The victory celebrations in Jingxi City (formerly Baishawa) were still in full swing, but the wind blowing in from the Caspian Sea was already bitterly cold.
In the temporary governor's mansion, converted from the Kushan palace, Liu Xun sat upright, tracing the newly laid-out map of the Han-Parthian Caspian Sea exploration with his fingertips. Suddenly, a spy dressed in a black bodysuit with a hidden gold dragon guard badge at his waist darted in like a ghost and knelt on one knee.
'Your Majesty, the Parthian royal family has turned against us.' The Parthian Empire, which had previously been hesitant and timid alongside the Han army, felt not awe, but utter terror, after witnessing the rapid collapse of the Kushan Empire.
The Parthian regent, Orod, knew that if the Han's steam-powered armoured chariots could crush the stone walls of Baishawa, they could storm their capital, Ctesiphon, the next day. In order to protect themselves, they chose the most dangerous path: an alliance with the barbarians to contain the Han.
[System Command] Activate 'Intelligence Matrix – Global Monitoring'.
Key intelligence: Parthian envoys have secretly traversed the Mesopotamian plain and met with the governor of the Roman province of Syria.
Content of the secret meeting: Parthia promised to permanently cede the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea to Rome in exchange for the eastward deployment of the Roman Twelfth Thunder Legion.
Strategic assessment: Betrayal index: 100%. The Han Dynasty's westward supply lines are at risk of being cut off.
'They want to carve up my territory?'
Liu Xun let out a cold laugh, activating his 'Top Performance: Hunter in the Abyss'. He slowly rose and walked to the 'early telegraph machine prototype' developed by the Imperial Academy of Natural Sciences, watching the chaotic sparks flickering on it.
In the eyes of the Romans, the Han dynasty was merely nouveau riche from the East who had suddenly acquired extraordinary skills. The Roman consul contemptuously referred to the Han army as a 'circus that only spews smoke' in a letter, and made an agreement with Parthia: The Parthians would cut off the Han army's oil field supplies in the Caspian Sea, while the Roman legions would encircle them by sea.
'Your Majesty, I request permission to fight! Before they are completely encircled, let us first pacify Taixifeng!" Banji drew his sword abruptly, his eyes blazing with fury.
"No rush." Liu Xun waved his hand, adopting the air of a strategist in control. 'Parthia wants to play a counter-espionage game? Then I'll show them what a true 'geopolitical black hole' looks like.'
[System Plugin Activated]: 'Geopolitical Simulator – Collapse Module'.
Counterattack plan: Exploit the conflicting interests among the 'Seven Great Noble Families' within Parthia by releasing a 'Han Yuan devaluation' signal, which will trigger a financial tsunami within Parthia.
Technological warfare: Publicly demonstrate the power of the 'internal combustion engine speedboat', but deliberately leak the 'blueprints' for a 'defective version' to Roman spies, leading them down a blind alley.
"Gongshu Qi, dump all the inferior crude oil originally intended for Chang'an into the irrigation canals within Parthian territory." Liu Xun's eyes darkened. 'Since they don't want trade, I'll let their land burn first.'
That night, Liu Xun climbed a lighthouse on the Caspian Sea. With his vision enhanced by the system, he seemed to see Roman warships slowly gathering in the Mediterranean Sea, thousands of miles away.
"Rome, Parthia..." Liu Xun gently stroked the iron railing of the lighthouse and murmured to himself, 'I wanted to give you the chance to enter the industrial era. But since you chose to destroy the old era, I will use the oil here to cook you the most potent funeral soup."
[System Prompt]:
[Hostile Force Locked]: The alliance between the Parthian and Roman Empires.
Current Mission: Completely paralyse the Parthian Empire's economic centre before the Roman legions arrive.
Unlocked limited-time weapons: Basic Thermochromic Incendiary Bomb and Underwater Trigger-Mounted Mine (Magnetic Improved Version).
In the darkness, Liu Xun turned his head and gave the final order of this chapter to the Hidden Dragon Guards: 'Notify Bamiyan that his 100,000 defectors are no longer required for mining. Equip them with second-line Han army gear and have them set their sights on the Parthian granaries. Let the Parthians know that betraying the Han will result in famine for their entire nation."
While the Parthian court in Ctesiphon was celebrating its secret alliance with Rome, the Han army camp on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea seemed on the verge of collapse. Most of the steam engines that had been roaring all day had shut down, and rumours were circulating that Emperor Liu Xun of Han was preparing to withdraw his troops back to Chang'an due to a relapse of his old ailment, altitude sickness.
All of this was merely the result of a dark purple icon that Liu Xun had clicked on in his mind: 'System: Diplomatic Deception Module'.
'Gongshu Qi, deflect the exhaust pipes of those steam-powered vehicles so they emit greyish-white cold smoke. Then, repaint the originally gleaming, cold-forged armour with a layer of rusty red paint.'
Leaning back on a soft couch, his face as pale as paper and surrounded by half-empty medicine jars, Liu Xun had activated 'Top Performance: The Overlord on the Verge of Death', and his pulse was also being manipulated and weakened by the system.
[System Command]: Activate 'Battlefield Fog: Luring the Enemy Deeper' version.
Core Tactics: Create a 'scarcity of supplies' and 'rampant disease'.
Data Modification: Use "low-frequency sound wave interference" to make the Parthian scouts only hear the sound of chaotic machine malfunctions.
Item bonus: specially made rotten-smelling spray to simulate the stench of a large number of dead horses.
Parthian General Suren observed from his observation post for three whole days. He saw the Han army abandon large quantities of heavy 'Thunderclap Bomb' shells during their retreat and groups of soldiers staggering along.
'The Han people's natural science is indeed impressive, but they underestimated the curse of this wasteland,' Suren laughed wildly. 'Notify Ctesiphon that Liu Xun is dying. They have abandoned their supplies and are fleeing towards the swamps of the Inland Sea, which will be a slaughterhouse for the Parthian armoured cavalry.'
The Parthian Empire's elite "Seven Noble Private Armies" advanced in full force. Thirty thousand armoured holy cavalry formed a dense charge formation and rushed straight towards the fleeing Han army, like a group of sharks smelling blood.
As the Parthian cavalry charged into the seemingly soft mudflats, Liu Xun abruptly opened his eyes inside the command vehicle, his pale face instantly regaining its imperial ruddy complexion.
"System, activate 'Geographical Trap - Magnetization Lock'."
[System Plugin Activated]: "Strong Magnetic Field Generator (Disguised as an Abandoned Tractor)"
Physical effect: The entire Parthian cavalry, equipped with high-strength steel horse armour, experienced severe leg pain due to electromagnetic induction in the high-powered magnetic field. This caused their formation to lock instantly.
Battlefield Harvest: The infrasound generator operates at full power, its frequency locked at the terror threshold of the Parthian warhorses.
Beneath the once flat mudflats lies the Precast Concrete Sinking Pit, developed by the Great Han Academy of Physics. The Parthian cavalry's heavy armour sealed their fate. Thousands of cavalrymen, along with their heavily armoured horses, sank into the mud in large groups under the combined effects of magnetism and sound waves.
"Sulun, the first lesson I learned in Chang'an was that 'all's fair in war'."
Liu Xun's voice boomed across the mudflats through the powerful amplification system. The Han army, which had previously appeared to be in disarray, instantly shed their rusted armour to reveal the chilling gleam of cold-forged steel.
Behind the barren hills on the flank, a hundred steam-powered repeating crossbows were pushed onto the high ground. This wasn't a rout, but a meticulously calculated 'hunt'.
[System Notification]:
[Parthian Main Force Annihilation Rate]: Estimated 75%.
Diplomatic Deception Achievement: Achieved the 'Playing with the Empire' medal.
Rewards: Basic tank track structure diagram and nitro powder stabilisation technology.
'Leave no survivors.' Liu Xun coldly closed the tactical panel.
That night, the Caspian mudflats were stained dark purple with blood. The Parthian Empire's betrayal resulted in the total collapse of its elite fighting force. When General Su Lun was captured, he saw the ruddy face of Liu Xun and realised that the 'sick emperor' was the greatest lie that the Han dynasty had told the West.
Before the Parthian Empire's ambush on the beachhead had ended, a deep red line like lava slowly emerged on the western horizon. This was not the afterglow of the setting sun, but a steel-square formation composed of thousands of red cloaks — the vanguard of the 12th "Thunder" Legion of the Roman Empire (Qin Dynasty).
This was the first true head-on clash between the Han dynasty and Rome, two of the greatest civilisations spanning Eurasia, at the crossroads of history.
'Your Majesty, unidentified heavy infantry have appeared ten miles to the west. Their formation is extremely disciplined!'
Liu Xun stood atop the 'steam command vehicle', looking out through the system-enhanced 'magnification-level optical telescope'. The Roman legion was pushing towering wooden siege towers, their squads of a hundred men marching in perfect unison with their massive rectangular shields snapped together to resemble a moving crimson wall.
[System Command]: 'Activate Civilisation Comparison – Combat Power Scan.'
Target: Roman 12th Legion (vanguard of approximately 3,000 men). Core strengths: extremely high defensive capabilities in the tortoise formation; top-tier infantry combat skills; pilums possess basic armour-piercing properties.
Fatal weaknesses: Lack of heavy ranged firepower; reliance on animal power for mobility; complete ignorance of gunpowder weapons.
Currently, the remnants of the Parthian army are huddled in the corner of Ctesiphon, with the Roman vanguard positioned to the west and the main Han army advancing from the east.
Like a drowning man grasping at a straw, the Parthian regent, Orod, stumbled and crawled towards the Roman phalanx, shouting, 'Your Excellency! Save Parthia! The Han devils are coming with iron boxes that spew smoke!'
The Roman vanguard officer, Marcus, gripped his short sword arrogantly at his waist as he looked at the billowing black smoke from the Han army command vehicle in the distance. His eyes full of disdain, he said, "Parthians, you have been terrified by eastern illusions. Before the glory of Rome, smoke is merely an illusion."
'They want to test the might of the Han.'
Liu Xun initiated his "Top Performance: Judging the Pioneers of Civilisation" campaign. Rather than ordering a full-scale assault, he deployed twelve of the latest 'high-pressure steam projectors'. These weapons, powered by boiler residual pressure, could launch specially designed 'thermite incendiary tubes' five hundred paces away.
'Marcus, have your soldiers raise their shields,' Liu Xun murmured. "Fire!"
With a deafening roar as the valves opened, twelve black streaks, trailing smoke, streaked across the sky. The Roman infantry quickly closed their shields, activating the supposedly impenetrable tortoise formation. However, the instant the incendiary tubes struck the shields, it wasn't arrows that hit them, but rather 2,000-degree-Celsius thermite incendiary flames — enough to melt bronze.
[System Notification]:
Thermodynamic Impact Result: The first line of Roman defence was instantly charred.
Roman Legion Morale: Decreased by 40% (generating an 'unspeakable' fear).
Achievement acquired: [The First Greeting Across Eurasia].
The white light from the thermite illuminated Marcus's face, shifting from arrogance to terror. His prized fighting skills seemed utterly powerless against technology that could incinerate souls without making contact.
Liu Xun stepped down from the command vehicle, the black oil beneath his feet still burning. Looking at the chaotic Red Army in the distance, he directed Gongshu Qi on the battle plan:
'The Romans haven't realised that this is no longer the era of shields and daggers. Notify the Hidden Dragon Guards in Ctesiphon and instruct them to launch the 'decapitation strike' tonight. I want to overthrow the Parthian crown before the main Roman force arrives. Then, from these ruins, I will write a letter to the Roman emperor about 'global tariffs'."
A chilling wind swept through the desolate plains outside Ctesiphon. The vanguard of the Roman Twelfth 'Thunder' Legion marched like massive red granite blocks, each step accompanied by the dull thud of clashing armour. Marcus brandished his sword and the Roman soldiers roared in unison. Thousands of scutums instantly closed in to form the Testudo — a formation said to be impenetrable, even to God.
Meanwhile, Liu Xun stood atop the ten-zhang-high steam-hydraulic lifting command tower, his black armour reflecting the cold sunlight. Instead of rushing to attack, he activated the system's underlying logic analysis.
'System, activate "Battlefield Physics Modelling – Defensive Force Field Analysis".'
[System Command]: 'Consumes 3000 points of national fortune.' Target Scan: Roman Phalanx.
Defence logic: Using multi-layered, stacked linden and leather shields, the kinetic energy of projectile arrows is dissipated through geometric angles.
However, there are blind spots in the force distribution: tiny gaps at the shield joints; muscle fatigue and tremors in the shield-bearers due to the weight; and weak lateral defences at the base of the formation.
'Marcus thought that as long as he retreated into his shell, the Han arrows would only tickle him.' Liu Xun's lips curled into a mocking smile. 'He forgot that the Han crossbows are essentially miniature catapults.'
'Gongshu Qi, order the Divine Crossbow Battalion to switch to triangular, armour-piercing steel arrows and activate the hydraulic-assisted cocking mechanism.'
Two hundred "Han Type II Steam-Assisted Heavy Crossbows" appeared in front of the position with Liu Xun's order. These crossbows used 'layered composite spring steel plates' developed by the Institute of Geology, with a draw weight of up to 1200 jin — beyond the range of human arm strength.
"Altitude calibration: 15-degree elevation angle. Target the overlap point of the first three rows of shields in the square formation." Liu Xun activated his 'Top Performance: The Cold-Blooded Executor of Truth", and gazed at the Roman eagle banner emblazoned with lightning bolts. He slowly lowered the command stick. "Whoosh!"
Two hundred specially crafted steel arrows shot from their bows with a sound like the grim reaper's cry. To the Roman soldiers, they were not arrows, but two hundred streaks of black lightning.
Marcus roared from behind the shield wall: 'Raise your shields! Hold them!" However, the next instant shattered the Roman legion's arrogance: the heavy crossbow bolts, which were powerful enough to pierce rhinoceros hide, reached their peak kinetic energy at approximately two hundred paces. The first steel arrowhead pierced the gap in the shield's joint precisely, followed by the terrifying force of inertia — the kinetic energy theorem.
The three-centimetre-thick Roman linden shields were like paper under this attack. The triangular arrowhead spun, tearing through the wood fibres, and then pierced the chainmail of the Roman soldier behind him, pinning him firmly to the ground.
'Crack!' That was the sound of an entire row of shields shattering.
After three volleys of heavy crossbow fire, the once impenetrable red rock formation developed a huge gap. Marcus was horrified to discover that the so-called 'wooden shells' were utterly ineffective against the powerful Eastern crossbows.
[System Notification]:
Roman Phalanx Integrity has dropped to 60%.
[Enemy Psychological Impact]: Extreme Shock (Faith Collapse).
Achievement obtained: Eastern Crossbows Triumph Over Western Shields.
Unlock rewards: Basic rifled barrel concept (under research) and crossbow automated loading kit.
Standing atop the command tower, Liu Xun watched the Red-Clad Legion begin to falter in the distance. He then coldly pressed the switch on the loudspeaker:
'Marcus, your shield may be able to stop arrows, but can it stop the wheels of time? In the face of the mighty Han Dynasty, your proud battle formation is nothing but a lamb to the slaughter.'
The plains outside Ctesiphon were shaken by the strongest tremor in two thousand years.
The Parthian Empire's last trump card, the Cataphracts of the Suren family, slowly arrayed themselves. This force of 3,000 cavalrymen and their horses were covered in impenetrable layers of plate armour, resembling a moving steel fortress under the blazing sun. The Parthian king stood atop the city walls and pointed at this elite force that had once struck fear into the hearts of the Roman legions. In his final moments, he roared: 'That is the armour of the gods! The Easterners will surely turn to pulp beneath their hooves!'
Liu Xun sneered from the command tower as he slowly donned a helmet adorned with a golden dragon.
'System, activate the "Battlefield Boost Module – Dragon Rider Charge Edition".'
[System Command]: 'Consumes 30,000 points of National Fortune.' Core equipment: Great Snow Dragon Rider Special Streamlined Cold-Forged Armour-Piercing Spikes and Lightweight Hydraulic Horseshoes for Horses.
Combat power boost: impact kinetic energy increased by 150%; horse stamina locked at its limit.
Host status: [Top Performance: Invincible War God] activated.
As Liu Xun pointed his longsword westward, 1,500 'Great Snow Dragon Riders', clad in silver-white alloy armour and snow-white cloaks, charged from the flank of the Han army. Unlike the Parthian cavalry's cumbersome armor, this unit's armor employed a "honeycomb energy-absorbing structure" developed by the Academy of Natural Sciences. This structure offered extremely high defensive capabilities while remaining as light as a feather.
"Full army, form ranks! Cone-shaped charge!"
Two heavy cavalry units, representing the world's strongest impact force at the time, began to clash on the vast wasteland. Parthian General Suren laughed wildly as he raised his thick, long spear. In his view, the sheer weight of the Parthian cavalry was enough to crush any flesh and blood.
Liu Xun took the lead, activating the 'System Predictive Trajectory' function. When the distance between the two sides was fifty paces, the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry did not hold their lances level as traditional cavalry would, but instead lowered them slightly, using the 'hydraulic buffer slots' on their saddles to secure the lance handles.
The two torrents of steel collided with a deafening metallic clang. The Parthian cavalry's prized layered armour proved as fragile as dry tree bark against the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry's high-frequency, armour-piercing spikes.
Liu Xun's lance, precisely calibrated by the system, instantly pierced General Suren's breastplate, sending him flying through the air. With their superior speed and more precise deflection techniques, the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry sliced through the three thousand Parthian armoured soldiers like a red-hot blade cutting through butter.
"This is impossible! That's... that's the armour of the gods!' The Parthian king collapsed in terror on top of the city wall.
He watched as the once-invincible Holy Cavalry's armour was shattered by the Han army's charge and their horses' spines were broken by the inhuman force of the Snow Dragon Riders. This was no longer war, but a dimensional reduction attack based on materials science and dynamics.
[System Notification]
[Parthian Ironclad Army] Mortality Rate: 85%.
Enemy nation's military faith: Completely collapsed.
Achievement acquired: The Progenitor of the Steel Torrent.
Unlocked rewards: Basic Tank Road Wheel Blueprint and High-Grade Bearing Steel Recipe.
Liu Xun reined in his horse, his white cloak now stained dark red with blood. He turned to look at the shattered Parthian armour fragments scattered on the ground and coldly ordered, "Collect all the remaining iron and send it back to the Imperial Academy for remelting.'Collect all the remaining iron and send it back to the Imperial Academy to be remelted. From this day forward, Parthian iron is only fit for use as spikes on the Great Han Railway!"