Redemption

The Cloud-Mist High-Pressure Magnetic Storm Ring had the entire command center in a frenzy.

The magnetic storm field was gradually expanding, and the accident warning lights cast a crimson glow throughout the Shatterdome. In the Jaeger hangar where Kunlun was located, all personnel had been evacuated.

As the magnetic force grew stronger, several metal workbenches in front of Kunlun's right hand were magnetized by the powerful field and then flung away. The small metal parts even formed a miniature tornado, spinning at high speed around Kunlun's right hand like satellites.

The four work teams in the distance had been watching, but suddenly, Kunlun's right hand aimed at them, and everyone scattered.

"What the hell?!"

A nail shot out like a bullet, striking less than 3 centimeters from Sethi's right cheek, drawing a curse from him.

He had no choice but to turn and flee like everyone else.

Next to be affected was the command center. All the metal frames began to emit sounds of distortion and fracture under the influence of the magnetic field, as if they were under unbearable strain. Dust rained down from the ceiling. Several old computers in the center instantly crashed.

"Quick! Shut down Kunlun's Synaptic Link system!"

Jiang Tianzheng shouted, his heart filled with anxiety. It was only then that he regretted his earlier hope, regretting that he had held onto even a sliver of hope for the one named Mike.

The Kaiju swarm was approaching. He had wanted to add strength to humanity, but now, humanity was about to lose even more.

Immediately, a technician shut off the switch for Kunlun's Synaptic Link system.

But there was no reaction.

The engineer monitoring the mental connection shouted, "No response! The Synaptic Link is still active! The connection between the pilot and the Jaeger is too strong; we can't sever it immediately!"

"Get out of here now!!" Jiang Tianzheng no longer hesitated. He immediately ordered the evacuation. Technicians and operators rushed towards the back of the command center. This scene had occurred many years ago, when "Gipsy Danger" had gone out of control. This time, it was "Kunlun."

Everyone had left the command center, except for Jiang Tianzheng. He desperately typed commands on the keyboard, trying to reset Kunlun's operating system.

The magnetic field in the Jaeger hangar had reached its peak. Jiang Tianzheng could even glimpse bright arcs of electricity sweeping across the ground out of the corner of his eye, igniting bursts of intense and brilliant sparks.

The Cloud-Mist High-Pressure Magnetic Storm Ring had finished charging.

Jiang Tianzheng dared not imagine what horrors would befall the Shatterdome if the Cloud-Mist High-Pressure Magnetic Storm Ring began its attack. Perhaps heavy Jaegers like "Shandong," "Huangshan," and "Changbai" might survive, but other facilities would surely meet their doom. The Jaeger hangar would turn to ash. The living quarters on the second floor, the research area on the third floor... before the Cloud-Mist High-Pressure Magnetic Storm Ring, these areas would be as fragile as tofu before a steamroller.

If the magnetic storm struck the Shatterdome's transformer room, the entire Shatterdome would collapse. These brittle circuits would instantly melt under the high temperatures generated by the magnetic field. Rebuilding them would take at least several years.

By then... the Kaiju would march unimpeded across the ruins of the Shatterdome.

Then, China would fall, and humanity would face extinction.

Jiang Tianzheng had done everything he could, but it had no effect.

Just then, the command center doors suddenly opened, and two figures burst in.

"What are you two doing back here?!" Jiang Tianzheng continued to work at the keyboard, cursing, but then a delicate hand was suddenly raised before his eyes.

Jiang Tianzheng looked up, and Lin Yin's solemn face appeared before him.

"I have a way," Lin Yin said, pausing for a moment before turning her head to look resolutely at Kunlun outside the window.

"I'll eliminate it," Lin Yin added. "Immediately."

The street outside the alley was suffering a devastating blow. Windows shattered all around, sending shards of glass and debris flying. In just one minute, several floors of this block had been literally shaved off by the "God of Desire."

Rosen could only curl up in the corner; he had no other choice. The sand and gravel filling the air poured down at his feet, nearly burying him.

Rosen felt dizzy and disoriented. Traces of blood trickled down his cheeks. Even though he knew it was an illusion, his brain registered everything happening before him as "real."

If he were to "die" here, the Rosen outside would become a permanent vegetable due to brain death.

That being said, Rosen still didn't know why he had entered this illusion.

It was now 2020. Rosen had just been born then, a one-year-old. How could he possibly have memories from that time?

But the enormous mouth looming closer above him felt incredibly real. Rosen could even smell the foul stench emanating from the "God of Desire's" maw.

This memory definitely didn't belong to him. That left only one possibility—no matter how unbelievable it seemed.

"Kunlun..."

Rosen stared at the abyssal maw, his eyes wide.

These were Kunlun's memories.

The "whirring" of the helicopter overhead grew louder, even drowning out the enraged roar of the "God of Desire." A huge shadow flew over Rosen's head. He looked up and saw a crimson shadow hanging beneath the helicopter leap into view, but it quickly disappeared behind the tall buildings.

The Kaiju continued its assault on the buildings, about to reach Rosen. Its massive palm squeezed into the alley, slamming down less than 5 meters in front of him. The asphalt ground, as if made of paper, instantly caved in, forming a large pit.

And when the palm was lifted, the resulting vortex of air even pushed Rosen's body rolling towards the pit!

"No! No!"

Rosen had no strength to resist. He rolled right into the center of the pit—and like a mold on a stamping machine, waited for the giant hand to press down again.

Staring at the ever-growing shadow above him, Rosen felt like he was about to die.

He had spent countless hours researching how to kill Kaiju, and now, he was about to die by a Kaiju's claws.

Just at this critical moment, the "God of Desire" was violently pulled away by something and instantly disappeared, and the hazy sky reappeared above Rosen's head.

Then, the Kaiju let out a sky-shattering roar, accompanied by a rumbling sound, a mechanical rumble!

A heavy truck flew high into the air like a toy before crashing into the ruined building to Rosen's left.

Rosen quickly shielded his head, then climbed out of the pit and hurried toward the alley entrance. A series of loud bangs erupted not far away, making Rosen's ears ring.

Outside the alley, a fierce battle was unfolding on the street ahead. A crimson robot with three arms was launching a fierce assault on the "God of Desire's" head—

The palms of its front two arms instantly transformed into large saw blades, slashing directly towards the target's neck. The Kaiju quickly dodged to the side, evading the saw blades, and several intact houses were instantly reduced to dust by its impact.

When the Jaeger's attacks missed, it immediately changed tactics. Its two saw blades reverted to palms, gripping the Kaiju's shoulders tightly. Simultaneously, its third arm rose from its back, aiming at the Kaiju. Its palm rapidly transformed into an electromagnetic cannon barrel, which began to glow.

"Crimson Storm!" Rosen exclaimed involuntarily.

This Jaeger before him was the renowned fourth-generation Chinese Jaeger from Rosen's memory—Crimson Storm.

However, the Kaiju was clearly not intimidated by the Jaeger's reputation and began to fight back fiercely.

"God of Desire" roared and lifted its left knee, striking Crimson Storm's right armpit with a blow—the armor there instantly caved in.

The Kaiju seized the opportunity to break free from Crimson Storm's grip and sent it flying a long distance. Then, "God of Desire" strode forward, pressing its advantage.

"Go for it!" Rosen shouted as he chased after it, having forgotten he was in an illusion.

"God of Desire" pushed Crimson Storm for two full blocks, and they continued to advance, leaving two deep gouges in the ground that stretched into the distance. Rosen couldn't see what happened next. Panting, he chased to where the Jaeger and Kaiju had been fighting, but both figures had already moved far away.

Rosen could only hear the rumbling sounds echoing around the buildings.

Suddenly, a flash of light illuminated the entire sky.

All sound stopped instantly, and the world returned to silence—or rather, Rosen's ears went temporarily deaf.

Rosen could only glimpse a pillar of light rising from the ground, piercing through the hazy clouds and reaching the sky.

Immediately after, the ground trembled—something massive had fallen.

Rosen wanted to see who had won, but at that moment, a strange feeling washed over his heart.

"..."

Was something... crying?

Rosen's hearing slowly returned, and a faint, almost imperceptible cry reached his ears.

Rosen immediately looked in the direction of the sound, finding it in a pile of rubble not far ahead—

It was located precisely between the massive footprints left by Crimson Storm and "God of Desire."

"Could it be..." Rosen suddenly remembered something. He rushed to the rubble and frantically dug through the debris.

The crying grew clearer, as if rushing towards him.

Rosen didn't bother to wipe away his sweat. The gauntlets of his Pilot Suit were shattered, and his hands were covered in blood, but Rosen didn't stop.

After moving the last piece of rubble, Rosen's hand froze in mid-air.

The expression on his face also changed—shock, confusion, bewilderment, and finally, settled into relief and joy.

"Is this what you wanted to tell me, Kunlun?"

Rosen extended his bloodied hand and pulled something from the rubble—it was an infant, still with its umbilical cord attached.

The baby temporarily stopped crying and looked at the world with curiosity. But when it saw Rosen, it cried even harder. Strangely, Rosen also began to cry.

Rosen smiled, yet tears streamed down his face.

Then, he gently held the infant in his arms.

"You really aren't good at expressing yourself..." he seemed to be speaking to the baby, or perhaps murmuring to himself.

The blood on Rosen's cheeks mixed with his tears, staining the infant crimson as well.

"From today on, your name..."

"Will be Rosen."

The mist dissipated.