In the ruins of Rome, the Han dynasty's electrical grid was complete and 10,000 arc lamps were due to illuminate the ancient city tonight, marking the start of a new era. However, on the Senate platform, which had been intended as a command centre, Liu Xun dismissed his entire entourage and ordered Gongshu Qi to retreat three miles away.
Wearing a golden dragon robe and wielding the power to decide the lives of billions, he stood in tranquil solitude, overlooking all living beings, and felt a bone-deep loneliness that came with being an emperor.
'System...' Liu Xun's voice, tinged with barely perceptible hoarseness, echoed in the empty hall. "You said that when deification reaches 25%, a privilege can be unlocked."
[System Command]: 'Severe emotional fluctuations detected in the host, triggering the hidden storyline [Past Events Reappear – Moonlight in the Jiaofang Palace], consuming 500,000 National Fortune Points. This operation does not generate any productivity; it is solely the host's personal will.'
Technical principle: utilising the 'Space-Time Ripple Retrospective Device' to extract particle images from specific time points in cosmic background radiation. "Exchange it." Liu Xun closed his eyes, a streak of silver now visible at his temples. "I don't need output. I just want to see her one more time."
The light and shadow in the hall began to distort; the ruins of Rome dissipated in the azure particle stream. In its place appeared the small, simple courtyard in Chang'an from decades ago — a time when he was still known as the 'great-grandson of the emperor', Liu Bingyi, before his ascension to the throne and his decisive and ruthless rule.
Liu Xun trembled as he reached out, his fingertips tracing the illusory air. A woman in a faded floral-print dress appeared in the image. Her face was not strikingly beautiful, but it radiated gentleness. She was bending over, mending a black robe under the dim light of an oil lamp.Her name was Xu Pingjun. Unlike Nanhua, she did not possess diamond embellishments, nor did she have the fine silks of Rome. In her hands lay only the roughest hemp thread.
'You're well. Rest now. You have to go to the market tomorrow. I left you half a bowl of sunflower seed soup; I'm keeping it warm on the stove.' In the image, Xu Pingjun raised her head and her clear, watery eyes seemed to pierce through decades of time as she stared directly into the heart of Liu Xun, hard as iron.
Liu Xun knelt before the illusory image. He was a god; the supreme being who could command golden dragons to fly and thunder to descend. He possessed all the gold in the world and rewrote the myths of the gods. He could make the entire Eurasian continent hear his breath in an instant, yet when he reached out to touch the warm bowl of sunflower seed soup, his fingertips merely passed through cold electronic particles.
"Pingjun..." His voice trembled. 'I conquered this world. I wiped away all darkness. I made our son the crown prince of this star. But this day is too cold.'
He remembered slaughtering believers with machine guns, toying with holographic projections and dancing alone at the pinnacle of power, surrounded by kneeling backs and terrified eyes. He remembered that no one would ever again remind him to eat a half-cold bowl of soup in the dead of night.
[System Warning]: 'Host's emotions are overloaded, and there is a risk of regression in the deification process. Excessive immersion in historical images will weaken the aura of the "King of Kings".'
"Get out!" Liu Xun roared in his mind. This was the first time he had shown pure hostility towards the system.
He looked at the image of Xu Pingjun, who was gently sucking on her pricked finger — a real, visceral pain. In contrast, even when struck by a 10,000-volt high-voltage current, he could only feel the flow of the 'laws of nature'. He had become a reaper of civilisation, yet lost the ordinary woman who had walked with him through his humble beginnings.
The image began to flicker, a sign that the ripples of time and space were about to dissipate. Xu Pingjun stood up, walked to the window and clasped her hands together in prayer to the night sky: 'May Heaven bless me, may my illness be cured, and may I find peace and joy, free from the suffering of this world.'
The golden light dissipated and the particles reformed. Liu Xun suddenly opened his eyes to find that he was still surrounded by the cold Senate of Rome. As planned, Gongshu Qi had activated the city's electricity; ten thousand incandescent bulbs lit up simultaneously, instantly illuminating the ancient city of Rome.
The people's cheers resounded through the sky, as if praising the 'living god' who had bestowed light upon them.
Liu Xun stood up. Overwhelmed by extreme loneliness and grief at that moment, his deification progress miraculously broke through a bottleneck, increasing directly to 30%.
[System Notification] Acquired Skill: Supreme Oblivion (Passive).
Skill Description: The host will gain absolute calmness and rationality, and emotional fluctuations will have zero impact on decision-making.
Liu Xun wiped away the last tear from the corner of his eye and his gaze became unfathomable once more, colder than polar ice. He stepped onto the terrace and overlooked the entire city that never sleeps. "Gongshu Qi."
'Your subject is here!' Gongshu Qi rushed towards him amidst the dazzling light.
'I've demolished all the churches and temples here. I no longer need miracles to remember." Liu Xun looked at the distant horizon, his voice devoid of inflection. 'Issue a decree ordering the First Fleet of the Great Han to proceed at full speed towards the Atlantic. I will unify the Han Dynasty on this planet before the name 'Bingyi' is forgotten entirely.'
A cold Roman wind swept through the crumbling walls of the Senate. Liu Xun sat quietly in the shadows of the Supreme Command, tracing a reagent tube with a faint blue glow with his fingertips. This was the ultimate reward he had received from the system after completing the 'Western Expedition' achievement: 'Longevity Optimisation Fluid (First Generation Gene Recombinant Type)'.
Having experienced the heart-wrenching pain of the time reversal in Chapter 196, Liu Xun now understood the cruelty of 'time' more profoundly than ever before.
'System, analyse the effects of the potion.'
[System Command]: 'Longevity Optimisation Fluid detected.'
"Core function: Repairs telomere wear through nanomachines, allowing human cell metabolism to enter an infinite cycle.'
'Allocation plan: 1. Host Exclusive: Lifespan extended to 1,000 years at the cost of a doubling of the rate of deification and the rapid withering of human emotions.
2. Dilution and Distribution: Host's lifespan is extended to 200 years and they can grant 12 followers 150 years of lifespan each.
Strategic significance: Establish an everlasting 'Council of Immortality', ruled eternally by the elite of the Han dynasty over the Earth's core.
Liu Xun stared at the vial of liquid, a bitter expression briefly playing on his lips. Immortality would mean watching helplessly as Gongshu Qi, Liu Shi and their loyal soldiers turned to dust on this isolated island called 'Emperor'.
'Gongshu Qi, come in,' Liu Xun called softly. The elderly Gongshu Qi shuffled in. This genius, who had dedicated his life to the Han Dynasty and lit the world's first electric light, now had a slightly hunched back. 'Your Majesty...'
'If I could grant you another sixty years of life, allowing you to see the Han flags soar across the horizon, would you be willing to pay the price?'
Liu Xun stared into Gongshu Qi's eyes, beginning his masterful performance as a 'Soul Contractor'.
A startling gleam erupted in Gongshu Qi's otherwise dull eyes. 'If I could witness Your Majesty's "space shuttle" soaring into the sky, I would gladly die a thousand deaths!' Liu Xun understood. He needed more than just subjects; he needed a set of tools to help him manage this ever-expanding, complex planet.
He activated the system's 'gene synthesis array', injecting the optimization fluid into twelve specially made 'magnetic induction injection capsules' rather than drinking the entire bottle.
[System notification]: 'Eternal Life Council' mode activated.
[Divinity Progress]: Due to power sharing, progress has dropped to 28% (humanity temporarily preserved).
Imperial Stability: You have gained the 'Eternal Core' buff and your technology research speed has increased by 500%.
'Since Heaven has ordained me as the sole god, I shall personally create a divine race.' Liu Xun drank the diluted liquid in one gulp and instantly felt a chilling, fiery current course through his body. The silver hairs at his temples visibly turned black again.
That night, Liu Xun held a secret 'Eternal Conferment' ceremony in the ruins of the Roman theatre. Twelve of the Han Dynasty's most elite commanders, scholars and tycoons knelt before him. The moment the needle pierced their skin and their genes were reconstructed, they felt an extension of their lifespan and absolute loyalty to Liu Xun, the 'Grantor of Immortality' — a loyalty with biological significance.
'From this day forward, the Han Dynasty will not have a chancellor, but instead a "Council of Immortality",' said Liu Xun, looking down at this group of rejuvenated elites. His voice was as cold as ice. 'Your lives are in my hands. I grant you immortality; you grant me an eternal empire.' "
After the councilors had left in a flurry of excitement, Liu Xun stood alone on the terrace, gazing at the distant Atlantic Ocean. He knew he had opened an extremely dangerous Pandora's box. When rulers no longer changed and the elite class became immortal, the common people of the Han dynasty would lose all possibility of social advancement, and the empire would become a sophisticated, ruthless and relentless harvesting machine.
'Pingjun, if you could see me now, would you be afraid?' He looked down at his hands, their skin as smooth as jade but devoid of warmth.
[System Notification]: 'Next stage of the main quest activated — The Crimson Sunset Across the Atlantic.' Quest Objective: The Americas. Not only is there gold and rubber there, but a 'prehistoric energy fluctuation' of the same origin as the 'System' has also been detected.
The winter air in Rome was chilling, and the icy rationality brought on by the Longevity Elixir heightened Liu Xun's senses. Sitting before his desk, he lightly traced the air with his fingertips, and a map of the Han Dynasty's global power distribution, filled with red dots, slowly unfolded.
Despite having established the Longevity Council and controlling the global financial lifeline with the Jinwuzhu coin, the remnants of the old era still lurked in the shadows.
"System, activate 'Eye of Insight – Deep Tracing' mode." Target: All remaining relatives of the imperial family within Chang'an and the provinces.'
[System Command]: 'Eye of Insight' will consume 40,000 points of national fortune.
Scan results: Relatives of the Wang family (including Wang Man, Wang Feng and other ancestors of Wang Mang) are secretly contacting dismissed Confucian scholars in an attempt to incite a rebellion among the lower classes by spreading the claim that the 'elixir of immortality' is demonic water.
Risk assessment: If left unaddressed, internal strife will inevitably erupt in thirty years. If a forced massacre is carried out, however, it will damage the 'Holy Emperor' image established by the host. Liu Xun watched the whispering on the screen, a chilling, Oscar-worthy smile playing on his lips. The Wang family, who once usurped the Han dynasty's throne, now dared to stir up trouble in his time.
'Since you find the rules of the Han dynasty too restrictive, I will change the world for you.'
The next day, at the site of the former Roman Senate, Liu Xun summoned the trembling head of the Wang clan.
'Minister Wang, I've heard that many of your young men constantly complain that their contributions to the Han dynasty have been exhausted, leaving them with no opportunity to realise their ambitions.' Liu Xun launched into his 'top-tier performance: the magnanimous ruler'.Wang Feng knelt down with a thud, cold sweat pouring down his face. 'Your Majesty, this humble subject dares not.' The younger generation is young and ignorant.'
'I don't blame them.' Liu Xun waved his sleeve and a highly detailed map of the western coast of the Atlantic was tossed in front of Wang Feng. 'Across the ocean lies an undeveloped "New World",' he continued. 'A land of fertile plains, overflowing with gold. I hereby bestow upon the Wang family the hereditary title of 'Marquis of the Great Han's American Vanguard'."
This was not a discussion, but an imperial edict.
A week later, three 10,000-tonne, steam-powered, armoured ships named 'Reclamation' docked at the Port of Gibraltar. Over 3,000 members of the Wang family, young and old, set off on this one-way journey, carrying 'basic hybrid rice seeds' and 'basic agricultural machinery', accompanied by 1,000 Han army machine gunners to 'guard' them.
'Your Majesty, are you just letting them go like this?' Gongshu Qi asked, puzzled.
Standing atop the lighthouse, Liu Xun gazed at the receding plume of smoke, his eyes deep and thoughtful. 'Kill them and they're nothing but dirt. Exile them and they become the tentacles of the Han dynasty reaching into the New World.' In that land of natives and wilderness, their only hope for survival lies in the supplies provided by the Han. Even if the Wang family produces a genius, such as Wang Mang, he can only farm and mine for me in that desolate land, building a detached palace for the Han.'
Using the system, Liu Xun had deliberately smuggled a rare copy of the Gewu Qimeng textbook, which had been brought by the Wang family and was titled The Grand Council System and Intensive Farm Management.
[System Prompt]:
[Historical Causality Reconstruction]: Completely erase the possibility of 'Wang Mang usurping the Han throne'.
[American Development Progress]: Due to the Wang family's ambition being diverted to the wilderness, development efficiency increased by 300%.Achievement: [Sower of Civilisation]
In a faraway land, the unborn Wang Mang will not be a mighty minister, but rather a 'Han Dynasty American Pioneer', overseeing the use of steam tractors to cultivate vast swathes of fertile land in the American jungle.
'Send the order to the Atlantic Fleet.' Liu Xun turned around, his voice particularly authoritative amidst the roar of the Atlantic waves. 'Once the Wang family has established a foothold in the Americas, initiate the "Gold Mining Agreement". I want the gold from that part of the world to bear the mark of 'Golden Five Zhu'."
He glanced down at his immortal hand. The purge of power was complete; the last remaining threat had been banished to the horizon. At that moment, the system alarm sounded again, but this time it was filled with long-lost excitement:
[System Announcement]: 95% of the global map is now lit up, triggering the final mission: [Searching for the Source of the Gods].
Mission location: 3,000 metres underground at a Mayan temple in the Americas. Remnants of the previous civilisation's server have been detected.
Liu Xun looked up in the direction in which the Wang family fleet had disappeared. It transpired that exiling the Wang family was merely a pretext. His true goal was to find the ultimate cosmic truth that could explain why he had transmigrated there.
The ancient capital of Chang'an has now transformed into a shining steel heart in the east of the country. Zhuque Avenue has been widened to accommodate eight steam tanks travelling side by side, and the Gewu Building, which fuses Baroque and Han Dynasty eaves, now stands on either side of the avenue.
Today marks the opening of the first Han Dynasty World Expo, and the day that Liu Xun will display his 'miracle' to all of humanity. Before the first rays of dawn illuminate the Wei River, the 100-metre-high 'wireless transmission tower' of Chang'an emits pale blue arcs of electricity.
[System Command] Activate 'Expo Global Effects Mode'.
Visual Enhancement: Citywide 'Neon Light Array', 'High-Altitude Laser Imaging'
Technology Showcase: 'First-generation internal combustion engine train', 'vacuum tube radio', 'thermothermic welding technology'.
Nobles from European provinces, chiefs from African tribes and Wang family representatives, fresh from exploring the Americas, all tremble. Gazing at the iron horses that could run without human power and the lights on the glass curtain walls, which were more magnificent than anything they had ever imagined, their lingering national arrogance was instantly crushed by this overwhelming display of industrial civilisation.
Liu Xun did not remain in the palace; he personally inspected the venue. In the Power Pavilion, he started a small diesel generator running at 3000 rpm. Amidst the deafening roar, the remnants of the Roman Catholic Church knelt on the ground and kissed the cold piston cylinders. They shouted fanatically: 'This is the breath of the Han Emperor!'
In the 'Agricultural Products Pavilion', descendants of the Wang family from the Americas showcased corn and potatoes grown under the influence of 'ammonium nitrate fertiliser'.Liu Xun activated his 'Top Performance: King of Kings', addressing the hundreds of envoys from various countries below with a magnetic voice. "Those who obey will have meat in their bowls and gold in their fields. Those who oppose will find nothing but barren land where the iron torrent has passed."
Upon returning to Weiyang Palace and taking his seat on the new dragon throne, crafted from 'aerospace titanium alloy', an unprecedentedly frantic system notification echoed in his mind:
[System Notification]: 99% of the world's territory has been incorporated into the postal, financial and military systems of the Great Han.
[Cultural assimilation rate]: 100% (global common language: Chinese; global unique credit currency: gold wuzhu).
[Civilisation Evolution]: Due to the host forcibly initiating the Industrial Revolution, Earth's civilisation has progressed 2,000 years.
[Deification Progress]: 45% (Passive Skill: Spacetime Intuition).
At that moment, Liu Xun felt his thoughts expand instantly. He could hear the rhythm of London's chimneys thousands of miles away and see the ambitions of the royal family's sons in the jungles of the Americas. He was no longer just a person, but the 'central nervous system' of the planet.
At the climax of the Expo, Liu Xun signed the 'Global Unique Civilisation Charter'.
The treaty stipulated the following: the abolition of all sovereign armies; global armed forces to be under the direct control of the Great Han 'Eternal Life Council'; the sharing of technology patents (limited to level two authority); each continent paying an 'inspection tax' to the Great Han Academy of Sciences; calendar unification; the abolition of all religious festivals; and the designation of the day of Liu Xun's coronation as 'New Civilization Year One'.
Eagerly pressing their fingerprints on the treaty, the envoys did not see it as humiliation, but rather as a means of obtaining the 'immortality gene' and the 'gift of electricity'. Late at night, the clamour subsided and Liu Xun was left alone at the top of the Academy of Sciences. The Civilization Evolution Level on his system panel was still fluctuating, but behind those numbers he could see a string of strange gibberish.
[System Private Message]: 'Host, congratulations on breaking this low-level sandbox. The civilisation's strength has been detected as having reached the 'plane ceiling'. The final chapter clue has been unlocked: 'Underground Mayan Temple: Return Command Station.'" Looking at the city's neon lights, Liu Xun felt no joy whatsoever.
"Gongshu Qi, tell me... under this ever-present sun, am I a saviour or a dictator who has built an exquisite cage?" Gongshu Qi knelt on the ground, his eyes filled with fanaticism. 'Your Majesty, you are the truth. Under the truth, there is no need for freedom, only order.'
Liu Xun remained silent for a long time, then took out a cigarette from his system space and lit it. It was the first time he had smoked in this world.
Through the swirling smoke, he saw a quantum beam of light, anachronistic in this era, flickering in the sky above the Atlantic Ocean. That was the homeland of the system, and also where he had first come from.