Just as the effects of Xu Pingjun's cannon fire in Malacca were still being felt, an urgent report travelled a thousand miles from the Yizhou border to reach Liu Xun's desk. The powerful Yong clan of the Nanzhong region had launched a long-planned rebellion in alliance with local barbarian tribes while the main Han army was on its westward expedition. They relied not only on their poisoned crossbows, but also on the 'miasma jungle' that could corrode the Han army's armour. In that era, malaria and mosquitoes were the Nanzhong power's 'natural walls'.
'Your Majesty, urgent report from the Nanzhong region!' The vanguard of three thousand soldiers has entered the jungle, and half of them are already suffering from fever, chills and incessant vomiting. The local power holders are joking that, although our Han army can sweep through Parthia, it cannot escape this 'green sea of death'," said Banji, handing over the secret letter gravely.
Liu Xun sneered. To these natives, miasma was divine punishment, but to him, it was nothing more than a feast for malaria parasites and Anopheles mosquitoes.
[System Command]: Activate 'Civilised Medical Module – Jungle Survival'.
Core items: High-efficiency pyrethroid (purified version) and quinine extract.
Technical bonuses: Mosquito-repellent, fast-growing, genetically modified grass seeds; portable water purification straw.
National Fortune Value Consumption: 12,000 points
Rather than ordering a large-scale troop reinforcement, Liu Xun secretly transferred hundreds of boxes containing small silver bottles engraved with the Qilin emblem, along with several thousand kilograms of seemingly ordinary grass seeds, from the Imperial Academy.
Hidden in his fortified village, Yong Kai, the leader of the Southern Rebel Army, mocked through the thick fog: 'The Han people's steam engines are just scrap metal in this swamp. As long as this miasma doesn't dissipate, no matter how many of them come, they'll all die.'
However, he was surprised to find that strange, fragrant grass had begun to grow wildly around the Han army camp. Wherever it spread, the swarms of mosquitoes that had previously covered the sky seemed to have hit an invisible barrier, dropping to the ground and dying.
Even more terrifying for the rebels was that the Han soldiers, who had been on the verge of death and shivering with cold, had recovered overnight after drinking the bitter 'divine water' (quinine water) and were once again raising their gleaming, cold-blooded swords.
[System Plugin Activation]
[Niece Suppression Module]
[Small Glider]
[Pyrethroid Oil]
Physical effect: Disrupts the malaria transmission chain widely; the natural barrier that Nanzhong was once proud of instantly crumbled. 'Since you think the forest is safe, I will make this forest your graveyard.' Liu Xun activated his 'Ultimate Performance: Judge of Life and Death'.
As the Han army stepped over the now harmless fallen leaves and used flamethrowers to burn open the gates of the rebel fortress, Yong Kai knelt on the ground and looked at the ruddy-faced, spirited Han soldiers. He thought he had encountered ghosts and gods.
'Your Majesty, this is not human power; this is divine might!' Liu Xun didn't kill him, but pointed to a tree behind the fortified village oozing white sap. His eyes were filled with an unprecedented ecstasy.
[System Notification]:
Southern Rebellion Suppression Progress: 100%.[Unexpected Gain]: The local native rubber trees were unexpectedly improved due to the cultivation of system herbs, gaining the important resource 'Natural Rubber Production Area (Initial Scale)'. This unlocks the Steam Engine Sealing Ring, High-Voltage Insulating Wire and Hardened Rubber Technology.
'Gongshu Qi, forget about these natives.' Liu Xun brushed the grass clippings from his sleeve and pointed to the rubber forest covering the mountains. 'With these, my steam engine can truly roar as it should. Keep a close watch on these trees — each one is worth a hundred armoured soldiers!'
The dense forests of Nanzhong were once off-limits to the Han army. Layers of broad leaves blocked out the sun, and deadly traps lay beneath the decaying leaves. The agile, monkey-like tribal warriors boasted of being masters of this deadly green sea, but today, the rule of this primeval jungle was quietly changing hands with the slight rustling of falling leaves.
Liu Xun stood in the makeshift command post on the edge of the forest, his pupils reflecting the hundreds of elite soldiers of the Tiger Special Forces Battalion, covered in 'system-level jungle camouflage paint'.
Unlike the heavily armoured main army, every inch of this unit's equipment had undergone systematic 'modification':
Armour: Waterproof weight-bearing backpacks made of Nanzhong rubber and canvas.
Weapons: Short, powerful revolving crossbows and multifunctional jungle machetes made of high-manganese steel.
Protective gear: lightweight rattan composite stab-proof vests with embedded, extremely thin, cold-forged steel plates.
[System Command]: Activate 'Special Tactics Guidance - Jungle Module', with the following core skills loaded: 'Stealth', 'Trap Detection' and 'Jungle Orienteering'.
Host bonus: Battlefield God's-eye view (real-time signal transmission via miniature hot air balloon). The warriors of Meng Huo, the tribal chief who supported the powerful rebels, lie in ambush in the treetops with blowpipe poison arrows, waiting for the cumbersome Han soldiers to enter the encirclement. They believed that the Han people were blind once they left the official road.
However, a flash of silver light instantly pierced the throat of one of the ambushers. Rather than advancing in formation like traditional armies, the "Tiger Warriors" broke into smaller units and employed three-man tactical groups, using the system-provided low-light reflectors to transmit signals. Their rubber-soled boots masked their footsteps.
'That's not a human, it's a mountain spirit!' Before a tribal warrior could blow his poison-tipped dart, a hand like a tiger's gripped his throat. In order to dispel the natives' superstition about 'jungle gods', Liu Xun ordered the deployment of the special forces' trump card: high-pressure solidifying oil injectors.
When the tribal priests tried to set fire to the Han army using flammable miasma, the Tiger Legion struck preemptively, unleashing streaks of orange-red fire that raged through the damp rainforest. This oil, mixed with rubber additives, had an extremely strong adhesive quality and was capable of burning through damp tree bark.
'Your gods are nothing but wood before my fire,' said Liu Xun calmly, observing the battle through high-powered binoculars from the rear. The battle lasted only a day and a night. The once invincible tribal coalition collapsed in fear, realising that the Han soldiers were more agile, ruthless and unpredictable in the forest.
[System Prompt]
Special Operations Success Rate: 100%
[Popular sentiment in southern China]: Extremely high (creates the impression that the Han army is invincible).
[Achievement Acquired]: King of the Jungle
Resource gathering: With all obstacles cleared, the harvest season for the high-quality natural rubber forest has officially begun.
Liu Xun walked into the depths of the smoke-filled forest, cut open the bark of a rubber tree and watched the milky white liquid slowly flow down the grooves.
'Gongshu Qi, bring men in and remove all the sap from here.' Wiping the mud from the corner of his eye, Liu Xun's eyes were full of ambition. 'With these rubber seals, the pressure of my "Xu Pingjun" steam engine can double again. Ultimately, the backbone of this land belongs to technology.'
Deep within the dense forests of southern China, the defeated rebel leaders of the 'Yong Clan' and the remnants of the 'Baiyue' tribes launched a final counterattack. They unleashed the ultimate weapon of their jungle civilisation: the 'Southern Armoured Elephant Soldiers'.
Dozens of colossal elephants, as large as small mountains and clad in heavy rattan armour, swung their trunks and emitted deafening, low-frequency roars. To the local natives, these were invincible 'divine beasts', a natural force capable of crushing all civilisations.
'Your Majesty, the enemy elephant corps is arrayed. Their thick hides and flesh cannot be pierced by ordinary crossbow bolts. Moreover, they have arrow towers on their backs, giving them a commanding position; our formation could easily be broken.' Gongshu Qi gazed at the dust billowing in the distance, his voice tinged with trepidation.
Meanwhile, Liu Xun stood on the mechanically raised command platform, coldly surveying the scene. In his eyes, these seemingly invincible elephants were nothing more than inferior weapons that could be easily manipulated due to their inherent biological limitations.
[System Command] Activate Biological Weakness Analysis Module.
Target: Asian Elephant (Domesticated Species)
Weaknesses: Auditory: sensitive to explosions at specific frequencies; Olfactory: aversion to strong, irritating odours; Pain: nerve distribution.
Suggested countermeasures: High-decibel concussion bullets, white phosphorus incendiary arrows.
"Since they want to play big, I'll give them a grand funeral."
Liu Xun activated 'Top-Tier Performance: Divine Might Descends from Heaven' and swung his right hand down sharply. 'Divine Crossbow Battalion, switch to MK-II type sound-light gunpowder arrows! Aim three zhang in front of the elephant's head!"
Two hundred specially made crossbow bolts with blue-smoking tails pierced the sky. They did not hit the elephants directly, but exploded low in front of the giant herd.
Accompanied by a deafening roar, there was an explosion: "BOOM—!!!" The intense light instantly robbed the elephant soldiers of their sight and the violent sonic shockwave shattered the giant elephants' eardrums. This caused the once disciplined formation to collapse instantly. Terrified, the elephants stampeded backwards, crushing the indigenous rebels behind them into a bloody pulp. 'Gongshu Qi, disperse the synthetic pheromone tranquilliser.'
Liu Xun did not pursue the enemy to the bitter end. Instead, he used the 'concentrated herbal extract' he had obtained through the system, blowing it across the battlefield via a blower. The scent quickly soothed the elephants' nerves, gradually calming the frenzied beasts.
When Liu Xun slowly descended from the command platform and walked alone towards the largest 'Elephant King', all of the remaining Han troops and indigenous forces held their breath. He placed his hand on the elephant's head, activating the 'Biological Taming Patch' in his mind. The giant elephant lowered its forelegs and bowed its head to Liu Xun.
[System Notification]:
[Prestige Value]: Increased by 50,000 points.
Elephant Soldier Recruitment Rate: 100% (Special Forces Resource: Great Han Elephant Cavalry gained).
Unlocked rewards: Basic Rubber Sealing Technology (increases the efficiency of transporting raw materials using elephant soldiers) and Heavy Elephant-Carried Field Artillery.
Concept
Liu Xun turned and addressed the kneeling remnants of the Baiyue tribe coldly: 'See clearly, your so-called gods are nothing but mounts before me, and your so-called barriers are nothing but thoroughfares.'Following the surrender of the elephant cavalry, the last resistance force in Nanzhong was completely crushed and the elephants were no longer used as weapons of war. Liu Xun organised them into the 'First Jungle Transport Team of the Great Han', using them to transport precious dragon-taming wood and natural rubber from the deep mountains.
As she looked at the returning elephant herds laden with their spoils, Liu Xun's eyes held a deep meaning: 'Nanzhong is pacified, and we have rubber. Gongshu Qi, return to Chang'an! I want the wheels of the entire Great Han to be made of this material called 'rubber'!"
When the fighting in the south had died down, Liu Xun did not hurry back to the capital. Instead, he stood on the shores of Dianchi Lake. His feet sank into the fertile red soil and a spicy, peculiar yet vibrant aroma filled his nostrils — no longer the smell of slaughter, but the fragrance of strategic resources.
The system's light screen in his mind's eye rendered the map of the southern frontier in deep green, and several icons representing top-tier resources flashed frantically: 'System, initiate a global plant resource distribution scan, focusing on the original species and varieties of natural rubber.'
[System Command]: 'National Fortune Value' consumed 15,000 points.
[Scan Results]: 'Wild rubber trees' and their high-yield varieties have been discovered in large quantities in the heart of the southern region.
[Strategic Significance]: 'King of Sealing' — the Industrial Age. Without it, the steam engine would be nothing more than a leaky iron can and electrical wires would be nothing more than dangerous copper ropes.
[Current status]: The 'First Rubber Plantation in Southern Xinjiang' base has been established.
Liu Xun walked over to a rubber tree with its bark cut open and watched the viscous latex drip down. He activated his 'Top Performance: Navigator with Foresight' and said to Gongshu Qi, who was standing behind him, 'Gongshu Qi, the world only knows the value of gold, but they don't realise that this white sap is the lifeblood of the Han Dynasty's steel heart.' Issue my decree: seal off all rubber plantations. Anyone who cuts down even one without authorisation will have their entire family executed!"
As well as rubber, the dense forests of southern Xinjiang concealed another resource that could influence the West's economic lifeline: spices.
In ancient times, pepper, cloves and nutmeg were worth as much as gold. Using the 'High-Efficiency Breeding Technology' rewarded by the system, Liu Xun secretly established a 'Royal Spice Cultivation Base' in southern Xinjiang.'Roman nobles would sell their souls for a small bag of pepper.' Liu Xun grabbed a handful of freshly dried red peppercorns, his eyes deep and intense. 'I want to control not only their military might, but also their palates. I want to use spices to firmly establish the five-zhu coins of the Han Dynasty in the pockets of every merchant in the Mediterranean.'
In order to transform the Southern Frontier into the logistical heart of the Han Dynasty, Liu Xun ordered the implementation of the 'Base-Based Reconstruction Plan'.
Resource specialisation: establish the 'Southern Frontier Resource Governor's Office', which will no longer be under the jurisdiction of powerful local families, but will report directly to Liu Xun himself.
Transportation hub development: utilise elephant troops and prisoners of war to widen the 'Tea Horse Road' and establish the Han Dynasty's first all-rubber-cushioned railway test section.
Industrial processing: establish the first primary rubber vulcanising plant near Kunming.
System notification: the Han Dynasty's resource self-sufficiency rate has increased by 300%.
[Industrial civilisation stability]: Due to solving the sealing problem, steam engine efficiency increased by 40%, earning the achievement 'Resource layout master'.
Unlock rewards: Basic Industrial Preservative Formula and Centrifugal Rubber Purification Machine Design Blueprint.
As the final caravan of elephants, laden with rubber and spices, slowly emerged from the mountain pass, Liu Xun cast one final glance at the lush southern frontier. He knew that the Han Dynasty's industrial revolution would henceforth possess both 'elasticity' and 'fragrance'.
'Back to Chang'an!' Liu Xun mounted his horse, exuding the arrogance of a movie star and the composure of an emperor. 'Gongshu Qi, prepare yourself. When my carriage glides silently past Weiyang Palace, the old ministers will realise that not only has the sky become rounder, but also softer.'
Zhuque Avenue in Chang'an City has been a constant presence for centuries. Since Emperor Gaozu established the capital, it has been paved with thick bluestone slabs. The thunderous rumble of hooves and the creaking of wooden wheels from imperial carriages and merchant convoys echoed through the streets, a sound that veteran officials once considered to be part of the 'majesty of imperial authority'. But today, this age-old clamour has been utterly shattered by an eerie and elegant tranquillity.
Before Weiyang Palace, officials stood in solemn silence. The conservative leader and veteran censor, Wang, was preparing to impeach the emperor for the 'wasteful procurement of tree sap in the southern border regions'. At that moment, a sleek, all-black 'Black Dragon Heavy Carriage' appeared at the end of the street.
Unlike traditional wooden wheels, this carriage lacked the harsh friction; instead, it emitted a deep, rhythmic 'plop'.
[System Command]: Activate the 'Industrial-Grade Stability Demonstration Module'.
[Core components: 'Pneumatic natural rubber tyre', 'multi-leaf composite spring steel shock absorber', 'precision ball bearing assembly'.
Physical effect: Using the high elasticity of rubber and the compressibility of air, it absorbs over 90% of ground-impact kinetic energy.
Liu Xun sat upright in the carriage, holding a glass of fine wine from the Western Regions. The cracks in the bluestone pavement outside were clearly visible, yet the purplish-red wine in the glass remained undisturbed. The carriage came to a steady stop at the foot of the white marble steps in front of the Taiji Hall. Liu Xun lifted the curtain and the glass of wine remained full.
'Minister Wang, you just said that procuring rubber from the southern frontier was "a waste of time and energy"?' Liu Xun launched into his 'Grand Performance: The Judge of an Era', casually handing a glass to the pale-faced Imperial Censor, Wang. 'Here, hold this for me. If a single drop spills, the Imperial Academy will be shut down. If not, you'll spend a year carrying bricks at the Jiaozhou Bay Shipyard. How about that?' The Imperial Censor trembled as he took the glass, looking first at the carriage and then at the mirror-like surface of the wine, experiencing severe cognitive dissonance.
To utterly shatter the last shred of dignity held by the conservatives, Liu Xun ordered a public demonstration of the magic of rubber. A high-pressure steam hose wrapped in rubber was connected to the carriage's steam booster. The metal hose, which would normally break due to vibration, remained as stable as a mountain thanks to the flexibility of the rubber.
'These aren't just the wheels of a carriage; they're the "joints" of the Han dynasty's machinery,' said Liu Xun, pointing to the tyres. His eyes were sharp as blades. 'With them, my steam engines can withstand higher pressures. With them, the Han army can traverse three prefectures in a single day without tiring. Can your so-called 'ancestral laws' really make carriages run as fast as cheetahs on stone roads?'
[System Notification]
[Scholarship Reputation]: "Subjugation" achievement among the capital's civil officials achieved.
[Transportation Efficiency Forecast]: Due to shock absorption technology, the loss rate has decreased by 60% and the average speed has increased by 40%.
Unlock rewards: Basic rubber-sealed water pump design blueprint, high-vacuum neon tube design.
Chapter Four: A Silent Conquest: The Han Dynasty's First Insulating Wire
After the tour, Liu Xun personally pulled out a copper wire covered with a thin layer of rubber from the laboratory behind the Xuan Shi Hall.
"Gongshuqi, shock absorption is merely a superficial phenomenon." Liu Xun gazed at the black rubber sheeting gleaming in the candlelight and revealed a penetrating smile. 'The true miracle lies within these copper wires. When I can control the direction of that 'heavenly thunder' (electricity), the Great Han will truly dominate the world."
He knew that the discovery of rubber had made the Great Han more stable and allowed it to reach the threshold of the Second Industrial Revolution.