Every man harbors a shadow self, just as every man possesses an inner light. Humanity cannot be purely evil or purely good, for that is the very nature of contradiction.

Zheng Zha felt this contradiction acutely within himself. He recoiled from the thought of allowing hundreds of thousands of innocent American soldiers to perish, yet he was equally driven to protect the members of the Zheng family and ensure his teammates survived this horror movie reincarnation unharmed. This internal conflict prevented him from leveling too many accusations against Chu Xuan, but it also left him unable to face his own conscience squarely. Thus, he chose evasion, leaving all difficult decisions to the instincts unlocked by his genetic evolution—to the self hidden deep within his DNA.

(Perhaps... there truly is a demon dwelling within my genes...)

As Zheng Zha surrendered his consciousness entirely, handing himself over completely to the demon within his genes, a sudden, indescribable sense of profound relief washed over him. It was a sensation almost impossible to articulate, yet if one had to use just two words, they would be: "freedom." It was a complete liberation of mind and body, an unimaginable release, as if he could instantly soar to the highest heavens or cleave the world apart with limitless power. He almost drowned in the sensation, and only the final shred of rationality clinging to his physical form prevented his consciousness from being utterly consumed by it.

But this feeling was exquisite, and the sheer power... it was overwhelming!

Zheng Zha felt transported back to the time he infiltrated the base to steal the original T-Virus sample. The moment he unlocked the fourth stage of his genetic lock, he experienced a similar, ineffable rush. When he finally awoke, hundreds of colossal, evolved Lickers lay slaughtered by his hand. Such terrifying strength lay dormant in his very genes. Whether this was good or bad, or if he could ever return to normal... these were concerns beyond his current capacity to consider.

Facing the myriad light-projectiles that would detonate upon the slightest touch, Zheng Zha charged through them at blistering speed. Though the light-bombs appeared dense, there were ample gaps for passage. In his current state, Zheng Zha possessed the reaction time to spot these fissures, and his speed—"Shave"—outpaced the rate of fire. In the blink of an eye, Zheng Zha burst through the corridor and lunged at the foremost robot, tearing at it with one claw. This machine was not the largest, but still stood nearly five meters tall. Zheng Zha leaped slightly and his claw sliced gently, ripping the robot from its sternum into five separate strands of steel cable. With a forceful kick, the ruined machine was flung tens of meters away, careening into and toppling numerous other robots in its path.

Powerful, absolutely devastating. The only word Zheng Zha could muster for his current state was "overwhelming." The force behind that single swipe was unquestionably hyperbolic, and the hardness of his claws surpassed the alloy of the robots. A single swipe and tear, and the machine was scrap.

As Zheng Zha kicked the first robot away, he did not pause. He surged forward and brought the Hu Po Blade sweeping down in a single motion. A wash of brilliant white blade light spread out like mist. After the strike completed, the wreckage of the first robot, along with all the machines it had knocked down, were instantly reduced to fragments barely a few centimeters in size by that one pass. The Hu Po Blade, since its evolution, truly no longer resembled a mere weapon; it looked more like a magical artifact wielded by cultivators of the Dao. Its destructive capability was immense.

Zheng Zha did not fear the shockwaves from the resulting explosions or the intense heat. He advanced step by step through the flames. Along this path, he had already slaughtered countless robots—if not a thousand, then certainly several hundred. Furthermore, these were not the static, initial-model robots; they were capable of transformation and moved with astonishing agility in combat. In terms of sheer combat flexibility, they almost rivaled a robot piloted by Luo Gandao after he unlocked his genes, and their firepower was ferocious, often engulfing the corridor in explosions the moment they appeared. Yet, Zheng Zha was neutralizing them under this barrage, and crucially, he hadn't even entered his full "Explosion" state; at most, he had only utilized a small degree of the "Instant Annihilation" state.

Since entering the passage, about three minutes had elapsed. Chu Xuan and Luo Gandao were almost forced to run to keep pace. Zheng Zha was the primary combatant, but his breakthrough speed was so extreme that the two behind him struggled to keep up. Moreover, the trio had focused only on the main thoroughfare, ignoring the smaller side passages. Consequently, hordes of robots poured out from those side branches, forcing the three into a continuous forward struggle while pursued by at least a hundred machines trailing behind them.

"Can this be called being caught in a meat grinder?" Luo Gandao roared. "Xuan, didn't you say that last hydrogen bomb would wipe out the majority of the robots? So, what is the current situation? If I die here, I swear I'll haunt you even as a ghost!"

Chu Xuan glanced at a nearby Fortress-Class III robot without haste. "This is the best-case scenario I could have estimated. Four hydrogen bombs virtually annihilated tens of millions of robots. If those robots hadn't been destroyed, what would we have been against such numbers? A single volley could have wiped us all out. That wouldn't be called fighting; it would be called war, and in war, individual power is always so terribly insignificant..."

Luo Gandao paused, then continued shouting, "But what are we supposed to do now? Zheng Zha's divine power is certainly a boon, but I can't guarantee he won't turn that blade on us with a single swipe. That thing is terrifying; one gentle pass turned so many robots into dust. If he did that to us, wouldn't we just turn into strips of meat? And with over a hundred robots chasing us from behind, even if we manage to secure the AllSpark in a moment, I don't believe my strength alone is enough to carry it to the surface!"

Chu Xuan stated seriously, "No matter what you think, this is a battle without compromise. Do you expect to buy mercy from the Decepticons by begging? Or buy a little more survival time by fleeing? Don't be ridiculous! Luo Gandao, I know you never wanted to die since joining the Reincarnation Team, but what was the result? If it weren't for the other members, you'd already be dead in Starship Troopers. The principle is the same here: if you don't want to die, then fight desperately! Stop asking questions like a child. Regardless of anything, we must succeed. Otherwise, the robots that obtain the AllSpark will only grow stronger. Remember this: even if you lose your life, the AllSpark cannot be lost!"

As the two spoke, the corridor ahead suddenly opened up. Before them lay an immense underground plaza. Suspended in the center of this plaza was a metallic block shaped like a Rubik's Cube. The block wasn't overly large, perhaps only one or two cubic meters, but it constantly discharged intense electrical currents that connected the entire plaza, appearing from a distance like a pillar of lightning.

The entire plaza was occupied by roughly two to three thousand robots. They immediately raised their weapons and fired toward the corridor exit without a sound. The resulting explosive shockwaves forced Chu Xuan and Luo Gandao back to the corner of the passage. Only Zheng Zha, relying on his speed, charged wildly forward, breaking into the plaza before the projectiles could reach him.

Zheng Zha flashed into the crowd of robots, his Hu Po Blade sweeping downward continuously. Each sweep unleashed a mist-like arc of energy. After just a few passes, every robot within dozens of meters of him had been sliced into fragments. He used the ensuing explosive turbulence to propel himself toward the lightning pillar where the AllSpark was situated.

"Clang!"

With a sharp sound, Zheng Zha lunged a claw at a crimson robot directly in front of him. Just as the claw made contact, the robot shimmered with light, and the attack only managed to scrape off a few metal shavings. The armor on the red robot suddenly appeared brighter, as if vividly colored.

"Starscream! Don't worry! The newly evolved Phase-Shift Armor can definitely withstand his attacks. As long as your energy isn't depleted, we'll never have to worry about energy levels in this hall. Protect the AllSpark!"

Closest to the AllSpark, a giant robot nearly fourteen or fifteen meters tall shimmered with multicolored light, its armor appearing even more advanced than that of the robot named Starscream. This colossal machine was nearest the core, suggesting it was the leader of the Decepticons, Megatron. Judging by its imposing presence, it was certainly a hundred times more formidable than Optimus Prime's ruined chassis, presumably empowered by the AllSpark in recent days.

Zheng Zha's claw attack failed. He was about to bring his Hu Po Blade down for a sweep when Starscream suddenly flashed with intense light, causing the Phase-Shift Armor's luminescence to momentarily dim. Immediately following this, an invisible shockwave slammed into him. The force of this blast was immense, sending even Zheng Zha reeling back over ten meters. He only managed to stabilize himself suspended in mid-air by frantically beating his wings, putting him about twenty meters away from Starscream. Instantly, countless bullets from all directions hammered down upon him. This small area erupted in a violent conflagration of fire and explosions, and Zheng Zha found himself temporarily pinned, unable to break free from the barrage.

At the corner of the passage, Luo Gandao tentatively tried to surge forward from the deeper part of the corridor several times. Though he prized his life, he knew Zheng Zha was the backbone of the team, especially the primary force in this current fight. If Zheng Zha fell, all would be lost. But looking at the thousands of robots outside firing madly, his courage withered repeatedly in his chest. Before he could decide whether to charge out, he saw Chu Xuan press something on his glasses, and Chu Xuan's gaze suddenly sharpened.

(Damn it, is the sharp-eyed male lead trope trending lately?)

Luo Gandao's confusion was cut short as Chu Xuan moved. In an instant, he vanished from Luo Gandao's sight, leaping towards...