novelHire Chapter 241: The Flood of Humanity, Guided by the Stars
Chapter 241: The Flood of Humanity, Guided by the Stars
Ying Zheng's decree, like invisible thunder, spread instantly to every world under the jurisdiction of the Qin Dynasty, with Xianyang as the center.
Prime Minister Li Si, a pillar of the empire who was guided by Legalist thought and known for his iron-fisted approach, received the most peculiar order in his political career - "Announce the crimes of His Majesty."
At first, Li Si was shocked and puzzled. In his view, the monarch's sanctity and authority were the cornerstones of imperial stability. Publicizing the emperor's "imperfections" was tantamount to shaking the foundations of the state.
However, when he knelt in the Star Palace again and listened to Ying Zheng expound on the core concept of "Human Emperor" rather than "God Emperor", he suddenly realized.
This is not a sign of weakness, but an unprecedented strength.
"Your Majesty, I understand." Li Si's eyes gleamed as he retreated. He saw a monarch who was ahead of his time, his insight into and control of human nature reaching the highest level.
A few days later, a "Human Emperor Propaganda" campaign that swept the entire empire was launched vigorously under the personal deployment of Li Si.
This time, it was no longer a spontaneous fanatical worship among the people, but an organized and programmatic ideological baptism led by the court.
In Xianyang and the central squares of all the major capitals of the empire, huge "light and shadow stones" were erected.
These technological creations, originating from the abandoned continent, can project clear images and sounds several miles away.
What is played on the light and shadow stone is not the mighty scene of Ying Zheng repelling the immortal gods with one punch, but a series of carefully produced "daily life of the Human Emperor".
In the picture, Ying Zheng is no longer a high and mighty god. He would argue with officials from the Ministry of Works all night long over a county's water control plan, with fatigue and impatience on his face. He would stand alone at the railing of the Star Palace, silent for a long time with a desolate back, because of the heroic sacrifice of the new army soldiers. He would even frown and complain because a dish in the imperial kitchen was not to his taste, just like an ordinary person with his own preferences.
The narrator's voice was steady and powerful: "Look, this is our emperor. He is not a god who can't make mistakes. He gets tired, angry, and sad. But because of this, when he devotes all his energy to the future of the empire and stands up for the safety of the people, his greatness seems so real and so precious!"
"The Emperor is also a man, and the empire relies on laws!" This slogan is no longer a cold clause, but is deeply engraved in the hearts of every citizen of the Qin Dynasty through vivid pictures.
At the same time, imperial academies sprang up across the country. The first lesson for children wasn't about "Your Majesty's Divine Power," but excerpts from the Qin Code and the maxim, "No one is perfect, no one is without fault."
They were taught that true loyalty was not blind worship, but understanding, supporting and supervising their monarch, and jointly maintaining the laws and glory of the empire.
This top-down "disenchantment" movement initially caused some ripples, leaving even the most ardent believers feeling confused and even a little lost.
But as the preaching deepened, a deeper and more rational emotion began to take root in the hearts of the people.
It is a sense of belonging, a sense of community of shared destiny, "We are with Your Majesty."
What they worshipped was no longer a distant deity, but a leader of flesh and blood who shared their joys and sorrows. This kind of emotion was far more indestructible than blind faith.
Li Si looked at the reports on public sentiment from all over the country, and finally a long-lost smile appeared on his face.
He understood that His Majesty had made the right bet.
The foundation of the empire, far from being shaken, was infused with unprecedented resilience.
……
Just as the ideological front of Daqin was undergoing a profound reshaping, the Abandoned Continent's Array Research Institute also ushered in a historic moment.
Zhuge Liang, holding a crystal clear "Charter Core", slowly walked into the core area of the institute.
Here, Isaac and his team have rearranged all the damaged magic crystal cores to form a huge, star-map-like magic array.
"Mr. Kong Ming, look..." Isaac pointed at the slowly spreading black stain on the central control crystal, his face filled with worry. "This contamination is extremely stubborn. It's not an energy attack, but a conceptual erosion, as if denying 'order' and affirming 'chaos'."
"The laws of the immortal world are inherently superior to those of the mortal world; they are arrogant and arbitrary." Zhuge Liang waved his feather fan, his expression indifferent. "They regard themselves as 'immortals' and view 'humans' as ants.
Their laws are the laws of the 'Immortal Way,' which emphasize the power of life and death, and self-centeredness. Our Charter, however, stems from the 'Human Way,' emphasizing the equality of all beings and the spirit of contract."
He walked to the center of the magic circle and inserted the "Charter Core" in his hand into the groove of the main control crystal.
"The immortal path is like a pyramid, with a single figure at the top overlooking all living things. The human path, on the other hand, is like a galaxy, with each star possessing its own radiance. Each star shines independently, yet reflects the others, forming a magnificent spectacle."
"Now," Zhuge Liang said, his eyes sharp as torches, his voice suddenly rising, "let us be guided by humanity and light up this polluted starry sky!"
"Activate the 'Humanitarian Law Network'!"
Following Isaac's order, all the mages in the institute simultaneously placed their hands on the nodes of their respective magic circles, injecting their own mental power and belief in the Charter into them without reservation.
Om-!
A low and grand hum, as if coming from the depths of the universe, resounded throughout the entire institute.
The "Charter Core" suddenly erupted with a dazzling light. This light wasn't pure white, but rather contained a rainbow of colors, like the hope and will gathered in the hearts of countless people. The light spread like a vast net, instantly covering the entire formation.
The stubborn black ink made a "sizzling" sound the moment the light touched it, and began to melt and disintegrate rapidly like ice and snow meeting the scorching sun.
"Success! It's retreating!" Isaac shouted excitedly.
What is even more surprising is that with the purification of the black pollution, the magic circle not only returned to normal, its operating efficiency even surpassed that of the past!
After being purified, those runes that were polluted and eroded became more condensed and brighter, as if they had been tempered.
"This is the power of 'humanity,'" Zhuge Liang explained with a smile, "Pollution and crisis are not despair for us, but tempering.
Just as a sword's sharpness comes from grinding, and the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold, every impact will only make our "network of humane laws" more perfect and more powerful!
The crisis of the abandoned continent was not only resolved, but also gave birth to the ultimate weapon of the Qin Dynasty to fight against the laws of the fairy world.
A "network of humane laws" covering all of the Qin territory, capable of self-purification and self-growth, has taken shape.
……
In the world of Qingtian, the evil spirit is overwhelming.
Those powerful beings in the Tribulation Realm who had gone astray transformed into demons that knew only destruction. Wherever they passed, mountains and rivers collapsed and lives were destroyed. The native cultivators of the Qingtian World were defeated and retreated step by step, struggling to hold on, waiting for reinforcements from the Great Qin.
What they were waiting for was not the army under Bai Qi that swept across the world.
But it was a team of only a hundred people.
This team wore dark uniforms, but no armor. Each of them wore only a simple token with the words "Zhenyu" inscribed on it.
The leader was a young general with a calm face but eyes as sharp as the abyss. His name was Zhao Yun, also known as Zilong. He was a rising star in the new army.
"That's all they are?" An elder from the Qingtian World looked at the group of a hundred, his face filled with disappointment and despair. "Here, the weakest demon has reached the Tribulation Realm. Are you here to die?"
Zhao Yun ignored him and calmly looked around, his gaze finally fixed on a distant mountain shrouded in demonic energy. There, the aura was the most terrifying, clearly the leader of the demons.
"We are here by His Majesty's command to 'purify.'" Zhao Yun's voice was low, but clear to everyone's ears. "Where the law is, there is glory. The demons shall retreat, and those who have strayed shall return to the right path."
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure flashed, leaving a residual image on the spot, and his real body rushed towards the evil mountain like a black lightning.
"Arrogant!" The elder snorted coldly, but saw that when Zhao Yun approached the devil, he did not draw his sword, but raised the "Prison-Suppressing" token in his hand high.
"In the name of the laws of the Great Qin, pronounce the verdict!"
On the token, the mysterious runes suddenly lit up, and an invisible and intangible, yet vast will like the ocean, descended in an instant.
The demon leader, who was frantically wreaking havoc, suddenly froze. A trace of confusion and pain flashed across his bloodshot eyes.
That will did not attack his body, but acted directly on his soul, awakening his reason and memory that had been submerged by the curse.
"Who am I... I... what am I doing..." The demon roared in pain.
"You were once the guardian of the Qingtian world. You swore an oath to protect all living things." Zhao Yun's voice, like a mighty bell, resonated deep within his soul. "Your Majesty has given you the right to choose. Return, or perish."
The demonic energy within the demon head and the will of humanity fought madly. His body sometimes expanded, sometimes contracted, and the entire mountain trembled under his power.
Finally, he looked up to the sky and let out an unwilling roar, and the demonic energy in his body receded like a tide.
He returned to his original appearance, an old man with white hair and beard, but his eyes were filled with endless regret and fatigue.
"I... am willing to be punished by the laws of the Great Qin." He knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face.
This scene stunned all the cultivators from the Qingtian World present.
They never thought that to deal with these lawless demons, they could not just kill them, but "awaken" them with "law" and "will"!
The ninety-nine "prison-suppressing" soldiers behind Zhao Yun also dispersed and rushed to various battlefields.
They did not have any earth-shattering magic duels. Every time they appeared, they held up the token and used the "human" will to fight against the "immortal" curse.
Some demons were successfully awakened and knelt down to repent; others refused to repent and, under the light of the "Prison-Suppressing" token, their demonic energy gradually dissipated, and their bodies and souls were completely destroyed.
A disaster that should have resulted in a river of blood was turned into an efficient "purification" operation with the intervention of the "Prison Suppression" Army.
The cultivators of the Qingtian World looked at this team of a hundred people, and their eyes changed from initial contempt to shock, and finally to awe.
They finally understood that the strength of the Qin Dynasty did not lie only in the emperor who could repel immortals and gods with a single punch, but also in their seemingly invisible "humanitarian" system that could shake the soul and reshape order.
……
Xianyang Star Palace.
Ying Zheng stood in front of a huge star map, on which three spots of light were lighting up one after another.
One, representing the homeland of Daqin, has stable thoughts, cohesive people, and a warm and firm light.
One represents the abandoned continent, and the "Humanitarian Law Network" has been successfully constructed, shining brightly and full of vitality.
One, representing the world of Qingtian, the "Prison Suppression" army began to show its might, with sharp light, purifying the filth.
The three rays of light connected to each other through the cross-world communication network established by Daqin, echoing each other from afar, and finally converged into a larger and brighter pillar of light at the center of the star map.
This beam of light does not represent a person or a god, but the will of the entire "Great Qin Humanity".
A faint smile appeared on the corner of Ying Zheng's mouth.
The counterattack from the immortal world was fierce and vicious. They tried to strangle the Qin Dynasty in its cradle from three levels: ideology, laws, and allies.
But they failed.
Not only did it fail, but it acted like a catalyst, allowing the vast Qin Empire to complete its internal integration and sublimation at an astonishing speed, and making the belief in "humanity" purer and stronger.
"They thought that by severing our arms, they could leave us at the mercy of others," Ying Zheng muttered to himself, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "They don't know that our humanity is a torrent of humanity that relies on the confluence of countless tributaries. They severed only streams, but we have already become rivers and seas."
He raised his head, his gaze penetrating the star map as he looked towards the misty and unattainable fairyland.
"Now, it's our turn."
The wind has already started from the tip of the green duckweed.
The waves have surged into the abyss of the deep sea.