Chapter 568: Respective Preparations

"A large number of Autobots have been detected flooding into Soli..."

When this news arrived from a Humanoid Decepticon who had infiltrated the Soli Federal Republic just two days prior, Sun Cheng did not feel surprised in the slightest.

Two days ago, through spies he had planted within the United States, he had already learned that the U. S. Congress had passed a bill to dismantle the NEST force.

Although Sun Cheng did not know the specific events that had transpired internally, based on his understanding of the Americans, he could roughly guess a thing or two.

"It seems Optimus Prime and the Americans have had a complete falling out!"

Sun Cheng and Sentinel Prime were currently staying in a location in northeastern Kenya, which was very close to the Soli Federal Republic and not too far from another major African power—Ethiopia.

The base they were temporarily occupying was even more magnificent and larger in area than the underground structure previously handed over to the Autobots.

This underground structure was generally the same as the "Warehouse" given to the Autobots; both were built in a Gobi vegetation zone with sparse plant life, and there were no other structures on the surface.

After all, since it was a place for his own use, Sentinel Prime had clearly put much more effort into it while directing the robots to build it than he had for the "Warehouse" he had long known would be given to the Autobots.

It had two access tunnels, and although the main structure was, like the "Warehouse," a single unit, it was 300 meters in length and width, 20 meters in height, and had a total area of 90,000 square meters.

In the soft soil of the Gobi vegetation zone, to build such an underground structure, the concrete and steel bars used alone amounted to 60,000 cubic meters and 7,000 tons respectively, enough to withstand the bombardment of most types of missiles, artillery shells, and rockets.

Sentinel Prime directed over 400 robots, and it took a full six days of non-stop, day-and-night labor to finish the construction.

With two to three times as many robots as when the "Warehouse" was built for the Autobots, and taking three times as long, the difference was evident.

Sentinel Prime had originally thought this would be an important stronghold for Sun Cheng to establish himself in Africa, but unfortunately, he did not know that Sun Cheng had never intended to stay here for long from the very beginning.

Africa was, from the start, a big piece of fat he had prepared for the Autobots.

"It seems necessary to increase the investment in the Autobots!"

After the Decepticon Legion appeared publicly and launched attacks on many countries across Earth without restraint, Sun Cheng could clearly feel the shift in the attitude of the Moscow authorities.

Even though that strongman president hiding behind the scenes had not changed his stance as clearly as the United States.

But after witnessing the strength of the Decepticon Legion, those profit-driven Russians did not want to be tied to Sun Cheng's chariot of unification.

After all, a long time ago, when he was distancing himself from the Decepticon Legion, he had explained to several cooperating human nations the relationship and entanglements between his own forces and the Decepticon Legion.

That Moscow would turn against him after witnessing the unbridled power of the Decepticon Legion was, while annoying to Sun Cheng, within his expectations.

However, Moscow had not offended him too severely; despite the change in attitude there, the Russians had also gained quite a lot from their cooperation with Sun Cheng and his group.

The previous contracts were still ongoing, and a steady stream of various supplies continued to be transported from within Russia to Severodvinsk.

Then, via several cargo submarines converted from Typhoon-class nuclear submarines, they were continuously shipped to South America and Africa.

Leaving Sun Cheng aside for the moment, at Optimus Prime's order, the vast majority of the Autobots began to evacuate toward the Soli Federal Republic in Africa.

"Sam, it is we who have implicated you!"

Seeing the American boy—Sam—again after many days, Optimus Prime crouched down with an apologetic look on his face.

In just a few short days, Sam and his little girlfriend Mikaela both looked like different people.

Mikaela was still fine; she looked at most a little less glamorous than before, with a bit more of the simplicity that someone of her age should have.

Sam, on the other hand, had lost a whole circle of weight, and the gauntness was especially obvious around his eye sockets and chin.

It was clear that during this recent period of being wanted by the Decepticons and the entire world, he had lived every day in fear.

Sam leaned against the Chevrolet sports car that Bumblebee had transformed into, and upon hearing this, he shook his head.

Being wanted by his own country, and hearing from the Autobots that the U. S. government even intended to hand him over to the Decepticons in exchange for peace.

This feeling of being betrayed by his country left Sam, a youth of only eighteen, feeling disheartened.

"... Optimus Prime, let me turn myself in!"

He said in a low voice, his eyes dull and devoid of any luster.

Optimus Prime frowned slightly: "Sam, I know that recent events have been a great blow to you. But please trust us, the Autobots will definitely protect you well; we will never let the Decepticons harm you!"

Bumblebee had already reported to him truthfully about the encounter when he and Ratchet rushed to rescue Sam that day.

Optimus Prime had already guessed some of the Decepticon Legion's intentions, and he immediately explained: "Sam, the AllSpark Fragment you obtained earlier likely contains some very important information... It is information regarding another holy relic in the legends of our Cybertronian civilization—the 【Matrix of Leadership】... That is why those Decepticons will stop at nothing to obtain it, even at the cost of your life!"

His words finally restored some spirit to Sam, who had felt like he had been betrayed by the whole world over the past few days.

"Fragment..." Sam muttered, and he hurriedly looked up at Optimus Prime: "Right, the fragment..."

He pulled up his sleeve, revealing a special symbol on his arm.

Ever since the Decepticon Wheelie snuck into Sam's home a short while ago, intending to steal the AllSpark Fragment in Sam's old clothes, he had accidentally touched the fragment.

Over the past period, strange characters that looked like both text and pictures had frequently appeared in Sam's mind.

Sam had specifically asked a tattoo artist to tattoo the one that left the deepest impression on his arm.

Optimus Prime looked toward his arm, and the blue light in his eyes brightened slightly.

"Elder Script..."

His teacher was the legitimate successor of the Prime Dynasty of the past—Sentinel Prime; naturally, Optimus Prime understood the Elder Script.

The Elder Script was an ancient language born during the most prosperous period of the Cybertronian civilization; every character was an encrypted information database, composed of a large amount of information and images.

Staring at Sam's arm for a moment, Optimus Prime asked anxiously: "Sam, this is an incomplete coordinate... Do you remember more of these characters?"

"Of course!"

Sam patted his head, "They are all here, so many, many of them... When I touched that fragment, I inexplicably remembered them!"

"Quick, Sam..."

Optimus Prime requested: "These characters you remember are an ancient language from our planet Cybertron. I suspect that these characters may hide intelligence regarding the 【Matrix of Leadership】... I hope you can write them all down... I can guarantee you that we will eliminate the Decepticons as soon as possible and let you return to your original life!"

He was, after all, an experienced Leader; how could he not see what Sam was pursuing?

Sure enough, as soon as these words were spoken, a bit of luster returned to Sam's previously disheartened face.

He looked at Optimus Prime, and the two stared at each other for a long while, before Optimus Prime nodded solemnly at him.

"I believe you!"

After closing his eyes to recall for a moment, Sam found a wooden stick and began to draw on the ground.