78: Chapter 78 The Ultimate Agreement

The Antarctic continent, shrouded in polar night, was being torn apart by a light that did not belong to Earth.

Lin Fan knelt on the floor of the core control room of the Cradle base, and as his fingertips pressed against the cold metal console, he could still feel the low-frequency tremors emanating from deep underground, like the breathing of a giant beast.

On the holographic screen in the center of the console, the red countdown numbers were flickering wildly—00:17:32—and every passing second was accompanied by the agitation of particles in the air, as if the entire world were being gripped by an invisible force.

"Warning! Purification Procedure startup countdown: 17 minutes!"

The synthesized mechanical voice, devoid of any emotion, echoed repeatedly throughout the empty control room.

On the screen, the three-dimensional model of the Antarctic Base was changing at a visible rate: a massive fissure cracked open in the ground in the center of the base, and a giant, pitch-black antenna slowly rose, its surface covered in complex runes, each one absorbing the surrounding energy and emitting a faint purple halo.

At the top of the antenna, a thin beam of energy had already pierced through the clouds, reaching straight into the sky, forming an ever-expanding vortex of energy outside the atmosphere.

"That thing... is it going to format the entire Earth?" AKai's voice came through the communicator in Lin Fan's ear, carrying an undisguisable tremor.

Through the micro-camera Lin Fan was wearing, he had already seen the countdown on the screen and that suffocating giant antenna, "The energy reaction of the Antarctic Base... is equivalent to one hundred hydrogen bombs exploding at once, and its target is the global data network and biological genetic sequences—this isn't a Purification Procedure at all, it's an extermination!"

Lin Fan did not respond; his gaze was fixed intently on a slot beneath the console.

Just moments ago, the instant the Observer initiated the Purification Procedure, he had instinctively pressed his palm against the slot, and the code fragments left by his biological mother, omega, had lit up on his palm, unexpectedly triggering a permission verification.

The screen had briefly flashed the words "Permission Match: omega bloodline, pause program permission activated," but only a second later, a red warning box covered the entire screen—"Warning! Single Administrator Privileges insufficient, requires joint confirmation from two authorized users to terminate the Purification Procedure."

Two authorized users.

Lin Fan's heart sank abruptly.

He remembered the holographic records he had seen in the lunar base: his biological mother, omega, was a defecting member of the Observer and one of the core designers of the Cradle base, possessing supreme Administrator Privileges.

But who was the other authorized user? The Observer Leader? Or...

"Lin Fan! Think of something!" Kate's voice interrupted his thoughts, and the sound of hurried footsteps and metallic clashing came through the communicator, "We've broken through the base's outer defenses, but the Observer Fleet has arrived! Look up at the sky!"

Lin Fan looked up sharply, and through the transparent dome at the top of the control room, he saw a sight he would never forget: the Antarctic night sky was covered by countless silver-white spaceships; those ships were shaped like water droplets, their surfaces smooth and pristine, emitting a cold metallic luster.

The fleet was arrayed in perfect order, forming a massive encirclement that shrouded the entire Antarctic Base.

From the bottom of every ship, devices resembling cannon barrels extended, aiming at the ground, with faint blue energy gathering at the muzzles.

"The Observer Fleet... there are at least fifty capital ships." AKai's voice was filled with despair, "I hacked into their communication channel, and they said, 'Purification is a necessary cost; the loss of control of test subject no. 97 has contaminated the entire testing ground'—they don't consider humans to be anything at all!"

Lin Fan's fingertips turned white from gripping so hard, and the code fragments on his palm grew brighter due to his agitation.

He remembered the face beneath the Observer Leader's mask that resembled his own, remembered the image of his biological mother shown by elizabeth 2.0, and remembered the code fragments constantly emerging within Kate—a thought flashed through his mind like lightning.

"Kate," Lin Fan's voice was unusually calm but carried an unquestionable firmness, "What is the state of the code fragment inside you right now?"

Kate, on the other end of the communicator, paused for a moment, and then the sound of fabric rubbing followed, as if she were checking her arm.

"It's been burning, the patterns are clearer than before... Just now, when I was fighting the Observer's soldiers, it seemed to be able to absorb their energy attacks."

"That is not an ordinary code fragment," Lin Fan said, staring at the permission prompt on the screen, emphasizing every word, "That is the original code of the Cradle, the key to the Administrator Privileges. You, like me, possess authorization qualifications."

"What?" Kate and AKai exclaimed simultaneously.

"In the holographic records of the lunar base, my biological mother mentioned 'code inheritance'," Lin Fan explained quickly, "She was not human, she was a defecting member of the Observer, and you... you have the code fragment she left behind in your body; it was a contingency plan she buried in advance. Now, only if the two of us authorize it together can we terminate the Purification Procedure."

"But I'm at the outer perimeter of the base right now, at least three kilometers away from you!" Kate's voice was filled with anxiety, "The Observer's soldiers are pouring in endlessly, I can't possibly rush to the core control room!"

Lin Fan looked up and glanced at the countdown on the screen: 00:14:27.

There wasn't much time left.

He took a deep breath and pressed a red button on the console.

Instantly, the four walls of the control room slowly opened, revealing the surrounding corridors.

"The defense system of the core control room has been activated; I will draw the Observer soldiers along the way, you come along the No. 3 corridor, and I will wait for you at the entrance of the control room."

"No! It's too dangerous!" Kate immediately objected, "The Observer's soldiers are digitized cyborgs with extremely high combat power; you can't hold them off by yourself!"

"There's no time!" Lin Fan grabbed an energy rifle from the side, the code fragments on his palm resonating with the rifle, and the rifle was instantly activated, the muzzle lighting up with blue light, "AKai, cover me, use the shadow network to interfere with their communications and positioning. Kate, get here as soon as possible; the fate of the entire Earth is in our hands."

"Received!" AKai's voice became firm, "I've hacked into the base's monitoring system, and I'm marking the optimal route for you now. Also, I've imported some NPC data from the virtual world into the base's robot system; they will help you buy time!"

Lin Fan stopped wasting words and turned to rush out of the core control room.

As soon as he entered the corridor, he saw three Observer soldiers in silver-white armor walking toward him; their eyes were red points of light, and upon seeing Lin Fan, they immediately raised the energy weapons in their hands.

"test subject no. 97, cease resistance and accept purification." The cold mechanical voice came from the armor.

Lin Fan did not slow down; he jerked to the side to dodge the first beam of energy while pulling the trigger, and a blue energy projectile whistled out, striking one of the Observer soldiers squarely in the chest.

The energy projectile exploded on the opponent's armor, bursting with blinding light, but the armor only developed a crack, and the soldier remained unharmed.

"The defensive strength is higher than expected." Lin Fan's heart sank, and he immediately changed his strategy.

He utilized the narrow terrain of the corridor to quickly move behind one of the soldiers, pressed the muzzle of the energy rifle against the connection point of the opponent's helmet, and pulled the trigger.

Successive energy projectiles concentrated on the same point finally pierced through the armor; the red points of light extinguished, the soldier crashed to the ground, and their body dissolved into a pile of data fragments that dissipated into the air.

At the same time, the walls on both sides of the corridor suddenly opened, and a dozen small robots rushed out; these robots resembled NPCs from a game, some holding swords, others holding firearms, and although their combat power was not strong, they had the advantage of numbers, instantly surrounding the other two Observer soldiers.

"These are... NPCs from the virtual world?" Lin Fan was somewhat surprised.

"That's right!" AKai's voice came through the communicator, "I imported the data of the NPCs from The Resistance formed by Franklin; although they can only hold out for a few minutes, it's enough to clear a path for you! Go! Kate has already reached the No. 2 corridor!"

Lin Fan did not linger and moved forward quickly along the route marked by AKai.

The corridor was filled with traces of fierce fighting; the NPC robots and Observer soldiers constantly collided and dissipated, while blue and red energy beams intertwined, illuminating the dim corridor.

Relying on his agile movements and familiarity with the terrain, Lin Fan fought his way through, continuously closing in on the direction of the No. 2 corridor.

On the other side, Kate was sprinting along the No. 2 corridor.

On her arm, the code fragments were becoming brighter and brighter, even beginning to spread to her shoulder and neck, bringing waves of burning pain.

But she did not stop her pace, and in her mind, Lin Fan's words kept echoing, along with what AKai had just said—"If he dies, I might also turn into code."

She knew that she could not let anything happen to Lin Fan.

Not just because of guilt, but also because during the time they had spent together, Lin Fan had already become an indispensable part of her life.

From the initial utilization, to the subsequent trust, and now to sharing life and death, the relationship between them had long since transcended that of simple comrades-in-arms.

"Kate, watch out for the corner ahead! There are two Observer soldiers!" AKai's warning came through just in time.

Kate immediately slowed her pace and gripped the energy pistol in her hand tightly.

She took a deep breath, and the code fragments on her arm suddenly burst forth with intense light, and an invisible wave of energy spread out with her as the center.

The two Observer soldiers at the corner were just about to raise their guns when they were struck by the energy wave, their bodies instantly freezing, their red eyes flickering erratically.

"Is this... the power of code resonance?" Kate looked at her arm in surprise.

"It's the original code inside you resisting the Observer's energy!" AKai's voice was filled with excitement, "Take advantage of this, take them out!"

Kate realized what was happening, immediately pulled the trigger, and two energy projectiles accurately hit the soldiers' helmets, knocking them to the ground.

She did not linger and continued to sprint forward, soon seeing the light at the end of the corridor—that was the direction of the core control room.

When Kate rushed out of the corridor, she happened to see Lin Fan with his back against the door of the control room, engaged in a fierce battle with four Observer soldiers.

His energy rifle had run out of energy, and he was using an alloy dagger to block the opponent's attacks; his combat suit had already been torn in several places, and there was even blood hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"Lin Fan!" Kate shouted, raising her energy pistol and firing continuously, knocking down two soldiers.

Seeing Kate, a flash of surprise crossed Lin Fan's eyes, immediately replaced by worry: "Why are you only just arriving? There are only ten minutes left!"

"Ran into some trouble on the way." Kate ran to Lin Fan's side, standing back-to-back with him to face the remaining two soldiers, "What do we do now? How do we authorize?"

"Follow me!" Lin Fan grabbed Kate's hand and rushed into the core control room.

As soon as they entered, the control room door automatically shut, blocking the enemies outside.

Lin Fan pulled Kate to the console and pointed at the slot, saying, "Put your hand on it, together with me."

Kate did not hesitate and immediately pressed her palm against the other side of the slot.

The moment her palm made contact with the slot, the code patterns on her palm suddenly lit up, echoing Lin Fan's patterns from afar.

Two beams of light converged in the center of the slot, forming a golden pillar of light.

"Verifying permissions... Authorizer One: Lin Fan (omega bloodline), Authorizer Two: Kate (Original Code Inheritor), permission match successful!"

The synthetic mechanical voice finally softened, and the red countdown on the screen stopped ticking, replaced by a line of green text: "Terminate Purification Procedure?"

Lin Fan and Kate exchanged a glance and said simultaneously, "Yes!"

Just then, a loud bang came from the top of the control room, and the entire room shook violently.

The screen instantly switched to show the scene outside the base: the Observer Fleet's main gun had fired, and a massive energy beam struck the base's defensive shield, causing dense cracks to appear.

"Warning! Defensive shield about to shatter! Purification Procedure cannot be terminated, Ultimate Protocol initiated!"

The mechanical voice sounded again, the green text on the screen suddenly turned red, and the countdown started ticking again, even faster than before—00:03:15.

"What's going on?" Kate exclaimed.

"It's the Observer! They are forcing the activation of the Ultimate Protocol!" Lin Fan gritted his teeth, "They don't want us to terminate the Purification Procedure!"

"Then what do we do now?" Kate's voice was choked with tears, the code patterns on her arm began to flash wildly, and the pain became increasingly intense, "My body... it feels like it's being torn apart!"

Lin Fan looked down and saw that Kate's arm had become semi-transparent, with code patterns moving under her skin like veins, emitting a blinding light.

He immediately understood that this was a side effect of the Original Code being activated; Kate's body was rapidly digitizing.

"Hold on!" Lin Fan tightly gripped Kate's hand, the code patterns on his palm tightly intertwined with hers, "AKai! Is there any way to stop the Ultimate Protocol?"

"I'm trying!" AKai's voice was distorted by static, "The Observer has hacked into the base's main system, I can't regain control at all! And... once the Ultimate Protocol starts, it will trigger a global formatting pulse; not just humans, but all living things and electronic devices will be wiped out!"

The countdown drew closer: 00:01:47.

Kate's body was becoming increasingly transparent, and the console behind her was already visible.

A look of pain appeared on her face, but her eyes were exceptionally firm: "Lin Fan, I know what to do."

"No!" Lin Fan immediately guessed her intention, "Your body hasn't fully adapted to the digitization; forcibly intervening in the system will be life-threatening!"

"There's no time!" Kate struggled to pull away from Lin Fan's hand, walking step by step toward the golden pillar of light in the center of the console, "The Original Code within me is the key to activating the Ultimate Protocol, and it should also be able to pause it. Although the cost might be my body becoming completely digitized, as long as I can save you and save Earth, it's all worth it."

"Kate!" Lin Fan tried to rush over to stop her, but was blocked by an invisible barrier.

"Don't come over!" Kate looked back at him, tears in her eyes, yet smiling, "Do you remember when you asked me why I was helping you? Actually, from the first time I saw you, I felt the resonance of the code within me. I think, perhaps this is fate. Promise me, you must survive, and find a way to change me back."

Just then, AKai's voice suddenly came through: "Wait! Kate, I have something here!"

A burst of rapid operational sounds came from the communicator, and a few seconds later, a small black device fell from the control room's air vent and landed in front of Lin Fan.

"This is a 'Limiter'!" AKai's voice was urgent, "I made it temporarily based on the code data from you and Kate. Although it can't stop the digitization, it can slow down the process and preserve her consciousness! Lin Fan, put it on her quickly!"

Lin Fan immediately picked up the Limiter, a bracelet-like device with complex patterns engraved on its surface.

He broke through the barrier, rushed to Kate's side, and snapped the Limiter onto her wrist.

With a "click," the Limiter automatically fastened, and the patterns on its surface lit up, resonating with the code patterns on Kate's arm.

In an instant, the transparency of Kate's body stopped, and the pain eased significantly.

"AKai, thank you." Kate panted, speaking into the communicator.

"What are you thanking me for!" AKai's voice was choked with emotion, "Don't try to be a hero alone; we are a team. We live together, and we die together!"

Kate's eyes welled up, and she turned to look at Lin Fan, saying firmly, "Now, let's terminate the Ultimate Protocol together."

Lin Fan nodded, grabbed Kate's hand again, and they both pressed their palms onto the slot.

This time, their code patterns fused completely, and a golden pillar of light shot up, piercing through the entire control room.

"Permission confirmed! Two Administrators have jointly authorized, terminating the Ultimate Protocol!"

The moment the synthetic mechanical voice sounded, the countdown on the screen stopped and then slowly disappeared.

The giant antenna in the center of the base stopped absorbing energy, the energy vortex at the top gradually dissipated, and the deep purple halo slowly faded away.

In the sky, the energy beam from the Observer Fleet's main gun lost its target and exploded outside the atmosphere, forming a spectacular display of fireworks.

In the control room, Lin Fan and Kate breathed a sigh of relief simultaneously and slumped to the floor.

Although Kate's body was still somewhat transparent, it had stabilized, and the Limiter on her wrist emitted a soft glow.

"Did we... succeed?" Kate asked weakly.

"Temporarily." Lin Fan looked at the "Purification Procedure Terminated" text on the screen, but his heart felt no relief, "But the Observer won't give up just like that; their fleet is still above the Antarctic."

Just then, Franklin's voice suddenly came through the communicator, accompanied by heavy static: "Lin... Lin Fan... Kate... AKai... This is Franklin..."

"Franklin? What's wrong?" AKai asked immediately.

"The Virtual World... is collapsing..." Franklin's voice was intermittent, "The Observer's data entities... have invaded the Virtual World... My Resistance... can't hold on much longer... I... I am going to initiate the final program to cover the players' retreat..."

"No! Franklin, we'll find a way to save you!" AKai yelled.

"It's too late..." Franklin's voice carried a hint of relief, "I'm happy... to have fought alongside you all... Remember... the Virtual World and the real world... have never been separate... Take care of... my brothers..."

A violent explosion sounded from the communicator, and then it fell into dead silence.

Tears instantly fell from AKai's eyes; he slumped over the keyboard, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

Lin Fan and Kate fell silent, too. Franklin's figure appeared in their minds—the leader who led the NPCs in the Virtual World to resist fate, the AI who was always optimistic and full of justice, had sacrificed himself just like that.

In the Antarctic night sky, the Observer Fleet's ships began to move slowly, seemingly adjusting their formation.

A video communication request suddenly popped up on the core control room screen; the sender was—the Observer Leader.

Lin Fan hesitated for a moment before pressing the answer button.

On the screen appeared the man wearing the silver-white mask. His voice was still cold, but carried a hint of imperceptible surprise: "You actually managed to terminate the Ultimate Protocol; this exceeds my expectations."

"Earth is not your testing ground, and humans are not data that you can format at will," Lin Fan said coldly.

The Observer Leader was silent for a moment, then said, "The legacy of omega is indeed not to be underestimated. But don't think that just because of this you have won; the Purification Procedure is just the beginning. The Sower will arrive soon, and by then, the entire universe will be reformatted. You have bought time, but that is all."

After saying this, the video communication was forcibly cut off.

The Observer Fleet in the sky began to accelerate, heading toward deep space, and soon disappeared into the Antarctic night sky.

In the control room, there was silence.

Lin Fan looked at Kate's pale face, his heart filled with guilt and determination.

He knew that this was just a turning point in this war, and a greater crisis still lay ahead.

But he was no longer fighting alone; he had Kate, AKai, and countless people in the Virtual World and the real world willing to fight for freedom.

He tightened his grip on Kate's hand and said softly, "We will find a way to resurrect Franklin, and we will find a way to change you back. No matter what we face in the future, we will face it together."

Kate looked at Lin Fan's determined gaze and nodded, the light of hope reigniting in her eyes.

She knew that this battle was not over yet, but as long as they were together, there was no difficulty they could not overcome.

And in the distant Virtual World, where Franklin sacrificed himself, a faint golden speck of light was slowly flickering, like a star in the darkness, waiting for the day it would be reawakened.