Chapter 1089

Chapter 1089: The Great Trend (Part One)

Boom!

With a deafening explosion, large chunks of rock collapsed.

As the dust and mist began to settle, crowds of laborers surged forward, some clearing rubble while others tied thick ropes around massive boulders, resembling diligent worker ants.

A mile away, the once Qin’s Gujin Pass teemed with people, and various calls and shouts rang out continuously, creating a bustling scene.

This mighty stronghold, which guarded the critical pass, had transformed into an enormous construction site.

The one orchestrating and planning this project was Wang Chen. After conquering Gujin Pass, he immediately issued a conscription order, recruiting 200,000 young laborers to rebuild the fortress.

Since the original layout of Gujin Pass was defensive facing east and now belonged to Great Zhou, it was naturally necessary to change its direction.

Wang Chen aimed to make it a stronghold for Great Zhou’s incursions into the Qin territory.

This was truly an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!

Most of the young laborers he recruited were Yan people, following the principle of proximity.

However, Wang Chen did not treat the Yan people as mere tools; he drew on the wealth and grains seized from the three tribes and distributed them to the farmers based on their labor.

Moreover, he provided elixirs mixed with water for them to consume.

He even participated in the construction personally, using magic to solve problems.

Under these conditions, the willingness of the 200,000 conscripted Yan laborers transformed from reluctance to eagerness, and the rebuilding of Gujin Pass progressed rapidly, expected to be completed in three months.

Once giant cannons were mounted on the walls, Gujin Pass would achieve true fortification!

At the same time, the cavalry of the expeditionary force first occupied the highway west of Gujin Pass and established a base camp on the western side of the mountains, continuously dispatching riders to scout the situation in Qin.

Wang Chen did not expect to completely resolve the Qin issue on this trip; this task should be left to Wu Zhao and Ling Zhiyuan.

As his power grew, he increasingly felt the world’s influence—or rather, its rejection—of him.

Wang Chen understood that his time here was limited.

Therefore, his goal was to create the greatest possible momentum for Wu Zhao and Ling Zhiyuan.

The momentum to conquer the entire world!

During the reconstruction of Gujin Pass, Wang Chen maintained communication with Ling Zhiyuan, knowing that his counterpart was still confronting the Qin military god, Qin Qi. They had clashed several times, with neither side gaining a significant advantage.

Meanwhile, the personally leading Wu Zhao had returned to the imperial capital. Her mission was to stabilize the internal situation of Great Zhou, quell rebellions in various regions, and build strength for the future.

The three had a very clear division of labor!

Wu Zhao had also sent several letters to Wang Chen through swift riders, expressing her longing and affection.

However, for the current Wang Chen, matters of love had to be placed last.

After fully conquering Gujin Pass, he discovered that the world source power contained in the Cangqing Ring had significantly increased.

Clearly, this event had a substantial impact on the normal development of this world, allowing Wang Chen to harvest some of the world’s essence.

His understanding and mastery of Cangqing deepened considerably.

The strategy for the small worlds progressed, gradually entering a delightful phase!

But Wang Chen lacked the patience to remain at Gujin Pass for three months. Once the supplies of ammunition and provisions arrived from the rear, he left 15,000 soldiers to defend the formidable pass and led 50,000 armored cavalry westward across the Great Snow Mountain.

He entered the territory of the Qin Kingdom.

The western expanse of the Qin Kingdom was vast, reportedly much larger than the combined territories of Dayan and Da Qi, not inferior to the present unified Great Zhou.

The Qin Kingdom had stood for a thousand years, with a depth of history that was unimaginable.

However, from the confessions of captured Qin people, Wang Chen learned that there were many issues within the Qin, the most significant being the local lords gaining too much power, creating an unmanageable situation.

The Qin’s ambitions and invasions toward Great Zhou fundamentally aimed to resolve internal troubles, or rather, to shift internal conflicts outward, using war to obtain wealth and slaves, fulfilling various demands, and thereby prolonging their dynasty.

Currently, the forces facing Ling Zhiyuan in the north were the Qin’s Feathered Forest Army and a coalition of local lords!

Understanding this situation, Wang Chen boldly launched an invasion, targeting the closest noble power to Gujin Pass.

Thus, thick smoke from gunpowder and battle spread across southeastern Qin!

Two months later.

Wang Chen stood on a high hillside, gazing at the massive black army in the distance.

In the past two months, he had led 50,000 armored cavalry to capture seven cities, including a county capital with a population of over a million, killing countless enemies and making numerous captures, one of which was a noble from Qin.

This noble was currently being escorted to the imperial capital of Great Zhou, to be handled by Wu Zhao.

Although Wang Chen’s achievements were still far from shaking the foundation of the vast Qin Kingdom, wherever the Great Zhou cavalry went, the Qin people fled in panic, creating terror that far exceeded their actual losses.

Now, the expeditionary force finally faced a true opponent.

An elite Qin army of over 200,000!

Wang Chen glanced back.

Behind him, 50,000 soldiers stood ready.

Despite substantial casualties during ongoing battles, reinforcements from Gujin Pass had not ceased, leading to a slight increase in their numbers compared to when they exited the hidden chamber.

The increase mainly consisted of artillerymen and flintgun marksmen.

Woo–

The resounding horn sound echoed, and a deadly atmosphere enveloped the vast battlefield.

Wang Chen waved his hand for the flags to fall, and the hundreds of cannons stationed at the front of the battle array immediately shed their protective covers. The artillerymen skillfully began loading ammunition as sharp whistles rang out.

In the next moment, tens of thousands of flintgun marksmen arranged themselves forward, aligning with the cannons.

"Fire!"

With the order from the artillery camp’s flag bearer, the hundred cannons erupted in thunderous roars, plumes of smoke rising as explosive shells screamed toward the enemy army.

The artillerymen had adjusted the firing angles and maximized the charge, so the first round of cannon fire reached the maximum range of these field artillery.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Shells detonated among the Qin army, and in an instant, blood and flesh flew, screams erupting as countless soldiers fell.

Their bravery never had the chance to show even a little, as they became souls lost under the cannon fire!

After the first round of cannon fire, the Qin commanders realized the gravity of the situation and immediately ordered the entire army to charge toward the expeditionary force.

Only in close-quarters battle could they hope for victory!

However, the Qin people evidently did not learn their lesson, or thought that spreading their forces would allow them to endure the losses of the charge.

What awaited them were searing projectiles.

As many brave warriors charged forward against the rain of bullets, they suddenly discovered that the solid ground beneath them had turned into a quagmire.

Trapped within, they all became sitting targets!