The battle of Peshawar lasted for seven days.
Although the Kushan king, Bodhi, had been defeated in a psychological warfare campaign, his provincial governors launched a final, desperate counterattack. Using the treacherous terrain of the Suleiman Mountains to their advantage, they constructed a honeycomb-like defensive network of hundreds of small stone fortresses in an attempt to exhaust the Han army's expensive steam supply lines with this "blunt knife" tactic.
Standing in his makeshift command post by the Caspian Sea, Liu Xun gazed at the densely packed enemy strongholds on the sand table. With his fingertip, he traced a hidden dotted line across the desert, leading directly to the Furona Valley, the Kushan granary.
'Gongshuqi, leave all those cumbersome tractors and heavy mortars in place to create the illusion of a main attack.' His voice was as cold as a knife as he activated his "Top Performance: All-or-Nothing Gambler." 'Order the First Light Cavalry Regiment to unload all armour and carry only three days' rations.' Banji was shocked. 'Your Majesty, abandon the supplies? The Gobi Desert is barren. If we cannot defeat the enemy within three days, four thousand light cavalrymen will die of thirst in the sandstorm!'
Liu Xun didn't explain, but instead activated the system's 'High-Energy Compressed Supply Warehouse'.
[System Command]: Exchange for Special Operations Pack – Long-Range Raid Edition.
Core resources: High-calorie compressed rations (fried noodles, oil and dried meat), a portable water filter straw and lightweight synthetic leather armour.
Technical compensation: Horse stimulant (pure natural herbal extract); Big Dipper inertial navigation system (system projection).
Core bonus: marching speed increased by 300% and concealment by 500%. "Banji, the art of war is not about how heavy you are, but how fast." Liu Xun changed into close-fitting, gleaming, light-forged armour and mounted a genetically modified Akhal-Teke horse. "I will show the Kushans that the wrath of the Han can cross a hundred miles of barren land in an instant," he said. In the dead of night, three thousand elite Han cavalrymen and one thousand surrendered Western Region cavalrymen left the camp as silently as drops of ink, under the cover of darkness.
They carried no clanging metal utensils, and their horses' hooves were wrapped in thick sheepskin. Liu Xun led the way, using the 'system's real-time satellite map' to precisely avoid all the Kushan outposts. "Keep breathing! Follow my battle flag!"
Traditional generals would see the two hundred miles of Gobi Desert as a death trap, but to Liu Xun, it was the best cover. The soldiers wore long-lasting oxygen packs and slow-release hydration packs on their chests to maintain their stamina in the extremely dry environment. This forward-thinking logistical concept turned this army into a pack of tireless wolves.
On the evening of the third day, the Kushan garrison in the Frona Valley leisurely turned the axles of their grain carts. They believed that the Han army was still fighting fiercely at the walls of Peshawar, two hundred li away, and that their rear was absolutely safe.
Until a black wave appeared on the horizon.
'Is that a sandstorm?' An old soldier squinted, then his pupils contracted sharply.
But it wasn't a sandstorm; it was four thousand streamlined sabres, gleaming with the blood-red hue of the setting sun. Liu Xun activated his overwhelming martial prowess; his entire being was like that of a god of war descending upon the world.
'Leave no survivors! Destroy the granaries!'
Without any complex battle formations or probing exchanges, the Han cavalry fired their handheld repeating crossbows while charging. Their specially made white phosphorus fire arrows instantly ignited three years' worth of Kushan military rations. Flames soared into the sky, turning the Frona sky fiery gold.
[System Simulation Report]:
Enemy Logistics Disruption: 100%. The psychological state of the Kushan army at the front was extreme panic (news of the supply disruption had been disseminated via rudimentary telegrams).
[Strategic assessment] A perfect replication of the core of blitzkrieg: cutting off the central command and triggering a systemic collapse.
When news of the burning of Frona reached the front lines, the Kushan governors, who had been desperately defending the stone fortresses, completely collapsed. Without supplies, these fortresses became their graves.
Liu Xun stood atop the ruins, looking at the captured Kushan nobles. His demeanour had shifted to that of a 'cold-blooded harvester of civilisation'. He held a handful of wheat ears, salvaged from the granary just moments before, crushing them between his fingers.
'Botiao thought his defences were impregnable, but to me they were like a thin sheet of paper, easily pierced.' With the fall of the rear, the defensive system surrounding Peshawar crumbled within 24 hours. Large numbers of Kushan soldiers laid down their weapons and knelt on the dry riverbed, awaiting the Han's judgment. Liu Xun didn't stop. Standing atop the captured golden chariot, he activated the system's 'Geographical Planning Module' once more.
'Bangi, tell the generals who have surrendered that I won't kill them, but Furona's food supplies are exhausted. They must personally repair the asphalt road leading from Chang'an to here. If they repair it, they'll have food; if not, they'll only be able to go to the underworld to meet their King Botiao."
[System Notification]'Blitzkrieg Achievement Completed'
Reward: 'Basic Internal Combustion Engine – Diesel Power Experimental Model.'
'Central Asian Hegemony' is essentially locked in.
Looking at the territory that had been completely conquered, Liu Xun began to sketch out a grand plan for the 'Caspian Fleet'. The Kushan Empire had been destroyed and only the 'Eternal City' of Rome stood in the way of the Han Dynasty.
The embers of the Frona Valley were still smouldering, but Liu Xun knew that a mere military sweep would only leave scorched earth. To ensure that the industrial machinery of the Han Dynasty continued to run smoothly on this land, the last remnants of the Kushan Empire's political structure had to be dismantled from within.
The last nut to crack before the Han cavalry could advance was General Bamiyan, a founding hero stationed at the Khyber Pass and known as the 'Shield of Kushan'. He commanded 100,000 border troops and was a man of strong character, utterly loyal to King Botiao. He was the only general not intimidated by the 'miracle'.
'System, activate the "Intelligence Forgery – God-Level Bionic" module.' Targets: King Botiao's personal letter and the royal high priest's secret order.'
[System Command]: 'National Fortune Value' consumed 5,000 points.
Core technologies: [Ink Composition Chemical Analysis], [Parchment Aging Catalysis Technology], [Handwriting Pressure Curve Simulation]. Core bonus: 100% authenticity. Even if Botiao himself were to be resurrected, he would find it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake.
Liu Xun sat in his palace by the Caspian Sea, tracing patterns with his fingertips on the system's holographic screen. A secret letter filled with 'suspicion and murderous intent' slowly took shape. In the letter, King Botiao ordered the High Priest to execute his entire family in front of the stupa upon his return to Bamiyan for troop rotation, citing 'collusion with the Han army and plotting rebellion', and to strip him of his military power.
'Gongshu Qi, bring up Bamiyan's youngest son.'
Liu Xun changed into a long robe embroidered with golden dragons — dignified yet 'benevolent' — and began his 'top-tier performance: a talent scout lamenting a brilliant mind'.
In front of the terrified Kushan youth, Liu Xun did not use instruments of torture, but instead personally untied his ropes and offered him a cup of warm cocoa specially supplied by the Imperial Academy.
"Child, I had originally intended your father to serve as a general in the Western Regions Protectorate. Unfortunately, he spent his life fighting on the battlefield, unaware that his master had already set a trap for him." Liu Xun sighed and casually tossed the 'intercepted' secret letter onto the table. His expression conveyed three parts anger and seven parts pity.
The boy trembled as he finished reading the letter. Seeing the familiar royal sealing wax and unique, flowing handwriting caused his eyes to widen in horror. He knelt and wept bitterly.
With Liu Xun's tacit approval, the boy rode the fast horse provided by the Han army back to the Khyber Pass overnight, carrying the letter.
[System Deduction Report]
Probability of counter-espionage effectiveness: 98%.
Bamiyan's psychological collapse progress: Shifting from 'Loyalty' to 'Self-Preservation'.
Strategic bonus: enemy defensive system stability decreased by 70%.
Three days later, a dramatic change occurred at the Khyber Pass: General Bamiyan burned the Kushan Empire's battle flag in front of his entire army, then knelt facing east and roared. He then turned his horse around and led 100,000 troops not only to avoid engaging with the Han army, but also to turn against it, thereby cutting off Bodiao's retreat route to South India.
'Your Majesty, Bamiyan has sent an envoy with a letter of surrender, along with the head of the High Priest,' reported Bangji, entering the tent with awe in his voice.
Liu Xun stood by the Caspian Sea, toying with the forged seal between his fingers. His mocking expression gradually faded, replaced by an abyssal calm.
'Bodiao thought his scepter could command hearts, but he didn't know that, in my script, the human heart is merely a parameter that can be precisely calculated.'
[System Notification]
[Core Obstacle to the War of Annihilation] Cleared.
Achievement acquired: Words Like a Blade: Subduing the Enemy Without Fighting. Unlock rewards: Basic Printing Press Upgrade (Metal Movable Type) and Encrypted Communication Codebook.
Looking at the completely collapsed Kushan Empire, Liu Xun softly instructed Gongshu Qi behind him:
'Ignore those defensive stone fortresses and lay the first wired telegraph line directly in the Bamiyan defence zone. I want Chang'an's orders to reach this ancient land within half a day.'
On the outskirts of Peshawar, on a night as still as water, the last line of defence at the Khyber Pass had been rendered ineffective by General Bamiyan's defection. However, the loyal forces of King Bodhi — the 'Holy War Legion', comprising exiled nobles from the Western Regions and Indus Valley monks — were mounting a final, tenacious defence from the highland fortress known as the 'Shield of Vishnu'.
Liu Xun dismissed all his attendants and stood alone on the terrace of his Caspian Palace. The starry sky above him was as pure as it had been two thousand years ago; it was almost ethereal. Yet within his mind, a data storm transcended dimensions.
'System, activate "Ultimate Battle Simulation".' Import terrain: high-altitude fortress, complex cave system and multi-layered concrete fortifications (self-built using stolen Kushan technology). Import forces: Han heavy mixed brigade, Western Regions allied forces and Kushan monks.'
[System Command]: 'National Fortune Value' consumed: 25,000 points.
Simulation scale: 100 full-element dynamic simulations.
Core computing power: Tactical Game Theory, Asymmetric Warfare Model, Morale Collapse Threshold Calculation. Liu Xun closed his eyes and a dark blue grid instantly appeared before him. In the first second of the simulation, he saw countless bloody possibilities.
Scenarios 1–20: the Han army launched a strong attack. The Kushan monks used suicide bombs that imitated thunderclaps at the cave entrance, perishing alongside their comrades. Although the Han army won, the casualty ratio was as high as 1:3. 'No, my soldiers are precious; their lives are cheap. This is not worthwhile.' "
Drills 21 to 45: Attempts were made to besiege the fortress and cut off its water supply. However, system simulations revealed an undetected underground river flowing deep beneath the fortress. This meant that the siege would last up to eight months. This would give the Roman Empire enough time to complete its full-scale defences in the Caucasus region. "Too slow; the Han Dynasty's industrial engine can't wait that long." As the simulation entered its later stages, Liu Xun began allocating extremely rare 'experimental resources' within the system.
"What if we used 'Caspian Sea crude oil refineries' in conjunction with 'high-pressure steam ejectors'?" "
[Drill Report - 76th Instance]
Action Description: Pour a mixture of concentrated smoke, "sulfur powder" and "crude gasoline" into the fortress's ventilation shafts, followed by dropping "magnesium-aluminum incendiary bombs".
Result: Triggers a chain reaction of explosions in the underground caverns, causing the fortress's foundation to collapse.
Evaluation: This method is extremely efficient, but it will destroy the fortress's gold reserves and confidential documents.
Liu Xun rubbed his temples. Not only did he want to destroy the kingdom, he also wanted to seize the wealth accumulated by the Kushan Empire over hundreds of years.
When the drill reached its 100th iteration, a plan emerged that resulted in almost zero casualties and preserved the wealth intact.
System Judgement: Optimal solution established.
Tactical code name: [Collapse and Earth Shattering].
Key variable: Utilising 'primary electroacoustic frequency resonance' in conjunction with 'ground-penetrating black powder explosion'.
Drill win rate: 99.8%
Han Army losses: Estimated 0–12 men.
Liu Xun suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils reflecting starlight and flashing with an almost divine indifference. 'Gongshu Qi!' "
Gongshu Qi, who had been guarding outside, pushed open the door and went in. He saw Liu Xun standing with his hands behind his back; his figure appeared incredibly imposing in the lamplight.
'Pass on the order that the entire army should retreat five li and push the twelve high-pressure steam drills brought from the Institute of Natural History towards the Broken Soul Cliff on the north side of the fortress. Also, prepare all the amplification systems; I want to send Bo Diao a funeral performance tomorrow."
Liu Xun patted Gongshu Qi on the shoulder, adopting a tone of "strategic and wise ruler". His tone was light yet chilling.
'The simulation is over. Tomorrow, I want to see that mountain 'kneel' on its own.'
The echoes of the collapse of Vishnu's Shield fortress in the Suleiman Mountains had barely faded when Liu Xun's gaze passed beyond the shattered Kushan banner and landed on the fertile Transoxiana region, embraced by two colossal dragons.
Like the lifeblood of the earth, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers nourished this strategically vital region, which connected East and West. Now, these two rivers were witnessing a complete change in power, both physical and spiritual.
When the First Armored Cavalry Regiment of the Han army stepped onto the banks of the Amu Darya, the leaders of the local Sogdian city-states trembled atop their city walls. They were no longer facing traditional nomadic raiders, but a 'standardised, industrialised' monster.
Liu Xun sat atop a steam-powered command vehicle pulled by six Akhal-Teke horses. The vehicle's chimney emitted regular plumes of black smoke, mingling with the river's steam to create an eerie, oppressive atmosphere.
[System Command]: Activate 'Civilisation Assimilation Module – Enticement Chapter'.
Core Tools: Han Dynasty Refined Salt, Standardised Weights and Measures Templates, High-Purity Distilled Liquor.
Strategic Logic: Conquer a hundred cities without killing a single person by exploiting the sense of worship created by the 'technological gap' to replace the original religious beliefs.
At the gates of Samarkand, Urban, the most powerful tribal leader, was intent on fighting to the death, but all Liu Xun did was [...]
He ordered his men to bring out the Solar Concentrating Blast Furnace (Primary Reflector Array), which had been developed by the Institute of Physics. In full view of everyone, Liu Xun used several polished steel mirrors to focus the midday sun onto a single point, instantly igniting a bundle of damp wood a hundred paces away.
'This is the "Fire of Order",' Liu Xun declared, activating his 'Top Performance: Civilization Mentor," his voice calm yet undeniably authoritative. 'Those who follow me will benefit from the fire and survive the winter. Those who defy me will meet the same fate.'
Urban immediately discarded his scimitar and kowtowed frantically; in his mind, an emperor who could control the sun was more powerful than any god. Within half a day, the Qilin flag had been raised in all seventeen settlements along the Amu Darya River.
Thanks to the influx of 'guides', the Han army's logistical pressure not only did not increase, but thrived.
Liu Xun utilised these surrendered labourers to initiate the first large-scale 'River Water Conservancy Project' in human history.
[System Plugin Activation]: 'Geological and Hydrological Mapping – Holographic Version'
Project Objective: Construct a 'standardised main canal' connecting the two rivers and install 'steam pumping units'.
Long-term benefits: Transforming the Transoxiana region into a 'super granary' and 'cotton production base' to support the Han Dynasty's westward expansion.
'Your Majesty, these natives are scrambling to move bricks,' said Bangi, looking at the bustling construction site in disbelief. 'They say that as long as they work for the Han, they can receive glass lamps that can light up the night.' When the waters of the Syr Darya River were diverted to the newly reclaimed land, the power structure of the Transoxiana region underwent irreversible reorganization. Formerly subservient to the Parthians or the Kushans, the old powerful families now took pride in wearing Han silk work clothes.
[System Notification]
[Transoxiana control status: 95%].
Resource Acquisition: "Samarkand Iron Mine" and "Fergana Gold Mine" unlocked.
Achievement obtained: Civilization Bulldozer.
Subsequent unlocks: Basic centrifugal purification equipment and a design blueprint for a cross-river iron chain bridge.
Standing on the north bank of the Syr Darya River, Liu Xun gazed at the distant wilderness — the heartland of Parthia and the furthest extent of Roman territory.
'Gongshu Qi, don't let the drilling team stop.' Liu Xun brushed the dust off his sleeve; his eyes were deep and thoughtful. 'The Transoxiana region is merely my backyard. I will fill the Han Dynasty's textile mills with its cotton and forge my ironclad warships with its iron ore. As for those who still refuse to surrender, let them turn to dust beneath the asphalt roads I have built.'
As the sun set, bathing the centuries-old Gandhara-style palace in Baishawa in its blood-red glow, the golden reliefs crumbled under the pounding of the Han dynasty's 32-pound mortars. The golden reliefs, once symbols of the Yuezhi's glory, crumbled under the Han dynasty's heavy 32-pound mortars, revealing the dry earthen bricks beneath.
Han soldiers stood like a forest, the gleam of their cold-forged armour blending into the inky darkness that swallowed the twilight. Liu Xun walked with his hand on his sword; the muffled rumble of the steam-powered command vehicle behind him sounded like the snorting of an ancient beast in the palace square.
The palace gates slowly opened. King Bodiao did not hide. He wore his heavy Sassanid armour, which weighed over a hundred pounds and was inlaid with rubies, and stood alone before the vast Han army, wielding a strikingly curved Damascus steel sword.
'Liu Xun! You wicked practitioners of divination have destroyed my Buddhist kingdom and cut off my line of succession!" Bodiao's voice was hoarse, filled with the madness of a hero at the end of his tether. 'You may have conquered the mountains and rivers, but you cannot conquer the souls of the millions of believers in this land!'
[System Command]: Activate 'Emperor's Final Battle – Intimidation Module'.
Current environment: Public morale: chaos 80%. Kushan remaining morale: 15%.
Core Mission: Completely destroy Bo Diao's legitimacy as the 'representative of divine authority'.
Host status: Actor-level ruthlessness, maxed out.
Liu Xun did not order the archers to fire. His intention was to deliver a true "dimensional reduction attack" to the Kushan people, who believed in divine authority.
'Bo Diao, the "god" in your eyes cannot even survive a breath before my truth.'
He lightly waved his right hand and the three 'high-pressure pneumatic catapults' beside him emitted a sharp whistle. Instead of stones, they hurled three 'white phosphorus magnesium aluminium incendiary bombs' developed by the Institute of Divination. 'Boom!' Boom! Boom!' Three blinding white lights exploded on top of the pagoda.
Liu Xun waved his right hand lightly and the three 'high-pressure pneumatic catapults' beside him emitted a sharp whistle. Instead of stones, they hurled three 'white phosphorus, magnesium and aluminium incendiary bombs' developed by the Institute of Divination. 'Boom!' Boom! Boom!" Three blinding white explosions lit up the pagoda on the side of the palace. There was no smoke, only pure flames like falling stars. These flames could burn even stone. In an instant, the thousand-year-old pagoda — a symbol of the Kushan spirit — transformed into a gigantic torch amidst the inextinguishable white flames. 'See clearly,' said Liu Xun, mounting his warhorse and approaching Bo Diao. 'Your god did not send down lightning, for I am the one true reality.' Bo Diao stared at the pagoda collapsing amidst the white flames, his golden sword clattering to the ground. His eyes lost their light, filled only with utter despair at the face of this unknown civilisation. Liu Xun walked up to him and, instead of severing his head, used his Ding Qin sword to lift the Great Yuezhi royal seal from his waist.
'From this day forward, the Kushan Empire ceases to exist.' Liu Xun's voice resounded throughout the city via loudspeakers. 'This land, stretching east to the Pamir Mountains, south to India and west to the Caspian Sea, is now part of the Great Han territory. The Great Han Kushan Provincial Administration is hereby established, and Baishawa is renamed Jingxi City!'
[System Notification]
[Great Power Chauvinism Achievement] Completed.
Territory Expansion: Increased by 2.4 million square kilometres.
Civilisation assimilation speed increased by 300% due to the 'White Fire Descent'.
Special reward obtained: Kushan Royal Treasury — Ancient Alchemy Notes (contains a basic method for producing nitric acid).
When Bo Diao was forced to submit to the Qilin banner of the Han army, the monks and civilians who had previously been wailing fell into a deathly silence.
Liu Xun dismounted and stepped onto the palace steps, beginning his 'Top Performance: Evangelist of Civilisation" performance. Pointing to the ruins, he ordered Bangi behind him, "Tear down this palace and build a 'Great Han Western Regions Mining Association' on the spot with cement.
'Tear down this palace and build the "Great Han Western Regions Mining Association" on this spot using cement.' Since Bo Diao wants to protect his god, I will let him go to the mines as a supervisor, where he can clearly see how I use the art of physics to make this barren land produce steel and gold."
The sun sank completely below the horizon. On the streets of Baishawa (Jingxi City), the sound of the Han soldiers' boots echoed in unison. That night, the Kushan Empire ceased to exist. The chariots of the Great Han were lubricated with oil from the Caspian Sea. The roar of the engines echoed defiantly across the silent wasteland as they headed west towards Parthia and Rome.