Wasteland Development Diary

Thousands of miles away from Emerald City.

Inside the Mirror City data center, the numbers and letters on every screen wall flashed rapidly.

Numerous sub-machines undertook different calculation modules and missions.

They integrated all the results and summarized the final result on the spherical main screen.

Data indicators of utmost importance were displayed from top to bottom.

[Public referendum support rate for seceding from the Legalist Faction: 9.17%↑]

[War simulation win rate: 50.31%↓]

[Probability correction in progress… Frequency probability is 51.17%]

[Subjective probability corrected to 49.54%]

[New light-core entities detected: Wuhu Overpass, Leshan Giant Buddha]

[Danger level increased]

Six mecha-lifeforms stood beneath the spherical screen.

They silently stared at the rows of data.

In the wide and empty hall, there was only the howling sound of the cooling fans.

One of the intelligent wheelchairs spoke: “Everyone, we are invited as Legalist consultants to provide advice related to Legalist procedures. The current Legalist calculation error cannot be eliminated, so the external information collection and manual intervention mechanism has been enabled. Everyone cannot remain silent.”

“For the benefit of the entire Legalist Faction and every city, please display your respective talents to solve the great crisis before us.”

A photocopier next to it said: “Mokong, you are a high-ranking monk; why don’t you start us off?”

The mecha-monk in the shape of a wheelchair said: “I propose being open and honest, sending someone again to negotiate with Zhou Yi, the chairman of Wasteland Development Corporation, to restore normal interactions and cooperation—I am willing to go.”

“This plan of yours was submitted long ago, but the Legalist faction hasn't approved it yet, so I guess there won't be any progress. Otherwise, you should be the one going to Sandport, not Shang Yang.”

The one responding was a giant spherical mecha-lifeform.

It said: “I am a doctor. From a medical point of view, only when a lifeform suffers from a disease that cannot heal itself will a deep-domain surgery be performed.”

“Although the Legalist Faction is currently impacted by the Floating Heart and Electric Cat systems, it has not reached a completely unacceptable level of disaster.”

“Whether facing the [Key] or the [Legalist], my attitude is consistent. Do not choose a radical route, as this will cause irreversible major damage.”

“Using strong medicine is not a conventional method of treating diseases; it can only be attempted when there are no other options.”

“Lister, even at the expert level, you doctors are still so conservative.” The photocopier said in a sharp voice: “I won’t pretend anymore; I hope to start a war directly, to launch a world war!”

“Either get beaten to pieces, with mecha-cities continuing to be destroyed, or let the Legalist faction regain its advantage! Hahaha! Don't many people want to see us fight! Let's satisfy everyone's preferences!”

“Are you crazy?!”

Mecha-doctor Lister focused his electronic eyes on the photocopier, red light flashing: “Dak! You are a senior consultant for the Security Department. How can you give such extreme and crazy advice! Could it be that you suggested Shang Yang carry out the assassination?”

“It wasn't him.”

High Monk Mokong said: “Dak has been trying his best to avoid war and conflict, lobbying everywhere and popularizing war avoidance to various cities… He is just disappointed. Dak, don’t be like this. None of us want the current outcome.”

“We don’t want it, but City 404 very much wants to see it.”

Dak coldly said: “This is the scenario they want to see: to enable radical Legalism, and then destroy the stability and integrity that mecha-lifeforms have worked so hard to accumulate, and invest most of the resources in consumption and confrontation with other groups.”

“Then the mecha-cities will fall into a quagmire of war, continuously decline, until the mecha-lifeforms can no longer endure it and begin to migrate outwards. Eventually, they will become an atomized society, unable to build a united and mutually trusting city.”

“At that time, mecha-lifeforms will no longer be a threat, just tireless mechanical laborers.”

Everyone was silent.

Dak continued in a loud voice: “It’s already moving in that direction; can’t you see it?”

“404 released Shang Yang, allowing him to enable the Legalist program, replacing the General Protocol, further tightening control over each mecha-city, and strengthening friction and confrontation with the outside world!”

“The efforts the Security Department has been making, trying its best to avoid proactively initiating wars and combat conflicts, are all in vain in the face of Legalism. The reason for Legalism is also ironic: to launch wars in order to maintain the social security of mecha-lifeforms!! What a typical mecha-joke, killing tens of thousands of mecha-residents!”

“Can’t you all see it!”

Another agricultural machine spoke: “Given the current situation, we can only try our best to preserve the mecha-cities.”

“Then John Deere, you tell me, how do we preserve them?” Dak retorted.

“Seek third-party negotiation and peace talks.”

Agricultural machine John Deere said: “Please ask the Celestial Kingdom or Star Cluster to help mediate and negotiate with the Wasteland Development Corporation.”

“Mecha-cities must not step into the whirlpool of war; we should always persist in production and labor. Even if we cannot establish absolute advantage, we will maintain a place for ourselves.”

They argued fiercely, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense.

“Everyone, wait a moment.”

A voice rang out in the air: “Look at the big screen first.”

Everyone immediately looked at the spherical screen.

It read:

[The mecha-administrator has been disconnected and cannot be accessed through the Great Holy Spirit Network.]

[The mecha-administrator is missing.]

[According to its last access records, it is suspected of being attacked by other conceptual lifeforms, and the final node of public consciousness that disappeared was located within the territory of the Development Alliance.]

[The special mecha-lifeform introduction plan has been stopped.]

[Please provide suggestions, consultants.]

The six consultants were greatly shocked.

“The administrator is a light-core conceptual lifeform; how could it be…”

“Does the Wasteland Corporation have weapons targeting conceptual lifeforms? Or are their conceptual lifeforms extremely strong… preventing the administrator from even having a chance to commit suicide?”

“Following Shang Yang’s disappearance, now it’s the mecha-administrator. The Legalist decision-making is truly one wrong step after another!”

“It’s not as good as the General Protocol!”

High Monk Mokong interrupted everyone’s dispute: “Everyone, what has happened cannot be undone. What we need to do now is to think of a way to make amends.”

He focused the camera on his hand towards the air: “Turing, tell us your opinion.”

Compared to its peers, Turing was extremely small.

It was a tiny “electric ant” with gliding wings made of spun silk. It was also the one who reminded everyone to look at the big screen earlier.

“I am a programmer. From a program’s perspective, there are no problems with the Legalist mechanism.”

Among the consultants, Turing was the first to speak in favor of Legalism.

“It’s just that the Wasteland Development Corporation and its chairman, Zhou Yi, have too many inherent variables, causing past decisions to no longer be applicable and thus producing huge errors.”

“I know everyone is angry and heartbroken about the failure of the Legalist program’s decision-making, which led to the destruction of Clockwork City and the disappearance of the mecha-administrator. But please calm down, because the fact that Legalism has enabled manual intervention, allowing us to propose the next decision-making choice, is a form of self-correction and amendment.”

“I am not good at strategies on the macro level of cities. Please ask Vivian to speak; she is an investigator from Purity City and an expert in this area.”

The five consultants all looked at the last person.

Investigator Vivian was an all-silver metal person, with graceful feminine lines. Her smooth metal face had no facial features, and her head was wrapped in circles of copper wire resembling a coiled hairstyle.

Vivian said: “According to the data analysis from Purity City, Zhou Yi’s behavior style is unpredictable and capricious. He may destroy the next large city, or he may just launch a protest, or start a trade war.”

“Defense is necessary. The fate of a city cannot be inferred based on probability.”

“A new round of retaliation may come at any time.”

“I believe we need to increase city military spending and activate defensive measures at the highest level of risk threat.”

This point was agreed upon by the other consultants.

The spherical screen immediately displayed:

[Suggestions collected.]

[Calculating simulation… ]

[As expected, the armies of various cities will begin preparing for war and enter a state of control.]

[According to the actual situation of different cities, military expenditure will increase by 15%-35%.]

[The construction of 138 underground cities and shelters has begun.]

[……]

Orders were continuously issued.

Vivian added: “Since Zhou Yi possesses LV4 and even higher light-core destructive power, I believe we should immediately contact the Star Cluster and have some mecha-lifeforms in each mecha-city transform into digital voters, preparing for the worst-case scenario of entering the Star Cluster matrix for backup.”

“This will ensure that even if the city is destroyed, there will still be some survivors to continue.”

“Agree!”

“Agreed!”

This plan was also submitted after everyone approved it.

[Suggestions collected.]

[Calculating simulation… ]

[As expected, the backup plan has been activated.]

[Contacting the Star Cluster matrix… ]

[Agreement reached.]

[The Legalist Faction will invest 15 million light seeds in the Mars project within five years to obtain 10,000 data voter slots, freedom of migration, and specific satellite settlement rights and other rights.]

High Monk Mokong sighed: “Why have things become like this? Shang Yang’s suicide assassination was not approved by the Legalist program at all… Everything has deviated from the original track.”

Dak sneered: “Has it really deviated? Maybe all of this was a calculated result.”

Vivian said: “Everyone, we can only take things one step at a time in the current environment. We must stop all the excessive behaviors of the Legalist program and avoid further stimulating the Wasteland Development Corporation.”

“As long as we can have a longer period of stability, we will have more shelters and satellite settlements, and we will be able to protect more mecha-residents in the future when facing the war impact of the Wasteland Development Corporation.”

“No matter what, let’s survive first! Just like we did when facing the Celestials!”

The consultants all began to discuss this intensely.

……

At the same time.

Inside Emerald City, Zhou Yi, who was eating ice cream, sneezed twice in a row.

Who is saying my name?

Or is someone stabbing me in the back?

Zhou Yi rubbed his nose.

At this moment, a golden light suddenly lit up outside the window.

A golden sphere floated outside the floor-to-ceiling window, and a voice came from it: “Chairman, I’m back from Mars.”

Zhou Yi was overjoyed and quickly opened the window.

“Come in, come in.”

Curling flew into the room.

“Chairman, the dust storms on Mars are extremely dangerous, at least at the light-core level. Many of them made me sense a threat of death, and they should have reached the level of Transmuters.”

It said: “The environment there is special. The Dead Sea is condensed and compressed at ground level, only a thin layer, but it has huge gravity and binding force, with a density far exceeding Earth’s.”

“The Martian Dead Sea has powerful tides that sometimes compress and condense to the extreme, and sometimes expand and erupt, like fountains rising and falling.”

“The Star Cluster base is built in a range of mountains, where Iron Guards are working and collecting light seed ore.”

“There is a huge hole above the base, and satellites cannot directly observe it.”

“I couldn’t deeply observe that hole either, but I measured and found that its shielding ability and mechanism are very familiar.”

Zhou Yi immediately thought: “Like the one in the Forbidden Continent?”

“Yes, Chairman.”

Atmospheric Lifeform said seriously: “Compared to the hole in the Forbidden Continent, the hole on Mars is a complete structure with higher energy levels. It cannot be observed with the naked eye, and its existence can only be discovered through extremely high-energy impacts.”

Zhou Yi frowned.

Mars is actually related to the Forbidden Continent.

“In that hole, I also found something.”

Curling shared the information with Zhou Yi.

A dark hole appeared before Zhou Yi’s eyes, spanning the highly visible and desolate sky, with wisps of gas rolling along the edges being sucked into it.

Inside the hole were transparent palaces, some majestic and towering, some small and round.

They were connected to each other, stably suspended in that hole, like a glass city floating in the air.

Inside the largest glass palace in the center was a strange white object.

It was composed of blocks of white snowflake-shaped solids, looking like a snowman made of various snow blocks.

The snowman was pounding on the glass, as if trying to get out.

Zhou Yi was a bit confused.

How could there be a captive snowman in the sky above Mars?