A Clichéd Trap

Seeing the Terminators close in, one of the Law-Rulers asked through the mental link, "Martha, can you directly scrap this pile of machines?"

"I'll try."

She raised her palm. Boom! A surging blue current erupted from it. Compared to the threadlike currents from before, this was now a vicious electromagnetic python.

Although the T-800 tried to dodge, it was still bitten by the swift python, and its movements immediately became sluggish and stiff. It could withstand overloaded currents for a short time, but sustained electrocution would undoubtedly destroy it. But there were eight robots here. Martha's attack was like a horn sounding the start of battle, and all the Terminators charged forward.

Freezing air poured from another person's hands. Frosty vapor swept over a Terminator, slowing its steps further and further, while its fierce iron fists gradually became stiff and powerless.

The Invisible Law-Ruler swung his greatsword with both hands and slashed at the frozen robot's neck. A crisp clang rang in his ears, and the tremendous impact injured the web of his hand. He gritted his teeth and exerted more force. For a Law-Ruler, such a minor injury would heal after a short rest.

"Ferdinando, tilt your head." A voice came through the mental link, and he did as instructed.

The sound of something slicing through the air beside his ear was like a venomous snake whispering, sending chills down his spine. The T-1000's silver spike was only a hair away from his head. He hurriedly slid to the left, only to find that his greatsword was already stuck in a T-800's neck. The T-1000's thrust missed, so it kicked at him. The Invisible Law-Ruler hurriedly arched backward, but was still struck and fell to the ground with his waist bent back.

Fortunately, seeing him barely holding on, the Ice Law-Ruler broke free from his struggle with another T-1000. A large amount of icy vapor struck the T-1000 fighting the Invisible Law-Ruler, but it could only halt the T-1000's attacks for one or two seconds.

"Liquid robots require priority attention. Ice-based attacks are not very effective..."

The Law-Rulers' thoughts gradually began to synchronize. Their independent thinking temporarily entered the Hive Mind, and Martha was the queen of the hive.

Defeating the T-800s was no problem for the Law-Rulers once they entered the Hive Mind, but the T-800s' strength could not be underestimated. The T-1000s' attack methods and abilities were far too bizarre. Sometimes their bodies were so hard that the Law-Rulers chipped several teeth against them, while at other times, a light blow could pierce their bodies without causing much damage.

Most crucially, the Ice Law-Ruler was being held up by two T-1000s, while the other Law-Rulers were gradually being deliberately separated by the Terminators during the battle. Without the Ice Law-Ruler's support, the other Law-Rulers would indeed need some time to defeat combat robots nearly twice their number. But the two idle T-1000s could now begin hunting.

If these Law-Rulers had no special abilities, the combat predictions and corrections provided by Qin Su's computing power would have allowed the T-1000s to match them evenly. But with the other T-800s assisting, killing the Law-Rulers one by one was not especially difficult. Although the T-800s were being rapidly depleted, it was clearly worth it compared to these Law-Ruler Cores.

The five-man Law-Ruler group fell into a bitter struggle and gradually became unable to hold on. At that moment, one Law-Ruler reached his limit and exposed an opening. His arm was directly severed by a blade formed by a T-1000. Breaking the whole through a single point, these Law-Rulers would soon be wiped out.

Sure enough, the Law-Rulers had already begun to suffer casualties. The one with the severed arm was pierced through the chest by a T-1000, losing a large chunk of flesh along with his Law-Ruler Core. Golden blood splattered across half of the T-1000's silver body.

Despite the Law-Rulers being forced back again and again, Qin Su could not be happy. This was only bait. He had never expected the fish to eat the bait without biting the hook, only to be poisoned to death by it.

"Error in estimated individual combat strength of the Thousand-Man Law-Rulers. Resources must be reallocated and a new plan formulated..."

Qin Su activated the Terminators' internal autonomous combat programs, withdrawing the computing power used to coordinate team combat and correct movements from those combat machines.

But within the next few minutes, one T-1000 lost its ability to move.

"Looks like they found a solution." Qin Su watched with interest.

He connected his computing power to the remaining Terminators again. Using the residual internal programs and surveillance footage, he examined the fallen T-1000. Some of its vital electronic components had been burned out. Unless it was returned to the factory for repairs, it could not regain mobility.

A few minutes earlier, the Ice Law-Ruler had been darting about to evade the T-1000's attacks. Although danger was close at hand and the fear in his mind would not go away, he had not lost the rationality he should have had. While constantly dodging, he once again tried using icy vapor to defend against the T-1000's attacks.

The T-1000's movements initially slowed, but it soon recovered its original attack speed. The sound of blades cutting through the air kept coming from beside his ears. He continuously blasted the T-1000 with icy vapor, while Martha commanded through the mental link, "Ivan, use your ability to attack the enemy in front of Edward."

Although Ivan wanted to say that the T-1000 was unaffected by his high-temperature flames, out of obedience to the Hive Mind, he ultimately did as ordered.

Low-temperature air and high-temperature flames were each ineffective when used separately against the T-1000. However, when those two methods alternated, they produced a qualitative change. The T-1000's internal electronic components could not withstand such extreme temperature shifts and gradually became damaged, causing its pauses during battle to grow longer.

Martha then said through the mental link, "It's working. Keep attacking. The other comrades should hold the liquid machines back as much as possible and create opportunities for them."

Under the routine alternating hot-and-cold attacks, all the T-1000s soon lost their combat capability. Martha began directing the cleanup through the mental link.

"Drag the three liquid robots back. Then recover the Law-Ruler Cores from our fallen comrades. Be careful of robots that may be pursuing us along the way."

The fallen T-800s occasionally sparked, while the T-1000s had become shapeless liquid metal because of the damage to their internal electronic components. Martha no longer bothered to temporarily analyze the structures of these machines. Blue arcs withdrew to her fingertips. She turned and looked at the square pyramid in the center of the hall. Current surged from her hand, blue arcs coiling around the box like thin snakes. Her fingers moved lightly, and before long, the box opened.

"Just as expected, there's nothing inside." The pulse of a Law-Ruler Core had merely been simulated by this device. Her expression did not change; this outcome was not beyond her expectations. Martha's cold voice rang out through the mental link. "This place was nothing more than a trap. We can leave now. These wrecks are our only gains."

The Law-Rulers laid the bodies of their fallen comrades side by side. Blazing flames rose from their hands and poured over the dead. Everyone stood around them as though holding a grand and solemn ceremony. A few seconds later, the Law-Rulers retrieved the final gifts their comrades had left them from the burning ashes—the Law-Ruler Cores.

They severed the T-800s' heads and dragged the three frozen T-1000s toward the elevator. They pressed the elevator button, but nothing happened.

"The elevator has been locked. I'll handle it." With a light tap from Martha, the button lit up.

Even though the script had briefly slipped out of control midway through, the ending still returned to its intended course. Moreover, compared to the original plan, the deviation had produced additional positive results.

Ding. The elevator doors opened before them, and the group entered. The T-1000 wreckage was thrown heavily onto the floor. Martha, standing in the center of the hall, raised her head and swept her gaze around the room before finally returning her eyes to the center of the elevator doors. The floor display, constantly changing colors, finally pointed to the number 1. The elevator doors slowly opened, and they stepped out one after another. Sunlight shone through the windows onto the white tiles. The Law-Rulers passed by the windows and headed toward the exit.