Upon completing the global shipping loop, the Han Empire's influence reached the polar regions and the deep sea. When the final 'Xuan Emperor-class' transport ship, loaded with Australian gold and American treasures, sailed into the Yellow River estuary, a new era began: the era of global Chang'an.
The Guanzhong Plain, once isolated, has now become the sole power centre of the planet. Even the most conservative Guanzhong farmers are no longer surprised by foreign faces when walking along Zhuque Avenue in Chang'an.
[Real-time system monitoring] Composition of Chang'an's floating population:
Han Chinese: 65%;
Western Regions and Indian merchants: 12%
American immigrants from Xinfeng (red skin): 8%;
- Southeast Asian and Kunlun slaves (dark skin): 10%.
Qin (Roman) and Northern remnants (white skin): 5%.
Civilisation integration: Steadily rising to 82%. 'Your Majesty, the guards at the city gates now need to speak eight languages,' complained Gongshu Qi, wiping sweat from his brow as he wore a 'worldly affairs uniform' equipped with a cooling fan. 'Yesterday, a Mayan priest wrapped in leopard skin insisted on carving a calendar under the bell tower. He almost got arrested for graffiti.'
Liu Xun activated his 'Ultimate Performance: Father of the World." He knew that mere military suppression could only control the body, and that only the 'black hole effect' of culture could devour the soul.
'Gongshu Qi, designate a restricted area stretching one hundred miles south of Weiyang Palace,' said Liu Xun, pointing to the sand table. 'I want to build a World Pavilion, not a cage, but a microcosm of this planet's civilisation.'
Using the 'rapid biochemical concrete' provided by the system, miniature models of the Egyptian pyramids, the Roman Colosseum and the altar of the feathered serpent god of the Americas were completed overnight.[Holographic Translation Field] The International Pavilion is covered by a 'low-frequency brainwave translation array', which automatically translates sounds heard by people of different ethnicities into their native languages.
[Exhibition Area] At its core stands a decommissioned steam locomotive. To foreigners, it is not just a machine, but a 'spark' bestowed upon them by the Great Han.
On the opening day of the International Pavilion, Liu Xun personally welcomed envoys from various countries. Rather than sitting on the high dragon throne, he descended the steps and even helped a Norse chieftain up who was excessively frightened by the sight of the 'inextinguishable electric light'.
'My Great Han does not ask about origins, only about the investigation of things,' Liu Xun's voice resonated through the amplification system, conveying irresistible compassion. 'Those who enter this pavilion are all subjects of the Great Han. Abandon your ignorance, embrace the light of truth, and I will bless your nations with a hundred years of peace.'
[System notification] The skill 'Dimensional Reduction Brainwashing' has been successfully triggered. The delegation's loyalty has increased by 50.
[New profession unlocked: Sinicisation Missionary (responsible for promoting Chinese characters, weights, and measures globally). Amidst the laughter and merriment within the Pavilion of Nations, Liu Xun secretly issued another order: the Great Han Genetic Survey Project. 'Gongshu Qi, under the guise of providing free medical care, collect blood samples from all foreigners entering the pavilion.' Liu Xun gazed intently at the rapidly flashing gene sequence diagrams on the system panel. 'I need to analyse these different "seeds" left behind by prehistoric civilisations to see which one is the ultimate key to unlocking the "Ruins of Return".' Just as the ten thousandth foreigner was registered, the system issued an alarm of unprecedented sharpness.[Highest Level Warning]: 'All nations gather, destiny unites.'
Detected: The dormant "Qin Emperor's Mausoleum Interstellar Port", located directly beneath Chang'an City for two thousand years, has detected multiple biological signatures and is initiating a self-check.
Truth: Your so-called 'Pavilion of Nations', Host, has inadvertently pieced together the biological code to activate the 'Qin Shi Huang Ultimate Flagship'.
Current status: The mercury sea in the First Emperor's mausoleum is boiling and the underground engine is preheating.
Liu Xun clenched his fist, feeling the slight tremor beneath his feet. Looking out of the window at the bustling city of Chang'an, a maniacal, excited smile spread across his face.
'So that's how it is... That old fox, Ying Zheng, was waiting for me here. He didn't get the elixir of immortality, but he left me a one-way ticket to the stars.'
Inside the International Pavilion in Chang'an, envoys from various nations were immersed in an illusion of the 'Great Han Dynasty's Golden Age'. Meanwhile, in a side hall of the Weiyang Palace, Liu Xun stared intently at a deep blue holographic screen, his eyes as cold as knives. Amidst the gathering of nations, Western spies and remnants of the old order, hidden beneath the guise of silk traders and monks, were attempting to sow seeds of chaos at the heart of the empire.
'System, activate "Citizen Biometric Record Building". The Great Han I desire must be immaculate.'
'Gongshu Qi, burn all those paper ordination certificates.' Liu Xun flicked his finger and a silver chip, as thin as a cicada's wing and the size of a fingernail, floated in the air. 'From this day forward, all citizens of the Great Han must use this as their proof.'
[System Command]: Consumes 1,200,000 points of national fortune. Project Name: 'Great Han Dragon Scale ID Card – Gene Lock Version.'
Core technologies: Subcutaneous microfluidic sampling, carbon nanotube storage and bioelectric sensing.
Functions: Records name, place of origin and the individual's unique gene frequency. The chip automatically deactivates upon the holder's death or betrayal (emotional fluctuations exceeding a threshold). Watching the flashing cold light, Liu Xun revealed a smile of absolute control. This was not merely a certificate, but a 'loyalty indicator' implanted in all of his subjects.
Liu Xun launched into his 'Grand Performance: A Benevolent Emperor'. He issued the 'Great Han Benevolent Ascension Decree', announcing that all subjects who obtained the 'Dragon Scale Certificate' would receive three months' worth of free food and undergo 'gene optimisation' treatment at the Gewu Medical Clinic.
'I do not wish to leave a single subject behind.' At Xuande Gate, Liu Xun personally activated the first gene sensor on an elderly farmer. 'With this certificate in hand, you are part of the Han Dynasty. The sick will receive medical treatment and the elderly will be cared for.' Moved to tears, the people queued to press the sensors, unaware that, in that instant of stinging pain, their complete genome sequences were being rapidly uploaded to the True Dragon Mainframe beneath Chang'an.
Once Chang'an's 'genetic firewall' was complete, Liu Xun ordered a 'citywide silent scan'. Inside the International Pavilion, a self-proclaimed peace envoy from 'Great Qin (Rome)' was attempting to bribe a Han Dynasty craftsman with a large sum of money when, suddenly, a hidden clasp on his collar emitted a sharp red alarm.
'Warning: Unknown biological sample detected. This individual is not registered in the Great Han Gene Bank. Latency level is high.' Before he could react, several Dragon Scale Guards in optical camouflage appeared behind him like ghosts. 'In the Great Han, those without a Dragon Scale Certificate have only one name: death row inmate.'
Overnight, over two thousand long-term spies from various countries and cult remnants in Chang'an were precisely targeted and eliminated without any evidence being collected. According to the laws of the Great Han, 'unidentified genes' were considered the greatest evidence of a crime in themselves.
Liu Xun used the ID card system to conveniently complete the Great Han's credit rating system.
Azure Dragon Level (Imperial Relatives and High-Ranking Officials): Access to the core area of the Geography Bureau;
Crimson Dragon Level (Han Chinese commoners): Enjoy full medical insurance and education rations;
Yellow Dragon Level (Naturalised Foreigners): Subject to strict surveillance and limited to the International Pavilion and designated trade zones.
Black Dragon Level (Labour Convicts): ID cards carry a 'micro-current punishment' and are used to force people to work in Australian mines.
Just as the genetic data of all the people of Chang'an was compiled, the system suddenly displayed a line of extremely bright dark gold text:
[High-Risk Anomaly] — After comparing 20 million Han Chinese genetic samples, a "hidden sequence gap" was discovered.
Detection conclusion: A segment of non-coding DNA, 'locked up', exists in all Han Chinese genetic fragments. This gene was forcibly implanted two thousand years ago, like a 'receiving antenna'.
With the activation of the ID card system, the current state is as follows: The Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum beneath Chang'an received a large amount of feedback; it seems that the "ancestor" has sensed that his descendants are ready.
Liu Xun pressed his throbbing temples as the ground beneath his feet trembled once more. He looked towards distant Mount Li, his eyes terrifyingly profound. 'So the ID cards weren't for preventing espionage, but for gathering the final power source to activate the First Emperor's "flagship".'
The tremors of Mount Li, amplified by the genetic resonance of the ID card system, grew ever deeper, resembling the throbbing of a metallic heart deep within the earth's crust. Yet outside Chang'an, Liu Xun remained unmoved. His intention was to complete the final harvest of the global envoys' wills before the 'Ark' was fully constructed.
The International Pavilion was ablaze with hundreds of dragon flags today, and the air was thick with the peculiar scent of sandalwood mixed with aviation kerosene. Rather than riding in the traditional jade carriage, Liu Xun initiated the 'Ultimate Performance: Lord of the Heavens'.
Four vertical take-off and landing jets, personally tuned by Gongshu Qi and painted with black and gold dragon patterns, soared from the Daming Palace with a piercing shriek, hovering above the International Pavilion. The eerie blue lightning flowing along the edges of their wings shone like a divine miracle against the gloomy sky. 'Emperor Xuan, descend!' Liu Xun slowly stepped out of the cabin without using the gangway. Instead, he utilised the 'miniature anti-gravity field' at his waist to gracefully descend from tens of metres in the air like a feather, before the eyes of all present.
[System Real-time Monitoring]: 'Global Envoys' Mental Pressure' is 98%.
[System Real-time Monitoring]: Detected: The Norse Viking chieftain, the Roman consul and the Mayan high priest have experienced 'cognitive collapse' and have knelt in worship. Additional special effect: [Holographic Dragon Aura] has been activated.
Liu Xun has landed on the 'Universal Platform' in the centre of the International Pavilion. He surveyed his surroundings and wherever his gaze fell, envoys from various countries bowed their heads.'Gentlemen, I hear that your homelands are still suffering from plague and widespread famine.' A compassionate smile played on Liu Xun's lips as he gestured to the air. Several medical robots emerged, each carrying a crystal-clear glass bottle containing concentrated pale green penicillin and genetically modified seeds. 'In the Han Dynasty, these are ordinary things.' Casually waving his hand, he bestowed a vial of potion upon the elderly Roman envoy, saying, "Take this back and let your people know: those who believe in the principles of things will attain longevity, and those who serve the Han Dynasty will enjoy peace." After this, utter ruthlessness ensued.
Liu Xun walked to the edge of the platform and pointed to the vast, empty beach on the Wei River in the distance. There, a hundred-metre-high stone tower stood — an illegal, fortified stronghold left behind by the powerful figures of the old era. 'But if anyone uses my spear against my shield...' His eyes suddenly turned icy and he snapped his fingers.
'Satellite Laser: Crimson Dragon's Breath".
A red light beam as thick as a bucket and as hot as the surface of a star descended from the sky, silently piercing the clouds. The sturdy stone tower didn't even have time to collapse; it was instantly reduced to a cloud of crimson dust by the 10,000°C heat, leaving only a crater, 100 metres in diameter and filled with transparent, molten lava, on the riverbank.
Amidst a mixture of fear and adoration, Liu Xun unveiled the pre-prepared 'Universal Domination Agreement'.
'I do not wish to destroy your nations, but there cannot be two suns in the sky.' Liu Xun's voice resonated through infrasound, echoing directly in everyone's minds. 'From this day forward:
Currency: Global trade will be limited to 'Golden Five-Zhu'.
Weights: A compassionate smile played on Liu Xun's lips as he pointed to the air. Several medical robots emerged, carrying crystal-clear glass bottles containing a pale green liquid.
Defence: No nation may maintain an army of more than ten thousand people, who will be supervised by the Han Dynasty's garrison.
Soul: "Identity cards will be encoded with genes. Those who disobey Han orders will be punished by the 'Heavenly Eye' of the Han Dynasty, no matter how far away."
The envoys trembled as they approached the table and pressed their fingerprints — symbols of submission — on the laser-engraved steel contract. The instant the final contract was signed, the system panel shifted from a deep blue to a blinding dark gold.
[Achievement Completed]: 'Sole Ruler of the Planet.'
[Current Progress]: 'Global Exploration' 99% (the final 1% is within the underground palace). [Warning]: 'Because global fortune, genes and authority have formed a closed loop within the host, the "Qin Emperor's Mausoleum - First Emperor's Ark" has determined the host to be a "Second Generation Legitimate Human Emperor".'
Deep feedback: The Ark's engine self-check is complete and the entire planet's magnetic field is undergoing a 'phase shift' centred on this point.
Liu Xun suddenly looked up and saw Mount Li crack open like a peeled orange in the distance. A ten-kilometre-long interstellar mothership, covered in a bronze patina and complex runes, slowly broke free from gravity and rose into the clouds, exuding ancient majesty.
Liu Xun looked at the stunned envoys from various countries and gave a cold smile. 'Gentlemen, the "Grand Covenant" has been signed too late. My journey is no longer on the ground.'
The envoys from various countries were so awestruck by the ten-kilometre-long bronze ark that they fell to the ground in awe. Liu Xun had no time to concern himself with worldly matters. Along with Gongshu Qi and a squad of elite Dragon Scale Guards, he directly activated the 'Emperor Xuan's' docking force field. Brave the swirling dust and thunderous roar they did, forcibly boarding the 'First Emperor's Flagship, the Ancestral Dragon', which had awakened from the depths of Mount Li.
Contrary to what one might imagine, the interior of the ark was not a dark tomb, but a semi-transparent space composed of countless geometric crystals. Silver 'liquid mercury nanofluids' flowed along the walls, rapidly traversing the bronze engravings like neurons and maintaining the mothership's entire temperature and life support systems.
[System Access] Extremely high concentration of... Qin Dynasty Origin Frequency detected. Detection conclusion: This is a stellar-class expeditionary ship powered by geomagnetic gravity. Current status: Access locked. Identification code: 'Mandate of Heaven: May your life be long and prosperous.' Task prompt: Host, the dragon scale ID card in your hand is not only a document, but also contains frequencies left by the First Emperor for his subjects.
'Your Majesty, this place doesn't even have a single screw.' Gongshu Qi tapped a support pillar, producing a crisp electromagnetic roar. 'It's all modular, self-growing metal!'
Liu Xun approached the Ark's core control panel, where a bronze statue wearing black armour stood with its back to the group. As he stepped into the ten-metre restricted area, the statue's eyes suddenly lit up with a ghostly green light, instantly doubling the Ark's gravity and forcing Gongshu Qi and the others to the ground. "Junior, I've waited for you for too long at the edge of the starry sea." A majestic and desolate synthesised voice carrying a Qin Dynasty accent exploded in Liu Xun's mind. This was the remnant consciousness of the First Emperor, Ying Zheng, uploaded to the 'Bronze Computing Array'. Liu Xun did not kneel, but instead activated 'Ultimate Performance: The Unyielding Successor."
'Ying Zheng, your era ended because of arrogance, while my Han Dynasty began through investigation.' Liu Xun replied coldly. The system automatically released an 'anti-gravity barrier', dissipating the imperial pressure.
The First Emperor's consciousness snorted coldly and a vast fictional battlefield instantly materialised at the centre of the ark — a steel formation composed of millions of 'mechanical terracotta warriors', each one gleaming with an energy shield.
'If you want to take this ship, let me see if your "investigation of things" can withstand the iron hooves of Qin for even a quarter of an hour!' Liu Xun looked at the overwhelming mechanical Qin army, a mocking smile playing on his lips. 'Ying Zheng, you still don't understand what "variables" are.'
He didn't summon the army; he simply waved his hand and issued a system command: 'Local spatial thermal annihilation.'
Instead of engaging the enemy directly on the simulated battlefield, he modified the [superconducting battery temperature threshold] of the enemy's mechanical soldiers. In an instant, before the million Qin soldiers could draw their swords, they were reduced to smoking scrap metal due to their internal cores overheating.
The illusion shattered and the bronze statue of the First Emperor slowly turned to reveal a face strikingly similar to that of Liu Xun — the 'ancestral feature' of all Chinese rulers.
'So the elixir of immortality is not in Kunlun, but in the dust.' The First Emperor's phantom gradually dissipated, finally transforming into a pure black 'Imperial Seal of the State – Control Terminal'.
[System Announcement]: 'Zu Long' permissions successfully rewritten! Host identity confirmed: 'Universal Ruler - Liu Xun'.
All ship resources: Electromagnetic Railgun: 800 units; Warp Engine: warming up; Global Exploration: 100% (Achievement: Planet Lord).
Liu Xun gripped the cool black jade. The bronze patina on the ark's hull peeled away layer by layer in an instant, revealing a dark matter coating that was smooth as a mirror beneath. Looking out of the window at Chang'an, now reduced to a tiny dot, he ordered Gongshu Qi behind him:
'Inform the people at the World Pavilion not to sign any more agreements. From today onward, Earth is merely the Han Dynasty's backyard. Our journey lies in the Moon Palace, on the planet Huode, where even the gods have forsaken us!"
The ten-kilometre-long bronze spine of the 'Ancestral Dragon' hovered steadily above Chang'an, its shadow obscuring half of Guanzhong. Liu Xun sat on the throne, surrounded by liquid mercury, toying with the black 'Imperial Seal of the State - Control Terminal'.
Glancing at the holographic projection, he noticed the foreign envoys in the international pavilions, utterly bewildered and speaking incoherently. He frowned.
'System, monitor the current communication costs of global civilisation. If I were to issue an order for 'planetary road construction', how long would it take to reach every native?'
[System Instruction]: 'Calculating... Current status: There are over 3000 mainstream language families globally and the translation error rate is 45%.'
Warning: Due to semantic differences, the road construction plan in the Americas has been interpreted by locals as 'digging up the tombs of the gods', causing localised unrest.
Recommendation: Activate 'Civilisation Assimilation – Elegant Language Agreement'. Liu Xun sneered, his fingertips tracing the air: 'Standardise writing, standardise cart tracks. What Ying Zheng couldn't finish in Guanzhong, I will do all over the world.'
He activated 'Ultimate Performance: Mentor of Civilisation', broadcasting an irresistible decree across the globe via the Ark's full-band broadcast. 'I will not exterminate your race, but those who wish to enter the Great Han's trade sphere must first understand its language.'
The Great Han Global Language Decree was officially released, with the following contents:
[Trade Access Permit] All cross-border traders must hold a 'Chinese Proficiency Certificate'.
[Level Classification] Beginner (Listening/Speaking): Can engage in manual labour such as mining and transportation.
Intermediate (Reading/Writing/General Knowledge): Can serve as a junior foreman and apply for a Great Han Green Card.
Advanced (Poetry/Classical Chinese/Advanced Physics): You can enter the core layer of the International Pavilion and enjoy Great Han medical insurance.
[Examination venue layout]: Supervised by the 'Dragon Scale Guards', using the 'Brainwave Error Correction Device' awarded by the system. Anyone found cheating will be disqualified from entering the Han Dynasty for three generations.
Inside the Chang'an International Pavilion, the formerly imposing Roman consul and Mayan priest are now sweating profusely as they sit on small stools and struggle with the multiple-choice questions on the exam paper, holding specially made 'graphite pressure pens'.
[Example question: Please explain the meaning of '意思' (yìsi): 'The "small favor" (xiǎo yì) in this letter means 'a little something'; His Majesty said it had no meaning, but it actually means something very meaningful.
[Roman Envoy's Inner Thoughts]: Your Han logic is more terrifying than the labyrinth of Crete!
[Voice Control Permissions]: To speed up the process, Liu Xun came up with an even more ingenious trick: voice control permissions.
He commanded, 'Gongshuqi, install voice recognition modules on all the "farm implements" and "steam locomotives".' These magical machines would only operate when the start command was spoken in standard Chang'an Mandarin, without any regional accent. In Southeast Asia, an indigenous chieftain discovered that if he learnt to recite a complete sentence from the Chu Shi Biao (Memorial on Dispatching the Troops), the efficiency of his 'automatic rubber tapping machine' would double.
The slogan "Learn Chinese, gain immortality" circulated widely among the people.
As tens of millions of people began to memorise Chinese characters, the 'civilisation integration level' at the top of the system interface began to rise rapidly.
[High-Risk Monitoring]: The 'thinking wavelengths' of the global population are converging.
The truth is that by promoting Chinese characters, which are a pictographic language, you are drawing on the intellectual resources of the entire planet and weaving them into a massive 'biological computing matrix'.
'Language is not a tool for communication; it is the boundary of power.' Gripping the imperial seal tightly, Liu Xun looked at the dragon flag fluttering outside the window. 'When the whole world thinks in the logic of the Han dynasty, this planet will truly belong to me.'
The Zulong Ship received 'recognition' from around the world. Energy pool charging progress: +15%.