Courtyard House: I fish in the heavens, a professional bird abuser.

The shadow of the mushroom cloud not only loomed over Lop Nur, but also resembled a boulder that crashed into the pond of world politics, stirring up towering waves.

The nights in Washington seemed endless. The fireplace in the Oval Office burned brightly, but in this oppressively somber night, fueled by the anxieties of war, even the flickering flames seemed eerily pale.

The cold wind in Moscow's Red Square was even more biting. Behind the heavy curtains of the Kremlin, several pairs of deep eyes were staring intently at intelligence reports about the "Eastern upheaval," unaware that the tobacco in their pipes had burned out.

Downing Street in London, usually filled with the smoke of cigars, seemed to carry an unprecedented bitterness. The gentlemen who once prided themselves on the British Empire could only look at each other, seeing in each other's eyes a feeling called "panic".

"A 100,000-ton class? My God, our Manhattan Project hasn't even produced a finished product yet, and that Easterner has already..."

Roosevelt slumped in his wheelchair, his hands, which had once held the world's lifeline, now trembling slightly. He looked at the top-secret intelligence in his hands—seismic wave monitoring data sent back at great risk by intelligence agents infiltrating China, and a blurry yet chilling long-distance spectral analysis report.

If previous "divine punishment" and "ghost fleets" could be consoled with some kind of alien technology or Eastern mysticism, then this nuclear explosion is a real, physical, dimensional-reducing attack. This is the ultimate manifestation of Einstein's mass-energy equivalence equation, the most terrifying poison diamond in the crown of science.

This means that the ancient Eastern country, the land that was once arbitrarily divided by foreign powers and called the "Sick Man of East Asia," has already seized the key to open Pandora's box before all Western civilizations.

This also means that the world's hegemony has quietly changed hands at this moment.

……

However, the land of China did not immediately erupt into celebration because of this loud noise.

Instead, a more subtle and tense atmosphere spread between the South and the North. The air seemed to be thick with the smell of gunpowder and another indescribable sense of oppression; even the stray dogs on the roadside had their tails between their legs and dared not bark.

With the complete annihilation of the Kwantung Army and the Japanese invasion's unconditional surrender, the originally complex power structure across the entire Chinese territory was swept away by this "nuclear" broom, leaving only one huge suspense—how will the one in Chongqing end up?

Although the Central Army, equipped with millions of American weapons and occupying half of the southwestern region, suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain, with its main force severely damaged, it was still a formidable force. In name, it still possessed a seemingly enormous size, controlling the vast and prosperous lands south of the Yangtze River, and countless Whampoa Military Academy graduates still held military power.

To war or to peace?

This issue is no longer just a topic of casual conversation, but rather hangs like a sharp sword of Damocles over the heads of 400 million compatriots.

Everyone is asking: Should we continue?

In the past, this might have been a protracted tug-of-war, a bloodbath on the Huaihai Plain, a brutal internal conflict that would have caused the Chinese nation to bleed dry once again and shattered countless families.

But now, we have He Yuanchao.

There was that mushroom cloud rising over Lop Nur, seemingly capable of swallowing the heavens and the earth.

Everything becomes simple and brutal, even carrying a suffocatingly cruel aesthetic.

……

**Beijing, Taihe Hall Square.**

The winter sun shines on the glazed tiles, reflecting a dazzling light. This place was once the highest symbol of imperial power, a forbidden area that mortals could not look up to, but now it has become a parade ground for the new era.

A biting north wind blew, causing the red flag to flutter in the wind.

Unlike previous military parades, this one lacked the rumbling torrent of steel and the overwhelming formations of jet fighters. The most striking feature on the square was a single, enormous, and somewhat incongruous structure—

It was a high-definition electronic screen standing in the center of the square.

This is a large outdoor LED display screen that He Yuanchao redeemed directly from the system store. Its resolution and brightness are nothing short of miraculous to people of this era. The screen is like a heavenly eye in this ancient imperial city, coldly watching over all living beings.

On the screen, footage of the earth-shattering nuclear explosion at Lop Nur was playing on a loop.

Those were apocalyptic scenes recorded by a high-speed camera.

A blinding flash of light, even eclipsing the sun in the sky, was followed by a moment of deathly silence. Then, the earth in the scene rippled violently like water, and a massive fireball rolled and greedily devoured everything around it. The shockwave, like an invisible wall, swept across the desert with overwhelming force. Finally, a towering mushroom cloud, a mixture of dark red and gray-black, slowly rose into the sky.

It was a display of power that instilled despair.

Every detail was like a heavy hammer, striking the soul of everyone present.

Representatives from all walks of life gathered in the square. There were democrats in long gowns and representatives of farmers from Northwest China wearing headscarves. Of course, the most eye-catching were the negotiation delegation that had just flown in from Chongqing, and the one who had been specially invited by He Yuanchao—the commander of the Jin-Sui Army, Chu Yunfei.

Chu Yunfei stood in the crowd, dressed in the crisp uniform of a general from the Jin-Sui Army. Although his posture remained as upright as a pine tree, a closer look revealed graying temples and a deep, unyielding worry between his brows.

He stared intently at the screen, his eyes bloodshot. As an exceptionally skilled professional soldier, he understood better than any civilian official what that "cloud" in the image meant.

That wasn't just an explosion; it was the end of all military theory.

Even his prized ace division, and even his impregnable reinforced concrete fortifications, seemed like a ridiculous joke in the face of such power.

Shock? Fear? Or... a sense of relief after a profound sense of powerlessness?

Chu Yunfei's fingers dug deep into his palms, his knuckles turning white. His tactical prowess, which he had always been so proud of, crumbled at this moment.

"Brother Yunfei, how have you been?"

A loud, all-too-familiar voice rang in his ears, interrupting his thoughts.

Chu Yunfei shuddered and slowly turned his head.

What came into view was his old rival, Li Yunlong, whom he hated with a passion yet also respected to the point of utter deference.

Today, Li Yunlong was different. He wasn't wearing his old military uniform, which was still reeking of gunpowder, but instead a brand-new, exquisitely made dress uniform of the National Defense Army, without any rank insignia.

This is a military uniform designed by He Yuanchao with reference to futuristic styles. The dark green fabric and tailored fit exude the solemnity and authority of a modern army. Wearing it, this general, who came from humble beginnings, surprisingly displayed a commanding presence that commanded respect.

Li Yunlong wasn't holding a gun; instead, he was holding two crystal-clear stemmed red wine glasses, the dark red liquid inside shimmering in the sunlight.

"Brother Yunlong... this..."

Chu Yunfei raised his hand, trembling, and pointed at the huge screen. His voice was hoarse, as if he had been walking in the desert for three days and three nights, "This is... your trump card?"

"Hindsandwich?"

Li Yunlong grinned, a smile that held a hint of cunning and a touch of swagger. Without a word, he shoved a glass of wine into Chu Yunfei's cold hand. "No, Brother Yunfei, you've misjudged me. This isn't some trump card at all. It's just... an entry ticket."

"Admission ticket?" Chu Yunfei stared blankly at the wine in his glass.

"Yes, a ticket that allows our Chinese nation to sit proudly at the world's table!"

Li Yunlong dropped his nonchalant smile, staring intently at Chu Yunfei, then glanced at the pale-faced Chongqing negotiators around him.

"Brother Yunfei, times have changed. As you've seen, some things can't be stopped by sheer numbers or a bunch of American junk. The days of foreigners swaggering around are over because of this!"

Li Yunlong paused, his tone becoming somewhat somber: "Advisor He said he doesn't want to see Chinese fighting Chinese again. In a civil war, it's always our own brothers who die and our own beautiful land that gets destroyed."

"He also didn't want the country, which had finally driven out the Japanese, to be destroyed again by some factional infighting."

"So, he gave that guy..." Li Yunlong unabashedly extended a rough finger, pointing south towards Chongqing, "a last chance. A chance for him to have some dignity."

Chu Yunfei's heart skipped a beat, and a strong premonition surged into his mind. He looked up sharply, his gaze passing over the crowd, and towards the high platform in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

There, He Yuanchao was slowly walking onto the podium.

He was still wearing his signature black trench coat, his steps steady. There were no prepared remarks, no accompaniment, and no lengthy opening statement.

He stood there quietly, with a huge mushroom cloud behind him and cameras from all over the world and countless trembling radio microphones in front of him.

The wind stopped.

The entire square was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

He Yuanchao adjusted the microphone height, his eyes sharp as a hawk's, as if piercing through the camera and looking directly at everyone listening to the radio and watching the broadcast.

Finally, he spoke.

Only one sentence.

A short sentence, yet it carries immense weight.

"For the future of China, so that there will be no more bloodshed."

His voice was deep and magnetic, yet through the massive amplification equipment, it resonated throughout the skies above Beiping, as if it were a divine oracle from the heavens.

"I command—"

"All armed forces that are still resisting, regardless of their faction, ideology, or superior."

"Within 24 hours, send an unconditional telegram to the entire nation, accepting the reorganization of the National Defense Forces and transferring all defense responsibilities."

The entire audience erupted in uproar!

This is not negotiation, this is not discussion, this is a complete ultimatum!

He Yuanchao's eyes remained unwavering as he stared at the camera, as if he were looking at his opponent far away in the mountain city.

"That's also..."

"...The final ultimatum."

At this point, He Yuanchao slowly turned around, raised his hand, and pointed to the solidified mushroom cloud on the big screen behind him, symbolizing destruction and rebirth.

"If you don't accept..."

His voice turned cold, devoid of any emotion, like that of a judge announcing death.

"We don't mind using this method to give certain stubborn elements who are trying to stop the wheels of history a thorough... 'ideological cleansing'."

boom!

This sentence, transmitted via radio waves at the speed of light, instantly spread throughout the country and the world!

mad!

That's outrageous!

Naked nuclear deterrence! Without any diplomatic embellishment, it's the most direct aesthetics of violence!

He is telling the world, and also to all ambitious people in the country: do not try to challenge God's patience by any conventional means.

If anyone else had said these words, they might have been ridiculed as a madman. But at this moment, no one in the world dared to doubt his resolve.

What wouldn't a man who dared to bomb Tokyo into ruins and turn 100,000 Kwantung Army soldiers into ashes overnight dare to do?

……

**Chongqing, Huangshan Official Residence.**

Inside Yunxiu Tower, there was a deathly silence.

Even the bald chairman, who usually loved to yell at his servants, now looked like a clay sculpture with its soul emptied. He slumped on the sofa that symbolized supreme power, and the phrase "thought purge" coming from the radio was like a sharp thorn, piercing his eardrums and his last illusions.

Outside the window, what should have been a verdant mountain landscape appeared to him as a scorched wasteland.

Before him stood a group of high-ranking generals, usually so arrogant, but now pale as paper. That so-called "most luxurious command headquarters" was now filled with an aura of decay and decay.

"Chairman Chiang...to fight...or not to fight?"

A general, known for his bravery, broke the suffocating silence with a trembling voice like a frightened child.

"Fight? Tell me, how do you fight? Are you going to run your head into an atomic bomb?!"

Before the Chairman could even speak, another general in charge of the military industry broke down, tears welling in his eyes, shouting, "Didn't you see that video? He Yuanchao wasn't joking! He leveled an entire mountain! With all our resources, even if we sent all our American-equipped divisions, how many times could they bomb us? When that thing fell, we wouldn't even have ashes left!"

"But... if we don't fight, then we will..."

"If we don't fight, we'll become sinners in history! We'll lose the legacy of our ancestors! But if we fight... we'll become sinners who exterminate our race! Do you want to turn the entire Jiangnan region into a radioactive wasteland?!"

"What about the Americans? Call the US ambassador! Ask them for protection!"

"Don't even dream about it! The US embassy just unplugged the phone line! Ambassador Robert just sent a coded message, implying we should 'go with the flow'... Even the Americans are scared!"

The sounds of arguing, crying, and blaming each other created chaos in the small space.

Its former majesty shattered before absolute power.

The bald-headed chairman closed his eyes, and the wrinkles on his face appeared as deep as ravines at that moment.

His life in the military flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern: the high spirits during the Northern Expedition, the alliances and rivalries during the Central Plains War, the unity of the people in the early stages of the War of Resistance against Japan... and his once inflated ambitions and lust for power.

He once thought he was the chosen one.

But all of this seems so pale, powerless, and laughable in the face of that mushroom cloud from Lop Nur.

So-called political maneuvering and military strategy are nothing but child's play under the destructive force of physical laws.

Fate... has passed.

The tide has turned...

"Never mind..."

After a long silence, he let out a long sigh. His voice was hoarse and weary, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

The arguing in the room stopped abruptly. Everyone was waiting for that final sentence.

The bald chairman slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clouded as he stared at the ceiling.

"Send a telegram."

"A telegram was sent throughout the nation... We... uphold peace."

"For the greater good of the nation... to prevent further bloodshed... the entire Central Army accepts the reorganization into the National Defense Army."

When he spoke the last few words, this once powerful and influential figure broke down in tears, covering his face with his hands.

This is more than just surrender.

This marks the end of an era.

It marks the end of the rule of old warlords, old bureaucrats, and the old order in this ancient country. It is the final death knell tolled this afternoon for half a century of war and division.

……

With the transmission of electricity to Chongqing.

It was like toppling the first domino; the chain reaction was even faster than expected.

Across the country, those warlords and miscellaneous armies that had originally wanted to wait and see, to bide their turn between the two major powers, or even to put up a stubborn resistance, collapsed instantly like an avalanche!

People's hearts yearn for stability; this is the general trend.

The Gelaohui (Pao Ge) in Sichuan, the Yunnan Army in Yunnan, the remnants of the Guangxi Clique in Guangxi, the Ma Clique in the Northwest...

The once bustling radio channels were now completely dominated by one voice. Telegrams were flying into Beiping like snowflakes, all with remarkably consistent content, filled with urgency and ingratiation.

"Support peace!"

"I firmly accept the adaptation!"

"I will obey Commander-in-Chief He Yuanchao's orders! I have no disloyalty!"

There were no gunshots, no bloodshed, and no explosions.

Within a mere twenty-four hours, on this 960 million square kilometers of land, scarred by countless vicissitudes, not a single gun dared to be pointed at its own people. North and south of the Yangtze River, along both banks of the Yellow River, all the troops laid down their weapons, awaiting the raising of that brand-new flag over their barracks.

Peace has truly arrived at an unprecedented speed, in a domineering yet compassionate manner.

……

When Li Yunlong heard the definite news, the city of Beiping was already lit up with lights.

He and Chu Yunfei were standing on the high city wall of Beiping, with the ancient city's millennia-old history beneath their feet and the starry sky above them that had just been washed clean.

The cold wind blew, but it couldn't extinguish the passion in their hearts.

"We won..."

Li Yunlong tilted his head back and downed the glass of red wine in one gulp. This man, known for his strength, now had glistening tears in his eyes.

"Really... no need to fight anymore? Millions of brothers, no need to die?" He seemed to be asking Chu Yunfei, but also seemed to be asking himself.

"I'm not playing anymore."

Looking at the city lights and the cheering crowds on the streets, Chu Yunfei felt a surge of mixed emotions, which eventually turned into a long sigh of relief.

"Brother Yunlong, you're right. Faced with that kind of power, our struggle... is like two ants fighting, utterly meaningless."

Chu Yunfei turned around, leaning against the crenellations of the city wall, a bitter but sincere smile on his lips: "But... this is for the best. It's really for the best. At least, this vast land is still in the hands of the Chinese people. The people of this world will finally no longer have to suffer. Whoever sits in this position, as long as the people can live in peace and the foreigners dare not bully us anymore, I will be satisfied."

"Yeah, right." Li Yunlong chuckled, a genuine sense of satisfaction. He reached out and patted Chu Yunfei's shoulder hard, the force almost knocking the wine glass out of Chu Yunfei's hand.

"Brother Yunfei, don't be discouraged. You, Chu Yunfei, are a talented individual, a master of warfare. Advisor He said that although your unit number is gone, you're still here. As long as you have the ability, you'll have a seat at our 'Dragon Tooth National Defense University,' which is currently under construction! Even..."

Li Yunlong suddenly became mysterious, lowering his voice as if afraid of disturbing the gods in the sky. He stretched out his finger, pointing to the bright moon overhead, and then to the even deeper starry sky.

"In the future, we will not only defend this land, we will also fight our way to the heavens! What is that? It's the stars and the sea!"

"Advisor He said that our battlefield will be there from now on! When that time comes, don't you, Chu Yunfei, want to go to the moon to see what Chang'e looks like? Don't you want to see if crops can be grown on those stars?"

Chu Yunfei was taken aback at first, but then seemed to be infected by this grand vision, and a surge of unprecedented pride welled up in his chest.

He suddenly raised his glass, looked up at the starry sky and at Li Yunlong, and let out a hearty laugh.

"Wow! What a magnificent view of the stars and the sea!"

"Thank you for your kind words! If that day ever comes, even if these old bones of mine can't move anymore, I'll still climb up and take a look!"

"When the time comes, I, Chu Yunfei, will be at the forefront, paving the way for you, Li Yunlong!"

Two former rivals, now comrades-in-arms, clink glasses under the moonlight.

The crisp sound of glass colliding is like the end of an old era and the beginning of a new one.

……

And in the deepest secret underground base of the special zone.

Unlike the jubilation outside, it was unusually quiet here.

He Yuanchao sat alone in the empty command room. A huge holographic map floated in front of him, watching as the red hostile areas on the map turned into friendly green, and as the map finally became a continuous whole, without any cracks.

He felt no elation, only a sense of tranquility and a touch of melancholy after completing his mission.

The system notification sound arrived as expected, a sound that only he could hear.

[Ding! Detection indicates the current interdimensional war has completely ended!]

[Congratulations, host! The main quest "Winter is Coming" has been exceeded!]

[Congratulations, host! You not only drove out all foreign enemies, but also, with minimal cost, avoided millions of civil war casualties through nuclear deterrence, preserving the nation's vitality to the greatest extent possible!]

[Rating: SSS (Perfect)!]

[Special rewards are being processed...]

A dazzling special effect flashed across my retina:

[Congratulations on obtaining: Ultimate technology blueprints - "First Generation Controlled Cold Nucleus Fusion Reactor" (Miniaturized)!]

[Congratulations on obtaining: The entire Space Technology Tree is unlocked (including the blueprint for the first-generation interstellar immigrant ship)!]

[Congratulations on obtaining: Interdimensional Portal Key (fully charged, ready to activate at any time)!]

[Note: Your influence in this world has reached saturation, and the plot deviation has reached 100%. A new journey is about to begin. Are you ready to leave?]

He Yuanchao fell silent as he stared at the "Leave" option that was flashing with golden light.

His finger hovered in mid-air, not falling for a long time.

He remembered Zhao Gang's ramblings and ideals about building a new China, Li Yunlong's rough but sincere jokes, Wei Heshang and Duan Peng, and the young soldiers who sacrificed themselves on the battlefield to cover him.

The trials and tribulations of these past few years, this land, and these passionate people have left an indelible mark on his life.

He left behind too many things to worry about in this world.

But he also knew clearly that, just as his arrival had been abrupt, his historical mission was already complete.

This country has stood up, its backbone replaced with titanium alloy. And with the atomic bomb in its hand, no matter how many years pass, no one will be able to bully it in the slightest.

The rest of the journey is theirs to walk. Only the path they forge themselves will be the most secure.

He Yuanchao took a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes, and began to communicate with the system in his mind.

"System, give me some time."

"You should be able to grant me this privilege, right?"

[Host request received. Transmission countdown extended to 72 hours.]

"That's enough."

He Yuanchao smiled gently.

"I still need to... say goodbye properly to my old friends. I also need to personally hand over this final 'gift'—those technological blueprints—to those lovely people."

He stood up, straightened his collar, and turned on the lights in the command room.

Then, he strode towards the door.

The heavy explosion-proof door slowly opened, and the blinding sunlight rushed in, casting a long shadow of him.

Outside, the sun shines brightly, and a gentle breeze blows.

This is a brand new era.

An era of soaring dragons belonging to the East, an era that will surely shock the world!