Chapter 11: Divine Mechs

“Oh, are they on the verge of a regime change?” Fang Xu speculated.
“Probably not,” Nan Yi shook her head.
“Why not?” Fang Xu was puzzled.
“When conflicts erupt, the old ruling class is cleared out, and a new ruling class rises to power. It’s a pattern seen countless times in history books.”
“It’s because of the robots. They call them the Divine Mechs.”
“What do robots have to do with it?”
“In the Rheinans’ settlement — which they call the Divine City — there are many noble families. Each of these noble families is protected by a Divine Mech. For thousands of years, no matter how the lower class has tried to resist, they have never been able to overcome the absolute force of these Divine Mechs,” Nan Yi explained.
“I see. With such absolute force holding them down, regime change becomes impossible,” Fang Xu nodded in understanding, but he was still curious.
“By the way, where did they get these robots?” he asked.
“According to the database, the Rheinans were once authorized to control maintenance robots. It’s speculated that these Divine Mechs might actually be former maintenance robots. The reason they’ve been sending people to the area near the base to search for parts is likely for maintenance on these robots,” Nan Yi said, her eyes flickering as various data streamed before her.
“Maintenance robots? Could they really possess such strong combat capabilities?” Fang Xu was skeptical. Could just a few maintenance robots really suppress an entire race, keeping them in check for millennia?
Nan Yi activated a holographic display, projecting the full image of a maintenance robot in front of Fang Xu. He gazed at the humanoid robot standing over four meters tall, equipped with a plasma welding gun and a laser cutter.
Imagining the destructive power of such a machine charging into a crowd, Fang Xu fell silent.
“Sir, should we provide support for the Rheinans’ resistance?” Nan Yi asked.
“What do you think?” Fang Xu sought her opinion.
“With 1,300 energy reception stations, even if we restart them, many may be unusable due to long-term neglect. When the time comes, the Rheinans’ maintenance workers could still be useful in the future,” Nan Yi suggested.
“Do the Rheinans still have the ability to maintain energy reception stations?” Fang Xu asked with a frown.
“Probably not, but with renewed education, I believe this won’t be a problem.”
“Then let’s give it a try,” Fang Xu said, nodding after a moment’s thought. “After all, it’s just a casual move. If it works, great; if not, it won’t make things any worse.”
“Understood,” Nan Yi replied.
Thus, the fate of the Divine City was decided in just a few brief words between them. Meanwhile, the noble councilors gathered in the Divine City, arguing loudly, were entirely unaware of what was coming.
“Why has there been such a massive tremor in the Ichiribi Mountains? What on earth is going on?”
“Who knows? Maybe it was just an avalanche.”
“But that’s the Ichiribi Mountains; everyone knows it was left by them.”
“Yes, and there are still so many active mechanical demons there. What if they target us?”
“That’s impossible. It’s been ten thousand years, and those mechanical demons have stayed put all this time.”
“Then what’s the cause of this tremor? Could they be… returning?”
Sitting in his wheelchair, Fang Xu observed the bustling scene inside the base’s hangar. Several aerospace fighters had already been disassembled into parts. Engineering robots were picking through the usable components, installing them onto the only fully intact aerospace fighter. The progress was steady, if not particularly fast; after all, speed couldn’t come at the expense of quality. Fang Xu certainly didn’t want any mishaps occurring during the fighter’s ascent.
On the tray in front of his wheelchair, the snacks had already been finished, and he’d drunk half of his beverage. Behind him, familiar footsteps sounded. Without turning, Fang Xu knew that Nan Yi had returned. She was carrying a fresh set of snacks, intending to place them in front of him again.
Fang Xu waved his hand.
“No, no. I can’t exercise now, so if I eat too much, I won’t be able to digest it.”
“Right now, you need to replenish your energy as much as possible to improve your resistance,” Miss Nan Yi replied as she set down the snacks anyway. Normally obedient, Miss Nan Yi never compromised when it came to issues concerning Fang Xu’s health. Knowing this well, Fang Xu could only nod in resignation.
“Sir, I just went to meet with those Rheinans,” Nan Yi spoke up.
“Oh, them. Did you learn anything interesting?” Fang Xu suddenly remembered the Rheinans he’d previously ordered to be detained and felt curious.
“The Rheinans aren’t doing well at the moment. With overpopulation and rising class conflicts, they’re on the verge of an eruption,” Nan Yi explained.
“Stop talking about such frightening things!”
“Exactly. They left ten thousand years ago. How could they possibly come back?”
“Yes, yes, that’s right.”
“I propose we send the City Guard to investigate the situation.”
“Agreed. I second the proposal.”
“I second it too. We need to check it out.”
With unprecedented efficiency, the council passed the decision to send the City Guard to survey the Old Day Mountains. Some council members even proposed sending the Divine Mechs along as well. However, since no noble family was willing to risk sending their precious Divine Mech to the Old Day Mountains, that proposal quickly fell by the wayside.
Soon, it was mealtime again. Lante looked at the new meal brought by the robot, his mouth watering at the sight of the varied and delicious dishes, almost in disbelief.
“Has an entire day passed already? How did it go by so fast?”
“No, it hasn’t been a full day. It’s three meals a day — did you forget?” Reinhard said with a smile.
“Is it really three meals a day? But I’m not even hungry yet.” Lante rubbed his stomach, experiencing, for the first time in his life, the delightful dilemma of having too much food.
“If you’re not going to eat, I’ll take it,” said Mari beside him.
“Who said I’m not eating? Of course I’m eating.” Lante quickly took his tray from the robot.
“Who said I’m not eating? Of course I’m eating.” Lante quickly took his tray from the robot. Everyone happily enjoyed another delicious meal, and one by one, they began to feel drowsy. The lights in the holding cell dimmed as well, signaling it was time to rest. Evening had arrived. But just then, familiar footsteps echoed down the hallway, and everyone instantly perked up.
The impossibly beautiful Ichiribi Apostle had arrived once again, and this time, she brought with her the blessing bestowed by the Ichiribi Sovereign — a power strong enough for the resistance to challenge the nobility. From this moment on, everything in the Divine City was about to change. A new chapter of history was about to unfold.