People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

It's normal to forget things that happened 33,000 years ago. Even machines need to search a database to look up information, let alone the [Preserver], which isn't even a machine.

After a long pause, he nodded:

"It is you."

It sounds like you haven't remembered.

Ernst thought to himself, but the Preservator did remember, and he continued:

“I don’t remember ever setting it up so that you would call me father.”

“You never asked for that,” Mark Max said respectfully, bowing his head earnestly. “But you once said that you hoped that in the future, thousands and millions of years from now, when you wake up, someone will still be able to call you ‘Father.’”

[Storager]: "

He wasn't lost in memories; this memory was one of the few that was exceptionally clear to him.

He did say that, but his original words were: "I hope that in the future, thousands of years, tens of thousands of years, even after eternity, when I wake up, I will still see someone who can call me 'Father'."

It may not seem like there's much difference, but at that moment, the reason he said those somewhat cheesy words was because the person standing in front of him was his daughter.

This was his way of comforting his daughter as he said goodbye before sending her to the quiescent chamber in the quiescent chamber.

In the pre-civilization era, family-based social units were no longer prevalent. Due to technological advancements, the emergence of soul-uploading technology, and the increasing strength of "humans," few individuals in the pre-civilization era were willing to raise their children themselves. Most children were sent directly to colonies on nearby planets, where basic knowledge was implanted in specific institutions, and they were picked up by fully automated AI assistants. Then, the "human" could begin to act freely as an individual.

But Trevor Friston was a traditional man. He and his wife both insisted on raising their children themselves.

This is why he could get along better with Ernst. Among a group of people with vastly different values, only Trevor Friston, despite the many disagreements and differences, made Ernst feel that he was facing someone who was just like himself.

After the "Preserver" plan was finalized and he was confirmed to be the "Preserver" who would not enter the sarcophagus, he bid farewell to his daughter in this way and made a promise with her.

"Millions of years from now, when you wake up, the first thing you will see will be your father. I will never break my promise."

"When the time comes, remember to call me Dad,"

He would certainly keep his word; he would stay in this stasis facility until the day his mission ended, and his daughter was in one of those hibernation pods right in front of him.

But his daughter broke her promise.

She could not rise from her coffin, and no one would call him "father" or "dad" anymore.

Stasis halted everything, except for the promise, which vanished.

The keeper was filled with emotion and sighed deeply.

Mark Max's obsession, his calling himself "father," is nothing more than wishful thinking and self-indulgence.

But Trevor Friston, the Preservator, responded to him nonetheless.

The response was a heartfelt "Thank you."

Mark Max was shocked and quickly shook his head: "Father, why are you thanking me? This was your order, and I was just carrying it out! There's no need for thanks!"

Trevor Friston did not answer.

Ernst felt that if he still had a human body or a human face, he would surely have a bitter smile on his face.

"You are my most successful work during that period."

Trevor Friston said slowly.

Throughout his life, he created countless works, each with its own purpose, ranging from grand projects like interstellar exploration, construction, and colonization to small acts like entertaining his wife and children.

But in the very end, during that apocalyptic time, these things either became debris in planetary orbit, or they only served to evoke memories of the past in him.

Only Mark Max, 33,000 years later, found a small consolation in this unintentional creation of his.

It's not much, it's not very useful, but it's very heartwarming.

"I wish he wasn't following orders."

The Preservator thought to himself, but he knew it was impossible. He didn't have the same abilities as Mark Max.

"How did you find this place? Were you with Ernst?" he asked.

Ernst provided the explanation:

"His Excellency Mark Max is now the President of Colombia. He has built a country that, while not perfect, is great enough."

He abandoned the aristocratic system, broke the chains of feudalism, and unified the will of the nation with the power of one person, being utterly impartial and just, much like the selfless and just Heaven in mythological novels.

Admittedly, a perfectly just and upright character can also lead to injustice, and the unforgiving nature of fate has made him a target of criticism for many. But no matter how great his flaws, Mark Max and the nation he created can be considered truly "great"!

Compared to the various monsters and demons in Terra, isn't a fair, but overly fair, leader good enough?

The surface of the Preservator shone with a warm, sunlight-like glow.

He seemed quite pleased.

There were no praises or rewards, but simply the light shining on him gave Mark Max an unimaginable sense of satisfaction.

"Is there anything you want to ask me?"

The Preserver asked.

Mark Max flapped his wings:

"Can I come here often?"

"Since you are the president of a country and bear the heavy responsibility of continuing civilization, then dereliction of duty is not allowed."

[The Preservator] Rejects the Way.

He was also talking about himself. For 33,000 years, he never abandoned his post, steadfastly guarding the Stasis Institute and continuing civilization. He did it.

But this time, instead of imposing his standards on Mark Max, the machine he built himself, he added:

"However, if you do have free time, or if you are really feeling tired, then come on over."

He understands best the loneliness one bears alone. If someone had chatted with him during those 33,000 years, he wouldn't have gone mad and lost contact several times.

He didn't want his "child" to suffer the same pain.

Mark Max bowed his head gratefully.

The Preservator pondered for a moment, then looked at Ernst, who was watching the scene unfold, and suddenly said:

"Please help Ernst more."

"It hasn't been easy for him either."

He has no memory of the previous civilization, yet he must confront the mess left behind on this planet. He sacrificed his body, yet he is still remembered by Precys. Ernst was, in reality, just an ordinary person.

He had it tough too, Trevor Friston understood from the bottom of his heart.

Since Mark Max is already the president of a country, let's help him within our means.

In a way, it was his way of making a small compensation to his former closest friend.

Having received the creator's command after a long absence, Mark Max raised his head, hopped over to Ernst, and then respectfully bowed his head:

"The All-Powered Decision Support Terminal, codename: Mark Max, is at your service, sir."

This time, he was sincere.

Chapter 647 The Tin Man's Willing Service

Tin people and others are on the surface of the earth.

It feels good to get some fresh air out; the circulation of fresh air gives people a sense of comfort, which is much better than being stuck in a dark underground place, like a corpse that no one cares about.

The birth of the dead is a mystery. Many dead souls don't even know why they appeared or why they are rejected by other souls, and they cannot find peace even after death.

Many of them went mad as a result, but the Tin Man did not.

He felt that this was because he was passionate about "breathing".

Breathe in the fresh air, breathe in the thick smoke of the cigar, breathe in the hot air that fills your mouth when you swallow a hot dog whole.

His breathing made him feel more like a human being, rather than some inexplicable monster. His bodily functions had always been excellent; after all, you couldn't expect a mechanical body to develop lung cancer or something similar, could you?

He still has a long time to explore the secrets of this land, witness the rise and fall of these civilizations, and incidentally, offer a little help to those he likes, respects, and admires.

For example, there was Melander Selene, the "Father of the Federation" who retired behind the scenes; there was President Mark Max who stood in the limelight; and there was Ernst Shivaesh, who had done great favors for the entire Sarkaz community and deserved to be respected, protected, and helped.

Two years ago, how many people would have cared so much about a nobody like Sherag?

Wu Xiren exhaled a smoke ring and couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of mixed emotions, often including nostalgia or reflection).

If he hadn't heard Holhaya's sudden idea two years ago, and hadn't agreed to her short annual leave, would none of this have happened?

Will this land of Liu become completely different from what it is today? Will it be better or worse?

"Oh, no, no."

The thick smoke billowing from Sanxi's pipe transformed into a tiny smiling face.

"There probably isn't anything better than this."

If we don't consider tomorrow's affairs today, how many people on this land live only to look forward to tomorrow?

As a member of the Melland Historical Society, one should respect history, because you respect not only history itself, but also the admirable, eternally shining heroes and the countless ordinary people who shaped them.

Since we live in the world they created, even if we don't express gratitude, we should at least refrain from undermining or sabotaging them.

At least, the Tin people are very grateful to Ernst Shivaesh.

Because of this gratitude, he even went so far as to keep it a secret from Mark Max. Although this secrecy was somewhat insignificant, and was exposed by Mark Max himself within a few days.

But to be fair, he wanted to do something more for Ernst.

The Tin People also possess considerable resources.

After all, he works for the Melander Foundation, and his position is not low. This organization was established by the founding father of Colombia, and being able to join it is a symbol of strength and power. How could the Tin Man not be capable?

"Funding, trade, intelligence, or some Sarkaz reputation—the last one shouldn't be needed anymore."

He chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"Right now, there are probably more people in the Sarkaz who know Ernst than who know about the existence of the Dead Souls."

Still unsure what he could do, the Tin Man heard a sound coming from the old-fashioned elevator behind him.

His Excellency the President and Mr. Ernst have returned.

Brushing the dust off his clothes, Tin Man stood in front of the elevator door. As soon as the elevator door opened, he immediately took off his hat and bowed respectfully to the two people inside.

Sincerely and willingly.

"Your Excellency President, Prime Minister Ernst, thank you for your hard work."

"The hotel for our welcome dinner has been booked. Please come with me to the car."

He stretched out his hand and pointed to the car parked not far away.

Mark Max nodded. He liked Tin Man not only because of his high level of professional competence, but also because of his social skills.

Don't assume that because he's an AI, he doesn't understand these things. On the contrary, Mark Max's level in this area has never been low.

His approval ratings in Colombia have remained consistently high, which cannot be simply attributed to his "good political record."

Political achievements are often hidden in ways that are difficult for people to see. Many activities that politicians consider achievements may even arouse public resentment.

For example, if you want to build a subway station in a town, but an animal protection organization tells you that the subway station will pass through the habitat of a certain animal, which will cause problems for the animal's living environment, then the project will be opposed.

Even if you know that something benefits the country and its people, it will still be opposed. Because the beneficiaries are always only a small portion, while the number of people unscrupulous animal rights activists can incite is always far greater than that small portion. People's joys and sorrows are not shared; few people can genuinely feel happy for strangers to benefit. And coincidentally, in most self-proclaimed democratic countries, if you want to cut down trees, there will be animal rights and environmental organizations; if you want to protect the environment, there will be factory unions; if you want to be vegetarian, there will be farm workers opposing it; if you want to eat meat, there will be vegetarians. You can always find a "majority" that suits you, one you can't afford to offend.

Mark Max was able to overcome these difficulties and become the "eternal president" not only because Colombia's social environment had not yet reached that point, but also because he always engaged in various political posturing.

The weekly fireside chats, his frequent appearances on television, and the continuous stream of beneficial policies he implemented—these are among the objective reasons for Mark Max's success.

But this time, after Mark Max nodded, he spoke again, stopping the Tin Man.

"Wait a moment."

He said, then glanced at Ernst.

On the way up, he had already asked Ernst what kind of help he needed.

With direct instructions from the Preservator Trevor Friston, his attitude was now much more respectful. If anything, he didn't seem like the "tyrant" he used to be at all, but rather like a concubine in the harem trying her best to please him.

The list of “types of help” he gave Ernst quite a shock.

“If you need money, I can give you forty percent of Colombia’s treasury.”

Ernst stared in astonishment.

It's important to understand that even a small country like Shelag, which benefited greatly from the World Summit, can't claim to have much of a surplus given its constant financial needs.