Deep Space Wandering Fleet
Chapter 252 - Chapter 252 Chapter 252 The Great Waves of the Information Age

Chapter 252: Chapter 252: The Great Waves of the Information Age (7000-word mega chapter, please subscribe!) Chapter 252: Chapter 252: The Great Waves of the Information Age (7000-word mega chapter, please subscribe!) Next…

As technology gradually developed, the size of the 13 cities grew larger and larger, with populations reaching tens of millions. With such large populations, if management could not keep pace, chaos among cities would be inevitable, or crime rates would increase, and productivity per capita would actually decrease.

In such circumstances, new management methods were essential.

Through the efforts of scientific researchers, the information age, represented by the Internet, was finally arriving.

The advent of Internet technology brought new ways of entertainment, socializing, and managing, as the distance between individuals began to rapidly close. With information technology, even cities with populations of tens of millions could be easily managed.

Add to that the signing of the nuclear disarmament treaty and the achievement of overall peace, it meant that cities no longer needed to maintain hostility towards each other as before.

The cities also developed more social needs.

But traditional surface transportation was neither safe nor convenient.

Therefore, after a global conference, the leaders of the 13 main cities decided to dig a global tunnel deep beneath the ground, forming a global transportation network to foster business and population exchange!

When talking about this segment of history, Ganyador showed both excitement and regret.

“Under these circumstances, the whole world, the only democracy, Gor City, encountered the greatest opportunity in its history!”

…

On an eternal twilight day, fierce winds were blowing outside.

Meanwhile, 80 meters beneath the ground, a global underground transportation plan that had been underway for 662 years was in progress.

The entire elongated underground passage connected 13 main cities and 24 secondary cities. It was not only suitable for placing communication cables but also for installing rail trains as transportation between cities. With these means of transport, the trade between cities was bound to be smoother, without the need to traverse the surface and face dangerous typhoons.

When Gor City broke through the last key node, suddenly, the whole construction team burst into cheers.

“We’ve connected!”

“We’re linked up!”

Workers from different cities excitedly embraced each other, these long and narrow tunnels, who knows how much Glizerian sweat had been poured into them.

Now, they were finally complete!

“Praise Science!”

“Praise!”

What this massive project meant, every Glizerian knew by heart. Without technological advances, without various excavation tools, such a huge underground project would have been impossible.

That very day, amidst toasts and salutes, the top leaders of Gor City held a grand celebration banquet, celebrating the completion of the project.

They even made a live telecommunication video call on the spot, connecting with people from other cities. In the past, they could only communicate through complex and troublesome telegrams, but now it was different, as it would be exceptionally simple to communicate between cities.

After the celebration ceremony, the high-level officials held an internal meeting.

A scientist in charge of a major communication project, Atiya, suddenly came up with a very strange idea. The idea made him so excited that he felt boiling hot and fanatically enthusiastic.

In an internal meeting, he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, the coming era will inevitably belong to the age of information, and we have also determined the direction of development in this area. A small tunnel, a thin cable, could completely change our lives, allowing us to connect to a larger world!”

“And the competition between cities will undoubtedly become more intense!”

“To give a concrete example, if a certain product enters the other city first and seizes their market, after the people of that city get used to this product, they will continue to use it. This strategy of capturing the market will make our cities wealthier.”

The assembly members underneath were whispering to each other; this clever Mr. Atiya was right.

The opening of the underground tunnels meant there would inevitably be a massive amount of commercial exchanges.

As a pioneer of the information age, Atiya had very high prestige. The fastest interpretation of certain materials from the Universal Factory, and transforming it into usable industry, was a remarkable achievement.

The Chief Executive Officer nodded and agreed, “Yes, in this era, although a comprehensive peace agreement has been reached, the competition between cities is extremely fierce. All cities are frantically tapping into the potential of the Universal Factory, trying to crush their rivals. This point isn’t something only we have realized…”

Many Glizerians quickly developed a series of strategies for development, including the development of various products, especially social software.

Social software inherently has a monopolistic nature; once people start using one, they usually won’t switch to a second or third.

Atiya said loudly, “No, no, no, gentlemen, the monopoly of products is just one aspect, and what we can gain from it is only wealth.”

“Is there something else we might do in light of this?”

The eagerly discussing assembly members looked up; what exactly was he trying to convey?

Seeing the puzzled faces, Atiya asked, “I would like to ask if any of the rest of you have visited other cities?”

Even though the underground tunnels were already connected, there were still some follow-up tasks to complete, and the rail trains had not officially started running. Of course, since they held high positions and were not like ordinary people, many had still visited other cities.

Suddenly, the Chief Executive Officer said, “The outside world is indeed very different from our city.”

“The leaders of those cities govern for life, and moreover, they can raise their own children to inherit this ruling power. Regardless of whether the child has noble character or superior abilities, they can still attain supreme power…”

“So, gentlemen, in this technological race, our Gor City will definitely be in a leading position and will keep the lead!!”

They all knew this and showed confident smiles. Glizerians who had visited cities elsewhere felt superior about their Gor City, a confidence rooted in their system.

Scientist Atiya concurred, “Yes, the outside world is entirely under a dictatorship! I once had the privilege of visiting neighboring Nifang City, Ajala City… Living in such cities, even the air seems murkier. A foolish and selfish leader can still be a leader, unlike us, who can pool the wisdom of a group of people.”

“The dictatorship is, after all, a corrupt and dark regime, suppressing the natural tendencies and creativity of the people.”

“Whereas a democratic system is bright and free…”

“Should we seize the opportunity to do something? Not just monopolizing goods but also monopolizing thoughts.”

In reality, Gor City wasn’t all harmony as it seemed on the surface, having its own dark aspects, but various powers checked each other, and citizens did have some political power, which made it much better than the outside world on the face of it.

“Atiya, do you have a good plan?” the Governor at the time asked.

A glow appeared in Atiya’s eyes, “The advent of the internet has brought the whole world closer, making access to information much easier. We just need to promote the freedom and beauty of our city, letting all Glizerians who yearn for freedom know that there exists such a paradise!”

His voice grew louder and more fervent, “Let them understand that every citizen should have their own rights, rather than having others lord over them!”

“Thus, we can loosen the political foundation of dictators and break down their power! In this way, we could even have the potential to unify the entire planet!”

This outward transfer of ideology, in theory, really had the potential to trigger significant changes in the world!

Unfortunately, after Atiya delivered his impassioned speech, he suddenly found that the council members seated below were showing a kind of indifferent and unconcerned smile.

The entire meeting room fell into sudden silence.

“Lord Atiya, I seriously suspect whether you’re a spy sent from an enemy city!” a political adversary said with sarcasm, “Your proposal is indeed interesting, but where does it leave the security of Gor City?”

“Don’t assume that leaders of other cities are fools!”

Originally, the 13 cities, each managing its own affairs, meant it didn’t matter much if Gor City was a bit of an oddity. Every city had a Universal Factory, and as long as the technological gap wasn’t vast, no one could do much to the others.

But now it was different; if Gor City conducted “ideological exports” to the outside, it would become the target of many!

Twelve enemies–Gor City, no matter how brave or how many talents it had, could not possibly make enemies of the entire world.

“If the twelve enemies united, Gor City would be finished.”

Therefore, regarding this plan of exporting ideology, there was a significant divide among the Governors within the city.

“Lord Atiya, if other cities also changed to a democratic system and became as advanced as we are, on what basis could our Gor City stand out in the competition?” another council member attacked.

Atiya was stunned, “Do we really have no confidence in ourselves?”

“It’s not that we lack confidence… letting the opponent decay will undoubtedly expose us to less competition.”

“What does the outside world have to do with us? If it works, there aren’t many benefits… at least not many.”

“If not, we’re left with nothing.”

“Too risky.”

Atiya argued with reason, shaking with anger, “How can there not be any? Through such a plan, we could attract a large number of talents; isn’t a talent advantage important?”

He suddenly realized that his own city was not as enlightened and advanced as he had imagined.

“If we just focus on developing our tourism and improving our cultural facilities, we could naturally promote our ideas to the outside world. If we miss such a good opportunity, when will we get another chance?”

Those Glizerians in power, who have managed to attain their positions, aren’t they all the real old hands?

They wouldn’t change their will just because of a few words from Atiya.

Talent?

Salvation of civilization?

What interstellar joke, when did civilization ever need saving?

Isn’t one’s own life important?

So, after this meeting, the plan was not approved, at least not with much fanfare.

The angry Atiya didn’t give up. He tried to achieve his goals through his own influence. After all, he was a great scientist with his own network of connections.

“What made you conceive the illusion that our civilization needs to be saved?” an aged Glizerian asked; it had once been the Governor of Gor City and, despite being retired, still maintained strong connections.

“I just feel that something is off, truly! Now the outside is filled with Dark Cloud, the stench of various dictatorships has persisted for too long, do we really need to do nothing about it?”

The former Governor touched his ear, “Atiya, when I was young, I also had such thoughts. Going to the cities outside, I would feel indignant at their injustices.”

“But you need to understand, the times always progress, and history is a rising spiral. We don’t need to deliberately do anything. Those who lead the charge in history often don’t end well.”

Atiya questioned, “If no one does it, how can history possibly change?”

“In the short term, society may get better or worse, even increasingly worse, descending from times of peace to times of chaos; but from a broader historical perspective, it gets increasingly better. The fluctuations of particular periods or the decline of certain stages do not affect the overall upward trajectory of history. History makes the largest detours, but this doesn’t change the major historical progression from chaotic times to peaceful times and onward to times of great peace…”

Atiya turned away in disappointment; the old man had aged and no longer possessed the ambition of his youth, unwilling to stir up trouble at this juncture, only wishing to spend his latter years peacefully.

The so-called spiral theory of history–no one could prove whether it was right or wrong.

Especially if everyone avoided taking action, how could history possibly ascend?

This precious strategic period, amidst hesitation and uncertainty, began to quietly slip away…

Years passed, one after another.

The cables were laid…

The rail tracks were laid…

The city trains began their official operation.

Commercial trade between the cities started to burgeon gradually.

Atiya’s predictions were slowly coming to fruition.

Despite the impact of the internet, with Gor City as a contrast, the consciousness of the people was still gradually awakening.

Some would visit Gor City, become cultured, and return to proclaim how “the air outside is so sweet”, “life is so free”, “the moon over Gor City is so round”.

Even if the Governor of Gor City did nothing, the city was still spontaneously exporting its ideology.

Oligarchic rule was still provoking severe dissatisfaction among the populace. More and more people began to voice political demands, resenting the unspoken issues of power.

Particularly within the military, there were those who began to stir, harboring grievances.

And some individuals, after being influenced by culture, began to migrate to Gor City. These emigrants were of a very high quality… and they took with them a vast wealth that belonged to the city itself.

Faced with this natural awakening of the public consciousness, the oligarchs began to panic. They had never imagined that expanding exchanges could lead to such problems.

But to close off the country now was unrealistic!

Expanding commercial exchanges had, after all, fostered economic growth and improved the lives of the citizens. Suddenly closing off would affect many people’s interests, particularly many middle-class individuals who relied on this for their livelihood. These folks would surely erupt in direct revolt.

Even the most powerful military groups need a population base.

If those under their command were to flee or rebel, the entire political structure would become water without a source, a tree without roots. Without people to carry out administrative orders, how would they differ from a general without an army?

As people’s loyalties wavered and even the military’s loyalty faded, the oligarchs feared that one day, they would be overthrown by the angry populace.

To address the problem of ideological invasion, the oligarchs implemented many measures, including but not limited to exerting intense pressure on Gor City, the main culprit; controlling the speech of the masses; improving social welfare, and executing a few corrupt officials to placate the public, among other things.

“The most tragic scene occurred…”

When recounting this moment in history, Ganyador appeared exceptionally sorrowful.

“Under the joint pressure of twelve cities, Atiya, the esteemed, was executed by the Governors of Gor City for the crime of anti-civilization and peace.”

Zhang Yuan’s heart thumped heavily, and he sighed. Political struggles had always been fierce, throughout ancient and modern times, even across different civilizations.

…

A People’s Court sentenced this scientist to the crime of “anti-civilization and peace,” which included forming illegal groups and posting incendiary messages online, among other things.

He was to receive the most brutal form of execution–electrocution.

“Atiya, do you admit your guilt?”

“I acknowledge that I did these things. But I do not admit that I am guilty… Future generations shall judge what is right and what is wrong.”

Naturally, no one paid attention to this defense.

The judge solemnly announced his crimes.

Atiya, sitting in the electric chair and fitted with execution devices, looked calm and collected. Below, the spectating crowd cheered loudly. It didn’t matter to them who was being killed; their apathy was clear. It was not important whether it was a good official or a bad one; as long as an officer was put to death, they would rejoice.

He was about to walk into death’s arms.

“Buzz!”

The electric current increased gradually. Naturally, the most brutal sentences were designed to ensure enough pain and punishment time. Furthermore, this public execution attempted to quell the anger of rulers from other cities.

Within seconds, his muscles began to convulse uncontrollably, his body wracked with boundless pain. But the current was not meant to kill immediately.

Suddenly, he shouted hoarsely, “The civilization of democracy… the civilization of freedom! The seeds of light have already been sown far and wide, we shall eventually win a glorious victory!”

The public’s cheering grew even more frenzied. Atiya, now tarnished as a destroyer of peace, was a criminal.

In the end, Atiya… died.

However, such measures only pacified the anger of the oligarchs; they could no longer create difficulties for Gor City.

But the fury of the people remained unassuaged. Various measures were merely stopgap solutions and were barely effective.

There was even a fool who adopted the customary brutal rule and turned firearms on the angry citizens of his own city!

But naturally, this fellow reaped no good fruit. The mad military quickly turned on itself, and this tyrant fell amid internal strife. The new ruler took power, announced a series of welfare measures, relinquished many of their own benefits to calm some of the public’s anger.

The oligarchs also had headaches. Atiya died, but his spirit indeed lived on. The spread of information via the internet was simply too fast; anything happening was instantly known to all.

The public’s ideology gradually awakened, knowing what was good and what was not.

The oligarchs wanted to maintain true autocracy without falling from power. How could such a perfect scenario be achieved?

“That was Gor City’s best chance to turn the tide, offering military support or expanding ideological influence, but the leaders at the time chose to be cowards! They even killed a heroic figure of their own civilization.”

Ganyador occasionally showed a sentiment of frustration, lamenting this part of history.

…

Eventually, decades and then centuries later, amidst various chaos, the oligarchs relinquished a large portion of their interests and finally came up with a bold and absurd strategy: the “Pacifier” theory!

Since the gap between the rich and the poor couldn’t be bridged under oligarchy, and it wasn’t possible to satisfy the public’s political demands, then… why not just shove a “pacifier” in people’s mouths to keep them silent!

What was this pacifier?

Simply put, it was about weakening the people’s beliefs so they no longer cared about the injustices in society.

By amplifying their sensory indulgences and occupying their spare time, they were lured into addiction, spending all their excess energy. They were led to believe they were living fulfilling, happy lives.

To put it even more simply,…

Goldenly develop the entertainment industry!

The biggest benefit of the entertainment industry is its ability to stabilize the masses and reduce dissatisfaction.

All kinds of new entertainment, including movies, television, and games, began to loosen previous restrictions and spread more widely.

These vulgar amusements, once despised by traditional morals, were now unleashed like a flood, aided by the internet in their rampant spread.

Unlike old forms of entertainment that required thought for pleasure, the more vulgar ones were easily widely disseminated.

Take the unrealistic TV dramas, for example, they were satisfying to watch.

After being satisfied, time would pass, and slowly, they would forget about the disparities and injustices, settling for a job that barely met their basic needs without causing trouble.

The Glizerians’ energy was limited; they worked for two days and then needed a rest for ten, expending their energy and losing their ability to think, no longer fighting for their rights.

Especially one new game called “sensory movie” began to be all the rage, which, in human language, was just Immersive VR device, offering a realistic illusion.

Humans had all sorts of entertainment, like remote hookups and such–they invented them all.

But differently, while human governments would impose some regulations and face moral criticisms, this civilization had none; the ruling class spared no effort to promote it widely, and the people loved it.

Only a few enlightened individuals called for criticism, but their serious voices were soon drowned in a sea of information. No one heard them, no one saw them.

However, long-term viewing of these sensory movies led to confusion between virtuality and reality, eroding individual resolve, and even made it hard to remember who they were.

But what of it?

The policy’s effect was exceedingly good!

For the top rulers, peace and stability were imperative; the mass of people were either working or indulging in entertainment, with a high level of happiness, their will gradually wearing away–this became a tremendous boon.

Time passed day by day, year by year. The emerging turbulence of the era was forcefully suppressed back into calm by some. That strategic window of opportunity quietly slipped away…

The so-called light of Atiya was partly realized but ultimately never fully achieved.

The people would no longer pursue the so-called ideas of democracy, freedom, equality, not affecting the oligarchs’ political power.

Even Gor City, once a bastion of democracy, was bombarded by a wave of vulgar entertainment.

Zhang Yuan flipped open a book that contained the life philosophy of the Glize Civilization at the time.

The first line read: “…To earn money is of course for spending, and spending is to satisfy one’s desires. How to make money then becomes the most important issue. What’s wrong with a citizen trying to make money in a unique way? That’s just their personal freedom!”

“As long as it does not affect others, there shouldn’t be unnecessary restrictions.”

“Happiness is nothing more than one desire after another being satisfied!”

“A policy is the best if it can bring the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people!”

One expert after another came out with their twisted logic, and in speaking, they even convinced themselves that this was the ultimate truth…

Even the rulers were brainwashed by their own set of theories, believing that the world should just be this way…

Materialism and hedonism grew worse, and what little morality remained was thrown down the sewer.

A civilization long addicted to vulgar entertainment undoubtedly wreaked severe damage on traditional ideologies; the standard of art plummeted, no longer seeing a plethora of artists and wandering minstrels with aspirations for distant travels.

The eras changed, but the tide of revolution never came…

A thousand years went by.

Ten thousand years went by…

There is no eternal rule in the world; the top-tier oligarchs changed several times due to internal decay, but the dragon-slayers, after all their struggles, simply ended up transforming into dragons themselves.

After entering the information age and going through several industrial revolutions, the Gleize Civilization still hid beneath the surface of their planet.

This time, however, it was even harder for them to venture out from their own planet.

For thousands, tens of thousands of years, the world seemed unchanged.

…