The Inescapable Celibate Heir Chapter 177: I Worry You Are Breaking the Law

Back then, Victoria was still naive and didn't realize how malicious Ella could be. She genuinely thought someone was just jealous and spreading rumors. 

Looking back now, it was likely true, and the school's name matched up. 

As for the whistleblower's later apology, it was probably due to Ella's coercion, either through money or threats. Given Ella's character, she was always ruthless and unscrupulous.

Victoria now wanted to find this whistleblower, and if she could locate the victim, even better. 

She narrowed her search to the years Ella was in high school. Embercrest Riverview High School had an internal forum, which made Victoria's search much easier. 

After half an hour of sifting through information, she focused on two individuals.

One was Avery Carter, who transferred to Embercrest Riverview High School in her sophomore year but left after just one semester. 

Classmates described her as beautiful, with a gentle voice and a frail body. 

There were some speculations on the forum about her departure, with a few replies hinting at a hidden reason. 

The other was Vera Perez from a poor neighborhood. She was a scholarship student with excellent grades, but her parents had passed away, and she was raised by her grandmother. 

She also left school suddenly in her sophomore year, reportedly due to illness.

With her targets identified, Victoria began a thorough search on these two. 

Some school events had group photos, and although they were somewhat blurry, she could still accurately identify them using their names and ages. 

Victoria quickly found Avery's social media account and learned she was now studying abroad in Aquilonia. 

Vera, however, had little online presence, which was unusual for someone her age.

After dropping out, Vera had no further school records, suggesting she might have started working early. 

As Victoria expanded her search, the door to her private room suddenly knocked and then opened.

"Hey there, you're our 99th customer today, so here's a complimentary soda for you."

A familiar voice rang out. Victoria turned and, surprised, asked, "Ryan, is that you?"

Ryan set down the soda, smiling with his signature sharp canines, scratching the back of his head. 

"It's you! I thought someone was up to no good in here. This is my place. Since you're here, it's on the house. Order whatever you like; we've got plenty of instant noodles and chips." 

While Victoria was traveling, Ryan had rented a spot near her dessert shop and opened an internet café. 

He usually didn't monitor customers, but Victoria's investigation had triggered some unusual data and traffic by breaching several school firewalls. 

Concerned, Ryan used this as an excuse to check in. If the police ever investigated, he could provide customer information. If things got too serious, he wouldn't hesitate to call the cops.

Victoria smiled sheepishly, raising her hand in a promise. "I'm just investigating something, but I swear it's nothing illegal."

Ryan nodded. "I believe you. But are you facing any challenges? I can help. I noticed the dark web recently put a bounty on 'bluebird,' and it seems like your alias." 

This topic had been hotly discussed on the dark web. Someone had brazenly attacked the dark web's internal network, causing a stir. 

Although no critical files were lost, the dark web's leaders were furious and offered a hefty reward for 'bluebird's' identity. 

Ryan had studied 'bluebird's' attack methods and found them similar to Victoria's past tactics against him, so he suspected it was her. Seeing her today, he decided to ask directly.

Victoria winked at him, confirming his suspicion. "It's nothing serious, just some curiosity-driven research." 

She had attacked the dark web from The Emerald Atoll Archipelago during a storm, making it hard for them to trace her. 

They hadn't caught her then, and she had since erased all traces of her intrusion. Even the best hackers could only narrow down her location. 

Victoria had never revealed her hacking skills to anyone else, so only someone as familiar with her as Ryan could guess it was her.

Ryan sighed, worried. "The dark web has many talented people. Don't underestimate them. And there are many who operate on the edge of the law. Be careful."

Victoria patted his shoulder, smiling as she looked him in the eye. "I've cleaned up all traces. They won't find me, and I won't use that alias again. Only you know about this, unless you betray me. Will you?"

Ryan looked at her seriously, pressing his lips together. "No, I won't. I'll never betray you. You're my only friend. Thank you for trusting me and not hiding this from me."

Victoria shrugged lightly. "I know you won't, so I'm not worried at all." 

Ryan was a straightforward and pure person, and Victoria believed she hadn't misjudged him. 

Her fingers flew over the keyboard again as she continued her search.