After the main fleet of the 'Emperor Xuan' had established a foothold in the Americas, Liu Xun did not stop there. To achieve true 'universal unification', he knew that he had to open the gateway to Southeast Asia. Therefore, he personally commanded a second mixed fleet of "steel-hulled Fujian ships" that sailed south into the Indochina Peninsula and the South Pacific islands. These areas were considered "deadly territory" by the Central Plains dynasties. However, the enemy here was not swords and arrows, but an invisible and deadly microcosm.
As soon as the fleet reached the edge of the rainforest near the Strait of Malacca, the once invincible roar of the machinery sounded strained. The air was thick and heavy with year-round fog. This was no ordinary fog, but an 'ancient miasma' of decaying vegetation, highly poisonous spores and high concentrations of ammonia.
[System Warning] Environmental Toxicity Level: Level 3
Air humidity: 98%
Detected: Malaria parasites, Schistosoma and mutated 'primitive fungus'.
'Your Majesty, the soldiers can't hold on any longer.' Wearing a makeshift filter mask, Gongshu Qi spoke in a hoarse voice: 'In just three days, five hundred men have been vomiting, suffering from diarrhoea and fever, and some are even delirious, saying they see their ancestors beckoning in the forest.'
Liu Xun stood on the mould-covered deck, watching the once-powerful naval officers collapse like rag dolls. He knew that, in this era, the blow to morale from disease far surpassed that of a hundred thousand soldiers, so he activated his 'Ultimate Performance: The Invulnerable Holy Emperor." Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he slowly removed the gas mask issued by the system and took a deep breath of toxic fumes powerful enough to rupture the lungs of an ordinary person instantly. Yet he remained composed.
'I am ordained by Heaven. How can mere specks of dust harm me?' In reality, it was his internal 'nano-repair robots' that were frantically neutralising the toxins. Liu Xun used this miracle to stabilise the army's morale and swiftly issued the 'Physical Investigation and Epidemic Prevention Order'.
'Gongshu Qi, forget about those shells! Move all the 'high-powered microscopes' and 'centrifuges' onto the deck!'
Utilising the system's "medical database", Liu Xun began a revolutionary "biochemical counterattack".
'Artemisinin Extraction': He ordered the collection of local cinchona bark and artemisia, using 'supercritical extraction technology' to mass-produce antimalarial drugs.
[Ultraviolet Water Purification]: Mercury vapour lamps were installed in all freshwater tanks to inactivate parasite eggs in the water forcibly.
[Biochemical Protective Suit]: The first batch of simple protective suits was made for the vanguard using fine linen coated with rubber and varnish.
Just as the Han army was gradually recovering, a low, resonant drumbeat echoed from the depths of the jungle. A group of indigenous warriors riding giant, mutated elephants emerged from the miasma. These natives had eerie, bluish-purple skin, and their pupils glowed red. The system indicated that they had not evolved naturally, but rather coexisted with a prehistoric parasite.
Codename: Gu God System
Operating principle: the parasite enhances human pain receptors and muscle strength, turning its hosts into tireless jungle zombies.
Truth: This miasma is an atmospheric regulation field created by the parasites to protect their hosts.
Liu Xun's gaze turned icy as he looked at the "Gu people" with bloodshot eyes attempting to climb the ship's sides: 'Since this forest is sick, I will give it a "bone-scraping treatment".'Liu Xun issued the most severe order since Emperor Xuan's fleet sailed south: the 'Cloud Explosion Purification Plan'. Several thermite-filled munitions exploded in the dense forest, instantly draining the oxygen from an area ten miles wide with their terrifying heat. The deadly spores, parasites and 'Gu Masters' who controlled them were instantly carbonised.
As the flames rose, the miasma that had shrouded the South Seas for millennia was torn open, and golden sunlight shone directly onto the decaying black earth for the first time.
[System Notification]:
Southern Territory Expansion Progress: 15%.
New Mission Unlocked: Find the original rubber tree species and eradicate the parasite mother.
Liu Xun watched the mist gradually dissipate in the flames, then gave the next order: 'Gongshu Qi, build a "Zhennan Pass" here. From now on, I want the southern winds to carry only the fragrance of the Han Dynasty, and not a trace of decay.'
Although the flames of war in Southeast Asia gradually subsided, the deathly aura permeating the military camps and indigenous villages was even more difficult to eradicate. Although the burned jungle cleared some of the miasma, wound infections, sepsis and tropical ulcers unique to the region were invisible demons devouring the lives of Han soldiers and newly surrendered tribespeople.
Liu Xun stood before a makeshift medical tent draped with chemical protective curtains, watching a soldier convulsing from blackened wounds. His consciousness sank into the depths of the system. 'System, the current extraction speed of traditional Chinese medicine is too slow to suppress this mutated bacteria. Please activate the 'God-level Biological Patch'."
System notification: 'Large-scale bacterial infection crisis detected.'
Unlocked item: Primary Penicillin (Liquid Deep Fermentation Technology).
Exchange cost: 120,000 national fortune points.
Technical description: Not a laboratory micro-extraction, but an industrial-grade, low-cost, mass production process using 'corn steep liquor substrate' and 'stainless steel fermentation tanks'.
Side effects: Due to the advanced effects of the drug, users may perceive it as a 'miracle', leading to fanatical worship.
Liu Xun scoffed, 'That's exactly what I want. In this quagmire, faith is more effective than swords and spears.'
He stepped out of the tent and activated his 'Top Performance: Benevolent Ruler.' Instead of wearing armour, he donned a pristine white laboratory suit. Under the watchful gaze of tens of thousands of wounded soldiers and terrified Southeast Asian natives, he raised a gleaming silver 'pressure injector'.
'This is the "True Elixir of Salvation",' Liu Xun's voice resonated through the loudspeaker, 'refined by collecting the pure dew of the Nine Heavens and blending it with the essence of the earth's veins.' 'Those who submit to the Great Han will attain immortality.' He walked over to the dying soldier and injected penicillin into his body with precision. [System Acceleration] — Consumes a small amount of energy to accelerate drug absorption. In just half an hour, the soldier, who had been delirious with a high fever and reeked of a foul odour, had miraculously recovered. He opened his eyes and uttered his first powerful cry: 'Your Majesty, this sinner has come back to life!'
The indigenous people of Nanyang witnessed this and went into a frenzy. They believed it to be a "disease of decay", a curse from an evil god of the jungle, a disease that meant certain death for those afflicted. Yet Emperor Liu Xun of Han could save lives with a mere wave of his hand.
[The Divine Healer's Preaching]
Liu Xun ordered the establishment of 'Aid Centres', where both Han Chinese and indigenous people could line up for penicillin injections.
The indigenous people burned their evil god puppets and instead worshipped a 3D-printed statue of Liu Xun.
A bottle of penicillin, which was extremely cheap in the system, was exchanged in Nanyang for an entire mountain of natural rubber forests and countless loyal followers.
Gongshu Qi led the researchers in constructing a bizarre building on the newly cleared land: the Great Han's First Biochemical Pharmaceutical Factory. Huge stainless steel tanks gleamed in the sunlight and countless transparent pipes carried a dark yellow culture medium.
'Your Majesty, this penicillin is practically a cheat code for war!' Gongshu Qi exclaimed, examining the experimental data. 'With it, our soldiers can roll around in the mud without fear of tetanus or inflammation. The Han Dynasty's casualty rate will plummet." Just as Liu Xun was revelling in his people's adoration, a red warning suddenly appeared in the system:
[High Risk Warning]: 'Due to the host's large-scale deployment of "advanced antibiotics", the "primitive mother organism" deep in the South Pacific jungle is undergoing adaptive evolution. Detected: due to the forced suppression of bacteria, certain "fungi" in the jungle have lost their natural enemies and are growing exponentially.'
[Liu Xun's note]: 'Host, you killed a tiny enemy, but you may have nurtured a gigantic "fungal monster".' In the ashes of the distant, burned jungle, a huge, purple cap several kilometres in diameter silently expanded across the surface under the cover of night.
Liu Xun pressed his hand on the hilt of the electromagnetic sword at his waist, a resolute glint in his eyes. 'It can heal people and kill demons. Gongshu Qi, load the 'highly concentrated herbicide' into the main cannon and see if it grows faster than my chemical poison can be sprayed!"
The fungal crisis in the South Pacific had been temporarily brought under control by powerful herbicides and thermobaric weapons, but Liu Xun did not allow the fleet to cease operations. As the miasma dissipated, the 'soft gold' that had been hidden deep within the rainforests for millennia was finally revealed to the Han Empire in its true form — a strategic resource that was capable of driving the Central Plains nobility mad and exerting trade dominance more effectively than penicillin: top-grade spices.
'System, activate "Global Rare Plant Mapping",' he ordered. 'Target: high-value crops that can be used as preservatives and flavourings.'
[System Command]: 'Target locked — Banda Islands and Maluku Islands (Han Dynasty designation: Spice Province).'
Resource assessment: Native nutmeg, cloves, black pepper and cinnamon discovered.
Strategic significance: In an era before widespread cold chain technology, spices were the only means of preserving meat and demonstrating power.
Trade value: A bag of pepper on the black market in Chang'an is worth its weight in silver coins.
Standing by the porthole, Liu Xun gazed at the islands scattered across the sea. He knew that these spices were not just condiments; they were the 'lubricant' of the Han Dynasty's global trade.
He once again activated his 'Top Performance: The Arrival of the True God of Trade', but not by sending troops directly to seize the islands. Instead, he instructed Gongshu Qi to construct a 'holographic display platform' in the centre of one of the islands. In front of the island's chieftain, he tossed a shriveled nutmeg into a specially crafted aroma diffuser.
'This is "Soul-Stabilising Incense",' he said, his voice, transmitted through the translator, carrying a mesmerising magnetism. 'In my kingdom, only the highest nobility can use it. You possess a gold mine, yet you do not know how to harness its power. From this day forward, in the name of the Han Dynasty, I hereby claim the 'harvesting rights' of this island.'
In exchange, Liu Xun casually scattered a pile of multicoloured fabrics made from 'industrial synthetic dyes'. To the natives, who had never seen such colours before, these blood-red and translucent blue fabrics resembled a sunset created by the gods. As the first batch of pepper and nutmeg was loaded onto Fujian-style ships whose gunwales were already three feet underwater, Liu Xun officially opened the 'Great Han Gold Road'.
Armed trading posts, equipped with surveying and mapping towers to ensure the routes were unaffected by pirates and undercurrents, were established at key locations such as Sumatra and Java.
The system generated 'spice anti-counterfeiting labels', stipulating that all spice trade worldwide must be settled using 'gold five-zhu' (a unit of currency).
Gongshu Qi established a 'spice and essential oil refinery' on an island, using steam distillation technology to transform raw spices into 'industrial fragrances' with a high added value. When the first consignment of spices arrived at Guangzhou Port and was transported to Chang'an via the 'heavy-haul railway', excitement rippled through the entire power core of the Great Han Dynasty.
Black pepper, once a priceless commodity, had become a common condiment in the hot pots of Han soldiers. This extreme abundance of resources led directly to the financial collapse of surrounding regimes (such as India and the Qin Dynasty descendants). They discovered that their painstakingly cultivated spice trade was as fragile as waste paper in the face of the Han Dynasty's formidable power.
As Liu Xun watched the spice-laden fleet set sail, the system displayed a dark red warning message once again:
[High-Risk Monitoring]: The host's excessively expanded spice trade has disrupted the bio-energy balance of this sea area.[Truth Revealed] — These Spice Islands are actually biological base stations that were used by a prehistoric civilisation to regulate the global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide.
Side effect: Due to over-harvesting and replacement of vegetation, the 'Ancient God Monitor' beneath the Antarctic ice sheet has determined that the global greenhouse effect is becoming imbalanced due to infrastructure development by the host civilisation.
System prediction: The first wave of the 'Global Cooling Compensation Plan' — the 'Polar Cold Wave Pulse' — will sweep across the South Pacific within three days.
Looking at the pungent pepper in his hand, Liu Xun said menacingly, 'Want to cool things down? Gongshu Qi, dismantle our backup 'small nuclear fusion reactors' and bury them in the four corners of the Spice Province! Even in the Ice Age, we'll keep the South Seas steaming hot!'
As profits from the 'Golden Route' increased, greed began to unite previously disparate forces in the shadows of the South Seas.
In the narrow waterway to the west of Malacca, behind a natural barrier known as the 'Soul-Breaking Reef', the Great Han Empire's radar detected an unusual signal: hundreds of fast ships flying various flags. These included not only the canoes of the South Sea natives, but also several enormous sailing ships in the typical Western Mediterranean style (the prototype of the galleon).
'System, analyse enemy ship composition.'
'Why is there shipbuilding technology from the Great Qin (Rome/West) here?'
[System Command]: 'Analysing... Enemy composition: Great Qin mercenaries, South Sea allied forces and Sindhu rebels.'
Intelligence analysis: The Western powers, sensing that the Great Han's monopoly on spices would cut off their supply, initiated the 'letters of marque' system centuries ahead of schedule.
Weapon assessment: The enemy has equipped themselves with 'basic black powder catapults' and 'Greek fire jets', and is using the natives' 'voodoo smoke screen' to obscure their vision.
Liu Xun stood before the command platform of the 'Emperor Xuan', and sneered: 'It seems my butterfly effect was too rapid, allowing these barbarians to learn to band together for warmth ahead of time.'
He activated 'Top-Tier Performance: The Arrogant Lord of the Merchant Guild'. He ordered the flagship Emperor Xuan to activate its camouflage coating and extinguish its lights while simultaneously positioning three seemingly cumbersome and fragile wooden Fujian ships laden with spices at the forefront.
'Gongshu Qi, set up those old-fashioned catapults to give them the illusion that the Han dynasty is nothing special.'
Spotting their 'lost' prey, the pirate alliance instantly swarmed out, hundreds of warships emerging from the mist like a pack of wolves. The natives roared as they charged towards the Fujian ships. Meanwhile, the Western sailing ships in the distance began adjusting their broadsides in preparation for the era's most advanced broadside volleys.
Just as the pirates' grappling hooks were about to ensnare the Fujian ship's deck, Liu Xun's eyes lost their mockery and were replaced with an obvious killing intent.
'The show's over, Gongshu Qi. Activate the 'Sonar Oscillator', initiate 'Close-In Weapon Auto-Lock'."
[System Command]: "Activate Fully Automatic Slaughter Mode."
The 'Xuan Di' suddenly accelerated out of the thick fog, its 10,000-tonne steel bow slicing through the two pirate ships blocking its path like a hot knife through butter and pulverising them.
Immediately afterwards, countless concealed firing ports on the ship's sides opened and the Electromagnetic Close-In Weapon emitted a deathly whistle.
This was not a battle, but a massacre. Each tungsten-core warhead easily pierced five layers of wooden planks, pinning the ferocious pirates and their ships to the surface. Amidst the inferno, however, Liu Xun did not annihilate the entire enemy force. Instead, he used the 'Capture Net Launcher' to forcibly tow back a Western command ship flying a blue flag with gold trim. When the bearded Roman commander in chainmail was brought before Liu Xun, terror rendered him speechless. To him, this colossal steel ship was not man-made, but a moving Mount Olympus.
'My Great Han is setting the rules for the world,' said Liu Xun, stepping on the commander's ornately decorated longsword and activating a 'holographic map display'. 'Go back and tell your monarch: either sign my trade agreements, or I will let this steel fire burn every port in the Mediterranean.'Just as Liu Xun was preparing to return home, the system scanned the prisoner's personal correspondence and revealed a startling secret. The Western powers' secret letters mentioned a Deep Sea Palace called the 'Pillars of Hercules', and that the Western powers had awakened prematurely because they had unearthed a Prehistoric Language Translator deep within the Mediterranean.
The truth is that, due to your appearance, the 'historical nodes' of this world are spiralling out of control. Besides the Han dynasty, other civilisations have also begun to touch the prehistoric ruins. Liu Xun watched the fading flames in the distance, his eyes growing dark and fanatical.
'Interesting. Since everyone's 'digging graves', let's see who's faster with their shovel.' He turned to Gongshu Qi and ordered, 'Emperor Xuan, change course. We're not going to Antarctica anymore — our next stop is the Mediterranean. I'm going to raid their lair!"
Smoke filled the air in the waters off the Straits of Malacca. Like ants, hundreds of pirate ships swarmed across the sea, attempting to wear down the steel behemoth through close-quarters boarding action, using their numerical superiority to their advantage.
In the cold metal command tower of the 'Emperor Xuan', Liu Xun stood looking through the porthole at the ragtag army outside. They shouted wildly and waved obsidian and inferior iron weapons, but Liu Xun's eyes showed no emotion.
'Your Majesty, the enemy's "Greek fire", though rudimentary, still poses a threat to the wooden sides of our ship,' said Gongshu Qi, sweating profusely as he climbed up from the lower deck. 'Should we use the "Gewu Main Cannon"?'
'No, the main cannon shells are too expensive; using them on this rotten wood would be a waste.' Liu Xun activated his "Top Performance: Ruthless Military Strategist', and pressed the red lever on the control panel. 'Order the "Vermilion Bird Cabin" to open. Let these barbarians see what real fire is like.'
[System Command]: 'Load Great Han Fire Oil Bomb — Improved Version of Fierce Fire Oil.'
[Composition Analysis]: 'Highly volatile light oil extracted from Persian crude oil through fractionation technology, with added white phosphorus and thickener.'
Physical properties: Water-resistant and extremely adhesive with an instantaneous combustion temperature of 1200°C. As the Xuandi ship's dozens of hydraulic launch slots opened, the specially made ceramic 'fire oil bombs' pierced the sky. They did not explode in mid-air, but shattered upon impact with the enemy ship's deck. Pale purple liquid splashed out like raindrops.
"What's that? Water?' A Roman mercenary commander wiped the liquid from his face and sniffed it questioningly.
The next second, the Xuandi ship fired another charged tracer round. With a deafening roar, the entire area of Soul-Severing Reef instantly turned into a sea of fire. The oil-soaked sailboats resembled giant torches, the flames spreading rapidly along the sails. Even more terrifyingly, when the flames fell into the sea, they continued to burn fiercely on the surface, forming an impenetrable wall of fire.
'Your Majesty, the enemy's command ship is attempting to break out!' Liu Xun snorted coldly as he personally operated the optical calibrator on the secondary gun. 'Trying to escape? Have they considered the thermobaric effect of the Great Han?'
[Vacuum asphyxiation] — The massive combustion of the oil bombs instantly depleted the oxygen in the water;
The pirates watched helplessly as their comrades burned alive in the water. This horrific, irrational scene shattered their faith.
[System Notification] Enemy Morale: Zero.
[Naval Battle Experience Points]: Increased by 800,000 points
Achievement: King of Arson
The last pirate ship sank in the flames, leaving only charred wood and a nauseating stench in its wake. Liu Xun stepped out of the command tower and stood on the edge of the deck, his body glowing red from the fire. The holographic projection behind him activated again, a massive golden dragon appearing and disappearing amidst the flames.
"I gave you the choice of trade over war, but since you chose fire, I will make this sea your eternal graveyard." His voice, amplified by infrasound, reached the survivors clinging to shards of wood.
The instant the battle ended, the system emitted a crisp notification:
[God-level Reward] Due to the host's successful practical exercise of the 'Flaming Oil Bomb', the 'Encyclopedia of the Petroleum Industry': Extraction Chapter has been unlocked.
[New Mission]: Search for the Persian oil fields.
[Truth Warning] Host, you have not only burned the enemy, but your flames have also activated a 'Prehistoric Biomass Sensor' on the seabed. Detected: An 'Ancient Submarine Carrier' codenamed 'Leviathan' is moving towards your coordinates deep in the Indian Ocean.
Liu Xun gripped the electromagnetic sword at his waist and watched the sea of fire gradually dim, a ferocious and fanatical smile spreading across his face.
'Persian oil fields? Leviathan?' He looked at Gongshuqi and said, 'Forget about cleaning up the mess. Order the entire army to head west at full speed. I'm going to prepare an even bigger funeral for 'Leviathan' in the Persian Gulf!"