration and his own helplessness during that time. Lin Shuo later confided in Shen Yizhang about the Hupo case, expressing her belief that the situation was unfair to Qin Huai and ethically dubious.
Shen Yizhang countered, arguing that "fairness is hard to define in business," and that "client service and acquiring more clients" were the most important aspects. Lin Shuo insisted her original aspiration for studying law was to uphold fairness and justice, not merely to serve clients. Shen Yizhang, however, accused her of becoming irrational and unprofessional, constantly opposing him since she had met Qin Huai, implying a deeper, more personal connection.
