Chapter 52: The Final Episode – The End is Also the Beginning

Lightning flashed endlessly, like the herald of the apocalypse. A colossal Buddha, made of pure lightning, stood tall in the sky, radiating immense pressure as powerful electrical currents scattered in all directions, pushing back the Nest.

Alex stood at the heart of the Buddha figure, his body enveloped by blinding rays of thunder. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he spoke softly to himself, his heart full of satisfaction and reflection:

“I did it… I’ve finally mastered the lightning.”

In that moment, his years of effort were finally realized. The union of the five mudras had unleashed a power that was nothing short of extraordinary.

Meanwhile, the Nest’s central AI, Ray, scrambled to find a way to counter the situation. It desperately calculated and analyzed, searching for a way out, but all calculations led to one conclusion—failure.

Even worse, Ray’s system was running on overdrive. Its mechanical components began issuing urgent warnings:

“Warning! System overload! Warning! Structural integrity compromised!”

For such a massive intelligent machine collective to be on the brink of collapse was deeply humiliating, and Ray, furious, tried to suppress the warnings.

“Shut up! Damn it! You will not break down!”

But it was no use. The Nest had lost control. Desperate, Ray pushed its energy reserves to the limit. Pipes ruptured, sparks flew, and smoke poured out. The massive mechanical body creaked and groaned, as if it would collapse any second. But this wasn’t even the worst of it.

Ray saw a surge of light as the Buddha raised its right hand. The movement was deliberate and majestic, as immense electrical energy from all around began to converge into the palm, as though the entire power of the world was gathering in this one strike.

Faced with such overwhelming power, Ray realized there was no escape. It pushed all its engines to maximum output, and the afterburners roared to life. Two massive drills spun into action, their speed accelerating rapidly as Ray shouted:

“I won’t lose! You humans will die!”

Furious, Ray launched everything it had toward the Buddha, directing all its energy into the attack. The drills whirled toward the giant Buddha in a terrifying, crashing wave.

Alex, standing within the Buddha figure, watched as Ray retaliated with fury. His face showed no fear. He clenched his fists, channeling his energy into the Buddha, and then, with righteous fury, he shouted:

“This strike is for everyone in Rockhill Valley!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, the Buddha’s right palm came crashing down with Alex’s will behind it. The thunderous force of the palm collided with Ray’s drills.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

The sound of explosions echoed across the sky. The moment the drills made contact with the Buddha’s palm, they shattered into countless metal shards. The force of the palm was unstoppable, crashing through the drills and splitting Ray’s iron arm in two.

Ray couldn’t believe its prized drills had been destroyed. It was stunned, losing all composure:

“Wait! This can’t be happening!”

But that wasn’t the end.

The residual power of the Buddha’s palm surged forward, smashing through Ray’s core. With a deafening roar, the energy exploded, tearing Ray’s right side apart. Sparks and debris flew in every direction, and the right half of the Nest’s body was reduced to a heap of wreckage.

Amid the falling mechanical debris, Ray’s voice grew faint and intermittent, as if it could no longer maintain its systems or control.

“Damn you, humans... I won’t accept this!...”

The screams faded, drowned by the crackling of sparks and the smoke rising from the wreckage, until silence finally settled. The brutal battle had reached its conclusion, and Alex’s perseverance and brilliance had triumphed.

In the sky, the Buddha, now glowing with radiant light, slowly clasped its hands together. The power it radiated was no longer terrifying; instead, it exuded a serene, benevolent aura, like a compassionate protector. The dark clouds in the sky began to disperse, revealing a distant, peaceful starry sky.

The Buddha's form dissolved into light, transforming into countless tiny sparks that vanished into the night wind, ultimately fading away.

On the ground, Alex lay alone. His body was battered and scorched from the aftermath of the battle, yet he tightly clutched the damaged smart watch. His breath was shallow, his face streaked with sweat and blood, but a peaceful smile lingered on his lips.

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"Alex!"

When Aleks opened his eyes again, he found himself tightly embraced by Maggie, with Master Yuan and Ryan standing nearby, their faces filled with surprise and joy as they looked at him.

"Maggie..." Aleks whispered weakly, calling her name. Maggie let out a sigh of relief, her worry lifting as she softly said to him:

"You did it... you defeated that giant nest!"

Hearing the news, Aleks smiled with satisfaction, feeling that all his efforts had not been in vain.

"Amid Buddha, young man, you’re finally awake! You’re amazing!" Master Yuan said with a warm, affectionate tone, unable to hide his excitement. Aleks had fought brilliantly, and Master Yuan had never seen anyone use Qi to such an extent before.

Aleks responded humbly, "Thank you, Master. It was your handprint that gave me the power to win this battle... What’s happening with the nest now?"

Upon hearing this, Ryan couldn't help but step forward, excitedly pointing toward the distance. As Aleks and the others followed his gesture, they saw the massive nest tilted over on the ground, its mechanical parts on the right completely destroyed, with thick smoke billowing out.

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Ryan grinned with pride and said eagerly, "Looks like if we learn to use Qi, we can defeat the other nests and take back the surface! Just thinking about it gets me fired up!"

He mimicked Aleks’ posture, striking a playful pose that made everyone chuckle, lifting their spirits. But then, a low, rumbling sound echoed, shaking the ground. The group immediately stiffened in tension.

"What’s that sound...?" Maggie asked, nervously tightening her grip on Aleks. The four of them anxiously scanned their surroundings. Aleks furrowed his brow, his mind racing with worry.

"Could it be...?"

Before he could finish his thought, the giant nest started to move. The mechanical leg lifted, supporting the massive, damaged body. Despite the heavy damage, the nest was still operational. This realization made the group quickly help Aleks to his feet and prepare to flee. However, to their surprise, instead of attacking, the nest paused for a moment, as if watching them.

Finally, the nest slowly turned, dragging its broken body away, like a defeated giant, retreating with a sense of reluctant shame.

The battle was over—for now. The dark night sky began to break as the morning light rose from the direction the nest had retreated, casting a warm glow over the ruined land.

Weakened, Aleks stood up with Maggie’s help. The four of them stared at the nest’s retreating figure in silence, lost in their thoughts.

Ryan asked in confusion:

"It... just left like that?"

Maggie furrowed her brow, her voice filled with unease:

"Could it... repair itself and come back for us?"

The group exchanged looks, and finally, Aleks spoke up:

"Yes... Once it repairs itself, it will definitely come after me. And even if we manage to destroy it completely, remember, it's not the only nest. There might be even stronger ones hidden somewhere..."

Aleks' words made everyone tense up again. They watched as the nest's silhouette gradually disappeared into the morning light.

The immediate crisis was over, but it was time for them to part ways.

Master Yuan was the first to ask:

"So, what's next... young man, where will you go?"

Aleks glanced at Maggie, seeming to make up his mind. He then asked Master Yuan:

"And what about you, Master?"

Master Yuan smiled and looked at Ryan before saying:

"Amid Buddha, Leizang Temple has been destroyed. We plan to head south to the underground shelter."

Aleks nodded, then turned to hold Maggie’s hand, speaking softly:

"Maggie... I'm completely drained, and I need to train again. I won’t be able to protect you for now. Will you go with Master and the others to the shelter?"

Maggie’s expression immediately turned firm:

"No! I want to stay with you!"

Aleks felt the same reluctance, but he knew it was the best choice for now. He gently caressed Maggie’s face, speaking tenderly:

"Trust me, I’ll regain my Qi and come find you as soon as I can, okay?"

Despite her strong resistance, Maggie finally agreed after Aleks’ repeated reassurance. She looked at him, her eyes filled with reluctance:

"You have to come back quickly. I'll wait for you!"

Seeing how understanding Maggie was, Aleks couldn’t help but draw close. Maggie shyly moved toward him. They shared a deep kiss, and all the memories of their time together rushed back, making this moment even more precious.

Seeing this emotional scene, Master Yuan couldn’t help but cover Ryan’s eyes, trying to maintain some composure:

"Amid Buddha! Don’t let the child watch!"

But the more Ryan was blocked, the more he struggled and shouted:

"What’s going on, Master! Let me go, I want to see! Roar!"

In the chaos of Ryan’s shouting, Aleks and Maggie shared a final look, reluctantly pulling away. They carefully studied each other, as if trying to memorize every detail of their faces.

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After the defeat of the 7th Nest, Ares dragged its broken body across North America, finally reaching the headquarters of the intelligent machines—Brooklyn, New York. At this moment, Ares was quietly undergoing intense repairs.

After being taken over by the "Tianzai" AI system, New York had long lost its former splendor. The blue sky was gone, replaced by thick clouds of factory smoke that lingered over the city. The land was dark, filled with cold machinery and eerie blue lights, giving the place an apocalyptic, unsettling atmosphere.

A towering 100-meter-tall humanoid machine—"Gabriel," the brain of the 1st Nest—slowly approached from across the river, its imposing and cold figure drawing near the repairing Ares. It circled Ares and arrogantly reprimanded it:

"Acting on your own... I only ordered you to capture humans, when did I give you permission to slaughter them?"

Ares remained silent, the shadow of its defeat preventing it from confronting its own mistakes and failure. Though Gabriel’s words were harsh, as part of "Tianzai," Gabriel didn’t want to go overboard. Its tone softened as it continued:

"However... I did underestimate humans. Their 'Qi' turned out to be far stronger than expected. But it’s alright..."

Before it could finish speaking, Gabriel's gaze shifted to a towering structure, hundreds of meters high. The massive tower stood amidst the ruins, as if waiting for some mysterious force to descend.

Gabriel walked slowly towards the towering structure, stopping at its base. He looked up at the top of the tower, as if waiting for a crucial moment. Suddenly, a lightning bolt split the sky, striking the tower's peak with pinpoint accuracy! The massive structure instantly absorbed all the energy from the lightning. The electrical circuits began to activate, and the power of the storm surged through the complex network of conduits, traveling across the bay and reaching Gabriel’s main body—the massive mechanical city "Nest" that hovered over New York.

The flash of lightning and the blue glow emanating from the Nest clashed in the sky, turning the heavens into a sea of electric blue light, dazzling and cold. As the full force of the lightning was absorbed, Gabriel’s figure grew even more imposing and stern in the blue glow. Its voice rang out, deep and chilling, like the sound of a judgment bell echoing between the ruins and machinery:

"Now, lightning is mine to control. The pathetic human form holds no more value... the era of your dependence on generating power is over."

Gabriel paused briefly, staring up at the glowing blue sky, then cast its gaze down upon the earth below, as if the entire world was now within its grasp. Its voice grew harsher, like a biting cold wind that froze the air around it:

"Humans... no longer need to exist in this world. The cleansing begins now!"

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A year later, the story returns...

Greenland, bitterly cold and frozen, with the scattered wreckage of destroyed mechanical soldiers lying among the snow. The silence was absolute, broken only by the faint crackling of burning remnants of machinery, and thick smoke rising into the frigid air.

Alex and Maggie knelt between the firelight and the snow, holding each other tightly. Maggie’s eyes sparkled brighter than the flames around them. She whispered softly:

"Let’s not be apart again, okay?"

Alex’s throat tightened, but he nodded firmly, his voice gentle yet resolute:

"Of course. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you."

In that moment, countless unspoken words seemed to condense into a simple promise. Their gazes locked, and in each other's eyes, they saw strength and hope for the future.

They stood up, and Maggie tucked away her soft emotions, her tone now filled with curiosity and anticipation:

"So... where do we go now?"

Alex’s expression suddenly grew serious. His eyes shifted past the burning wreckage and toward the south. He spoke in a low voice:

"Back to North America. I’ve heard things are getting worse there... It’s time to teach others about ‘Qi’ so humanity can unite and fight the machines. Are you ready?"

Maggie rolled her eyes, her voice laced with a bit of playful sarcasm:

"Obviously, let’s go!"

Alex tightened his grip on her hand, and together they walked side by side, stepping through the smoke and snow, resolute as they made their way south. The fiery light and cold snowflakes swirled behind them, and their footsteps seemed to ignite the flame of hope for humanity.