CHAPTER 854: CHAPTER 442: IF WE HAVE TO FIGHT, I’LL BE THE FIRST TO RUN! (SORRY, IT’S A BIT LATE)

Many people immediately understood why, some time ago, the three Divine Craftsmen of the Mechanic Association issued multiple statements in succession, emphasizing that political persecution against the Mechanic Association would not be tolerated.

"Severe, harsh measures..."

Several days later, Li Ming, who had already changed to a new spaceship, watched the developments.

With the announcements and statements from various civilizations, local Mechanic also banded together, discussing countermeasures, instinctively protecting their rights.

They initiated large-scale protests, factories halted production, and those Mechanics further incited workers to target their native civilization with demonstrations.

"Through its grassroots Mechanics, the Mechanic Association can nearly cripple a civilization. If I were them, I would be uneasy too..."

The inherent threshold of the Mechanic Association ensures that those who pass the evaluation are not just clever but far exceed average people in many ways, quickly rising with various resources.

They then apply for loans, set up factories, and get involved in related industries eventually becoming regional powers.

In Empire Level Civilizations, it’s manageable; the Mechanic Association doesn’t have such power yet, but in small to medium-sized civilizations, they dominate.

In fact, this wasn’t the first time the interstellar civilizations had eyed this big Mechanic cake.

When the Mechanic Association was first established, it didn’t attract much attention. Most believed this organization would soon disappear without making a splash.

But Hammer Divine Craftsman single-handedly pulled this association up hard.

Later, many civilizations noticed the danger behind this association and intended to divide it.

But Hammer Divine Craftsman forcefully suppressed it in a strong stance.

What is a strong stance?

Li Ming heard Reynolds mention before, it was actually about personally visiting and talking with each Empire Level Civilization.

When he heard about it, he was secretly amazed, just how strong was Hammer?

And this matter laid the foundation for Hammer Divine Craftsman’s prestige and status.

Now, the two Divine Craftsmen, Mechanical Soul and Creator, are far from Hammer Divine Craftsman’s power and their prestige is much lower.

The Mechanic Association’s crisis intensified, with many grassroots Mechanics hoping higher-ups would speak up to protect their rights.

Another three days passed, and the Creator Divine Craftsman finally stepped forward, but not to question the interstellar.

Instead, he asked the many Mechanics to remain calm, not to disrupt the economic ecology and stability and safety of their native civilizations. Everything should be resolved through legal negotiations.

"Damn, what kind of Divine Craftsman is this, being so biased? Even when we’re being bullied, he tells us to endure..."

"Creator Divine Craftsman is unworthy of the ’Soft Body Mechanic’ name, really bowing down..."

"Seeing the Empire father speak, he dared not oppose even a word."

The Creator Divine Craftsman’s statement instantly triggered a backlash within the Mechanic Association. Most grassroots Mechanics became unrecognizable due to fear.

No one could withstand scrutiny; even if they were clean, they feared unfounded charges. Anyone not helping them would become their enemy.

"Soft Body Mechanic...indeed, Creator has self-awareness." Li Ming chuckled as he watched the news.

They hadn’t known about this for just a day and had already simulated it many times with Reynolds and Mikhail.

Their tactics and responses were anticipated by him and the Creator Divine Craftsman.

The Mechanic Association was originally a grassroots organization, inherently without legal legitimacy, meaning it was like a lamb awaiting slaughter.

All it required was one civilization capable of enduring the backlash to be the first to strike.

The Empire was the best leader, having spent a full two years. Without external pressure, the internal Mechanics had already completed the first cleansing and localization, barely causing any major response.

And this "severe, harsh" attitude would surely trigger a high-pressure reaction from the Mechanics.

Then, it would deepen each civilization’s resolve to solve this colossal entity, and the chaos it caused wouldn’t garner support in interstellar public opinion.

It’s hard to blame these Mechanics, with a life-or-death crisis looming, who could face it calmly?

To solve this move, it’s actually simple: just have someone with enough prestige come out to order all Mechanics not to overreact.

With conflicts not intensifying, few civilizations would dare to initiate, tied together as one, that blow would be hard to land.

"We... can’t hold them down..." Li Ming still remembers Creator Divine Craftsman’s grim face when discussing the solution with him.

No one can stand against the Three Great Civilizations united; all they can do is minimize losses.

Actually, grassroots Mechanics wouldn’t suffer much loss.

They already anticipated the opponent’s subsequent reactions, waiting for the escalating confrontation and handling a few typical cases.

Turning the interstellar joint-style Mechanic Association into a locally autonomous department, then announcing amnesty, even if some losses must be borne, those Mechanics would flock in.

It’s like opening a window after breaking the door; business would still continue afterwards, at most paying fines.

The main losers, though, are the two Divine Craftsmen, especially Creator Divine Craftsman, whose assets would be significantly reduced.

After the Mechanic Association is dismantled, the so-called Divine Craftsman’s influence would plummet to the bottom.

But even foreseeing this, there was nothing they could do; step by step pushing to this point wasn’t something the three of them could withstand, only trying to recover losses as best as they could.

......

Boom!

In a certain area of the Chaotic Star Gap battlefield center, powerful energy ripples spread in all directions, forming web-like cracks wherever they reached.