Holding his newly acquired temporary pass, Osiris, accompanied by two expressionless security personnel, stepped into the iconic, geometrically beautiful, and vast underground space of NERV headquarters for the first time.
The massive hollow structure, the crisscrossing corridors, the cold metal walls, and the ubiquitous red warning lights all highlight the oppressive and austere atmosphere that is so different from the outside world.
He behaving exactly like a researcher who is entering such a high-tech mecca for the first time and is fully immersed in his work—his eyes showed appropriate curiosity, but more so a focus and eagerness to use the advanced equipment.
He didn't look around or try to go into any unauthorized areas; he simply followed the approved route and, guided by security personnel, arrived at the laboratory assigned to him for use within headquarters.
This laboratory was several generations more advanced than his "Experimental Station No. 9" by the sea, with all sorts of equipment he "dreamed of" flashing standby indicator lights.
Osiris immediately threw herself into her "work".
He directed the technical personnel sent by headquarters to assist (and also monitor) him to begin setting up equipment and preparing materials according to the experimental plan he had submitted.
Throughout the entire process, he behaved like a standard, even somewhat rigid, researcher. All his operations complied with safety procedures, and all his conversations revolved around the details of the experiment.
However, just as he seemed to be fully focused on his attempt to synthesize "catalytic particles" and frequently inputting data and adjusting parameters at the computer terminal connected to NERV's internal network, the real operation had already quietly begun.
His fingers tapped the keyboard quickly and precisely, inputting more than just experimental data.
Amidst a series of seemingly ordinary parameter codes and instructions, he cleverly wove in a highly disguised and extremely sophisticated virus code, like a drop of water flowing into a river, silently uploading through the data port and infiltrating NERV's central computer system.
The implanted code itself is insignificant in NERV's vast system, and could even be said to pose no threat.
It's like a grain of sand scattered on a beach, lying quietly at the bottom of the system, mixed in with countless similar log files and low-level process code.
Its structure is deliberately broken down and obscured, so any conventional security scan will judge it as meaningless or a remnant fragment of some obsolete script.
It does not perform any malicious operations, steal data, or attempt to spread; it simply lies dormant, as if asleep.
However, this grain of "sand" is actually the first piece of an elaborately designed "combination lock".
Its real danger does not come from itself, but from its potential properties as a "key".
Osiris' design was extremely ingenious: he broke down a fully functional and highly aggressive advanced AI virus into nine independent and harmless code segments.
What is being implanted at this moment is only one of them.
The sole purpose of this code is to reserve an extremely hidden "hook point" or "collection address" in the system for itself and its eight "brothers," and to keep it in a minimal dormant state, waiting to be awakened.
Only when Osiris, during subsequent visits, uses different opportunities and methods to gradually implant the remaining eight specific code segments into the system, and finally combines them with the first code segment at the predetermined location, will these nine seemingly harmless code segments fit together perfectly like jigsaw puzzle pieces, instantly activating and forming a complete AI virus with high intelligence, destructive power, and stealth.
Only then will this "assembled" ghost truly begin to carry out its missions of stealing privileges, establishing channels, and even more dangerous tasks.
Before this, it was just a dormant, seemingly chaotic string of characters.
Even if the most rigorous security experts were to see it by chance, it would be almost impossible to deduce any malicious intent from it, let alone foresee its true role as a "start switch".
Osiris dispersed the risks, delayed the threats, and concealed his actions beneath countless seemingly routine and harmless data manipulations.
He calmly finished his "work" in the headquarters laboratory, recorded some insignificant "experimental data," and then left accompanied by security personnel.
No one knew that he had just planted the first and most inconspicuous keyhole of a bomb deep within NERV's core system, a bomb that required eight different keys to open.
On his next visit, he will bring a second fragment.
No obvious alarms were triggered during the entire process.
NERV's MAGI system is undoubtedly powerful, but its primary design goal is to combat the Angels and to perform global-scale strategic calculations and simulations.
Defenses against such non-destructive digital infiltrations that originate from within, exploit vulnerabilities in human network social engineering, and have extremely specific targets are not foolproof, especially when the infiltrators possess technical skills far exceeding conventional understanding of the present era.
Osiris remained calm and continued his "experiment," occasionally frowning in thought at an "unexpected" experimental phenomenon, or nodding slightly at a "successful" data point.
He played his role perfectly, as if the thrilling digital intrusion he had just witnessed was nothing more than a routine data entry in his daily scientific research.
He knew that the seed had been sown.
Next, it is just a matter of waiting for this digital ghost to grow quietly in the shadow of the NERV system, and for it to open the window to the core secrets when it needs to.
And all of this began with just a few seemingly casual keystrokes on the keyboard. The real contest had already begun in another, unseen dimension.
In the following period, Osiris strictly followed the application process and entered NERV headquarters eight more times to conduct "catalytic particle synthesis experiments".
Each time, he behaved like a rigorous and focused scholar, immersing himself in equipment operation and data analysis.
He successfully synthesized nine batches of novel "catalytic particles" in varying but extremely small quantities, and, following standard procedures, packaged them in specially designed storage units, applying to have them taken away from headquarters for "follow-up environmental verification" at the seaside experimental station.
The entire process was open, transparent, and flawless.
He never attempted to go to unauthorized areas, never inquired about any information related to EVA or the pilots, and his communication with headquarters staff was limited to technical matters.
All he took away were the "experimental samples" that were strictly recorded and belonged to his research project.
This consistent and disciplined behavior, like water dripping on a stone, gradually eroded the initial doubts within NERV, especially from the security and technical assessment departments directly responsible for monitoring him.
The report began to include comments such as "stable behavior pattern, focused on authorized research areas" and "no abnormal activity found".
Although necessary monitoring measures remain in place, the sense of urgency that felt like a thorn in one's side has indeed lessened somewhat.