Meteor Fall Master in the 'Starry Abyss'
Chapter 609 - 225. Mechanical World Charter

Chapter 609: 225. Mechanical World Charter

Coulomb Torque sank his shoulders.

Leoz was definitely not a tactician or strategist. He was merely someone who maximized the advantages at his disposal.

On one hand, his charm was overwhelmingly powerful, making the entire planet willing to shelter him.

On the other hand, his subordinates had such high levels of execution that they fully met his mission requirements.

These two aspects were not something anyone could easily obtain, and even those who had them might not be able to replicate Leoz’s operations.

But.

"Turing, Watt."

The two senators turned their heads immediately upon hearing his call, looking at him in confusion.

Coulomb Torque lifted his head, with a sense of human-like resolve in his electronic eyes:

"Gather the legion, and turn the power of the Holy Son Core to maximum."

"What does this mean?" Watt Rivet Steel said in a deep voice, "Are you crazy?"

Turing Radix was stunned and quickly spoke up, "Hey, Coulomb, have you lost your mind? Turning the Holy Son Core to full power will damage our consciousness—"

"Are you still thinking of surrendering to the Crystal Tower? Do you think those mages, those officials, will spare us traitors?"

Coulomb Torque looked at Sofia Malin standing in the distance, continuously drawing spiritual power from the spirit realm to repair herself and the Heroic Spirit Legion, and said solemnly:

"Give up your illusions."

"We ended up here because reality was unbearable, and we were oppressed by the mages ruling this civilization. We had no choice but to join the Mechanical World Society. Even without the nurturing of the Holy Mother, we are marginalized individuals not accepted by civilization."

"They took everything from us. We can either bring about change or die."

"Mashigang has given us a third path—as members of the Mechanical World Society, to raise the butcher’s knife against the reality that oppresses us!"

Coulomb Torque’s gaze grew fervent. Through self-hypnosis as he spoke, he gradually regained his firm faith in Mashigang.

"We have no choice—we must carry out the ritual. Turing, give me the Institution."

Turing Radix fell silent, opened the armor on his chest, and took out an old parchment scroll.

This kind of artifact was completely out of style with the Mechanical World, but the senators present all understood how ancient this item was.

"Every Social Institution is a precious treasure left behind from when our society was still a civilization. When it ascends to become a Social Institution, those valued treasures become socialized, becoming even stronger than Starry Abyss Artifacts."

Coulomb Torque murmured, opening the parchment scroll.

"The Mechanical Civilization Community Charter."

As soon as the scroll was unfurled, the entire Baizhu Star began to quake violently.

"Hereby declare to all citizens, no matter which star you inhabit, no matter which historical period you exist in, no matter whether you are in the living or dead state, you must remember: The tide of mechanizing the entire cosmos is the grand trend of the universe, and no one can stop it."

The earth cracked, oceans roared, various wild beasts and monsters ran amok, and magma spread across the land like a tsunami.

......

Newbie Village.

A large number of villagers collapsed to the ground, bodies convulsing and wailing incessantly.

"What’s going on?"

Nikita jumped to his feet and looked around. He was the only one unharmed, and he turned his gaze toward his son-in-law, Julian, who was in visible distress:

"Son, what’s wrong with you?"

"Dad... my bones..."

Julian began to roll on the ground in agony. Nikita’s gaze fell on his arm, and his pupils contracted.

Julian’s skin was torn open, jet-black metallic bone spurs emerged, and cold circuit boards spread like fungal hyphae, replacing his blood vessels and nerves.

"This... Is this the Erosion of the Social Institution?"

Nikita recalled his early military experiences, and his head buzzed:

"Mr. Leoz—are you fighting the Social Institution?"

......

Blue Chrysanthemum Village.

The once bustling tavern was now filled with wails and laments. Everyone appeared insane, trying to tear off their own skin; some had their eyeballs melted by circuits, watching their optic nerves grow into circuits and fiber optics in the mirror.

Beasts roaming the streets entered the village. Even the weak goblins had plasma cannons growing from them. Moving with track drives, they fired erratically, throwing the entire village into chaos and confusion.

Jenny hid in a water tank, peeking through a gap at the madness outside in horror.

Humans were turned into machines alive, wandering like infected zombie necromancers. Couples who were affectionate just a moment ago were now thrusting chainsaws and drills into each other’s skulls, fiercely pulling out components and brain matter.

The once adorable dog begging for food by the roadside had transformed into a ferocious armored beast, swallowing several people whole. After merging the electronic components from their bodies, it grew stronger and larger, covered in turrets and missile launchers, looking like a moving arsenal from a distance.

Why, why is this happening?

Wasn’t everything fine just a moment ago? These high-tech Night Butterfly Man equipment only seen on the news, why are they here? Didn’t the politicians say that the war wouldn’t affect daily life and the future looked bright, with days getting better?

Why are people being turned into weapons and killing each other?

"Luther, where are you... Save me, Luther..."

Just as Jenny was trembling in fear and despair, a voice suddenly sounded in her ears:

"Did you hear that voice?"

She turned her head and saw a four or five-year-old boy in the water tank with her, looking up innocently and asking:

"Andel heard that voice—Big Sister, did you hear it too?"

"Hear... what?" Jenny asked hesitantly.

"Mom’s voice."

Andel said softly:

"A mom, a very gentle but strict mom, talking inside my heart."

A burnt and acrid smell spread through the water tank. Jenny shuddered and froze in place.

"She said..."

The flesh on Andel’s body gradually melted, peeled, and fell off, revealing an alloy skeleton and hollow electronic eyes. His vibrant heart was consumed by metal bit by bit, turning into a glowing engine, emitting dizzying radiation.

"The execution officer of Mashigang needs me... I don’t need to think about anything..."

Andel opened his mouth, his tongue turning into a cable, lunging at Jenny!

"Big Sister, Mom says, glug... zzzz... boo—hic!"

"Big Sister, yummy."

......

Swish!

Nastisha retracted her magic energy gunblade, slicing and killing a mutated survivor. She unleashed a bolt of lightning, clearing an entire street, her face grim:

"These are Prospective Citizens corrupted by the Social Institution—what on earth is going on? The Secret Society should have been driven away long ago, and Baizhu Star’s antibodies should last at least five hundred years..."

"Perhaps another Social Institution has set its sights on us!"

Her colleague, Ye Wangnan, summoned a frenzy of magic plants, tearing a group of mutated Prospective Citizens to pieces. Her newly changed dress was now covered in blood and grime.

Nastisha frowned:

"How could that be? We defeated the Secret Society before. Didn’t people say that other Social Institutions wouldn’t dare to approach when they sensed the presence of the Secret Society?"

"Who knows?"

The mage, known for her love of beauty, couldn’t care less about her appearance at the moment. She raised her rifle and blasted a mountain-sized Prospective Citizen in the distance to pieces, saying in a deep voice:

"Only a Narrative-Level Civilization could predict the approach of the Social Institution. In our marginal star system, which hasn’t joined the Interstellar Alliance of Layer Abyss, who would pay attention to us?"

Though the words were harsh, there was truth in them.

"This is endless—the number of Prospective Citizens is too overwhelming. Our powerful beings couldn’t even handle Trevela before, and now the entire planet is erupting in crisis. We simply don’t have enough people!"

Karl Rufus’s voice came through the communication magic, as if the reality of the Social Institution’s invasion had slapped him hard. He was now particularly serious and earnest in dealing with the crisis.

"Damn it, Minister Balkmon is still tied up. Did the Night Butterfly Man plan this? Colluding with Canyue, then with the Social Institution—it’s insufferable!"

"If you’re unhappy, take it up with the Interstellar Alliance. See who they penalize then."

Principal Durgan said irritably:

"That’s war for you. We’ve committed enough crimes ourselves, haven’t we? Instead of spouting nonsense, work harder. The whole planet is in deep trouble. Don’t burden the higher-ups and influence their judgment."

"Yes..." Karl quickly muted himself, concentrating on the battle.

Nastisha sighed. After clearing out the monsters, she checked to ensure there were no oversights and then quickly flew to the next area.

’I just left the school; I wonder how the students are doing...’

And that Leoz, though an Ascender of the Sovereign class, his actions in saving the school and defeating the Canyue marauders were indisputable, and his love for school life was genuine.

Loyal to friends, diligent in studies, caring to those around him, and courageous in standing up—such a person was worthy of being called her student.

’Whoever you are, children, please be safe.’

The Social Institution had taken so much from her that even her oath never to set foot on the battlefield again was broken.

Nastisha felt helpless. If she could, she wouldn’t want to serve as a reserve commander, send the kids to battle, or raise her magic wand to kill.

She just wanted to be a regular teacher, educating and nurturing students.

But at this moment, she had more tasks to complete and more people to save.

’To save more lives often means taking other lives.’

Comforting herself, Nastisha gradually steeled her resolve and stepped onto a new battlefield.

......

The world was in fear.

"This is our only way out. In the vast cosmos, only such an enterprise is sacred! Only we are the only justice! Only the citizens of the Mechanical World are supreme!"

He raised his head and called out.

"Come on, mechanical comrades, the days of being deceived, plundered, and having our hard-won achievements stolen by the scholars of the Crystal Tower are over. Let those mages and intellectuals tremble under our steel and gunpowder! Let them sacrifice themselves, writing research papers with their blood! Let their children and descendants become slaves, for us to devour and enjoy!"

From the peaks of the mountains to the depths of the ocean, from the rural forests to the bustling cities, from the fallen aristocrats to the trendy migrants.

In the hearts of every citizen of the Crystal Tower, Coulomb Torque’s charter proclamation echoed:

"This is your last chance."

"Join our cause or become the sacrifices of the mechanization wave!"

"Once this civilization oppressed us. Now it is our turn to oppress the entire world!"

"Citizens of the Mechanical World, unite, and devour civilization whole!"