Year 20X1, August.
Africa, Sahara Desert, inside Dome 9.
It was noon.
Under a date palm tree full of ripe fruits, Zhang Xingyang rested on the soft lawn with his hands as a pillow and a cloth hat covering his face.
However, he did not fall asleep. He was thinking about something.
Three years.
He had been developing in this place for three years, from the age of 25 to 28. His precious youth had been spent here.
"Desert Free City, a free and open place that embraces infinite possibilities."
A few years ago, Zhang Xingyang, who was working in a restaurant, heard this advertisement by chance. After seeing the city under the giant transparent glass cover, he was shocked. He did not know why, but he suddenly felt impulsive and signed up to come here.
At that time, he was tired of the job in the restaurant. He was young and did not want to carry plates and do odd jobs in the kitchen for the rest of his life. However, his education was not high and he had no skills, so he could only do some low-level labor.
The recruitment advertisement in the Desert Free City and the magnificent desert scenery made him want to come and explore.
Even if he stayed in this desert forever, it was better than not seeing any hope.
However …
After the initial curiosity and excitement had passed, he now felt vaguely regretful in his heart.
Boring.
This place was too boring.
There was not much entertainment.
After the mobile phone was connected to the iFi satellite network, the network speed was okay at first. Later, there were too many people connected, and the network was jammed. He could only make calls and send text messages.
Of course, Hua Yao had already sent people over and promised to build a 5G network by the end of this year. At that time, the mobile phone could experience high-speed Internet access and re-embrace the modern world.
Entertainment was only one aspect. There were many people in the task force who were versatile. There were people who played the guitar well, looked good at dancing, and had some acrobatic skills. There were all kinds of talents, including Zhang Xingyang. He also had good cooking skills.
People who enjoyed life would never feel bored or dull.
However, the sense of loneliness was real and surged into everyone's heart from time to time.
People were close, and the moon was bright in their hometown.
The longer they stayed here, the more they missed their relatives and friends, and the more they missed their hometown. This was human nature.
Homesickness was secondary. After all, there was a phone to call. If they missed it too much, they could just call back.
The most difficult thing to overcome was the discomfort in life.
There were few entertainment activities.
There were few shops and supermarkets.
There was no festive atmosphere.
There was no festive atmosphere during the Chinese New Year.
The most important thing to do every day was to work, to plant lawns and green trees in every corner.
Living in such an environment was as boring as studying. Over time, one would lose a lot of happiness.
He even wanted to retreat.
Zhang Xingyang heard a lot of complaints.
"It's better to stay in the country. There's nothing here."
"I'm starting to regret coming here. Developing in China is stressful, but there's the internet, express delivery, take-out, and cinemas. What about here? Everything has to be built from scratch. "
"The problem is that the salary is not high. It's only about 5,000 a month. Any job in the country would not be less than 5,000."
"Do I really have to stay here forever? Desert Free City, heh heh, I didn't feel freedom, but loneliness came first. "
"I don't want anything. Can Xing Hai Technologies send some women over? There are more than 500,000 workers in our base, and less than one-tenth of them are women. Most of them come with their husbands, and most of them are single. Can Xing Hai Technologies help solve this single problem? "
"Yeah, I'm about to suffocate to death! There isn't even a place to vent fire here. "
Hearing this, Zhang Xingyang also had the urge to apply to leave or even run away.
Because not only was he single, but he was also a virgin.
In this desert that was like a furnace for 12 months of the year, many people were so restless that it was difficult to sleep.
There were even some crimes.
More than 100,000 workers had applied to leave, but they were rejected because of the clause in the contract that stated that they could not leave their posts before the construction of the city was completed. Then, they turned it into an escape operation.
The overall morale of the labor group at the No. 9 dome base was very low, and their work efficiency was significantly reduced.
…
"Humans are social creatures, and also emotional creatures."
The working environment at the dome base is not difficult. The robots take on the main heavy physical work, and the laborers only take on some simple tasks.
They don't feel happy because their social, cultural, and emotional bonds have been cut off. It's as if they have been exiled to an isolated island.
This situation is the same as the yearning of the Mericans for Europe in the 18th century. Even if they are very rich in material goods, their spirit is very empty, and their souls are very lonely.
If we don't find a way to improve this situation, it will be difficult for the laborers in the dome base to have a sense of belonging to the place they are developing. Instead, they will think about how to return.
In the past six months, the average number of laborers who have applied to return to Z country and other countries has exceeded 1,000 people per month. They have to leave even if they have to bear the penalty of one million dollars. This shows that they can't stand that kind of loneliness, and it's difficult for them to break free from the shackles of culture. "
Alice analyzed.
"Do we have to let them go back to China to visit their families?"
Chen Jin frowned. The problem was that once they were let go, some of the laborers would definitely not come back. They would disappear without a trace, and then they would face the problem of "no one coming."
"We can't let the laborers go back to China, but their families can visit them."
Chen Jin shook his head. "This has been implemented for a long time, and air and ship tickets have been reimbursed for their families, but there are still many laborers who want to leave."
Everything was difficult at the beginning, and pioneering was the most difficult and arduous of all things. They also had to endure the helplessness and loneliness of being far away from their hometown.
As the ancients said, "Bear the hardships of starting a new path to open up the mountains and forests." Only when you were engaged in similar work could you feel the greatness of this concept.
Modern people did not have to worry about food and clothing, and they had plenty of entertainment activities. But when they were suddenly thrown into the transformation of the desert, they had to endure all kinds of inconveniences in life, and they had to hone their spirits. There were really not many people who could persevere.
Alice also found a way to solve this problem.
"Master, we need to instill a sense of identity in the laborers of every city.
Let them identify with the profession they are engaged in, and identify with the land under their feet.
"More importantly, we need to let them know who they are."
There is no doubt that they are no longer people from Z country or Southeast Asia. They have abandoned their previous nationality. Since they set foot on this desert, they are people of the desert free cities that belong to the Earth Federation.
They can say that they are citizens of the free cities, and they can also say that they are citizens of the Earth Federation.
Because 1% of the tax revenue of each free city has to be turned over to the Earth Federation, there is no problem for them to call themselves citizens of the Earth Federation.
Moreover, in the Earth Federation Parliament, each free city has a representative seat, and they can actively participate in international affairs.
300 free cities, that is 300 votes … The free cities will be a force that cannot be ignored.
It is also because they have the right to speak and vote internationally that every citizen of a free city is equal to the citizens of any country. They are all members of a big family, and there is no need to feel lost and lonely.
Once they have established an identity, they have taken root. No matter what difficulties they encounter, they can overcome them with their hands and diligence.
Because the land under their feet is their beautiful home. "
Hmm …
Chen Jin nodded.
Alice was right. Once a person had an identity, it was equivalent to having roots. They would no longer feel adrift and confused.
It was like a job. Only when you identified with this profession could you continue to do it.
Therefore, the establishment of the Earth Federation, to a certain extent, solved the identity problem of the laborers. They did not feel that they were refugees or labor immigrants, but federal citizens, and the masters of this desert!
…
Under the date palm.
Zhang Xingyang, who was a little upset, suddenly heard the voice of a broadcast.
"Dear hardworking workers, I have great news for you: the Earth Federation has been established!
From today onwards, you are a glorious citizen of the Earth Federation. You will proudly develop this land that belongs to you as a citizen of the planet …
"From today onwards, please forget your respective origins, forget your race and skin color. In this land of freedom, everyone is equal. You have the same obligations and rights. You all represent the civilization of this planet …
"Cheer and celebrate. A new era has come. Go and embrace a bright and beautiful future!"
Hearing this excited broadcast, the crowd was stunned.
Zhang Xingyang opened his eyes.
He took off the cloth cap on his face.
He sat up and slowly stood up from the ground.
Looking around, in the domed base, hundreds of thousands of workers like him also stood up one after another. There was a trace of confusion on their faces, and their eyes were shining.
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