You became an emperor by letting me AFK.

The ownership of a few city-states is indeed insignificant; the problem lies in the underlying signal, indicating that the empire is accelerating its pace. The enemy is advancing directly, and those city-states will become natural relay stations to protect their supply lines.

Proceed step by step.

Even a layman could see that the Great Qian Empire was governed by rules and regulations, and there were rumors that the elite troops of the inner palace had also been mobilized.

That was an armed force directly responsible to the High Priest and led by the Great Prophet.

The inner palace has been filled with powerful figures throughout its history.

Before us were Bayar and Song Jingyun, and now we have immortal psychic beings like Dai Qingshuang. They are all renowned powerhouses who have made their mark not only in the material universe but also in the subspace.

Any human in the Terra world with a certain level of spiritual awareness could vaguely sense that achievement.

"Martin, what do you think of the threat posed by the psionicists in the Great Qian Dynasty?"

"It's terrifying."

The missionary who was specifically called upon was a psychic expert present; no one was more knowledgeable about psychic and religious matters than him. Of course, one sentence wasn't enough, so he continued, "The Great Qian has already opened two spatial rifts in the subspace and is fighting every day..."

Martin described his observations in subspace in detail.

Ordinary psionicists can often peer into the warp, and the danger has actually decreased under the Empire's offensive against the Familias. Everyone appreciates this, and naturally, they have also seen the strength of their adversary.

The three promoted individuals each illuminated a region with their mental projections, and even established permanent residences there.

The monastery and inner sanctuary.

The two organizations brought together the most powerful psionicists in the entire empire.

"Those people are not amateurs; they are professionally trained and protected by those who have been promoted or even by the Heavenly Dao, which is why they have such strong combat power."

The hardest thing for psykers is not to go crazy.

As long as you successfully resist the allure of the subspace, it is actually a treasure trove for you to choose from.

However, the Great Qian Dynasty was blessed with exceptionally favorable conditions. It had the protection of the High Priest, who in turn helped his subordinates to light up a bright place, making it a training ground that continuously produced troops, with terrifying results.

"According to Martin, we'd be better off playing defensively."

Colonial Governor Lister made the final decision. This man, with a military background, had a resolute face and a firm will, and would not be easily intimidated.

His tough stance gradually solidified the direction of the meeting.

"Let's take action."

Governor Lister's orders were carried out: fortifications had to be built regardless of whether reinforcements arrived. As a result, the entire east coast was mobilized, and no one could remain uninvolved.

The East Coast colonies have adopted a decisive stance, at least to prevent the Great Qian from perceiving them as easy targets.

And so the two sides began scheduling on a monthly basis...

The second half of the year.

The allied forces of the Western Continent finally departed from their sporadic arrivals over the past few months and instead entered the port on a large scale, bringing tens of thousands of tons of supplies, enough to arm the main force.

"Great! Our reinforcements have finally arrived. They didn't abandon this place."

"What's so good about it? The time for the final battle has come."

"What's the rush? We'll probably have to march for quite a while. In my opinion, we should just keep the fighting in the central region and not let the colonies get caught up in it."

"That's wishful thinking. If a full-scale war breaks out, we'll all be implicated..."

"The conscription order has arrived!"

"Damn, I knew they didn't bring many men. They were planning to conscript men on the spot."

One reason why the support fleet arrived late was the constant infighting within the coalition forces. One side would propose a plan, the other would reject it, and the dispute went back and forth without reaching a conclusion. One of the core issues was the availability of manpower.

High-quality recruits are always a scarce resource.

If we send the core population's military force thousands of kilometers away to fight in the colonies, wouldn't that weaken ourselves?

We can send troops, but not too many, and we can't let the Great Qian defeat us easily.

How to do?

After much deliberation, only one option remained: conscription on the spot. Even knowing that the places of exile were mostly inhabited by thugs and ruffians, they didn't care. What were the requirements for cheap labor? They were all brought in.

Both the governor and the general reached a tacit agreement to use the most primitive and common method: forced conscription.

The blood and bones of the East Coast will all be poured into the army, becoming a sharp dagger aimed at the Great Qian Dynasty.

【hint】

In the 132nd year of the Enlightenment, the armies on the east and west coasts of the New World clashed for the first time on a small scale. The Great Qian Empire gained the upper hand and pushed its front line forward.

The two navies have made contact and are vying for control of the sea.

A large number of Heavenly Dao Sect followers have appeared in the subspace, igniting a religious war that is spreading across the vast cosmos. Scattered parishes have been established in places even the High Priests cannot truly communicate with.

A series of messages and event pop-ups made Xia He pause in surprise.

"They've established my parish on another planet?"

Terra is still in the Second Industrial Revolution stage, yet your missionary work is spreading on a planetary scale.

Unfortunately, that area doesn't qualify for the rule assessment, so the map isn't clear yet. We still need to keep an eye on the new continent.

The fight was in full swing.

She had anticipated the war in the New World, but she didn't expect it to happen so quickly. Upon investigation, she found out it was caused by a chance event that happened right after the Heavenly Dao Festival ended. Well then, let's talk about it.

History is not entirely dominated by a group of rational politicians; in fact, it is full of accidental and low-probability conflicts.

Feng Tianyin, who seemed to fit the description of an "absolutely rational person," also chose war.

After all, a new continent must be offered to the Heavenly Dao.

Xia He thought it was normal. Although the little human-machine was usually absolutely rational, it would "get angry" when it encountered something related to itself and was difficult to judge. Rather, it was more accurate to say that its computing power had evolved.

War is not necessarily impulsive; the development path is clearly laid out before us, and in fact, the Great Qian Dynasty exercised restraint.

This empire is clearly incredibly powerful, yet it is excessively conservative.

It took a full year from troop deployment and resupply to the first small-scale conflict.

It's not that the efficiency is slow.

Feng Tianyin mobilized a total of 60 professional soldiers.

It seems similar to Napoleon's expedition to Russia, but its quality is terrifyingly high. It has the best supplies, the latest equipment, and the most advanced tactics. Moreover, this number is "all combat soldiers" without counting any auxiliary troops.

In a broad sense, auxiliary forces were not counted under the Daqian military system, and everyone felt there was no need to exaggerate the numbers to boost morale.

We only fight tough battles.

This is how the Great Qian Dynasty has always operated.

Moreover, 60 is far from the limit; the Great Qian Dynasty is still continuously sending troops to this day.

The transport routes that the empire had laid out over many years unfolded before Xia He's eyes. The places that had once been frequented by numerous merchant ships had now naturally become essential routes for the navy. The roads along the way had become natural harbors and supply stations, capable of supporting voyages across the eastern ocean.

If shipping routes are blood vessels, then ships are red blood cells, ensuring that nutrients are supplied to a massive giant.

The perspective focuses on the central part of the mainland.

The recent small-scale conflict is not over; a large number of Daqian troops are still patrolling, and they are now armed with entirely new weaponry.

Cuirassier.

It combined mobility with the lethality of firearms, and was accompanied by a large number of line infantry.

"Doesn't it look a bit like the style of the Napoleonic Wars?"

Upon careful consideration, Xia He realized that expecting a large-scale tank battle was indeed unrealistic; productivity and technology were still in the early stages of the Second Industrial Revolution, and there wasn't enough accumulation. However, one thing was completely different from the past.

A large number of artillery pieces, guns, and even machine guns were put into service, becoming the main killers on the battlefield.

Together they weave a web of death.

Xia He could see it clearly from the air: a dense network of red fire lines crisscrossed, covering the remnants of the enemy. As for the main force? They had long been stunned by the artillery fire, and the craters on the ground were filled with corpses.

The Western Continent Alliance was not without artillery, and recognizing its importance, they transported a considerable number of them.

But it depends on who you're comparing yourself to.

They were naturally adept at teaching a lesson to unsophisticated colonial natives, small countries, and city-states, but they were no match for the empire.

My cannons are better and more numerous than yours, and they're transported faster. What do you have to compare them to?

Boom! Boom!

What came into view was a cacophony of cannons roaring in unison, the force of their fury and explosions dissipating across the enemy lines. Xia He, who was watching the spectacle, immediately switched to the soldiers' perspective, instantly smelling the smoke of gunpowder, witnessing flames everywhere, and hearing her ears ringing.

"It's too chaotic, I can't see or hear anything."

"Assemble towards the flag. Do not act alone. Engage the enemy as a platoon."

"Hurry up, the all-out frontal assault is about to begin."

Urged on, the Daqian army advanced in an orderly fashion, and even the interference of artillery fire was not enough to disrupt their formation, maintaining their offensive rhythm.

not bad.

Even Xia He, a layman, understood that this required a more efficient level of organization.

She constantly switched perspectives, seeing warriors tearing through enemy lines with cuirassiers, line infantry lining up to shoot down the enemy, and artillery launching precise projectile strikes...

"It's like playing Battlefield."

It captures the essence of battlefield immersion perfectly, truly delivering a genuine battlefield experience.

Regardless of which combat unit they belong to, they can hear clear signals without needing to worry about what's ahead or behind. Everyone possesses sufficient military skills, and junior officers can implement them effectively. The massive force operates like a sophisticated machine.

The prototype of modern warfare gradually emerged here.

Thanks to the long-term national policies related to the military, which ensured advanced thinking, these ideas have now finally been transformed into formidable combat power.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The main source of damage is artillery, which is undoubtedly the primary force, but once the enemy spreads out, the infantry has to finish them off.

The Daqian army, lined up in a row, charged forward with unstoppable momentum and a remarkably high hit rate.

This is a gap in weapon performance. Daqian is far ahead in terms of gun manufacturing and smokeless powder, resulting in a complete crushing defeat in detailed data such as parts failure rate, equipment reliability, and durability.

A small difference wouldn't necessarily lead to a one-sided outcome, but these small differences accumulate and eventually create an overwhelming momentum for the pursuit.