Could Nick force someone to do more when they were following all the rules?
No.
After all, they were doing everything that was required of them.
Was this situation damaging to humanity as a whole?
Yes.
The happiness of about 6,000 people in exchange for a bit more help for Aegis…
These were 6,000 people, and their loss of happiness would help Aegis just a little bit.
It didn't feel right.
This was a conundrum.
No matter what Nick chose, it felt wrong.
Choosing either side was bad.
'Well, it's true that it would have dire consequences if every city acted like this one, but that's simply not reality,' Nick thought.
'Cities are like people. They have different strengths and weaknesses.'
'They even have different personalities, in a way.'