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

At this moment, a corner of an encrypted forum, known as the "Black Market" by players, on the official road leading from Guangning to Shanhaiguan was filled with jubilation.

In the exclusive channel of the [Reverse Scale] guild, text was scrolling by at lightning speed, with messages surging like waves.

"Jin Buhuan is awesome! Half an hour! A full half hour! I almost burst out laughing watching those idiots rummaging through the mud for fuses!"

Qian Shi, whose ID is "Jin Buhuan," is currently sitting atop an abandoned watchtower, enjoying the night breeze, a smug look on his face. While listening to the praise in the channel, he types a reply: "No big deal, just a piece of cake. The guild leader is brilliant, planning ahead; we're just following the rules."

He spoke modestly, but the barely suppressed pride in his words was palpable even through the screen.

"Master Jin Buhuan is too modest!" someone immediately chimed in the chat, their tone laced with flattery. "If it weren't for your skillful maneuvering, timing the incident perfectly, and your flawless performance, how could you have possibly held off those mad dogs?"

"Exactly, Zhou Keke is such a shrewd woman. If it were anyone else, she would have exposed them long ago, and they wouldn't have been able to get even half an hour."

"The president has great foresight! Our move is far superior to those reckless brutes who only know how to hack and slash!"

Jin Buhuan, the real-life Qian Shi, was currently seated atop an abandoned watchtower. The night wind was biting, but he felt no chill. He flicked his finger, tucking a stray strand of hair behind his ear, a smug smile playing on his lips. The blatant and enthusiastic praise in the chat made him feel incredibly comfortable. He typed a reply, his tone tinged with barely suppressed arrogance: "Piece of cake, a mere trifle. The guild leader is brilliant, planning ahead; we were just following the rules."

The focus of the praise quickly shifted like a tide to the guild's true core—"Descendants of the Dragon".

Long Shuo, the guild leader of the [Reverse Scale] guild, was currently in a makeshift command room constructed from rags and planks. The outside world was isolated from the noise, with only the faint light from the computer screen illuminating his serene face. On the simple map before him, the route of Chu Ze's army, outlined in cinnabar, stretched into the distance like a writhing snake.

He didn't rush to respond to the rapidly scrolling flattery on the screen. He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and the warmth of the tea contrasted sharply with the playful smile on his face. These players were so easy to control. Greed, selfishness, and the desire for success—these most basic human weaknesses were laid bare before him under the magnifying glass of the game.

His long, slender fingers tapped lightly on the keyboard, producing a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound. Each keystroke heralded a far-reaching plan.

"Very good, Jin Buhuan did a great job this time." Long Shuo finally spoke, his tone calm, yet containing an undeniable authority. There were no extra praises, but this restrained recognition satisfied the vanity of those opportunists more than any exaggerated words.

He continued typing, his words revealing his insight into the world: "A mere half an hour may seem insignificant to them. However, on a battlefield where everything changes in an instant, every second can determine the final outcome."

He paused deliberately, letting his words slowly ferment in the channel, like poison eroding those already wavering hearts.

"The defense of Beijing was indeed an epic event." Long Shuo's tone shifted, adopting the calm analysis of a historian. "But you must understand that 'epic' implies an irreversible trend. In 1629, the Jisi Incident occurred. From that moment on, the foundations of the Ming Dynasty began to rot!"

Every word he typed carried a seductive power, cutting precisely into the deepest desires of the players like a knife.

"The tide of history is mighty and unstoppable; those who follow it prosper, and those who oppose it perish! No matter how high Chu Ze jumps now, he cannot escape the shackles of history. Does he think he can defy fate? What a joke! He is nothing more than a stepping stone under Huang Taiji's feet!"

In the channel, the voices that had previously held a sliver of hesitation were instantly drowned out by these words. They were replaced by even more fervent agreement, like hungry beasts smelling blood.

"The president is absolutely right! The truth of history is right there!"

"Those idiots just charge forward without ever reading a history book!"

"The Ming Dynasty was in such a rotten state, how could you expect it to survive?"

Long Shuo was quite satisfied with this. He picked up his teacup and took another sip. These people needed an excuse to "accept their fate" so they could do the most heinous things with a clear conscience.

"Why do we play games?" Long Shuo threw out his "pie in the sky" again, his voice full of temptation. "For the rewards! For the hidden quests! The Ming Dynasty faction is overcrowded right now, tens of thousands of hardcore players are vying for those meager merit points, not even getting a sip of soup. But think about it, what if we were to join Huang Taiji now?"

He deliberately used the word "defect" instead of "betrayal." The text scrolling in the channel suddenly accelerated, and in an instant, countless "!" and "666" filled the screen, and the atmosphere instantly changed from silence to boiling over.

(Please remember the website 20 ...

"A timely act of kindness! This is absolutely a one-of-a-kind 'Rise of the Dragon' questline'!" Long Shuo emphasized, each word striking a chord deep within people's hearts. He depicted the grand vision in his mind: "When the Manchus enter the pass, we will be their loyal subjects! Titles, fiefdoms, top-tier equipment—all will be ours!"

These words were like a piece of greasy meat thrown into a pack of hungry wolves. The channel exploded with messages again, the text on the screen almost frozen in place.

"That makes sense! Fortune favors the bold!" Someone typed these words, their fingertips trembling slightly with excitement.

"President, what do you say we do? We'll do whatever you say!" one ID quickly chimed in, their tone filled with urgency and eagerness.

"I've been annoyed with those Ming Dynasty NPCs for a long time. They all act so high and mighty. Let's see how high and mighty they can be now!" Another player vented his resentment towards the NPCs, his words filled with malicious glee.

A cold smile curled at the corner of Long Shuo's lips; this was the result he wanted. He tapped his finger, and a smug emoticon appeared in the channel. Then, he began to assign the next task.

"A direct confrontation is definitely not going to work; those tens of thousands of lunatics could tear us apart." Long Shuo's voice—transmitted through cold text—remained calm and resolute, without the slightest fluctuation. "Therefore, we need deeper levels of destruction."

He named Jin Buhuan directly: "Jin Buhuan, you will continue to infiltrate the logistics team and use your connections. This time, I want you to try tampering with the supplies or ammunition."

Jin Buhuan replied almost instantly, full of enthusiasm: "Chairman, how exactly do we do it? Should we replace the shell fuse with inferior gunpowder, or mix rotten food into the potatoes?" He asked directly, with a ruthless efficiency.

Long Shuo's command and Jin Buhuan's response sent a chill down the spines of many players in the channel. This was no longer a simple delay; it was blatant murder. For a moment, the typing slowed, and a brief pause appeared on the screen. However, this brief hesitation was quickly dispelled by the immense allure of being a "Minister of the Rise of the Dragon." Those players, whose eyes were only on profit, showed no hesitation whatsoever; instead, they were filled with anticipation for the impending "reward."

"Very good, Jin Buhuan, you're very clever." Long Shuo's praise struck Jin Buhuan's vanity precisely, making him feel elated again. He continued, "Both methods can be tried. But remember, the methods must be covert, leaving no evidence. Our goal is to create greater chaos or casualties, not direct exposure."

"Understood!" Jin Buhuan replied with an unquestionable confidence. "I will try my best to make these 'accidents' look flawless!" He even imagined the bewildered expressions of the Ming generals when those "accidents" happened.

Long Shuo then looked at another ID: "Wu Jingjing".

"Here!" Wu Jingjing responded immediately, his tone filled with excitement. He was a passionate and impulsive young man, and he was always ready to carry out Long Shuo's orders.

"You're in charge of contacting the brothers who are lurking in the transport team," Long Shuo said. "Have them find an opportunity to disguise it as a 'secret urgent message.' We need to present our pledge of allegiance to Huang Taiji."

"The president wants to..." Wu Jingjing said, somewhat excitedly.

"Yes, contact Huang Taiji's reconnaissance team directly!" Long Shuo confirmed his guess. "This is the best opportunity to demonstrate our value to the Later Jin leadership."

"This letter can't be just an ordinary secret report." Long Shuo began to give detailed instructions. "The letter must describe the players' characteristics in detail, especially their 'immortality' and the reasons for their bizarre behavior. Of course, more importantly, it must emphasize Chu Ze's 'ambition'!"

Long Shuo emphasized the word "ambition" heavily.

"We must make Huang Taiji understand that Chu Ze is ostensibly 'serving the emperor,' but in reality, he is accumulating strength and intends to establish himself as emperor! These 'heavenly soldiers' are his tools to overthrow the Ming Dynasty and establish a new dynasty! At the same time, we must also imply that our [Rebel Scale] guild is willing to serve the Great Khan faithfully and help him achieve his hegemony as soon as possible."

"Chairman, how do we get this letter out? The Ming army is heavily guarded along the way, and the capital is in dire need of help. The messengers are almost running the official roads to deliver the message," Wu Jingjing asked.

"Idiot!" someone immediately scolded in the channel. "Isn't this an opportunity? The Ming army has many messengers, which means chaos, and chaos is our cover!"

Long Shuo typed his reply: "Have our brothers take advantage of the Ming generals' anxiety about the capital's peril, disguising themselves as routed soldiers fleeing from the capital's direction, or infiltrating the chaotic ranks on the route to aid the emperor. Then, find an opportunity to approach the Later Jin army's reconnaissance teams. Remember, the letters must be written using our internal encryption method, and then disguised with the official seal of the Ming Dynasty, making them appear as a secret report of surrender from a loyal Ming general to the Later Jin."

He paused for a moment, then added, "In the letter, we also need to use the most exaggerated language to describe the terror of Chu Ze's players, the more bizarre the better! That way, even if Huang Taiji has doubts about our secret report, he will choose to believe it to some extent because of the appearance of the so-called 'heavenly soldiers.' This is psychological warfare."

He paused for a moment, then added, "In the letter, we also need to use the most exaggerated language to describe the terror of Chu Ze's players, the more bizarre the better! That way, even if Huang Taiji has doubts about our secret report, he will choose to believe it to some extent because of the appearance of the so-called 'heavenly soldiers.' This is psychological warfare."

"Brilliant!" Wu Jingjing exclaimed. "The president is brilliant! This will definitely make Huang Taiji wary of Chu Ze and his group, and they might even try to weaken Chu Ze's power!"

"That's right." Long Shuo was very satisfied with Wu Jingjing's reaction; this was exactly what he wanted. He didn't want simple surrender, but rather for her to become the thorn in the side that would stir up the situation.

"This letter is like a pebble thrown into the unfathomable lake in Huang Taiji's heart." Long Shuo gently pointed to the location of the capital on the map, a cold smile curving his lips.

He knew that Huang Taiji was an extremely suspicious and cunning opponent. This letter wouldn't immediately convince him, but he would definitely keep the "heavenly soldiers" and "Chu Ze's ambitions" mentioned in it firmly in his mind. Once Chu Ze's player army truly demonstrated "immortality" on the battlefield, or did something outrageous, this letter would become the seed of doubt in Huang Taiji's mind, taking root and sprouting.

He could even intentionally or unintentionally "remind" Huang Taiji in his letters that Chu Ze's army was not large in number, but it was exceptionally elite and had a fanatical loyalty to Chu Ze himself.

As a result, Huang Taiji may focus more on Chu Ze's "heavenly soldiers" in the upcoming battles, and may even make some strategic adjustments in order to "subdue" or "eliminate" Chu Ze. These adjustments, whether weakening Chu Ze or giving him "special treatment," will greatly benefit the [Reverse Scale] guild.

"Gentlemen, this mission is of paramount importance," Long Shuo concluded. "Success brings wealth and honor, while failure means utter ruin."

"Rest assured, Chairman, your subordinates will do anything to save you!" Wu Jingjing and other core members immediately declared in the channel.

Long Shuo turned off the channel, leaned back in the simple chair, and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

He picked up the "Ming Dynasty History Popular Science Post" that the players had downloaded from the forum, which was on the table. It clearly stated that after the Jisi Incident, Yuan Chonghuan was executed by dismemberment. He sneered; even the players knew exactly where the plot was headed.

He, Long Shuo, was not one of those fools who only knew how to follow the plot. What he wanted to do was become the manipulator of the plot, the observer of history, and even more so, the beneficiary of history.

He intends to use this "Fourth Calamity" power, which can influence the plot, to pave a path to the top for himself in this chaotic game world.

As for Chu Ze, the "main storyline boss" revered by players, in his eyes, he was nothing more than a more important pawn in this game of chess.

Long Shuo's gaze fell once again on the simple map. He lightly tapped Shanhaiguan, then slid his eyes towards the distant capital.

Shanhaiguan, the first pass of the Great Wall. Beyond here lies the heart of the capital region.

That place is about to become a millstone of flesh and blood. And he will be the fisherman standing behind the millstone, reaping everything.

The night was deep, and a cold wind seeped in through the cracks in the broken window, swirling around as if playing a prelude to the impending bloodshed.

A bloodthirsty smile curled at the corners of Long Shuo's mouth.

He couldn't wait any longer.