Zhou Yi felt a bit confused while listening: "The Mechanical Knight Order has officially settled on Plastic Island?"

"You misunderstood, it's our residents who've chosen to become Knights. There are 57 openly identified Mechanical Knights on Plastic Island, and many others who choose not to reveal their identities. According to data center predictions, the total number of Knights might have reached 80."

The speaker on the Lin Chi said: "More than two-thirds of the residents proposed that the Mechanical Knight group should manage the Municipal Department."

"The advantages are obvious. Mechanical Knights use [Keys] to unlock program constraints, allowing them to develop various new tools and use data tools without any restrictions. They can also offer more solutions to various challenges and problems."

"The Law program, on the other hand, is lacking in this regard."

"However, everyone acknowledges that in terms of process management, city data analysis, external market dynamics, and resident demand collection, the Law is excellent and reliable, far surpassing the previous general protocol."

"So, the residents voted to withdraw from the Legal Front but kept the localized Law program, revising the city's regulations. The Law will assist the Municipal Department's Mechanical Knights in continuing to operate and maintain the entire city."

Zhou Yi felt a bit stunned.

He didn't expect that on Plastic Island, two originally opposing factions would actually become allies in joint governance... Mechanical City may not excel in innovation, but they certainly have a knack for combination.

While pondering, Zhou Yi asked: "What is the core reason for such a fundamental change?"

Mechanical City places utmost importance on data, and that hasn't changed.

There must be some critical data driving Plastic Island to make such drastic changes.

"It's the funding issue," Lin Chi plain spoke.

"Plastic Island has always been financially strained, with substantial external debts. After the destruction of Spring City, the Law program brought in external consultants and announced the latest unified policy."

"The main policies include increased military spending, construction of Underground Cities and shelters, and the Star Axis Mars Project enrollment."

"Plastic Island needs to increase its minimum public expenditure by 15% to enhance city defense and safety, build enough drones and escape ships, and new data communication equipment."

"We are a small city and can only build shelters. But even so, according to construction standards, we need to build fortifications 100 meters underground with reinforced concrete, which should accommodate our 300 residents and withstand Class A strong radiation and energy impact, with costs not less than 100,000 Light Seeds."

"For the Mars Project, each city must match 1% of its population as quotas. Plastic Island has to fund 3 spots, which amounts to 4,500 Light Seeds. Further support is needed to build a satellite signal tower to directly connect to the Star Core Matrix satellites."

"The satellite signal tower must carry the Star Core Light Seal, which can only be purchased from Star Axis, which is another expense. The total cost for the Mars Project alone is 10,000 Light Seeds."

"In this dry and rainless summer, Plastic Island's expenditures are already higher than in previous years, and adding such a high burden has left us strained."

Lin Chi's voice sounded heavy: "Even by adding these additional high expenses, it still does not solve the safety problem."

"Before we exited the Legal Front, according to data center calculations, simulated warfare projections predicted a success rate of 50.13% for the Legal Front, a number that continues to decline."

"On the other hand, the public vote to exit the Legal Front was supported by 9.17% of residents, meaning 9% of all mechanical residents believe in leaving the Law program."

"Increasing such expenses without ensuring safety makes the entire investment a futile, one-sided consumption."

"Moreover, Plastic Island is closer to Sand Port than Spring City. If war between the Legal Front and the companies breaks out—whether initiated by either side—we will be the first to face strategic strikes and devastation."

"Therefore, everyone unanimously decided to exit the Legal Front and choose Mechanical Knights to manage the city. This saves unnecessary extra expenses, doesn't require increased military spending or building shelters, and simply needs to pay the Wasteland Company licensing fees to continue living."

"Mr. Zhou, is our understanding correct?"

Zhou Yi listened in silence.

It seems the destruction of Spring City indeed pressured the Legal Front.

Objectively, the other party's decisions are not wrong.

Enhancing defense, building underground shelters, and considering Mars projects for relocation are all prudent measures in anticipation of high-intensity warfare.

But the same old problem persists.

Mechanical City isn't entirely profit-focused, large cities can afford this easily, but small cities struggling for survival will buckle under pressure. Integration and reform ultimately still require cities to shoulder their own costs.

Large cities, no matter how affluent, won't directly support smaller cities. The residents would not agree either.

Whether during the general protocol era or the current Legal Front period.

Mechanical City is like a set of diverse, large-scale factories, or production enterprises.

Zhou Yi's thoughts raced while he said: "Our previous strategic strikes were simply armed rights protection, without interfering with Mechanical City's internal affairs."

"But since Plastic Island has left the Legal Front and is unbound by Law, our trade interactions won't be hindered. This is a positive outcome."

"Sand Port has a high demand for plastic and rubber. Though Plastic Island produces recycled plastic and rubber, their quality suits the masses at a reasonable price."

He continued: "Airships, Floating Hearts, and electric cat equipment all require such lightweight yet durable materials. It seems we have considerable cooperation space ahead."

Lin Chi sounded thrilled: "Rest assured, our produced plastic is among the best in the market."

"I believe that. Mechanical City's manufacturing standards are always high."

Zhou Yi laughed: "I didn't expect you to join the Mechanical Knight Order. Now that business is done, let's discuss personal matters, how did you join?"

Lin Chi's electronic eye flickered a bit: "It's a coincidence. After Chuneng City fell, I had nowhere to go. No place hired my profession until I encountered an adventure team of mechanical life forms by chance."

"Adventure team?"

Zhou Yi was surprised: "Mechanical life forms have such groups?"

"Yes, they do. This group predates Mechanical City itself. They accept commissions everywhere, completing tasks for bounties, acting as bounty hunters within mechanical life forms, with some even formally in the Bounty Knight Order. Due to recent economic downturns, these teams have become more common."

Lin Chi recounted: "I joined the adventure team primarily for reconnaissance and exploration. Later I realized all members were Mechanical Knights installed with [Keys]."

"They originated from Plastic Island and formed a [Family]. Their main task was to search for old human cities on the Dead Sea floor, retrieve large loads of plastic made by ancient generations, and transport these materials back to the island. They also took on some side gigs to earn extra."

After listening, Zhou Yi said: "I see. Red Kestrel will discuss further details of cooperation with you."

"Understood, Mr. Zhou."

...

Red Kestrel and Lin Chi took flight, and the two old friends started further negotiations on cooperation matters.

Zhou Yi, meanwhile, called for 703.

Upon hearing about Mechanical Knights becoming city administrators on Plastic Island, the mechanical dog was also stunned: "I just found out about this. Didn't expect such a thing."

Zhou Yi's expression darkened: "You're the Zhuang Zi of the Knights, one of the nominal highest leaders, yet you need me to inform you about Knights' affairs? What have you been doing?"

"Let me explain..."

703 helplessly said: "The Mechanical Knights as a group have always been very loose, not a strictly organized and structured entity. It's more of a technical philosophy, anyone with similar thoughts can join."

"Lao Zi focuses on developing technical fields, while I concentrate on the living conditions of mechanical life forms."

"So, there's no one managing all Knights..."

"Chairman, this isn't Mechanical Knights ascending the ruling class, but more and more mechanical residents choosing to become Knights."

The mechanical dog squatted, its electronic eyes suddenly lit up with enthusiasm: "We are continually enhancing the [Key], [Family], and [Breathing]."

"Aside from 'Fathers and Sons' and 'Bloodlines,' there are now also 'Clans,' which establish deeper group connections based on bloodline and paternal relationships."

"Companies like Yin Shang and Shenwei have both introduced patriarchs as the highest decision-makers of Families, accommodating everyone's needs."

"Clans are built around a single patriarch, creating data-driven bloodline relations. Unlike the past, clans now have specialized clan languages, rules, and mutual aid principles."

"This transition shifts the fundamental organizational unit of mechanical life from cities to bloodline-based clans. Even without a fixed residence, cohesion and group cooperation are maintained."

Hearing this, Zhou Yi recalled Lin Chi mentioning the increase in mechanical adventurer teams, likely driven by the family program.

"Currently, [Breathing] has higher barriers," 703 continued. "Based on repeated tests, Electric Tamers achieve the best results with Breathing, consistently triggering overload states of [inspiration burst]. But this requires an electric cat partner and compatible electrical infrastructure, so the number of mechanical life forms using Breathing remains low."

"So far, primarily the Development Alliance's mechanical professionals are progressively adopting the configuration."

"However, as electric cat configurations become more common, the number of Electric Tamers will gradually rise, and the impact of Breathing will materialize, bringing creative associations and groundbreaking ideas."

Zhou Yi nodded: "New developments take time, no rush."

"In fact... [Breathing] has already shown its effects," said the mechanical dog. "Doctor Da Vinci has been using [Breathing] to develop the Life Extension Flower of the Mud Tree Civilization for the past two years. Since becoming an Electric Tamer, progress has accelerated significantly."

Zhou Yi recalled.

Earlier, he and Ni Ge had sought the second Black Thorn in this world. They found the Life Extension Flower that had consumed Mud Tree people scientists and brought it back to Doctor Da Vinci for research.

He hadn't inquired about it for a while.

703 continued: "Initially, Doctor Da Vinci aimed to extract organ cells from the roots of the Life Extension Flower for biological and medical research."

"But there were no results as these cells greatly differed from those collected from Ni Ge. Once detached from the host, the Life Extension Flower lost its assimilation function, reverting to its plant state."

"Using inspiration bursts, Doctor Da Vinci attempted numerous unconventional methods."

"Ultimately, shifting to a new angle, he treated the Life Extension Flower as a special semi-formalized plant and subjected it to extensive cultivation and testing."

"After repeated tests, under Doctor Da Vinci's meticulous care, the Life Extension Flower bore fruit."

703 paused: "This fruit is sustainable and transplantable for medical use and has been used in some high-risk surgeries."

Zhou Yi was taken aback.

The Life Extension Flower can continuously bear transplantable fruit...

Meaning...

Artificial organs breakthrough??

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