Former diplomat James Forsyth smiled and handed Sara a cup of tea: "Lady Kent, your community proposal is very... impactful. But the constitution is the fundamental law of the nation, requiring a broader, more long-term perspective."

Sara took the tea but did not drink it: "Mr. Forsyth, ordinary people cannot wait for 'long-term.' Their electricity bills next month, their children's overcrowded classrooms, that's what constitutes 'fundamentals' in their eyes."

"Of course, of course." Forsyth maintained his smile, "So we need to elevate specific demands into institutional guarantees. This requires professional legal design. For example, regarding the right to medical care you mentioned, we can discuss establishing a 'Health Standards Committee' in the constitution, independent of the government, to regularly evaluate..."

As Sara listened to these convoluted terms, she suddenly understood Allen's hint. These people were using professional knowledge to build new high walls. They translated "power to the people" into a set of complex game rules that only they could manipulate.

During the meeting break, she met a young committee member who also stepped out for fresh air in the garden, a former community lawyer from Northern England who also appeared somewhat disheartened.

"How do you feel?" Sara asked.

"Like learning an alien language." The young lawyer smiled wryly, "I bet the final constitution draft will be understood by very few ordinary people, let alone supervised for implementation."

"What to do then?"

The lawyer looked around, lowering his voice: "There are a few people in the committee who genuinely want reform, but they are weak and few. We need continuous pressure from outside, media attention, we need to make the public understand that the constitution is not some divine battle, but something that manages their daily lives. Your community network... if it could gather more specific and unavoidable issues directly to the media, perhaps it can break this professional monopoly."

Sara nodded. This was exactly what she thought. The constitutional struggle has just begun.

Gulf of Mexico, underwater

The Mexican Navy's modified Sea Wolf-class submarine, the Silencer, was undergoing an extreme silent navigation test. On the sonar screen, aside from ocean background noise, it was immaculate.

The captain reported to the base: "Test successful. The combination of new pump propulsion and silencing tiles results in noise levels 5 decibels below ocean background noise. The United States' latest Sea Wolf-class, even thirty nautical miles away, might not detect us."

Victor received the report in the command center and only replied: "Continue testing. Next phase, simulate breaking through the NATO anti-submarine network."

Casare excitedly said beside him, "Boss, with this thing, the entire Caribbean and Western Atlantic are like our backyard swimming pool!"

Bramo was looking at another report: "Initial signs of the 'Wind Roll Grass' plan show Americans contacting forces within Scotland and Wales who are skeptical of Mexico, also spreading words in Europe of our 'economic colonialism' and 'technological control.'"

"As expected." Victor was not surprised, "Tell our people in Scotland, economic pressure on McTavish can be slightly eased, show our 'sincerity.' At the same time, speed up activities in Wales, connect with the radical faction of the Welsh National Party before the Americans do, promise better conditions than London and Europe—as long as they agree to let us use the former Royal Air Force base on Anglesey Island."

"That will directly provoke the British... and Americans," Bramo reminded.

"Provoke them, then someone will sit down for serious talks." Victor walked to the global situation map, "The collapse of the Old Order is not a dinner party. There will be chaos, probing, small-scale clashes. What we need to do is draw new boundaries in the clashes and make everyone understand, crossing the lines costs more than they can afford."

His finger traced across the North Sea, pausing at Scotland: "McTavish wants to play balance? Fine. But the pivot of balance must be in our hands."

Outside the window, the lights of Mexico City were still dazzling. The glory of the Olympics has become the past, the real game, deeper and darker underwater, has just begun. Cracks start showing on all sides, new alliances are taking shape in uncertainty, while the dust of the Old Empire slowly falls, covering those trying to establish a new order on the ruins. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

...