The air seemed to freeze as Shen Yuchen locked eyes with the man who called himself the "Architect of Fate." His face was eerily familiar, yet blurry, like a fragment of a memory forcibly erased.
"Who are you?" Shen Yuchen demanded, his voice cold, his grip on his weapon tightening.
The man gave a calm smile, tossing the high-tech visor onto the console before him. His sharp eyes gleamed with a mix of pride and menace as he spoke, "I am the creator of this plan, the true master of the 'Fate Equation.' Simply put, I am the destiny you cannot escape."
Lin Xinyi stood beside Shen Yuchen, her brow furrowed in suspicion as she whispered, "He's throwing out too many riddles. Don't let him control the conversation."
Su Wan Ning, though still regaining her strength, stood tall, her voice steady but firm. "The Fate Equation? If you're so confident, why wait for us to come here? Are you afraid of us?"
"Afraid?" The Architect chuckled softly, his voice carrying a trace of chilling amusement. He stepped closer to the console, brushing his fingers across its glowing surface. Instantly, every screen in the chamber flickered to life, displaying streams of data and intricate mathematical models.
"I do not fear you. I have been waiting for you," he said, his tone calm but commanding. "Shen Yuchen, don't you understand? You are the core of this equation. Without you, none of this can be completed. And I… I designed all of this to awaken you."
Shen Yuchen's gaze hardened. "Awaken me? Are you saying that all the death, the traps, and the endless pursuit were just your tests?"
The Architect's smile widened, his voice now tinged with cruel certainty. "Tests were only the surface. I needed to push you to your limits, to unlock the potential buried deep within you. Your existence is the most critical piece in this grand chess game."
Jiang Tianyou stepped forward, anger blazing in his eyes. "You're insane! How many lives have you sacrificed for this so-called plan? Your vision isn't about saving humanity—it's about feeding your ambition!"
The Architect turned his gaze to Jiang Tianyou, his expression tinged with disdain. "Tianyou, a traitor's words carry little weight. When you left years ago, you forfeited your right to be part of this grand design."
Jiang Tianyou's fists clenched tightly, his fury barely contained.
But Shen Yuchen's voice cut through the tension like steel, calm but resolute. "You say I'm the core of this equation, but I never chose to be part of your plan. Tonight, I will break your Fate Equation."
"Break it?" The Architect shook his head slowly, almost pityingly. "You think you have a choice? The power of fate transcends individual will. You are fighting a force far greater than yourself."
Lin Xinyi sneered, raising her energy dagger. "Let's see if your 'equation' can withstand the force of reality!"
With a flick of his fingers, the Architect activated a hidden command. The lights in the room turned a glaring red, and the walls began to shift. Rows of automated drones emerged, their mechanical limbs gleaming as they aimed their weapons.
"If you wish to defy fate," the Architect said coldly, "then allow me to expedite your end."
Breaking Through
The drones whirred to life, their weapons locking onto the trio. Shen Yuchen shouted, "Scatter!"
The three of them darted in different directions as bullets and energy blasts rained down. Lin Xinyi rolled to the side, slicing through a drone's sensor with her dagger. Jiang Tianyou threw an EMP grenade, disabling several drones in a crackling burst of energy, but more poured in to replace them.
Su Wan Ning, despite her weakened state, raised her compact plasma blaster and fired precise shots, crippling the drones' legs to slow their advance.
Shen Yuchen dashed toward the console, his eyes locking onto the core device behind the Architect.
"We need to destroy that core!" he shouted.
Jiang Tianyou nodded. "I'll cover you!"
As Shen Yuchen prepared to advance, the Architect smirked. "Did you really think it would be that simple to change fate?"
He pressed a hidden command on the console, and the gravity in the room shifted violently. Suddenly, the ground seemed to fall away beneath them, and all three were yanked upward toward the ceiling.
"What the—" Lin Xinyi gasped, struggling to stabilize herself.
"Gravity inversion," the Architect said calmly, his voice cutting through the chaos. "The more you resist, the more it will crush you."
Shen Yuchen gritted his teeth, activating a grappling device on his wrist to anchor himself. He glanced at Su Wan Ning, who was using a broken drone to steady herself. His heart tightened at the sight.
"Don't give up!" he shouted. "We still have a chance!"
A Desperate Counterattack
As the Architect watched from his console, his confidence unshaken, Jiang Tianyou pulled a signal jammer from his coat. With all his strength, he hurled it toward the core. The device embedded itself in the console, sending a burst of interference through the system. The red lights flickered, and the gravity returned to normal.
"The window's open!" Lin Xinyi charged forward, engaging the Architect in close combat. Their weapons clashed in a flurry of sparks, her agility matching his calculated precision.
Seizing the moment, Shen Yuchen reached the console. The moment his hand touched the core, a surge of energy coursed through him. Memories flooded back—fractured glimpses of the Fate Equation, his true purpose, and the Architect's ultimate goal.
He looked up, his gaze piercing. "I am not your pawn. I am the one who will end this game."