"It seems the empire is determined to take the Mechanical City this time."
Dao Zhi crouched at the top of the tallest tree in the dense forest, his gaze fixed on the vast Qin army advancing toward the Mohist Mechanical City. The army was accompanied by ten Mechanical White Tigers, ten massive Mechanical Snakes, and ten Mechanical Vermilion Birds patrolling the skies. As the army leveled mountains and built bridges, Dao Zhi's expression grew increasingly grim.
The Qin Empire made no attempt to conceal its plans to attack the Mohist stronghold, and the anti-Qin factions, including the Mohists, were well aware of their movements. From the start, Dao Zhi had been dispatched to monitor the empire's route. Yet, the more he observed, the heavier his heart became.
Dao Zhi had great confidence in the city's defenses, rooted in the ingenuity of Mohist mechanical techniques. However, upon witnessing the empire's formidable lineup, he realized that the Mohist mechanical beasts were no longer unrivaled among the Hundred Schools of Thought.
The empire now deployed Mohist-style Mechanical Beasts as standard, with numbers far exceeding those of the Mohists themselves. Even the Mechanical Vermilion Birds, originally used for transportation, had been armed to the teeth by the Gongshu family, equipped with a formidable array of crossbows.
As a result, the Mohists' Mechanical Vermilion Birds dared not reveal themselves before the empire's forces. The Mohists had a limited pool of individuals trained in mechanical arts, and even fewer capable of piloting the Vermilion Birds. In the original timeline, Master Ban himself had to pilot them personally on most occasions due to the lack of skilled personnel.
The Mohist mechanical arts were highly classified, accessible to only a select few within their ranks. Furthermore, most Mohist disciples came from impoverished backgrounds, and few were literate. Under such circumstances, identifying and training individuals with the talent to manipulate Mechanical Beasts was a monumental challenge.
Recent losses in battle had further depleted their already limited manpower. While operating the Mechanical White Tigers was relatively straightforward, there were hardly any pilots left for the Mechanical Vermilion Birds, aside from Master Ban and Yan Dan.
By contrast, the empire had no such limitations. Its vast population base and ongoing education reforms ensured a steady supply of talent, and the addition of the Gongshu family's expertise gave the empire an insurmountable advantage.
The Gongshu family, though not as prolific in producing top-tier talents as the Mohists, excelled in middle-tier mechanics. This foundation of skilled artisans was one of the reasons the family's legacy endured.
"Master Strategist, His Majesty has heard of your plans to deal with the Mohist Mechanical City and has sent me to assist. I've brought along a new weapon that has just been completed," said Gongshu Chou, stepping forward to greet Daniel Davis.
The empire's campaign against the Mohist Mechanical City was a golden opportunity for the Gongshu family. Gongshu Chou would not have missed it, even without Ying Zheng's orders. After all, the Mohist Mechanical City symbolized the pinnacle of Mohist mechanical engineering.
The failure of Chu's expedition against the city had also been a failure for the Gongshu family, as they had been part of the Chu forces at the time. Now, the Gongshu family saw this as a chance to redeem themselves.
"A new weapon? I'll have to see this for myself," Daniel said with interest. He gestured to a nearby guard. "Summon the three experts from the Yin-Yang clan."
Although Daniel was capable of single-handedly eliminating the Mohist Mechanical City, he saw no reason not to leverage the empire's many elite fighters. Luo Wang was occupied with hunting down the remnants of the six states and couldn't be deployed, but the Yin-Yang clan and the Six Doors Organization were available.
The Yin-Yang clan sent four elite members, including two guardians and the Lesser Commander. Meanwhile, the Six Doors Organization contributed several skilled operatives, led by Mo Ya and a faction of the Hundred Birds Division. The ranks were bolstered by freelance martial artists and smaller sects that had pledged allegiance to the empire.
"Ah, as expected," Daniel murmured, a smile spreading across his face as Gongshu Chou led him to the testing grounds. There, fifty Shenji Ballistae were neatly arranged.
The Shenji Ballista, an evolution of the siege crossbow, had been redesigned by the Gongshu family. While its raw power had been slightly reduced, its mobility had been greatly enhanced. This was particularly true when using the Gongshu family's special explosive bolts, which had the potential to change the course of a battle.
"Hard to believe Wang Li lost despite having weapons like these. I guess even the Wang family couldn't produce three consecutive generations of great generals," Daniel said with a hint of amusement.
Wang Jian and Wang Ben were legendary generals, but Wang Li's reputation was mixed. Though he enjoyed widespread recognition, much of it stemmed from the legacy of his predecessors. Unlike Meng Tian, who remained loyal and humble, Wang Li had a tendency toward arrogance, which had earned him fewer admirers.
"Master Strategist, this weapon has yet to be named," Gongshu Chou said, his voice filled with pride. His confidence was understandable—Ying Zheng himself had been highly impressed by the Shenji Ballista. Had this weapon been available during the war to unify the six states, the process would have been even swifter.
"Since it's based on the Shenji Ballista, let's call it the Hundred-Battle Shenji Ballista," Daniel replied, seeing no need for a new name.
"To win a hundred battles—Master Strategist, you truly have a gift for names."
"This weapon will be invaluable in the campaign against the Mohist Mechanical City," Daniel said. He saw the weapon's debut as the perfect opportunity to test its battlefield capabilities.
As Gongshu Chou signaled the operators, the group stepped back. Explosive bolts were loaded into the ballistae under Daniel's watchful gaze. The Yin-Yang clan's Xinghun and Lesser Commander looked on with curiosity.
"Fire!"
At Gongshu Chou's command, fifty explosive bolts launched into the air. Mid-flight, the bolts fragmented into smaller projectiles, scattering over a nearby hilltop.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of deafening explosions rocked the hill, enveloping it in thick smoke. The ground trembled from the sheer force of the blasts, despite the considerable distance between the observers and the impact site.
"This..." Xinghun was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected such devastating power. Even someone of his caliber might sustain severe injuries if caught off guard.
"The range is approximately 200 meters. With the Mechanical White Tigers and the Hundred-Battle Shenji Ballista, the Macedonian phalanx would be helpless," Daniel said, smiling at the thought. He imagined the phalanx's shields, designed to withstand conventional arrows, crumbling under a barrage of explosives.
The demonstration left Dao Zhi, who had been observing from a nearby forest, deeply unsettled. Through a telescope, he watched as the hilltop was obliterated.
"I must warn the Juzi immediately," Dao Zhi muttered, retreating to find a Mechanical Vermilion Bird to carry him back to the Mohist City.
Meanwhile, in the Mohist Mechanical City, confidence was high. The city had become a hub for anti-Qin factions, including representatives from the Confucian, Mohist, and Daoist schools, as well as members of Liushasha and the nobility of the six former states.
Yan Dan, standing over a map of the city's terrain, exuded confidence. "This time, we'll make sure they never return."
However, Zhang Liang's expression was grave. "The Grandmaster of Qin is no ordinary man. Qin's current strength owes much to him." In his mind, Daniel Davis represented an unpredictable and formidable threat—one that the Mohists and their allies could not afford to underestimate.
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