The alteration of atoms, the conversion of mass into energy—this series of triumphs marked a significant leap in humanity's comprehension of the cosmos, yet simultaneously signaled... that humankind had never been in greater peril, threatened by the very weapons they had forged. A mere flick of a switch, and the entire history of humanity could be brought to an end... "Stop, it won't stop!" Deep beneath America's primary containment facility, hundreds of personnel of every description were frantically attempting emergency repairs on the colossal central computer, which remained the most critical information nexus still operational in the United States. It was virtually the only means to relay all necessary information to every corner of the nation, as long as any military lines remained intact. In a very real sense, the Decepticons had driven the US into a desperate corner.

At this moment, the paramount central computer was convulsing, spitting out tiny sparks. A deluge of electrical discharges erupted from the supercomputer's hardware components. Of course, the true source of the machine's failure wasn't hardware; the core issue lay with a computer virus that had forced the entire system into a state of computational overload. If this condition persisted for another thirty minutes, the central computer would be irrevocably destroyed.

"Cut the main power! All essential personnel evacuate the underground levels!" Aslant Roosevelt listened silently to his subordinate's report, having grasped the full extent of the situation.

He could only issue such an order.

The Colonel reporting the status stated, "It's impossible, Mr. President. The central computer's energy core has been completely sealed off. Its defense systems are operating autonomously. Without sustained heavy bombardment and demolition, we cannot breach it in time. Furthermore, the computer's diagnostics indicate that any attempt to sabotage the central unit will be interpreted as the base being fully compromised by an external enemy, triggering..." "Self-destruct? I signed off on the protocols when this military base was established. Should the base be entirely overrun, these protocols exist to prevent the enemy from acquiring our technology and hidden archives. Therefore, any direct attack on the central computer grants it the authority to detonate the entire facility instantly..." Aslant Roosevelt sighed deeply. "In any case, let's evacuate the base for now."

"No, this is catastrophic!" A Black Major General burst in, shouting at the top of his lungs. "It's terrible! The nuclear launch codes are beginning to randomize! They are currently passing through the third confirmation stage within the black box. Once that confirms, then..." Aslant Roosevelt no longer hesitated. His face ashen, he bolted toward the door, seeing personnel rushing towards them as he ran.

Listening to their frantic reports, Aslant Roosevelt sank deeper into despair.

"The launch code for the first thermonuclear bomb has been confirmed and transmitted. Communication links between us and Submarine Nine are now completely severed. The hydrogen bomb has likely launched. The code for the second bomb has also been issued; communication with Submarine Six is entirely down. The third hydrogen bomb code is undergoing its third confirmation..." Roosevelt was so agitated he felt near a cerebral hemorrhage. He roared and charged into the main hall, which was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with personnel. Apart from the researchers still desperately working, most people could only stare, dumbfounded, at the central computer's massive screen, where lines of program text flashed continuously.

Before long, a string of numbers reappeared on the screen, then vanished instantly, as if they had never existed.

"Quick! Destroy the entire base if necessary! Destroy this central computer!" Aslant Roosevelt screamed madly. He knew exactly what those numbers represented: Hydrogen bombs. In this era of robotic catastrophe, what did striking with a hydrogen bomb signify? It likely represented the end of the human race... "Thwack!" Aslant Roosevelt felt a sudden darkness engulf his vision, and he collapsed limply to the floor. Behind him stood a General, sighing softly.

After knocking Aslant Roosevelt unconscious, the General roared at the others, "Everyone evacuate the base immediately! Set demolition charges! Once clear of the perimeter, detonate the central main computer... That is all."

The previously frozen crowd erupted into motion again upon hearing the General's command, but this time they ran to escape the facility. The General sighed once more, lifted Aslant Roosevelt onto his shoulder, and headed toward the elevators.

"Re-report!" A voice called out from behind the General. The General responded with weary resignation, "Speak. Has another hydrogen bomb launched?" "No, sir, it's not that. A new order was just released from the central computer: After the third hydrogen bomb strikes Saint Louis, all forces surrounding the city are to immediately advance into the ruins and secure the Decepticon base..." The reporting officer spoke hastily.

The General sighed again. "Is that so? Well, perhaps that is for the best. If all three hydrogen bombs target Saint Louis, our losses will be negligible. If the military can handle the situation flawlessly, it won't be a total disaster... It's certainly better than annihilating ourselves with nuclear weapons."

The reporting officer, however, remained visibly panicked. "Following that order, another command and code sequence were dispatched... After the third hydrogen bomb hits Saint Louis, the fourth bomb will strike the city again, timed precisely three hours after the third detonation... which is exactly when all our troops will be marching into the heart of Saint Louis!"

Chu Xuan stood silently atop a large boulder, gazing at the indistinct, towering structures of steel in the distance. Strangely, today he wore no tinted glasses, but a common pair of sunglasses, lending him an air of casual detachment.

"...We have twenty minutes until the first hydrogen bomb strikes here. Based on our current position, the area will likely experience hurricane-force winds, but it shouldn't affect us much," Chu Xuan stated calmly.

Zheng Zha sat on a nearby high slope, also wearing sunglasses as he looked into the distance. Upon hearing Chu Xuan's words, he simply nodded slowly, unable to speak for a moment, his mind already fixated on the approaching hydrogen bomb.

"......Humans..." Chu Xuan suddenly turned his head from the rock, looking at Zheng Zha. "What exactly are humans? For a long time, I have compiled data from various sources to define what humanity is. Fundamentally, they are classified as primates, the dominant species on Earth, the most intelligent beings... But what are they, truly? Good, evil, virtue, vice, the will to survive, the acceptance of death..., (Is this sentimentality? Is Chu Xuan capable of sentimentality?)" Zheng Zha looked at him with surprise and immediately asked, "What do you mean, Chu Xuan? What's wrong? Why the sudden, strange musing? Are you feeling unwell lately?" Chu Xuan managed a slight smile—though to Zheng Zha, it looked like a mere programmed twitch of the facial muscles, it did signal an internal anomaly. He spoke, "Perhaps this explanation is beyond your intellect to grasp, so I will phrase it differently... I recall you once posed a question: Can you sully your hands for the sake of survival? Your answer was that you could soil your hands, but never your heart..."

"Now, it is time for you to face your true essence... 'If your heart is already tainted, are you still willing to live?'" As Chu Xuan finished speaking and turned back, a luminous trajectory line shot across the sky behind him, leaving behind an impossibly long white trail of burning residue, seemingly cleaving the blue sky in two. At the apex of that trajectory was an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile... Chu Xuan turned back just as the warhead plunged into the distant city of Saint Louis—the current main Decepticon base.