Chapter 779: Chapter 779: Holy Ring
As Han Dong was looking up at the “Steam Pillar”, a powerhouse that could rival a large nuclear power station, he spotted a circle of large auxiliary buildings set up in mid-air.
Located in the middle of the cylinder, about four hundred ters above the ground.
Starting from the Steam Pillar, there extended a kind of “connecting pipeline” with a diater of 10.2 m (for vehicle and living things transit).
There were twelve connecting pipelines in total, arranged in a spiral formation around the midsection, supporting and linking a “Circular Fortress” that encircled the Steam Pillar, as an auxiliary building.
The surface of the Circular Fortress was engraved with a very conspicuous pattern of a “Gear Cross” in dark brass.
On the periphery of the Circular Fortress, there were also several “Whale Landing Spots”, capable of accommodating Rust Whales of various sizes.
“Everything here is managed by the [Gold Master]?”
“Although it is also under the control of the council here, it is undeniably true that the Gold Master is the real person in power.
It can be said that the [Gold Master’s] authority is the greatest among the Thirteen Knight Orders. The economic system of the Holy City is sohow tethered to the Gold Master, and the operation of the entire Steam City cannot be detached from the Gold Master.
If this place is the heart of the Holy City, then the Gold Master is equally the heart of Steam City. The Steam City, which was designed and built by our predecessors, entered its ‘golden age’ with the arrival of the Gold Master.”
“But, despite the Gold Master being the person in authority…”
The person truly managing and monitoring [Steam City] behind the scenes is, in fact, another one: the Gold Master’s most trusted deputy and the vice chairman of the Steam Knights.
Kongriff Newton, the founder of the chanical God Sect.
The chanical God Sect is a special group organization approved by the council, submitted by the Gold Master in conjunction with nurous associations affiliated with [Steam City], and they have their own religious beliefs and doctrines.
However, the developnt and all types of proselytizing of the chanical God Sect are strictly confined within Steam City, and external developnt is prohibited.”
“And where is the gathering place for the church?”
Han Dong looked around. Although he saw many chanical Churches amidst the streets filled with pipes, all of them were dium and small sized. He didn’t see a large church that could accommodate the entire chanical God Sect.
“Didn’t you see it right at the beginning?”
Charlie pointed to the top of his head, which was the Circular Fortress connected to the Steam Pillar.
“[Sacred Ring], the core sanctuary of the chanical God Sect.
It is also the Sky Fortress and monitoring centre of the Steam Knights. Newton, who has the highest control authority, can monitor everything in Steam City through the Sacred Ring.”
“A spatial fortress, huh? Mr. Newton is really lavish. It looks like… the place that invited
should also be the Sacred Ring.”
As for what Han Dong was going to do, this involved a matter of privacy, so Knight Charlie didn’t ask further.
“Be careful when dealing with these chanical scum.
If you are not in hurry to go there, you can follow
to a friend’s factory first… It can give you a preview of the real Steam City, instead of the feigned city under the influence of the Sect.”
“Alright, thank you, senior Charlie.”
When they officially set foot on the ground streets of Steam City, along the wall stairs.
An observation drone about the size of a human’s head, jet-propelled, quickly ca to the trio. After Charlie showed a temporary pass, the drone left.
On the streets paved entirely of tal, those walking around were certainly no ordinary residents of Steam City.
They were personnel either working in the workshops and factories of Steam City, or employed in the research institutes.
At least they were all talent who had passed high-level engineer or researcher certificates or were professional technicians who had worked in a chanical workshop recognized by the Holy City for more than five years.
As for the ordinary residents living in Steam City, they too were quite special.
The residents here include so ordinary people and so retired knights, and they all share one common feature – [Half-body Reformation].
All humans who are not technicians or engineers and wish to get long-term residence in Steam City need to sign an agreent called [Body Donation] upon entering the city.
They need to donate 50% of their physical body to Steam City for body modification.
Beyond the typical grafting of tal prosthetics, a kind of miniature gear sensor also needs to be connected within the brain.
The large sensing terminal on the [Sacred Ring] can periodically check individual brain consciousness through the sensor; once a person’s thinking becos corrupted, they will imdiately be subject to “Steam Purification”.
Here arises a problem: the mind being monitored ans there will be no existence of individuals’ privacy anymore. After all, who would be willing to sign such a contract?
The answer is rather simple.
So ordinary people who couldn’t survive in the civilian sector, or so retired knights whose physical condition had been severely damaged and might not live for several more years, could have their second life in Steam City.
Even so technicians graft ‘chanical extra limbs’ onto their bodies, which can greatly increase their work efficiency.
Walking down the streets of such a city, Han Dong’s group seed quite out of place.
After Charlie led them around a few streets,
They stopped in front of a fairly large factory.
This large factory possessed a complete process of manufacturing and production for “chanical dolls”.
Those conducting inspection and key assembly works on the production line, or testing paraters in front of the differential machine, were all semi-chanized humans with absolutely intact brains.
Not a single full robot was involved in the production process.
People even chatted and laughed during work; the overall atmosphere was quite good.
As the group entered the factory,
The workers imdiately bowed in respect to Charlie.
At the sa ti, a very enthusiastic voice ca from the second floor: “Charlie, why are you here?”
“I got bored hanging around the old man and it just so happened that a friend wanted to co to Steam City, so I dropped by to see you… Franky, how have you been recently?”
“What else could I be doing but enjoying my pension… How is Professor Lindbergh’s health? With the Great Expedition coming, I’ve been so busy here that I haven’t visited the professor for a very long ti.”
“That old man is pretty sturdy, especially spirited when scolding .”
“That’s just how the professor is, co upstairs and talk.”
This person, called Franky, was a middle-aged man about the sa age as Knight Charlie and was also the director of the factory.
The difference was that Franky maintained 100% of his human body, without any modifications and by acquiring a high-level chanical engineer certificate on his own, secured permanent residence in Steam City.
“This is Nicholas and his girlfriend Mia, Nicholas is a mber of the Secret Language Knight Order with
and he has helped
out a lot.”
“Franky Kande is a childhood playmate of mine and was an apprentice under my foster father for a long ti.”
With Knight Charlie’s introduction, both sides naturally beca familiar.
But just as the two middle-aged n began to sit down and chat about recent events,
A nerve in Charlie’s brain was tugged, and he rose to his feet with a solemn expression.
“Why have the guys from the chanical God Sect co?”
“Hey… Charlie, don’t get agitated, with the Big Expedition setting off soon, the chanical God Sect has been quite active recently, actively spreading their ssage in the residential areas in many forms.
I’ll deal with it, hold on for a bit!”
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