Zheng Zha walked along with a bewildered expression. Privately, he had asked Zhan Lan to link him and Xiao Honglu using the Soul Chain, and then he curiously inquired, "Saying we were sent by the future government—that was Chu Xuan's idea, right? Otherwise, there's simply no explaining our origins. And since we need the US government's help to fight this battle, a significant identity is essential. But... do you really think that lie is appropriate? Especially when the Vice President just said this place holds humanity's last hope, yet we have no clue what that hope is, and Chu Xuan didn't even offer a single explanation. Don't you feel that contradicts our assumed identity? Plus, the excuse of returning from the future to fight a war—it feels riddled with holes..." Xiao Honglu sighed and replied, "That's precisely where Chu Xuan’s brilliance lies. Do you remember the plan he held deep in his heart? The plan to steal the nuclear codes. Do you honestly believe that nuclear weapons, something concerning the fate of all humankind, would be so easily stolen? I wouldn't dare say anything else, but his hacking skills alone could never pull that off. Otherwise, humanity in the real world would have perished long ago—all it would take is one hacker stealing the nuclear control codes and pressing a button. So, Chu Xuan must have proposed the absurd notion of us being future warriors specifically to facilitate the plan to steal the nukes."

This made Zheng Zha even more confused. As he walked, he began simulating Xiao Honglu’s thought process, activating his ability to unlock the third stage of the Gene Lock.

Now that his strength had advanced significantly, possessing the initial capability of the fourth-stage Gene Lock, his simulation of others' thought patterns could generally reach fifty to sixty percent accuracy, and this ratio was still increasing.

So, at this moment, he simply immersed himself in simulating Xiao Honglu's thinking.

"You mean this 'future warrior' proposal... it was a trap Chu Xuan set from the very beginning?" Zheng Zha pondered, asking strangely.

Xiao Honglu nodded. "Exactly. His plan likely depended on you proposing we were future warriors. That statement is inherently full of flaws. The first flaw: how would future humans block the radiation from transforming our weaponry? If they can't block it, what use is our gear? If they can block it, why would he state it that way in the meeting? I can only conceive of one possibility... a deception."

"Deception?" Prompted by Xiao Honglu, Zheng Zha suddenly saw the light. "I get it! He intentionally exposed fatal weaknesses to let the US government know we aren't warriors from the future.

Then, he expects the US government to assign people to monitor us, very likely using listening devices or other surveillance methods. He then deliberately makes a move that suggests he has obtained and modified the nuclear codes, letting the government's surveillance personnel witness it. The first action of someone whose belongings have been stolen isn't usually to call the police, but to check if the items are actually missing. Although they would check in a very discreet location, even the most hidden spot wouldn't escape Zhan Lan's psychic scan... Brilliant! This layout is superb!" Xiao Honglu remarked with a touch of melancholy, "Yes.

This arrangement is indeed brilliant. And the most crucial part is that since the codes weren't actually modified, the US government might interpret Chu Xuan's deliberate actions as him simply messing with them.

This is a minor issue. Furthermore, since we are fighting for humanity, even if we aren't future warriors, our strength and equipment surpass those of this world's people, so the assault mission must still be entrusted to us. Thus, this excuse is merely a tool to establish rapport with the US government. So what if we aren't future warriors? Chu Xuan... he is truly extraordinary."

Zheng Zha smiled and comforted him, "You’re not bad either. At least you snapped back to reality in such a short time, not only understanding every step of Chu Xuan's scheme but also knowing what he was thinking inside. Haha, that’s fantastic! In the future, if this guy has any shady plans, you must remind me immediately. Next time, let's try to make him suffer a loss too."

Xiao Honglu shook his head, gently plucking a strand of hair from his forehead. "It’s truly frustrating. If it were purely about deduction and analysis, operating at the same level and with the same intelligence as Chu Xuan to achieve such a feat... I think even with your intellect, you should be able to see some clues..." "Hey, speak clearly. Why the emphasis on 'even with my intellect'? Are you saying my intelligence is truly that abysmal?" Zheng Zha instantly became enraged, shouting inwardly.

"...Do you expect muscles to think?" Xiao Honglu waved his hand and continued, "If it were just analysis, those standing beside him would see things clearly, unless he's scheming against his own people too... To this degree of planning and calculation, I can analyze it clearly. But analysis and execution are two different things... I could also realize the issue of the nuclear codes, and I could realize the necessity of stealing them, but I probably couldn't execute such a free-flowing, intricate layout. And calculating from the very start—the moment he required you to utter the 'future warrior' excuse, the calculations must have already begun. I cannot do something like that..." Zheng Zha suppressed his anger and laughed, "It's alright. Very few people can reach your level. You are at least among the top five smartest people in the entire Reincarnation Squad. But Chu Xuan is someone I’ve encountered whose wisdom borders on the supernatural. There’s no point comparing."

Xiao Honglu sneered instead. "How do you know I can't match him? Hmph. Let's keep watching. Quick wit doesn't necessarily equate to grand wisdom. He thought of the nuclear codes; can’t I think of something else to counter it? We shall wait and see!" (Thinking about it, Xiao Honglu really does have some kind of plan brewing? I just hope the two of them don't get so caught up in showing off their intellect that they drag the team down... Damn it, other teams would kill to have a strategist like him, yet our Central Continent Team is troubled by having too many such strategists. We truly don't appreciate our blessings...)

Zheng Zha pondered his thoughts. As the elevator steadily descended, the group moved from the conference room level to hundreds of meters underground. The elevator continued its descent until, after several seconds, it stopped with a thud. The doors opened, revealing countless busy personnel moving about—soldiers, researchers, and even ordinary people in civilian clothes. Looking out from the elevator door, this area was clearly a massive plaza, with several tunnels leading off it, though these seemed small compared to the plaza itself.

Beyond that, Zheng Zha and the others saw humanity's last "hope"—perhaps it really was a kind of hope. It was two robot husks, half-ruined, displayed on the plaza. One was colossal, looking like Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots from the movies. The other robot was much smaller, predominantly yellow; it must be Bumblebee from the original movie plot. Although both robots were extensively damaged, they could still move and speak. These two Autobots were actually still alive.

The current President of the United States, the elderly man Aslan Roosevelt, sighed and spoke, "This is the last hope for us humans—the only two surviving Autobot robots. The Spark Energy housed in their chests protected this base, shielding it from the radiation of the AllSpark. There is one more Autobot in Base Two. When these three robots fought the Decepticons for the AllSpark, even though they heavily damaged and eliminated many Decepticons, they were ultimately defeated completely, the AllSpark was lost, and the Autobots were almost wiped out..."

Chu Xuan nodded. "Then the issue of our weapons' safety has been resolved. I presume these Autobots must have a way to secure the weapons, at least a minimal quantity of them... Now only one problem remains: how do we locate the Decepticons' main base? To reclaim the AllSpark or destroy it completely."

Aslan Roosevelt sighed again. "There’s no easy answer for that. We can only dispatch as many scouts as possible, but the fate of those scouts will likely be... Sigh. In any case, you should go meet Optimus Prime first. Perhaps you can discuss a better approach. And these three Autobots, they might soon..." Aslan Roosevelt did not finish his sentence, sighing repeatedly as he stopped speaking. He then turned and walked toward the two Autobots, Optimus Prime and the other one. As this group of over ten people approached Optimus Prime, the massive robot, whose body was severely damaged and was even missing one foot, lifted its head to look at the crowd. Moreover, it politely greeted Aslan Roosevelt.

When Aslan Roosevelt explained the issue concerning their weapons to Optimus Prime, the robot fell silent. After a long pause, it finally spoke, "Take the Spark Energy from my chest. Use this energy to coat your weapons. This gentle Autobot energy can effectively resist the frantic energy of the Decepticons. Only then can you approach them with your weapons..." Bumblebee, standing nearby, suddenly interjected, "No! If you do that, you will die!" Optimus Prime glanced at Bumblebee a few times, then lowered its head to look at Zheng Zha and the others. "There was once a human boy who fought alongside us. Even at the most dangerous and desperate moments, he never surrendered the AllSpark to Megatron. In the end, we failed his expectations, rendering his sacrifice in vain. He once said, 'No sacrifice, no victory.' I, too, want to say that now: without sacrifice, there is no victory... Brave humans, destroy that AllSpark. Do not let the mistakes of us robots be shouldered by you humans... Bumblebee, I am glad I had the chance to work with you. To my fallen comrades, I cannot let their sacrifices be in vain!"