Deep Space Wandering Fleet
Chapter 553 - 550: A Life of One’s Own

Chapter 553: Chapter 550: A Life of One’s Own

During these forty years, as the old government’s prestige significantly declined, the first aspect of power they lost was the so-called "discourse power." The media, representing different interest classes, seized a large portion of this discourse power.

"Victorious Escape!" — At least that’s how the news on various newspapers described it.

"We no longer need a dictatorship; we need a government elected by ourselves!"

And after a forty-year population explosion, the population of the New Human Civilization had grown to 90 million, boosting the workforce and significantly increasing the industrial power of the entire civilization.

Of course, with such a high population and accompanying workforce, there was no longer a need to exploit the people as in the past; a normal work situation had already been restored.

However, regardless of present or future circumstances, a population of ninety million was only temporary; the vast majority would leave in this "escape operation."

The second aspect of power lost was, naturally, political power. Various political parties, during these forty-plus years of preparation, emerged one after another, all of them recently publishing their political agendas, painting the future in bright colors.

"Today, power is returned back to the people, that is, back to your hands. For a long time, the government forced us to achieve major goals but neglected the people’s pursuit of their own happiness, to the extent that our personal life times have been decreasing..."

"This plan is the legitimate demand of true citizens, the upright public. We will leave here, choosing our own lives."

"During my long working years, I often saw drunkards paralyzed by the roadside; they once had their own dreams, but now they have none. I’ve also seen people who had to have their entire lungs removed due to excessive smoking; they should not have ended up like this... In another world, we will end these dark phenomena."

A party leader was delivering a speech in front of the public, met with wave after wave of enthusiastic applause.

The Female Captain, witnessing this scene, envied it deeply; she seemingly never received such fervent applause from the public.

For the current society, still relatively democratic and open, the votes in the people’s hands were extremely important.

After national discussions, the previous single-party rule system was going to be replaced by a "multi-party system." The old political party, the New Civilization School, would no longer pursue the basic platform away from the crowd; they chose to stay here, silently continuing the work on the Planet Engine.

Thus, what the future held was no longer under the control of former officials; it was now up to the departing people to decide...

This was an unprecedented event. Although the Ruling party had exploited the people for many years, creating wide disapproval, there was still a bit of social inertia after all these years, and many were somewhat upset upon hearing this news.

However, even more people were excited and curious. The New Civilization School pursued "progress of civilization," but other parties paid more attention to livelihoods or to cultural development; anyway, a change of flavor was good.

How interesting and meaningful it was for people to want their own political parties!

Democratic policies had their advantages and disadvantages. The Ruling party was elected by votes, and everyone fully exercised their political rights, embodying the charm of so-called "freedom."

"What a mess... All these troubles! Isn’t pursuing progress good?" Wang Haifeng sighed lightly, watching people enter the Radiant Galaxy, ship by ship, above his head.

He was an honest person, feeling that such noisy upheaval wasn’t quite right, but he couldn’t quite articulate any other reasons.

In any case, Wang Haifeng would not choose to leave.

Even within this large construction site that had accompanied him his whole life, an unusually restless atmosphere had emerged. Workers were filling out forms and discussing loudly, as if after escaping this hell on earth, they could reach a faraway paradise... a real paradise!

Older folk joked and laughed while a few young people watched hesitantly from the sidelines, having just started working and not quite knowing what to think.

Wang Haifeng patted a young man’s shoulder.

"Uncle Wang, aren’t you leaving?" the young man asked, "Most older people have left."

Wang Haifeng shook his head, "Forget it, what about you?"

"I don’t know..."

Yes, he didn’t know, and neither did most of the young people.

They were too confused, such things happened right after graduation... Everything was fine at school, but once they left, it became like this.

"The people staying here are not running away, we will build shelters for you first to defend against the collision of neutron stars! We hope that in four hundred years, we can reunite! You will see a powerful human civilization." This was the slogan of the Industrial Union Party, starting to campaign for themselves.

Industry was definitely going to be developed, and shouting this slogan seemed to provide a dignified moral explanation for their own "desertion."

Yes, we were just building shelters in advance!

"We will go to that Star Domain and develop another real War Star! Plus, we will also build observation devices for the neutron star collision..."

This was another party’s, the Democracy Promotion Association, political slogan—they actually wanted to develop another War Star!

That War Star was bound to be destroyed by the neutron star collision eventually, and developing a War Star one light-year away could truly be preserved.

In people’s minds, being forced to rush development and passionately choosing to develop seemed like two different things.

What people detested was long hours of overtime, not developing War Stars.

The current fleeing public was actually very sensitive, everyone knew this big plan had to be completed, both from a moral level and the entire civilization level.

Most people did not want to touch their own behavior of "desertion," so they needed a reasonable explanation to comfort themselves.

The parties that initially flattered the public by promising "increased social welfare" and "reduced retirement age" got fewer votes, as it seemed "immoral and indulgent."

These two most popular parties, the Industrial Union Party and the Democracy Promotion Association, gradually stood out and had started the final battle, with the outcome still uncertain. Both sides debated and criticized each other’s political views.

In short, they had a full three hundred years of voyage to defeat each other.

This fleeing operation not only impacted the previous generation but also the next.

There were some people in their fifties or sixties, who had just worked for a dozen years, also aggressively claiming their right to leave, and, astonishingly, their applications were approved!

The strangest thing was that a small number of freedom-seeking young people did not inspire more to leave, which somewhat baffled Wang Haifeng...

Although the younger generation below was very confused, what they learned in school clashed greatly with what was happening in society. Yet, it seemed as if a subtle force was supporting them, the old government’s propaganda power dominated all the clubs in schools. Some young people simply watched these tumultuous crowds as if observing a very strange joke.

Just then, a voice rang in his ear, "Wang Haifeng, are you really not leaving?"

It was his sister from his Small Family: "Just file a report, it’s very simple! The government’s approval is very lenient this time. If you stay, with a significant reduction in population, a 10-hour work system will be reinstated, which won’t be as relaxed as now..."

"Forget it, I’ve been doing this for so long I’m used to it. A few more years won’t matter, I’m about to retire anyway... Go ahead, I’m not leaving."

Wang Haifeng grinned, his large hands embracing his sister. Unbeknownst to them, tears began to fall.

Parting was always a painful affair.