Citizens, Draw Your Swords!

I suddenly saw today that yesterday's Chapter 17 had been blocked, so I made some changes and posted it again.

In less than two short years, with the deaths of Long Yu and Yuan Long, the empire seemed to have entered an express lane.

Yanhuang Calendar, Year 218.

The Imperial Academy of Sciences developed the empire's ultimate weapon: the Star Light Missile.

Yanhuang Calendar, Year 221. The first-generation Emperor Fuxi Computer was born.

Yanhuang Calendar, Year 223. The Imperial Academy of Sciences made a breakthrough in its years-long research into atomic energy. It was estimated that the Nation-Protecting Divine Artifact would emerge in several decades.

As the thirty-year deadline drew closer, the massive machine known as the Yanhuang Empire operated at full speed. The empire seemed to have won the favor of Heaven and Earth, receiving divine assistance at every turn.

For a time, the various departments of the Imperial Academy of Sciences achieved breakthroughs one after another. They rapidly completed their products and put them into civilian use.

This brought about earth-shaking changes in the empire.

All kinds of skyscrapers rose up, televisions gradually entered ordinary households, and simple mobile phones slowly became widespread throughout society.

Yanhuang Calendar, Year 230. Imperial City, before the Imperial City.

Ye Chen stood atop the towering city wall, looking down at the sea of people below. The endless red tide filled his view, and the satisfaction in his eyes could not be concealed.

"This is the empire I built."

Below.

"Chen Yun, look! It's the Emperor! The Emperor has come out! This is the first time in my life I've seen the Emperor so clearly.

"But the Emperor really looks so young, just like the legends say. He doesn't look like an old man over two hundred at all."

Beside her, Chen Yun held the Imperial Star Flag, three blue stars stuck to her cheek. At that moment, she stared fixedly at the figure on the city wall.

Her eyes were filled with fervor.

She had grown up listening to the legends of Ye Chen. Her bedroom was covered with posters and photographs of him that she had bought at great expense through various channels from a young age. In her heart, Ye Chen was her faith. How could she not be fervent after seeing him in person?

"Xu Xin, don't be disrespectful to the Emperor."

Xu Xin's mother heard her daughter's outrageous words and immediately smacked her on the back of the head.

"Ow! Mom, I wasn't being disrespectful to the Emperor! I was just saying that the Emperor is already over two hundred years old, yet he's still so young. I didn't say anything wrong."

Rubbing her aching head, Xu Xin pouted at her mother.

"The Emperor is an immortal deity. Of course he won't grow old."

As she spoke, Xu Xin's mother looked at Ye Chen with an infatuated expression.

"All right, stop chatting. Look, the Kunpeng Squadron is here."

At that moment, Xu Xin's father interrupted the mother and daughter and excitedly pointed toward the sky.

Several black dots appeared in the eastern sky and rapidly grew larger.

At the same time, the announcer's impassioned voice rang across the heavens from the broadcast system in the square.

"Everyone can see that what is rapidly flying here from the eastern horizon is the empire's air force, the Kunpeng.

"This is their first appearance since their creation.

"As the saying goes, 'When the Kunpeng spreads its wings, it rises with the wind and soars ninety thousand li.' This Kunpeng Squadron consists of 108 Kunpeng Fighters, secretly corresponding to the number of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits and Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends.

"It symbolizes guarding Yanhuang as it rises to the Nine Heavens, accompanied by the stars, with the empire eternal..."

"That's so cool! There's even a rainbow, Dad! I want to become an imperial pilot when I grow up. What do you think?"

"If you want to become a pilot, then you'll have to study hard at school, listen carefully in class, do your homework properly, and obey your parents at home. Otherwise, disobedient children can't become pilots."

"Ah! I have to listen to you too, Dad? Then forget it. I don't want to be one..."

"You little brat! Is listening to your father really that difficult? You're just asking for a beating..."

As the Kunpeng Squadron made its appearance, a liquid scattered across the sky when it passed overhead. A massive, seven-colored rainbow instantly appeared above everyone's heads.

The people who saw this scene could not help exclaiming in admiration.

This was a Rainbow Potion accidentally developed by a researcher in the chemistry department of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. Its only function was to create rainbows.

It was a purely ornamental technology.

Above the city wall, Ye Chen wore a black Star Robe and had the Crimson Firmament Sword hanging at his waist. His eyes were as deep as an abyssal sea as he watched the Kunpeng Squadron in the sky.

This was the first time the Kunpeng had been displayed since its formation. He had to admit, it looked quite impressive.

He just did not know how effective it would be in actual combat. Still, it probably would not be weak.

After all, in this era, this squadron was practically a bug—a Dimensional Strike.

Ye Chen then looked at the fervent citizens below and spoke calmly.

But before that, Ye Chen spent some Civilization Points from the system to have it amplify his voice. It had to be the kind with an echo, the sort that sounded like a god.

After all, this was a prewar speech. He absolutely could not lose his presence. Ordinary loudspeakers would never display the majesty of the empire's only god.

Thus, with the system's assistance, Ye Chen's voice instantly sounded like the voice of the Nine Heavens, entering everyone's ears and echoing for a long time.

"Thirty years ago, I established the national war-preparation plan. The empire's countless citizens united their efforts and forged today's glory together. Now, thirty years have passed. Citizens, do you dare to fight?"

"Fight! Fight!! Fight!!!"

Frenzy and fervor erupted. At that moment, the voices of millions of people throughout Imperial City rang out together, shaking the heavens beyond the Nine Heavens.

At the same time, in outer space above Planet Azure.

A-Zhui stood in the sky above the Yanhuang Empire. Watching what was happening below, she could not help shaking her head speechlessly.

"That guy really knows how to brainwash people. And these people are too crazy. They're complete fanatics."

As an angel, she had seen far too many fanatics who believed in angels. The looks in those people's eyes were exactly like those of the people below. They had completely lost their minds.

"Honestly, I have no idea how I ended up having feelings for this great con artist."

Thinking this, A-Zhui touched her slightly flushed face.

Sometimes, feelings truly came from nowhere and arrived without warning. At the very beginning, that bastard Ye Chen had suddenly become lustful, secretly kissed her, and happened to be caught red-handed. In the end, she had somehow allowed him to break through the defenses around her heart.

Below, in Imperial City.

Listening to and watching the people's fighting spirit, Ye Chen could not help laughing loudly.

The next moment, Ye Chen drew the Crimson Firmament Sword from his waist and looked at the people.

"Citizens, draw your swords!"

"Clang!!"

The soldiers below drew the long swords at their waists in perfect unison. The citizens also raised the Star Flags in their hands and looked at him with excited expressions.

"We pay our respects to the Emperor. Long live the empire."

Finally, Ye Chen began making arrangements for the plan that followed.

Ultimately, everything was settled: the war would begin in one month.

By the time all the arrangements had been made, it was already very late. After returning to the imperial palace, Ye Chen dropped heavily into a chair, completely abandoning his dignity, and lifted his tea to drink it in one gulp.