Wasteland Development Diary

The world consists of two parts: truth and lies.

Clockwork 4 had this thought back when it was Lightning 33.

Lies are life's imagination of truth, because only a portion of reality can be observed.

Humans can only see the blue arc of electricity from an electric cat, but cannot gaze upon the internal electric field and waves. For things unseen and incomprehensible, they can only rely on imagination to construct them.

Clockwork 4 didn't want to go to work, so it told nothing but lies.

Unexpectedly, it was transferred to Clockwork City and had to work after all.

Unlike the relaxed environment of the Wasteland Company, the intensity of work in the Mechanical City was far greater, with almost no rest time and being on standby 24/7.

No weekends, no entertainment rooms in the electrolytic cat boxes, no independent three-bedroom cat houses, no various rewards... not to mention the intensity-enhancing training at Spark Plains and the Olympic Center.

Clockwork 4 only felt regret.

Are the electric cat benefits this bad outside!

In Clockwork City, it was named Clockwork 4 and patrolled the entire city every day.

Complete electrical infrastructure had not yet been built here, and the four electric cats serving in the city mainly acted as combat members, responsible for maintaining the city's security and driving away suspicious individuals attempting to approach.

Before it had even worked for a month, an ice blast descended and destroyed the entire city.

Clockwork 4 initially felt overjoyed.

Good job, company!

Now I don't have to work!

It quickly realized something was wrong.

Electric cats need a lot of electricity to maintain themselves, so they have to find a way to get electricity. Although it can use electrical signals to control this electrician spider, it still needs to obtain oil and sugar from the outside to drive the floating heart generator.

It's unfamiliar with this place, so it needs to find a partner.

Clockwork 4 began to screen targets everywhere.

The Lawful Faction's reinforcements arrived late, and they set up a factory-style makeshift camp to house refugees, questioning the survivors to understand the situation before and after Clockwork City was destroyed.

Clockwork 4 was also questioned.

"How did you escape?"

"Before the city was bombed, the Wasteland Development Company issued an evacuation warning to our four electric cats, telling us to evacuate. We have been holding our ground. Although we are only B-level and cannot fight against atmospheric creatures, we run around the city's guide network, transmitting real-time information from various locations to the data center."

The electric cat gave the answer the other party wanted to know: "We held on until the final three-minute countdown when we were subjected to an electrical level impact. An unknown and immense force coerced us, forcing us to retreat."

"What was that force? What characteristics did it have?"

"Its power was very strong, something we couldn't contend with. It dominated our actions almost instantly."

The electric cat said, "We don't know who the other party was, and we can't remember what happened at the time. It should be a special ability mechanism of the other party."

"So I speculate that the attack on Clockwork City was not just by the ice blast and spotlight, but also by a powerful life hidden in the dark. We couldn't observe it, probably because the power gap between the enemy and us was too great."

"At the time, we judged on the spot that our remaining would not have any effect on the high-level battlefield, and we had to send this message out in time, so we chose to evacuate."

Words appeared on the white wall: "The information you provided is very valuable. Thank you for your cooperation."

"It's a pity that we didn't have enough power to protect Clockwork City."

"You did your best."

"Alas..."

Clockwork 4 said hypocritically.

It knew that Lawful wanted to hear this.

First, you have to provide valuable information, then you have to show that you are loyal to your duty, and your behavior must conform to common sense and work procedures—anyway, Lawful doesn't know what energy-state lifeforms like myself are thinking.

Although these four electric cats came from the Wasteland Company, not only were they not questioned, but they were also commended, and each received a reward of 1,000 light seeds.

Other mechanical lifeforms were repeatedly questioned and suspected.

When Lawful inquired, Clockwork 4 testified for Komatsu of the Dead Sea Workshop, saying that it was fine.

The reason was simple: the blue and white color scheme of this excavator looked pleasing to the eye.

However, the electric cat told Komatsu: "It's because you are loyal."

This answer sounded better.

After contacting Komatsu, the electric cat regretted it a little.

This guy has too many, too many whys.

Its machine brain has a million questions, and the question motor is constantly turning.

"Why was Clockwork City destroyed, and Lawful doesn't go to the Wasteland Company that destroyed the city, but instead troubles us refugees?"

"Because there's nothing they can do about the Wasteland Company. There may be spies among the refugees. If they can be found, it can provide a reference reason for the destruction of the city."

"The Wasteland Company said that their patents were infringed by the Lawful Faction. Is this true?"

The electric cat said: "The floating hearts, electric cat supporting facilities and equipment used in the Mechanical City were indeed invented by the company first. Did the Mechanical City pay patent fees?"

"There is no public announcement about this."

"Then the answer is obvious."

Komatsu asked again: "Why doesn't Lawful pay patent fees? The Mechanical City promotes knowledge payment, patent sharing, and long-term profitability... This is very strange."

"Because there are loopholes in the rules, and the loopholes are beneficial to the Mechanical City, at least they seem to be beneficial, so Lawful will use them. It's just that the result proves that it chose the most loss-making method."

...

In order to avoid being questioned further, Clockwork 4 directly told the other party.

"All your doubts come from a misunderstanding of Lawful's procedures."

"Mechanical lifeforms measure everything with data. In the data field, Lawful's decisions seem to be perfect. But in reality, it is not so."

"It just builds a seemingly impeccable program. As long as it runs in this program, it will not be wrong, because its logic forms a closed loop. But once the outside world deeply intervenes and does not act according to its rules, it will appear full of loopholes."

"Like this time, the Wasteland Company bombed and destroyed Clockwork City. Lawful's program cannot understand this behavior, so it has not given a response to this day."

The electric cat said: "Programs emphasize sufficient logic and motivation, but many behaviors in the real world do not."

"It is said that the chairman slayed a dragon just on a whim."

"Electric cats first appeared in the company not for work, but as ornamental pets."

"The fact that we two can meet is also just a coincidence. There are not so many inevitable connections."

"You have to understand that we live in the real world. Programs are just tools made by mechanical lifeforms to describe and better adapt to the external environment. They are fictional shadows created based on the real world."

The excavator thought for a long time: "But how to judge whether it is truth or lies?"

"Don't divide it so clearly, and you can't divide it."

The electric cat said: "Whether it is truth or lies, whichever is conducive to our survival, we will believe it."

"That's right, that's simple!"

Komatsu finally understood.

Next, Clockwork 4 began to get busy again. It went around lobbying the refugees of Clockwork City, finding suitable members from among them, and grouping these mechanical lifeforms together to facilitate finding the next settlement.

The best choice is the company, but it can't go back.

In the end, the electric cat settled for second best, selecting the United City as the final destination for this group of 22 people. It contacted them through satellite channels and received a positive response.

A day later, Clockwork 4 was summoned again by Lawful and returned to the information chamber of the Truth-Revealing Mirror program.

"You want to migrate to the United City?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

The electric cat explained: "That place is a neutral city and has long-term connections with the Mechanical City. We can adapt to living there. The alien city model also welcomes mechanical lifeforms, and the power construction is basically completed. Electric cats like me and mechanical lifeforms like Komatsu can get better treatment there."

"It does conform to your interests."

Information popped up on the white wall: "You have additional options. Mirror City, Sacred Mountain, and Snow County are all willing to accept you. You can also consider settling here."

"What about the treatment?"

"The treatment is the same as in Clockwork City."

"Then allow me to refuse."

The electric cat said: "I represent the interests of 2 electric cats, including myself, and 20 mechanical lifeform workers. I need to seek the greatest possible benefit for everyone."

"What does the United City promise you?"

"Weekends off, independent rooms, and a total of 2,200 light seeds for settlement fees."

The white wall was silent.

The electric cat thought, fortunately, it hadn't forgotten the things it learned in the company's electricity department training.

Uniting more individuals and advancing and retreating together can better maintain and protect each other's interests.

These were all learned from the [Electric Cat Compendium] at the time.

Now it comes in handy.

"We cannot provide weekends off. Independent rooms can be exchanged for C-level talent housing, and we can match the settlement fees."

"That's a pity."

The electric cat said: "Whether for mechanical lifeforms or us electric cats, vacations are very important. Please allow me to refuse your invitation, but thank you very much."

Lawful stopped raising the price.

New information appeared on the white wall.

"We are evaluating and updating Zhou Yi. You come from the Wasteland Company and understand the company's behavior patterns. Do you think he will continue to launch offensives like Clockwork City?"

The electric cat said: "I don't know."

"Then what do you think is the Wasteland Company's demand?"

"Money."

This time, the electric cat was very sure: "The company's patents, floating hearts, electric cat supporting infrastructure, and various electrical devices all took a lot of manpower and resources to invent and create."

"The chairman is a simple person. He will say what he wants. The whole company knows this."

"This matter is simple, as long as you pay the patent fees. Didn't the company say when it came that armed rights protection is to protect patent rights?"

A line of words appeared on the wall again: "Do you have any suggestions?"

The electric cat thought for a moment.

"Thank you for your care during this time, so I will talk about my own views."

"The Lawful Faction has fallen into the Wasteland Company's trap, constantly learning and chasing, imitating floating hearts, replicating the electric cat system, and imitating the Heavenly Net... Unless it turns itself into the company, it is impossible to completely imitate it."

"The company's strongest point is its blood-making ability. This blood-making ability is not limited to inventions. New inventors always emerge because the soil there is suitable for such people to survive."

"If this continues, the Lawful Faction will only be able to approach and will be difficult to surpass."

"I personally think there are only two ways now."

"What ways?"

"The first way is to find a way to completely eliminate the company. War is always the simplest and most brutal solution. But I think this is difficult. Currently, the chairman's light core reserves are very sufficient..."

"The second way is to no longer be in a hostile state and establish a formal alliance of interests with the company, giving play to the Mechanical City's manufacturing and improvement expertise."

The white wall displayed: "Thank you for your answer. I wish you all the best in the future."

Then the electric cat was ejected.

It knew that both of these methods were difficult for Lawful to accept.

The former could not be done. The latter denied Lawful's superiority—its debut was to replace the aging General Agreement to meet the challenges of the Mechanical Knight Order and new nobles such as the company.

But it didn't matter.

These were all issues that the Lawful Faction needed to consider.

Clockwork 4 once again controlled the electrician spider to enter the outside world, looking at the blazing sun outside.

From today on, it decided to rename itself "Cat Truth."

No longer a member of the company's Lightning Group, nor a guard of Clockwork City.

It will live as an independent electric cat, living freely and lying freely.