Chapter 540: The Long-Planned Uprising_1

Jiang Yu's fleet entered lightspeed again, this time traversing a distance of 14.2 light-years to the human world closest to Starship Earth.

In the last years of the Crisis Era, when Jiang Yu failed to seize control of the Solar System State, he strategized and dispatched sixteen interstellar fleets.

Most of these sixteenth fleets returned, but the Fifth, Ninth, Eleventh, and Twelfth continued their journey under Jiang Yu's coercion.

By the time they settled in the New Star System, the majority within the fleet still harbored some resentment toward Jiang Yu.

The new worlds they established were also aloof and detached from the entire Solar System State.

They only recognized their affiliation with the Solar System State but did not implement its national policies.

Had it not been for the pursuit fleets Jiang Yu later dispatched, which were extremely loyal to him, the Solar System State would probably not even know the locations of these worlds.

Back then, Jiang Yu had orchestrated everything himself—on one hand, forcing several fleets to continue their interstellar voyages, while on the other hand, sending out a large number of pursuit fleets to hunt them down.

Actually, this was Jiang Yu's way of expanding the scale of the fleeing fleets to prevent Humanity from being completely annihilated by the Trisolarans.

Their positions were far too distant from the New Continent Star System; even if the later pursuit fleets were sufficiently loyal to Jiang Yu, it was not feasible to integrate them into the governance of the Solar System State.

Firstly, it would take forty to fifty years just for an official to assume their post, and by the time the succeeding official was en route, the incumbent would have long passed away.

Even if the transition of authority was successful, the changes over forty-odd years were too drastic to allow for effective governance.

They could only be loosely bound by a federation allowing for their autonomy.

Over time, they were bound to develop divergent intentions, and when Jiang Yu departed, these four worlds already harbored thoughts of independence.

Jiang Yu was preparing to visit these four worlds, of course with a fleet comprising six hundred warships.

At such a great distance, Jiang Yu could accept a federal system, but if they sought independence, Jiang Yu would come down hard on them, lest other provinces might follow suit in the future.

Additionally, there were two other fleets deployed by Jiang Yu after he gained control of the Solar System State.

These were the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Fleets, whose loyalty far exceeded that of the people from the previous four worlds.

But as the first generation of crew members aged and a new generation grew up, their bond with the Solar System State also gradually weakened.

For them, Jiang Yu was preparing a more conciliatory policy, offering some benefits while planning to relocate a group of citizens from the Solar System State to work and live there.

Jiang Yu's first stop was the Enbo Star System, which was a privilege given to the six fleets back then; the star system where they settled could be named after the fleet commander.

Enbo was the commander of the Ninth Fleet, who had passed away decades ago.

...

Two years after Jiang Yu traveled at lightspeed—Galaxy Year 68—Blue Maiden Star, Science Space City.

Blue Maiden Star had two Science Cities: one built on Base Island known as Space City, and the other constructed in the Solar System, which was brought to the New Continent Star System by the Ark project—a snowflake-shaped Science City.

To differentiate the two, the Science City now orbiting near the Blue Maiden Star was named Science Space City, whereas the other was called Base Science City.

Generally, hazardous experiments, or dangerous experimental subjects, were conducted and stored in Science Space City.

Jiang Que was about to conduct a risky space jump experiment, so she took two students and several robots to continue the experiment in the laboratory of Science Space City.

Modern people, when going out, liked to bring one or two robots; they would help store data, carry things, and were primary tools in work and essential assistants in life.

However, they were mandatorily forbidden to have a completely human-like appearance both at and after production; typically, manufacturers would make distinct differences on the robots' heads.

The robots' heads were fashioned into the shape of goose eggs, or square, and did not use any human-like skin and hair structures, but were encased in exquisitely shaped metal shells.

Some machinery enthusiasts even went so far as to leave parts of the robots exposed.

Culturally, there arose an aesthetic of machinery that was a departure from traditional aesthetics.

Some treated robots like family members, but most people saw them merely as tools and assistants, similar to how Common Era people felt about computers and cars.

No matter the attitude towards them, the constitution of the Solar System State made it clear: all intelligent robots had no right to life.

That is to say, their damage would only be considered property loss.

As the intelligence level of intelligent robots became higher and higher, they became more humanized and more considerate, drawing many people to gradually view robots as their companions.

Of course, there were exceptions, and instances of robot abuse were common.

In order to prevent uncontrollable social phenomena, the Governing Council significantly increased the price of highly intelligent robots, while the prices for common tools and assistant robots did not go up.

When the cost of buying a highly intelligent robot was much higher than the cost of finding a human companion, the phenomenon of robot companions quickly alleviated.

Furthermore, the Governing Council constantly carried out campaigns for the "pet-ification" of intelligent robots and used morality to restrain people, aiming to prevent the atrocious incidents of robot abuse.

Jiang Que brought the students and robots to the ninth physical experimental zone and the laboratory prepared for them.

She reiterated the precautions for this experiment to the students and issued commands to both students and robots to prepare for the experiment.

As they prepared, the neighboring tenth zone was also conducting a teaching experiment.

The tenth zone was a biological experiment area, where Professor Zheng Kai was explaining the principles of artificial organs through experimental demonstrations with ten students.

Biologists were still using the principles of bioelectrics in human cells discovered by Bo Xiangdong, which had become classical theories in biology, with only minor additions being made.

The experimental subjects were still the No. 7 Bacterium, and occasionally they dissected the Orange Leaf Assassin to explain the combination of plant and animal cell technology.

These experiments and dissections, once high-end, had now become commonplace teaching experiments.

But as both of these experimental subjects were very dangerous, the experiments were conducted within Science Space City.

As Professor Zheng Kai explained and conducted the experiment, when it ended, he injected strong acid again to kill most of the No. 7 Bacterium in the transparent experimental vessel.

While Professor Zheng Kai concentrated on teaching, a sudden alarm sounded in the lab.

Everyone was startled, and Zheng Kai asked Galaxy III, "What's happening?"

Galaxy III replied, "A minute crack has been detected on the experimental vessel."

For absolute safety of the experiments, the experimental vessel was in the next room, and the entire process was broadcast to the students using holographic imaging.

With the new advances in holographic imaging technology, today's holographic images provide an immersive visual experience that doesn't impair the students' observation.

Professor Zheng Kai said, "Immediately proceed with disinfection, and deploy robots to replace the experimental vessel.

"Alright, let's move on to the next experiment."

He did not take it too seriously, for the lab was hermetically sealed, and even if a few No. 7 Bacteria escaped, it would be difficult for them to survive long in the disinfectant environment that inhibited biological life.

While conducting the dissection experiment on the Orange Leaf Assassin, Zheng Kai felt an itch on the back of his hand; looking down, he noticed some brown spots had appeared on his skin without him knowing when.