Chapter 157: Nameless Legend

The vast majority of the AI's energy comes from the biological power facilities in the 'human farms'; without those facilities, most of the AI's mechanical armies become disposable items.

Unable to recharge, they were quickly scrapped on a large scale under the Resistance Army's assault, and having lost the computational power of the human-brain CPUs in the False World, they can no longer form an effective means of resistance.

To control the number of humans waking up, the Resistance Army took over the biological power devices, letting those not yet awakened continue sleeping in the nutrient warehouses, after all, current human infrastructure is insufficient to support such a sudden population.

Yu Xiaomo followed Zhang Jie's mother to the already-controlled biological power facility; along the way, whether man or woman, the vast majority were bald.

This means these people have been awake for less than a year, their bodily functions not yet fully recovered; someone like Zhang Jie's mother, with thick hair, is clearly an old member of the Resistance Army.

On the way here, Yu Xiaomo's heart was both excited and uneasy.

The excitement comes from finally being able to see that important person from her dream, just like meeting an online love in person.

The unease stems from her feeling that things are not that simple.

She remembers Liu Delie; although she doesn't recall many other details, at least she knows she did know him.

But the person named Zhang Jie... she completely does not remember.

What is her relationship with him, how did they meet, and why did she forget him?

Soon, the two arrived at a hidden space, which had been a secret base for the Resistance Army's covert intrusion into the False World.

Upon seeing this, Yu Xiaomo suddenly felt a bad feeling.

She saw Zhang Jie's mother emerge from a small, dilapidated iron shed, carrying a charred infant's desiccated corpse, and slowly walk up to Yu Xiaomo.

Yu Xiaomo's pupils trembled; she pointed at the corpse, opening and closing her mouth, but could not utter a word.

"This... this...."

"He..."

Zhang Jie's mother lowered her eyes, holding the desiccated corpse in her arms, not showing the slightest disgust but instead lovingly stroking its cheek.

"As you can see, this is the Zhang Jie you've been looking for."

"How could this be! How could it be like this!"

Yu Xiaomo turned away, unable to bear looking at the scene; she did not believe the desiccated corpse before her was the person she sought.

"How dare you! How can you prove this is him!"

Zhang Jie's mother fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly.

"Everyone who leaves the False World called the Dream will forget most things, forgetting most of their own lives."

"But you will not forget your relationships with others; you will remember your parents, remember important people, and remember their names."

"Only... him, the anomaly of the False World, also the 'virus' the Resistance Army spoke of; only his existence will be forgotten by everyone."

She let out a long sigh and placed the small, charred figure into a box prepared beforehand.

"Until now, I have been playing the role of his mother."

"But I deceived him; his life was a farce, with no future, only deceit."

"I am unworthy to be his mother, yet I still wish to regard myself as his mother..."

A few tears fell, and Zhang Jie's mother gave Yu Xiaomo a forced smile.

"The Resistance Army will hold a mourning ceremony for him soon; I hope you can come as well."

"At that time, he will no longer be a virus, nor an anomaly."

"He will be a nameless legend in human history...."

"I don't believe it! I don't believe!"

Yu Xiaomo clenched her teeth and loudly objected.

"I want to return to that False World! I want to see him one more time!"

Zhang Jie's mother fell silent for a moment, sighed, and then stepped aside to let the path behind her.

"If you don't believe it, you can connect the brain-machine interface to see whether that world still exists."

"But I must remind you that the flow of time between the Dream Realm and reality is not the same; that world may very well already be on the brink of destruction."

"Forcibly entering would pose a threat to your life, after all, in that world you are already in a state of 'death'."

"I want to go!"

Yu Xiaomo is utterly determined; as long as she can see that person once, just one glance, she will surely remember everything!

Feeling the interface inserted into the back of her head, Yu Xiaomo only felt a huge current surge through her brain, so painful she could not breathe.

Her consciousness gradually faded; when she opened her eyes again, she saw a world on the verge of collapse, and the endless nightmare.

Her memory did not return as she had imagined; she looked around, trying to find something.

Suddenly, on a distant throne, she saw a familiar figure.

Just that one glance, she confirmed the person's identity!

"Zhang....!"

Before she could finish shouting the name, her vision suddenly went blank.

'World formatting complete....'

Yu Xiaomo awoke from a chamber full of nutrient fluid; as she opened her eyes, an unparalleled urge to vomit came over her.

She vomited desperately, expelling large amounts of viscous liquid; compared to the physical discomfort, Yu Xiaomo felt even worse inside.

In the end, she never saw that person again; all that remained was that lonely silhouette.

He bore the fates of countless people, yet chose to bury himself in the False World...

In the end, even his name will be forgotten...

Yu Xiaomo's heartache was beyond relief; under the dual torment of body and spirit, she finally fainted...

Three months later, human civilization was recovering at an astonishing speed and had achieved a great victory in its struggle against the AI!

Moreover, while reading the AI's database, the Resistance Army unexpectedly discovered the existence of an extraterrestrial civilization.

The universe is vast and boundless; having an extraterrestrial civilization is quite normal, but everyone who learned the news became very excited.

That month, the funeral was held for the 'virus' who had saved everyone from the False World, and a massive mechanical epitaph was erected in their honor.

At the funeral, the Resistance Army leader explained to all humanity this long‑kept secret plan, and publicly corrected everyone's name for them.

Not a virus, not a mutant, but the Nameless Legend.

This secret left everyone shocked and incredulous; the words "Nameless Legend" were deeply etched in their minds, impossible to shake off.

And when the funeral ended, a small figure appeared beneath that huge tombstone...

Yu Xiaomo gazed at the delicate little box surrounded by flowers, pursing her lips.

She recalled that he once had a wager with her.

As for what that wager was, she could hardly remember it anymore....

She didn't know why, but she knew he had won, and deep down a voice seemed to tell her, driving her to come here.

Feeling the warm coin already clenched in her palm, Yu Xiaomo didn't realize when tears had begun to fall.

"You won…"

Those words lingered in her mind, as if they were the last words that person had ever said to her.

But she couldn't remember it....

"You won…"

Yu Xiaomo whispered softly, walked toward the flower‑covered steps, and gently placed the coin from her palm onto the box.

"Goodbye… Zhang Jie."

"I will definitely find my memories, definitely!"

She finally glanced at the small box, then slowly left this place.

And in a place she didn't notice, another coin lay quietly in a corner of the box, unnoticed...