Chapter 80: Sarah

Sarah was Connor’s mother, an ordinary woman, but since the event eleven years ago, she became anything but ordinary.

A warrior from the future, Karlis, told her that her son would be humanity’s leader; she didn’t believe him at first, but when assassins from the future appeared, she realized her son truly was humanity’s future leader.

Yet she had always been puzzled: if the future John Connor had sent someone to protect her, then who exactly was the future John Connor, since she had given birth to John Connor with Karlis, the warrior from the future.

Unable to figure it out, she buried the question deep within herself and took her son to her sister’s house, though her sister had been killed by a crocodile.

But Connor was utterly unruly, constantly arguing with her, preferring to play with his friends, showing none of his father’s demeanor—yet the one thing that brought her comfort was that the qualities of John Connor, humanity’s future leader, were already manifesting in him.

When Sarah returned home from work, she immediately sensed chaos inside her house; she assumed Connor was again playing with his delinquent friends and stormed in angrily.

The moment Sarah entered, she froze: among the people inside, a few wore normal clothes, but the rest were all clad in identical black special ops gear, each radiating a formidable aura—yet the most striking figure was the man seated in a wheelchair.

Sarah trembled, took a deep breath, and instantly calmed herself. “Who are you?” she asked.

“I am the CEO of ICQ Corporation, named Ye Nan. Hello, madam, please forgive my abrupt intrusion,” Ye Nan said with a smile. “I heard you once acquired a micro-chip. I’m very interested in it.”

“As you know, ICQ Corporation is dedicated to serving humanity and contributing to the construction of the internet, so we seek to absorb other technological advancements—such as the micro-chip in your possession.”

“I don’t know what ICQ Corporation is, I don’t know what a micro-chip is. All I know is that you broke into my home. Now get out,” Sarah pointed to the door. “If you don’t leave, I’ll call the police.”

“No, you can’t refuse,” Jack stepped forward. “Your son invited us. Even if you call the police, they won’t take your case. Besides, we can give you a lot of money.”

“Take your stinking money and go drown in it,” Sarah coldly shoved Jack aside, called her son over, and scolded him. “Didn’t I tell you never to bring strangers into the house? Why won’t you listen?”

“Mom, he’s not a stranger—he’s my friend. His name is Ye Nan. He said he wants to be my friend,” Connor quickly defended himself, fearing his mother’s misunderstanding. “Come on, Ye Nan, you said you wanted to be my friend—tell my mom we’re friends now. Friends help each other.”

“That’s right—friends help each other,” Ye Nan nodded firmly. “Like me—I love helping people. Mrs. Sarah, I know what you’ve been through. That tragic experience—I can help you.”

From her earpiece, Simila’s voice slowly came through: “Eleven years ago, a terrorist named Karlis appeared, spreading apocalyptic warnings that future war would see SkyNet destroy humanity.”

“How could that be? SkyNet wouldn’t destroy humanity!” Simila exclaimed from the other end of the earpiece.

“SkyNet? What’s going on? Never mind—I’ll ask later.”

Ye Nan had intended to question her immediately, but remembering there was something more urgent, he set it aside.

The Terminator T-800 is a machine created by SkyNet from the future, possessing formidable combat strength—police were nothing but trash before him. His power rivaled, even surpassed, the Valkyrie.

The most crucial component of the Terminator T-800 is its micro-chip. If obtained, it could be replicated to produce more T-800s—then Ye Nan could fully enter the international arms market and supply weapons to nations worldwide.

“Eleven years ago, a warrior from the future named Karlis came to our world, spreading apocalyptic warnings that future war would see SkyNet destroy humanity, and was ultimately labeled a terrorist…”

Before Ye Nan finished speaking, Sarah interrupted him, her expression agitated. “He wasn’t a terrorist—he was my husband, my child’s father. He was a great warrior.”

“Everyone, leave,” Ye Nan said, ignoring Sarah’s words. “Ali, you too. Mrs. Sarah, what I’m about to say—your son should leave as well. Otherwise, it would be a severe trauma to his young mind.”

“Ye Nan, you’re going to…” Ali looked worried, the words caught in her throat.

“It’s fine, don’t worry. Mrs. Sarah won’t do anything to me,” Ye Nan reassured her. He longed to place a hand on Ali’s shoulder, pat her, and tell her not to fear.

“Connor, go outside,” Sarah said. “I need to speak with your friend.”

“Fine. You always hide everything from me,” Connor muttered, clearly uninterested. Since childhood, his mother had never told him who his real father was—only that he was a policeman.

But he understood well: his mother often cried while holding a photo of a stranger. He’d overheard conversations between his mother and his stepfather, and knew the man in the photo—not the man beside her—was his real father.

Once everyone had left, Ye Nan spoke slowly. “Mrs. Sarah, don’t you find Connor’s existence a paradox?”

“Connor’s father is a warrior from the future named Karlis. But how, then, was the future Karlis born? Connor is his son—so why, in the future, is Karlis Connor’s soldier, not his father?”

“Assume Karlis is already dead—then where did the future Karlis come from? If he was born in the future, then who is Connor’s true father? Do you understand, madam?”

“You mean Karlis lied to me?” Sarah asked, incredulous. Emotionally, she believed Karlis—but rationally, his claims were too horrifying. Even though machines from the future had come to kill her.