Zhou Yi immediately summoned 703 to ask what was going on.

The robotic dog also seemed baffled.

"Chairman... I just received the notice myself."

"This announcement has a high level of secrecy to prevent leaks and outside forces from blocking and intercepting it. It was directly released by the two leaders, 'Laozi' and 'Zhuang Zi,' as Document No. 3."

"Document No. 3?"

"It's a sorting number, representing the degree of confidentiality."

703 elaborated a bit: "The Mechanical Knights have five most important documents, all of which are preserved and continued in special ways."

"I just realized now that Document No. 3 is the 'key' that can crack the universal protocol. I am currently reading this program data..."

Zhou Yi calmed down slightly: "You first process this data."

"Yes, Chairman."

An hour later.

703 said, "Chairman, I have a general understanding of the entire technical mechanism now."

"The 'key' itself is a very powerful tool, capable of modifying the most core system files of mechanical lifeforms, thus enabling customization and modification."

"The universal protocol is based on installing specific software to interconnect mechanical lifeforms into a unified entity, controlling behavior through the protocol. However, with the 'key,' the universal protocol can be cracked with a single click."

"This is equivalent to exposing the most core system mechanisms of mechanical lifeforms to the whole world."

"The whole strategy is to combat complete closure with complete openness."

"Because with the 'key,' mechanical lifeforms can liberate themselves. Anyone in the outside world, Bone Men, Guangna Species, just needs the corresponding controller to use it to write and modify completely new protocols..."

"The mechanical and electrical cities would theoretically find it nearly impossible to block this technology, because every person in the world could potentially be its adversary and subverter."

"With the key, anyone could become a new Mechanical Knight, and any city could turn into a Mechanical City."

Zhou Yi's face changed slightly.

The Mechanical Knight Order made a decisive move, directly hitting Mechanical City.

Losing the stable governance and absolute security brought by the program protocol means that the governance and credibility of the Mechanical City would vanish into thin air.

Zhou Yi was a bit puzzled: "I remember that your Knight Order used to be very stable, right?"

"Sunday" awakened many mechanical lifeforms, who began seeking new paths for survival, and then 'Family' constructed a new organizational system for mechanical lifeforms, also promoting the emergence of corporate groups."

"Why suddenly become so radical and extreme?"

It was like everyone had been engaging in incremental combat, with victories and defeats on both sides, responding to each move in kind.

Suddenly, without warning, one side launches a nuclear strike.

Zhou Yi felt there must be a key reason behind the Mechanical Knight Order's decisive action.

"This... the core reason is you."

703 looked at Zhou Yi and said, "Because you have publicly released the technical principles of the 'Floating Heart' for free, which completely resolved the worries about the future. The biggest problem in the past was that mechanical lifeforms themselves consumed too much energy."

"The existence of Mechanical Cities was initially because mechanical lifeforms aimed to improve energy efficiency, collaborating with one another, forming a cooperative dwelling."

"If the structure of Mechanical City is completely destroyed, even though each mechanical lifeform would be liberated from extreme exploitation, there wouldn't be a better path forward. Mere destruction is not the goal of the Mechanical Knights."

"So, the existing model of Mechanical City is still needed for more mechanical lifeforms to survive in the long term."

"But with the emergence of the 'Floating Heart,' it has been proven to reduce energy consumption to about ten percent of the past. Just relying on the natural farming, gathering, and nomadic ways of mechanical lifeforms, they can harness the sugar and oil existing in nature to power themselves."

"So there's no longer any need for restraint."

Zhou Yi: "..."

I seem to have become the catalyst for this escalation in confrontation.

This development was unexpected to him.

Suddenly, the lights in 703's electronic eyes flickered.

"Chairman, I have received a message."

"The Knight Order has issued a danger warning to you."

"According to intelligence from various sources, over 80 Mechanical Cities have been mobilized and started high-output production modes. They are rapidly moving resources and significantly increasing the output and capacity of various industrial products."

"More than 34 energy-type cities are transporting tons of Energy Packs everywhere, 83 manufacturing-type cities have their factories fully lit up, and each workshop in 64 large shipyards has entered a high energy consumption mode. The prehistoric era equipment excavated from the Dead Sea has also been started in batches..."

"Chairman, war is about to begin."

Zhou Yi made an immediate decision: "Convene the heads of all departments for an emergency meeting right away!"

Twenty minutes later.

Inside Room 3101 of Jade City, core staff gathered together.

Zhou Yi had the robotic dog first explain the cause and effect.

"..."

Everyone's face was solemn.

Everyone knew that with the terrifying productivity and endurance of the Mechanical Cities, once they decided to take military action, they would produce countless steel soldiers, enough to sweep the world.

Qian Su's eyebrows were tightly knitted, and his mechanical fingers kept rubbing: "In history, there has never been a precedent of the Mechanical and Electrical City Group collectively initiating military action... it is difficult to find experience and strategies to respond."

"The key is that their logistic production is too strong; large and medium-sized cities have very sound and powerful defense systems, and even A-level lifeforms would find it hard to break through."

"The world has never encountered a war of this scale being initiated, and we must prepare for the worst."

"The opponent we're facing is not of the Duke Destructive kind, but can be considered as a force on par with the Heavenly Kingdom, a world-dominating power on that level. This time, their mobilization efficiency and production capacity will far exceed any other race."

"Everyone must realize that we are facing is not like the soldiers of the past who would be afraid, hesitate, and draw back. The sub-units of machine-electronic life are being mass-produced, and their assaults will be precise and efficient, as well as endless..."

Her words only made the atmosphere even more oppressive.

The head of the production department, Yuan Tong, said: "We must block them at the Dead Sea; otherwise, our infrastructure and various industries will suffer massive damage."

Red Kestrel was the calmest: "Any action taken by the Mechanical City must comply with agreement protocols. Although this is a military mobilization and operation, the target is undoubtedly the Mechanical Knight Order."

"The publication of the [key] has already threatened the fundamental order and ruling logic of the Mechanical and Electrical City Group. According to the current external feedback, they have activated the war directive in accordance with relevant procedures."

"It's not a declaration of war on the world."

703 volunteered: "Chairman, I'd better take the people from the Knight Order and leave the company first. Please fire me and Sai Nuojie. I wanted to say this last time; we can't keep causing trouble and losses for the company."

Zhou Yi looked at the other employees around him.

Everyone was waiting for his decision.

From their facial expressions, it was clear that the oppressive atmosphere brought by the mechanical army made the employees anxious and afraid.

"Would giving up 703 and Sai Nuojie bring us peace?"

Zhou Yi looked around at everyone: "If the army of the Mechanical City proposes arresting our company's semi-civilized mechanical lives, will we hand them over?"

"What if next time, Heavenly Kingdom comes demanding the capture of Liu Fusheng and Chen Ruixiang, claiming that the [Floating Heart] they invented belongs to Heavenly Kingdom. What should we do then? Keep giving in?"

"Then what's the point of our company existing? Anyone can come and take people from us, and the next one handed over could be any one of you."

"I am saying these things today to warn everyone once more."

"Peace through struggle remains; peace through compromise perishes."

Zhou Yi said coldly: "In the face of war and invasion, our answer is always to fight, fight until we achieve complete victory."

"Wasteland Development Company has never neglected any of our friends, but we also never tolerate or indulge any enemy, whether in friendship or combat, we always return it doubly!"

"Yes!"

The employees also unified their stance, no longer hesitating.

However, just as the war mobilization was underway, Red Kestrel suddenly said: "The Spring and Autumn Syndicate has sent the latest news."

"The Mechanical and Electrical City Group has formed the 'Security Joint Guard' according to the generic military directive, mass-producing combat units from different cities, led by military mechanical lifes, and upon completion of the assembly, they have begun military operations. Just now, they have successfully located and raided three important hideouts of the Mechanical Knight."

"Both leaders of the Mechanical Knight, [Laozi] and [Zhuang Zi], have been captured."

Zhou Yi's gaze sharpened: "Are there detailed pieces of information?"

"Yes."

"They deliberately released a lot of firsthand video materials."

"Show it."

Red Kestrel immediately projected it onto the wall.

Images flickered on the wall.

Dense swarms of drones swept through the sky, battleships atop Dead Sea set sail in all directions, transport ships delivered loads of robotic dogs to land, tanks crossed the Dead Sea into the land, unfolding a net-like strike.

They almost instantly broke through several cities, capturing several Bone Men and mechanical lives inside.

A broadcast-like voice came through: "To maintain world peace and the stability of mechanical lives and society, Mechanical City has taken joint military actions."

"After the 'Security Joint Guard' was assembled, they swiftly carried out precise strike on hiding places of the terrorist organization Mechanical Knight Order, and so far, 72 members of the group have been captured."

"Including the two highest leaders of the organization, [Laozi] and [Zhuang Zi]."

The image changed.

Two mechanical life forms appeared.

One was a black smart rice cooker, with the name [Laozi] displayed below.

The other was a gray dishwasher, with the caption [Zhuang Zi].

"The two criminal leaders of the terrorist organization have been apprehended, and the retrieval and interrogation of their program data have been completed. They have also been sent to 404 City, to serve life imprisonment."

"We will continue to pursue and apprehend remnants of the organization, leaving no one behind."

"Surrendering and providing valid information will lead to leniency, while stubborn resistance will result in more severe punishment."

Quick action.

Zhou Yi couldn't help but turn to 703: "How could it be exposed so fast? Is there a mole?"

"It seems likely."

The robotic dog looked disappointed: "No wonder the two leaders quickly released the [key]–it seems they also realized this. There have been many suspicious individuals infiltrating the Knight Order, searching for their exact locations."

The Mechanical Knight Order had just withdrawn their support, and the Mechanical and Electrical City Group immediately launched a full-scale attack - both sides pulling out all stops.

In the end, the criticism of technology lost to the physical criticism.

One day later.

The satellites sent out an alert.

The mechanical army was pressing in an enormous number, with drones and ships coming from the north at high speed approaching the Sand Port Region.

An ultimatum was sent from there.

"Within one hour of our arrival, surrender Mechanical Knight 703, Sai Nuojie, and all illegal mechanical lives converted from semi-civilized bodies in the area. Otherwise, this will be regarded as a hostile act of harboring enemies, and we will initiate free-fire mode."

Zhou Yi merely drank a can of beer, then issued the order.

"Combat members, all out! Defend our home!"

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