On Longshou Plain, the thunderous thumping of the steam pumps had barely subsided when Liu Xun turned his gaze to a more distant place. On the brightly lit globe in Weiyang Palace, he connected the two core cities of the Han Dynasty, Chang'an and Luoyang, with two straight, cold, charcoal-black lines.
This was the Han Dynasty's 'Tale of Two Cities', and also the first artery of industrial civilisation.
'Your Majesty,' said Gongshu Qi, gesturing on a map with a newly developed manganese steel scale ruler. 'The distance between Chang'an and Luoyang is eight hundred li. Even at top speed, it would take two days and nights.' He continued, 'To lay the "railway" you speak of, we would not only have to level mountains, but also cross the Wei River. This project would likely require 500,000 labourers.'
'No,' declared Liu Xun, launching into his 'top-tier performance as the chief architect of the era', his finger tracing the treacherous Tongguan Pass. 'I will name this line the "Changluo Hub". When steam locomotives haul massive loads at forty kilometres per hour, official documents from Chang'an can reach Luoyang before lunchtime.'
[System Strategic Analysis]
Political significance: It completely eliminates the geographical barrier between Guanzhong and Guandong, enhancing the central government's deterrent power over the powerful Guandong clans.
Economic significance: It connects the coal of Bingzhou, the grain of Luoyang and the industry of Chang'an.
Technical requirements: Gravel roadbed, standard gauge (1435 mm), high-strength manganese steel rails
The moment the planning sketches were leaked, the imperial court erupted in uproar. While water pumps were dismissed as "ingenious tricks", the railway was seen as an attack on the "ancestral foundation" of the scholar-officials.
'Your Majesty! Where the railway passes, mountains and rivers are distorted and the earth's veins are severed — this is a path to disaster!'
'An eight-hundred-mile-long iron snake lies across the Central Plains. Isn't it cutting the dragon vein of our Han Dynasty in two?' Several veteran officials wailed and lamented, wishing they could smash their heads against the dragon pillars. They believed that the earth possessed a spirit, and that every vibration of the rails was trampling on their ancestors' spines.
Liu Xun did not deploy the Embroidered Uniform Guard directly as usual because large-scale construction required the cooperation of these 'local strongmen'.
He slowly descended the steps, revealing a highly seductive smile to the group of veteran officials. 'My esteemed ministers,' he began. 'I've heard that brocade from Luoyang sells for three thousand coins a bolt in Chang'an, but two thousand of those coins are lost to transportation costs and other losses. If my Iron Dragon could reduce transportation costs to one hundred coins and deliver within half a day, how much more could the Wang and Zheng families of Luoyang earn in a year?' An eerie silence instantly filled the hall. A flicker of greed flashed in the eyes of the veteran officials, who had just been discussing the 'dragon vein'.
'Not only that,' added Liu Xun, 'but the Royal Academy of Sciences will also offer shop rental rights along the Changluo Railway. Whoever contributes money and labour to road construction will have priority operating rights.'
In order to outpace the system's 300-day countdown, Liu Xun issued a strict order within the Academy:
'Crushed Stone Subgrade': rammed earth would no longer be used, but rather multiple layers of crushed stone would be used to utilise the gaps for drainage and frost prevention, thus protecting the rails from deformation due to thermal expansion and contraction.[Standard track gauge] — Liu Xun forcibly redefined the term 'uniform gauge'. 1,435 millimetres — this is the cornerstone of the Han dynasty's industry. Anyone who dares to alter the track gauge without authorisation will be executed without mercy. Just as the first sleeper fell outside Chang'an, a strange red light suddenly appeared on the system interface.
[System Warning]: 'Large-scale changes in the geographical structure have caused fluctuations in the planetary ether. The Western 'Sages' have released their first batch of bionic reconnaissance eagles.'
Three giant eagles carrying highly alkaline liquid are traversing the Western Desert, heading straight for the Changluo Railway construction headquarters. Looking at the three rapidly moving dots on the map, Liu Xun sneered, 'Trying to corrode my rails? Zhou Meng, bring out the 'steam anti-aircraft crossbow' that the Academy of Sciences just developed. I'm going to bleed these 'foreign birds' dry!'
At the Changluo Railway construction site outside Chang'an, the first rail had just arrived but had not yet been laid. Meanwhile, inside the Weiyang Palace, cries of anguish could be heard. The entire court, particularly the senior officials responsible for rites and history, knelt together on the white marble steps outside the Xuanzheng Hall, performing loud kowtows.
'Your Majesty, you mustn't!' Digging up the earth for eight hundred li and driving iron nails into the ground is an act of nailing down the dragon veins! The century-old foundation of the Han dynasty will be destroyed in an instant!' Leading the group was Zhao Yuan, the seventy-year-old Grand Master of Ceremonies, his white hair dishevelled. He clutched a dark scroll entitled 'Commentary on the Earth's Veins and Waterways', his voice filled with sorrow.
'Your Majesty, I have heard that the earth possesses a spirit. Guanzhong is the dragon's head and Luoyang its tail. Yet now you intend to traverse the Central Plains with cold, hard iron. Every sleeper is a sharp blade piercing the mountains and rivers; every whistle is a demonic roar disturbing the spirits of our ancestors!' Hundreds of officials behind him shouted in unison, 'Your Majesty, please rescind your decree, dismantle the evil road and appease the people!'
[System Real-Time Monitoring]
Political resistance value: 95% (extremely high).
Social unrest risk: rising to 12%.
Logical analysis: This is not merely superstition, but the final counterattack by the old civil service group against 'industry seizing administrative power'.
Liu Xun sat upright on the dragon throne, initiating his 'top-tier performance: divine majesty'. Instead of rushing to refute as usual, he picked up a steaming cup of coffee (the first roast by the Academy of Sciences using products from Southeast Asia) and watched the wailing 'loyal ministers' below in silence.'Minister Zhao,' said Liu Xun. His voice wasn't loud, but it penetrated the entire hall. 'You keep talking about dragon veins. When Emperor Gaozu of Han established his capital in Guanzhong, the area suffered a severe drought and famine. Where were your dragon veins then? When Emperor Wu of Han attacked the Xiongnu in the north, supplies ran out and soldiers were buried in the desert. Where were your dragon veins then?' Zhao Yuan was speechless, stammering, 'That... that was fate.'
Liu Xun suddenly stood up and waved his right hand. A huge 'Changsha-Luoyang Line Geological Stress Map', projected through an optical lens, appeared in mid-air. The intersecting lines and colours terrified the ministers, who thought it was sorcery.
'Let me tell you what true "feng shui" is!' Liu Xun pointed to the yellow area in the projection. 'This is a subsidence zone with loose soil. If we don't lay railway tracks to reinforce the roadbed, the ground will inevitably crack within the next five years. This is also a stagnant pool. If we don't divert the water, a plague will surely break out here next summer.'
'My railway isn't nailing down the dragon vein, but rather connecting the steel spine of the Han dynasty — this great dragon.' From now on, grain from Guanzhong can reach Luoyang quickly, and weapons from Luoyang can reach Chang'an in half a day. This 'flowing water' is the true dragon vein.'
Seeing that the old fogies were still hesitant, Liu Xun unleashed his long-prepared 'trump card': 'My dear ministers, you worry about disturbing our ancestors, but have you considered whether they would be pleased or angry to see that the descendants of the Han dynasty are no longer suffering from famine? Furthermore, on the day the railway is completed, I will launch the 'Royal Medical Express'. Renowned doctors from Luoyang will be able to reach the capital in just three hours to attend to your health needs. Isn't this a tremendous act of merit?" The old ministers, who had just been shouting about the 'dragon vein', immediately pricked up their ears because, while the ancestral dragon vein was important to them, their own lives were clearly more valuable. Just as the court debate was about to subside, the system panel suddenly began flashing red lights frantically.
[System Alert]: The 'Bionic Acid Giant Eagle' launched by the 'Western Saint' has reached an altitude of 3,000 metres above the construction headquarters! Attack mode activated! They are preparing to spray strong acid in an attempt to corrode the manganese steel rails laid over a large area. Current status: The guards cannot detect the target with the naked eye.
Liu Xun's eyes sharpened and he took direct control of the Academy of Sciences' defence system via brainwaves: 'Zhou Meng, activate the Electromagnetic Induction Array and bring down those hairy beasts! I want these old ministers to see with their own eyes who the real 'divine punishment' is!"
In the main hall of Weiyang Palace, Zhao Yuan, the Minister of Ceremonies, and others were still weeping. Liu Xun's previously stern face suddenly changed as he abruptly clutched his forehead, his body swaying. Startled, Zhou Meng quickly steadied him.
'Your Majesty! Your health is paramount!' The ministers stopped crying and looked at the emperor with astonishment and uncertainty. Liu Xun's eyes were vacant and his expression was a mixture of sorrow and joy. His voice carried a distant, desolate tremor.
[Actor-level mimicry: ancestor possession]
'I... just now, in a trance, saw Emperor Gaozu.' Liu Xun spoke very slowly, tears streaming down his majestic face. 'Emperor Gaozu held my hand, pointed to the vast mountains and passes, and sighed deeply.' Zhao Yuan and the other senior officials were terrified and knelt on the ground. 'Emperor Gaozu appeared? What did he say?'
'Emperor Gaozu said,' Liu Xun suddenly raised his voice, filled with heart-wrenching self-reproach. 'When...' He established the Han dynasty with a pair of straw sandals, his feet bleeding from exhaustion. Now, the Han dynasty possesses this 'fire dragon', and even in the afterlife, he can hear its thunderous whistle. He longs to ride in this black iron horse-drawn chariot and survey the vast land he personally conquered!"
[System Real-Time Acting Enhancement]
Environment Rendering: Holographic interference activated.
Effect: A faint, illusory sound of clashing swords and galloping horses echoes through the hall, accompanied by the faint smell of gunpowder. It is as if the murderous aura of the early Han dynasty has descended.
Liu Xun's expression suddenly turned cold. He stared sharply at Zhao Yuan, relentlessly pressing him: 'Zhao Qing, you keep saying you're afraid of disturbing the dragon vein, but Emperor Gaozu told me in a dream that he had been trapped underground for too long and wanted to see the South Seas and the snows of the Western Regions. Are you blocking the railway to prevent him from surveying the land, or to make him continue to suffer in that cold, desolate tomb?' 'Your Majesty, I had no such intention!' Zhao Yuan collapsed to the ground in terror.
'No, you did!' Liu Xun abruptly waved his sleeve, his voice booming like a bell. 'You self-proclaimed loyal ministers would rather cause your ancestors suffering than abandon those few yellowing, tattered books. You're not afraid of the dragon vein breaking; rather, you're afraid that your ancestors, upon seeing this prosperous fire dragon, will despise your incompetent descendants. This is the greatest filial impiety!" Just then, the sky suddenly darkened and three piercing bird cries tore through the clouds. The 'bionic acid giant eagles' deployed by the Western Sage had already reached the sky above Weiyang Palace. These ten-metre-long monsters had steel feathers like blades and their eyes flashed with an eerie red light.
The ministers screamed in terror: 'Monsters! Heaven is angry!' However, Liu Xun sneered. He knew the Sage was exploiting superstition for personal gain, so he pointed arrogantly at the sky and shouted, 'Zhao Yuan, can't you see this clearly?' 'These are the evil spirits that want to destroy my dragon vein! They fear Emperor Gaozu's ascension to the Fire Dragon; they fear the strength of my Han Dynasty. That's why they've come to obstruct us!'
'Zhou Meng, summon the "Evil-Slaying Artifact"!' At Liu Xun's command, the 'Multi-Barrel Steam Electromagnetic Crossbow', developed by the Academy of Sciences, slowly opened before the assembled officials. This weapon uses steam kinetic energy to cut magnetic field lines and generate instantaneous high pressure, and it had already locked onto its target. Several manganese steel arrows pierced the sky like meteors, accompanied by a "boom", blue arcs of electricity and scorching white steam, instantly disintegrating the three arrogant giant eagles in mid-air. Black mechanical entrails and green corrosive slime splattered onto the ground outside the restricted area. Holding the still-alive, half-mechanical, half-biological giant eagle's head, Liu Xun slammed it heavily in front of Zhao Yuan.
'Look at this. Is this what you call "divine will"? Is this the monstrous creature that wants to sever the dragon vein?' Towering high above, his eyes as indifferent as a god's, Liu Xun declared, 'The High Ancestor appeared to me in a dream, instructing me on how to slay demons and construct the Fire Dragon. Anyone who dares to obstruct me today is an enemy of the High Ancestor and an enemy of the Han Dynasty's eternal foundation!"
The hall fell silent. The old ministers stared at the semi-mechanical monster and felt their faith crumble. They exchanged glances, then turned in unison and bowed deeply to Liu Xun and the steam engine behind him. 'Your Majesty is wise! The High Ancestor is wise! We acknowledge our sins and are willing to dedicate the strength of our entire clan to helping Your Majesty construct the Fire Dragon. We humbly request that the High Ancestor inspect the mountain!"
[System Notification] Main Quest: 'Clearing Administrative Obstacles' completed. Industrial Revolution Progress: 45%
Title obtained: Spokesperson of Heaven's Way (Industrial Version).
The chaotic slaughter orchestrated by the 'Dream of Emperor Gaozu' instantly removed the political obstacles to the construction of the Changluo Railway. However, Liu Xun knew that constructing the railway would not only demonstrate power, but also establish order.
In the depths of the surveying room at the Academy of Sciences, Liu Xun unfolded a very special map. Rather than depicting mountains and rivers, it showed only two parallel black dots and a perfectly aligned horizontal line between them. 'Gongshu Qi, convey my decree: the track width of the Changluo Railway, and indeed of the entire Han Empire in future, must be standardised.' Liu Xun slammed the steel ruler heavily on the table, producing a crisp sound. 'Not a fraction more, not a millimetre less. Set it as the standard gauge of the Han dynasty: 1,435 millimetres.'
'Your Majesty, road conditions vary from place to place. In some treacherous mountain passes, wouldn't a narrower gauge be easier to construct?' Gongshu Qi asked, somewhat puzzled.
Liu Xun sneered, beginning his 'top-tier performance: the Legislator of All Ages'. His eyes held a ruthless glint that seemed to transcend millennia. 'Narrow gauge is easy to repair,' he said, 'but it can't handle heavy loads. What I need is a steel artery capable of transporting vast quantities of steel and hundreds of thousands of soldiers. More importantly, once this standard is established, anyone wanting to access the Han Dynasty's trade network, whether from Rome or the Western Regions, will have to dismantle their carriages and replace them with my axles!"
[System Strategy Analysis]
Core logic: [Qin System 2.0 · Standardisation Hegemony]
Objective: To establish a soft link in global logistics by standardising physical specifications. Those that do not meet the standard will be excluded from the global industrial cycle.
Technical enhancement: [Interchangeable Manufacturing] is activated and all parts are produced on assembly lines. The Chang'an suburbs are the starting point of the Changluo Line.
Liu Xun removed his dragon robe to reveal a sharp black armour suit and held a fifty-pound manganese steel hammer. Before him lay the first sleeper, a steel nail entirely made of manganese steel and plated with dazzling red gold.
'This hammer blow nails down the dragon vein, connecting it to eternity!' Liu Xun roared, his muscles bulging like iron bars. A heavy thud echoed across the land as the golden nails were driven precisely into the wooden frame, securing the first section of the Han dynasty's standard rail. The officials held their breath as if they could hear the sound of some vast old order shattering.
'Gongshu, remember this,' said Liu Xun, standing up and wiping the sweat from his face. He pointed to the rails stretching towards the horizon. 'The establishment of the standard rail means that my decrees will no longer be empty words on paper. Wherever the rails are laid, my manganese steel blades and steam-powered cannons can crush any resistance within three days!'
At that moment, notifications began popping up on the system panel:
[System Notification]:
[Global Standard System] Core Plugin Activated, Industrial Revolution Progress Reached 50%.
Unlocked buildings: Standard Parts Manufacturing Bureau, Precision Measuring Tool Factory.
Reward: Berdan Primer Technology (The Han Dynasty's muskets are about to enter the era of fixed ammunition).
Far away in Europe's 'Silver Tower', the Sage detected the specifications of the Chang'an-Luoyang railway line through the lingering senses of a downed bionic eagle.
In a hoarse and horrified voice, the Sage said, "1435 mm... He has physically locked down all variables. If the Han Dynasty's railway is laid across the Ural Mountains, our war elephants and mutated creatures will never be able to cross that steel wall!' The Sage realised that Liu Xun wasn't just building a road; he was sealing off the entire planet.
With the establishment of the standard, the industrial potential of the Han dynasty was fully realised. Between Chang'an and Luoyang, tens of thousands of people, inspired by the 'Emperor Gaozu's Tour', worked day and night in conjunction with the 'steam-powered pile drivers' developed by the Academy of Sciences.
"Accelerate! Go faster!' Standing on the watchtower, Liu Xun looked at the steel dragon gradually taking shape in the distance and billowing black smoke. He muttered to himself, 'Three hundred days to go. I've already won half the race. Saint, when my train enters Luoyang, it will be your day of death.'
Outside Chang'an, along the Changluo Railway, a 'crazy infrastructure construction' project began that was far beyond the comprehension of its time. This was not just road construction; it was a power source that Liu Xun had forcibly welded onto the Han people's collective spine using manganese steel, flesh, and blood.
Under the setting sun, tens of thousands of Western prisoners of war, dressed in dark red prison uniforms, worked alongside 3,000 'S-level infrastructure engineers' who had been recruited by the system. They were taciturn, their movements precise as clockwork. Rather than holding simple shovels, they held "steam-powered stone rollers" mass-produced by the Academy of Sciences.
"Hurry! Don't stop! For every mile this railway extends forward, your shackles lighten a little!' Riding a tall Akhal-Teke horse, Zhou Meng cracked his whip as he surveyed the once invincible Roman legions and barbarian generals of the Western Regions. Now, their only value lay in being bent over and sweating profusely in the scorching piles of rubble.
[System Infrastructure Assessment]
Current labour force: 150,000 prisoners of war (free of charge) and 3,000 system engineers (core technical personnel).
Construction speed: 5 kilometres laid per day (20 times faster than ancient engineering).
Resource consumption: 800 tons of coke and 400 manganese steel rails per day.
Liu Xun stood atop the makeshift command tower, indifferently surveying the bustling construction site. In his eyes, these prisoners of war were not people, but 'biological batteries' from the early stages of industrial civilisation. While the prisoners of war provided brute force, the 3,000 system engineers displayed 'divine skill'.The officials were horrified to discover that these engineers didn't need measuring ropes. They could determine the horizon line a hundred miles away with just a glance. They operated enormous steam-powered cranes that belched white smoke, precisely inserting tons of steel rails into standard-gauge slots as though they were handling toothpicks.
An elderly minister, trembling, pointed at the enormous machine and said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, that iron arm can bend and stretch freely. Surely it contains the sinews of a hundred dragons?" Without turning his head, Liu Xun replied, 'Those aren't dragon sinews, but rather pressure vessels and hydraulic principles.' In order to outpace the system's countdown, Liu Xun activated '24/7 construction mode'.
As night fell, the Changluo Railway did not fall into darkness. Thousands of high-brightness alcohol torches developed by the Academy of Sciences lined the route, illuminating the construction site as brightly as daytime. The massive, deafening steam-powered rock-crushing machines could be heard even in the county town ten miles away, and the people there could feel the earth trembling rhythmically. This force, transcending the laws of nature, silenced all the sceptical officials. They realised that this emperor was not merely building roads, but reshaping the earth itself. At the most challenging section of Tongguan Road, however, progress stalled due to the extremely hard mountain rocks. Liu Xun personally went to the site, launching his 'top-tier performance: a commander sharing the hardships with the people'. He removed his brocade robe and joined the engineers in carrying railway sleepers in the pouring rain. Rainwater mingled with sweat, soaking his back. This scene was captured by an accompanying painter and quickly spread along the entire route.
'My Great Han needs no divine protection!' Liu Xun slammed a heavy sleeper into the foundation. 'As long as these rails remain standing, the Great Han will endure forever! The sweat we shed today means that your descendants will never again have to measure the world on foot!' With the final blast of the Tongguan Tunnel, the main construction of the Changluo Railway was declared complete.
[System Announcement] Achievement: The First Standard Gauge Railway in Human History
Unlocked rewards: Train Dispatch System – Electromagnetic Signal Lights, Heavy Armoured Vehicle Blueprint
Industrial Revolution Progress: 55%
Liu Xun's note: 'The road is open. I will now replace the wooden barrels with my 'mobile cabinet'!