A cube of size 4 × 4 × 4 is divided into 16 equal squares per face, with numbers from 1 to 96 randomly assigned to these squares. An operation consists of taking two squares that share a vertex, summing their numbers, and rewriting this sum in one of the squares while leaving the other blank. After performing several such operations, only one number remains. Prove that regardless of the order of operations, the final remaining number is always the same. Also find this number.