"Qin Shuai, what are these black, cinder-like things?" Xiao Lie and Pan Yue stared blankly at the black powder in the bowl.
Qin Xia looked at the two poor ancient people, smiled, and shook his head: "This will be the secret to our future invincibility, young men, take a look at this!"
A strangely shaped iron pipe embedded in a wooden stock appeared in his hand.
The two were stunned. What was this?
Xiao Lie took it and examined it carefully. The weapon had no polishing marks, and what was the hollow iron pipe for?
He handed it to Pan Yue, whose martial arts and knowledge far surpassed his own. Unexpectedly, Pan Yue also gasped and analyzed: "The steel is good steel, but how can one kill enemies without polishing it at all?"
Thinking of this, he suddenly looked at Qin Xia and smiled carefully: "Could it be that there's more to this iron pipe?"
Qin Xia's blood pressure shot up when he saw the two idiots putting their eyes to the muzzle. After taking the flintlock back from their hands, he could only sigh.
After all, it was normal that this wasn't the ancient era he was familiar with, but was it really reasonable that he had spent six days producing a flintlock?
Looking at the exquisitely crafted weapon in his hand, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought. Logically speaking, he wasn't this powerful in his previous life. Was it really normal for him to create this thing?
However, he quickly dismissed such thoughts. Thinking about it, he had already transmigrated, so anything happening seemed quite reasonable!
He took the two poor ancient people to the firing range. Firearms were difficult to make, but a suitable location was easy to find. Earlier, he had told the two to bring the entire army over, and now the entire firing range was surrounded by over ten thousand young men.
He didn't know how Xiao Lie had done the ideological work, but now these people cheered as soon as they saw him, always giving him a sense of hallucination.
It made him somewhat want to eat Cantonese cuisine.
Bringing his thoughts back on track, he loaded the iron ball into the gun barrel and shouted: "Brothers, what I am holding now will be the new weapon for our entire army."
He shook the flintlock in his hand and continued: "This weapon is called a flintlock. Next, I will demonstrate how it kills enemies."
Raise the gun, aim, pull the trigger—all in one smooth motion. The entire firing range roared like a clap of thunder, and the scarecrow was instantly reduced to a pile of powder.
He nodded in satisfaction, seeing that the bullet's impact wasn't far from where he aimed. After all, this flintlock was made for an average person's physique, and it was a bit too short for him, causing him to aim with one hand from beginning to end.
But the result exceeded his expectations; he hadn't thought the effect would be so good after he made it. He smiled in relief and pricked up his ears, waiting for the cheers of the crowd, but the entire firing range fell into a dead silence after the gunshot.
He was stunned and looked around, only to see everyone cowering on the ground, frightened by the sound of the flintlock. These people's subconscious reactions really resembled modern people's reactions to gunshots. Could it be that this thing was already ingrained in human memory?
Xiao Lie, lying on the ground, looked up at Qin Xia and couldn't help but swallow. Such a small thing could make such a loud noise. Qin Shuai said this thing was called a flintlock, right? Good heavens, this range was already farther than an ordinary bow and arrow.
Thinking that if the entire army of ten thousand men were equipped with such gear, he simply couldn't imagine what could defeat them!
"Don't just lie there," Xiao Lie looked up to see Qin Xia waving his hand and smiling: "Everyone come forward, I will teach you how to use this. Brothers, from now on, everyone practice this thing. Once you master it, taking Shu City will be a piece of cake!"
As he waved his arm, all the soldiers surged forward. From then on, the entire Sword Pavilion would hear strange thunderous sounds every afternoon. Some woodcutters who went up the mountain to chop wood, upon hearing it, ran home saying that the Sword Pavilion had become Thunder Valley, and such a legend continued to circulate for a hundred years in later generations.
Time returned to the present. The news of Qin Xia capturing the Sword Pavilion and Giant Deer had already reached his father, Qin Mu.
The old man hadn't expected his son to capture two cities in a row. He hurriedly led the soldiers he had recruited in his hometown towards the Sword Pavilion. A month later, Qin Xia, still training troops at the firing range, suddenly received letters and grain from Giant Deer.
"This Giant Deer is indeed a geomantically auspicious place." Reaching out to pull out a handful of new wheat and smelling it, Qin Xia took a deep breath and smiled at Pan Yue beside him: "The thousand-li barren land was cultivated by Xiao Lie's former deputy, and with the fertilizer I left there before, I didn't expect it to grow so well."
"This is all thanks to Qin Shuai!" Pan Yue hastily cupped his hands in flattery. Qin Xia rolled his eyes at the man beside him. For the past month, this fellow and Xiao Lie had been constantly flattering him, making him feel a bit light-headed now.
He quickly told him not to flatter him so casually, but the way the man's mouth curved upwards made Pan Yue see no hint of admonition at all.
However, considering that Qin Shuai was busy every day teaching the use of flintlocks, and instructing artisans on how to make gunpowder and flintlocks, as well as various strange but completely effective items to improve the army's combat power, his praise seemed entirely appropriate!
Who could have imagined hot air balloons, cannons, and bombs? Honestly, for Weichi Pan Yue, these armaments would not be out of place for attacking the capital. Now he was even worried whether Shu City could hold out for a single day.
Otherwise, what if he ended up being completely useless? How would he repay Qin Shuai's kindness in recognizing his talent? This giant, two heads taller than him, treated him like a child.
He imparted all knowledge, ideas, and martial arts without reservation to him and Xiao Lie. Even though the other party often said that he was their friend, he and Xiao Lie didn't think so. Such a giant becoming their foster father wouldn't be an exaggeration—no, even becoming their foster father would be an insult to Qin Shuai.
Such thoughts were not only present between the two of them; it could even be said that currently, all ten thousand-plus men thought the same. Recently, they had also been planning a major event for Qin Shuai.
Qin Shuai might not imagine that we revere him like a father! (Qin Xia: ?)
Thinking of this, he turned to look at Qin Shuai beside him, only to see Qin Shuai's brows furrow tightly as he looked at the letter in his hand.
"Father... no, Qin Shuai, what is it that worries you so much?"
"Ah." Recovering from the letter, Qin Xia sighed helplessly and smiled at Pan Yue: "My father seems to be arriving tomorrow, and he's also bringing his own soldiers."
Pan Yue was immediately confused upon hearing this. Wasn't this good news? Why was Qin Shuai still looking troubled and frowning?
After he and Qin Xia sat down together, Pan Yue motioned to a soldier nearby to fetch some water, then eagerly asked: "Qin Shuai, with all due respect, I believe this is good news! Is there perhaps some hidden reason for your worry?"
"It's difficult!" Qin Xia sighed and explained: "My father comes from a background of wandering knights, having learned no military strategy. The discipline of his army is certainly not comparable to ours. Moreover, many of our soldiers are from Shu City, while most of my father's soldiers are from Shaanxi. The dialects are different, making communication difficult."
"Didn't you already have our officers standardize the language?"
Qin Xia smiled bitterly and shook his head: "But they haven't received an education. Honestly, my father's soldiers are no different from bandits. And he's coming here because he was beaten by government troops and fled here. Originally, family shame shouldn't be aired, but since you and I are brothers in the army, we are like family, so I'm not afraid of you laughing at me."
"My father lost my younger siblings twice while traveling in the carriage before he finally escaped back here." By the end, Qin Xia felt his old face couldn't take it. He had always felt his father was like a mix of Liu Bang and Zhu Yuanzhang, but he never expected him to be so similar?
Zhu Yuanzhang's face combined with Liu Bang's experiences, is that it? Then, there won't be a Hegemon King in this era, will there?
Just as the two of them were talking, they suddenly heard a rough voice shouting from outside the Sword Pavilion: "Son!"
Upon hearing this, Qin Xia stood up abruptly. Didn't they say he wouldn't arrive until tomorrow?
He abandoned Pan Yue and rushed towards the city gate, moving so fast that the soldiers opening the gate didn't even react. They saw their most beloved Qin Shuai push open the city gate, weighing hundreds of jin, with his bare hands.
"Gua! As expected of our most beloved father... no, Qin Shuai!"
Qin Xia didn't care what these young soldiers were saying now. This "calling father complex" in his army had become too severe recently. He definitely had to rectify it sometime.
There had been some strange phenomena in the military camp recently. He wasn't stupid; people would start with "father" as soon as they saw him, and a group of people would stop after just shouting "fa-" in front of him. Did they really think he didn't hear?
It was just that now he first had to manage his own father. If the two armies conflicted, then all his long efforts would be for naught.
He rushed out of the city gate and saw his old father standing at the entrance with a group of battered soldiers. The old man clapped his hands and laughed heartily as soon as he saw him: "Brothers, look, this is my brave and fearless son!"
His father rushed forward and embraced him, crying excitedly. From inside the carriage behind him, two small heads timidly peeked out and looked at him. Qin Xia knew these were the younger siblings mentioned in the letter who had been kicked off the carriage.
Seeing the dirt on their faces, he cast aside the problem of army integration for now, waved his hand, and smiled at all the generals: "Generals, a new batch of grain has just arrived in the camp. I hope you will all honor us with your presence."
Solar System, within Holy Terra.
The Emperor looked at the First Son by his side. He and Macado had carefully taught him for seventeen years. They were both friends and father and son.
Now, the great Emperor looked at his bald son, but a question arose in his heart. On Cthonia, his son was originally called the Nameless One. There was a tradition there that one could only gain a name through slaughter—Horus Lupercal!
This child was brought to him by the Mechanicum. It seemed there were some conflicts between Horus and the Mechanicum. However, what was more important now was whether this child was one of the Primarchs who would betray him in the future?
This future was too blurry in the Emperor's eyes. At least for him, before Horus first received his name, his Primarch's talent had not been displayed at all. Those days as a human would lead him to clear away the confusion of the future!
He smiled and looked at his son. Horus also noticed his father walking towards him. After they exchanged smiles, the Emperor immediately took out a gift from his embrace.
"What is this, Father?" Horus took the gift without opening it. He looked at his father with great curiosity.
The Emperor placed his hand on Horus's shoulder and smiled: "My dear child, you are my Centaur. In the days to come, please fight alongside me for the human race!"
The golden light was exceptionally dazzling at this moment. Horus opened the gift, and inside lay a golden ring. He carefully accepted it and nodded solemnly, but the Emperor did not know that in Horus's heart, he actually wanted to be Leo.
"Father, I revere you!"