Just like in Tokyo, the ruling class of Machine City lived in its central district, a place called Zongzheng Town, isolated from the free citizens and ordinary laborers outside.
The largest estate in Zongzheng Town belonged to Kozaki Wataru, the Speaker.
A meeting of the Core Committee was underway in the estate's study.
The Core Committee was Machine City's small decision-making circle. It had only a dozen or so members, representing the very peak of the city's power pyramid.
Kozaki Wataru, Siye Yuta, and Yamane Hitoshi, the Monster spokesperson, were all members. The dozen or so of them had been talking in the study for several hours.
Tomorrow was the one-week deadline Nozawa Ritsu had mentioned, but Machine City no longer cared at all.
Judging by the Resistance Organization's performance over the past few days, these soldiers were practically a bunch of undisciplined, disorganized refugees. They posed no threat to Machine City whatsoever.
Thinking back on how tense and anxious they'd been not long ago, it all seemed laughable now.
Whatever demands Nozawa Ritsu made tomorrow, they'd simply tell them to pack up and get lost.
The Core Committee was discussing how to divide up the spoils once the Cyborgs had been driven out.
Kozaki Wataru represented the Parliament, Siye Yuta represented the military, and Yamane Hitoshi represented the Monsters.
The three sides had held a cordial and friendly discussion, but they still couldn't reach an agreement. When it came to their own interests, no one was willing to give an inch.
It was getting late. The committee members were all old men, and one by one they began to nod off. Even Kozaki Wataru's eyelids were growing heavy, so he was about to adjourn the meeting and continue tomorrow.
"Everyone, let's call it a night here..."
Before he could