A fierce wind from the Western Regions whipped up fine yellow sand, lashing against the dark red walls of the ancient city of Loulan.
Outside the city gates, a special trade caravan, originally laden with Han Dynasty silk, celadon porcelain and newly forged 'refined steel farm tools', lay eerily silent. Exquisite fragments of celadon lay scattered amongst the sand like the remains of a civilisation, while priceless Shu brocade had been roughly torn into strips to bind the hands of the Han merchants.
'King of Loulan! The Ministry of Commerce of the Han Dynasty is authorised by His Majesty to trade with the Western Regions. How dare you intercept us?' The caravan leader, with blood streaming from his forehead, still glared angrily.
King Angui of Loulan sat on a soft couch covered in snow leopard skin on the city wall. Beside him stood a Xiongnu priest, clad in black robes and with venomous glints in his eyes as he greedily licked his lips, fixated on the refined steel farm tools. King Angui of Loulan scoffed. 'The Emperor of the Han Dynasty? That brat, Liu Bingyi, set fire to the northern deserts and now thinks that the Western Regions are his new home. The Xiongnu Chanyu may be dead, but the wolves of Eternal Heaven still roam. We'll take this batch of fine steel. Your people can stay in the desert to feed the eagles!' Influenced by the remnants of the Xiongnu, the King of Loulan believed that the Han Dynasty was exhausted following its expedition to the northern deserts. Not only did he seize the supplies, he also sent secret messages to neighbouring countries: 'The Han people are weak; let us share their spoils.' Chang'an, Xuan Shi Hall. Liu Bingyi leaned over the 'Western Regions Holographic Sand Table', observing the real-time intelligence transmitted by Chen Tang's infiltration team. Suddenly, the green dot representing Loulan City on the sand table turned an intense scarlet, while a yellow dot representing a caravan disappeared instantly. 'System 4.0 Warning: The Han Dynasty's trade route has been illegally intercepted!'
Loss assessment: Loss of Level 1 strategic materials (fine steel and cotton seeds), slight damage to national fortune.
Causal determination: The King of Loulan, lured by the Xiongnu priest's spell, has embarked on a path of rebellion against the Han. 'Snap!' Liu Bingyi's imperial brush crumbled to dust in his hand. He slowly stood up. His snow-white hair moved in the dim corner of the hall without a breath of wind, and the purple light in his double pupils surged, almost bursting through his body. He uttered two words: 'Return safely.' His voice was as soft as if he were reciting the name of a dead man.
'Your Majesty, this humble subject requests permission to fight!' Wang Changqing strode into the hall, his killing intent palpable.
'Fight?' Liu Bingyi walked to the sand table and lightly traced the red dot with his fingertip. 'If I have to mobilise a large army for the sake of a mere Loulan, what use is my "special diplomacy"? I want to show the Western Regions that if anyone dares to invade the Han Dynasty, I don't need to send a single soldier to destroy their country and exterminate their race!" Liu Bingyi closed his eyes, merging his consciousness deeply with the system. [Function activated: Mythical Pressure – Will Projection] [Consuming National Fortune Points: 100,000] [Target locked: Loulan Royal Palace]
Thousands of miles away, the clear sky above the Loulan Royal Palace was suddenly shrouded by a purple cloud, emanating an extreme sense of oppression. A howling wind blew and the entire royal city trembled. The Loulan King, who had been drinking and enjoying himself, suddenly looked up in horror to see a pair of enormous, cold, purple eyes appearing in the void. Those eyes pierced through time and space, reaching the depths of his soul. 'An Gui, is my blade sharp enough?' A mental pressure as heavy as the collapse of heaven and earth struck him. The Loulan King screamed as the golden cup in his hand fell to the ground. He was pinned to the ground by this invisible force and was unable to move. The Xiongnu priest beside him attempted to cast a spell but was instantly charred by purple lightning falling from the sky. 'Those who offend our mighty Han, though far away, shall be punished.'
Every word echoed through Loulan like thunder and the people knelt in terror, believing it to be divine retribution. 'Chen Tang, my will has been fulfilled. The rest is up to you.' Hidden in a dilapidated tavern in Loulan, Chen Tang suddenly raised his head. He sensed the synchronisation of the system marker in his mind, and pulled the fine steel dagger, personally bestowed upon him by Liu Bingyi, from his robes. It gleamed with a chilling blue light. "Brothers, grab your weapons," he said. Licking his chapped lips, Chen Tang's eyes became as ruthless as a desert wolf: 'His Majesty said that after tonight, Loulan no longer needs a king, only a Han magistrate.' That night, no large-scale battle took place within the Loulan royal palace. Only the sound of steel blades slicing through the darkness and heads rolling to the ground could be heard. Using the 'concealment powder' and 'silent crossbows' provided by Liu Bingyi, Chen Tang and thirty elite soldiers slit the palace's throat while the Loulan defenders were terrified by the 'imperial pressure'. The next day, as the sun rose over the edge of the desert, the people of Loulan discovered that the snow leopard banner atop the palace had been replaced by a massive black dragon banner embroidered with the character 'Han' in gold thread. Covered in blood and carrying the head of King Angui of Loulan, Chen Tang walked up the city wall step by step, hung the head at the city gate and let out a wild laugh at the vast desert stretching into the distance.'Send a message to Chang'an! The Loulan king's rebellion has been quelled and the traitor's head is here. I request that Your Majesty establish Loulan Prefecture!" At that moment, the kingdoms of the Western Regions awoke. They finally understood that the white-haired emperor's words, 'Though far away, we will surely punish them,' were no empty threat. The Han Dynasty's will transcended mountains and seas, redefining this land's dignity in a way that ordinary people could not comprehend.
The head of the King of Loulan was still drying on the city wall. The Western Regions were in a state of panic, with their kings fearfully sending envoys to inquire about the location of the Han Dynasty's main cavalry force. However, the responses they received were even more alarming. In the Xuan Shi Hall in Chang'an, incense smoke curled from the burners.
However, Liu Bingyi did not order Zhao Chongguo or Chang Hui to mobilise a large army. This localised disturbance, instigated by the remnants of the Xiongnu, would result in enormous supply losses if a large army were deployed; it would also disrupt the 'Resurrection Array' that he was secretly deploying in Duling. 'The army moves like thunder, but this time I want "shadow-like" movement.' Liu Bingyi's fingertip lightly flicked across the 'Western Regions Holographic Sand Table'. Deep within the storage space of his system, a hundred figures encased in cold iron armour stood in neat rows. They were not ordinary Han soldiers, but rather 'Mythical Troops: Netherworld Hundred Riders', which he had acquired through System 4.0 using the substantial national fortune points he had accumulated during this period. Each of these hundred men possessed combat strength equivalent to the legendary 'Eighteen Riders of Yanyun', as well as absolute obedience and immortal stamina. 'Changqing, distribute these tokens.' Liu Bingyi tossed out a stack of special black jade tokens. 'Officially declare that I dispatched 100,000 iron cavalry, but in reality, I only need these hundred "scalpels".' In the Gobi Desert, within the territory of the Qiemo Kingdom in the Western Regions, a remnant of the Loulan nobility, escorted by the remaining Xiongnu forces, was attempting to escape deeper into the desert. They rejoiced at their escape.
A remnant of the Loulan nobility, accompanied by the remaining Xiongnu forces, was attempting to flee into the depths of the desert. They rejoiced at their escape. 'The Han army is too cumbersome. Once they enter this shifting sand area, they will..." Before he could finish speaking, ten dark silhouettes appeared silently atop a distant sand dune. They wore cloaks with dark patterns that blended perfectly into the sand, and their warhorses' breaths were so faint as to be barely perceptible. Meanwhile, three thousand miles away in Chang'an, Liu Bingyi's eyes were slightly closed, and his double pupils were perfectly synchronised with the 'Western Regions Holographic Sand Table'.
'System 4.0: God's-eye view mode activated!'
'Hundred cavalry successfully linked, current synchronisation rate 99%.' A fantastical scene, blending first-person and god's-eye views, appeared before Liu Bingyi's eyes. Not only could he see the distribution of enemy troops within a hundred miles, he could also directly take over the senses of any one of the hundred cavalrymen.
'Three cavalrymen on the left flank, the right flank provides support; the rest follow me in the charge.' Sitting on the dragon throne in the Xuan Shi Hall, Liu Bingyi lightly tapped the air with his finger, as if plucking the strings of a giant ancient zither. His "Actor Mode" was fully activated.
He ordered Wang Changqing to ostentatiously build granaries on the Han Dynasty border and deliberately sent scouts to spread the false news that '100,000 vanguard troops have already passed Dunhuang'.
Terrified by this immense, false shadow, the rulers of various nations cowered within their cities. Unbeknownst to them, the true carnage was unfolding deep within the desolate Gobi Desert, in the heavily guarded royal tents and along what they believed to be a top-secret route. Any red dot attempting resistance or collusion was swiftly eliminated by a hundred 'Netherworld Riders' at the mere flick of Liu Bingyi's finger. 'Begging for mercy? Too late,' thought Liu Bingyi, observing through his 'God's-eye view' a Xiongnu priest attempting to defect to the Wusun using 'earth-遁术' (a technique to burrow underground). He sneered as he remotely controlled a 'Netherworld Rider', who hurled a steel spear enhanced by the 'system', piercing the sand and pinning the priest three feet underground.
In just seven days, seven of the thirty-six Western Regions kingdoms lost their leaders in their sleep. Their guards didn't even hear the sound of a fight. A terrifying legend spread throughout the Western Regions: the Han emperor didn't need to send troops; he only needed to look at someone in his dreams for them to be taken away by a black phantom. This unknown fear was far more despairing than an army of a hundred thousand troops.
[System 4.0 notification: Western Regions fear value reached peak] [Western Regions holographic sand table: red dot clearance 100%].
Liu Bingyi opened his eyes.
The purple light in his double pupils slowly faded. On the sand table in front of him, one hundred black dots representing the Netherworld Riders were scattered across various strategic points in the Western Regions like venomous fangs. 'Your Majesty, the rulers of various countries have jointly submitted a petition requesting the establishment of the "Protectorate of the Western Regions", and they are willing to send their crown princes to Chang'an as hostages,' Wang Changqing reported, entering the hall with fervour in his voice. 'They haven't even seen the army yet, and they're already terrified.' Liu Bingyi stroked his white temples, a confident smile on his face. 'Tell them I've accepted the hostages. Furthermore, my 'Ministry of Commerce' will establish branches in every country. Cotton seeds must be planted on every inch of land.' Just as the Western Regions had completely submitted, the purple thunderclouds above Duling suddenly contracted. Liu Bingyi stood up and looked towards Duling. His "low losses, high deterrence" strategy had swiftly pacified the Western Regions and boosted the fortunes of the Han Dynasty, even triggering the resurrection array's critical point ahead of schedule.
'A hundred cavalrymen will guard the Western Regions; I will guard Chang'an.' Liu Bingyi descended the palace steps, his white hair gleaming coldly in the moonlight.
The earthen wonder that is the Loulan Palace, standing on the edge of Lop Nur, was now surrounded by 3,000 fully armed 'elite guards'.
Although King Angui of Loulan had been terrified by Liu Bingyi's previous 'projection of will', he still clung to a sliver of hope under the influence of the Xiongnu priest's spirit and mobilised the entire nation's strength for this battle. Giant crossbows were mounted on the city walls, boiling oil was poured at the palace gates and a rare poison from the Western Regions which was said to corrode armour was placed inside the main hall. 'The Han Emperor is thousands of miles away in Chang'an. Even if he has immense power, can he fly here?' Angui raised his wine cup, his trembling hand spilling the emerald-green grape wine all over his clothes. Three thousand guards against a hundred Han soldiers. To any commander, this would be a meat grinder with no suspense. However, unbeknownst to them, Liu Bingyi was coldly observing this scene from the Xuan Shi Hall in Chang'an.
'System, activate full-power synchronisation.' Liu Bingyi sat on the dragon throne with his eyes slightly closed. His consciousness instantly descended upon the hundred 'Netherworld Guards' outside Loulan City through the God-like perspective of [System 4.0]. Each of these cavalrymen wore heavy steel armour forged by the Divine Crafts Institute and their horses' hooves were wrapped in sound-absorbing leather. They also carried repeating crossbows. Their eyes now gleamed with the same purple light as his. 'Since they want miracles, then I will give them miracles.' With a gentle tap of his mind, three thousand miles away, the clear moonlight was suddenly obscured by a purple cloud. The faint roar of a dragon echoed across the desert from within it.
'Kill!' At Liu Bingyi's command, the hundred riders moved immediately. There were no shouts or battle horns, only the cold clanging of metal. The first rank of Netherworld Guards swiftly pulled the triggers of their crossbows, firing explosive arrows loaded with gunpowder.
The sturdy bronze gates of the Loulan Palace were blown open like paper by the volley. Molten iron splattered onto the defenders and their agonising screams echoed through the night.
Liu Bingyi activated Remote Micro-Management Mode. He moved his fingers rapidly, controlling the movements of each Netherworld Guard with terrifying precision.
Three riders on the left flank charged in an arc, their longswords tracing perfect arcs in the moonlight; each strike was aimed straight for the throat. Ten riders in the centre formed a triangular formation and crashed directly into the thousand-strong guard. Wherever they went, blood and flesh flew, leaving a scene of carnage. The archers at the rear appeared to have eyes, as each arrow was specifically targeting the centurions and crossbowmen of the Loulan army — a one-sided, overwhelming attack. Although the three thousand guards were numerous, their mental defences crumbled rapidly in the face of these one hundred seemingly inexhaustible, tireless war machines, which were remotely controlled by 'gods'. When the hundred riders reached the inner palace, a corridor was all that separated them from King Liu Bingyi of Loulan. He decided to deliver the final judgment.
He said, 'Consume 100,000 national fortune points to activate Celestial Projection.' In an instant, the purple clouds above the Loulan royal palace churned and contracted, transforming into a colossal figure hundreds of feet tall.That was Liu Bingyi himself: with white hair cascading like a waterfall and double pupils flashing like lightning, he was dressed in a black-gold dragon robe and wielded the Ancient Sword of Heaven-Slaying. The enormous illusion overlooked the entire city of Loulan, and the pressure it exerted caused all the warhorses within a ten-mile radius to kneel, unable to move. 'An Gui, I have come to take your life.' Liu Bingyi's voice echoed deep within the earth. Terrified, countless Loulan soldiers dropped their weapons and frantically kowtowed to the illusion, begging for mercy. To them, this was no longer war, but the apocalyptic judgement for angering the gods. King An Gui of Loulan slumped beneath his throne, watching the hundred blood-drenched, black-armoured knights enter the hall. They resembled vengeful ghosts. Then he gazed at the colossal, godlike projection outside the window. 'This is not human... this is not something a human could do...' Chen Tang, now the leader of the hundred knights having absorbed a portion of Liu Bingyi's will, slowly stepped forward. Uttering no words, he traced a cold arc in the air with his steel dagger: 'His Majesty requests that you go to the underworld to herd horses.' A head fell to the ground.
[System notification: Loulan Royal Palace successfully captured.]
[Evaluation: Epic Battle (Hundreds Against Three Thousand)]
[Reward: Loulan public morale locked at 100% (as fearful of the gods as they are of tigers). Far away in Chang'an, Liu Bingyi slowly opened his eyes. His breathing was slightly rapid. His hair had turned grey from prolonged exposure to the massive mental projection. He turned his head towards Duling.
'The last rebellious spirit in the Western Regions has been removed, Pingjun. The nation's destiny is fulfilled. I'm taking you home.' The purple clouds in the night sky gradually dissipated, leaving the Western Regions in fear of the 'white-haired god' forevermore.
The smoke from the battle had not yet cleared from Loulan Palace, and the smell of blood in the main hall was particularly strong under the cold moonlight. The corpses of the three thousand guards had been swiftly moved to the rear garden by the 'Netherworld Guards', leaving the entire palace shrouded in deathly silence. An Gui's head was placed in an exquisite, lacquered wooden box beside his former throne. 'Your Majesty, An Gui has been executed. Three members of the Loulan royal family are still awaiting orders in the side hall.' Chen Tang's voice, transmitted clearly through the Remote Resonance system, echoed through the Xuan Shi Hall in Chang'an. Liu Bingyi sat on the dragon throne and looked at the Western Regions Holographic Sand Table in front of him. The red dot representing Loulan City had turned an eerie purple — absolute obedience born of extreme fear. 'Bring them in.' A moment later, three Loulan princes, dressed in fine clothes but looking limp and weak, were pushed into the hall. They stared first at the hundred towering, purple-eyed Netherworld Guards and then at the still-visible "divine projection" towering outside the window. They were already terrified into incontinence.
Liu Bingyi scanned the tops of the three men's heads one by one from a godlike perspective.[System 4.0: Eye of Insight (Puppet Evaluation Mode)]
Eldest Prince: Ambitious. Secretly communicating with the Wusun. Loyalty: 10%. Recommended for assassination.
Second Prince: Mediocre and incompetent. Obedient and subservient. Loyalty: 50%. Recommended for... (Recommendation: Mediocre.)
Youngest Prince Tuqi: Formerly held as a hostage in Chang'an during the Han dynasty. He has a deep admiration for Han culture and is resilient in character. However, he is also deeply aware that the Han dynasty is invincible. Loyalty: 95%. Liu Bingyi said, "Tuqi." Liu Bingyi's voice echoed through the Loulan Hall via holographic projection. The seventeen-year-old son suddenly shivered and scrambled to his knees at the front. 'Your subject... Your subject is here! May the Emperor of the Han Dynasty live a long and prosperous life!" 'You spent three years in Chang'an. I remember you loved reading the Book of Lord Shang. An Gui went against the will of Heaven, causing Loulan to be stained with blood. Now, I am giving you the chance to guard this western gate for me. Do you dare to accept?" Tu Qi raised his head, a flicker of struggle crossing his eyes before being replaced by fervour. He knew that this was his only path to survival and his ladder to power.
'Your Majesty, I am willing to serve as your loyal servant and guard the Western Regions for the Han Dynasty! If I am ever disloyal, may I die beneath a thousand arrows and have my soul annihilated!" 'Very well.' Liu Bingyi lightly traced a line on the sand table with his finger and a phantom seal, symbolising the 'Deputy Seal of the Western Regions Protectorate', appeared above Tu Qi's head. 'From this day forward, Loulan will abolish its royal title and be renamed "Loulan Prefecture". You will be its first prefect and hold the additional title of 'King of Guiyi'.
Administrative Reorganisation: The abolition of Loulan's old aristocratic council and the introduction of the Han Dynasty's 'Evaluation System'. All officials underwent background checks by the Embroidered Uniform Guard (Azure Eagle Division).
Military deployment: The Han army took over all strategic fortresses surrounding Loulan. A batch of high-quality steel crossbows, hastily produced by the Divine Crafts Institute, were deployed on the city walls.
Economic integration: The Ministry of Commerce established its largest branch in Loulan, requiring the surrounding areas to switch to planting 'high-yield cotton' provided by the Han dynasty. Standing on the city wall and looking at the silent, black-armoured Netherworld Guards, Tu Qi's sympathy for An Gui vanished. He realised that siding with the Han Dynasty would bring not only power, but also a civilisational force that transcended eras.
'Your Excellency, the Ministry of Commerce's supplies have arrived.'
A large caravan slowly entered the city under the moonlight. Instead of silk, the wagons were now loaded with mountains of coke, refined iron and the terrifying 'explosive arrows'.
Loulan was no longer... What was once an independent small kingdom in the Western Regions had become a massive supply depot — a steel nail driven into the heart of the region. From this centre, the will of the Han dynasty could radiate outwards to Wusun, Dayuan and even further afield to Kangju.
Chang'an, Xuan Shi Hall. Liu Bingyi disconnected the remote control and stood up. His white hair looked particularly desolate in the silent hall.
[System 4.0 notification: The first bridgehead in the Western Regions has been established.
[National Fortune Accumulation Reaches Critical Value: 100%.]
'Final main quest unlocked: The Resurrection Ceremony at Duling.' The Western Regions are now secure and free from internal conflict.
Liu Bingyi walked over to the window and looked out towards Duling. Purple thunderclouds had coalesced there into a deep vortex that seemed capable of swallowing light. 'I offer the vast land as a dowry and three thousand lives as a sacrifice.' He loosened his dragon robe to reveal his close-fitting black armour and the ancient sword at his waist, which hummed with a thirst for battle.