You said mechs were going to fight monsters, but instead you're destroying stars with your bare

Chapter 165 New Era

"what?!"

As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked.

"Comrade Ji Qing, have you gone mad?!" General Volkov was the first to slam his fist on the table and stand up. "Abolish the mech pilot assessment? Wouldn't that throw the world into chaos?!"

"It's not the world that's in chaos, but the old order." Ji Qing met his gaze without fear, her tone growing increasingly firm. "Comrade Volkov, please consider this question: Why are the monsters of the abyss able to emerge in an endless stream? Why was the Impure Land Fusang Empire able to transform millions of people into a fearless army of impure races in just a few days?"

"Because their power is 'widespread'! But our power is 'monopolistic'!"

"We must break this monopoly! We must truly return the power of the mechs to the people! Let everyone have the opportunity to take up arms and defend their homeland! This is not only a necessity for social justice, but also the only way to combat the memetic war! This is the true people's war!"

She opened her arms as if embracing a brand new era.

"I propose that all current mecha pilot examinations be immediately suspended! Establish a 'National Mecha Popularization Committee' to simplify the summoning process, lower the entry threshold, and allow the power of mechas to enter every household, just like the internet did in the past!"

"Only in this way can we fundamentally eliminate the social divisions caused by 'injustice'! Only in this way can we truly unite all forces that can be united, and use the vast ocean of people's war to drown the demons and monsters in the abyss!"

This declaration, brimming with idealism yet carrying a deadly allure, plunged the entire command center into an unprecedented shock.

A crazy plan, capable of overturning the existing order of the entire planet Earth, was thus proposed...

Ji Qing's proposal instantly stirred up a huge wave among the top levels of the coalition government.

"Absurd! This is playing with fire!"

The white-haired academician in charge of military equipment research and development was so angry that he trembled all over.

"What complex and profound war machines are mechs! Although, in theory, our current technology can indeed achieve the widespread dissemination of mechs to the general public."

"But the difficulty of operating a mech far exceeds that of any existing weapon platform! Without rigorous testing and long-term training, handing it over to ordinary people is not protecting our homes, it's creating disaster!"
"The destruction caused by the out-of-control mechs is even more terrifying than the abyssal monsters themselves!"

“I agree with Academician Wang’s point of view.” Another expert in charge of social stability assessment also said with concern, “Once the power of the mechs is abused, social order will be destroyed.”

"At that time, the city will be full of rampaging 'metal lumps,' and the crime rate will soar to an uncontrollable level. The stability we have worked so hard to build will be destroyed."

Opposition voices rose and fell, almost forming an overwhelming trend.

However, Ji Qing remained calm and composed.

She waited until everyone calmed down before slowly unleashing her "trump card".

“I completely understand everyone’s concerns, but we all seem to have overlooked a crucial premise.” Her gaze swept across the room, finally settling on the huge holographic screen.

On the screen, the conflict in the square escalated to the point of bloodshed.

“Please take a look,” Ji Qing’s voice carried a hint of pity. “We are discussing potential future risks, but right now, our soldiers and our builders are killing each other because of the flaws in our system. We can’t even protect ourselves now, so how can we talk about the future?”

She paused, her tone becoming extremely serious.

"As for the risk of abuse... Do you all believe that our existing 'elites' are not capable of abusing their power? Yang Moumou and the interest group behind her are the best example. Facts prove that power itself is neither good nor evil; the key lies in the person wielding it and the system that constrains it." "My proposed 'All-People Mech' is not about chaotic disorder; on the contrary, it needs to be built upon a more comprehensive, rigorous, and deeply integrated new management and supervision system! We need to establish community-level 'Mech Mutual Aid Associations,' create a network-wide 'pilot credit rating system,' and even... implant 'backdoor programs' into every mech!"

"A backdoor program?!" Academician Wang frowned even more deeply.

“Yes.” Ji Qing nodded without hesitation. “An emergency braking and forced recovery program with the highest authority, directly controlled by the central government of the United Government. If any mecha goes out of control or violates regulations, we can lock it down, paralyze it, or even… self-destruct it from the cloud in the first instance.”

"This...this is monitoring everyone!"

"Faced with this unprecedented crisis in the Abyss, some personal privacy must give way to the absolute security of the collective!" Ji Qing's voice was resolute. "What we need is not an old world full of 'freedom' but riddled with loopholes, but a new order that is highly unified and absolutely efficient under an iron fist! Only in this way can we achieve final victory in the all-out war against the Abyss!"

These stern and forceful remarks, imbued with the spirit of a grand schemer, silenced many in the audience.

They had to admit that while Ji Qing's plan was radical, even carrying a disturbingly authoritarian undertone, logically...

It seems truly flawless.

It not only resolved the imminent internal crisis, but also created a seemingly "perfect" blueprint for the future.

An ideal nation where everyone is a soldier, united as one, and under the absolute control of the central government, they fight together against the abyss.

"I...I agree with Comrade Ji Qing's proposal in principle."

The economist, who had remained silent until now, was the first to break the deadlock.

"From an economic perspective, expanding the number of mech pilots can greatly stimulate the development of related industrial chains, create a massive number of jobs, and revitalize the entire wartime economy. As for the risks... any reform is accompanied by risks, and we can only choose the option with the lowest 'opportunity cost'."

With the first supporter in hand, the situation began to subtly shift.

Some centrists who were initially taking a wait-and-see approach have also begun to waver.

In the end, everyone's attention was focused on the leader in the main seat, who had remained silent throughout.

His decisions will ultimately determine the course of this world.

The leader's fingertips tapped lightly on the table.

He looked at the ambitious and charismatic young woman before him, and a complex, indescribable light flashed in his deep eyes.

He knew that Ji Qing's plan was a powerful remedy.

It might be able to cure the stubborn ailment at hand.

But it's also possible...

It brings even more deadly side effects...

(End of this chapter)