Late Ming Dynasty: Summoning players from Liaodong to support the Ming Dynasty

[Chosen One No. 001, welcome to "Iron-Blooded Empire"]

The cold, synthesized sound dissipated in my mind.

The feeling of weightlessness suddenly subsided, replaced by the sharp pain of the hard, rough ground hitting my tailbone, and a strong feeling of hunger emanating from my stomach.

Wang Han suddenly opened his eyes, feeling as if he hadn't eaten for at least three days.

The light was dim, and a pungent odor, a mixture of musty smells, sweat, and the stench of livestock pens, violently filled his nostrils, making his stomach churn.

"Holy shit!" A vulgar curse exploded beside him.

Wang Han turned his head and saw Shi Dali, a two-meter-tall muscular giant, rubbing his buttocks with a bewildered expression. Next to him, a tall, thin player pinched his thigh, his face filled with pain and disbelief: "It hurts! It fucking hurts! And I'm so hungry!"

Around them, more than twenty figures lay sprawled on the ground, scrambling to their feet. Shouts, groans, and curses filled the air, instantly turning the dilapidated mud-brick house into a disaster scene.

"My god, what kind of server is this? Full sensory simulation? Even the hunger debuff is maxed out?"

"Where's the character customization system? Why do I have such a generic face?! Where's my data package of handsome faces worth 88,000?!"

"Who the hell farted! It stinks!" one player shouted, pinching his nose.

Upon hearing this, Shi Dali slapped the man next to him on the back with his large, fan-like hand without any hesitation. With a muffled "smack," the force was so great that the man spat out a mouthful of acidic water, tears streaming down his face from the pain.

"That really hurts! You son of a bitch, trying to murder me?!"

Wang Han quickly stood up, suppressing the emptiness in his stomach, and looked around. It was a drafty barracks, and the cold wind whistled through their thin linen clothes.

There was no game interface, no health or mana bars. Wang Han concentrated and finally spotted a minimalist, semi-transparent character in the upper right corner of his field of vision.

[Merit Points: 0]

There isn't even an exit option.

"This...this is way too hardcore!" one player exclaimed in despair.

Just then, Zhou Keke, with her hair tied in a high ponytail, didn't join the commotion. She walked to the wall, reached out and peeled off a piece of plaster, smelled it, then crushed it with her fingernail, her brow furrowed: "No, the clay content of this rammed earth is less than 30%, and it doesn't contain enough gravel and glutinous rice paste. This load-bearing wall is a shoddy construction!"

In the corner, Qin Jue, whose ID was "Shadow Meteor," had already silently crept to the door. He was trying to pry open the wooden latch on the door with a small wooden stick that he had picked up from somewhere, but he found that the complicated mortise and tenon structure made it impossible for him to do so.

"Quiet the hell out!" Wang Han roared, his guild leader authority instantly giving him control of the situation. "What's the panic! Didn't GG say it's 100% real? That's what makes this game so awesome!"

He had barely finished speaking.

"Bang!"

The thin wooden door of the barracks was kicked open from the outside by a large foot wearing a worn-out military boot!

Amidst the flying sawdust, a burly man exuding a bloodthirsty and menacing aura burst in. He had a full beard, wore faded old Ming army armor, and his large, bloodshot eyes glared menacingly at the strangely dressed, howling "new recruits" in the room.

It was Wang Erniu. He was furious. The general had sent him to lead a group of "Chosen Ones," and he had assumed they were elite troops sent by some garrison. But these people were all standing sloppily, spouting gibberish he couldn't understand, and their expressions showed no fear whatsoever. Instead... they looked like they were watching a monkey show at a market?

"Shut up, all of you!" Wang Erniu roared, his chest heaving so loudly that dust fell from the roof beams. "One more word and you'll be court-martialed!"

The roar silenced the players instantly.

Three seconds later, an even more thunderous roar of excitement erupted.

"Wow! This NPC's AI is amazing! The expressions, the subtle movements, it's incredible!"

"This sound pressure! It's like a built-in subwoofer! I love it! People on the forum say he's a devilish drill instructor, and he really is!"

The girl with brightly colored hair and the ID "I am a Little Colorful Cat" leaned forward with shining eyes, actually wanting to reach out and touch Wang Erniu's muscular biceps.

"Hey bro, are those muscles real? Can I poke them? Is it a 3D model or a physical collision detection system?"

Wang Erniu's head went blank with a "buzz".

What nonsense is this woman spouting? What is she trying to do? Which brothel has she escaped from, and what kind of bewitching magic is she using?

He felt as if he wasn't leading troops, but rather in a mental asylum in Guangning City, facing a group of newly released severely mentally ill patients.

Wang Han was also exasperated by this group of unreliable members, but his heart was pounding with excitement. He forced himself to suppress his excitement, stepped forward, and performed a rather awkward, ancient-style greeting: "This... Instructor, we've been recruited by your organization. Are you about to issue the newbie missions?"

Wang Erniu glared at him, squeezing out a few words through gritted teeth: "What mission? My mission is to train you bunch of trash into human punching bags for plugging holes in the city wall!"

Too lazy to waste any more words, he turned and yelled at the door, "Bring all the tools in!"

Several veterans carried in a large box and threw it heavily on the ground. Wang Erniu kicked open the box, revealing it full of rusty sabers and long spears with worn-down tips.

"Come and collect it yourself! Assemble on the parade ground outside in 15 minutes! Anyone who dares to be late will receive twenty lashes!"

Players swarmed around, picking up the junk with disdain while simultaneously testing its feel with great affection.

"Damn, a [Rusty Waist Knife], white trash quality, its durability is probably down to 10!"

"Stop talking nonsense, just feel the weight, the texture! It perfectly simulates real weight distribution! The game's detail is unparalleled!"

"Brother Niu! What's this gun made of? What's its carbon content? Does it have any hidden attributes?"

"Brother Niu, is that beard real or fake? Can I pluck one off for authentication? My side job is an alchemist!"

"Brother Niu..."

Wang Erniu felt his blood pressure soaring, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. His hand gripping the hilt of his waist knife was so clenched that his knuckles turned white. He really wanted to kill this kid who had asked him if his beard could be used to refine gold!

What the hell are these soldiers? Are they heavenly soldiers? This must be divine retribution!

Just as Wang Erniu was on the verge of losing his mind, about to draw his sword and carry out "military law" a second before.

A steady thud, accompanied by the soft clanging of metal armor plates, approached from outside the barracks.

The footsteps weren't loud, but each one seemed to resonate with everyone's heartbeats, exuding an inexplicable majesty that clearly overwhelmed all the noise in the barracks.

The chaotic players subconsciously quieted down and turned to look at the doorway.

A tall, imposing figure, bathed in the dim light of the day outside, slowly walked in.

He wore an exquisite set of black guard armor, covered in fine scratches yet polished to a spotless shine. He wasn't wearing a helmet, and his angular face, bearing a mixture of weariness and determination, was exactly like the man in the promotional CG who wielded his spear like a dragon.

It is Chu Ze.

He simply stood there calmly, his cold gaze sweeping across the entire room.

All the noisy players, including the fearless Wang Han and Qian Lele, felt an invisible pressure bearing down on them. It wasn't the pressure of data, but an instinctive fear that came from the depths of their souls when facing an absolute superior.

The entire barracks fell silent instantly, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Looking at the group of "chosen ones" whose faces were filled with shock, curiosity, and excitement, Chu Ze felt a subtle sense of satisfaction.

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"Welcome everyone to Guangning."