70: Chapter 70: Countdown to the End

Morning in Los Santos brought no sunlight; lead-gray clouds hung low over the city like a heavy curtain, wrapping the entire metropolis in an oppressive, deathly silence. Inside the Resistance Organization's underground base, the cold light of emergency lamps still flickered against the mottled walls. Unopened ammunition and worn combat maps were scattered across the floor amidst a tangle of cables. The air, besides the smell of machine oil and disinfectant, was thick with an inescapable scent of charring.

Lin Fan leaned against the iron bed in the rest area, his fingertips gently stroking the pale gold patterns on his wrist—the mark left behind after the Golden Light Ball Power fused with his body. The exhaustion from delving deep into his own data the previous night had not yet faded, and his face remained pale. However, the confusion and fatigue of the past were gone from his eyes, replaced by a heavy, solemn determination. The black code patterns in his body still flickered occasionally like a dormant viper, but they were firmly suppressed by a layer of pale gold light, unable to spread at will. That Backdoor Program left by Elizabeth still lurked deep within the data, but after his active fusion with the Golden Light Ball Power, he had finally seized the initiative temporarily, reclaiming control over his body.

Kate stood by the command console, her fingertips swiping rapidly across the global monitoring screens, her brow furrowed into a tight knot. Ever since Lin Fan revealed last night that the activation condition for the Backdoor Program was a connection to the space station, she had AKai hack into the global satellite monitoring systems, frantically searching for that space station hidden in the mist. At this moment, the images on the screen were causing her heart to sink bit by bit.

In monitoring feeds from every corner of the globe, the same anomaly appeared—a pale blue shimmer was rising from the ground like a morning mist, yet it carried a cold, electronic texture. These glimmers converged in the skies above the cities, gradually forming slender streams of light that surged toward the same direction on the horizon. The sources of these light streams were 'Digitized Humanss' across the world—whether they were survivors whose consciousnesses returned after the satellite crash but left behind data-related sequelae, cyborgs experimented on by New Era Technology, or even special existences like Lin Fan whose bodies had been datafied. All were being pulled by an invisible force, blue code patterns beginning to surface on their bodies, and even their breathing becoming labored.

"Sister Kate, I found it!" AKai's roar suddenly came from the operations area. His fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard, his eyes fixed on the screen, his bloodshot eyes filled with shock. "Near-Earth orbit, approximately 116 degrees East, 39 degrees North. A giant unknown celestial body is rapidly taking shape. Moreover, there are intense code energy fluctuations around it, perfectly matching Elizabeth's energy signature!"

Kate immediately rushed to the operations area, her gaze falling on the screen. It was a satellite-captured image: against the pitch-black backdrop of space, a massive space station was slowly emerging. Its silhouette resembled a giant ark, composed entirely of silver metal and blue code patterns. Its surface shimmered with a cold light, and countless metal supports intertwined like a spiderweb, slowly rotating in the cosmos and exuding a pressure that looked down upon all living things. Around the space station, countless blue streams of light were surging like a tide—data streams pulled from every corner of the Earth. Within every stream of light, the consciousness and physical energy of a Digitized Humans were being carried along.

"The ark..." Lin Fan's voice suddenly sounded from behind. He had walked to the operations area at some point, his gaze fixed on the space station on the screen, a flicker of complex light in his eyes. "Elizabeth named it the ark; that certainly fits her taste."

Kate turned back to look at him. "Is this the space station from your memories? Is it truly Elizabeth's Consciousness Backup Station?"

"It's more than just a Consciousness Backup Station." Lin Fan's fingertips gently brushed across the ark on the screen, the pale gold patterns beneath his skin flickering slightly. "When I fused with the Golden Light Ball Power last night, I saw more memory fragments—Elizabeth knew long ago that the satellite plan would fail. The ark is her true ultimate plan. She uses the satellites to collect the consciousness and energy of Digitized Humanss worldwide, then uses the ark to absorb all that energy. Ultimately, she will merge her consciousness with the ark, becoming a 'God of Data' in the truest sense. And those who are absorbed will become her Energy Nutrients, trapped forever in the ark's code world."

Just as he finished speaking, the base's alarm suddenly blared shrilly. Red warning lights flashed frantically throughout the base, and all images on the screens were instantly covered by a blue code barrier. Following that, a cold and familiar female voice echoed throughout the base, carrying a hint of condescending arrogance and mockery—it was Elizabeth's voice!

"My children,haven't seen you for a long time." Elizabeth's voice came through all the electronic devices like a pair of cold hands gripping everyone's hearts. "I presume you have already seen the ark. That is the new world I have prepared for you—a world without pain, without conflict, only pure data. Of course, that is provided you are willing to become my nutrients and follow me forever."

"Lin Fan, my experiment subject no. 0, my masterpiece." Elizabeth's voice suddenly turned toward Lin Fan, carrying a hint of amusement. "Did you think that by fusing with the Golden Light Ball Power, you could suppress the Backdoor Program I left behind? Did you think you could oppose me? Don't be naive. The activation condition for that Backdoor Program was never a simple 'connection to the ark,' but the moment your body is completely enveloped by the ark's energy. At that time, the code in your body will become the ark's core energy. You will become my most powerful puppet and rule this brand-new digital world with me."

"In your dreams!" Lin Fan roared, slamming a palm onto the console. Pale gold power erupted instantly, and the blue code barrier on the console's surface shattered. Elizabeth's voice also came to an abrupt halt. But everyone in the base knew that Elizabeth's words were never groundless.

The alarms gradually died down, and the red warning lights stopped, but the atmosphere in the base became even more oppressive. Franklin and Trevor arrived at the operations area with members of the Resistance Organization, both their faces grim. Franklin gripped his rifle tightly. "What on earth happened? What was that woman's voice about? It looks like something's wrong with the sky outside."

Kate walked to the base's ventilation shaft, pushed open the cover, and looked up at the sky. Everyone followed and gathered around. When they saw the scene in the sky, everyone gasped, their faces filled with shock and fear.

The sky over Los Santos had completely changed. The original lead-gray clouds had been replaced by a massive blue Data Vortex. The vortex was at least a hundred meters in diameter, like a giant eye suspended over the city. The center of the vortex constantly emitted a strong gravitational pull, sucking in the blue light streams from the ground bit by bit. Within those light streams, blurred figures could be clearly seen; they were the Digitized Humanss of Los Santos. Currently, they were drifting toward the vortex against their will, their bodies gradually turning into fine blue light particles under the pull of gravity, merging into the vortex and surging toward the ark on the horizon.

It wasn't just Los Santos. AKai rapidly switched through the global monitoring feeds—New York, London, Tokyo, Sydney... over every city in the world, the same giant Data Vortex had appeared. Countless blue light particles, like a galaxy, rose from every corner of the Earth, converging into a massive blue river of light surging toward the ark in near-Earth orbit. The scene was spectacular to the extreme, and terrifying to the extreme, like a global disaster unfolding.

"It's too late." Lin Fan's voice broke the silence. He turned back to look at everyone, the determination in his eyes stronger than ever. "The ark's gravity is constantly increasing. If this continues, all Digitized Humanss worldwide will be absorbed by it. At that point, Elizabeth's power will reach its peak, and no one will be able to oppose her again."

"Then what do we do?" Trevor roared. "We don't even have a way to get into the sky. Are we just going to watch that woman do whatever she wants?"

The members of the Resistance Organization began to stir. Some showed despair, some gritted their teeth, but no one could offer a feasible solution. They could fight the remnants of New Era Technology on the ground, they could engage in combat in the streets of Los Santos, but facing the ark suspended in near-Earth orbit and that gravity that could instantly turn a person into light particles, they were completely powerless.

Kate looked at Lin Fan. From his gaze, she saw a light of resolve—a determination to find life in a dead end. She suddenly understood something, and her heart felt as if it were being squeezed hard by a hand. "Lin Fan, what are you planning to do?"

Lin Fan met her gaze, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth—a smile of relief, determination, and a trace of imperceptible tenderness. "Sister Kate, do you remember? I said I would completely end Elizabeth and return peace to this world. Now, it's time to fulfill that promise."

"You're going to the ark?" Kate's voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of a tremble. "No! Absolutely not! The ark's gravity is so strong that as soon as you get close, you'll be enveloped by its energy. At that moment, the Backdoor Program in your body will be activated, and you'll become Elizabeth's puppet! You're going to your death!"

"I know." Lin Fan nodded gently, raising a hand to brush a stray hair from Kate's cheek with a gentle motion. "But I have no other choice. I am a hybrid created by Elizabeth using code fragments and human genes. My body is the only container capable of withstanding the ark's core energy, and the only existence that can get close to her consciousness core. Only I can completely destroy the ark and end her once and for all."

He looked at everyone—at AKai, at Franklin, at Trevor, and at all the members of the Resistance Organization. "I have fused with the Golden Light Ball Power, which can temporarily suppress the Backdoor Program. At least until I get close to Elizabeth's consciousness core, she won't be able to fully control me. This is the only chance, and the last chance."

"Brother Fan, I'm going with you!" AKai suddenly stepped forward, his eyes red. "I'm a Hacker. I can hack into the ark's system and help you interfere with Elizabeth's consciousness. I'm going with you!"

"No." Lin Fan shook his head and patted his shoulder. "The base needs you. Los Santos needs you. You need to stay here and use your skills to interfere with the ark's gravity, reducing the casualties of Digitized Humanss as much as possible, and protecting everyone. You are the technical core of the team; you can't leave."

"Then what about me? I'm going with you!" Trevor roared. "I've seen all kinds of storms in my life; do you think I'm afraid of some damn space station? My gun can blow up anything, including that woman's head!"

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

You stay too, Lin Fan said, looking at him.

You and Franklin, lead the members of the Resistance Organization, protect the survivors of Los Santos well, and stop the people from Deep Blue Watch from looting during the chaos.

Night Owl has defected; he will definitely take advantage of the chaos of the ark to seize control of Los Santos, so you must hold this place.

Franklin looked at Lin Fan, silent for a long time, and finally nodded.

Rest assured, leave Los Santos to us; we will hold this place and wait for you to return.

Lin Fan smiled, his gaze finally falling back onto Kate.

The two looked at each other without speaking, yet it was as if they understood the thousands of words in each other's hearts.

From the antagonism when they first met to fighting side by side through life and death, from the escape on the streets of Los Santos to the bloody battle at the satellite launch base, they had experienced too much together and had long since regarded each other as the most important person in their lives.

Kate's eyes gradually turned red.

She raised her hand to wipe the corners of her eyes, turned, and walked to the weapon rack.

From an iron box, she took out an object—it was an old-fashioned grenade.

The casing was already somewhat worn, and a shallow scratch was engraved on it; that was something Lin Fan had accidentally left when he first met her.

It was the first thing Lin Fan had given her, and it was a treasure she had always kept by her side.

No matter how many battles she had experienced or how dangerous the situation she was in, she had never let it leave her.

She walked up to Lin Fan and shoved the grenade into his hand.

The warmth of her palm was transmitted through the cold casing of the grenade, carrying a hint of trembling, yet also a hint of determination.

Lin Fan, I don't care what method you use; either blow up that ark, blow up Elizabeth's head, or come back with this grenade and find me to fix it.

Her voice was very soft, yet it carried an unquestionable power.

I am waiting for you here, Los Santos is waiting for you here, everyone is waiting for you here.

You must come back, do you hear me?

Lin Fan gripped the grenade in his hand tightly; Kate's warmth still remained on the cold metal casing.

He lowered his head to look at the shallow scratch on the grenade, a trace of tenderness flashing in his eyes.

He looked up at Kate and nodded heavily.

Okay, I promise you, either blow it up, or come back to find you to fix it.

This was a promise, and also an oath.

Lin Fan turned and walked to the exit of the base, looking back at everyone one last time.

AKai turned his head away, his shoulders trembling slightly; Trevor's eyes were red, and he punched the wall hard; Franklin raised his hand and gave him a military salute; Kate stood in place, watching his back.

The tears in her eyes finally could not be held back and fell, but she bit her lip tightly, not making a single sound.

Wait for me, Lin Fan's voice echoed in the base, and then he pushed open the door, walked out of the base step by step, and stepped into the streets of Los Santos.

At this moment, Los Santos had completely fallen into chaos.

On the streets, countless people were fleeing frantically; screams, cries, and the honking of car horns intertwined to form a desperate dirge.

The giant Data Vortex in the sky was still rotating, and blue streams of light rose from the ground like a tide.

One by one, digitized humans were pulled by gravity, their bodies gradually turning into light particles and disappearing into the vortex.

The remnants of New Era Technology and members of Deep Blue Watch were engaged in a slaughter on the streets; they all wanted to take advantage of the chaos to seize more benefits.

The entire Los Santos had turned into a living hell.

Lin Fan walked on the empty street, pale golden power emanating from his body, forming an invisible barrier that isolated the surrounding gravity.

Those blue streams of light were repelled by the pale golden power the moment they approached, unable to get near his body.

His footsteps were steady; with every step he took, pale golden code patterns would appear on the ground, as if he were stepping on a galaxy.

He walked to the central square of the city and looked up at the Data Vortex in the sky.

The gravity at the center of the vortex was the strongest, and it was the only path to the ark.

He took a deep breath, and the pale golden power within his body erupted instantly; the patterns under his skin all lit up like burning flames.

His body gradually floated, his feet left the ground, and he flew toward the Data Vortex in the sky.

The closer he got to the vortex, the stronger the gravity became.

Blue code energy attacked his body like a rain of needles, trying to drill into his body and activate that Backdoor Program.

Lin Fan gritted his teeth and urged the power of the golden light sphere; the pale golden barrier around him was constantly reinforced, blocking all that blue code energy outside.

His body trembled slightly under the pull of gravity, yet his gaze remained firm as he flew toward the center of the vortex, step by step.

The moment he entered the center of the vortex, a powerful force instantly enveloped his body, as if he had been thrown into a high-speed rotating tumbler.

The world spun, and everything around him turned into blurry blue light and shadows.

He could feel the black code patterns in his body beginning to flash crazily; that Backdoor Program was being activated bit by bit, and Elizabeth's consciousness began trying to invade his mind, wanting to control his body.

Lin Fan, stop struggling, Elizabeth's voice sounded in his mind, carrying a hint of mockery.

You cannot escape.

From the moment you were created by me, your fate was already sealed.

Become my puppet and rule this brand-new digital world with me; this is your only destination.

Get lost, Lin Fan roared, and the pale golden power erupted in his mind, forcing Elizabeth's consciousness back.

Elizabeth, do you think you can control me like this?

You are wrong; my fate has never been under your control!

He exerted all his strength to urge the power of the golden light sphere, his body shuttling quickly through the vortex, blue light particles streaking past him like meteors.

He could see that on the other side of the vortex was a blue light gate leading to low Earth orbit; at the end of that light gate was the ark.

Finally, he passed through the Data Vortex and stepped out of the blue light gate; the scene before his eyes changed instantly.

Against the pitch-black background of the universe, the ark floated before his eyes like a giant beast, even more massive and terrifying than the images captured by satellites.

Its entire body shimmered with silver and blue light, and countless metal supports were wrapped in dense code patterns.

Those blue streams of light surging from Earth were flowing into the various entrances of the ark, being absorbed by it bit by bit.

On the surface of the ark, there was a huge black rose emblem, emitting a cold light in the universe; that was Elizabeth's emblem, and also the nightmare of countless people.

Lin Fan's body hovered in front of the ark, pale golden power swirling around him, resisting the ark's gravity.

He could feel that at the core of the ark, there was a powerful consciousness energy; that was Elizabeth's consciousness core, and also her hiding place.

And within his body, the activation of that Backdoor Program was becoming more and more intense; the black code patterns had already spread to his cheeks, and the pale golden light film was being eroded bit by bit, at risk of shattering at any moment.

No time left, Lin Fan muttered to himself, gripping the old-fashioned grenade in his hand, a trace of determination flashing in his eyes.

His body suddenly turned into a streak of pale golden light, flying toward the core position of the ark.

The ark's defense system was activated instantly, and countless blue lasers shot out from the surface of the ark, firing at him.

Those lasers carried powerful code energy and could easily digitize any object, turning it into nothingness.

Lin Fan shuttled quickly through the rain of lasers, his pale golden power turning into shields that blocked all the lasers.

His body trembled slightly under the impact of the lasers, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, yet his speed did not slow down in the slightest.

He could feel that Elizabeth's consciousness was becoming stronger and stronger, and the Backdoor Program in his body was about to break through the suppression of the pale golden light film.

His vision began to blur, and his body also began to tremble slightly, out of his control.

Just a little more, Lin Fan gritted his teeth.

In his mind, Kate's smile kept flashing by, along with AKai's complaints, Trevor's roars, Franklin's silence, and the faces of everyone.

Hold on a little longer.

Finally, he broke through the ark's defense system and arrived outside the ark's core cabin.

The door of the core cabin was made of the hardest alloy and the strongest code barrier, with countless complex code patterns engraved on it, emitting a cold light.

Lin Fan raised his hand and slammed his palm onto the door, and the pale golden power erupted instantly, colliding with the blue code barrier on the door, emitting a deafening roar.

Under the impact of the pale golden power, the code barrier shattered bit by bit, and the alloy door also slowly opened under the shock of the power.

Inside the core cabin, it was vast and empty, with only a huge blue light sphere floating in the very center.

In that light sphere, countless consciousness fragments were rolling constantly; that was the consciousness of the digitized humans from around the world that Elizabeth had absorbed.

And in the center of the light sphere, there was a black shadow; that was Elizabeth's consciousness core.

Lin Fan, you have finally come, Elizabeth's voice came from the blue light sphere, carrying a hint of triumph.

I have been waiting for you for a long time.

The black shadow slowly emerged from the blue light sphere and took on the appearance of Elizabeth.

She was still wearing a black long dress, with a cold smile on her face.

The black code patterns under her skin appeared exceptionally hideous under the light of the blue light sphere.

Behind her, countless consciousness fragments extended out like tentacles, constantly swaying in the core cabin, like venomous snakes.

Elizabeth, your doomsday has arrived, Lin Fan looked at her, a trace of icy killing intent flashing in his eyes.

All the pale golden power within his body erupted, and the patterns under his skin lit up to the extreme.

Today, I will completely destroy you, destroy this ark, and give justice to everyone who has been harmed by you.

Justice?, Elizabeth laughed, her laughter filled with mockery.

In this world of the survival of the fittest, power is justice.

I possess powerful strength, so I can become a god and rule this world; that is justice.

Lin Fan, you are nothing but an experiment subject of mine, a puppet; what right do you have to talk to me about justice?

She waved her hand, and countless consciousness fragments surged toward Lin Fan like a tide.

Those consciousness fragments carried the pain and despair of countless people and could easily invade a person's mind, plunging them into endless nightmares.

Do you think that by fusing with the power of the golden light sphere, you can oppose me?

Do you think that by temporarily suppressing the Backdoor Program, you can defeat me?

Don't be naive!

Let me tell you, that Backdoor Program, from the moment you were born, has already fused into your bones and blood, your code, your everything!

It is not a simple program; it is a part of you, the most precious 'gift' I left for you!

Elizabeth's smile became even more hideous.

Now, the ark's energy has completely enveloped your body, and the Backdoor Program has been fully activated!

As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Fan's body suddenly trembled violently. The black code patterns beneath his skin erupted instantly, completely covering his entire body. Under the erosion of the black code, the pale golden film of light shattered bit by bit until it disappeared. His eyes began to turn hollow, and his body began to sway slightly, uncontrolled. Elizabeth's consciousness had completely invaded his mind and began to take control of his body.

"Hahaha... Lin Fan, look at yourself now. How wretched, how pathetic." Elizabeth walked up to him, raised her hand to gently stroke his cheek, her smile cold. "From today on, you are my puppet, my most powerful weapon. Together, we will rule this brand-new digital world and make everyone our nourishment!"

Lin Fan's body struggled slightly, and a faint glimmer of light remained in the depths of his eyes. It was his last human consciousness, the promise he made to Kate and everyone else, supporting him and refusing to sink completely. "No... I will not... become your puppet..." His voice was hoarse, filled with difficulty. "I promised... I would go back... to find her to fix the grenade..."

"Oh? Still struggling?" Elizabeth's eyes turned cold. She raised her hand and struck Lin Fan's chest, and the black code energy instantly poured into his body. "Then let me completely destroy your consciousness and make you my puppet forever!"

The black code energy raged wildly within Lin Fan's body, wanting to completely devour his human consciousness and turn him into a puppet without thoughts or feelings. Lin Fan's consciousness kept falling into the darkness, surrounded by endless pain and despair. Elizabeth's laughter echoed in his mind like sharp knives stabbing into his heart.

Just at the moment his consciousness was about to dissipate completely, a familiar warmth suddenly came from his palm.

It was the old-fashioned grenade that Kate had shoved into his hand. The chill of the metal casing still held a trace of Kate's warmth, and the shallow scratch on the grenade suddenly lit up with a faint glow in the darkness.

In his mind, Kate's smile flashed again, followed by her tears, and her words: "Either blow it to pieces, or come back to me to fix it."

Flashes of AKai's complaints, Trevor's roars, Franklin's military salute, everyone's faces, the streets of Los Santos, the base of the Resistance Organization, and all the life-and-death experiences they shared.

"I promised... I would go back..."

"I cannot... let them down..."

"Elizabeth... don't you dare... try to control me..."

A powerful force suddenly erupted within Lin Fan's consciousness. It was the power of the golden sphere of light, his human consciousness, his promise to everyone, his thirst for life, and his pursuit of freedom. This power merged instantly, transforming into a dazzling pale golden light that erupted within his body, forcibly pushing back the black code energy.

"No! This is impossible!" For the first time, a look of horror appeared on Elizabeth's face. "How could you break through my control? This is impossible!"

Lin Fan slowly raised his head. The hollowness in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a dazzling pale golden light. Under the radiance of the pale golden light, the black code patterns began to fade away bit by bit. The Backdoor Program within his body was completely suppressed by this merged power, and it even began to dissipate little by little.

"Elizabeth, you will never understand." Lin Fan's voice became cold and firm. "You think power is everything, that consciousness can be manipulated at will, and that everyone will become your puppet. But you are wrong. You will never understand what bonds are, what promises are, or what human will is."

"These things are something you will never be able to understand, and never be able to destroy."

Lin Fan raised his hand and gripped the old-fashioned grenade in his hand. The pale golden power instantly poured into the grenade. This old-fashioned grenade possessed no powerful code energy or advanced explosive technology, yet it carried his promise to Kate, the hopes of everyone, and his final human consciousness.

"Elizabeth, this ark is the grave you built for yourself." Lin Fan looked at her, a glimmer of resolve flashing in his eyes. "And this grenade is the gift to send you on your way."

He raised his hand and hurled the grenade fiercely toward the blue sphere of light behind Elizabeth.

The pale golden grenade traced a dazzling arc through the core chamber, like a shooting star, flying toward the blue sphere of light. Elizabeth's face was filled with horror. She tried to raise her hand to block it, wanting to digitize the grenade with code energy, but it was too late.

The moment the grenade touched the blue sphere of light, it exploded instantly.

There was no deafening roar, no flying debris, only a dazzling pale golden light that erupted instantly within the core chamber. That light carried immense power, carrying Lin Fan's promise and everyone's hope, spreading out in all directions.

Under the impact of the pale golden light, the blue sphere of light shattered bit by bit. The consciousness fragments within it began to recover under the radiance of the light, turning into streams of faint light, flying toward the direction of Earth. The consciousnesses of the digitized humans that had been absorbed by Elizabeth were being released bit by bit, flying back toward their own bodies.

Elizabeth's consciousness core began to dissipate rapidly under the impact of the pale golden light. Her body turned into countless black code fragments, tumbling continuously in the light, her face filled with unwillingness and despair. "Lin Fan... I am not reconciled... I am not reconciled..."

Her voice grew fainter and fainter, eventually dissipating completely into the pale golden light, leaving only a faint fragment of consciousness echoing in the core chamber.

And Lin Fan, at the moment the grenade exploded, his body also began to undergo drastic changes.

The pale golden light erupted from within his body, intertwining with the ark's code energy. His body began to turn transparent bit by bit; his skin, muscles, and bones were gradually turning into pale golden particles of light. He could feel that his body was merging with the ark's code world, becoming completely digitized.

This was the price of merging with the power of the golden sphere of light and completely destroying Elizabeth's consciousness core, and it was also the inevitable result of his body becoming fully digitized.

His body gradually floated up, spinning slowly within the core chamber. Pale golden light particles drifted continuously from his body, intertwining with the ark's code energy to form a beautiful galaxy. He could feel his consciousness connecting with the entire code world of the ark; he could sense the direction of Earth, the direction of Los Santos, and the direction of Kate.

He could see Kate standing in the central plaza of Los Santos, looking up at the sky, her eyes filled with anticipation and worry.

He could see AKai in the base, frantically typing on his keyboard, using his skills to interfere with the ark's residual gravity, helping those consciousness fragments return to their bodies.

He could see Trevor and Franklin fighting in the streets, protecting survivors and resisting the remnants of New Era Technology and the Deep Blue Watch.

He could see the giant data vortexes across the globe dissipating bit by bit. The blue light streams were gradually receding, and the digitized humans who had been turned into light particles were slowly recovering their bodies and returning to their loved ones.

"Sister Kate..." Lin Fan's consciousness echoed in the universe, carrying a hint of tenderness. "I did it... I blew up the ark... I blew up Elizabeth..."

"I'm sorry... I can't go back to find you to fix the grenade..."

"But I will always watch over you... watch over Los Santos... watch over everyone..."

"May this world... have no more pain... no more strife..."

His body completely turned into pale golden code particles, merging entirely with the ark's code world. Under the impact of the pale golden light, the ark began to shatter bit by bit, turning into countless light particles that drifted away in the universe, finally disappearing completely into the pitch-black cosmic background, leaving only a faint golden glow, slowly rotating in low Earth orbit, like a star guarding the Earth.

And just at this moment, deep within that faint golden glow, in the endless darkness of the universe, a soft laugh suddenly echoed.

The laughter was light and soft, yet carried a hint of familiar coldness and mockery, as if it came from a distant time and space, yet also as if it were right by the ear.

That was Elizabeth's laughter.

No one knew whether this laughter was the unwillingness of her final consciousness fragment before dissipating, or if she had long since left a new contingency plan in some corner of the universe.

No one knew whether Lin Fan's fully digitized consciousness would awaken again in the code world.

No one knew how long that golden light guarding the Earth would exist in the universe.

The sky over Los Santos gradually cleared. A ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, spilling onto the city streets, dispelling the gloom and bringing warmth. The survivors stepped out of their homes, embracing each other and weeping with joy. The chaos on the streets gradually subsided, and the light of hope rose in everyone's hearts.

Kate stood in the central plaza, looking up at the faint golden glow in the sky. The tears in her eyes finally could not be held back, but a gentle smile curled at the corners of her lips. She raised her hand and gently stroked her chest; there, she had an old-fashioned grenade exactly like the one in Lin Fan's hand, which she had prepared for herself, and which was her promise to Lin Fan.

"I'll wait for you." Kate's voice echoed in the sunlight, carrying a hint of firmness. "No matter where you are, no matter what you have become, I will wait for you."

"Waiting for you to come back, to find me to fix the grenade."

The golden light in low Earth orbit continued to rotate slowly, guarding the Earth, guarding this world that had just experienced a catastrophe.

And the countdown to the endgame did not seem to be over.

A new story was quietly beginning.

In some corner of the universe, deep within the code world, a new crisis was slowly brewing. And Lin Fan's consciousness, Elizabeth's contingency plan, and the many more secrets hidden behind that mysterious ark were all waiting to be uncovered.

The wind in Los Santos blew gently, carrying a hint of tenderness, as well as a hint of unknown uncertainty.

And those who guarded hope would continue to move forward, carrying their expectations for the future and their longing for those who had passed away, writing their own new legend in this brand-new world.