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

Wang Han's voice, with its metallic quality like a megaphone, pierced through the hustle and bustle of Guangning City.

"For glory! Build roads and get rich!"

These eight simple and direct words were like a fire, instantly igniting the long-suppressed madness in the hearts of tens of thousands of players.

When the "world" of *Iron-Blooded Empire* arrived with near-realistic realism, it shocked everyone. They flocked in, witnessing blood and fire, the weight of history, and a tapestry woven with despair and hope. However, this realism also brought initial confusion and bewilderment. There were no traditional game quest guides, no clear leveling paths, and even NPCs avoided them like the plague.

Now, GM has personally pointed them in the right direction—in the midst of chaos, those who establish order are the heroes!

Aren't heroes all about that unique glory and that adrenaline-pumping thrill?

20,000 merit points! The first guild!

It's like throwing a piece of honey-dipped fat into a hungry crowd; who could resist?

"Charge! Build the road! I'll keep building it until the end of time!"

"Get out of my way! Civil engineering students, move aside! Let me go scouting first!"

"Anyone want to team up to kill monsters? We need materials to build roads! Lumberjack team, quarrying team, monster-clearing team, let's go!"

The entire city of Guangning was instantly abuzz with excitement. Players no longer wandered aimlessly, sightseeing, or harassing NPCs. Instead, as if propelled by an invisible hand, they began to work around the epic quest of "The Road to Restoration" with astonishing efficiency.

The hundred-mile-long official road from Guangning to Jinzhou was already in ruins from the war. The mud crushed by horses' hooves and baggage, the deep craters blasted by artillery fire, the bridges and sections of road deliberately destroyed by the Later Jin army, and the bandits and wild animals that roamed the route all testified to the arduousness of this task.

However, for these "chosen ones," difficulties are never a reason to back down, but rather a source of challenge and fun.

People from all sides, each displaying their unique abilities, are like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.

One after another, newly formed "teams," some even without a name yet, poured out of the city gates in a grand procession.

The construction team of players brought their own tools. Shovels, picks, carrying poles—all sorts of farming implements they might never have touched in the real world—were wielded with impressive skill. They dug up the loose soil on the official road, clearing away discarded stones and collapsed earthen walls.

Among them, skilled players like Zhou Keke shone brightly.

"This roadbed isn't strong enough! We need to dig at least three feet down and lay a layer of gravel!" Zhou Keke shouted at the dozens of burly players around her, drawing patterns on the ground with a tree branch. Her gray overalls were covered in mud, and her ponytail was a bit messy, but her eyes shone with professionalism.

"And this area! This is a typical soft soil foundation, so we must drive piles first! If we don't have wooden piles, we'll use rammed earth! Repeatedly compact it, do you understand?! This is the foundation to prevent the road surface from settling and cracking!"

She seemed to have turned the battlefield into her laboratory, and treated these players as her students. No one thought she was putting on airs; on the contrary, they were full of admiration for her professional knowledge.

"Damn! Coco is awesome! We'll do it your way!" A burly man wiped the sweat from his face, picked up a pickaxe without saying a word, and started digging.

Many more players, however, unleashed their unique "creativity".

"How are we going to repair this broken bridge? We don't have any materials!" one player lamented, looking at the destroyed wooden bridge.

"No materials, but lots of people!" Another player's eyes lit up, and he called out, "Brothers, let's form a human bridge! I'll be the last one! You step on me to get across!"

Before the words were even finished, a group of players rushed forward, supporting each other and carrying each other, creating a shaky "human bridge" at the broken bridge, allowing the construction team behind to pass.

The bandits and wild beasts along the way became "experience packs" for the players.

"Charge! We've got tons of coins!"

"How many merit points could we get for this wolf pelt?"

"Brothers, these bandits are walking, talking experience packs! Don't let a single one escape!"

Shi Dali charged ahead, spear in hand, into the bandit horde. His broadsword flashed, cutting down the bandits in a relentless, unstoppable flurry. He relished the visceral sensation of each strike, and the thrill of his merit points surging with every kill.

Qin Jue was like a black ghost, moving through the mountains and forests. Whenever bandits attempted to raid the road-building army, he could always nip them in the bud. He never communicated with anyone, letting his embroidered spring knife speak for itself.

Xiao Ran, along with her PVP enthusiasts, formed a "Road Clearance Squad," specifically tasked with eliminating other player teams that attempted to obstruct road construction or maliciously damage the road surface. Wielding a long spear and clad in red armor, she resembled a leaping flame, and no one dared to stand in her way.

"Trying to steal the credit, huh? Come on! Let's see whose blade is tougher!" She flicked her spear, knocking a player who was trying to cause trouble to the ground, her tone filled with undeniable domineering power.

In this infrastructure boom that can be described as a "miracle," Wang Han was undoubtedly the most dazzling commander.

Despite bearing the title of "King of Liver," he displayed leadership talent far exceeding that of ordinary people. He organized a hastily assembled team of several hundred people into a well-organized structure.

The exploration team, composed of several players who love geography and surveying, is responsible for surveying the road ahead, drawing maps, and marking danger points.

The security team, led by combat enthusiasts such as Shi Dali and Xiao Ran, was responsible for clearing obstacles along the way to ensure construction safety.

The construction team, guided by technical experts like Zhou Keke, transformed the players' brute force into construction efficiency.

Wang Han himself was like a tireless machine, shuttling between different groups, coordinating resources, and solving problems. His mind was racing, calculating the construction difficulty of each section of the road, the consumption of each type of material, and even down to the precise allocation of each player's stamina.

When other player teams attempt malicious PvP, steal progress, or deliberately create chaos, Wang Han doesn't waste any words. He commands his elite PvP players, who have followed him since the closed beta, to swiftly and decisively "persuade" the opponents to quit.

The so-called "persuasion to retreat" involved killing the opponent back to the Guangning resurrection point, then blocking the entrance to the resurrection point, preventing them from even leaving the city. This blatant show of force quickly made everyone understand—the "Shenzhou" guild was not to be trifled with.

Five days! A full five days!

This group of energetic, tireless "chosen ones" used a madness that surpassed human limits to "rescue" the hundred-mile-long, dilapidated official road between Guangning and Jinzhou from the ruins.

As the last piece of gravel was laid, as the last rammed earth was compacted, and as the last bandits were wiped out, the system announcement, like a thunderclap, resounded in the ears of all players!

[Ding! The epic regional quest "The Road to Restoration" has been completed!]

[Congratulations to the team led by player "Grinding King" for being the first to complete the epic-level regional quest!]

[20000 team-shared merit points have been distributed!]

[Congratulations to player "Grinding King" for obtaining the unique golden title "Pioneer"!]

Unlock the next quest chain, "The Cornerstone of Order"!

These three system announcements were like a nuclear explosion on Earth. Countless players stared in disbelief at their system panels; some cheered, some were dejected, and some cursed out loud.

"Holy crap! They really got the first kill?!"

"Five days! Is this even humanly possible? I've only repaired three miles of land!"

"Twenty thousand merit points! I've never seen so much money in my entire life!"

"That golden title, 'Trailblazer'! I'm so jealous! I'm so jealous!"

The system notifications echoed in Wang Han's ears as he looked at the gleaming gold "Pioneer" title in front of his ID, a grin spreading across his face. Although he was exhausted, he felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

This is exactly what he wanted!

Without the slightest delay, he immediately led his tired but excited team back to Guangning City in a grand procession.

When they arrived at the city gate, they were greeted by a dense crowd of players. Everyone looked at them with a complex mix of emotions: envy, jealousy, admiration, and even a hint of... fear.

Wang Han, head held high and chest out, led his troops through the crowd and directly to the garrison commander's residence.

Chu Ze was already waiting at the gate of the mansion.

He was dressed in a dark casual suit, with a tall and straight figure and a complex expression on his face.

"Wang Han... no, Pioneer, you've arrived." Chu Ze's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

"General!" Wang Han knelt on one knee, presenting a "mission report" he had just submitted from the system. "I have not failed you! The hundred-mile official road has been repaired!"

Chu Ze reached out and helped Wang Han up, personally straightening his clothes.

This scene drew gasps of surprise from the surrounding players.

"Holy crap! This treatment! Even emperors don't personally adjust their ministers' clothes like this!"

"The GM personally awarded the medal! Wang Han's status is incredible!"

Chu Ze ignored the surrounding commotion. He simply looked intently at Wang Han and said in a deep voice, "This achievement will be forever remembered by the nation!"

Then, with a flick of his wrist, a golden scroll appeared out of thin air in his hand.

"Wang Han, listen to the decree!" Chu Ze's voice suddenly rose, like a resounding bell, echoing throughout the entire square.

"Given that Wang Han led his team to be the first to complete the epic quest 'The Road to Restoration,' opening up a vital passage in western Liaoning, a feat that benefits the nation and its people!"

"We hereby confer upon you the title of 'First Registered Mercenary Group'!"

"And grant you your own guild channel!"

"One initial guild warehouse!"

"Ten acres of fertile land south of Guangning City shall serve as the guild's headquarters, to be used indefinitely!"

With each sentence, a tsunami of gasps erupted from the surrounding players. When the words "ten acres of fertile land" and "enjoy it forever" were uttered, everyone's eyes turned red.

What kind of divine reward is this?!

Amidst the stunned gazes of all the players, Wang Han knelt on one knee once more, his tone solemn and devout: "Thank you, General! Your subordinate, Wang Han, is willing to follow you to the death and fight for the order and prosperity of Guangning City!"

"Good!" Chu Ze personally helped Wang Han up, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

[Ding! The team of player "I'm the King of Grinders" has officially received certification and established the "Shenzhou" Mercenary Group!]

The "Shenzhou" mercenary group has become the first officially recognized guild in the world of "Iron-Blooded Jiangshan"!

[The dedicated channel for "Shenzhou" is now open!]

[The initial guild warehouse for "Shenzhou" is now open!]

The guild's headquarters has been confirmed; it is located south of Guangning City. Please check the map of the south of the city for the exact coordinates!

The system announcement went viral again, this time with an unparalleled impact.

"Holy crap! A guild has actually been formed!"

"Shenzhou! What an imposing name!"

"Guild headquarters! And ten acres of fertile land at that! This is practically a free piece of land!"

At that moment, all the players understood.

An era belonging to guilds has arrived.

"Brothers! We did it!" Wang Han shouted to his guild members, pumping his fist, his voice hoarse with excitement. "We're the first! We're the pioneers of China!"

"China! China! China!"

Hundreds of players roared in unison, their voices deafening. Their faces were filled with ecstasy and pride; the glory of being the "first" made their blood boil.

Wang Han's gaze swept over the players around him, whose eyes were red, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

He knew that the prelude to this "involution" had only just begun.

The establishment of [Shenzhou] was like a whip, lashing out hard at other player groups.

"Damn it! That shill Wang Han beat me to it!"

"No! We need to form a guild as soon as possible! We can't let them fall behind!"

"Quick! Go get some quests! Road repair! Wall repair! Mining! Any team quest will do!"

The initial chaos was instantly reversed by the shocking announcement of the successful registration of the "Shenzhou" guild. The ignited player frenzy, fueled by a thirst for merit and honor, unleashed a sweeping competition both inside and outside Guangning City.

In order to catch up with the "Shenzhou" guild, to compete for the honor of being the "second" or "third" guild, and even more so to gain access to the research rights of the "technology tree" hidden deep within the scroll as soon as possible, all the major player factions in Guangning City, from hastily assembled teams to small guilds with preliminary rules, have thrown themselves into an unprecedented frenzy of "involution".

Various "road-building competitions" and "infrastructure frenzy" unfolded in and around the city. Players no longer wandered aimlessly, but instead threw themselves into this late Ming Dynasty world, which they regarded as a "new continent," with astonishing enthusiasm.

At the city gate, the newly arrived players no longer wandered aimlessly as before. Instead, they came with clear goals: some were joining a "road-building team" that was recruiting, while others were gathering enough members to "clear out the surrounding bandits and clear obstacles for road construction." Some, after learning about the bizarre story of the "Shenzhou" guild "building bridges with human flesh," began to study various strange "engineering" techniques, attempting to speed up the process in a more "scientific" way without harming themselves.

Chu Ze stood at the threshold of the garrison commander's mansion, silently watching the members of the "Shenzhou" guild depart. The weary but victorious team gradually disappeared into the distance, finally vanishing on the other side of the city gate. He took a deep breath; the air still carried a trace of damp chill from the unmelted snow, as well as the lingering warmth of the players' presence.

He looked at the heated discussions on the player forums and at the constantly fluctuating curves of merit consumption and growth on the GM panel, and a surge of indescribable emotions welled up in his chest.

The initial chaos has been channeled into a controllable order. Those once-out-of-control wild horses have been guided in a predetermined direction by the double reins of "merit" and "honor." This first step was prudent, and its effects far exceeded expectations. The astonishing potential displayed by the players was far greater and more disruptive than he had imagined. They used modern thinking to collide the rules of the "game" with the realities of the late Ming Dynasty, producing a variety of unique and highly effective chemical reactions.

However, this is just the beginning. He needs more than just "infrastructure maniacs" who build roads and mine; he also needs "civilization builders" who can think, create, and truly change the course of this era.

He understood that the player base was a double-edged sword. Used well, it could cut through decay and usher in a golden age; used poorly, it would turn against its master and drag everything into an endless abyss. And his role was that of the one wielding the sword.

Now, it's time to add a stronger rein to this wild horse that has just been tamed, guiding it towards a truly distant horizon. That rein is not a constraint, but a rudder leading to a wider world. He must constantly adjust the direction, steer the course, and let this torrent of natural disaster break through the mire of the late Ming Dynasty, sailing towards a brand new future that he himself has drawn up.

New tasks and new challenges are brewing. It will be another major test of players' creativity, and another merciless lash against this long-ailing dynasty.

What will tomorrow bring? He looked forward to it.