Chapter Nine: Hao Yun Expelled!

Inside Hao Yun's residence, the doorbell suddenly rang with a sharp, piercing chime.

"Master, the Decepticons are slandering you in front of the United States military. Right now, they have arrived at the front gate, demanding your deportation from the United States."

Hao Yun had been fast asleep, figuring that he would simply leave the plot of *Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen* to his newly accepted disciple. Yet, having barely rested for a moment today, Friday was already notifying him that the Decepticons had tracked him down?

What was the meaning of this? Trying to deport a member of their own species? The US military had truly grown far too bold!

"Sunday, shall I open the door?"

"Open it. I would quite like to hear what they have to say."

A uniquely chilling smile crossed Hao Yun's lips. Perhaps the denizens of Earth needed a reminder of what the dark forest theory of the universe truly meant—and what it meant when the strong reigned supreme!

"Click. Please, enter!"

As the main door swung wide open, a crisp, cold young maiden's voice echoed through the room.

The Sector 7 operatives dispatched by the US military to Hao Yun's villa exchanged glances, suddenly recalling the combat footage from the previous war against the Decepticons that the general had replayed for them. For some inexplicable reason, their knees began to feel rather weak...

"Come in, then. Tell me, what business brings you here?"

When facing the humans of this universe, Hao Yun did not possess the patience he typically reserved for the Earth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After all, in this reality, his only genuine ties were to the Witwicky family.

No, to be precise, his only tie was to his disciple, Mikaela.

The visitors looked at one another, nudging and poking each other in hesitation. Finally, unable to withstand the expectant gazes of his subordinates, the leader steeled himself and stepped forward.

"Mr. Potts, your accounts have received dozens of unauthorized, illicit transfers. If you cannot explain their origin, then under the provisions of the United States Constitution, your unlawful acquisition of these funds will result in your deportation..."

"Oh? Is that so?" Standing behind the indoor wet bar, Hao Yun poured himself a glass of 1982 Château Lafite. He raised his head slightly and delivered a sharp retort: "If I recall correctly, the accounts transferring these funds originated from the White House, did they not? Have you bothered to question the President about this?"

His words were essentially a blunt declaration that the money was nothing less than protection money paid by the United States government! If there was a problem, they should take it up with the President and ask him why he was paying tribute!

Upon hearing this, the visitors were driven into an even deeper state of helplessness. Cold sweat poured down the forehead of the leading official like a cascading waterfall!

"Sir, you understand how it is—we are merely hired help..."

"Heh, so what you are implying is that you intend to cause trouble for the White House? Very well, I shall go and ask the President myself. If he refuses to acknowledge it, I will tear the White House down to the ground!"

Hao Yun made a motion as if to rise, a terrifying surge of energy flickering across his palms...

Though the Sector 7 agents present could not see it with their naked eyes, the energy detectors at their waists were already wailing frantically, warning them of massive reserves of power being gathered and primed for release!

Every single visitor stiffened instantly. What was this madness? Were they simply sent here to die?

The leader completely lost the strength to remain standing, dropping to his knees on the spot, wrapping his arms around Hao Yun's thigh, and wailing aloud: "Ah! Sir, this truly isn't our fault! Blame the President! Optimus Prime is dead, and they cannot withstand the threats of the Decepticons! We are entirely innocent!"

His weeping was a masterpiece of misery, a torrent of tears and snot... Watching him cry uncontrollably while stubbornly clinging to his leg, refusing to let go even when kicked at, Hao Yun's face darkened. With a single blink, he teleported straight out of the man's grasp.

Sigh, it was all his own fault for being too easy to talk to; now every stray cat and dog dared to come barking at his door!

"Fine, fine, I won't hold it against you. I am leaving."

Capping his desire to argue further with them, Hao Yun took a single step and materialized outside the door... Just in time to see Bumblebee arrive, carrying Sam's roommate Leo alongside Mikaela!

"Master!"

"Uncle Potts!"

The two of them shouted from inside the vehicle toward Hao Yun by the front gate.

"Enough, stop yelling! Sam, go fetch your parents. We are leaving this instant!"

Hao Yun reminded Sam that if he simply fled alone, the enemy would undoubtedly use his parents to get to him!

Sam was no fool—or rather, how could a protagonist ever be a fool? The moment he heard Hao Yun's words, he grasped the profound meaning behind them. Nodding hastily, he bolted from the car toward his parents' house, practically dragging Mr. and Mrs. Witwicky by their arms and forcing them into the Autobot's cabin.

"Sam, what on earth are you doing?!"

"We are supposed to go sightseeing in Los Angeles this afternoon! What is the meaning of this?!"

"Dad, Mom, just come with me. I'll explain everything later..."

Sam had no time for lengthy explanations. Shaking his head, Hao Yun climbed into the same vehicle as the Witwicky couple, offering a few words of reassurance along the way.

Without a moment's delay, Bumblebee sped away with his passengers, hurtling toward an unmonitored slum to temporarily evade satellite surveillance and video feeds...

Meanwhile, upon receiving the news that Sam, Hao Yun, and the others had escaped, Megatron, The Fallen, and the rest of the Decepticons were consumed by boiling fury!

Megatron leaped directly onto a television station's transmission tower, grasping a pair of high-voltage cables in his hands. Using his own cybernetic body as a relay transmitter, he broadcasted the signal originating from The Fallen across the entire globe, forcibly hijacking every computer screen and television broadcast!

"Hear me, you fragile humans dwelling in squalor upon this Earth! Your leaders have concealed the truth from you.

You are not alone in the universe; we walk among you, hidden in plain sight.

As of today, you have witnessed our power—we can reduce your cities to dust at our whim. Unless you willingly submit and surrender two specific humans, we will utterly obliterate your world should you choose to resist!"

As his voice faded, the screens flashed to display Sam's identity card and likeness, followed immediately by Hao Yun's identification and portrait.

To put it simply, the Decepticons intended to exploit human inner terror to cast Sam and Hao Yun out of human society entirely!

Inside their secret hideout, upon witnessing this broadcast alert, Sam nearly choked with fury. On the spot, he grabbed Leo's phone—the only communication device they had left—and smashed it into absolute fragments!

"Why?! Why are they lumping me into this deportation as well? Uncle Potts, I am merely an ordinary human being, am I not?"

Sam looked toward Hao Yun with an expression of bitter anguish... Hao Yun Potts possessed terrifying combat strength and could tear apart giant robots with his bare hands, so it made sense if the Decepticons dared not touch him. But why must he, too, be cast aside?

Hao Yun chuckled softly. The little fellow still failed to realize his own uniqueness!

"No, Sam, you are mistaken. The one they truly wish to deport is you! As for me... I am merely the accompanying afterthought!"

"Why?"

Ron Witwicky raised his own question at that moment.

"Because he is the protagonist! The protagonist of this era! Remember the fragment of the AllSpark that fell out when you were packing your clothes? It contains the geographical coordinates of the ignition key for the ancient super-energy source capable of resurrecting Optimus Prime. What those Decepticons truly desire is the information stored inside your brain!"

"Then I'll just give it to them! The key is of no use to me anyway. If they wanted it, they should have asked—it's not like I'm unreasonable!"

Sam roared hysterically. He was just an ordinary guy, someone who simply wanted to attend college and secure a decent job after graduation! As for saving the world at every turn, he was merely a teenager who had just graduated from high school!

If he hadn't already been through this once, facing the rejection of all humanity, he would have broken down completely long ago.