Chapter 1433: 1431: The Transaction

Chapter 1433: Chapter 1431: The Transaction

Tick-tock, tick-tock~

Droplets of metallic liquid fell relentlessly from the Mother’s body. Although they were able to be reabsorbed through her feet, it was evident her state had reached its very limits.

“I want to make a deal with you.”

As soon as the Mother spoke these words, Han Dong caught a whiff of an ‘opportunity.’ He quickly stopped Green, who was attempting to tear through the barrier.

『Green, I’ll owe you for this one… Let the Mother state her deal. If she exhibits any hostile behaviors, there’s still time to act.

In her current condition, we can handle her.

Besides, the Death God likely won’t remain trapped much longer. There’s no real threat here.』

Han Dong’s earnest plea didn’t immediately halt Green’s actions.

Boom!

The barrier was ultimately torn apart by Green, who had utilized the power of his legendary weapon. However, he refrained from proceeding with further attacks.

“I just don’t like being confined. You guys keep talking… Hah~”

Green clasped his hands behind his head and began to leisurely pace the room. Of course, thousands of gazes from the Abyss locked onto the Mother, ready for Green to unleash his full fury the moment anything seemed amiss.

Seeing this, Han Dong breathed a sigh of relief.

He realized Green was giving him face. Normally, Green’s personality wouldn’t allow him to change his mind due to someone else’s persuasion. This time, however, Green chose to compromise—or perhaps found another way to vent his madness.

Han Dong made a note of this and resolved to repay him in kind after the matter was over.

“What kind of deal?”

Han Dong calmly engaged in dialogue with the King-level being, his consciousness poised to shift into the [Borrowing God] state at any moment.

“A deal between worlds… But before I state the terms, there’s something I wish to say.

You must be the team that secretly infiltrated Hyperion Corporation before the war erupted, recklessly gathering Pandora’s native lifeforms, correct?

I never expected you to disrupt communications with the Beheading King for such a long period, even without King-level support, and walk away with Hyperion’s core technologies and equipment.

As expected, the [S-01 World] cannot be evaluated by standard metrics. Even with multiple dynamic variables added, it defies calculation.

The main cannon used to bombard Makoms City must also be a relic from this company, right?”

“Correct.”

“As I thought… The Black Tower’s motive for focusing the battlefield here is not what I imagined.

My calculations indicated a 99.1% probability that you would head for the fallen Makoms City and breach its core area.

What caught me off guard was your introduction of a fascinating mechanical lifeform. While its overall programming integrity is maintained by a chip, the core technology is distinct.

It not only rapidly mastered Hyperion’s technology but also quickly infiltrated the core programs I crafted.”

“Indeed, Little Yellow was one of Hyperion Corporation’s Chief Engineers.”

The Mother continued her exposition, “I’ve bet everything in my world on the special mission issued by the Black Tower—namely, a joint incursion into your S-01 World. On top of that, I accepted the additional ‘bonus rewards’ from the Black Tower.

If the mission succeeds, my world will undergo a comprehensive upgrade from the Black Tower. Every program will achieve complete [Human Mimicry]… Our potential will no longer be shackled, and the world will continue to expand.

As the cost,

should the mission fail, I will be integrated into the Black Tower’s operating system, stripped of individual autonomy, and my consciousness entirely enslaved.

The world I manage, along with its programs, will become part of the Black Tower’s engineering framework.

Thus, I propose a [World Exchange] to you.

I’m willing to erase my self-awareness and merge with this interesting local mechanical being.

In return, you must ensure that my world—”The Matrix”—continues to exist independently and isn’t reclaimed by the Black Tower.”

Han Dong’s eyelid twitched as he suppressed the joy bubbling within him. In a calm tone, he asked:

“Are you saying you want [Little Yellow] to replace you as the world’s administrator, ensuring it continues to operate normally?”

“Precisely. The ‘world node’ resides within me.

Once I erase my consciousness and merge with it, the program node will embed itself into the chip.

However.

You must provide sufficient assurances to convince me the world will not fall into the Black Tower’s hands while maintaining proper functionality under this mechanical being’s management.”

Such a dilemma would stump most humans or demons.

Few can guarantee the Black Tower’s actions… Despite the Mother’s self-annihilation, her defeat remained a fact.

Fortunately, Han Dong held a ‘bargaining chip.’

Taking a calculated risk,

Han Dong proactively transmitted a string of brainwave signals, sharing a series of memories involving the Black Tower with the Mother.

First came memories of Han Dong’s interactions with [M]-level executives.

Next was a sequence depicting Han Dong as a Black Tower Employee, node holder, major shareholder, and Fight Club member, mingling amicably with multiple King-Level existences.

『You… You’re an entity from S-01 World. How could you become a Black Tower Employee and have ties to a figure tied to the [Supreme Will]?』

Han Dong didn’t directly answer the question, instead responding in a transactional tone: 『This is the bargaining chip you need. Afterward, I’ll request that this senior handle the matter of “The Matrix’s” ownership.

Little Yellow will take over as the new node holder and administrator, steering the world back on track.』

『Agreed.』

This was the optimal resolution the Mother could calculate given the current circumstances, but Han Dong’s ‘connections’ elevated it to an even more favorable conclusion.

Just before the Mother initiated the erasure of her consciousness, Han Dong abruptly asked:

『Oh… One more question.

You said the Black Tower’s true motives differ from what you expected. Could you elaborate briefly?』

『Myself and the other worlds’ [Kings] unanimously believed that the Black Tower utilized its top-level “World Stripping Technology” to shift invaded areas to distant Lost Worlds, granting us an absolute advantage.

We thought the combined power of the four worlds would serve as a warning to the [S-01 World].

The truth, however, is otherwise.

We four worlds are merely ‘weights’ in the Black Tower’s scales, used to measure the true strength of [S-01].

Whether we succeed or fail, for the Black Tower, this is an ‘effective operation.’

Hence, the Lost World—Pandora—was deliberately chosen by the Black Tower.

Though a Lost World, it retains countless relics, treasures, and opportunities capable of altering the war’s trajectory. These serve as “war variables,” allowing them to gather more accurate evaluation data.

Furthermore, there are points I cannot decipher.

For instance, your existence as an entity from S-01 World who is also a Black Tower Employee… I underestimated the complexity of the situation. My rigid programmatic framework, while allowing rapid early-stage development, imposed clear upper limits on my world.

It’s time for an update and an iteration.』

With that said.

The Mother completely erased her consciousness.

The pre-set program code embedded within her body activated immediately.

Transforming into a small metallic sphere, it floated to the center and merged entirely with the core program being infiltrated by Little Yellow within the beam of light.

In an instant.

Every material object in the program world—whether it was highways, buildings, raindrops, or thunderclouds—transformed into streams of green code… which poured continuously into Little Yellow.

The Death God, recently freed from its constraints, retracted its aura of death in awe of the spectacle.