Chapter Summaries

Pioneer confirmed that Bumblebee had received the intelligence Sun Cheng sent through him, then traveled to Washington, D.C., to carry out his next assignment. He located Sun Cheng’s coordinates at a museum and began scouting the grounds while remaining concealed.

• Pioneer realized the alloy hard drive’s location signal had been blocked and concluded that Bumblebee had taken it.
• Pioneer recalled Sun Cheng’s plan to use intelligence about Megatron and the Matrix of Leadership to draw the Autobots into conflict with the Decepticons.
• Pioneer decided his delivery of the intelligence to Bumblebee through two humans had completed his first task and set off for Washington, D.C.
• Pioneer detected the area’s dark-spectrum reconnaissance system and cautiously searched for the coordinates Sun Cheng had provided.
• Pioneer reached a museum shortly before closing, stayed under optical camouflage, and sent an all-terrain scout to inspect the grounds.

Pioneer searched the National Air and Space Museum for the mysterious object or symbol Sun Cheng had sent him to find. Scout No. 3 discovered a special symbol beneath the Blackbird, and Pioneer recognized it as a Decepticon mark.

• Pioneer identified his location as the National Air and Space Museum and wondered why Sun Cheng had sent him there.
• Pioneer stayed hidden from a patrolling security guard using his optical camouflage.
• Pioneer sent out four scouts to search the museum's exhibition halls while avoiding guards.
• After searching most of the museum, Pioneer directed the scouts into a hall displaying retired military aircraft.
• Scout No. 3 found a special symbol beneath the Blackbird and transmitted its image to Pioneer, who recognized it as a Decepticon mark.

Pioneer discovered a dormant Decepticon disguised as a Blackbird at the National Air and Space Museum and reported the find to Sun Cheng. Sun Cheng realized the museum’s location had been decoded from information in an AllSpark fragment and was left unsure whether to approach the Decepticon or involve the Autobots.

• Pioneer confirmed that the Blackbird in the museum bore a Decepticon insignia and concluded that it was dormant.
• Pioneer searched the other exhibition halls, found nothing else, and left the museum with footage of the Blackbird.
• Sun Cheng reviewed Pioneer’s footage and recognized the aircraft as a dormant Decepticon.
• Sun Cheng recalled that Phantom had decoded coordinates to the museum from an AllSpark fragment while researching its data.
• Sun Cheng wondered why the Decepticon was hidden in Washington and debated contacting it or using the Autobots to awaken it.

Optimus Prime and the Autobots assessed intelligence from Onslaught and Frenzy about Decepticon infighting, Soundwave and Shockwave, and Megatron's teacher and the Matrix of Leadership. They made defensive plans for Earth, while Optimus Prime decided to investigate the mysterious claims himself.

• Optimus Prime asked Bumblebee to assess the intelligence, and Bumblebee said Frenzy was a new resurrected body and suspected Onslaught and Frenzy wanted the Autobots to eliminate Starscream and destroy Megatron's corpse.
• Bumblebee judged the warning about Soundwave and Shockwave credible but could not verify the claims about Megatron's teacher or the Matrix of Leadership.
• Optimus Prime ordered Ironhide to lead a team to Guam and patrol the Mariana Trench while he warned the White House to strengthen its military presence there.
• Optimus Prime told Bumblebee to stay with Sam and protect him, with Jolt sent to assist.
• Optimus Prime planned to contact Cybertron about Soundwave and Shockwave and said he would personally investigate Megatron's alleged teacher and the Matrix of Leadership.

The U.S. military launched a large-scale attack on a target in Greenland after detecting Sun Cheng’s group moving through the snow. Sun Cheng learned of the operation through a backdoor in a Russian military satellite and watched the assault begin, anticipating his imminent escape from Severodvinsk.

• U.S. forces detected the Scania truck and Zenvo ST1 moving across Greenland and prepared an evacuation and military response.
• Major William Lennox briefed NEST personnel on the dangers posed by the Decepticons and urged them to return alive.
• Colonel Rawls Vilan ordered the U.S. battle group to attack the Greenland target with Tomahawk missiles and Super Hornets.
• Sun Cheng used a backdoor in a Russian military satellite to monitor the U.S. attack and told Excavator that the target was finished.
• Sun Cheng looked forward to escaping Severodvinsk in a few days.

Sun Cheng refused to rescue Starscream’s Decepticons and weighed a risky trip to America to investigate a possible Pathfinder. Before he could act on that plan, China reported two suspected Decepticons approaching its border from Mongolia.

• Sun Cheng told Excavator that Starscream’s men were beyond saving and left without intervening in the battle.
• Sun Cheng concluded that Starscream had violated their tacit agreement by sending Decepticons near Russia without warning, and he expected the Autobots and Americans to destroy the two targets in Greenland.
• Sun Cheng considered traveling to Washington to investigate a Blackbird aircraft that might be a Pathfinder, whose alliance could strengthen his forces.
• China contacted Sun Cheng through an emergency channel and asked whether two suspected Decepticons near the China-Mongolia border belonged to him.

Sun Cheng concluded that Starscream was probing him and left Severodvinsk to confront the threat. Meanwhile, China prepared to stop two unidentified Decepticons approaching its border, and the chapter left their faction uncertain.

• Sun Cheng suspected Starscream was behind the tests that followed his leak about Megatron's corpse and decided to act before Starscream could gain the upper hand.
• Sun Cheng left the base without informing Excavator, notified the Russian side, and flew southeast in fighter jet form.
• Major General Chen Zhongyuan told the operations command center that China had authorized Operation [Red Shield].
• China prepared to respond to two unidentified Decepticons nearing the China-Mongolia border because Frenzy had not answered its inquiry and their faction remained unknown.

Chen Zhongyuan mobilized Chinese forces to intercept two Decepticons who crossed into Xinjiang, while Northern Capital sought to avoid a clash with Frenzy. The chapter ended with Frenzy confirming that the invaders were not under his command and asking for their coordinates.

• Chen Zhongyuan oversaw the mobilization of aircraft and ground forces from the Lop Nur Special Tactics Training Base to defend against the approaching Decepticons.
• Chen Zhongyuan ordered the Xinjiang Military Region to dispatch fighters and warn the intruders to turn back.
• Two Decepticons, disguised as a black Land Cruiser and a Hino heavy truck, crossed the China-Mongolia border and ignored the fighters' warnings.
• Chen Zhongyuan's staff tracked the intruders as local authorities began evacuating herders, and the communications officer reported that Frenzy had replied.
• Frenzy told Chen Zhongyuan that the invaders belonged to the Decepticon Corps, not his forces, and asked for their exact coordinates.

Chen Zhongyuan learned that the two intruders were not Frenzy’s people and ordered the PLA to stop them before they advanced farther into China. The J-11B fighters launched missiles after the Decepticons ignored repeated warnings, but the targets evaded the attacks as Army Aviation and Q-5s moved to help contain them.

• Chen Zhongyuan confirmed the intruders were unrelated to Frenzy, reported the news to the Northern Capital, and ordered the front line to stop them.
• The Decepticons sped across the sand toward a populated county town, while PLA forces prepared defenses and assembled a regiment of J-11 fighters.
• PLA pilots repeatedly warned the intruders to identify themselves and turn back, but the Decepticons accelerated instead.
• After the deadline expired, the J-11B flight leader ordered the fighters to fire missiles at the Decepticons.
• The Decepticons evaded the missiles, and command directed the fighters to slow them and guide them toward a designated area as armed helicopters and Q-5s approached.

Chen Zhongyuan’s forces struggled to damage two Decepticons as they pursued them across Xinjiang, but rocket artillery eventually struck their route. Frenzy then contacted Chen Zhongyuan and asked for precise coordinates so he could intercept the invaders.

• Chen Zhongyuan and his staff watched J-11 fighters and Z-9G attack helicopters fail to stop the two Decepticons, who kept driving and evading attacks.
• Army Aviation exhausted its missiles and rockets, then withdrew when its helicopters neared their range limits.
• An Army spotting helicopter helped redirect the Decepticons into alternate ambush areas, where PHL-03 and WS-2 rocket artillery launched a barrage.
• Chen Zhongyuan watched the artillery bombardment and received a communications request from Frenzy, who had reached the target area.
• Chen Zhongyuan gave Frenzy the battlefield coordinates, and Frenzy went silent after thanking him.

Sun Cheng rushed to Xinjiang after Decepticons appeared across Europe and Northeast Asia, fearing Starscream might target his plans in southwestern China. After learning the two Decepticons were only passing through, he arrived to take over the battle and confronted one of them.

• Sun Cheng worried that Starscream might discover his arrangements in southwestern China and launch an invasion.
• Sun Cheng received battlefield coordinates and learned that the People's Liberation Army had trapped two Decepticons in Xinjiang.
• Sun Cheng warned the People's Liberation Army aircraft to withdraw and said he would establish an electromagnetic shielding zone.
• Sun Cheng deactivated his camouflage, dove into the battlefield, and landed near the two Decepticons.
• A white Hino truck transformed into a Decepticon, aimed its grenade launcher at Sun Cheng, and fired six grenades.

Sun Cheng fought two Decepticons sent by Starscream and overwhelmed their attacks with his superior strength and new weapons. He disabled the fleeing Hino heavy truck with an electromagnetic blast, while the other fallen Decepticon continued to tremble nearby.

• A black Land Cruiser Decepticon and a Hino heavy-truck Decepticon attacked Sun Cheng with a boomerang and grenades.
• Sun Cheng caught the boomerang, rushed the Land Cruiser Decepticon, smashed its face with a punch, and stabbed its chest with a short sword.
• The Hino Decepticon rammed Sun Cheng, but Sun Cheng blocked its grenades and held his ground.
• The Hino Decepticon fired another volley, transformed into a truck, and tried to flee.
• Sun Cheng threw a metal sphere after the truck, and its electromagnetic blast disabled the truck and affected the Decepticon he had restrained nearby.

Sun Cheng detonated an electromagnetic grenade to stop two invading Decepticons from reporting what had happened, disabling nearby Chinese fighter jets as well. He apologized to China and promised replacement aircraft, then approached one of the disabled Decepticons and struck it with his sword.

• Sun Cheng’s electromagnetic grenade disabled the fighter jets and badly damaged the two Decepticons, while his anti-electromagnetic device protected him.
• The pilots ejected, and Sun Cheng confirmed that there appeared to be no casualties.
• Sun Cheng contacted China, apologized for the damaged aircraft, promised replacement fighter jets, and asked China to rescue the pilots.
• After the electromagnetic shockwave faded, Sun Cheng removed his protective device and walked toward the Decepticon that could no longer transform.
• Sun Cheng stabbed the Decepticon in the chest, dimming its eyes and leaving it unable to resist.

Sun Cheng questioned the two Decepticons who had invaded Xinjiang after disabling them with an electromagnetic grenade. He failed to extract information from [Iron Hammer], whose core self-destructed, and turned to the other captive to find out more about Starscream.

• Sun Cheng explained that his sword strikes had severed the Decepticons' energy conduits without killing them, then put away his anti-electromagnetic radiation device.
• Sun Cheng worried that the electromagnetic blast had drawn the attention of Chinese military satellites and decided to finish dealing with the Decepticons before anyone arrived.
• Sun Cheng lifted the white Decepticon [Iron Hammer] and asked whether Starscream had sent him.
• Sun Cheng tried to read [Iron Hammer]'s core, but Starscream's tampering triggered an explosive program that shattered it.
• Sun Cheng stored [Iron Hammer]'s remains in his Spherical Space and returned to the black Decepticon warrior.

Sun Cheng interrogated and killed Boomerang, learning that Soundwave had awakened and pledged loyalty to The Fallen. He flew toward Lop Nur to pursue a deal with China, hoping to find a way out of the danger.

• Sun Cheng forced Boomerang to reveal that The Fallen's Decepticon Corps planned an all-out war against Earth, then stopped him from detonating his AllSpark.
• Sun Cheng read Boomerang's memories and discovered that Soundwave had reached the moon and pledged loyalty to The Fallen.
• Sun Cheng realized Soundwave's return threatened to expose his operations in Russia, China, and Bolivia, then crushed Boomerang's neck and stored his body.
• Sun Cheng flew toward Lop Nur, reasoning that Soundwave might first search for Megatron and leave him a chance to act.
• Sun Cheng decided he still needed to make an unprecedented deal with China.

Sun Cheng arrived at the Bolivia Sub-base near La Paz and reviewed the defenses and logistics supporting his plans for South America. Sprint reported that Bolivia was firmly under their control, with mining operations already supplying resources to Base Two and Sun Cheng’s foreign trade.

• Sun Cheng used GLONASS coordinates to locate the Bolivia Sub-base and evaded detection by its S-300 missile defenses.
• Sun Cheng considered the limits of his S-300 systems and the shortage of manpower at Base Two, which was focused on robots, new Decepticons, and Cybertronian weapons.
• Sun Cheng recalled how Decepticon engineers had modified the S-300 systems and converted two Typhoon-class submarines into fast, covert cargo carriers.
• Sprint welcomed Sun Cheng in La Paz after spending nearly two months suppressing opposition and expanding the sub-base.
• Sprint’s efforts helped the provisional government establish authority, while mining robots extracted minerals for Base Two and Sun Cheng’s trade with China and Russia.

Sun Cheng summoned Mora Cortetir to inspect the humanoid Decepticon and learned that he was essentially a Decepticon Engineer with a humanlike shell and artificial skin. He directed Mora to focus on taking control of Bolivia’s military and police forces while the base prepared supplies and construction equipment for him.

• Sun Cheng praised Sprint and the others for their success in Bolivia, then asked where Mora Cortetir was.
• Sprint explained that Mora stayed in La Paz and that Yuri was the only human who knew his identity, so Sun Cheng ordered him summoned.
• Mora arrived at the hidden sub-base, knelt before Sun Cheng, and confirmed his identity.
• Sun Cheng scanned Mora despite his trembling, then examined and digested the information he had gathered.
• Sun Cheng told Mora to prioritize controlling Bolivia’s military and police forces and promised supplies and machinery to support his work.
• Sun Cheng realized that Mora was a Decepticon Engineer built with a humanlike structure and artificial skin.

Sun Cheng discovered that Mora Cortetir was an Engineer whose humanoid form had been locked in place, not a naturally transforming humanoid Decepticon. He decided to remain in the Transformers Multiverse for now, expand his forces, and asked Sprint about the cleanup at Tiwanaku as he prepared to return to Russia.

• Sun Cheng inspected Mora Cortetir and found that his gears had solidified after he scanned a humanoid robot, leaving him unable to transform.
• Sun Cheng considered how AllSpark fragments created gears and how the humanoid Decepticon research had made little progress.
• Sun Cheng reflected that he wanted to bring Decepticons to the real world but feared their exposure would draw the attention of nations.
• Sun Cheng suppressed his urge to leave, deciding to keep harvesting technology and expanding his power amid the growing crisis.
• Sun Cheng told Sprint he would soon return to Russia and asked how the cleanup at Tiwanaku was going.

Sun Cheng learned that Sprint had secured Tiwanaku City and its ruins, where Elder Script might lead to an object coveted by the Thirteen Primes. Facing threats from the Fallen, Megatron, Soundwave, and Starscream, Sun Cheng ordered an immediate excavation and flew toward Lake Titicaca.

• Sprint reported that Yuri had expelled foreign research teams from Tiwanaku City and that combat and miner robots stood ready to excavate the ruins.
• Sun Cheng recalled finding Cybertronian writing and Elder Script at ancient sites on Earth, and connected the script at Tiwanaku to his search for an object mentioned by the Beast General.
• Sun Cheng considered the dangers posed by the Fallen, Megatron, Soundwave, and Starscream, and decided to gamble on the ruins as a way to survive.
• Sun Cheng praised Sprint and ordered Mora Cortetir to arrange more humanoid Decepticons and have an entrance excavated within three hours.
• Sun Cheng transformed into a fighter jet, activated optical camouflage, and flew toward Lake Titicaca.

Sun Cheng surveyed Lake Titicaca, found no suspicious ruins there, and joined Sprint and Mora at Tiwanaku City to begin excavating the underground ruins. The excavation started as Mora arranged to recover the lake’s golden offerings.

• Sun Cheng scanned Lake Titicaca and its largest island, finding only ancient golden offerings and no suspicious sites.
• Sun Cheng reached the Tiwanaku City ruins, where Sprint reported that the excavation was ready and Mora described the expanded security perimeter.
• Sun Cheng told Mora to retrieve the gold offerings he had located on the lakebed, and Mora accepted the task.
• Sprint received Sun Cheng’s command, and six excavation robots and six transport robots began work at the ruins.