The Imperial train station.
Guards stood every ten paces, sentries every five, with layers of checkpoints and tight security.
At that moment, numerous gray-haired scientists and many younger researchers had gathered inside the station, discussing something.
Not far away, a green train sat on the tracks.
"Quick, hurry and inspect the train. His Majesty will be here to inspect it soon. We must guarantee that nothing goes wrong, or else..."
Just then, a man ran in, breathing heavily. His face was flushed with excitement as he shouted.
"What?! His Majesty is coming to inspect it? Hurry, hurry! Check it again. We must guarantee that nothing goes wrong. We absolutely cannot make any mistakes."
After hearing that Ye Chen was coming to inspect the train, Zhou Hong, the station's highest-ranking official, was astonished. He then hurriedly ordered people to inspect the train once more and ensure that everything was perfect.
When the others heard that His Majesty was coming, they were astonished at first, then incredibly excited.
After all, in their hearts, Ye Chen was the one true god and their sole faith.
Soon, everyone threw themselves into the work, inspecting everything meticulously. They wished they could check every single component on the train.
Outside the station.
Under the protection of numerous Imperial Guards and with the army clearing the way, Ye Chen slowly made his way toward the station.
Wherever he passed, the people lowered their heads and bowed in greeting. Only some children in the crowd, fearless in their innocence, tugged at the clothes of the adults beside them and stared at Ye Chen with wide, curious eyes.
Looking at his people, Ye Chen wore a stern expression, his eyes deep as an abyss. Dressed in a close-fitting Star Robe uniform with the Crimson Firmament Sword at his waist, he radiated a faint imperial aura. He looked so imposing that no one dared meet his gaze.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live for ten thousand years."
"Rise."
After entering the train station, Ye Chen looked at everyone and spoke indifferently.
Then, Ye Chen's gaze turned toward the familiar green train on the tracks in the distance.
When he had first decided what the train should look like, Ye Chen had thought of the green trains from his memories.
"Minister Zhou, how is the train's construction progressing? Can it be put into service?"
Taking his eyes off the green train, Ye Chen smiled at Zhou Hong beside him.
Hearing this, Zhou Hong hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Xuanhuang Train has been completed, and it has already undergone dozens of trial runs..."
Regarding the train's condition, Zhou Long Yu did not dare conceal anything and reported every detail truthfully.
Zhou Hong's words made Ye Chen nod. The specific details of the Xuanhuang Train were actually reported to him every day, so he knew them perfectly well.
"As the Empire's first train, the Xuanhuang Train is of extraordinary significance. Put it into service as soon as possible."
At this point, Ye Chen looked at Zhou Hong and smiled. "Minister Zhou, accompany Me on this Empire's first train and become one of the Xuanhuang Train's first passengers. How does that sound?"
"Yes!"
When he heard Ye Chen invite him to ride the train, Zhou Hong immediately agreed, his face filled with excitement. Even his body trembled slightly.
To be personally invited by Ye Chen, the Empire's one true god—what an honor that was. Even as the vice president of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, a powerful and highly respected official, Zhou Hong could not calm down.
Seeing him like this, Ye Chen smiled, then led everyone toward the Xuanhuang Train.
Outside the Imperial capital, a green train sped along the tracks. Maintaining a steady speed, it traveled smoothly toward Azure Dragon City, one of Xuanhuang City's satellite cities.
Inside the ordinary carriage of the Xuanhuang Train, Ye Chen sat beside a window, watching the scenery flash past outside. A faint smile appeared on his face.
He had started from nothing and built the Yanhuang Empire step by step. After more than a hundred years, he had finally reached this point. Scene after scene flashed through his mind.
During his rise, although the civilization system had not directly helped him, he would never have reached this point without it.
After all, without his astonishing regenerative ability, let alone building an empire, he would have been killed by the harsh environment around him during those first few years.
One had to remember that the place he now occupied was North America, which had yet to be developed. Many areas remained in a primitive state and were home to all kinds of poisonous insects. Without his regenerative ability, he would never have survived them.
At the same time, several officials inside the carriage gazed through the windows at the scenery rushing past and could not help marveling.
Clearly, they found it incredibly novel that this enormous steel monster could run without human or animal power—and run so fast at that.
Although the Empire's first train was not as fast as the trains of his previous life, it was not slow either. After traveling for more than an hour, it arrived at Azure Dragon City.
By then, people had already been waiting beside one of Azure Dragon City's tracks for quite some time. At the head of them stood Zhao Qingyun, the city's highest-ranking official, along with the other senior officials.
Everyone was craning their necks toward the track.
"Whoo-whoo!"
A deep, loud whistle echoed from far away.
Hearing it, the waiting crowd immediately perked up and looked toward the source of the sound.
Before long, they saw a strange-looking, enormous steel monster speeding toward them.
"Could this be the train mentioned in the Imperial newspaper? It looks so strange, and it even gives off smoke."
"I heard this thing doesn't need human or animal power. It only needs to consume a kind of black stone to keep running forever without getting tired. I wonder if that's true."
"..."
As they watched the green train approach, the waiting people whispered among themselves.
When the train arrived, Ye Chen and the others stepped out of the carriages.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live for ten thousand years."
"Rise, my ministers."
"Your Majesty, the journey must have been tiring. I have already had a banquet prepared..."
"Mm!" Ye Chen nodded, then walked outside the station accompanied by Zhao Qinghong.
As one of the four satellite cities guarding the capital of the Xuanhuang Empire, Azure Dragon City was no less prosperous than the Imperial capital.
Looking at Azure Dragon City's prosperity and the people living and working in peace, with cries of vendors ringing out without end, Ye Chen could not help smiling. Whether a country was powerful could be seen from the lives of its people.
Over the next few days, news that the train had begun operating quickly spread across the Empire through its extensive newspaper network.
At the same time, the launch of the trains marked the true beginning of the Yanhuang Empire's industrial era.
With trains providing rapid transportation and swiftly linking every corner of the Empire, its commercial routes quickly opened up, and the economy began to soar.
As the Empire's economy developed rapidly, its era of massive infrastructure construction began in earnest.
The Empire looked different with each passing day.
After watching the Empire transform day by day and deciding that the time was right, Ye Chen immediately exchanged a large amount of electrical technology from the system, from the most advanced to the most basic, and introduced it into the Empire's education system.
As batches of the Empire's top students graduated and entered society and the various institutions of the Empire, electrical technology rapidly became integrated into every field.
In the 182nd year of the Yanhuang Calendar, the Empire's first automobile was born.
At the same time, the Kunpeng Project began.
In the 197th year of the Yanhuang Calendar, the Empire's first airplane was born.
That day, after learning the news, Ye Chen set aside his government affairs and immediately headed to the airport constructed by the Empire.
Before he even entered the airport, Ye Chen saw a black shadow shoot across the sky. Immediately afterward, the roar of an aircraft engine rang out.
Looking at the steel airplane soaring through the sky, Ye Chen burst into hearty laughter.
"Good, good."
Before you continue