“One, the pureblood traditional concept passed down through the years. In the galactic environment, only a small fraction of the purebloods still firmly believe in this concept. I call these people the Diehards, and their minds are the hardest to change.
“Two, discrimination caused by biological differences. This comes from the instinctive disgust of an intelligent life when seeing a deviant form. Many of the purebloods don’t want to discriminate against the hybrids, but when they see them, they still uncontrollably feel a sense of disgust. This is the cause of discrimination for most people. In order to change this, I think the key point is the aesthetic sense.
“Three, the hatred accumulated from the large number of conflicts caused by many years of discrimination. This is considered a historical problem. Plus, due to discrimination, the average societal position of purebloods is higher than the hybrids, so the purebloods have more power in various industries. This can be seen as a class conflict. I can temporarily suppress this type of hatred, but if you people don’t change the current situation, after a long time, these conflicts will happen
again.”
Serbia the Fifth had a headache just from hearing these problems.
In his eyes, every single one of these issues was close to unsolvable. He could see how extremely difficult these problems were just from listening to Rossellin talking about them. He once again started to doubt the feasibility of this plan.
As if Rossellin saw through his worries, she calmly said, “On a more positive note, it would take at least decades to make these problems less severe with normal methods. However, now that I’m here, I can make this process thousands of times faster. The first two points are the main causes, and as long as the problems with the Diehards and the aesthetic sense are resolved, the class conflicts will gradually be reduced.”
Serbia the Fifth took a deep breath, stood up, and bowed deeply toward Han Xiao and Rossellin.
“I’m counting on you!”
It was a normal morning. The warm yellow sunlight woke up the asleep city.
In a commercial square filled with tall buildings on the Godoran mother planet, hovering vehicles shuttled between buildings. People that equipped flying runes rose and landed on the open-air platforms that extended from the tall buildings. It was a boisterous and hectic scene.
This time, at a hovering public bus station on an open-air platform, there was a long queue. It was rush hour for the working class in the morning. These Godorans heading to their jobs were waiting for the public transport.
The production of a Star System civilization was more than enough to feed lazy shut-ins, but as the capital of a civilization, the mother planet had maintained vigorous vitality. Those that resided on the mother planet were all willing to work hard, unlike those at the edge of colonial planets that all stayed at home and had no concept of ‘working’.
Rudy was in the middle of the queue. His outfit looked decent, like an elite of society. However, unlike the Godorans around, he did not have protruding ears, and his ears were spiral shaped holes. He also did not wear a ponytail or any ornaments on his hair because he did not have hair. His facial organs were also further apart from each other.
He was the only hybrid in the long queue.
Rudy could feel the strange looks with suppressed disgust coming from around him. He had a normal expression on his face and looked straight ahead, as if he was unaffected. But in his heart, he wished that the hovering public bus would reach the station soon so that he would no longer have to endure this treatment of being watched by so many people like an animal in the zoo.
Rudy was sixty-three years old this year. By Godoran standards, he was middle-aged. He was a very senior employee of a huge business, and his income was rather high. Supposedly, he should be middle class in the society, but his appearance had given him obstructions everywhere. He knew that his current position was the highest that he could achieve, and he would never be promoted again.
His most hated thing each day was going to work, not because his job was tiring but because going to work meant he had to socialize and endure all kinds of strange looks. He had been enduring a huge amount of mental stress every single day, but he could not express any of that emotion on his face. In the countless times he woke up in the middle of the night because of that stress, he would just sit there and stare into the darkness, thinking that he might as well quit the job; why should he put himself through all that?
But every time he saw his sleeping wife beside him, he would put those thoughts away.
His wife was a beautiful pureblood. Back then, his wife had ignored her family’s opposition and married him, a hybrid. She had blessed him with two children. Even after being married for so many years, her family had never accepted him, but his wife almost never complained. For the sake of his family, Rudy did not dare quit his job; he could only let his anxiety and irritation be vented out silently during the times he puffed.
To him, life was a pool of still water, a gray silent film that played on repeat every day, only starting to have colors when he got home and saw the smiles of his wife and children. Rudy had no expectations for the future anymore. Maybe not being able to see his path ahead was good for him; a life that he could see the end of would be terrifying.
Rudy smiled self-deprecatingly. He overheard the conversation of the two people behind him who had suddenly started chatting.
“Have you heard? The DarkStar leader was captured some time ago, and the DarkStar organization has been deemed to be completely eliminated.”
“It’s been half a month. Of course I’ve heard.”
“Hehe, there are reports that say the DarkStar leader’s trial has ended, and he’s locked up in Rainbow Prison.”
“I did not know that. Tell me more…”
Listening to the clearly deliberate conversation behind him, Rudy could only act as if he could not hear it.
Due to DarkStar’s existence, the hybrids received even more hatred. After the DarkStar organization was destroyed, purebloods had mentioned DarkStar around him more than once, on purpose or otherwise, as if it was some kind of mockery.
Rudy did not agree with DarkStar’s philosophy at all; a hybrid that yearned for peace like him even hated DarkStar’s actions. However, to the purebloods, it seemed that every hybrid admired DarkStar. DarkStar’s ending meant the failure of the hybrids, so they could put on the looks of victors and feel superior.
At this time, a projected screen appeared between the tall buildings, attracting everyone’s attention.
Serbia the Fifth appeared on the screen. He sat straight and faced the camera with a serious face, as if he had something important to announce.
The same scene appeared on every colonial planet of Godora. It was an announcement for the entire civilization.
Serbia the Fifth slowly spoke.
“Today, on behalf of the Godoran government, I’m going to announce a very important decision. In order to avoid tragedies similar to the DarkStar incident in the future, we have decided to accept help from the Purple Crystal Civilization to use an unorthodox method to solve the bloodlike discrimination problem that has affected us for a very long time…”
Serbia the Fifth read the long script that he had prepared beforehand, describing the situation as the Purple Crystal Civilization suggesting to help and him deciding to accept their help after careful consideration. He sugarcoated the terms and words used to reduce the objection of the people as much as possible.
However, all the Godorans were still petrified by this news and were all unable to speak.
Only after the news had ended for a few seconds did a deafening uproar start.
“This is too sudden. There were no signs at
all!”
“This is brainwashing!”
“Why does our perception have to be changed? Free will is inviolable! Has Serbia the Fifth lost his mind?”
“Will there be any side effects?”
“This is the Purple Crystal Civilization�
��s idea? Then maybe it’s reliable.”
The Godorans around discussed the issue loudly and reacted in various ways, mostly with shock and disgruntlement.
Rudy did not take part in the discussion. His eyes were wide open, and his face was filled with disbelief.
At this moment, he felt that as if his heart that had been numb for a long time had finally started beating vigorously again.
He seemed to see a tint of light in his dark future.
On this day, people from every industry started to use their relationship network to inquire more about what the government meant. The people were flustered.
No one was willing to let someone else change their thoughts, even if it was a huge good deed beneficial to the collective. As expected, this caused backlash due to individual willingness. Serbia the Fifth promised subsidies, reduced taxes, and all kinds of benefits for those who accepts the ‘Discrimination Transformation’ plan; however, he did not give them the option to reject.
There was outrage, and protests appeared one after another. Serbia the Fifth’s plan had shaken the entire society, but he was determined not to change his mind.
With Purple Crystal’s interference, the internal resistance was suppressed forcefully. The government started to operate to his will.
The upper class of society was basically controlled entirely by purebloods. These people had a lot of power, and most of them were Diehards. They did not receive any information beforehand either. Although they hated Serbia the Fifth’s plan, they did not immediately stand out to oppose it but stayed calm and observed the situation.
Purple Crystal’s name helped Serbia the Fifth not receive more objections; the reputation of a Star Cluster civilization had the Godorans slightly under control. Even though Serbia the Fifth’s actions were almost like those of a dictator, many Godorans believed that this was the Purple Crystal Civilization’s decision.
Due to many factors, Serbia the Fifth was able to forcefully execute this almost insane plan.
Seeing that they could not change the government’s mind at all, the attention of all the Godorans was focused on the first test area of the ‘Discrimination Transformation’ plan announced by Serbia the Fifth. It was the Colonial Planet Gautin.
A planet with extremely low importance, filled with jobless shut-ins, was a perfect place for the test. Even if the results were not good, it would have a very limited impact on the entire civilization.
In Rainbow Prison, the DarkStar leader sat at the corner of his cell. It was pitch black, and he could only hear his own breathing in the dark.
His trial had ended. Godora and Purple Crystal had both gotten what they wanted, so he was locked up and would be spending the rest of his life in prison.
The hope that supported his belief was destroyed. It was as if the DarkStar leader had lost his spine, and his heart was numb and emotionless.
The Rainbow Prison could shatter the belief of DarkStar members. He did not know if he could hold on to his own belief in the future, but he did not care anymore.
Clank!
The narrow feeding window at the bottom of the cell door opened. A plate of food and a beam of light entered the cell.
“Recently, Serbia the Fifth announced a plan to brainwash all Godorans to eliminate discrimination for hybrids. Did your DarkStar convince him and make him betray us?”
The prison guard outside the door suddenly spoke with a sarcastic tone. He then closed the feeding window and left.
In the dark, the DarkStar leader suddenly opened his eyes. His numb eyes were filled with shock. He was absolutely confused.
Brainwashing the entire civilization?
What the hell? Could it be that we have the same belief but you’re much smarter than me?
You should be the one leading DarkStar!
Chapter 711 - Discrimination Transformation Movement
Planet Gautin was the first testing area of the Discrimination Transformation plan. Be it pureblood or hybrid, all Godorans paid attention to Gautin, wanting to know how exactly Serbia the Fifth would do it.
A Purple Crystal flagship arrived at Planet Gautin and used some kind of device to send an invisible Psychic Current across the entire planet. Serbia the Fifth said that this was a secret device built with Star Cluster Grade technology that could change the thinking of Godorans over a large area. He once again promised the civilians that this device was very reliable. Actually, this was just a bluff that he had discussed with Purple Crystal to prove that this plan had Purple Crystal’s approval so that the civilians would not be as flustered.
The key person to carry out the transformation, however, was Rossellin. She displayed her ability to the fullest for the first time in front of Han Xiao. The large area Psychic Current that the Purple Crystal flagship was sending to Gautin was actually Rossellin’s Esper ability, enhanced by a device specifically designed to strengthen Psychic abilities. This made the range of her Esper ability increase many times over.
Psychics also had the ability to hypnotize and brainwash, but the accuracy and range were not as high as Rossellin’s Esper ability, (Contagious Ideology). Her Esper ability was a very gentle brainwash, completed subtly; it would not affect the personality of the target and would only give the target new ways of looking at things. This could even be explained as Rossellin showing the target a new angle of looking at the world. This Esper ability was very suitable for spreading religion and building beliefs.
The transformation lasted two days. The stay-at-homes of Gautin were initially trepidatious, but as time passed, they realized that their thinking did not change at all. They got confused and wondered if it was ineffective.
Two days later, the Purple Crystal flagship left. All the Godorans were focusing on the effect of the test, and Planet Gautin was all over the internet. Everyone was discussing it.
“Are there any Gautin residents? Come out and tell us how you feel.”
“I don’t feel any changes. Am I the only one?”
“No, I’m on Gautin too, didn’t feel any changes.”
“Did it fail?”
“Er, not sure if you guys feel the same way, but at first I thought it had no effects, but just now, I went to chat with a hybrid friend. Originally, I was a tiny bit repulsed by him, but when I saw him just now, I felt totally peaceful and calm. I even felt he looked somewhat handsome… ahem, this is anonymous. I don’t want him to know.”
“For me, it’s not exactly the same. I have a hybrid friend too. Originally, I thought he looked quite ugly, but when I had a with him earlier, although I still felt he looked ugly, that occasional disgust had disappeared.”
The people of Godora started to figure out what change the Godora residents underwent. Those that were transformed retained their own personality and even knew what changes they had gone through.
This result made the Godorans much less worried-at least their minds were not forcefully twisted.
Serbia the Fifth had been paying attention to the public reaction. He saw the effects of the test and decided to host another press conference, emphasizing on the fact that the ‘Discrimination Transformation’ plan was harmless.
At the same time, the government also secretly guided the public opinion and tried to make the people feel that accepting the hybrids was a policy that would never change. This would lead them to think that since the overall trend could not be changed, maybe changing themselves might be a good idea, it would make society a better place too.
The success of the test and the manipulation of public opinion did indeed make some civilians feel less alarmed. Some people even acknowledged the idea that accepting the transformation to not feel disgusted by these hybrids would make their daily life more peaceful and harmonious.
With the first success, Serbia the Fifth grew more confident. After observing for quite a long time and making sure that the Gautin residents certainly did not suffer any side effects, he finally stopped worrying and fully carried out the plan. The colonial planets of Go
dora would be accepting the transformation one after another.
Godorans called this incident the Discrimination Transformation Movement.
The pureblood Diehards had power and force. Even though the Discrimination Transformation had no side effects, they were still unwilling to accept. Hence, using their power, they started to create obstructions to Serbia the Fifth.
When the relationship network of these upper-class people started to operate, even the government operations were affected. The Diehards stirred up public opinion to smear Serbia the Fifth, saying that he was even more insane than DarkStar and that he was leading Godora to its grave, becoming a slave of a higher civilization.
Many people were convinced by these claims and became furious, claiming that the government not even asking for their opinion to change their minds was an act of not treating them as proper citizens. Serbia the Fifth’s reputation on the internet plummeted. Some even called him ‘the second generation DarkStar leader’.
However, not only was Serbia the Fifth not enraged, he was happy about it instead. This was an opportunity for him to step up and explain to the people more clearly; whether the people would believe him or not did not matter.
Of course, some conspiracists completely ignored the explanations and created even more trouble. Serbia the Fifth did not hold back against them; he sent his men to kindly invite these people to a friendly tea session so that they would stay quiet.
He did not care about those smearing accusations. In his eyes, that was just short-term damage. As soon as the plan was completed, the entire society would naturally think very highly of him, and he would become the wisest leader of Godora since the start of history.
The upper class saw that swaying public opinion was useless, so they started to secretly fund the government officials with a lot of power, hoping to impeach Serbia the Fifth and change the leader.
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