Wasteland Development Diary

“Initially, we received news that a large number of [Keys] on the Mirror City side had become invalid, and even our Mechatronic Knights were unable to use their built-in Key programs.”

703 squatted on the ground, its electronic eyes gleaming faintly.

“Two days later, Holy Mountain and Snow County also experienced the same situation. Whether it's an existing [Key] or a newly installed one, it cannot be used there.”

“Normally, we have been updating versions, consistently leading the Mechatronic Cities' defense programs, so there shouldn't be such a large-scale disconnection situation.”

“Later, after in-depth investigation, we discovered that these three Mechatronic Cities all have a new program system that is based on a universal protocol, but its authority is higher than the universal protocol.”

“This system is [Legal Code].”

The robot dog projected a pyramid icon on the ground: “As you can see, this is the authority structure diagram. The bottom layer is the basic program, then the middle and upper layers are the main program of the Mechatronic Life, and the top is the universal protocol.”

“But now, there is an additional structure like this.”

Bars appeared on the pyramid, running through the top and bottom.

“This is Legal Code.”

“It has the highest judgment and interpretation rights, and defines the physical space to cover a specific area through specific equipment. As long as the Legal Code exists, all program operations must be based on its judgment to be activated and run.”

“Legal Code further enhances constraints and provides detailed penalties. Including installing unrecognized programs, abnormal data streams, frequent account transfers, and connections to unrecognized external machine stations will all receive reminders and supervision. Many behaviors are considered illegal measures and will be rejected, suspended, fined, detained, or even forced into hibernation.”

703 said: “It is more stringent and conservative than the universal protocol, and technically blocks the startup and invocation of other programs through physical coverage of equipment.”

Zhou Yi pondered for a moment: “Is this the legal manifestation of Mechatronic Life?”

“You could say that. But Legal Code is more than just constraints; it also covers various fields of a city.”

703 continued: “Legal Code has vigorously supported and allocated resources to agriculture. Agricultural practitioners in the cities it covers will receive special city subsidies.”

“Based on working hours and specific work content, agricultural laborers can receive a minimum of 5 Light Seeds in industry subsidies annually, and a maximum of 1000 Light Seeds in Grade A allowances.”

“For those willing to open up wasteland, Legal Code also provides free seeds, fertilizers, and corresponding equipment rentals for two years, and a three-year tax exemption. The city will provide a special fund to encourage residents to reclaim and transform floating islands and unclaimed wastelands.”

“Legal Code further opens up the knowledge bases of the three central cities. [Water Mirror Flower] in Mirror City, [Wisdom Auspicious Cloud] in Snow County, and [Holy Alliance] in Holy Mountain have all increased the number of advanced study places by at least twofold, providing them to residents of the three cities to further enhance their cognitive abilities and knowledge dissemination.”

“On the other hand, the power of the Program Department has been greatly weakened, turning it into an auditing department. The newly established [Legal Code Department] will propose various laws based on the actual conditions of each region. After being approved by Legal Code, they will be continuously updated to meet local needs.”

“Unlike the Program Department's past black-box mode, the Legal Code Department can only propose additions and modifications according to specific procedures. The final decision-making power will be determined by Legal Code based on the resident data of each city, deciding whether to use it and making deletions and adjustments to existing policies.”

“The city's management rights will be completely independently completed by Legal Code, and no other Mechatronic Life will participate in direct decision-making.”

“Legal Code is clearing the assets of city residents and implementing a unified tax and rent system, reducing the various privileges of the wealthy and some special Mechatronic Lives. If they are willing to invest funds in the agricultural sector, they will receive tax reductions or even tax exemptions… The core is to increase agricultural output, thereby influencing more flesh and blood lives outside, and completing the supporting fuel needs of the Floating Heart.”

“Finally, Legal Code also requires that each city must establish a professional and well-equipped standing army, and increase military spending to develop and deploy more military units and military facilities.”

The robot dog summarized: “In general, it is to greatly encourage agriculture, adjust taxes, enhance the military, and use heavy rewards and severe punishments.”

“Cities covered by Legal Code must abide by this system.”

Zhou Yi was secretly shocked.

This is not just a law for managing cities, but more like a national policy system.

No wonder it's called Legal Code.

City 404 is using the external pressure of the [Key] to further promote [Legal Code], creating a more closed and independent management system in the Mechatronic Cities.

Zhou Yi smelled something unusual in this.

With the three central cities taking the lead in implementing Legal Code, other small and medium-sized cities will also follow the trend.

Unified system, unified goal…

In other words.

Zhou Yi asked: “Are the Mechatronic Cities planning to merge into a unified country?”

“Very likely.”

703 said: “Our intelligence sources reveal that many actions and resource allocations in the Mechatronic Cities are undergoing frequent changes, and new Legal Code supporting devices are being established. The Joint Defense Force has also further tightened its grip, adopting a more defensive posture and ceasing offensive actions.”

“Large amounts of Light Seeds are being transported and circulated between Mechatronic Cities, and Legal Code-related signal transceivers, signal beacons, and machine station sites are being manufactured on a large scale.”

“Law enforcement vehicles and law enforcement drones that have completed upgrades are patrolling in various places.”

“Although the Mechatronic Cities have not yet officially announced their acceptance of Legal Code, they are all opening up farmland on a large scale, investing a large amount of resources and manpower into the agricultural sector, and searching for and bidding to purchase floating islands externally.”

“A Mechatronic Nation may be born soon.”

The robot dog couldn't help but sigh as it mentioned this: “Many Mechatronic Lives hope to have a country, but each city is unwilling to hand over power to maintain its own interests. Unexpectedly, it is the appearance of our Mechatronic Knights that has facilitated this…”

Zhou Yi asked again: “Is the impact of [Legal Code] on [Key] very serious?”

“It’s basically a blockade.”

703 explained: “Because this is from physical geography and signal blockade isolation, as long as it is within the Legal Code domain, the Key is difficult to take effect.”

“This will allow some wavering Mechatronic Lives to continue to choose to stay in the Mechatronic Cities. Compared to the freedom and unknown of the outside world, the city has a familiar order and data trajectory.”

“After simulation and calculation, we predict that [Legal Code] and [Key] will open up two ways of survival.”

“The former is highly unified and strictly constrained, which will arrange and dominate the life of every Mechatronic Life throughout the whole process, but also provides sufficient certainty.”

“The latter will help holders integrate into the outside world, and find their own survival position through companies, human cities, and other organizations. There are fewer constraints, but there are higher risks.”

The robot dog paused, its electronic eyes glowing slightly: “And, the two can actually be converted to each other.”

“Legal Code residents may leave their original city and enable the Key because they are tired and dissatisfied with their existing life.”

“Mechatronic Lives holding the Key may also turn to Legal Code cities to seek stable survival because of the difficult life outside.”

“In the long run, this is a challenge to compare which of the two paths is superior. Which one can Legal Code and the Key better represent the future of Mechatronic Life.”

703 said with some emotion: “This is a very powerful strategy. They did not directly target the [Key], but provided another more extreme public choice.”

“Either embrace complete unrestraint, or return to the protected city walls. Fair and square, we have to accept the challenge.”

Zhou Yi also deeply agreed.

Compared to using a defense program, this method is far superior.

In essence, the Key gives the exploited residents the choice to leave the city. It is not only a technical problem, but also an explosion of accumulated contradictions over the years.

Legal Code rules the city, directly kicking the Program Department out of the decision-making level, providing employment positions, and there are considerable subsidies in agriculture, military, and wasteland reclamation.

This is the explanation given – giving those dissatisfied people a reason to stay.

The most difficult point is to break the internal interest barriers of the Mechatronic Cities and complete the transformation in a short period of time.

Only City 404, representing the Celestials, can do it.

After thinking back and forth, Zhou Yi asked 703: “The [Iron Wall], the predecessor of the universal protocol, was developed by Pangu, so who created [Legal Code]?”

“It’s [Shang Yang].”

The robot dog said: “He was originally a heavy criminal serving an indefinite sentence in City 404.”

This name is doing reform… indeed a professional match.

Zhou Yi said: “What crime did he commit?”

“Shang Yang was sentenced to death for transforming a small Mechatronic City. He executed 39 Mechatronic Lives and 185 flesh and blood lives for crimes such as exploitation, tax evasion, corruption, and massive waste of public resources.”

703 said: “The legislative city he piloted was well-ordered, the residents had little living pressure, the gap between rich and poor was small, but the economic development was very poor, and the law enforcement was strict, which was also criticized by the outside world.”

“Eventually, he was arrested by Suzheng City and the Joint Security Department, who believed that his dangerous tendencies would endanger the entire Mechatronic Society, and sent him to City 404.”

Zhou Yi thought.

He is indeed not an ordinary character.

It seems that City 404 also invited this tough guy to come out of retirement to counter the challenge of the Mechatronic Knights with radicalism.

“In addition, Shang Yang also has an important special identity.”

The robot dog was silent for a moment.

“He is Pangu’s first student and only assistant. He has been following Pangu for many years, presiding over the legislative city, also because of Pangu’s lobbying and recommendation. However, because of his overly extreme behavior and strategies, Shang Yang was imprisoned earlier than Pangu.”

“This time, City 404 not only pardoned him, but also allowed Shang Yang to use the Legal Code system he created to reform the Mechatronic Cities… obviously a forced choice.”

Shang Yang is actually also from the Pangu lineage.

The current situation is that Pangu's chief disciple is competing with the other two disciples for inheritance.

Zhou Yi frowned: “I remember, Pangu doesn’t advocate program liberation? How is Shang Yang completely different from him?”

“You are right.”

703 said: “In Document No. 2 [Origin], Shang Yang has always had different views from Pangu.”

“He believes that it is necessary to accelerate the unification of the Mechatronic Life group, establish a highly centralized national entity, and use legal procedures to become the highest management to ensure fair and just law enforcement.”

“Shang Yang’s view is that if Mechatronic Life wants to truly prosper, it must improve its control and mobilization capabilities, and it needs to dare to participate in wars and greatly enhance its military strength, rather than the existing strategy of unilateral defensive posture.”

“Although Pangu and he have completely different views, they are still helping him with all their strength. Because their ideals lead to the same goal through different paths, they are both looking for a way out for Mechatronic Life, and no one knows which one is the most correct path.”

Zhou Yi felt a little唏嘘 in his heart.

Although Pangu is in prison, the two sparks he left behind still illuminate the two different directions of the Mechatronic Cities.

From this point of view, he still completed his ideal under the celestial blockade.

Very remarkable.

It remains to be seen which path the Mechatronic Lives will take in the future.