Chapter 95

In October, the New York Federal Reserve Bank fell, with a large amount of financial data being destroyed by fire and hundreds of tons of gold being transported away. The U.S. financial system suffered a severe blow, and Federal Reserve Banks in Chicago, San Francisco, and other places also faced attacks from Skynet, ultimately being breached. This month became the black October for the U.S. financial system. ⊙

The bodies of the bankers who committed suicide stretched from the beginning to the end of Wall Street.

The credibility of the U.S. dollar faced an unprecedented challenge, and the stock market was suspended for a month. On the wound of the Federal Reserve, this giant entity, the vultures and eagles were circling, ready to tear off a piece of juicy flesh at any moment.

The war machine of the United States, as if struck by a heavy whip, began to operate efficiently. Countless personnel, materials, wealth, and industrial capabilities united for a single goal, demonstrating extraordinary efficiency. Under this war machine, countless heroes and great men were crushed into dust.

The power of organization began to show its might, and the wisdom of millions of people would achieve terrifying results!

On the North American continent and in every corner of the globe, this massive institution and industrial system began to function, casting a shadow over the entire world. Countless resources, materials, scientists, and mutants were forcibly conscripted from all over the world, advancing toward a single goal in fifteen bases around the globe.

To combat Apocalypse.

The New York branch base was the vanguard facing Apocalypse, with the most concentrated combat personnel, weapons, and analytical and intelligence personnel. Originally, the large base was only dozens of meters deep, but now it extended hundreds of meters underground, with a vast underground complex providing a home and research facilities for over 50,000 researchers.

In the underground base, which resembled a beehive, a powerful energy field enveloped the area. Electronic instruments placed throughout the base amplified this field, making it sufficient to cover the entire facility. The Professor looked at the hurriedly moving soldiers and researchers, his eyes filled with unresolvable worry.

"Logan, will this be effective against Apocalypse?" The Professor turned to look at Wolverine beside him.

"It won't be very useful. We've known about the 'barrier' for a long time; it can shield electronic detection, which is a significant advantage in our fight against Skynet. Unfortunately, when Skynet evolved to have quantum entanglement radar, the barrier became useless! That guy has no understanding of physics; the spatial physics and energy physics knowledge we tried to teach him, he simply couldn't learn, and he can't develop his abilities further."

"Apocalypse will find a way to deal with this energy barrier in just a couple of days!" Logan said dismissively.

"I'm not talking about that, Logan. I'm talking about this system!" The Professor said slowly. "The wisdom, technology, and abilities of hundreds of thousands of people combined—Apocalypse is ultimately just one person, and he cannot stand against such an advantage. The U.S. government is full of confidence in this competition. They have the most outstanding scientists and the most extensive mutant gene pool. They have no reason to fail!"

Wolverine was silent. He looked up at the steel dome above and sighed, "It won't be useful, even against Skynet. Skynet is faster than us. The limitations of the human brain restrict our capabilities, while the speed of computer operations gives it a technological development advantage that surpasses all our efforts."

"We haven't stopped trying in the future, but we still lost! Skynet's thinking may be rigid, but every time it fails, it learns from our creativity and quickly develops to crush us. Even though human innovation far exceeds it, the limitations of the brain make us unable to compete with machines."

"Apocalypse has already disappeared in the future, but the four creations he left behind have exterminated many civilizations. Perhaps they are superhuman mutations, but Apocalypse has already transcended humanity."

A massive photonic computer was placed at the center of the base. 'Electronic Will' stood there, working with the photonic computer to counter Skynet's infiltration of the internet and provide powerful computational support for the research. Colonel Striker stood nearby, his face pale as he read a report in his hand.

When he saw the Professor and Wolverine approaching, his expression turned extremely grim.

"This is not the time for our ideological conflicts!" The Professor shook his head. "Our goals are aligned, from maintaining peace and stopping Apocalypse to preventing the development of Sentinel robots. We are truly on the same side."

"But on a larger scale, in the effort to exterminate mutants, we are like fire and water!" Striker said bluntly. "You want to kill me but are concerned about the government's stance, while I want to kill you but have the government's support. You wouldn't mind if I died unexpectedly in this war."

"This is not the time to talk about that!" The Professor sighed, and Striker snorted but did not mock further.

A soldier brought a little girl to the area, roughly pushing her forward. "Save me, please!"

The little girl tried to kick and punch to stop the soldier from approaching, but to no avail. The Professor nodded, his eyes focusing, and the soldier froze in place.

"It's the Seer! She has been conscripted too!" Logan said in surprise.

"Do you know her?" The Professor asked, taking the girl's hand.

Logan carefully examined her face and nodded. The girl suddenly smiled and said in surprise, "So you're from the future!"

Logan was not surprised; he and the little girl exchanged a knowing smile. The soldier, having recovered from his frozen state, looked at the Professor and others, ready to draw his gun, but Striker stopped him. "Is this a new mutant? What use does she have?"

The tone in which he spoke, as if evaluating an object, made the Professor frown.

"She is a mutant from Serbia, codenamed Witch. The locals believe she can draw future scenarios. We think she is a rare precognitive mutant."

Logan whispered to the Professor, "The Seer can see the future. As a child, she would draw what she saw, causing panic. Later, her abilities grew stronger, and she became almost invulnerable, always avoiding danger. She is a pillar in humanity's fight against Skynet."

"Why didn't you bring her in before?" Logan asked with a smile.

The Seer weakly replied, "This is the best outcome. I can see you, and I couldn't escape anyway. I might as well come to you. Will you take me in?" She looked at the Professor with wide eyes.

"I will never refuse!" The Professor opened his arms.

The Seer held Logan's hand, avoiding Striker, and whispered, "They won't succeed!"

"Did you see that?" Logan asked.

"No!" The Seer bit her nails, feigning maturity. "That's what makes it scary! I saw Apocalypse look at me; he can see me. The war is already terrifying, and you can only hasten the birth of the other three monsters. Apocalypse is an existence you cannot resist."

"But we have no choice, right?" Logan placed his hand on his chest but was kicked hard by the Seer. "Don't smoke in front of a child!"

"Protect me, don't let Magneto see me; he's a hassle!" The Seer whispered to Logan. "Later, have the Professor take me. They have a big operation today, to dismantle that big iron shell. You need to stay far away."

On the other side, Striker led the Professor to a heavily guarded laboratory. The advanced instruments, weapons, and tense atmosphere made the Professor somewhat lost in thought. His old friend, Magneto, stood in the center, smiling at him, with the Brotherhood of Mutants beside him.

Mystique's expression was complex, with an indescribable look in her eyes.

"Raven!" The Professor whispered. "Charles!" Mystique smiled and greeted him.

"Once again, it's time for us to fight together, Charles!" Magneto laughed.

"Enough with the talk!" Striker said sternly. "Today is the last chance the Department of Defense is giving us. If we can't contain Apocalypse, they will restart the Sentinel program, which neither you nor I want to see. After our hundreds of intelligence officers have organized the information, we have formulated a plan targeting Skynet's weakness."

On the screen behind him, a massive image of the Iron Throne appeared.

"Skynet's only weakness is its energy supply. There are only three large power plants in the country that can supply it, and the only one in Apocalypse's control is the electromagnetic generator in Manhattan. This miraculous power station provides Skynet with hundreds of millions of kilowatt-hours of energy."

"Intelligence shows that it takes a large amount of steel and at least five days to build such an energy tower. Without the large Skynet, we won't give him another chance. This is his only weakness and our last opportunity."

"But that is a location personally guarded by Apocalypse, and Skynet's preparations there are the most thorough!" The Professor raised a question.

Striker smiled at him and stepped aside, "Meet your old friend! Erik, Charles!" (To be continued. Please search for Piaowen.com for better and faster updates!)

PS: Watching the parade today, updates might be a bit late. But the three updates will not change!