In the grand epic of the galaxy, the Federation also took firm and powerful steps in the chapter of population development.
To quickly catch up with the Imperium of Man in population numbers, the Federation fully utilized the highly developed productivity advantages of a galactic society. By allocating a portion of its productivity, it could easily build high-quality living environments for a large number of Federal citizens.
Lin Yu deeply understood the importance of population to the Federation's future. Standing on the bridge of the Infinite Engine, he gazed absently at the dark and profound cosmic starry sky in the distance. He wanted to forge a technological development path completely different from those tech god civilizations in the Super God Universe, no longer relying solely on a small group of people, or a single great highly intelligent individual, to drive the entire civilization's technological progress.
He was unwilling to see a tech god civilization system where the entire civilization had very few people. He would combine the advantages of both universes to vigorously develop the population of the Divine River Federation, allowing the entire civilization's tech tree system to develop comprehensively under a massive population base.
At the same time, he would focus on cultivating some extremely talented super scientists, hoping to produce some tech gods similar to He Xi or Karl. Based on these reasons and the practical considerations of the Warhammer Universe's Imperium of Man's excessive population, Lin Yu decisively ordered the forced establishment of the Federation's public upbringing system.
However, he also knew that changing people's deeply ingrained beliefs would be no easy task. While the public upbringing system showed obvious advantages from a rational perspective, traditional concepts of birth and parenting were like deeply rooted old trees, firmly embedded in people's hearts.
At a cozy community discussion, soft light fell upon everyone. A young mother, her eyes filled with conflict and hesitation, gently stroked her child's small face in her arms and slowly said, "I understand that public upbringing might be more beneficial for my child's growth, but I truly can't bear to miss every step of his development. The blood-is-thicker-than-water bond between parent and child is irreplaceable by anything."
Her voice trembled slightly.
After Lin Yu heard such heartfelt words, his heart was filled with understanding and respect. He deeply knew that the emotional bond between family members was precious and unique, so he chose not to interfere and did not enact any discriminatory policies.
But the Federal Government's unique planned economic development model was like a sturdy umbrella, sheltering everyone from wind and rain, ensuring that no one had to worry about basic necessities like food, clothing, housing, transportation, or medical care.
At the same time, a series of policies encouraging childbirth were introduced, like a warm spring breeze, gently blowing across people's hearts and gradually loosening the soil of traditional concepts.
Time flew by like a white steed, and 50 years passed in a blink of an eye. The Federation's population growth, like bamboo shoots after rain, surged upward, skyrocketing from an initial 40 billion to 280 billion. Of this massive population, 180 billion people were born through traditional family childbirth, while another 100 billion were conceived in artificial wombs from reproductive cells selflessly donated by Federal citizens.
After these newborns came into being, they embarked on their unique journey of growth.
Typically, groups of seven or eight children, roughly half boys and half girls, were assigned to form small families. Each child was equipped with a professional humanoid robot, which, like loving parents, embraced and raised these children.
On a sun-drenched morning, a newborn baby lay in a soft crib. The humanoid robot, with gentle and precise movements, carefully wiped the child's small face, while uttering soft murmurs, as if quietly communicating with the child.
When children reached two or three years old, a time when they were full of curiosity and a desire to explore the world, the humanoid robots would initiate their early enlightenment. In spacious and bright holographic classrooms, humanoid robots used lively and interesting methods to guide children in understanding the world around them, pointing to colorful pictures and patiently telling the children the names and characteristics of different things. The children, with curious wide eyes, listened attentively, occasionally letting out innocent laughter.
As the children gradually grew older, their learning tasks became more complex.
At this point, humanoid robots with different functions, who were also professional teachers, accompanied the children, teaching them knowledge, labor skills, and moral norms.
Due to the Federation's highly advanced technology, a large number of advanced virtual devices were used in teaching. In virtual classrooms, children wore special helmets and entered a marvelous virtual world.
Here, through thought acceleration technology, they seemed to be in the long river of history, conversing with ancient heroes; or soaring deep into the universe, exploring the mysteries of the stars. In this process, children could learn more complete and applicable knowledge, skills, and life common sense for galactic society in a shorter amount of time.
Until the age of 20, these children lived in cities exclusively for minors, professionally managed.
These cities were full of vitality and joy. The children in each small family, despite having no blood relation, got along as intimately as true siblings. They played together in parks, explored the ocean of knowledge in libraries, and sweated it out on playgrounds, naturally forming a close familial bond.
In the early stages of the Federation's development, there were indeed some young or irresponsible parents. In a corner of a bustling metropolis, a young father, fashionably dressed, with a hint of impatience on his face, dropped his child off at the minor's care center and hastily said, "I really don't have time to take care of him, please take good care of him for me." He then turned and left, leaving only the child's bewildered gaze. Such scenes were not uncommon in an era of drastic societal conceptual changes.
But as time went on, ideas underwent a tremendous change. The Federation's galactic society had an abundance of material resources; even if only a small portion of productivity was used to meet human survival resource needs, as long as citizens completed their work assignments on time, the Federation could provide a high-quality living environment for everyone.
In this era full of opportunities and freedom, the new generation of Federal galactic new humans possessed prolonged youth and strong, robust bodies. They placed greater emphasis on the realization of their own value, pursuing pure love and spiritual compatibility, no longer overly influenced by external factors.
However, when they had children, they faced new choices. Many such new-generation parents, despite deeply loving each other, had different views on the upbringing of children. Although a child was the crystallization of love, in such a family environment focused on self-realization, they seemed to become a somewhat superfluous existence.
Moreover, a social survey also showed that children raised in the public upbringing system typically possessed more comprehensive and well-developed abilities, more stable personalities, and better emotional control. Generally speaking, they would have a better future. After all, compared to robot education experts and robot parenting experts who had undergone countless professional iterations, many human parents were truly not qualified parents, as they didn't need to pass an exam to take on the role.
Thus, although many parents still chose to raise their children themselves, more and more new-generation parents, after their children were born, sent them directly to public care institutions. Some parents would occasionally visit, while others gradually stopped paying attention, and these children became completely new beings under the public upbringing system.
These newborns were galactic new humans from birth, as if they were favored darlings of the universe. They possessed intelligent brains, agile minds, and a thirst for knowledge; they were strong and full of vitality, with an endless future awaiting them to create; they also had a lifespan of up to 300 years, like a long and magnificent scroll waiting for them to write their splendor.
They were like the rising sun, radiating dazzling light across the cosmic horizon, full of infinite potential and hope. When they came of age, they would become the new main force of the Federation, like powerful engines, propelling the entire Divine River Federation towards an even stronger and more prosperous future.
Currently, the Federation maintains an annual birth rate of 5%. When the natural population birth rate is insufficient, artificial wombs become an important supplement. Lin Yu, from the strategic height of Federal development planning, intends to steadfastly maintain this strategy for one hundred years. In this way, after 100 years of the Federation's establishment, it will possess over 5.2 trillion high-quality talents.
These new-generation galactic humans highly identify with the Federation's ideals. They are knowledgeable, like stars in the vast universe. They are physically strong and capable of facing various challenges, forming the solid foundation of the Federation.
Only with such a massive base of high-quality population will the Federation, in the future conquest of the Imperium of Man and the incorporation of a large number of Imperial citizens, avoid being assimilated by the Imperium of Man's low-quality population, thereby preventing it from falling into the abyss of corruption, inefficiency, and darkness.
Lin Yu knew deeply that providing gene vaccines to all Imperium of Man citizens, transforming them into galactic new humans, was not only a benefit for those tragic Imperial humans but also an undeniable obligation.
He often looked up at the starry sky on quiet nights, contemplating the future of humanity. Putting himself in their shoes, no one would want to be the target of gene optimization, missing out on this gene vaccine that could grant 300 years of life.
After all, a speck of dust from the era, falling on an individual, is an insurmountable mountain, and he hoped to create a sky for every person in the Federation, free from the intrusion of dust.