The embers of the fire at Broken Soul Reef had not yet been completely extinguished, and the charred logs bobbing on the sea were testament to the downfall of the pirate alliance. On the observation deck at the top of the 'Emperor Xuan', Liu Xun stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed not on the wreckage but on the extremely narrow, funnel-shaped waterway on the holographic star map.
This was the only route to the west and the sole lifeline connecting the Han Dynasty's mainland, the Spice Province and the future Persian oil fields: the Strait of Malacca. 'System, activate "Global Trade Flow Simulation". How much will the Han Dynasty lose if this area is blocked?"
[System Command]: 'Calculating... Simulation results: If the strait is cut off by hostile forces, the Han Dynasty's ocean logistics costs will increase by 600%. The Spice Province will become an isolated island and the westward expansion plan will be completely paralysed. Strategic rating: S-level (choke point).'
System recommendation: Construct a 'Permanent Coastal Defence System' and a 'Gewu Radar Monitoring Station'.
Liu Xun sneered, pointing emphatically at the strait in the void: 'I will not only pass through here, but I will also ensure that every drop of seawater flows with the permission of the Great Han.'
Liu Xun launched his 'Grand Performance: The Mighty Ruler Who Establishes an Era for Ten Thousand Generations'. Rather than rushing westward, he ordered the entire army to encamp here.
'Gongshu Qi, unload the spare "modular alloy fortress" and build a city for me right here at the narrowest point of the strait.' Under the horrified gaze of the natives, the Great Han's engineering marvel was on display once again.
'Modular City Wall': Thousands of tons of prefabricated components made of 'special cement' and 'reinforced composite materials' were rapidly assembled amidst the roar of heavy cranes.[Coastal Defence Giant Cannons] — Two 460 mm shore-based gun emplacements, modelled on the main cannons of the Xuan Emperor's warship, rose from the ground. Their range was sufficient to cover the entire width of the strait.
[Deep-Water Harbour] — Using fixed explosive directional charges, a natural deep-water harbour was blasted open within half a month and named 'Zhenhaiguan'. 'By imperial decree, effective immediately, all ships passing through this strait, regardless of nationality, must declare to the "Zhenhaiguan" (Customs Office).'
Seated in the newly built fortress command post, Liu Xun issued the 'Great Han Maritime Power Decree', a decree that shocked the world: Pilotage Rights: All large and medium-sized ships must be guided by Great Han pilots, ostensibly to monitor the flow of goods from various countries.
Customs Rights: A 'Peace Fund' will be levied to maintain lighthouses and suppress remaining pirates.
Blockade Rights: All enemies of the Great Han are prohibited from using this route. A trembling Western Roman consul asked, 'Your Majesty, this sea was originally ownerless. Isn't this too domineering?" Liu Xun turned, his eyes revealing an indifferent "lower-dimensional" coldness: 'Within the range of my giant cannons lies the truth of the Great Han. This sea was ownerless before because I hadn't arrived.'
In order to ensure absolute control of the strait, he ordered Gongshu Qi to build a 100-metre-high iron tower at the highest point of the fortress.
'Your Majesty, what is this iron tower for?'
"This is the 'Sky Eye'." The spire gleamed with a ghostly blue light — this was the Low-Frequency Radio Positioning Relay Station, a system reward. It could communicate with microsatellites in orbit, ensuring that any metal target within a 500-mile radius of Malacca would be visible on Liu Xun's screen.On the night that the fortress of Zhenhai was completed, a muffled resonance suddenly came from the seabed beneath it. It wasn't like an earthquake; it was more like the shivering of a creature that had slumbered for millennia. [High-Risk Warning]: Due to the extensive construction of heavy metal structures by the host, the geomagnetic field distribution of the Malacca seabed has been altered.
[Detected: The Prehistoric Electric Squid – Mechanical Mutant slumbering deep within the strait has been activated. This creature is treating the fortress's electronic signals as 'food' and is moving towards the shore-based artillery positions.
Liu Xun's note: 'Host, you've locked down the strait, but you've also attracted a "tenant" that you can't handle at the moment.' Liu Xun abruptly stood up and looked at the pitch-black sea, where eerie electric currents flickered.
'Gongshu Qi, pull out the "high-pressure fishing net"!' A ruthless glint appeared in Liu Xun's eyes. 'On my territory, whether god or demon, they all have to register and serve as labourers!'
The lights of Zhenhai Pass flickered amid the electromagnetic interference caused by the mechanical squid. However, the crisis in the strait extended far beyond the deep sea. In the primeval rainforest behind Malacca, the remnants of the pirate alliance were collaborating with a local voodoo tribe who worshipped a 'cannibal god'. They were attempting to use the terrain to their advantage in order to continuously harass and infiltrate the Great Han fortress.
Liu Xun stood before the fortress's floor-to-ceiling windows and gazed at the rainforest in the distance, which seemed to swallow light like a black hole. A cold glint flashed in his eyes. 'System, the losses of conventional troops in the rainforest are too high. Please activate the 'Shadow Special Operations' plugin to enhance the environmental adaptability of the 'Dragon Scale Guards'."
[System Command]: 'National Fortune Value' consumed 300,000 points. Enhancement plan: 'Ghost Skeleton Implantation' + 'Thermal Sensing Retina' + 'Blood Antitoxin Coating'. Weapon allocation: 'High-Frequency Vibrating Short Blade' (silent steel cutting), 'Blowpipe-Type Nano-Poison Needle', 'Optical Camouflage Cloak'.
Twelve Dragon Scale Guards stood before Liu Xun. Already skilled in stealth, their breathing, enhanced by the system, almost blended into the rustling of leaves.
"I don't want prisoners," said Liu Xun, his voice like an Arctic wind. 'I want those leading voodoo priests hung on the fortress's flagpole before dawn.'
Liu Xun sat back in his command chair, his eyes slightly closed. Through the 'neural connection sensors' on his guards' helmets, he activated 'Ultimate Performance: Omniscient and Omnipotent Hunter". He wasn't just giving orders; he was playing a 'decapitation game' from a god's-eye view.
'Thirty metres to the left front, three blowpipe users are hidden inside a dead tree trunk. Heart rate: 120 beats per minute. Number three, use the 'infrasonic grenade' to clear them out.'
"Ten o'clock is the 'cannibal's' trap. Circumvent it and proceed straight to the heart of their altar." The guards moved through the rainforest, their optical camouflage blending them in perfectly with their surroundings. The native warriors, who considered themselves the rulers of the rainforest, often had their throats silently severed by the high-frequency vibrating blades of the shadowy guards the moment they detected the slightest movement.
Deep within the rainforest, in front of an altar made of bones, several priests wearing leopard skins and covered in eerie phosphorescent paint were frantically beating war drums. They firmly believed that completing this ritual would awaken the forest's curse and turn the 'steel monsters' to rust.
However, the priests' revelry was shattered by a cold, electronic voice: 'Your god has no time to save you tonight.'
A shadowy guard slowly emerged from the darkness, the short blade in his hand reflecting a chilling blue light in the moonlight. The priests were horrified to discover that their prized poisonous mist had no effect on these 'iron-faced ghosts'. The poisonous insects they commanded burst within three metres of the guard because he carried 'miniature high-frequency insect repellent devices'.
Liu Xun amplified his voice through the secret guards' amplification devices, blaring directly onto the altar: 'You think this forest is a barrier? In Gewu's eyes, it's nothing more than a pile of burning fibres.'
As soon as he had finished speaking, several crimson meteors streaked across the sky — precision-guided incendiary bombs launched from Zhenhai Pass. The flames instantly engulfed all escape routes around the altar yet failed to damage it. The surviving natives were utterly shattered by this extreme control; they knelt and wailed, believing they had angered the true 'God of Thunder and Fire'.
The secret guards beheaded the priest and placed his head neatly in the centre of the altar.
Just then, an unexpected notification appeared on the system:
[Unexpected Discovery] Fragments of a prehistoric plant growth regulator have been found in the underground palace beneath the altar.
These voodoo priests were able to control the rainforest because they had obtained and worshipped this artefact by accident.
Liu Xun's note: 'Host, you not only possess the fortress, but you've also obtained the "remote control" for this rainforest.' Looking at the ancient artefact emitting a faint green glow on the monitor, Liu Xun smiled, exuding an air of absolute control.
'Gongshu Qi, forget about that squid. Send men to dig this treasure out.' Liu Xun stood up. 'With it, I'll make the trees in Malacca grow according to my rules. Anyone who dares to trespass will find that this forest is their graveyard.'
The smoke from the battle in Malacca gradually dissipated. The green 'living city wall', catalysed by the prehistoric regulator, firmly protected Zhenhai Pass at its centre. However, Liu Xun knew that the true cornerstone of the empire was not this living wood, but the natural rubber hidden beneath the bark of tropical trees, as viscous as milk.
Without rubber, the Han Dynasty's steam engine would never have been able to solve its sealing problem. Without rubber, Liu Xun's blueprints for high-voltage power transmission, pneumatic tyres and transoceanic cables would remain mere empty words.
'System, activate "Polymer Material Scan", target: Plant secretions with extremely high elasticity, insulation and sealing potential.'
[System Command] Target locked: Brazilian rubber tree (wild mutant strain).
Current coordinates: 30 li inland from Malacca, valley forest.
Industrial value: It is the 'joint oil' of the Industrial Revolution; without it, pistons would leak and wires would short circuit.
Mission reward: Unlock 'Vulcanised Rubber Technology' and 'Basic Sealing Ring Production Line'.
Liu Xun pressed his hand against the edge of the command console, his fingertips trembling slightly. In that era, the patent for rubber was held by South America, which hindered the early development of industry in the East. However, in this era, he wanted the Han Dynasty to seize control of the global 'black gold' before the industrial era dawned. Thus, he led Gongshu Qi and a team of elite mechs deep into the valley, guided by a local.
As he used his short blade to carve a diagonal line on a tall, greyish-brown tree, a milky-white liquid slowly flowed down the mark. Gongshu Qi curiously dipped his fingertip in the liquid, rubbed it for a moment and then exclaimed in surprise: 'Your Majesty, this stuff is unbreakable and indestructible. It softens when heated and hardens when cooled — what a wondrous substance!''This is the lifeblood of the Han Dynasty's future,' declared Liu Xun, activating his 'Top Performance: The Prophet Who Foresaw the Future' ability. Turning to the indigenous chieftains and agricultural officials accompanying him, he said in a deep voice, "This is 'Heavenly Milk.' Those who plant this tree will forge armour for the Great Han. I want every inch of land in the South Seas to be filled with this 'white gold'."
Rather than resorting to forced conscription, Liu Xun initiated a 'benefit-sharing model':
'Rubber for Steel Knives' — each barrel of raw rubber handed over could be exchanged for a set of Great Han steel farm tools or three doses of 'primary antibiotics'.
[Standardised Plantations] Using a 'prehistoric plant regulator' to emit specific frequencies, the rubber tree seeds were made to grow in clusters in designated areas. The indigenous people were strictly prohibited from cutting them down privately.
[Genetic Optimisation] The system secretly 'treated' the seeds with 'cold resistance', ensuring these seedlings could survive in Jiaozhou, Guangzhou and other places in southern Great Han, not just Malacca.
Behind the Zhenhai Pass, a factory emitting a strange, sour smell was built. 'Your Majesty, this raw rubber is good, but it's like mud in summer and brittle like porcelain in winter. How can we seal it?' Gongshu Qi scratched his head in frustration at the experimental table. Liu Xun walked over to the experimental tank, casually sprinkled in a handful of yellow sulphur powder and instructed the temperature of the steam furnace to be increased.
[System Assistance]: Maintain a precise temperature of 140°C for thirty minutes.
When Gongshu Qi, a genius of physics, came across the first piece of black vulcanised rubber with perfect elasticity that would not change its properties with temperature, he was utterly astonished. He realised that the machines of the Han dynasty would henceforth possess a 'never-leaking' heart.
Following the successful trial production of the first batch of rubber tyres and high-pressure sealing rings, however, a warning red light appeared on the system interface.
[High-Risk Warning] The host has forcibly activated 'rubber hegemony', leading to drastic homogenisation of the Southeast Asian ecosystem. Monitoring revealed that the replacement of forests by rubber plantations had awoken a 'primitive wood-boring mechanical parasite' that feeds on rubber tree bark. In fact, these parasites are 'ecological cleaners' left behind by a prehistoric civilisation, specifically designed to eliminate over-proliferating monocultures.
Looking at the budding rubber seedlings covering the mountains and fields, a cruel smile played on Liu Xun's lips. 'Cleaners? Perfect. My Xuandi ship is still lacking a batch of 'living polishers'. Gongshu Qi, activate the 'high-frequency trapping device'. We need to do more than just plant trees; we also need to recruit a new batch of pets for the Han Dynasty's laboratories."
The establishment of the Malacca fortress and the Han Dynasty's monopoly on 'white gold' (rubber) finally forced the kings of Southeast Asian kingdoms such as Lin-yi, Funan and Panpan to face the harsh reality that resistance to the Han Dynasty's steel cannons and 'elixir of life' (penicillin) would lead only to destruction. Thus began the grand 'journey to the Han court'. This was no ordinary audience; it was a reshaping of civilisation from soul to body, personally escorted by Emperor Xuan.
Dozens of envoy ships, laden with ivory, jade, rhinoceros horn and raw rubber, approached Guangzhou port.
[System Real-Time Monitoring] shows that the Southeast Asian kings' psychological stress level has reached 95%.
[System Real-Time Monitoring] The target has lost all will to resist. Additional task: [All Nations Return to Righteousness]. Requirement: Completely integrate the Southeast Asian kingdoms into the Han Dynasty's administrative system (a rehearsal of the 'Abolition of Native Chieftainships and Establishment of Imperial Rulers').
'Your Majesty, these kings can barely walk on the deck,' said Gongshu Qi, with a hint of superiority in his voice, as he looked at the foreign monarchs, dressed in gold robes, trembling amidst the roar of heavy motorcycles.
Liu Xun stood inside the carriage, swirling his wine glass and glancing playfully at the kings. 'I want more than just their knees; I want their brains. Tell them to shed their gaudy, wild coats before they enter Chang'an.'
When these Southeast Asian monarchs set foot on Chang'an's soil, their proud royal power shattered instantly.
Chang'an was no longer the ancient brick-and-stone capital. Thanks to its infrastructure, it had transformed into a semi-sci-fi megacity, fusing steam and electricity.
Electricity poles covered in rubber insulation stood on both sides of the streets, tungsten bulbs illuminating the night as brightly as day.
[Steel Behemoth] — A tram sped along the tracks, its bell ringing crisply and startling the kings who had prostrated themselves, as they mistook it for a thunderous beast captured by the Han dynasty.
[Skyscraper Ancient Building] — The nine-storey Xuande Hall, supported by a high-strength alloy steel frame, soared into the clouds.
[Top-Tier Performance: The Teacher of All Ages] — Liu Xun delivered a top-tier performance at the Weiyang Palace. Instead of armour, he wore a dark, retro-style robe and a flat-topped crown. Against a holographic backdrop of stars, he resembled a deity. "Gentlemen," he said, "now that you have entered the Han Dynasty, you must abide by its rules." Liu Xun waved his hand and hundreds of court officials filed out to begin the 'hellish' training for the kings.
[Popularisation of the Chinese Language] — The system forcibly activated a 'language imprint' on the kings, requiring them to learn basic elegant speech within three days.
[General Knowledge of Natural Sciences] — They were forced to visit the Han Dynasty's 'steel smelting plant' and 'anatomical laboratory', where they learned that the Han Dynasty's power stemmed from truth, not sacrifice.
[Clothing customisation] They were stripped of their animal skins and feathers and dressed in 'machine-woven silk' produced by the Han Dynasty. They also wore the 'Hannan Province Medal', a symbol of their submission.
At the pinnacle of the state banquet, Liu Xun presented his true 'pledge of allegiance'.
'I've heard that your country has many deep mountains and forests, making management extremely difficult,' he said calmly, stroking the dragon throne. 'I intend to establish the "Nanyang Special Administrative Region for Natural Sciences" here, with a "Governor-General of Natural Sciences" appointed by the Han Dynasty to assist you with road construction, dam building and mining. What do you think?'
Looking at the perfectly aligned Imperial Guards, who were equipped with electromagnetic firearms and stood outside the hall, the Nanyang princes dared not utter a single word of dissent.
[System Notification]:
[Appointment of Officials]: Successfully acquired.
[Tariff Agreement]: Signed (the Han Dynasty holds absolute pricing power). [National Fortune Value]: Surges by 600,000 points.
Just as the kings shouted 'Long live the Emperor!' in unison, the prehistoric ruins beneath Chang'an City — the 'True Dragon Core' secretly modified by Liu Xun — suddenly emitted a high-frequency tremor.
[High-Risk Warning]: Due to the kings (representatives of the region's biological characteristics) completing the "ordained righteousness" ceremony at the power core of the "Great Han", the integration of global civilisation has reached a critical value.
[Anomaly]: The prehistoric system beneath the Antarctic ice sheet has determined that the 'conditions for civilisation restart' have been met.
[Detected]: Due to the host's forced unification, the planet's defence mechanism is releasing a 'large-scale magnetic field reversal', attempting to render all global electrical equipment obsolete.
Liu Xun looked at the flickering lights in the hall, a ruthless glint in his eyes. He turned to Gongshu Qi and ordered, " 'Lock these kings in the Museum of Natural History for protection. Send a message to Zhao Chongguo in the north. Tell him to forget about the steel pyramids and to have the entire army replace their protective shields with anti-magnetic ones. The real calamity is coming!"
Deep within the Weiyang Palace, Liu Xun stood before the global simulation sand table, which was made of liquid metal. He overlooked the planet that he had stirred up. The pledges of allegiance from the Nanyang princes were still damp with ink, while the Han Dynasty's steel fleet firmly locked down every ocean current from Jinshan Bay to the Strait of Malacca like a giant net.
'Gongshu Qi, prepare pen and ink.' His eyes deep, Liu Xun activated "Top-Tier Performance: The Legal Judgement of an Emperor for All Ages."
'System, activate "Global Shipping Digitalisation". I will ensure that every inch of this sea is governed by law.'
[System Command]: 'National Fortune Value' has consumed 500,000 points.
Mission objective: Promulgate the Great Han Maritime Law.
Core Impact: Completely eliminate the concept of the 'high seas', dividing the global oceans into Great Han territorial waters, Great Han inland seas and paid navigation zones.
Technical support: Beidou navigation satellite (prototype) signal coverage. Any unregistered vessel will be automatically marked as 'imperfections awaiting clearance'.
Liu Xun wielded his brush with swift strokes, writing four awe-inspiring characters on silk: 'Under the Heavens.'
He officially released this law to the world, ostensibly a 'rule of law', but in reality a 'monopoly':
The Sacred Right of Territorial Waters — Within two hundred nautical miles of the Great Han coastline (approximately five hundred li in Han dynasty measurements), any non-Han ships entering the area will be sunk without warning by the Gewu Main Cannon.
The Navigation Channel Access System will see "customs posts" established in all key global straits (such as the Strait of Malacca, the Sunda Strait, and the Suez Canal prototype). All merchant ships passing through must fly the Great Han dragon flag and pay a 'navigation channel maintenance fee'.
[Ownership of Deep-Sea Resources] All seabed minerals, spices, corals and even 'prehistoric relics' found in the deep sea belong to the imperial family of the Han Dynasty.
Unauthorised mining is considered plundering of imperial property. To coincide with the promulgation of the law, Liu Xun showcased the system's latest weapon: the 'Deep-Stabilising Electromagnetic Mine Array'. In the main hall of the Weiyang Palace, in front of envoys from various countries, he activated a real-time holographic display. On the screen, a Western Region pirate ship attempting to evade taxes touched the defensive line thousands of miles away in the South China Sea and was instantly vaporised by a soaring blue arc of electricity.
'The law is for those who obey,' said Liu Xun, surveying the room with a chillingly calm tone. 'As for those who disobey, the sea will bury them for me.' With the implementation of the Maritime Law, Liu Xun completed the final financial integration: the 'Spices, Gold, and Gold Five Zhu' trinity.
[Mandatory Settlement] All maritime trade must use Han Dynasty Gold Five Zhu.
[Insurance System] The Great Han provides 'Oceanic Security Guarantees', and ships that have paid insurance premiums will receive real-time protection from the Dragon Scale Guards and the 'Ironclad Fortune Ships'.
[System Prompt]
[Great Han Financial Credit]: Max
Global Ocean Control Rate: 82%
Achievement completed: Creator of the Blue Empire. Just as Liu Xun had finished signing the final page of the document, seismometers throughout the Great Han suddenly emitted a piercing alarm.
High-Risk Monitoring: The host has completely locked down the ocean through legal and physical means, triggering the ultimate fault tolerance mechanism of the planet's ecology.
Detected: Due to excessive human intervention in the ocean, the 'Prehistoric Ecological Balancer - Guixu', located deep in the Mariana Trench, has entered an 'overload clean-up' state. The first wave of the 'Reverse Tsunami' is expected to sweep across the globe within forty-eight hours, heading straight for all of Great Han's coastal fortresses.
Liu Xun stared at the red-glowing coastline on the map, then abruptly snapped the golden pen in his hand, revealing a maniacal smile. 'You want to destroy my empire? Gongshu Qi, activate the gravity regulation tower at full power! I'll make the seawater flow backwards the instant it hits the Han Dynasty walls!"