147: Undercurrents and hidden currents, accumulating strength and waiting for the right time.

Chapter Ten Undercurrents Surging, Accumulating Strength for the Right Moment

The rainy season in Nanyang arrived quietly, with fine rain threads carrying warm moisture, enveloping the sky above the Intercontinental Command Center on Fuxing Island, washing the steel buildings and lush trees even brighter. In the third month of steady development, the various layouts of the red alert forces continued to advance step-by-step. There were no earth-shattering conquests or magnificent naval battles, yet through day after day of deep cultivation, the complete monopoly over maritime rights in the Western Pacific was achieved, and the changing situation offered by the world's general trend was quietly caught.

Lin Zhou sat before the holographic sand table of the command center, his fingertips swiping lightly as steady-state data for the entire region flickered on the screen: grain reserves in the eight major sub-bases of Nanyang exceeded one million dan, enough to support a hundred thousand soldiers and civilians for three years; storage of ship-grade steel and high-energy fuel reached peak levels, capable of maintaining six months of uninterrupted production even if global armament manufacturing were fully activated; deep-sea exploration teams discovered an ultra-large rare metal vein at the edge of the Mariana Trench, with unmanned mining platforms already deployed and production capacity set to double next month; improved high-yield rice seeds in the experimental fields of various sub-islands tripled their yield per mu, leaving the han chinese people resettlement areas with no more worries of famine.

The pure red alert combat system remained in a low-power alert state, with the revitalization carrier strike group patrolling in batches. The carrier-based AI, Zero, completed every route patrol, merchant ship verification, and maritime area alert with zero errors; no external force dared to touch the red alert's maritime red line. The indigenous tribes of Nanyang had long since grown accustomed to this young emperor living far away on the main island, who did not harass, conquer, or plunder, but only guarded his own waters and bases, occasionally transferring surplus grain and farm tools through controlled han chinese people. The blood feuds between various tribes also vanished due to the invisible deterrence of the red alert, plunging the entire Nanyang into unprecedented peace.

Outside the barrier, Lu Xiufu waited for an audience with the newly compiled 'Nanyang Household Register' and the 'Memorial on Commercial Tax Revenue.' Rain soaked the edges of his official robes, yet he did not appear the least bit disheveled. This official, who retained the complete integrity and emotions of a literatus, now poured all his heart and soul into governing and pacifying the people. His eyes held the comfort of stable livelihoods, but also hid a faint longing for his ancestral home in the Central Plains. When he bowed, his tone remained respectful and sincere: 'Your Majesty, the household registration of the han chinese people in Nanyang has settled at over seventy thousand souls, rural schools have increased to twenty-three, and medical clinics have treated countless patients. Monthly maritime commercial taxes amount to a hundred thousand strings of gold and silk, all of which have been entered into the internal treasury to be used for base construction and public welfare. Furthermore, a secret letter from the Central Plains reports that Kublai Khan is gravely ill and bedridden, and the princes of the Yuan Court are vying for power, with tensions already at a breaking point.'

The guard commander standing nearby also stepped forward to report, his voice carrying a coldness toward the Yuan Court's internal strife, yet he still strictly followed ministerial etiquette, waiting for the emperor's decision: 'Your Majesty, the southward flow of refugees from the Central Plains has nearly ceased. According to returning refugees, the Yuan Court's garrison troops in various regions are in conflict over rations and pay. Han officials have shut their doors in self-defense, and many prefectural and county officials have secretly sent people south to investigate Your Majesty's movements, all showing an intention to surrender.'

These subordinates, branded with soul imprints, had emotions as vivid as ever. They would feel joy for the people's peace, worry for the chaos in their homeland, and satisfaction at the enemy's internal strife. Yet, none of these emotions ever swayed their judgment; their sole principle of action remained Lin Zhou's will.

Lin Zhou nodded slightly and switched the sand table's perspective to the Central Plains. Real-time images transmitted by global satellites were clearly visible: inside the Dadu palace, Mongol Princes each commanded their own troops, the court argued incessantly, and government orders did not leave the palace gates. In Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong, and other places, Yuan Army garrisons mutinied due to shortages of rations and pay, with occasional occurrences of burning, killing, and looting, yet no one dared to target the han chinese people for slaughter anymore. In the Former Song lands of Jiangnan, the gentry class secretly gathered to protect their borders and pacify the people, simply waiting for the mandate of heaven to return. Officials of the Yuan Court in remote prefectures and counties were even more indecisive, dealing with the Dadu court on one hand while secretly sending messages to the South Sea to seek a way out.

Undercurrents surged, and the ruling foundation of the Yuan Court was already teetering amidst internal strife.

The subordinates under his command requested orders one after another, some speaking of leading an army for a northward expedition, others of sending envoys to contact the righteous men of the Central Plains, their words earnest and their fighting spirit hidden. Although Lu Xiufu advocated for steady defense, he also stated plainly that 'to refuse what heaven gives is to invite calamity,' hoping the emperor would soon enter the Central Plains and restore Huaxia. The soldiers were even more eager; the blood feud of Yamen and the shattered mountains and rivers of their homeland made them long to embark on the northward expedition. Yet, even with such overwhelming fighting spirit, not a single person requested battle without authorization, only waiting quietly for Lin Zhou's command.

But Lin Zhou still chose to stay steady and accumulate strength, not involving himself in the chaotic situation.

His fingertips rested on the sand table, and the instructions he issued maintained a tone of gradual planning, without the slightest impatience:

[Ding—Receiving host's instructions, continuing steady development. Execute the 'Three Noes Principle' for Central Plains affairs: no troop deployment, no sending of envoys, no interference; only global monitoring.]

[Instruction Branch: Expand the Central Plains intelligence monitoring network. Encrypted drone patrols will fly over various prefectures and cities of the Central Plains to record details of the Yuan Court's internal strife and the situation of the han chinese people, with data transmitted back in real-time.]

[Technology Module: Initiate cross-era armament pre-research. Invest 800 technology points to develop electromagnetic naval guns, high-altitude strategic bombers, and amphibious armored clusters; pre-research only, no mass production.]

[Livelihood Module: Build Huaxia Ancestral Halls and libraries on various sub-islands of Nanyang to pass on the cultural lineage and win the hearts of the world's han chinese people; expand the scope of trade for foreign merchants, connect with forces along the coast of the Indian Ocean, and open new trade routes.]

[Maritime Power Module: Set up outpost radar stations in the Ryukyu Islands to extend maritime power coverage to the East Sea, blocking the Yuan Court's only remaining maritime exits.]

With the instructions issued, the pre-research workshops of various Nanyang bases were brightly lit. Unmanned research units began dismantling the core technologies of electromagnetic weapons and strategic bombers, with blueprints and data modules gradually taking shape. Construction drones for the Ryukyu outpost departed overnight to set up radar and supply stations on uninhabited islands, bringing every movement in the East Sea under red alert monitoring. The maritime merchant fleets' routes crossed Malacca and began contacting Tianzhu and Dashi merchants in the Indian Ocean, trading peacefully and accumulating overseas resources and intelligence.

The chaos in the Central Plains continued. Kublai Khan was bedridden, and Crown Prince Zhenjin oversaw the state, but he could not suppress the Mongol Princes who held military power. The trend of local warlordism gradually emerged. Even so, Lin Zhou remained unmoved. What he wanted was not to seize a broken Central Plains amidst the chaos, but to wait for the Yuan Court to completely disintegrate, for the ancestral land of Huaxia to no longer need the baptism of war, and for the people of the world to welcome him with food and drink. Then, he would peacefully take control with absolute strength and complete the unification of Huaxia.

A few days later, the revitalization carrier formation completed its patrol of the East Sea, encountering the Yuan Army's remaining dozen or so scout fast-boats in the waters off Ryukyu. The carrier-based aircraft merely flew over at low altitude without firing a single shot or arrow, yet the Yuan Army fast-boats fled in panic. Sea power in the East Sea completely fell into the hands of the red alert. The Yuan Court's regent prince, Zhenjin, sent an envoy south with a state letter, attempting to sue for peace and requesting that the red alert forces not intervene in the Central Plains' internal strife. Lin Zhou only had the carrier-based AI transmit a four-word reply: 'Each stay in place.'

Neither promising not to intervene nor actively stirring up trouble, the sword hanging over the Yuan Court's head never fell, yet it forced them to live under deterrence at all times.

In the rural schools of Fuxing Island, han chinese children recited poetry and prose, passing on the Huaxia cultural lineage. In the libraries, Lu Xiufu led civil officials in organizing ancient texts, reconnecting the cultural lineage that had been broken at Yamen. The personal guards assisted mechanical units in maintaining base order, teaching children martial arts in their spare time. The atmosphere of daily life intertwined with the steel order, forming a unique and stable paradise amidst the chaotic world.

Lin Zhou strolled along the coastal walkway of Fuxing Island. After the rain stopped, the setting sun pierced through the clouds, reflecting broken gold across the sea. The revitalization carrier was quietly docked in the shipyard, with carrier-based aircraft lined up neatly on the deck. Resource signals from the Nanyang sub-islands flickered constantly on his wristband, and images of the chaos in the Central Plains flowed slowly on the holographic screen.

Lu Xiufu followed at his side, gazing at the young emperor's calm profile, finally fully understanding the deep meaning behind this gradual planning: using the maritime borders as a foundation, technology as a blade, and the people's hearts as a shield; watching the enemy's destruction and subduing them without fighting—this was the most brilliant strategy of an emperor.

'Your Majesty, the chaos in the Central Plains is growing more intense. We have always guarded our territory and accumulated strength. The day the world's hearts return to us is not far off.'

Lin Zhou looked toward the distant East Sea, his gaze piercing through the mist to fall upon the vast rivers and mountains of the Central Plains, then toward the even more distant Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, his tone calm yet powerful:

'The Yuan Court is in self-inflicted chaos; there is no need for us to act. The foundation in Nanyang is not yet solid, and global maritime power is not yet in our grasp. At this time, a northward expedition would not be worth the cost.'

'Continue to accumulate. When the pre-researched armaments are ready, when maritime power spans the four seas, and when the people of the Central Plains are waiting expectantly, I will personally lead the fleet north to return to Huaxia a complete and prosperous land where the country is at peace and the people are secure.'

'This world cannot be rushed. One only needs to wait for the flowers to bloom; the water will flow where the channel is formed.'

The sea breeze brushed past the coast, carrying the fragrance of Nanyang's flowers and the salty freshness of the sea. The mechanical hum of the Red Alert Base, the clear sound of reading from the rural schools, and the distant whistle of merchant ships—the undercurrents of the world's general trend were moving slowly in the direction Lin Zhou had designated. There was no noisy conquest, only silent accumulation, and this accumulation would one day explode with a power that would sweep across the world.