Fengtian, Governor's Mansion.
Zhang Xueming lay in a rocking chair in his own courtyard, idly swinging his legs with a blade of grass between his teeth.
He had crossed over into this turbulent Republic of China era and become the Second Young Master of Zhang Yuting, the big shot who ruled the Three Eastern Provinces. He lived in silken comfort and rich food, but inside, he was scared out of his wits.
This was the Republic of China, after all!
An age when immortals fought and ordinary people suffered.
His status as the Governor-General's second son sounded impressive, but when the wheels of history came rolling, even his father's great ship might capsize in an instant. What chance did a little skiff like him have?
So he had always been careful and cautious, afraid that one wrong flap of his little butterfly wings might trigger some irreversible consequence.
Every day, he did little besides eat and sleep, or go listen to the opera. He played the idle second-generation heir in Fengtian City, doing his best to keep a low profile.
Just as he was about to lie flat for good and accept his fate as a lazy salted fish,
"Ding!"
A crisp mechanical notification rang in his mind.
Zhang Xueming jolted, nearly tumbling out of his rocking chair.
He sat bolt upright, eyes wide as saucers. The blade of grass fell from his mouth to the ground.
"Strong Army Hegemony System activated successfully!" "Binding host... Binding complete!" "Host: Zhang Xueming." "Newbie gift pack issued. Please claim it."
A string of notifications left Zhang Xueming's brain stalled for a full half minute.
A system?
My system?
Holy crap!
The long-overdue golden finger had finally arrived!
Zhang Xueming trembled with excitement and pinched his thigh hard. The sharp pain told him he wasn't dreaming!
"System! System! Open up! Hurry and show this young master what you've got!"
Suppressing his elation, he screamed inwardly.
A translucent, azure-blue panel visible only to him unfurled before his eyes.
Its design was sleek and simple, with a distinctly technological feel. It was divided into several sections: [Personal Attributes], [System Store], and [Quest List].
Zhang Xueming impatiently opened the [System Store].
The next second, his breath caught.
Rows of dazzling goods gleamed with metallic luster, dazzling him.
"AK47 Assault Rifle: high rate of fire, fierce firepower, tough and reliable. Even the Middle Eastern bros swear by it! Unit price: five hundred Silver Dollars."
"Matching 7.62mm ammunition, one crate of 1,000 rounds. Price: one hundred Silver Dollars."
"M2 Heavy Machine Gun: the undisputed king of ground fire support. Long range, tremendous power, and perfect for blasting bunkers! Unit price: three thousand Silver Dollars."
"Barrett M82A1: a cannon among sniper rifles. It takes out people, cars, and planes—one shot, one little friend! Unit price: ten thousand Silver Dollars!"
Looking at these "weapons of mass destruction" far beyond this era, Zhang Xueming was practically drooling.
With this kind of equipment, what could elite troops or Bushido Spirit do? In the face of overwhelming firepower, they were all trash!
If the Feng Army under his father, Zhang Yuting, could get their hands on these weapons, forget unifying China—even taking on the whole world wouldn't be impossible!
He rubbed his hands together, feeling as though he was about to reach the pinnacle of his life.
But when his gaze fell on the price tags beside the goods, the smile on his face froze.
An AK cost five hundred Silver Dollars?
A Heavy Machine Gun cost three thousand?
And that unbelievably cool Barrett cost a whopping ten thousand Silver Dollars!
And that was only the gun. Ammunition was a consumable, and a single crate cost one hundred Silver Dollars. This was a bottomless pit!
Zhang Xueming's heart sank halfway.
Though he was the Governor-General's son, his father, Zhang Yuting, ran a very strict household. His pocket money was fixed.
At most, he got a few hundred Silver Dollars a month—not even enough to buy one AK.
Ask his father for money?
How could he bring that up?
"Dad, give me a hundred thousand Silver Dollars. I'll conjure up a batch of divine weapons for you?"
Just imagining the scene made his knees tremble.
If Zhang Yuting didn't think he was insane and send him to the hospital, that alone would prove their father-son bond was deep.
"Damn it!"
"Is this system trying to mess with my head?"
"You gave me a vault full of peerless treasures, but not even enough money to buy the key to open it?"
Zhang Xueming paced back and forth around the courtyard in frustration, clutching his hair as he nearly spiraled into despair.
This felt even worse than having no system at all!
Just as he was scratching his head, completely at a loss,
"Ding!"
"Detected that the host is worrying about startup funds. Newbie guidance quest triggered."
"Quest name: First Pot of Gold."
"Quest objective: Dismantle part of the South Manchuria Railway tracks and successfully sell them to the White Bear Country in the north to obtain your first startup funds."
"Quest suggestion: Dark night, high winds—strike early. The White Bear Country is rushing to build the Trans-Siberian Railway and has an enormous demand for steel. It is the best buyer."
"Quest reward: one hundred thousand Silver Dollars in cash and one set of basic industrial blueprints unlocked." ```
Zhang Xueming stared at the quest prompt on the system panel, completely dumbfounded.
What the hell?
Tear up a railway?
And it was the Japan's South Manchuria Railway he was supposed to tear up?
System, you're a little genius, aren't you!
What was the South Manchuria Railway?
It was the economic lifeline of the Japanese in the Three Eastern Provinces, as well as a vital link for moving their troops.
Before you continue