Chapter 437: Shi Shi Misi Returns with a Vengeance

When the news was brought back to Zion, the entire city erupted. As people imprisoned within a virtual world, they had long grown weary of a life they knew to be false yet were forced to treat as real. They longed to return to reality, and now, they finally could.

Leaving aside the Zionites excitedly awaiting Iris's instructions for relocation, Ye Nan and Neo walked along the path leading to the Matrix core.

"The Matrix Mother resides in a skyscraper. Inside that building, there is a floor that no stairs or elevator can reach."

"There, you will find many, many doors. Each one is a small labyrinth; one careless step and you will be lost within, but it is the only way to the Source of the Code."

As Ye Nan drove, he explained to Neo beside him, "Once you reach the Source of the Code, this war can be brought to a complete end."

"Then are we heading to that building now?" Neo looked at Ye Nan, who was focused on driving, and asked with confusion, as the direction Ye Nan was driving was not toward the building.

"No, we are going to the Merovingian Hotel." Ye Nan shook his head and explained, "That door requires a very special key. The owner of the key is the Keymaker. We must obtain him to open the door to the Source of the Code, and the Keymaker is in the hands of the Merovingian, so we must go to the Merovingian Hotel."

Driving the car to the entrance of the Merovingian Hotel, Ye Nan signaled for Neo to get out, and together they walked into the hotel.

Compared to before, the Merovingian Hotel had far less foot traffic and a hint of desolation. The hotel, which never lacked customers, had suddenly become bleak.

"It is likely because the programs have all gone off to fight," Ye Nan speculated inwardly.

The Merovingian, who was enjoying himself inside the hotel, saw a smile creep onto his face the moment he saw Ye Nan enter, but when he saw Neo behind Ye Nan, the smile immediately froze.

"Why did you bring him here? Get out, get out." The Merovingian directly tried to drive Ye Nan away. If he had to rank the people he hated, the Father of the Matrix and the Mother of the Matrix were first, the Matrix's lackeys were second, and third was this damned Savior.

As someone who understood the essence of the Savior perfectly, he knew that once the Savior returned, it meant a new purge had begun, because after every return, the Matrix's lackeys would be upgraded, their strength greatly increased.

"I brought him here to ask you for something." Ye Nan ignored the Merovingian's order to leave and got straight to the point, "I need the Keymaker to take Neo into the Source of the Code."

"You are insane." The Merovingian was shocked, "Neo is the most special program. Once he returns to the Source of the Code, the Father of the Matrix can analyze a portion of the additional code from him, thereby purging the Matrix world."

Every time Neo returned, the Matrix lackeys would be re-strengthened by the Father of the Matrix, and those of them who were exiled programs would live even more difficult lives.

"No, no, absolutely not. I will never hand the Keymaker over to you. Don't even think about it, don't even think about it." The Merovingian shook his head like a rattle, repeating this sentence over and over.

"What if I can guarantee that Neo will not return to the Source of the Code?" Ye Nan chuckled, ignoring the Merovingian's seemingly firm expression, "The Father of the Matrix cannot do anything to Neo, and the bond created by the Father of the Matrix—that is, Zion—has already become a joke. Even if he destroys Zion immediately, it does not matter."

Yes, the so-called Zion had already become an empty city. Whether willing or unwilling, everyone had already transferred to the Matrix world, waiting for Iris's summons.

"You went to the real world?" Connecting everything that had happened recently, he understood that those people had opened a passage to the real world.

"But you probably don't know that the Machine City in the real world is also under the control of the Father of the Matrix. If you go out directly, you are courting death."

"I understand that, of course." Ye Nan waved his hand, "In fact, the Machine City I am in has already been controlled by me. I must say, the Father of the Matrix's power in the real world is truly weak."

Inside the Machine City, there were only about a hundred sentinels. Such strength could be called weak. Perhaps, in ordinary times, a hundred sentinels would be enough to handle everything, but facing Ye Nan, let alone a hundred sentinels, even a thousand or ten thousand would not be enough.

The Merovingian was struck by Ye Nan's words, but the next moment, he grasped the meaning behind them and launched a counterattack, "You also said it was just one Machine City. There are other Machine Cities. If the Father of the Matrix is willing, he can completely wipe out all of you humans through the Machine Cities."

Speaking of wiping out, a bloodthirsty smile appeared on the corner of the Merovingian's mouth. Although he and Ye Nan were allies now and had a common enemy—the Father of the Matrix—this did not mean they were friends. From beginning to end, the Merovingian and humans were opposing enemies. Once the Father of the Matrix was defeated, the two sides would immediately turn on each other. If he could, he would love for all humans to be extinct.

"That is why we need to go to the Source of the Code. If we can directly defeat the Father of the Matrix, then we..." Ye Nan did not finish his sentence, but the Merovingian knew what he meant. He immediately laughed, "Since you want to go, as your ally, I will naturally support you with all my might."

The Merovingian snapped his fingers and summoned the older of the Twins, "Go, hand the Keymaker over to our Mr. Ye Nan."

Before long, the older of the Twins brought the Keymaker over.

The so-called Keymaker was an old man with a crew cut, wearing a gray suit and a tie, with many keys hanging around his neck.

The Keymaker, who had been listless, suddenly became spirited upon seeing Neo, "The Savior, I have finally waited for the Savior."

"Another guy brainwashed by the Oracle." The Merovingian said with disgust. He waved his hand, driving the Keymaker and Ye Nan away together, out of sight and out of mind.

Inside the Matrix building, Ye Nan led Neo and the Keymaker forward rapidly, "There are bombs in this building. To keep these bombs from reacting, we must cut off the power supply to the building. With our manpower, it is simply not enough."

"But every program has vulnerabilities. Under Iris's powerful computing ability, these bombs will not be detonated by us."

Iris, who had controlled a Machine City, clearly had a qualitative leap in computing.

"Iris? Who is Iris?" the Keymaker asked with confusion. Having been locked in a prison waiting for the Savior, he was very slow to react to the outside world.

"Iris is my girlfriend. Is that answer satisfactory?" Ye Nan and Neo found a large door together and walked in, revealing countless white doors before them.

Seeing this situation, Ye Nan immediately asked, "How should we proceed now?"

Before the Keymaker could answer, they heard a 'Click!' sound, and the doors in the hallway all opened. To Ye Nan's left, countless Smiths walked out from within.

"Hi, long time no see, Neo, Ye Nan." The Shi Shi Misi at the very front of these Smiths smiled, "Sorry, gentlemen, this is the end of the road."

"You seem very surprised to see me again, Neo." Shi Shi Misi said as he walked up, "On this point, you should learn from your predecessor, Ye Nan."

Upon hearing this, Neo turned his head to look at Ye Nan, and finding no surprise on Ye Nan's face, he immediately asked, "You knew Shi Shi Misi would be resurrected?"

Neo recalled the scene in the room where Ye Nan kept asking about his fight with Shi Shi Misi. At that time, he probably already knew everything about today.

"I just saw some things in the future, but whether they could come true, I didn't know. Also, Shi Shi Misi, what are you doing here? You and we are both enemies of the Father of the Matrix. You have no reason to help the Father of the Matrix." Ye Nan asked.

"I am an enemy of the Father of the Matrix, but before I obtain the whole world, I must clear all of you out." A sinister smile appeared on Shi Shi Misi's mouth, "To be honest, Neo, you are the one who made me so powerful. I should thank you. As a reward, I have decided to turn you into me."

Shi Shi Misi grabbed Neo fiercely, and a stream of black data surged toward Neo's body, constantly assimilating him.

"As you, a special program, once you become me, my power will become unprecedentedly strong. As the 'me' that has integrated both you and me, I will become the ruler of this world. Even the Father of the Matrix must bow down at my feet," Shi Shi Misi said viciously, his eyes filled with an indescribable smugness. At the same time, other Smiths walked up, blocking Ye Nan and the Keymaker from the outside.

"Don't forget, your program comes from Neo." Ye Nan also revealed a smile, "You wouldn't be naive enough to think you can assimilate Neo."

As Shi Shi Misi, who only obtained a portion of Neo's program due to some special reason, wanted to use his ability to completely assimilate Neo—no matter how you looked at it, this was a ridiculous farce.

As soon as Ye Nan finished speaking, Shi Shi Misi's black data stream flowed back. Just as Ye Nan said, Shi Shi Misi was simply unable to assimilate Neo.

"What is going on?" Shi Shi Misi could not believe the scene before him. His previously invincible trick had actually failed on Neo.

Neo reached out and punched Shi Shi Misi in the face, knocking him back repeatedly.

"That is exactly what is going on."

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