Chapter 552: Going to the Meeting Alone

Transformers Begin : Table of Content/Chapter List

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Somewhere within the Sahara Desert in North Africa.

Sun Cheng stood atop a sand dune, silently gazing at the sky under the scorching sun.

He had received a sudden invitation to meet with Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots, and it was to be a face-to-face meeting.

Taking this risky step was necessary in Sun Cheng's view.

The pressure from the Skytiger Legion had been mounting, and Soundwave had been detected within Russian territory for the third time. In one instance, he had even briefly shown himself in Moscow.

Before returning to the Real World the last time, Sun Cheng had already engaged in a battle with Soundwave. Although the adversary had temporarily retreated, Sun Cheng had no illusions that Soundwave would let him off easily.

As a highly skilled master of intrigue and an intelligence specialist, Soundwave, when provoked, could bring about severe consequences. While Sun Cheng believed that his alliance with the Polar Bear faction was secure, he was also aware of what the Skytiger Legion represented.

Given the warlike and unpredictable nature of that group, if they decided to target him, it would likely result in a comprehensive assault from all sides.

Sun Cheng subscribed to the belief that "human nature is inherently evil" and always measured human nature by its darkest aspects. If the Skytiger Legion were to come after him, it could potentially lead to turmoil in Moscow as well, given Polar Bear's profit-driven motives. He needed to be well-prepared.

Therefore, Sun Cheng needed more "allies."

After arranging a meeting with Optimus Prime, he had decided to go alone.

Optimus Prime might have reservations on his side, but Sun Cheng had conveyed his goodwill and allowed him to bring his followers. However, the location of the meeting needed to be arranged by Sun Cheng himself. This was an insurance policy for his personal safety, as he truly intended to attend the meeting alone.

But if the Autobots had any ulterior motives, Sun Cheng would make them regret it.

Under the scorching sun of the Sahara Desert, after just one day, Sun Cheng, who had been standing like a pillar on the sand dune, had turned into a mud statue. He didn't bother to clean himself off intentionally.

As he was contemplating various scenarios he might encounter during his meeting with Optimus Prime, his attention was suddenly drawn to the blaring alarm of his warning system. He shook his body and brushed off the thick layer of sand that had accumulated on his mechanical body, covering it with a sand cloak.

The person he had been waiting for had arrived.

Twenty minutes later, in the vast and desolate desert, five vehicles swiftly advanced through the soft sand, seemingly unaffected by the terrain, and entered Sun Cheng's field of vision.

"Optimus Prime, Ratchet, Bumblebee, Arcee... and the newly arrived Autobot on Earth, Inferno!"

Sun Cheng had deployed satellites in outer space a long time ago and had compiled a database of all the Autobots and Decepticons that had appeared on Earth. So when he saw the five distinct vehicles from a distance, he quickly identified their identities.

"It looks better than I imagined!"

The three Autobots who held the most hostility towards him—Ironhide, Sideswipe, and Skids—were not present in Optimus Prime's list of followers. It seemed that the leader of the Autobots had some expectations for this meeting.

The five Autobots, in their vehicle forms, motorcycles included, quickly approached within tens of meters of Sun Cheng.

Crash!

The five Autobots successively crossed a slightly sloped sand dune and leaped into the air, transforming into five mechanical warriors with varying heights, sizes, and colors, forming an arc not far from him.

Sun Cheng watched all of this without expression, feeling several electromagnetic waves scanning him. He then calmly spoke, "There's no need to probe. I'm the only one here, and I've extended a sincere invitation for Optimus Prime to come and talk."

He turned his gaze to Optimus Prime, who stood nearly a head taller than him, while contemplating whether he should design his next generation mechanical body.

"Frenzy..."

Optimus Prime took a step forward, his tone very serious. "We've had a few interactions in the past. Although you've repeatedly stated that you have no intention of being our enemy, based on our past encounters, we have serious doubts about your intentions."

"Hand over the fragment!"

Bumblebee, whose voice system had been repaired at some point, spoke with a sharp voice, expressing reproach.

Sun Cheng calmly glanced at him, not feeling particularly surprised that the Autobots knew about the fragment being in his possession. If Soundwave could discover it, how could the Autobots remain ignorant for so long?

However, he had prepared his explanation before coming.

In a calm voice, he said, "The fragment is no longer in my possession. Onslaught took it and used it to awaken a Decepticon elder who arrived on Earth long before us."

Optimus Prime's expression changed, and the Autobots were well aware of the capabilities of the All Spark. Even a small fragment possessed the ability to awaken a dying mechanical life form.

"Who is it?" he asked solemnly, his voice growing heavier.

Sun Cheng, seeing the hostile looks from some of the Autobots, hesitated for a moment. When the Autobots were growing impatient, he finally uttered a name, "Skyfire!"

This Decepticon elder, active during the Ancient Council era, was obviously unknown to most of the Autobots present.

Because Skyfire had left Cybertron Planet very early, and Optimus Prime had risen as the leader of the Autobots after his departure, so even though he was the new Autobot leader, he had no memory of this Decepticon elder.

Sun Cheng could tell what was going on from their expressions.

Regarding whether or not to awaken Skyfire, who was on the brink of death, Sun Cheng had been in a constant state of hesitation. After multiple attempts to probe his memories, Sun Cheng was well aware of the kind of Decepticon Skyfire was.

He was a typical scholar-type Cybertronian. Although he had a Decepticon origin, he had received excellent education during the Council of Primes era and did not strongly identify with the Skytiger Legion. In fact, he was more aligned with the ideals of the Autobots.

However, Sun Cheng was accustomed to interpreting others with the utmost malice, and he did not believe he had the capability to reclaim Skyfire at this point. So, whether or not to awaken Skyfire remained an unresolved decision.

But that didn't stop him from pushing Skyfire into the spotlight to enhance his own reputation.

At this moment, Sun Cheng was about to begin introducing who Skyfire was to them when he noticed encrypted communication messages being sent out around him. Narrowing his eyes and tapping into it, he realized that Optimus Prime and the only female Autobot among the group, Arcee, had both displayed subtle changes in their expressions.

Just as he was wondering what the two Autobots were up to, Optimus Prime, after a brief silence, finally spoke again. "Lord Skyfire, is it? If it's him, we won't pursue the matter of the fragment."

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 553: The New Lend-Lease Act (Part 1)