533: Chapter 468: The Science and Technology Zone Emerges, Unlocking Modern and Contemporary Ideas

The light of the Temple of Civilization burned continuously on the dome for seven days and seven nights. Cyan-gold light poured out from the temple, illuminating the entire Divine Kingdom. The phantoms of modern sages flickered in the light—not ancient Confucian scholars, not the masters of the Warring States period, but scientists in lab coats, democratic pioneers holding charters, engineers in hard hats, and legal scholars clutching codes. Their faces were blurred, but their gazes were clear, piercing through thousands of years of time to stare at Lin Zhou.

Lin Zhou stood in the light, allowing those words and patterns to merge into his consciousness. Scientific methodology, democratic charters, principles of the rule of Law, liberal theory, and technical philosophy—five classics condensed into physical entities from the light, hovering before him. Each classic exuded a pale gold radiance, intertwining with the cyan-gold of the river of civilization.

[Temple of Civilization · Tech District Classics]

- "Scientific Methodology": A modern extension of the Mohist "investigating things to extend knowledge," including experimental design, data analysis, and hypothesis verification.

- "Democratic Charter": An institutionalized expression of the Confucian "people-oriented thought," including checks and balances, civic participation, and representative systems.

- "Principles of the Rule of Law": A systematic refinement of the Legalist "governing the country by Law," including constitutional supremacy, supervision of power, and protection of rights.

- "Liberal Theory": A social interpretation of the Daoist "natural non-action," including freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and freedom of creation.

- "Technical Philosophy": A technological manifestation of the School of Miscellaneous's "inclusiveness," including technical ethics, innovative methods, and engineering management.

Lin Zhou opened "Scientific Methodology." On the pages were not words, but flowing formulas and experimental data. His consciousness sank into the book, seeing the trajectory of technological development from the Old Universe era to the New Universe era—from steam engines to nuclear Fusion, from computers to quantum AI, from chemical rockets to space folding. Every formula, every set of data, transformed into a wisp of golden stream, merging into the river of civilization.

[river of civilization · Fusion of Scientific Methodology]

- Effect: R&D Efficiency + 100%

- Original R&D Efficiency: 200% (The Exploitation of the Works of Nature)

- New R&D Efficiency: 300%

- Scope: All technology, mechanisms, and rune research within the Divine Kingdom.

In the Tiangong Workshop, Tiangong Dwarves were forging a batch of new rune armor. It originally took three days to complete one set, but the Fusion of Scientific Methodology doubled their work efficiency—the process was optimized, material ratios were precisely calculated, and the defect rate dropped from 10% to 3%. Li Mo's projection shuttled through the workshop, recording every piece of data.

[Tiangong Workshop · Efficiency Boost]

- rune armor Daily Production: 100 sets → 200 sets

- Defect Rate: 10% → 3%

- New Equipment R&D Cycle: 30 days → 15 days

Lin Zhou opened the "Democratic Charter." The book displayed scenes of the New Universe's various races deliberating—parliamentary debates, referendums, and power transitions. Democracy was not chaos, but a form of Order. It combined with the Confucian "ritual" to form "Ritual-Law Democracy"—possessing both procedural justice and moral guidance.

[river of civilization · Fusion of Democratic Charter]

- Effect: Popular Unity + 100%

- Original Popular Unity: 100% (Confucian Rites and Music)

- New Popular Sentiment: Significantly increased participation of clans in Divine Kingdom decision-making.

- New Building: Parliament Hall (Under Construction)

Students of the Jixia Academy walked out of the classroom, sat in a circle on the square in front of the academy, and began to discuss the future of the Divine Kingdom. Literary Heart Elves, Tiangong Dwarves, Law Fishmen, Civilization Sword Cultivators—representatives of various races sat together for the first time to discuss the revision of the Divine Kingdom's Laws, resource allocation, and defense deployment. Lin Zhou did not participate, just standing in the distance watching.

"Captain, aren't you going to listen?" Su Yueyao stood beside him.

"No need. They can solve it themselves." Lin Zhou looked at those clansmen discussing heatedly, "Democracy is not an instruction; it is spontaneous."

He opened "Principles of the Rule of Law." The book revealed the Legalist Net of Law—not the Net of Law used by Qin Qing, but a more precise system of rules. The constitution was fundamental, Laws were detailed rules, and regulations were supplements. Power was caged within the system, and supervision and checks and balances became the norm.

[river of civilization · Fusion of Principles of the Rule of Law]

- Effect: Law Effectiveness + 200%

- Original Law Effectiveness: 200% (Legalist Net of Law)

- New Law Effectiveness: 400%

- Characteristics: Checks and balances of power, procedural justice, and punishment for all violations.

In the Temple of Law, Qin Qing was presiding over a trial. A Tiangong Dwarf had stolen chaos crystals from the workshop, which, according to old Laws, should be punishable by beheading. But the Principles of the Rule of Law required procedural justice—it needed evidence, defense, and a jury. Qin Qing convened representatives from various races to form a jury. After three hours of trial, the final verdict sentenced the dwarf to one year of hard labor and compensation for double the loss. The dwarf did not appeal, and the representatives of the various races had no objections.

[Temple of Law · First Democratic Trial]

- Case: Stealing chaos crystals

- Verdict: One year of hard labor, double compensation

- Execution: Fair

- Popular Sentiment: No fluctuation

Lin Zhou opened "Liberal Theory." The book revealed a Daoist landscape painting—among mountains and rivers, fishermen and woodcutters, everyone found their place. Freedom was not indulgence, but autonomy within Order. Freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and freedom of creation became the new cornerstones of the Divine Kingdom.

[river of civilization · Fusion of Liberal Theory]

- Effect: Clan Creativity + 100%

- Original Creativity: 100% (Daoist Natural Non-action)

- New Creativity: 200%

- Characteristics: Significantly increased probability of self-creating new skills.

Among the Literary Heart Elves, a young elf suddenly had an Epiphany while studying "the analects" and self-created a new Confucian skill—"Sword of Benevolence." It condensed Sword Intent with Vast Righteous Qi, capable of severing an enemy's evil thoughts. This was the first skill created by a clansman in the Divine Kingdom.

[Clan Self-Created Skill · Sword of Benevolence]

- Creator: Literary Heart Elf · Pseudo-Hero Spirit

- Skill Effect: Sever target's evil thoughts, causing them to temporarily lose the desire to attack.

- Consumption: 1000 Divine Power

- Cooldown: One hour

Lin Zhou opened "Technical Philosophy." The book revealed the furnace of the School of Miscellaneous—not a furnace for refining all things, but a furnace of thought that fused technology and ethics. Technological innovation could not be separated from humanistic care, and engineering practice required ethical guidance.

[river of civilization · Fusion of Technical Philosophy]

- Effect: civilization points Gain + 50%

- Original Acquisition Speed: 100 points/day

- New Acquisition Speed: 150 points/day

- Characteristics: Improved conversion efficiency of technological achievements.

Under the guidance of Technical Philosophy, Li Mo's R&D team successfully miniaturized the space folding cannon, improving it from a fixed turret to a weapon carried by a single soldier. Every Civilization Sword Cultivator could hang a space folding grenade on their waist, folding space at critical moments to teleport enemies thousands of miles away.

[New Equipment · Space Folding Grenade]

- Type: Consumable

- Effect: Teleport target to a random location within a radius of a thousand miles.

- Consumption: 1 per use

- Manufacturing Cost: 10 units of essence of order

All five classics were integrated into the river of civilization. The color of the river changed from seven colors to a deeper cyan-gold, with scientific formulas, democratic clauses, legal principles, liberal manifestos, and technical ethics flowing within the river water. The thoughts of the Hundred Schools and modern thoughts coexisted harmoniously in the river, blending with each other.

[river of civilization · Modern Thought Fusion Complete]

- New Rules: Science, Democracy, Rule of Law, Freedom, Technology

- R&D Efficiency: 200% → 300% (+ 100%)

- Popular Unity: 100% → 200% (+ 100%)

- Law Effectiveness: 200% → 400% (+ 200%)

- Clan Creativity: 100% → 200% (+ 100%)

- civilization points Gain: 100 points/day → 150 points/day (+ 50%)

Lin Zhou walked out of the temple and stood on the Wall of Heroes. Golden Scale coiled on the Heavenly Pillar, dragon head drooping. Fifty thousand soldiers lined up under the city wall, and fifty thousand Flying Swords rose into the air simultaneously.

"From today on, the Way of Civilization enters a new era." Lin Zhou raised his left hand, the golden Hand of Order condensed in his palm, "Science, Democracy, Rule of Law, Freedom, Technology—will become the new cornerstones of the Way of Civilization."

"Science allows us to explore truth. Democracy allows us to share power. Rule of Law allows us to maintain justice. Freedom allows us to unleash creativity. Technology allows us to transform the world."

"With all five, civilization will flourish forever."

"Civilization will flourish forever!" Fifty thousand people roared in unison.

The flames on the Wall of Heroes burned, and the light of the Firewood Sword was like stars in the night sky. The gaze of the Marshal's statue looked toward the direction of the New Universe, the corners of its mouth seemingly slightly raised. The Way of Civilization, passing the torch. From ancient times to modern times, from the Hundred Schools to science and democracy, the spark has never been extinguished.