Chapter 7 The Mysterious Scientist
"The young master of the Hawk family... Why are you still here? Do you really want to join the Resistance? Aren't you afraid of dying?"
Drill Sergeant Chad stood in front of Alex, his tone dripping with mockery as he scrutinized the young man. His eyes carried both curiosity and ridicule. However, Alex merely flashed a casual smile and responded lightheartedly,
"I'm joining the Resistance… to become a hero. Hmm… and to protect everyone."
His words lacked conviction, and even he almost laughed at himself. The truth was, his real motivation had nothing to do with lofty ideals—it was all about getting close to Anna. But of course, he wasn’t about to admit that.
Chad was a seasoned drill sergeant who had seen all kinds of recruits over the years. After hearing Alex’s response, he burst into laughter, giving him a condescending pat on the shoulder.
"Hope you don’t regret it… Hahaha!"
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North of Seattle, Vancouver was in the midst of a catastrophic battle.
At the break of dawn, the war-torn streets were shrouded in smoke, with the distant echoes of rockets and explosions filling the air. The Resistance had launched a full-scale assault on Kitsilano Beach, targeting a colossal, city-sized machine stronghold known as “The Nest.”
This particular Nest, designated as Number 2, was called Samos, a mechanical monstrosity resembling a giant spider. Its eight towering legs stretched over five kilometers each, effortlessly crushing entire city blocks beneath them. Atop its massive body stood a self-sustaining factory, a grim symbol of the mechanical army’s overwhelming dominance.
Samos had set its sights on Vancouver after detecting that the city's underground shelter was only 400 meters deep, leaving it vulnerable. With ruthless efficiency, it drilled into the earth, breaching the sanctuary and forcing its human inhabitants to the surface, where they were left with no choice but to fight for survival.
The battle on the surface was nothing short of brutal. The Resistance forces clashed with cybernetic soldiers, gunfire and explosions filling the battlefield. The mechanical troops moved with cold precision, capturing humans to be taken back to the factory for an unknown fate.
At the heart of this chaos, Samos’s AI core had manifested as a robotic gentleman clad in a sleek blue metallic tailcoat. He carried himself with an air of sophistication, but his every word dripped with cruelty. Observing the battlefield with an eerie gleam in his artificial eyes, he sneered.
"Run, humans! Run!"
His voice rang out, laced with twisted amusement.
"I love watching you struggle, thinking you actually have a chance… only to rip that hope away at the last second! Come now, let me indulge in the grand spectacle of your despair!"
His chilling laughter echoed through the battlefield, sending shivers down the spines of all who heard it.
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Beyond Seattle, further north, Vancouver was caught in a battle of annihilation.
At dawn, smoke filled the ruined streets, and the distant rumble of rockets echoed through the city. The Resistance had launched a full-scale assault at Kitsilano Beach, targeting a massive, multi-kilometer-wide AI-controlled mechanical fortress known as “The Nest.”
This particular Nest, designated “Unit 2,” was named Samos. It resembled a colossal mechanical spider, each of its eight legs stretching five kilometers long, capable of crushing entire city blocks with ease. At its core, a self-sustaining factory loomed, symbolizing the overwhelming power of the machine army.
Samos had descended upon Vancouver after detecting that the city’s underground shelter was only 400 meters deep with weak defenses. It swiftly drilled into the earth, breached the bunker, and forced the remaining humans to the surface for a desperate last stand.
On the ground, the battle was brutal. The Resistance and cybernetic soldiers exchanged relentless gunfire, with explosions roaring all around. Samos deployed its elite bio-mechanical troops, cold and precise, capturing humans to drag them back to its factory.
From the heights of the battlefield, Samos’ AI consciousness materialized as a refined, blue-metallic gentleman in a tailcoat, exuding an air of elegance—yet beneath that veneer lay pure cruelty. It surveyed the chaos below with a sickening sense of amusement.
“Run, humans, run!” it chuckled.
“I love watching you struggle, thinking you have hope… only for me to rip it away in an instant! Come now, entertain me with your futile desperation!”
Its laughter echoed through the battlefield, sending chills down the spines of all who heard it.
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On the ground, the Resistance fought valiantly, managing to push back the cybernetic soldiers and escort civilians south. Their morale soared, and for a brief moment, they began to believe that escape was possible.
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“We’re almost there!” a Resistance fighter cheered.
But as the evacuees reached the fog-laden city of Richmond, everything changed.
Suddenly, bloodcurdling screams rang out from the mist.
“AHHH—!”
Panic erupted as civilians ran in all directions, their terrified cries filling the air. From the thick fog, eerie red lights flickered, and then—out of the darkness—emerged mechanical spiders, resembling monstrous metallic hounds. Their segmented metal limbs scuttled across the pavement with unsettling speed, their razor-sharp claws tearing through stone, producing a piercing screech.
Chaos engulfed the Resistance ranks, and that was precisely Samos’ plan—to unleash terror and obliterate humanity in one calculated strike.
Deep within a hidden underground command center, Samos’ chilling voice echoed through the network, linked to The Nest’s core system:
“Find Gyaltsen Tenzin Dorje. He must not escape.”
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“Doctor, this way!”
In the underground tunnels beneath Vancouver, dim emergency lights flickered against dust-covered walls. Eight battle-worn Resistance fighters, clad in full gear, moved urgently, escorting a middle-aged man—Dr. Gyaltsen Tenzin Dorje, a scientist of critical importance, now a fugitive under relentless pursuit.
Tension thickened the air, each step feeling like a precarious balance on the edge of a knife. The doctor’s gaze swept over the exhausted young soldiers, his heart heavy with guilt.
“You should run! Leave me behind. Don’t throw your lives away for me.”
At the front of the group, Captain Carter—a towering figure of unwavering resolve—halted and turned to face him, his voice firm and absolute.
“Doctor, enough. You are humanity’s last hope. Even if it costs us our lives, we will get you to safety.”
Dr. Dorje fell silent, his expression unreadable. After a long pause, he reached into his pocket and retrieved a seemingly ordinary black electronic watch, his voice tinged with frustration.
“It’s a shame… It requires ‘the right one’ to activate. Otherwise, I would’ve given it to you already.”
Before anyone could question his words, a powerful tremor shook the tunnels. The ground quaked as if struck by a colossal hammer, sending debris tumbling from the ceiling. The group froze, tension skyrocketing.
Then, Carter’s radio crackled with an urgent transmission:
“The south exit is surrounded by mechanical spiders! It’s bad—another Nest just appeared in the east, releasing tens of thousands of robotic fleas! Civilians are trapped; most have already been captured!”
A heavy silence fell over the squad. Even Carter, usually calm and decisive, hesitated for a split second. One of the soldiers, voice edged with panic, asked,
“Captain… where do we go? We’re completely cut off!”
Carter clenched his fists before looking up, a determined fire igniting in his eyes. His voice was resolute.
“We’re heading to Vancouver Airport! There’s still a single-engine plane there—we’re flying out of here!”
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On the ground, Samoth’s massive mechanical body moved through the ruins, its thunderous footsteps shaking the earth. Each step reduced buildings to dust. From the east, another "Nest"—Hades—loomed like a monstrous titan, its colossal form blotting out the sky. The number "4" was prominently etched onto its metallic exterior. As it advanced, it unleashed a swarm of mechanical fleas, a black tide that devoured everything in its path, leaving only ashes and wreckage.
Meanwhile, by the Fraser River, Captain Carter and his team finally reached the airport. On the war-torn runway, a single intact single-engine plane sat motionless. But the mechanical spiders had already caught their scent and were closing in fast.
"Get on, now!"
Captain Carter barked orders, his eyes scanning for threats as he urged Dr. Gyaltsen Tsering Dorje onto the plane. He assigned Lacey as the pilot, ensuring the scientist’s safe evacuation.
The plane's engine roared to life, the propeller spinning rapidly. Seated inside, Dr. Gyaltsen turned back anxiously, watching the young soldiers who had risked everything for him. His voice was filled with desperation as he shouted:
"Wait! What about you all?!"
Captain Carter didn’t respond right away. He simply tightened his grip on his rifle, his gaze locked on the battlefield ahead. His voice was calm yet unwavering:
"We are the Resistance… and we fight to the end. But you, Doctor… humanity's hope is in your hands. You must find the one who can wield that power!"
Without another word, Captain Carter signaled for takeoff. The aircraft rolled down the runway, gathering speed before lifting off into the smoke-filled sky.
As Dr. Gyaltsen gazed back from the air, the battlefield below was already consumed by chaos and fire. He could do nothing but whisper a final farewell to those who had given their lives for him.
"May the gods protect you all..."
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At the Resistance stronghold in Rockhill Valley, Alex and the other recruits were undergoing rigorous physical training on the grounds. Inside the command center, Commander Cade and his second-in-command, Caitlyn, were receiving urgent intelligence from the north.
"According to our latest reports, the Vancouver underground refuge has been breached. Only a handful of refugees managed to escape… The Resistance forces were nearly wiped out."
The intel officer's voice was grim.
Cade furrowed his brows. "What was the depth of the refuge?"
"500 meters underground."
That number sent a wave of unease through the room.
The AI had long realized that to fully capture humanity, it needed to penetrate deep underground. Until recently, its forces had been unable to reach such depths. However, they had now developed massive drill machines—each a hundred meters in diameter—capable of boring through the earth. The energy cost was astronomical, and their durability was low, but it was clear they were making rapid progress. Soon, no underground refuge would be safe.
Rayne, another officer, spoke up.
"Are there no survivors?"
The intel officer glanced at the report and let out a weary sigh.
"I'm sorry… None."
A heavy silence filled the command room. But then, as the intel officer scanned the next report, his expression suddenly changed. His eyes widened with excitement as he exclaimed:
"But—there was a single-engine aircraft that managed to take off amid the chaos, heading south! And onboard… was a very special scientist!"