Chapter 459: Keeping One

The Trainman climbed to his feet, staring at Sidesky with utter disbelief.

This was the fissure between the Matrix World and Zion World, a transit hub, his own domain—here, he should be a god.

But now, someone had stepped forward and told him: This is my world, I am the god—his heart was shaken beyond words.

But soon, the Twins showed him that what the man said was not a lie—it was real, divine power.

"This is impossible!" the Trainman roared. "You're lying—you're definitely lying!"

Despite his furious shouting, the Trainman knew deep down the man was telling the truth—only a god could break the Twins' illusion.

The Twins emerged from beneath the train, looking deeply frustrated.

Their illusion, never before broken, had been shattered—this blow was too great.

"Nothing is impossible," Ye Nan declared arrogantly. "I told you—this is my world. Everything here is under my control."

If previously this transit hub was ruled by the Trainman, now it had become entirely Ye Nan's domain—because Simula and Elise, the two great AIs, had jointly cracked this tiny data world and successfully integrated themselves into Ye Nan, granting him permissions here greater than the Trainman's. That was why neither the Twins nor the Trainman could stand against him.

"Well, Mr. Luo Wen, whose territory is this now?" Ye Nan turned his head, smirking at Luo Wen.

"No, no, no—this is your territory, definitely your territory," Luo Wen muttered, pulling out a plate of strawberries from nowhere, picking one up, and shoving it into his mouth. "Actually… what I just said was a joke."

Luo Wen's words were vague and halting, hard to make out.

"Classic Frenchman—dying for face," Ye Nan chuckled. Luo Wen admired the French, learned their language, even adopted their arrogance—still in a weak position, yet unwilling to let go of pride.

"But," Luo Wen swallowed the strawberry, and his voice suddenly became clear. "We can still negotiate."

"Negotiate what?" Ye Nan asked.

"Team up against Shi Shi Misi," Luo Wen said. "I know you're thinking—with the Architect and me up front as shields, you can rest easy."

"But I want to trade a secret for your help."

Hearing this, Ye Nan's mind stirred. "What secret?"

"Among the humans the Architect gave you, some have been consumed by Shi Shi Misi," Luo Wen grinned maliciously. "Watch out—fire in your own backyard."

Originally, Luo Wen had welcomed Shi Shi Misi's consumption of humans—even contributed to it—to make Ye Nan uncomfortable, to disrupt him, to hinder him at critical moments.

But now he himself was barely holding on, so there was no point in causing Ye Nan trouble anymore. It brought him no benefit; better to reveal it and trade for Ye Nan's aid.

Ye Nan immediately understood. "The Architect," Ye Nan's voice turned angry. If Shi Shi Misi had infected human minds without the Architect's help, Ye Nan would never believe it. He even suspected Shi Shi Misi and the Architect had reached some agreement.

"Your act of taking humans away angered the Architect greatly. He's already made a tacit pact with Shi Shi Misi," Luo Wen sowed discord. "Look at me—why am I in such a state? Because the Architect manipulated Shi Shi Misi, sacrificing the Oracle to get Shi Shi Misi to strike at me."

"The Oracle?" Ye Nan froze again. He had once ordered the Twins to steal the Oracle's eyes but spared her life, thinking she might still be useful—never imagining the Architect was so ruthless as to hand her over to Shi Shi Misi outright.

The Oracle and the Architect were known as the Mother and Father of the Matrix—their permissions were equal. By giving the Oracle to Shi Shi Misi, the Architect had effectively surrendered half the Matrix's permissions.

In the movie, Shi Shi Misi's consumption of the Oracle greatly enhanced his power—he plunged the Matrix into chaos and even forced the cycle to be delayed, all because of Shi Shi Misi.

Now he willingly gave the Oracle to Shi Shi Misi—doesn't he know he's feeding a wolf?

"Shi Shi Misi's stupid brain was tricked by the Architect into attacking me—utterly foolish," Luo Wen cursed. If it were him, after gaining advantage, he'd immediately turn on the Architect, seize control of the Matrix first, and never give the Architect a single breath.

"Shi Shi Misi really is a fool," Ye Nan nodded in agreement. In the movie, if Shi Shi Misi had first consumed the Father of the Matrix and seized full permissions, he might have defeated Neo—but he didn't. He even waited for Neo to challenge him—utterly stupid.

Seeing Ye Nan agree, Luo Wen immediately said: "So, how about we cooperate?"

"No," Ye Nan rejected without hesitation. "I won't cooperate with you. But your warning just now reminded me—out of gratitude, I'll help you with one small thing. Note: small."

"You may ask for something big, but asking doesn't mean I'll accept—you'll just waste your chance."

Luo Wen, who had just been about to ask Ye Nan to help him seize the Matrix and destroy both the Architect and Shi Shi Misi, snapped his mouth shut.

"What counts as a 'small thing'?" Luo Wen muttered inwardly. From Ye Nan's wording, this "small thing" must be equivalent to the secret he'd revealed—essentially a trade.

But the secret he'd revealed was big in scope yet small in substance—it all depended on Ye Nan's mood, leaving him uneasy.

"Making him kill Shi Shi Misi and the Architect? Impossible. But beyond those two, I don't seem to have any other demands."

"Wait—I could ask him to bring Neo to me."

A flash of inspiration struck Luo Wen's mind; his face brightened. "It's a small thing indeed—I ask you to bring Neo to me."

Once Neo entered the transit hub, he'd be entirely at Luo Wen's mercy. Ye Nan could seize permissions here—but that didn't mean Neo could.

"Ye Nan must have relied on that woman, Elise," Luo Wen thought. "What an odd being she is."

The first time he saw Elise, he'd sensed something extraordinary about her—she seemed to wield immense permissions in the Matrix, able to alter data at will.

Back then, Elise had opened a pathway from the Matrix to the real world—an ability that stunned him, because he knew only one such door existed: the Source. Now she'd opened another—what did that mean?

It was like playing a game and finding someone besides the official GM who could cheat to spawn gear.

So Luo Wen guessed it was Elise who had modified the data here, granting Ye Nan these permissions.

"Such a terrifying ability—why, with my charm, hasn't any woman come to me?" Luo Wen grumbled inwardly, growing angrier and more frustrated, wishing countless women would flock to him to prove his allure.

"You're impressive," Ye Nan praised Luo Wen with a glance, recognizing him as a cunning schemer who could turn this small favor into maximum advantage.

The only one who could oppose Shi Shi Misi was Neo. Ye Nan had refused to hand Neo over—cutting off his hope. But now, by asking Ye Nan to bring Neo to him, Luo Wen was effectively getting Neo handed to him.

"I'd love to refuse," Ye Nan chuckled, "but I seem unable to."

"No," Luo Wen shook his head. "I always have confidence in myself—just like now, when I launch my counterattack, I won't fail."

"But you've already failed. Most of your subordinates have been wiped out by Shi Shi Misi, manipulated by the Architect. I see no chance for you—even if you use Neo to destroy Shi Shi Misi, it won't change anything," Ye Nan suddenly grew curious and added, "Besides, Neo isn't the Oracle. The Oracle excels at strategy; Neo is muscle with no brain. He's the same type as Shi Shi Misi—you can't control him."

"I can't control him—but I can use his strength against him," Luo Wen boasted. "Aren't I already doing that? We're both smart men. Smart men speak plainly—flowery words are for fools. Roundabout talk only ruins the original flavor. Isn't that right?"

"True," Ye Nan said, smiling slyly at the smug Luo Wen. "But saying that—aren't you afraid I might change my mind?" As if the moment Luo Wen said "yes," Ye Nan would retract his promise and make him stumble.

"No. A man's word is his bond. One who breaks his word lives a lifetime of broken promises."

Hearing this, Ye Nan burst into laughter. "Indeed. One who breaks his word once lives a lifetime of broken promises."

"But next time, don't let your heart race so fast."