Chapter 287: Opportunities Of War
The light band reflected from the dust cloud of the alien star at the horizon illuminated the Dongtu sea surface. A steamboat was heading toward the Weihai port from the northern sea surface.
The four-thousand-ton cruise ship rocked on the sea surface. Xuan Chong boredly calculated the wave coefficient in the cabin, then adjusted his breathing and calmed his emotions according to a dharma gate provided by “Azure Waves Qigong”.
Regarding whether practicing this set of qigong could increase several tenths of cultivation, Xuan Chong did not care. The main thing was to ensure “stable body functions” and quickly adapt in various situations.
Xuan Chong, who had been urgently recalled by Yandu, was now letting his thoughts wander, thinking about how to write a report to the Yandu side. After all, what he had done was no longer just a steel mill. Internally, it had touched the ancestral system.
Among the conservative factions within Dongtu, his own father could suppress them, but would the Yandu side react?
As a realist, Xuan Chong was very clear: in this world, it was not that doing “good deeds” or “walking the correct path” would win external recognition. Once anything was done on a large scale, it would inevitably touch interests.
Xuan Chong’s steel mill had now produced the first furnace of steel. In the current first construction period, the price per ton of crude steel was 1.3 times that of Liao Tie (in Fengtian). Currently, it was only suitable for railways, housing infrastructure transportation near his own homeland.
But in the second construction period, that is, five years later, after the completion of the new round of infrastructure, various raw materials transportation, and the construction of supporting factories such as “sulfuric acid” and “alkali”, its cost could be pressed to 0.9 of Liao Tie’s.
At that time, after deducting shipping costs, Dongtu’s steel would have competitiveness in the northern region of Dongying.
By the third construction period, that is, ten years later, with the layout of the refining industrial chain, local factories such as machining manufacturing in place, the price could be pressed to 0.7 of Liao Tie’s. Of course, this was a theoretical value; whether it could specifically reach the efficiency of the Jiangnan side’s industrial park theory remained to be practiced.
However, once that happened, it would be extremely difficult for the Liao Tie side. Dongtu steel would follow the port layout along the Whale Sea area, through the “Miao Street” port at the Black Dragon River mouth, penetrate deep into the plains region, and begin large-scale market seizure.
Overall, Liao Tie was also surviving by relying on regional industrial protection.
Jiangnan’s steel had always lacked a sales channel outside the pass. Jiangnan’s steel, transported the long way to the Xingan Plains, could not compete with Liao Tie in price.
Speaking of which, this was why the Jiangnan group supported investing in Dongtu’s steel industry, which currently had costs even worse than Liao Tie’s.
The Jiangnan group was precisely trying to open up a method of “Stealthily Crossing Yinping”. (In this spacetime, there was no Deng Ai or such matters, so this idiom did not exist.)
Jiangnan’s own calculation: Dongtu local forces raising a steel mill would inevitably build a large number of docks and roads, even build a series of river surface ships to support the steel mill’s survival. The infrastructure that Dongtu built for the iron industry’s survival would lower the cost for Jiangnan commerce to enter the Xingan Plains from the Black Dragon River line.
For Liao Tie, encountering a rival that popped up behind to grab the market, the accounts deficit would grow larger.
Undoubtedly, this was something the Jiangnan side was delighted to see.
Xuan Chong was very clear: Dongtu’s current behavior was, for the Xia North economic circle, a “commercial traitor who leads the way”.
That steel mill in Dongtu looked exactly like those vassal kings in the southern region in the eyes of outsiders; without its own scholars, it had no intellectual property rights. So in the eyes of the magnates, Dongtu’s steel mill was just a Jiangnan branch factory.
Of course, the “communization” personnel system reform, which Xuan Chong currently regarded as the core competitiveness, was entirely new to this world and currently not paid attention to by all sides.
Xuan Chong felt that this Azure Waves Qigong’s true qi circulation had now entered stability. That is, the bottleneck in the mouths of this world’s qigong practitioners.
Xuan Chong: When development reaches different stages, it will encounter bottlenecks. When any “bottleneck” arises, it should not be thought of as “not exerting enough force”. Rather, during one’s own development process, when interests are redistributed, those forces that react will inevitably create obstacles.
Therefore, planners should have foresight about this. Rather than rushing toward profit, charging to the bottleneck period, ignoring contradictions, regardless of anything, and still forcefully pushing hard. Maozi was such a negative example, so they could not develop their economy.
Xuan Chong looked at his own geographical position and suddenly realized that his side’s development bottleneck was not being able to exceed two-thirds of “Yandu”. Just like historically, it could not tolerate Goguryeo.
The Xian Han side adopted an imperial way attitude to urge “governance” toward vassal kings who were not making progress; but if they were too independent? That would be the hegemonic way’s “suppression”.
As early as one hundred fifty years ago, the Yandu direction had already become wary of the great alliance of the “Jiangnan provinces” in the south. It tried to further divide the various prefectures, but the Jiangnan side fought back and supported another faction within the royal family.
Xuan Chong felt a bit discouraged: If there was no necessary “united front value”, it was better to honestly be a subordinate zone and not dream of soaring into the sky or breaking through the bottleneck.
Of course, once it was determined that he was a “non-central subordinate region”, when choosing to affiliate with a certain side, it should still be distant alliances and attacking the near.
Xuan Chong gritted his teeth and determined that in the future, even if selling, he would sell to the Jiangnan masters. They offered high prices, had good production technology, and the most active market.
Xuan Chong would lead Dongtu into the “Northern Europe” small country model of his previous life, not pinning hopes on the surrounding “violent Maozi”. He had to flexibly find economic bodies that were far away, strongly complementary, and highly stable for mutual supplementation.
…However, the world had changed…
After Xuan Chong disembarked at Dalian Port, two Qian Hu were already waiting for him. Xuan Chong could tell that the attire of these two Qian Hu contained nano armor inside, belonging to his own people.
After they showed the Lin Group’s token, Xuan Chong got into the car with them. And after getting in the car, their original “commander” title for Liu Haoxing also changed to young master.
Xuan Chong did not waste words and directly asked: “What exactly is going on?”
Because of the meteor fall a few days ago, logically not on Xian Han homeland, Xian Han had no need to be so nervous.
The Qian Hu handed over a newspaper: “Young master, we are unclear about the specific situation. But in the Great Yuezhi Plains, the city at the place where the alien star descended from the sky has lost contact, including the two divisions we deployed there.”
Xuan Chong quickly flipped open the newspaper. The headline above was “Celestial Being Warning”. Xuan Chong glanced at it and tossed it aside. With this level of newspaper headline, he knew the content was just like some self-media from his previous life—copying from east and rubbing from
Xuan Chong lowered his head in thought: “Both divisions have no news?” Then he asked: “Has the Kunze Division (Seismic Agency) issued a warning?”
After learning there was no “earthquake warning,” it was confirmed that it was not a disaster caused by a meteorite crashing into the ground.
A full-strength Royal Army of Xian Han, fully twenty-eight thousand men. If stationed in a certain place, it would have around a hundred large and small caliber cannons under direct command, including forty 110-millimeter howitzers and ten 150-millimeter howitzers. Such a troop placed at the western gate of Han Land was precisely to deter the military strength of Europe’s “Eastern Wave Flag”.
And these two divisions are also stationed near the railway. So, to annihilate them all at once? That’s unimaginable. You know, there are not only mobile troops there, but also fortresses, and armored trains.
Xuan Chong tends to believe it should be an unknown situation, which caused the communications over there to actually be blocked.
…in a hurry…
Xuan Chong quickly arrived at the underground tunnel via his special vehicle, and once again saw something that did not fit this era. This was a seabed maglev pipeline spanning across the Bohai Sea.
And the people inside the tube were clearly accustomed to it. This was the infrastructure completed jointly by the Dragon Group and the Xuanwu Group under the Bohai Sea, so that Dragon Group members could quickly reach various locations in the Bohai Sea area.
After Xuan Chong showed his token at the ticket inspection station, the personnel there looked at it in surprise, but still picked it up and completed the authenticity verification inside a hidden compartment device resembling a cauldron. (Similar to the operation where an ophthalmologist examines the pupil with strong light)
North Dragon South Qilin have been at odds for many years; now the Son of Heaven has used his authority to summon all available personnel nearby, even Xuan Chong who was vacationing in the North wasn’t spared, clearly something unusual is happening on the northwest front.
…From this perspective…
In the Son of Heaven’s palace, the Son of Heaven was watching the projected image in front of him, which was the latest situation sent from the frontline.
The forward base was already covered in fog, and the soldiers were firing at a group of savage creatures. These beasts were about two meters tall, covered in muscle. Although it was still cold weapons era, firearms hitting the muscle could only open a bloody gash, but could not kill them in one strike. They seemed to have astonishing recovery ability.
Behind the Son of Heaven was an Earth “Magnetic Field Map”, with a point marked in the central part of Pengzhou.
Obviously, the Son of Heaven already knew who was behind all this.
…Entering the dragon’s lair…
The underground part of Bohai was filled with LED light sources. The overall track progress made Xuan Chong think he was in the late 20th century. The base had display screens on internal transportation facilities. One must know that outside communications were still stuck in the telegraph system.
Upon entering this base, after only one gate away from the core area, Xuan Chong ignored the incessant urging from the deputy officer sent by the Dragon Group beside him, and instead insisted on talking to the Southern Region and recording it.
Because Xuan Chong saw the slogans in the base, knowing that once crossing this door, he must unconditionally obey immediately, and no explanations could be given no matter what happened.
Regarding his sudden conscription by the North officialdom, Xuan Chong had some “Lin Chong mistakenly entering the White Tiger Hall” worry.
So, Xuan Chong made the call from the outermost part of the base, confirmed that his “organization” (Lin Group) knew he was here on official business, and that the process had already been coordinated with the Dragon Group, before entering.
This way, even after entering, he still had to resolutely obey, but when encountering contradictions or problems, Xuan Chong did not have to escalate due to his own mishandling, but could directly deflect when certain people started trouble from the beginning: Please contact my “person in charge”.
If the Dragon Group bypassed Xuan Chong’s person in charge and directly conflicted with Xuan Chong, that would be Dragon Group internal personnel not following procedure, not at all a request for aid from the Lin Group, but purely making trouble.
The delay back and forth was only half an hour. Facing the deathly pale face of the leading military officer, after confirming the situation, Xuan Chong was flexible and stated: “The Southern Region folks at home told me that coming here means following the rules.”
This scene made the Dragon Group magnate inside the base, Liu Yi (photon solidification system supernatural ability), watching through surveillance, gently shake his head.
Liu Yi sighed: “Only eighteen years old, yet so vigilant. —How exactly did your family raise you?”
Liu Yi had Liu Haoxing’s information on hand. It was said that dragon seeds were all concentrated in the “mandated by heaven” lineage, so the information was all reported to the Imperial Family.
In Liu Yi’s view: “Inherently wise and cautious, that only happens in families with several great clans fighting for succession, leading to caution in everything.”
But Liu Haoxing was not only the legitimate son, but also the only son, with no one competing. Why was he now full of schemes? He did not know about Xuan Chong’s encounter at Yandu school. This file was now only known to a few like the Son of Heaven and the Qilin Lord.
Narrator: It was said that the guileless Liu Haoxing had long been “transmigrated” by the system due to bullying, and now in position was Xuan Chong, this old coin.
…The honest man is dead…
Xuan Chong arrived at the combat hall, first swiped his card. Then quietly waited for orders. Not urgent at all, but watching time pass bit by bit.
According to Xian Han’s military law system, once conscripts arrive on time, if after submitting application in the conscription area, waiting exceeds a period of time without being summoned, they can apply for temporary dismissal to handle personal matters.
This had been tested in wartime. Some commanders after forced conscription had no further orders for a long time, causing frontline soldiers to standby throughout, leading to tactical stagnation. Note: This is like in Interstellar War when players leave troops at home base during operation.
Of course, lower-level soldiers wanting “automatic release of orders after overtime” was also rare, after all, rules are rules, and rank-and-file soldiers need to be sensible.
Xuan Chong happened to be “insensible”. After coming in, he immediately figured out the base’s internal communication system.
Then operated on the electronic interface, leaving video traces, text message traces, and every interval time point “sending inquiries” to leave traces.
Xuan Chong had already prepared the “expired not waiting” declaration.
Xuan Chong: “This young master here, waiting only half an hour.”
So at the last moment on the dot, Liu Yi hurriedly came over.
Facing Xuan Chong’s rigid posture and demeanor, he gave Xuan Chong an insincere smile and said: “This is not the army. Dragon Scale is one family, all wielding swords for the Son of Heaven.”
Afterward, Xuan Chong was led into the base and began following procedure to hear the mission briefing.
In the meeting hall, Liu Yi mentioned: Originally planned to wait for others to come together to explain the mission— the subtext being, you were so eager, I had to explain first, so you should accept the mission first.
Xuan Chong showed extreme “loyalty” to this: For the state altars and the people, duty-bound not to refuse.
But inwardly he grumbled: What rotten mission. If you really want to assign it to me, do I even have the right to refuse?
As a “scheming” person, Xuan Chong knew: When working in officialdom, if inwardly certain the matter cannot be pushed, one must show “eager acceptance”, cannot be caught on “attitude issues”, losing more initiative.
Liu Yi carefully watched Liu Haoxing, wanting to see some “inappropriate” expressions, but ultimately, what he got from Xuan Chong was only a heart of “fervent loyalty to the country”.
…Beast invasion…
The two entered the laboratory, and Xuan Chong received first-hand information.
The Dragon Group’s future technology scouting drones had flown to the Great Yuezhi grasslands. The scouting footage showed that on the originally green grasslands, large red spots grew like a disease. Zooming in closely revealed these red spots to be huge three-meter-tall mushrooms.
From a distant view, some mushrooms began to shake. The lens quickly turned to these shaking mushrooms, only to see a bladder inside the mushroom burst, ejecting a humanoid-state creature, but upon closer look, it was a monster like an upright beast.
This beast devoured the mushroom completely upon birth, then burrowed into an underground tunnel. When it crawled out again, it already had cleavers in hand, obtained from who knows where. Some cleavers were just broken tiles bound to bone, while others were pitted pig iron material.
One big brute held a relatively elite blade, and judging by the material and spray paint, it looked like a mechanical plow detached from a harvester vehicle and made into one.
Xuan Chong: “A group of nomadic monsters descended from outer space? Where are our bombing airships?”
Liu Yi: “Already dispatched. The first batch of fuel bombs was sown in this area, but did not incinerate them. And these monsters are not all using cold weapons.”
Next was the second segment of drone footage. This was near the Xian Han fortress. In the footage, giant cannons were continuously booming, but those beasts still impacted the positions.
And during the impact, one could see some armor vehicles units crafted by this alien race.
Overall, it was like a steam-powered cotton harvester chassis, but outside fixed with hammered steel bars holding sandbags, bonded with some steel shells.
These patched-on scraps of metal fundamentally violated materials science, because under the farm harvester chassis vibration, these shells should shake off, but now they stuck firmly on, even when mortar rounds fell, they were not blasted apart, but linked on like normal steel.
Xuan Chong couldn’t help standing up, because this commonsense-defying materials mechanics was very similar to when he used “torque” to load mechanical operations.
Liu Yi said: At first we thought this was just a group of alien beasts with strong learning ability, able to quickly learn to use tools. But—ten hours later, we found their learning ability was a bit too fast, rapidly understanding firearms, internal combustion engines, and able to modify them.
Then he pulled back the view to a farther position. An eight-legged mechanical centipede twenty meters long was climbing trenches. This junk had unimaginable stability, and the beast riding on top was exchanging fire with the city wall using a sprayer assembled from mortar cannon barrels.
The powerful recoil sent it tumbling five or six meters away. From its tumbling state, it was clear that its limbs were fractured. But this beast crawled back up soon after. Just like an ant stepped on by a child’s foot, it started moving again soon, with astonishing durability.
Before Liu Yi could assign tasks, Xuan Chong immediately said: “Someone needs to go investigate.”
Then, Xuan Chong said to Liu Yi: “Please give me a battalion level military strength, and the corresponding frontline permissions. I can take this task!”
Liu Yi was slightly stunned. He, who originally wanted to assign tasks, now had someone making requests of him.
Note: Xuan Chong had known since childhood that when his mom assigned him tasks, the first time she was amiable, but if he resisted, she became cold as ice.
Xuan Chong summarized that when he sensed others wanted him to do something and he lacked means to refuse, he should proactively accept while demanding more conditions favorable to his actions.
