The Empty Hand was completely finished—or at least, as far as Chen Tao was concerned.
Doctor Manhattan had bound him within the Watchmen Universe. According to the story's ending, the Empty Hand would remain in the Watchmen Universe forever, serving as the lord of this castle. Obviously, that was not the ending the Empty Hand had originally planned. Although Doctor Manhattan could not create stories, he could influence and modify the stories the Empty Hand had already created through sheer numerical values. Chen Tao believed that, given the Empty Hand's abilities, he would not be trapped by Doctor Manhattan so easily. But no one knew when the other side would escape.
Still, Chen Tao had achieved part of his goal. Beside him, a brand-new Ultimate Monitor was condensing back into existence. The Empty Hand had helped him greatly deplete Perpetua's power. Throughout the entire frontal battle, although the Empty Hand had refused to give up and had still dragged Chen Tao, the World Forger, and the others into the story to serve as his hired muscle, the fact remained that the Empty Hand had forcibly written an ending in which Perpetua lost. Thus, his main force had not escaped the fight. He had truly engaged Perpetua in a head-on clash.
Perpetua still looked no weaker than before, but as one side waned and the other waxed, the balance of power had already begun to tilt.
Yet Chen Tao still did not believe that the Ultimate Monitor in his current state could defeat Perpetua. Earlier, the Ultimate Monitor had only barely held out against her. Even now, despite the power Perpetua had expended, the Ultimate Monitor could at best fight her to a standstill. The Black Death Emperor had taken away most of the life-forms in the DC Multiverse. Chen Tao