The Imperial Train Station.
It was guarded at every turn, with checkpoints everywhere and layer upon layer of security.
Inside the station, numerous scientists, some gray-haired and some younger, had gathered to discuss something.
On the tracks not far away stood a green train.
"Quick, check the train again! His Majesty will be here to inspect it soon. We have to make absolutely sure everything is in order, or else..."
Just then, someone rushed in, breathing hard, and shouted excitedly, "What?! His Majesty is coming to inspect it? Hurry, check everything again! We have to make sure nothing goes wrong!"
After hearing that Ye Chen was coming to inspect the train, Zhou Hong, the station's highest-ranking official, was taken aback. Then he hurriedly ordered his people to inspect the train again and ensure everything was in order.
The others were just as excited after hearing that His Majesty was coming.
After all, in their hearts, Ye Chen was their one true god and their sole object of faith.
The crowd threw themselves into the work, inspecting everything meticulously. They wished they could check every single part of the train.
Outside the station,
Ye Chen slowly made his way toward it, guarded by numerous personal guards and preceded by troops clearing the way.
Wherever he passed, the people bowed their heads and paid their respects. Only a few young children in the crowd, too young to know fear, clutched at the clothes of the adults beside them and stared curiously at Ye Chen with wide, innocent eyes.
Looking at his people, Ye Chen wore a stern expression, his eyes deep as an abyss. Clad in a fitted Star Robe and with the Chixiao Sword at his waist, he exuded an emperor's aura that seemed to radiate effortlessly. He looked so imposing that no one dared meet his gaze.
"Greetings, Your Majesty! May Your Majesty live ten thousand years!"
"Rise."
Once inside the station, Ye Chen looked at the crowd and spoke calmly.
Then his gaze fell on 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 Train from his memories.
"Minister Zhou, how is the train coming along? Can it be put into service?"
Turning his gaze from the Green Train, Ye Chen smiled at Zhou Hong beside him and asked.
Zhou Hong hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, the Xuanhuang Hao has now been completed, and it has already undergone dozens of trial runs..."
Not daring to hide anything about the train, Zhou Hong reported every detail to Ye Chen.
His report made Ye Chen nod. He received daily updates on the Xuanhuang Hao's progress and knew its exact condition.
"As the Empire's first train, the Xuanhuang Hao is of great significance. Put it into service as soon as possible."
With that, Ye Chen smiled at Zhou Hong. "Minister Zhou, how about joining me for a ride on the Empire's first train? You can be among the Xuanhuang Hao's first passengers."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Hearing Ye Chen invite him to ride the train, Zhou Hong accepted at once, his face alight with excitement. His body even trembled slightly.
To be personally invited by Ye Chen, the Empire's one true god—what an honor! Even as the vice president of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, a man of high rank and influence, Zhou Hong could not remain calm.
Seeing Zhou Hong's reaction, Ye Chen smiled. Then he led the others toward the Xuanhuang Hao.
Outside the Imperial Capital, a green train sped along the tracks at a steady, remarkably smooth pace toward Qinglong City, a satellite city guarding Xuanhuang City.
Inside an ordinary carriage of the Xuanhuang Hao, Ye Chen sat by a window, watching the scenery rush past. A faint smile appeared on his face.
He had started with nothing and built the Yanhuang Empire step by step. More than a century had passed, and now he had reached this point. Scenes from the past flashed through his mind.
Though the Civilization System had never directly helped him rise to power, without it, he would never have made it this far.
After all, without the Super Healing Ability, he would never have built an empire. His constitution was so frail that the harsh environment around him would have killed him in those first few years alone.
The place he now lived in was still undeveloped North America. Many regions remained in a primitive state, teeming with all kinds of venomous insects. Without his healing ability, he could never have survived them.
Meanwhile, some officials in the carriage gazed out at the scenery flying past and marveled in amazement.
They were clearly fascinated by this enormous steel behemoth. It could travel so fast without human or animal power—an astonishing novelty to them.
The Empire's first train was not as fast as those from Ye Chen's previous life, but it was no slouch. After traveling for more than an hour, it arrived in Qinglong City.
At one of the tracks in Qinglong City, people had already gathered to await the train. At their head stood Zhao Qingyun, the city's highest-ranking official, along with other senior officials.
They all gazed eagerly down the tracks.
"Woo-woo!"
A deep, resonant whistle sounded in the distance.
At the sound, the waiting crowd perked up and looked toward where it had come from.
Soon, they saw a strange-looking, enormous steel behemoth rushing toward them.
"Could that be the train the Imperial Weekly wrote about? It looks so strange—and it even gives off smoke."
"I heard it doesn't need people or animals to pull it. It just burns some kind of black rock and can keep going without getting tired. I wonder if that's true."
"..."
As the Green Train approached, the waiting crowd whispered among themselves.
When the train pulled into the station, Ye Chen and the others stepped out of the carriage.
"Greetings, Your Majesty! May Your Majesty live ten thousand years!"
"My ministers, rise."
"Your Majesty, you must be tired from the journey. I've had a banquet prepared..."
"Mm." Ye Chen nodded, then left the station with Zhao Qinghong accompanying him.
As one of the four satellite cities guarding the capital of the Xuanhuang Empire, Qinglong City was just as prosperous as the Imperial Capital.
Looking at the bustling city, where the people lived in peace and countless vendors called out their wares, Ye Chen smiled. Whether a country was strong could be judged by the lives of its people.
Over the next few days, news that the train had entered service spread rapidly throughout the Empire through its far-reaching newspaper network.
At the same time, the train's entry into service heralded the beginning of the Yanhuang Empire's industrial age.
With trains providing fast transportation and quickly linking the Empire from north to south, commercial routes rapidly opened up, and the economy soared.
As the Empire's economy developed rapidly, a great infrastructure boom began.
Every day, it seemed, the Empire had changed.
Seeing how rapidly the Empire was transforming, and deciding the time was right, Ye Chen immediately exchanged a vast amount of electrical technology from the system, from advanced to basic, and introduced it into the Imperial Education System.
As batches of the Empire's top graduates entered society and took positions in various imperial institutions, electrical technology rapidly took root and developed.
In the 182nd year of the Yanhuang Calendar, the Empire's first automobile was built.
At the same time, the Kunpeng Project began.
In the 197th year of the Yanhuang Calendar, the Empire's first airplane was built.
That day, as soon as Ye Chen heard the news, he put his government work aside and hurried to the Airport built by the Empire.
Before he even entered the Airport, Ye Chen saw a black shape streak across the sky. A moment later, the roar of an airplane engine reached him.
Watching the steel airplane soar through the sky, Ye Chen burst into hearty laughter.
"Good! Excellent!"
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