Early the next morning, Yue Yuan arrived at the temporarily expanded Conference Room. Since so many people were attending this time, the so-called large Conference Room was actually the hall on the third underground level of the former base.
After the passage back to the surface was reopened, much of the machinery and equipment had gradually been moved aboveground, leaving this place spacious enough to serve as an expanded meeting venue.
In addition to experts from various fields and department heads, this expanded meeting included outstanding representatives from every profession, making attendance several times higher than usual.
Yue Yuan glanced over the attendance list and found that the total number of participants had reached 832, nearly one percent of the base's total population.
Once the sea of attendees had all entered and taken their seats, Yue Yuan, as usual, pressed down the microphone and became the first to speak.
"Today marks the 181st day since our home was destroyed. During this time, we have endured partings in life and death, despair and hope, and every kind of hardship. We have been so unyielding. I believe humanity will surely emerge from this darkness into better days."
After a relatively brief opening statement, Yue Yuan began steering the meeting toward its main subject.
"I believe everyone here knows the issue we are here to discuss and decide today, so I will not waste words. We will now move to the first agenda item: the question of leadership for the surviving human race.
"The catastrophe we endured has taught us that before the vast universe, humanity is truly smaller than even plankton. Therefore, if we wish to survive, we must settle this matter. Only then will we avoid becoming a disorganized mob, and only then can we unite closely and survive."
With that address concluded, the meeting entered its substantive stage.
First, this meeting had to establish the governing body of all humanity. There was no doubt about it: it would be the former Callisto government.
This was everyone's consensus, and it was once again passed unanimously at the assembly. This was not redundant; it was meant to establish the legitimacy and justness of the leadership's authority.
Once the legal legitimacy of the New Government had been established, the next step was choosing a supreme leader.
There was no doubt about this either. Yue Yuan's appointment as the New Government's supreme leader was also passed unanimously. No one was more suitable than him, nor did anyone command greater prestige.
As for Yue Yuan himself, he was willing to shoulder this heavy responsibility, and he needed this position as well.
He had never concealed this.
After reaching this point, Yue Yuan once again stepped onto the stage and delivered a speech. "Thank you all for your trust and recognition. I will fulfill my duties conscientiously and live up to everyone's trust, placing humanity's future first. With unity and progress as my mission, I will do everything within my modest power for humanity's survival, development, growth, and even our journey beyond the universe."
"I know that among those present, many of you do not trust and recognize me purely through reason, but because you believe I am the savior of the survivors, the savior of all humanity. But I want to tell you all that there has never been any savior, and I am not one either. Our ancestors long ago showed us through their actions that humanity's savior is humanity itself—every one of us."
After Yue Yuan delivered a speech akin to an inaugural address, the next matter was determining the heads and functions of each department.
There were no major changes in this regard. They would continue using Callisto's original administrative structure, with corresponding upgrades and adjustments made only to the names.
Broadly speaking, these included the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and so on.
Naturally, the Security Department was also indispensable. However, it had now been split into two. One part became the Human Armed Forces Support Department, abbreviated as the Armed Forces Department. This was a special department, purely military in nature, directly subordinate to the Human Military Command.
Yue Yuan was the supreme commander of this department.
The other part retained the name Security Department.
In addition, the staffing of each department underwent some expansion and adjustments, while the promotion channels were revised accordingly.
Once all matters concerning the formation of the New Government had been confirmed, the meeting should have immediately proceeded to its next agenda item—the issue of major construction. However, Yue Yuan chose this moment to put forward a proposed resolution.
He stepped onto the stage again, swept his gaze across the attendees, and said, "The assembly is about to discuss matters related to major surface construction. However, before that, I have a proposal that requires everyone's consideration. I have asked the staff to upload it to Folder 0876 on the meeting document-sharing platform. Please review its contents first and see whether this agenda item is feasible."
After speaking, Yue Yuan stood silently on the stage, watching the 832 attendees operate the phones or other network devices before them as he waited for them to finish reading.
The proposal was not long. Before long, most people understood the contents of the resolution.
It was then that scattered murmurs of discussion began rising from the crowd.
"How can this work? Slacking off and lying flat would be legally punishable? What kind of proposal is this?"
"Yeah, isn't that meddling too much? Isn't this forced labor? And how would slacking off, lying flat, or dragging one's feet even be judged? You can't possibly report someone just because you see them resting for a moment, can you?"
"I know these are extraordinary times, but I've never heard of punishment being written directly into legal provisions. I'm afraid it won't be easy."
"Exactly. Slacking off at work is easier to judge, and there were already plans to penalize it through the wage system. But how do you define lying flat? Does someone have to be punished just for wanting to be a couch potato?"
"Heh, look at all of you. You're opposing it without even thinking it through with a computer first. If you ask me, lying flat should absolutely be written into the law. There are only eighty thousand of us now. Why should you get to lie flat, live well, and enjoy the home I built through blood, sweat, and tears? That makes no sense!"
"The reasoning is sound. How could I not understand humanity's situation? But the problem is that it will be difficult to implement. I don't mind, since I would never lie flat anyway. Contributing to humanity's cause is both my honor and my responsibility. But among more than eighty thousand people, there will always be some unambitious types who only want to enjoy themselves without contributing. They will certainly oppose it fiercely."
Just as everyone had discussed, Yue Yuan had proposed adding a legal provision suited to the current circumstances.
The general content of this provision was to establish a punishment mechanism for behaviors such as slacking off and lying flat, as well as a moral classification for such conduct.
However, the specific provisions had not yet been defined.
Amid the rustling discussions, Yue Yuan gave a false cough. Once the venue had quieted down again, he said, "Everyone, the main reason for drafting legal articles against negative behaviors such as 'lying flat' is that humanity has truly reached a critical moment of life and death. Moreover, our population is simply too small. Under such circumstances, the strength of every individual is an incomparably precious resource."
"In order to unite every ounce of strength, we have no choice but to put forward this proposal, however unreasonable it may seem. I believe everyone understands this. In a society, one or two people being lazy and slippery is merely a minor ailment. But as you all know, humans are not only creatures inclined toward idleness, but creatures who fear inequality more than scarcity."
Before you continue