Deep Space Wandering Fleet-Chapter 578 - 575: Live Well

If you analyze it from the perspective of being "wise after the event," another fatal policy was reducing the retirement age. The "Bright Galaxy" human branch was already an aging branch; a sudden surge of early retirements led to a labor shortage, impacting the timely completion of many projects. Consequently, the government’s credibility was completely drained.

Even worse, everyone gradually got used to these delays and openly cursed the government as being useless. In their hearts, people knew well that the government was as good as trash—comparison brings disappointment. Nevertheless, it was their elected government, and they had to accept it tearfully.

"Punctuality" is actually a cultural phenomenon.

Just like some countries on Earth that value punctuality, which fosters a meticulous and strict social atmosphere; while in other countries, where being lax and unpunctual goes unchallenged, over time, nobody bothers to complete tasks timely and accurately, as doing so is seen as self-defeating.

But what about it?

In this era, technology was so advanced that even with half of the population retired and another significant portion slacking, starvation among humans was still impossible—it’s a fact!

Additionally, the introduction of policies such as the opening of virtual worlds and joyful education further accelerated the decay of civilization...

People’s sense of happiness significantly increased, and the whole social culture declined day by day. Figures like Lin Dongying, who formed the "Civilization Progress Party" of highly knowledgeable individuals, never ceased to criticize such social trends, to no avail.

Their critique was too detached from reality, only garnering public resentment.

Then, one day, those leaders who competed against each other on stage suddenly realized that Virtual World Technology had become a black hole, with most people lost in gaming.

It then dawned on them that the situation had spread to a vast uncontrollable stage; continuing like this, it would soon devolve into the despised Sinking Civilization!

However, the overall societal momentum couldn’t be stopped by just one great individual. This planet had no enemies, the army was nearly disbanded, and a game called "Paradise" from the virtual world was spreading and winning wide popularity among the public.

This rather responsible leader, with a bold gesture, decided to amend the relevant policies despite his reluctance.

That really stirred up a hornet’s nest as people began to protest in streets, demanding more rights in the virtual worlds. They thought 30 days a year were not enough and demanded more! freewёbnoνel-com

There were even a few, previously government officials.

The same scene of a mass strike that once happened during the development of the "Planet Fortress" recurred here!

"...Citizens! We must fight for our rightful rights! The right to rest, to amuse, to protect our mental and physical health!"

Broadcasts relayed this message, as if emanating from every citizen’s heart...

The societal trend could not be reversed single-handedly; many educated elites were panicking, but they were powerless to stop it.

Attempting to increase working hours temporarily was not feasible. Was it possible to return to an 8-hour workday? Even the police were striking—why?!

...

Mr. Lin Yingdong painfully recounted this past event: "Just like that, in merely fifty or sixty years, everything collapsed... like dominos. Initially, it was a small card pushing a larger one, and the collapse accelerated faster and faster. By the time people realized, it was too late to do anything..."

"The fallen cards could crush all opponents to death!"

"Humans have never been noble creatures, never..."

...

This severe and tragic humanitarian disaster quickly spread throughout every corner of the New Human Civilization. The news continuously reported the cause, process, and ultimate outcome of the event.

This incident swiftly overshadowed the initial ridicule and contempt for this human branch, transforming into mourning.

This was simply horrifying!

Everyone in front of the screen was shocked.

Though the bodies of these fifty million people were still here on Earth, their spirits had reached another world.

Even if people had the ability to retrieve their self-awareness from the Virtual World, what would be the point? Would these people be content with the current world anymore?

They wouldn’t be.

They would never come back...

According to scientists, the world these people experienced was different from the normal "Transcendent trials"; they were able to experience what is known as "Creator Mode."

Bringing them back, they wouldn’t come back, unwilling to return.

Even if forcibly brought back, they would be filled with resentment and complaints, no longer normal citizens.

"...that is to say, filled with an optimistic spirit, proactive, a New Human Civilization potentially reaching a Fourth-level Civilization, was only fifty years away from falling into a Sinking Civilization!"

This fact was truly chilling.

On what should have been a bustling weekend, the streets and alleys were devoid of people, everyone hiding in their homes. In the shops, large and small, only robots were operating automatically.

Mr. Zhang Yuan and a group of colleagues, after finishing a meeting, walked slowly through the streets, sighing deeply...

Zhang Yuan looked down and said, "This matter, when we chose Plan 17 initially, we also bore responsibility. The first was overestimating the overall will of humanity... We thought that a 1400-year project, if we gritted our teeth, could still be persisted with."

"In reality, it wasn’t."

Another colleague said, "Maybe we were used to smooth sailing, our civilization had never experienced such a massive disaster in thousands of years..."

"Our mathematics can’t predict things a thousand years later."

Although he said this, Zhang Yuan still felt he needed to reflect and summarize some things. Because at that time, 1400 years ago, he was already a high-ranking government official, and the so-called Plan 17 was one of the backup plans suggested by these Transcendents for the government to choose...

Now, although the entire plan had been carried out and the results were good,

with such a big error occurring, to say there was no responsibility at all would be impossible.

The survivors of the Bright Galaxy branch numbered only over 60,000; in that environment, to have over 60,000 survivors,

Mr. Lin Yingdong shook his head, knowing that the young man before him was a Transcendent, a person of substantial power both 1400 years ago and now.

It was a strange feeling, somewhat different from past societies... yet also somewhat indescribable.

Transcendents existed in every age, but in this era, they were especially numerous and evident. Presumably, after their departure, the human society of Kunlun Mountain had also undergone significant changes.

Lin Yingdong didn’t bother to think too much, "Sigh, Mr. Zhang Yuan, the choices of the first government didn’t really matter that much... You and your companions have also suffered for a lifetime, it’s just that it suddenly became unbearable for our generation."

"But I still think that in front of the great righteousness of civilization and the small righteousness of the individual, a normal balance should be maintained..."

Zhang Yuan nodded in agreement, "Yes, before we modify the true genetic driving force, our policies still need to adhere to the basic norms of human activity."

He embraced this survivor for a while, persuading him, "Live well here, just live well, live peacefully..."

...