Fifteen minutes later, dinner was served on the table.

Beef stew with radish, stir-fried cabbage, fresh bamboo shoots with smoked meat, pickled radish. And three bowls of white rice, three cups of tea.

Zhou Yi introduced the food to Shangyang one by one: "The beef comes from the Songbei Region, the milk and beef there are excellent, they are frozen and airlifted over, everyone loves them."

"The radish and cabbage are locally grown."

"The bamboo shoots are from the Tree Monster Territory, where there are large bamboo forests. Some of our buildings and second-generation refrigeration boxes need bamboo. Plus, our company has Panda Man employees, Tuo Hai and Tuo Zhu, father and son, who need to eat a large amount of tender bamboo and bamboo shoots. This has gradually led people here to also like bamboo shoots, and now the consumption is very high."

"The smoked meat is made in Liang Mountain."

"Most important of all, is this rice."

Zhou Yi pointed to the fragrant white rice and introduced, "This is the first batch of rice harvested by the company this summer. The taste of new rice is really different, just eating plain white rice gives a very aromatic and sweet taste."

"Eating stir-fried dishes should go with rice. Come, have a try."

Shangyang had no taboos and tasted each dish.

It maintained its Panda Man habit, loved eating bamboo shoots and drinking tea, ate cabbage, but was not so keen on meat. Besides, it really liked the rice.

Finished a bowl of rice.

Shangyang wiped its mouth with its sleeve: "I'm done, go ahead and kill me."

Zhou Yi said, "No hurry."

He had only eaten a few bites.

Zhou Yi praised Yuan Xiao, who was also eating slowly beside him, "Your cooking is getting better and better, very delicious."

"Thank you, Chairman."

The Angel of Death looked very pleased.

In the past, Zhou Yi had developed a habit of eating hurriedly due to the busy rush during his school days, but now he had become more slow and deliberate, enjoying meals as a time to savor life.

Shangyang drank its tea silently.

After a while, it spoke again: "What do you want to know from me?"

Zhou Yi wiped his mouth with a napkin and responded, "Why does the Law see me as the biggest threat?"

"If you define by region, the Heavenly Kingdom and Star Axis are the biggest external rivals to the Law, they surpass the Law in terms of technology, population, and territory.

"As for cities, Human City and Guangna City are the direct competitors of Mechanical City."

"It's really odd to consider our company a big threat."

"What the Wasteland Development Company does is merely produce cheap goods and sell them, which is not even in the same lane as Mechanical City's Light Imprint Skill."

"Our company has always welcomed mechanical life to apply for jobs, but unfortunately, they are not very attracted to us... So why reach the conclusion that we are a threat? Or are we just the easiest hidden danger to deal with and eliminate?"

After hearing this, Shangyang said, "The strength of the Heavenly Kingdom is undeniable, but its model has huge inherent risks."

"The Empire relies completely on the rule of the Black Emperor. The governors and sea lords have their own territories, and there are many internal factions. If anything happens to the Black Emperor, the whole country will quickly fall apart. The Black Emperor knows this, so maintains a long-term strategy of resting and recreation and conservatism."

"The Heavenly Kingdom cannot make big moves and poses no threat to Mechanical City."

"Star Axis is exploring outer space. The Star Core Light Seal is indeed a powerful and excellent technology. Their living space does not overlap with the Law's. In the long term, it will be a close cooperation between ground and space, and there is no threat."

"Human City has high growth potential, but unfortunately, most of the sea lords are inactive, fighting on their own. Their power cannot be concentrated, so they are not a threat."

"Guangna City's population base is insufficient, with multiple ethnic groups living together, lacking a primary ethnic group, making management difficult. The only way forward is war, and once it begins, their population will quickly plummet. Without a big victory, they will collapse and fall into internal strife. Their inherent defects are too significant to be a concern."

"Alien City is full of uncertainties, but United City is not yet mature enough and needs a long time to grow. With the investment and influence of Mechanical City, it is not a considerable threat."

After evaluating these, he returned to the topic.

"To pose a sufficient threat to the Legal Front, a sound and stable infrastructure is needed, with an independent scientific and technical system, and highly unified internal interests and future visions. These ensure strong competitiveness over a long period and in the short term, breakthroughs in various fields to achieve excess profits."

"In this world, only the development alliance led by the Wasteland Development Company can achieve this."

"In my view, among the heroes of this world, there are only the Legal Front and the Wasteland Development Company."

Zhou Yi listened with a strange expression.

Not buddy, why does it feel like you're cosplaying Cao Cao discussing heroes over wine.

The issue is.

According to the strengths and weaknesses, I should be Cao Cao, you are Liu Bei.

I should be saying these words.

Zhou Yi tried to say, "Not a hero?"

"Not reading the Three Kingdoms..."

The other party blurted out.

Then Shangyang was shocked: "You read it too?"

"..."

Damn it.

They matched the code words.

Zhou Yi's face twitched: "No wonder you came up with a plan to assassinate Qin like Jing Ke..."

Turns out, you were really following an ancient script.

Shangyang looked at Zhou Yi with deep respect: "It turns out you are also proficient in ancient Chinese. I never expected to meet a fellow enthusiast here. Few people study this field."

"But ancient Chinese holds much strategic knowledge and practical experience. It is a precious legacy from our ancestors."

"..."

Zhou Yi immediately thought: "So you named yourself Shangyang, wanting to emulate the reforms of Shangyang?"

The bearded Panda Man admitted frankly.

Zhou Yi was curious: "The two founders of the Mechanical Knight Order, were they your fellow disciples, named Laozi and Zhuangzi..."

"Teacher Pangu liked to use ancient allusions to explain modern times."

Satisfied with Shangyang's openness: "In this world ruled by the Heavenly People, everyone has to act with shackles, and many words and actions cannot be straightforwardly expressed. Thus, it is necessary to use metaphors to deconstruct and convey those risky messages and meanings."

Zhou Yi's eyes sharpened: "Pangu wants to resist the Heavenly People?"

"Of course."

Shangyang said bluntly: "Whether it's my centralized program management, or Laozi and Zhuangzi's transcendence of procedural models, they are all routes derived for this purpose."

"We have disputes over the path, but the final goal is the same."

Zhou Yi suddenly understood: "So the key to Pangu's capture was that he tried to mobilize more mechanical lives to resist the Heavenly People again?"

"Yes. That is the fundamental reason."

Shangyang took a sip of tea, his expression melancholic: "Unfortunately, the teacher has been completely dismantled beyond recovery, both physically and mentally. More complete than death is to be forgotten, disintegrated and stigmatized... That is the fate of a failed rebellion."

Zhou Yi largely understood: "You are considered the new generation of resistance army."

"Not exactly."

Shangyang said: "The teacher proved that there are no appropriate conditions now. Survival is the most important thing, so first we must ensure survival, enhance survival ability, and strengthen the group."

"Rebellion is an inevitable choice at a certain stage of historical development. Currently, it is not that time."

"Life forms in this world need to survive, and without the opportunity, they continue to live. Surviving brings hope."

Zhou Yi turned his attention back to the Panda Man in front of him.

"So in this Wasteland world, the group you favor most is the mechanical life."

"Yes."

"Conventional methods cannot break the stalemate, the future lies in mechanical life."

It fearlessly met Zhou Yi's gaze: "But now it seems, humans are also a very potential group. I favor the stability and efficiency of mechanical life, and you favor the potential and creativity of humans. It is clear that humans are now the greatest challengers to mechanical life."

Zhou Yi sighed: "Why do you always have this either-or mindset? Humans and mechanical life are not enemies."

"Indeed not enemies."

Shangyang said: "But the most direct competitors for dominance."

Zhou Yi frowned: "I don't get it. If everyone's ultimate goal is to enhance strength and break the Heavenly People's blockade one day, why engage in this internal strife? Whether it's Light Imprint Skill, electric cats, or Floating Hearts, the flourishing of all brings more possibilities to each group."

Shangyang insisted: "In this world, mechanical life forms are the best group to maintain order. They can most ensure that the rules protect the interests of every individual under them."

"They are the optimal solution, which is why they can remain prosperous. Momentary prosperity is not enough; it needs to last much longer, hundreds, thousands of years of steady continuation, only this has a chance to reach higher levels."

Zhou Yi said: "It seems that this is where our disagreement lies; you pursue the lower limit of stability, while I aim for the higher upper limit."

He understood now.

Shangyang's principle of concentrated distribution management was to serve the pursuit of extreme stability.

By comparison.

The Legal Front was like a large deposit ensuring principal security while maintaining stable returns.

Under Zhou Yi's guidance, the Wasteland Company had invested heavily in index funds—investing in the entire New Human group, high risk, and high return.

"This is a fundamental contradiction, and the external contradiction is the challenge of technological dominance."

Shangyang reiterated: "No matter how you put it, this is a real interest conflict. Light Imprint Skill is impacted by Floating Hearts and the Electric Cat System, with Light Imprint products' exports significantly decreasing, greatly impacting Mechanical City, causing a sharp decline in city revenue."

"The biggest source of income for Mechanical City is the Light Imprint Skill."

"War consumes too much, with expenses and income to calculate. Previously, the Legal Front had no certainty of victory against the Wasteland Company. With the destruction of Spring City as a large-scale city, going to war is almost impossible; no large city is willing to become another sacrifice."

It spoke bluntly.

Zhou Yi said: "I know why you want to assassinate me."

"Because you don't want to live anymore, you don't want to return to 404 City, to re-enter the Heavenly People's experiment samples, to be dissected and reassembled. You might not fear fighting, but you can no longer endure experimental tortures."

"So you want to make your death more valuable, trying to take me down with you, paving the way for the Law."

Shangyang said: "What you said is mostly correct."

"Under normal circumstances, you need to die now for the Law and 404 City to accept." Zhou Yi said: "However, there is another choice."

"You aim to oppose the Heavenly People, right? Our company's long-term goal is also that. I can give you a new identity, place you in our company to continue what you haven't finished."

The Panda Man was stunned: "You also want to resist the Heavenly People?"

"Of course."

Zhou Yi said softly: "But we haven't reached that level yet; we need to focus on development. For the Wasteland Development Company, the real enemy is the Heavenly People alone."

"Why?" Shangyang frowned: "You don't seem to have any interest conflicts with the Heavenly People. I heard they even visited here; your relationship should be good."

It referred to Zhou Yi disguising himself as a Heavenly Dog and pretending to be a Heavenly Person who visited the company.

Zhou Yi said slowly: "Since you study ancient Chinese, you should know a phrase, 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.'

"After the Heavenly People arrived in this world, the life here, whether humans, Guangna species, or mechanical life, became their experimental subjects for transformation."

"I want to try, to experiment and transform the Heavenly People too. In ancient terms...'

'If the Heavenly People can come, I can too.'

Shangyang's pupils shrank sharply.

The Panda Man's face became very complex: "There is indeed a reason why you have led the Wasteland Company to rapid growth until now."

"Would you like to join me, and take on a big challenge?"

Zhou Yi extended his hand towards him: "Anyway, consider yourself dead, annoying the Heavenly People is always a good thing, right?"

Shangyang thought for a moment and then extended his paw: "Shangyang is dead; now I am just an unnamed revenant. I'll take a gamble with you."

Zhou Yi thought for a moment: "The name Shangyang is unfortunate, his ending was not good, so let's change it. From today, you shall be 'Guan Zhong', how about that?"

"The one from ancient Spring and Autumn period, respecting the king and driving out invaders together?"

The Panda Man's eyes lit up: "Good, good! I'll be the Guan Zhong of this era!"

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