The nights in Chang'an were no longer simply dark; Zhuque Avenue was illuminated by direct current lights from the Han Dynasty, making it as bright as day. However, in the deep, electricity-free alleys and among the ancient, powerful clans, a decaying, chilling aura was growing rapidly under the cover of night: 'Four hundred years of the Han calendar, the fire element burns away the embers.'
'Where the iron dragon passes, not a blade of grass grows; a white rainbow pierces the sun — the Han dynasty is about to collapse.' These conspiracy theories spread like a plague through Chang'an's teahouses and slums. Some even unearthed a black stone tablet inscribed with the words 'Heavenly punishment with thunder, the fire element is finally extinguished' on the banks of the Wei River.
In Weiyang Palace, Liu Xun sneered as he flipped through the compilation of rumours presented by his secret guards. These seemingly absurd prophecies struck precisely at people's fears of new technologies, such as railways and electricity.
'Your Majesty, rumours are circulating that you have defied fate by using "heavenly thunder" (electricity) and "earthly fire" (coal) to disturb the spirits of the earth,' said Gongshu Qi, looking worried. 'Some old ministers even wept before the morning court, saying that the steel of Nanhua is "the bones of hell", which will harm the Han Dynasty's fate.'
[System Command]: Activate 'Eye of Insight - City-wide Scan Mode'.
Consumes 10,000 'National Fortune Points'.
Scan results: The source of the rumours has been identified as the maternal residence of the Wang family and the abandoned 'High Priest Temple' outside the city. Causal analysis: The Wang family harboured resentment due to the unequal distribution of profits from silk and rubber. They contacted the old priestly group, who had lost their sacrificial rights due to being ostracised by the Academy of Natural History. The group used 'fluorescent stone powder' to create the illusion of 'inscriptions appearing on the stone tablet'.
Liu Xun did not rush to arrest anyone. Instead, he led a squad of fully armed 'Black-Clad Imperial Guards' to the site where the stone tablet had been found on the banks of the Wei River that very night. He crouched down and activated the microscopic analysis function of his 'Eye of Insight'. The inscription on the tablet glowed with an eerie green light under the moonlight, appearing extremely sacred.
'Phosphorus powder mixed with a special rubber adhesive and a small amount of acidic soil corrosion,' said Liu Xun dismissively. He activated "Top Performance: The Deity Who Sees Through Falsehoods', his voice echoing along the fog-shrouded riverbank. 'Gongshu Qi, bring me a bottle of concentrated industrial sulfuric acid.'
After the strong acid was splashed onto the stone tablet, the so-called 'divine oracle' turned into black foam in a puff of acrid blue smoke, revealing the rough, artificially carved marks at the bottom.
Deep within the royal palace, the Wang clan patriarch sat facing an old priest clad in animal skins with blackened eye sockets.
'Once the rumours are proven true, His Majesty's "sorcery" (industrial technology) will be the subject of universal scorn,' the old priest said in a hoarse voice. "At that time, we only need to follow the prophecy of 'the fire element has been exhausted' and elect a new chosen one."
But what he didn't know was that, above the Prince's Palace, an unmanned reconnaissance airship made of powered rubber and lightweight alloy was silently hovering. This stealthy system of black technology was transmitting every word and action of those inside the palace to Liu Xun's retina in real time.
The next morning, Liu Xun ordered the "Grand Ceremony to Sacrifice Heaven" to be held in Zhuque Square. People from all walks of life in Chang'an, as well as powerful figures with ulterior motives, flocked to the event. Hidden in the crowd was the Wang clan patriarch, preparing to strike if Liu Xun's sacrifice failed. He planned to join forces with the civil officials and attack Liu Xun.
Liu Xun stood atop the high altar, holding a long staff made of high-purity graphite and superconducting rubber. "Since some say my use of heavenly lightning is defying the heavens, today I will show you the true meaning of the 'divine mandate'!"
[System Plugin Activated]: Tesla Coil – Large-Scale Demonstration Matrix
Energy Source: 'Chang'an First Thermal Power Plant'
Visual effect: A blue lightning ring, hundreds of metres in diameter, spun wildly around the altar, yet it did not harm Liu Xun in the slightest.
Amidst the lightning, Liu Xun's figure was magnified infinitely, and he looked like a god descending to Earth.
'Wang De, the stone tablet in your cellar isn't finished yet, is it?'
Liu Xun's voice, amplified through the matrix, rolled across the area like thunder. The Wang clan patriarch turned ashen and collapsed on the spot.
The Imperial Guards swiftly mobilised and searched the Wang mansion's cellar, finding a large amount of phosphorus powder, the unfinished 'heaven-sent stone tablet', and a secret letter accusing the Wang clan of treason.
[System Prompt]:
Deterrence of Feudal Superstition: 100% (The people's awe of technology transforms into worship).
[Consolidation of Imperial Power]: Increased by 30% due to the complete elimination of the threat posed by the Empress's relatives.
[Achievement obtained: The Enlightener Who Broke Superstition]
Unlocked rewards: Basic Criminal Investigation Laboratory (Chemical Comparison) and Blueprint for Promoting Compulsory Education for All (Investigation of Things).
Liu Xun put away his staff and the lightning dissipated. He looked at the kneeling civil and military officials, his eyes showing no joy, only cold resolve.
'From this day forward, the Great Han does not believe in the virtue of fire, nor in prophecies.' Pointing to the smoke rising from the factory chimneys in the distance, he continued, 'The Great Han only believes in the flow of iron, electricity, and my laws!'
For three consecutive months, the sky above Chang'an had been an ominous dark red, and the cracked fields resembled wounds on the earth. Amidst the withered wheat fields, rumours that 'the fire element has been exhausted and investigating things invites disaster' burned ever brighter.
The remnants of the Wang clan and the old priests, hiding in the shadows, began to gloat. They were convinced that Liu Xun would not dare to slaughter all the officials and commoners who dared to speak out. They believed that, as long as it rained, Liu Xun's 'industrial civilisation' was defying Heaven.
'Your Majesty, 3,400 people have spread the rumours and have all been apprehended. Should they be executed according to the law?" The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard knelt on the ground, pleading for an imperial decree, his voice dripping with murderous intent.
Liu Xun sat on his swaying, black, dragon-embroidered chair, ready to begin his 'ultimate performance' as a compassionate and benevolent emperor. He gently put down his pen and shook his head. 'Killing them will only make them "martyrs" in the eyes of the conservatives.' Liu Xun's lips curled into a playful smile. 'Didn't they say that I had disturbed the dragon vein, causing the drought? Issue an edict: in three days' time, I will hold a 'Rain Prayer Ceremony' at the Round Mound in the southern suburbs. Let those who spread rumours stand at the forefront. I want them to see with their own eyes who truly holds the will of Heaven.' "
Late at night, Liu Xun dismissed his attendants and opened the long-dormant system shop in his mind.
[System Command] Retrieve meteorological intervention consumables.
[Target] Initiate artificial rainmaking on the current cumulonimbus clouds over Chang'an.
Available items: Silver Iodide Catalysed Rainmaking Rocket – Great Han Special Edition ×12.
Consumes 50,000 National Fortune Points.
Item description: Built-in micro solid-state fuel propulsion loaded with ultra-fine silver iodide particles with a range of 3000 metres (reaching the cloud core).
'Although the current cloud moisture content is barely sufficient, add the "Cloud Condensation Nucleus Enhancement Plugin" to my name for the sake of effect.' Liu Xun's eyes were icy. 'I want this rain to be so heavy that they'll question their existence.' Three days later, at the Round Altar. Tens of thousands of people, their lips cracked and trembling under the scorching sun, watched the remnants of the Wang clan hiding in the crowd sneer as they waited for Liu Xun to make a fool of himself.
In the centre of the altar, there were no sacrificial offerings or Taoist rituals, only a massive metal frame covered in black silk — the 'multi-barrel rocket launcher array'.
'Look! His Majesty has brought out those strange iron objects again! This isn't praying for rain; this is defying the heavens!' a former priest roared madly.
Liu Xun slowly walked onto the altar. Instead of heavy sacrificial robes, he wore a special uniform embroidered with golden dragons from the Imperial Academy. After surveying his surroundings, he activated 'full-screen broadcast mode'.
'You say I defy the heavens?' Liu Xun's voice boomed like thunder. 'Today, I will show you what "man can conquer nature" truly means! If the heavens don't rain, I will make them rain!"
'Launch!' With a heavy wave of his hand, twelve blazing pillars of fire erupted from behind the metal frame. A sharp whistling sound pierced the tranquillity of Chang'an as the rockets, designed to bring rain, hurtled towards the dark, parched clouds at an imperceptible speed, trailing long plumes of white smoke. The people covered their ears in terror. The Wang clan chief's head was tilted back and his lips were turning blue. 'Those are demonic arrows that summon lightning!' Three minutes later...
The dark red sky appeared to have been kneaded by a giant, instantly turning the clouds from grey to inky black. A low, violent rumble of thunder came from the churning sea of clouds.
The first drop of rain hit the old priest's blackened eyes, followed by a second, then a third.
After a deafening clap of thunder, a torrential downpour like a burst river violently poured down on every inch of Chang'an.
"Rain! It's raining! It's really raining!"
'His Majesty has shot through the heavens and brought forth celestial water!' Tens of thousands of people knelt frantically in the mud, wailing as they desperately tried to catch the life-saving rain in their hands. Meanwhile, the rumour-mongers stood frozen in the rain as if struck by lightning, staring at Liu Xun who stood upright on the altar with his hands clasped behind his back. This downpour completely destroyed the 'superstition' mountain in their hearts.
[System Notification]:
[Superstition Index]: Dropped to 0.01% (basically eradicated within the Han dynasty).
[Personal Worship Level]: Increased to 'Demigod Level'.
[Achievement]: [God of Rain]
Unlock rewards: - Basic Meteorological Observatory Blueprint
- High-Pressure Sprinkler Irrigation System
Liu Xun wiped a drop of water from his forehead and looked at the Wang clan remnants slumped on the ground. 'Gongshu Qi, tell those scholars that destiny lies in my laboratory, not in ghosts and gods.'
The rain continued to pour down in torrents over Chang'an. Tens of thousands of commoners, officials and powerful figures gathered beneath the altar, unable to tell whether the streams flowing down their faces were rain or tears of terror.
In the centre of this curtain of water stood Liu Xun, hands behind his back, beside the cold steel quiver of arrows. He neither used an umbrella nor sought shelter. Yet the rain seemed to shatter within three feet of him, turning into a faint mist that rose upwards.
Liu Xun took a deep breath. The 'Godhood Progress Bar' in his mind lit up and emitted a deep hum.
[System Command]: Activate 'Acting Skill: Dominating the Scene" and "Actor's Aura: Divine Might Descends".
[Current status]: Godhood Progress: 1.5% (Initial Awakening); Visual Enhancement: Microcurrents surround his body and his pupils turn a deep, dark purple.
Audio Enhancement: Ultra-low frequency sound vibrations instil a sense of submission in listeners at a genetic level. He spoke slowly; his voice was not loud, yet it pierced the deafening thunder and struck everyone's eardrums precisely: 'Wang De, raise your head and look at the sky. Look at this rain.'
The Wang clan chief, who had been slumped in the mud, seemed to have been gripped by an invisible hand and raised his head involuntarily. What he saw was not merely a mortal emperor, but a true god manifested amidst the interplay of lightning and thunder — impossible to look directly at.
Liu Xun walked slowly to the corroded remains of the 'heaven-sent stone tablet', which were riddled with holes. With a sudden stomp of his right foot, the stone tablet that had once filled the entire city with terror, and which had been revered as a divine oracle by old priests, crumbled into dust beneath his feet like a brittle biscuit. It was instantly washed away by the torrential rain.
'The inscription on the stone tablet is nothing but the trickery of pedantic scholars, and the rumours and gossip are merely the barking of the weak,' said Liu Xun, his voice growing increasingly cold. Pointing to the endless, thick clouds frantically devouring the drought, he continued, 'You pray to the gods and they grant you drought. You complain to me and I grant you sweet rain!'
Liu Xun suddenly spread his arms wide, as if to embrace the entire city of Chang'an. At that moment, his spiritual power resonated through the system array, covering Guanzhong with an artificial rainmaking electromagnetic field.
As he moved, the lightning in the sky ceased its rampage, transforming into countless tiny arcs of electricity that wove a huge, faintly visible 'Han Dynasty Qilin Banner' among the clouds.
'From this day forth, within the borders of the Great Han, I determine the weather and the harvest, and I decide the lives and deaths of all people!' Liu Xun's eyes were fixed on the ashen-faced former officials. 'Heaven's will is not inscribed on earthen or stone tablets, nor in the realm of gods and spirits, but in the palm of my hand! I am your Heaven!"
[System Notification]
[All-Area Faith Values]: Explosive Growth
[Deification Progress Bar]: Jumped to 5% (gained permanent passive skill: Majestic Decrees).
[Social Ideology Shift]: Shifted from 'Reverence for Nature' to 'Worship of Imperial Power/Investigation of Things'.
The people below the altar began to kowtow frantically, their shouts shaking the heavens: 'Long live Your Majesty! A true god has descended!' Gongshu Qi stood below the platform, his notebook soaked by the rain, but he was oblivious. He saw not just a technologically advanced emperor, but also a leader who had blended "precise science" and "imperial tactics" to rule the entire species on a spiritual level.
The remnants of the Wang clan had lost all will to resist. When an emperor can summon wind and rain at will and see through the essence of matter with a single glance, all conspiracies and trickery seem laughably insignificant.
Liu Xun stepped down from the altar as the rain gradually subsided. A ray of golden sunlight pierced the clouds and illuminated his soaked, ramrod-straight back.
"Gongshu Qi."
'Your subject is here!' Gongshu Qi practically crawled forward on his knees.
'Take the remnants of the Wang clan to the laboratory at Weiyang University.' Liu Xun's voice was barely audible yet chillingly ruthless. 'Since they are so fond of miracles, let them experience true "divine power" in the high-voltage discharge chamber and become the first contributors to the Han Dynasty's "human conductivity experiments".'
Deification was merely a means to an end for him; his ultimate goal was complete and absolute rule.
On this day, hundreds of white-haired scholars and officials who referred to themselves as the 'Great Confucian Scholars' gathered at the Weiyang Palace. Wearing loose robes and clutching Confucian classics, they saw these as their last line of defence against 'strange and frivolous skills'.
While the air in Chang'an was filled with the fragrance of damp earth after the rain, the court was thick with the smell of gunpowder.
'Your Majesty!' The leading scholar, Kong Wei, with bristling hair and beard, and a trembling voice, exclaimed, 'Since ancient times, the way to govern a country has been based on benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom, not on these bronze and iron monsters! Your Majesty's introduction to the study of natural phenomena has led the people to become obsessed with gears and lightning. This undermines the foundation of the Han dynasty! These 'strange and frivolous skills' are truly demonic arts that will bring ruin to the nation!"
'We second that! We beg Your Majesty to abolish the study of natural phenomena, destroy the factories and restore a bright and clear world to the Han dynasty!' Liu Xun sat upright on the dragon throne, the progress bar for his deification process flickering faintly in his sea of consciousness. He looked at this group of 'knowledge rebels' living in the old era, a hint of Oscar-worthy mockery flashing in his eyes.
'Minister Kong, you say this is sorcery?' Liu Xun slowly stepped down from the dragon throne and retrieved a complex machine, gleaming with a cold metallic light, from the void (system space): the 'Van de Graaf Electrification Device – Modified Version'.
[System Command]: Exchange for 'High-Power High-Voltage Static Electricity Generator'.
[National Fortune Value Consumption]: 20,000 points
[Technical specifications]: Integrated ultra-high voltage static electricity generation module; insulated rubber base.
[Visual amplification]: A weak corona discharge (blue light) accompanied by an extremely faint buzzing sound.
'Minister Kong, you call yourself a successor of the sages and possess an aura of righteous indignation.' Liu Xun pointed to the enormous metal sphere. 'This machine of mine is specifically used to sense "Heaven's Will".' 'If your belief in justice is true, then this "heavenly thunder" will transform into auspicious clouds to protect you. But if you are stubborn and deceive Heaven, you will experience the "heavenly thunder's" teachings.'
Kong Wei sneered. 'This old minister has lived a life of integrity and uprightness. What is there to fear?' With that, he strode confidently towards the machine. Under the inexplicable pressure, he trembled as he pressed the metal ball.
'Buzz!' As Liu Xun activated the switch, high-voltage static electricity instantly filled Kong Wei's entire body. However, as he was standing on an insulating rubber mat that Liu Xun had placed there beforehand, the charge could not be conducted into the ground. Instead, it gathered frantically on every hair on his body.
In that instant, the civil and military officials gasped in unison. The more timid ones even collapsed to the ground. Kong Wei, who had previously appeared dignified, defied the laws of gravity. His white hair stood upright as if torn apart by countless invisible hands. He resembled a giant, snow-white exploding ball. Countless tiny blue sparks danced on his hair and fingertips, emitting crisp, crackling sounds.
'Is this the possession of the God of Thunder or a demon?' The officials were terrified. Kong Wei himself was gripped by terror; he could feel a tingling sensation all over his body as though a million ants were crawling under his skin. To him, the crackling sparks of electricity appeared as the wrath of the heavens. Liu Xun activated his 'Acting Skill: Divine Might', standing with his hands behind his back. Bathed in the blue light of the electricity, his face looked solemn, like a god's.
'Kong Wei, you keep saying that investigating things is sorcery, but why is this "heavenly lightning" docile towards me yet has left you, the "disciple of the sage", so battered and bruised?' Liu Xun's voice echoed in the hall. 'This is not sorcery, but the law of nature. Your so-called sage books cannot explain why hair stands on end, but my art of investigation can." "
Liu Xun gently waved his hand, turning off the power. Kong Wei slumped to the ground like a kite with a broken string. His formerly upright hair hung limply, and he looked as if he had aged ten years.
[System Prompt]:
[Knowledge System Reshaping]: The civil service group in the court has begun to waver in its belief in the 'monism of Confucianism'.
[Deification Progress]: Jumped to 8% (Gained Skill: Basic Mental Suggestion).
Achievement acquired: [Thunder Mentor]:
'Gongshu Qi.' Liu Xun turned and walked back to the dragon throne, ordering without looking back:
'Your subject is here!'
From this day forward, Weiyang University will teach not only mechanics, but also physics and chemistry.' Looking down at the shaken old ministers, he continued, "If anyone dares to obstruct the scientific progress of the Han Dynasty again, I won't hesitate to give each of my beloved ministers a 'heavenly lightning induction'."
From then on, a legend circulated in Chang'an. His Majesty holds thunder in his hand, and only those who study 'investigating things' can survive its power.
To the north of Weiyang Palace stood a magnificent building constructed from reinforced concrete and marble. Lacking ornate decorations, it displayed only a rigorous, symmetrical geometric beauty. Above the main entrance were four large gilded characters inscribed by Liu Xun himself: 'Great Han Academy of Sciences'.
On this day, Liu Xun abolished the centuries-old sacrificial rites. Standing on the steps of the academy and holding a heavy book that emitted a faint blue light and was neither gold nor wood, he said:
'System, unlock the Encyclopedia of Basic Physics and Chemistry: Imperial Selection Edition."
[System Command]: 'Consuming 80,000 points of national fortune.' The content covers everything from classical mechanics to basic electromagnetism and the periodic table to basic synthetic chemistry. It is disguised as a holographic cover and incorruptible nanopaper.'
Host note: this book will be named The Book of Physiology, and will serve as the Great Han Academy of Sciences' most prized possession.
Liu Xun slowly raised this 'heavenly book', and in that instant, the pages turned automatically. Countless intricate geometric figures and molecular formulas floated in the air as translucent projections, shimmering with light and colour like stars descending to Earth.
'This is the Heavenly Book of Investigation,' Liu Xun's voice echoed solemnly through every corner via amplification. 'It records the ultimate logic of the workings of all things. Gods and ghosts are illusions; investigating things is the truth. From this day forward, the Great Han will revere truth, not ghosts and gods."
In the centre of the Academy of Sciences square, Liu Xun ordered the altar, a symbol of the old theocracy, to be torn down. In its place stood a series of enormous models of scientific instruments.
'So you're saying that thunder is the wrath of the Thunder God?' Liu Xun pointed to the chapter on 'Electromagnetic Induction' in The Book of Natural Philosophy. 'No, it's the violent release of electrical charges from clouds. You say illness is caused by evil spirits entering the body. No, it's the work of tiny, invisible bacteria.'
He activated the 'Deification Progress Bar: Guide of Truth', and the powerful spiritual suggestion sent the students into a frenzy. This was no longer a dry lecture, but a re-enlightenment into the essence of the world. Liu Xun led the first group of 'Academicians of Natural Philosophy' into the chemistry laboratory.
'Minister Kong, you once said that gold is formed from the earth's energy.' He picked up a bottle of aqua regia, placed a gold leaf inside and watched it dissolve rapidly. 'Now, I make it disappear; later, I can make it regenerate. This is not magic, but chemistry. By mastering the proportions in the Heavenly Book, I can use all things to my advantage."
Not only did he unlock the encyclopaedia, he also used system rewards to build the first high-purity acid-base production line within the Han Dynasty. This marked the official acquisition by the Han Empire of the capacity for large-scale production of gunpowder, fertiliser, and advanced dyes.
'Issue an imperial decree: Starting next year, a 'Physical Investigation' course will be added to the recommendation system.' Liu Xun promulgated the 'Physical Investigation Degree Decree' within the Academy of Sciences. Any Han Dynasty citizen who could decipher the basic logic of the Heavenly Book would be awarded the title of 'Scholar of Physical Investigation', be exempted from kneeling before officials and receive a stipend from the empire.
[System Prompt]:
[Social Belief Transformation Rate]: 50% (The public begins to explain natural phenomena with scientific reasoning).
[Talent Reserves for Scientific Research]: Increased by 1200%.
[Achievement]: Godfather of Science
Unlocked rewards: Basic element extraction equipment and laboratory safety standards (essential for preventing explosions).
Late at night in the observatory on top of the Academy of Sciences, Liu Xun studied the 'Book of Heaven', his eyes deep and thoughtful. He knew that this 'Book of Heaven' was the cornerstone of his rule and the touchstone for selecting his loyal followers.
'Gongshu Qi, only inner academy members can read the Book of Heaven,' Liu Xun said, closing the book coldly. 'I will make all the world's brightest minds kneel outside the Academy of Sciences, begging for a chance to open it.'
He turned to the west, where foreign empresses and envoys watched in terror as the Academy's ever-burning lights shone. 'With this knowledge, I will rule not only the present, but also the future.'