"At first, we received news that a large number of [keys] had become ineffective in Mirror City, and even our Mechanical Knights were unable to use their built-in key programs."

703 squatted on the ground, with the faint light flickering in its electronic eyes.

"Two days later, Holy Mountain and Snow County faced the same situation. As long as you were in those areas, all existing [keys] as well as any newly installed ones were inoperative."

"Normally, we are always updating versions and have long been ahead of the Defense programs of Mechanical Cities, so there shouldn't be such a large-scale disconnection."

"Later, after a thorough investigation, we found that these three Mechanical Cities all had a brand new program system installed. It is based on the common protocol but has higher authority than the common protocol."

"This system is called [Law]."

The robotic dog projected a pyramid icon on the ground: "Look, this is the authority structure diagram. The lowest level is the basic program, then the mid-upper level is the main program of the electromechanical life, and at the top is the common protocol."

"But now, there's this new structure."

Bars that penetrated the top and the bottom appeared on the pyramid.

"This is [Law]."

"It has the highest authority for judgment and interpretation and, in terms of physical space, it operates within a defined area through specific devices. As long as [Law] exists, all program operations must be based on its judgment to activate."

"[Law] further tightens the constraints, providing detailed punitive measures. Including installation of unrecognized programs, abnormal data flow, frequent account transfers, and connections with unrecognized external stacks—all will be monitored and regulated, with many actions deemed illegal, which will be denied, terminated, fined, restrained, or even forced into hibernation."

703 said: "It's even more stringent and conservative than the common protocol. Technically, it uses physical device coverage to block the initiation and calling of other programs."

Zhou Yi contemplated for a moment: "Is this the legal personification of electromechanical life?"

"You could say that. But [Law] is more than restrictions; it also encompasses every aspect of a city."

703 continued: "[Law] has heavily supported and tilted resources towards agriculture. In cities under its jurisdiction, agricultural practitioners receive special subsidies from the city."

"Based on working hours and specific job content, agricultural workers can get a minimum of 5 Light Seed industry subsidies per year, and can apply for up to 1000 Light Seeds worth of A-grade allowance."

"For those willing to reclaim wastelands, [Law] also provides two years of free seeds, fertilizers, and corresponding equipment rentals, as well as tax exemption for three years. Special funds will be provided by the city to encourage residents to reclaim and transform Floating Islands and ownerless wastelands."

"[Law] further opens up the knowledge bases of the three central cities. The increase in entrance quotas at least doubled for Mirror City's Water Moon Mirror Flower, Snow County's Wisdom Cloud, and Holy Mountain's Holy Alliance, provided to residents of these three cities, to further increase the cognitive abilities and knowledge proliferation rates among citizens."

"On the other hand, the powers of the Program Department have been significantly reduced, becoming an auditing department. The newly established [Legal Department] will, according to the actual situation in different locations, propose various laws, which, after being reviewed and passed by [Law], will continue to be updated to meet local needs."

"Different from the previous black-box model of the Program Department, the Legal Department can only propose additions or modifications following specific procedures. The ultimate decision-making power will be determined by [Law] based on the data from city residents, deciding whether or not to use it and making deletions, modifications, and adjustments to existing policies."

"The city management authority will be completely independently finished by [Law], without the direct involvement of other electromechanical life forms."

"[Law] is also conducting a property inventory of urban residents and implementing a unified tax-lease system, cutting back the privileges of both wealthy individuals and certain special Mechanical lives. If one is willing to invest funds into the agricultural sector, they can get tax reductions or even be tax-exempt... The core goal is to increase agricultural output, thus affecting more flesh-and-blood life from the outside world, and meet the fuel needs for the Floating Heart."

"In the end, [Law] also requires that each city must establish a professional and fully equipped military force and increase military spending to develop and deploy more military units and facilities."

The robotic dog summarized: "In general, it is a significant encouragement of agriculture, tax adjustments, military upgrading, and heavy rewards and punishments."

"Cities under [Law] must comply with this system."

Zhou Yi listened with astonishment.

This was not merely a legal system for managing cities, but more like a national policy system.

No wonder it's called [Law].

City 404 used external pressure from the [key] to further propel [Law], creating an even more self-contained and independent system of governance within Mechanical Cities.

Zhou Yi smelled an unusual scent from this.

With the three central cities taking the lead in directly implementing [Law], it is a trend followed by other small and medium-sized cities.

A unified system, a unified goal...

That is to say.

Zhou Yi asked: "Are Mechanical Cities planning to merge into a unified nation?"

"Quite likely."

703 said: "Our intelligence sources reveal that many actions and resource movements within Mechanical Cities are undergoing frequent changes, establishing new [Law] compatible devices. The United Defence force is also tightening further, adopting more of a defensive stance and halting offensive operations."

"A large amount of Light Seeds is being transported between Mechanical Cities, and [Law]-related transceivers, signal stakes, and stack stations are being massively manufactured."

"The updated Law Enforcement Cars and Law Enforcement Drones have already begun patrolling various regions."

"While Mechanical Cities have not yet formally declared acceptance of [Law], they all are massively opening up farmlands, pouring vast amounts of resources and labor into the agricultural sector, and actively searching for and purchasing Floating Islands."

"A Mechanical nation may not be far from birth."

When discussing this, the robotic dog couldn't help but express regret: "Many Mechanical lives have longed to have a nation, but every city, due to the maintenance of its own interests, has been unwilling to give up power. Unexpectedly, it was our emergence as Mechanical Knights that precipitated this..."

Zhou Yi then asked, "Does [Law] seriously impact the [key]?"

"It's basically a lockdown."

703 explained: "Because it's a blockade isolated by physical geography and signals, keys are difficult to function within the realms of [Law]."

"This will make some of the undecided mechanical lifeforms potentially continue to choose to stay in Mechanical City. Compared to the freedom and unknowns outside, there's familiar order and data trajectories inside the city."

"After simulations and calculations, we predict that [Law] and [key] will open up two ways of living."

"The former is highly unified and strictly constrained, arranging and leading the lives of every mechanical lifeform throughout, but it also provides sufficient certainty."

"The latter will help its holder integrate into the outside world, finding their place to live through companies, Human Cities, and other organizations. The constraints are fewer, but the risks are higher."

The robot dog paused, its electronic eyes glowing slightly: "And, these two options can actually be converted into each other."

"Residents of the Law, might leave their original city because they are tired and dissatisfied with the existing life, then activate the key."

"Mechanical lifeforms holding a key might turn to the cities of Law in search of a stable life due to the hardships of living outside."

"In the long term, this challenges which path is superior, whether [Law] or [key] better represents the future of mechanical life."

703 said with some emotion: "This is a very clever strategy. They didn't target [key] directly but provided another, more extreme public choice."

"Either embrace complete unboundedness or return to the protective walls. Righteous and straightforward, we have no choice but to respond."

Zhou Yi agreed completely.

Compared to defensive programs, this method is on a whole different level.

Essentially, the key provides discontented city residents with the choice to leave. It's not just a technical issue; it's an explosion of years of accumulated conflict.

The Law ruled the cities, kicking the Program Department out of the decision-making process and providing employment opportunities with substantial subsidies in agriculture, military, and pioneering.

That's the response offered – giving those who are dissatisfied a reason to stay.

The hardest part was breaking the barrier of interests within Mechanical City and completing the transformation in a short period.

Only the 404 city, representing the Heavenly People, could achieve this.

After pondering back and forth, Zhou Yi asked 703, "The predecessor of the universal agreement, [Iron Wall], was developed by Pangu. Then, who created [Law]?"

"It was [Shangyang]."

The robot dog said, "It was originally a felon, serving a life sentence in the 404 city."

The name Shangyang... indeed fits the specialty of reforms.

Zhou Yi asked, "What crime did it commit?"

"Shangyang transformed a small Mechanical City and was sentenced to death. It was executed for the crimes of exploitation, tax evasion, corruption, and gross waste of public resources, killing 39 mechanical lives and 185 flesh and blood lives."

703 continued: "The legislative city it piloted had orderly conduct, less pressure for its residents, smaller wealth disparities, but poor economic development. Its law enforcement was strict, and it also faced criticism from the outside world."

"In the end, it was arrested by Suzheng City and the United Security Department, who believed that its dangerous tendencies could endanger the entire mechanical society, sending it to the 404 city."

Zhou Yi thought to himself.

Certainly not an ordinary character.

It seems the 404 city also had this powerful figure re-emerge to fight radical with radical, to address the challenges posed by the Mechanical Knights.

"Additionally, Shangyang has another important special identity."

The robot dog paused for a moment.

"It is Pangu's first student, the only assistant, and has always followed Pangu for many years, leading the legislative city. It was also because of Pangu's persuasion and introduction, but because of its overly radical actions and strategies, Shangyang was imprisoned even earlier than Pangu."

"This time, by awakening Shangyang, the 404 city not only granted it a special pardon but also allowed Shangyang to use its Law system for the reform of Mechanical City... clearly a choice made out of compulsion."

Shangyang was also part of the Pangu lineage.

The situation now is like a competition among Pangu's chief disciple against the other two successors.

Zhou Yi frowned, "I remember Pangu advocating for the liberation of programs. How come Shangyang is completely different?"

"You are correct."

703 said, "Document number 2, [Origin], records that Shangyang always had differing opinions from Pangu."

"It believed that the unification of the mechanical life group must be accelerated to establish a highly centralized nation-state, with legal programs as the highest management, to ensure fair and just law enforcement."

"Shangyang's view is that to genuinely strengthen mechanical life, it must enhance control and mobilization capability, and must be willing to engage in war, significantly boosting military power, rather than the existing strategies of unilateral defense."

"Although Pangu and it had completely different viewpoints, Pangu still helped it tirelessly. Because their ideals, although different paths, are both searching for a way out for mechanical life, no one knows which path is the correct one."

Zhou Yi listened with a hint of wistfulness in his heart.

Even though Pangu was confined, the two sparks it left behind still illuminated two different directions for Mechanical City.

In this regard, it still accomplished its ideals despite the blockade by the Heavenly People.

Quite remarkable.

As for which path mechanical life will take in the future, it still needs time to prove.

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