Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 444: Harmony Between Man and Nature, Preparations Before the Northern Expedition_1
There always seems to be something off about Emperor Jing, Wang Linchi thought. It’s a bit strange; this Emperor Jing doesn’t strike me as someone with remarkable talent or strategic thinking. Theoretically, individuals like him would possess an overwhelming desire for power and wouldn’t relinquish it so easily. Based on our interactions, he gives off more of a passionate vibe than that of a ruthless, ambitious ruler. Still, it’s a pity he isn’t the protagonist. As for conquering the Northern Barbarians in three months, I couldn’t care less.
He wasn’t worried about travel time; he would simply take an airship. Normally, airships wouldn’t be very effective, but this was a low-martial world with some mysterious elements still present. With steam engines as the core, Wang Linchi had introduced a series of technologies that, on the surface, looked highly problematic. However, with his title of Triple First Scholar Spirit Master, no one dared to question or oppose him. Coupled with Emperor Jing’s backing, Wang Linchi was confident he could create a modern, powerful army within a month.
Then, they would march directly into the Northern Royal Court, capture the Khan, bring him back, establish a foothold, and slowly gather all systems related to Demon Gods and Shamans.
The speed of ordinary airships was a bit slow, perhaps around 250 kilometers per hour. However, with a Spirit Master’s techniques, it could reach 300 kilometers per hour, a truly shocking speed for this era. Moreover, the airship could ignore geographical obstacles. As long as it didn’t encounter severe weather, a round trip could be made in two days.
He didn’t plan to manufacture firearms directly; it was too late for that. Instead, the Steam Air Cannon was an excellent alternative. These could be mounted directly on the airships for long-range bombardment. Under the force of the Impact and the ensuing heatwaves, everything within a ten-meter radius of the strike point would be reduced to rubble. Anyone nearby would be scalded by the dissipating hot air.
In short, they just needed to charge in and kill; the rest was unimportant. If the Khan was accidentally killed in the process, it didn’t matter. His skull could be brought back as a trophy.
I thought the system would be complete after becoming a Jinshi. It seems there’s still a little bit lacking, Wang Linchi mused. His gaze returned to his last Spiritual Talent, a passive Talent called Harmony Between Man and Nature.
[Harmony Between Man and Nature: Divinity compatibility +100%]
What exactly is the difference between compatibility and affinity? he wondered.
His Wenqi had fully matured; it just needed time to stabilize. Wang Linchi suspected it was because his Spirit Bones, Spirit Veins, and Spirit Law were underdeveloped. After all, this was the End of the Dharma Era. In such an environment, if one’s aptitude for Spirit Bone and Spirit Vein cultivation was poor, it was actually somewhat better, as it consumed fewer resources. He hadn’t noticed before because it wasn’t yet complete, so the disparity wasn’t obvious. Now, with a direct comparison, it was quite clear.
The four innate substances from my Number One Scholar title will have to wait. Although they’ve been analyzed, I’ll use them only after my system is fully supplemented.
Wang Linchi could also use Experience Value to transform it into innate substances. However, these substances only took effect once. He could provide a vast amount of Experience Value for this conversion, but if the process was interrupted, it would be over. A second attempt would yield far inferior results compared to the first. Therefore, Wang Linchi had to ensure he was in peak condition before proceeding.
Then there’s Emperor Jing. I need to send him on his way as soon as possible, Wang Linchi pondered. Whether Emperor Jing was a man of great talent and bold vision or an old fox, as long as he was dead, everything else would be easy to handle. The reason he needed to die was simple: like the previous emperor, Emperor Jing still had no heir. Once he died, Wang Linchi could prop up a new one.
He could control the North within three months and likely handle the South in another two. Therefore, it would be best if Emperor Jing died within two years. He needed the entire Jing State to serve as his experimental field. This required a puppet emperor or a foolish one to emerge. An overly capable emperor would be beyond his control.
Emperors? They should just stay in the harem, acting as breeding studs to produce heirs. So, I need to cultivate a faction to serve as my supporting Great Family. Like... the Donglin Party? An idea sparked in Wang Linchi’s mind. Yes, this could work.
As for what would happen to Dajing afterward, Wang Linchi couldn’t care less. He had considered choosing the Eunuch Party, but they were natural vassals of imperial power. Since he wasn’t a member of the Royal Family, it would be impossible unless he himself sat on the throne. But he didn’t want to ascend to the throne. He might be tempted in a high-martial or high-magic world, but in a low-martial world, it was simply too much trouble. It would be far better to be an all-powerful, treacherous minister who could deceive everyone.
A reckoning afterward? That’s a problem for later. By then, he might have already left this world. Why would he possibly stay?
To complete these plans, Emperor Jing had to die. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
It’s unrealistic for him to drop dead immediately. The best approach is a slow-acting poison, making it appear as though he died from a sudden illness or from exhaustion due to overwork. Wang Linchi knew he couldn’t act too quickly or too slowly. Acting too quickly could leave openings for errors, while acting too slowly could lead to unforeseen complications.
I’ll let the Memory Cores handle it. This task definitely had to be handled by Memory Cores. Who else could he trust? He couldn’t trust anyone else with this. He just needed to use Memory Cores to replace Emperor Jing’s food-tasting eunuch and the eunuch serving as the imperial chef; that way, he could generally keep everything under wraps. A complete replacement of all staff was unrealistic, of course. Memory Cores were, after all, artificial and bound to reveal flaws sooner or later. Moreover, this Emperor Jing seemed rather peculiar, and Wang Linchi couldn’t quite get a read on him.
This time, I should be able to hold out for about another month. Glancing at his level cap, Wang Linchi noted that his strength was still increasing rapidly.
After dealing with his personal affairs, he finally headed to the Ministry of Works.
"Sir, you have arrived," an official from the Ministry of Works greeted Wang Linchi as soon as he arrived.
"How is the progress?" Wang Linchi asked. He was, of course, asking about the progress of the Steam Air Cannons and the airships.
"Following your blueprints, seventy-two Steam Air Cannons have been manufactured. The airship construction is slightly slower; only one has been completed and it was successfully test-flown yesterday," the Ministry of Works official reported faithfully.
No one present was a fool. They knew Wang Linchi could kill them without facing any repercussions. Even the factions or Great Families backing them wouldn’t dare to offer protection.
"The production of the airships must speed up. I want three hundred within a month. Use assembly-line production and conscript civilian laborers. This task could originally be completed in half a month, but I’m giving you an extra half a month. If you ruin my plans, I’ll have you all skinned alive," Wang Linchi stated calmly.
"Yes, yes, we will make sure to fulfill your demand, Sir," the Ministry of Works official hurriedly replied.
Nearly 50,000 civilian laborers, both men and women, had been conscripted and were working day and night. If they failed to complete the task, they would indeed be skinned alive; Wang Linchi wasn’t speaking metaphorically. There was no need to worry about the laborers’ welfare; the Ministry of Revenue covered the expenses for these 50,000 laborers. They received one meat dish daily, three full meals, and also earned wages.
Naturally, everyone worked desperately hard, especially since Wang Linchi had implemented a piece-rate wage system: the more you did, the more you earned. However, he was no fool. All parts and materials were subject to strict quality inspections. If any were found to be substandard, the responsible party’s entire family would be executed. No one was foolish enough to challenge the quality standards with their entire family’s lives on the line. Moreover, there was collective responsibility; even the supervising officials would be held accountable for failures.
There were complaints, naturally, but no one dared voice them openly. Firstly, Wang Linchi was undeniably ruthless. Secondly, he was also exceedingly generous. If this order was completed, everyone involved, from top to bottom, would profit immensely. Making promises and using coercion wasn’t enough; he also had to offer genuine incentives. Otherwise, who would willingly do solid work for you?
"Bring me yesterday’s report," Wang Linchi said, naturally wanting to review the records first.
The official had already prepared it. For the past few days, Wang Linchi had followed the same routine: reviewing reports, inspecting the workshops, and randomly checking samples. So far, everyone had been diligent, and no incidents had occurred. Consequently, Wang Linchi had maintained an affable demeanor, refraining from excessive brutality. If things went smoothly, it was good for everyone. But if something went wrong, Wang Linchi would undoubtedly turn hostile, as these matters directly impacted his personal interests. Otherwise, they might genuinely start to think he was easy to deal with.
Those who took his money, accepted his gifts, and feasted at his expense had to obey him. Those who didn’t would be eliminated.
"Not bad. Let’s go to the workshop," Wang Linchi said after glancing at the report. It looked excellent on paper, but he still needed to see the actual situation in person.
"This way, please, Sir," the Ministry of Works official immediately led the way. He wasn’t worried about the inspection revealing any problems; the quality control had been extremely tight from start to finish, with no relaxation at any point.
