Western Military Command Headquarters, Chang An City, Su Province.
"Miss Qin, you wouldn't have come to find me just for a meal, would you?" Zhuanxu put down his wine glass, picked up his napkin, and wiped his mouth before speaking.
"Not at all... Everyone knows that you, Zhuanxu, one of the Five Emperors, are busy with state affairs day and night. How could I dare to waste your time?" The woman opposite him was dressed in a long red robe, her smile like a dew-kissed rose, beautiful yet dangerously alluring.
It was none other than King Yama of the Underworld.
"Such frivolous words..." Zhuanxu shook his head and said, "Speak, what do you want me to do?"
"You now command the land of Xichuan, from Bashu and Yukang in the south to Longsu and Hanning in the north. You have tens of thousands of elite troops and talented generals, and you are an eighth-tier powerhouse yourself. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you are a King by your side, would it?"
"Heh heh..." Zhuanxu was unfazed by King Yama's flowery flattery. He merely picked up his tea and took a sip.
The Dragon Country's political system was quite interesting. At the very top of the hierarchy was the "Li" Council, akin to an aristocratic assembly.
However, the true power lay with the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.
The Three Sovereigns, possessing unique skills and unfathomable strength, had their rule unchallenged. The nation's major powers were divided among these three: Human Sovereign Suiren controlled livelihood and economy; Earth Sovereign Nuwa managed government operations; and Heaven Sovereign Fuxi oversaw the central elite guard, the "Imperial Guard," and the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs.
Local power was divided into five major regions: East, West, South, North, and Central. Each region had separate military and political authority. (East: Qingzhou, Jiangzhou; West: Suzou, Bazhou; South: Huzhou, Jiaozhou; North: Yanzhou, Jizhou, Jianzhou; Central: Yuzhou, Jingzhou).
The Five Emperors were those who controlled these regional powers.
Except for the eccentric Yellow Emperor, who was not interested in military power in the central region, the other four Emperors all controlled regional military power to varying degrees.
Zhuanxu, in particular, was the most prominent among them. The western region, due to the Dunhuang ruins, was home to a large number of "demons," led by the Asura, Yaksha, and Rakshasa clans, whose combat prowess was formidable. This granted Zhuanxu the strength to expand his legions.
With the rise of power came the rise of ambition.
Zhuanxu had forcefully transformed this area into "Guanzhong Land" and "Shu Dao Nan" (Difficult Paths of Shu). Relying on the natural defenses of Hangu Pass, the Qinling Mountains, and the eighteen hairpin turns of the Shu Road, he had carved out Suzou and Bazhou as his own territory. As long as no one from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors reported him, he was practically a de facto emperor.
Exploiting and oppressing the populace internally, and feigning poverty externally to demand funds, Zhuanxu amassed a colossal fortune with the help of the Li family in Guanzhong and the Tang family in Sichuan from the spiritual treasure business in Suzou and the spiritual ore business in Bazhou. Heaven only knew what he intended to do with this money.
Indeed, it could be said that Zhuanxu was half responsible for the chaotic and impoverished state of the lower classes in Suzou and Bazhou.
"You are the de facto emperor of the Qin-Shu region, the overlord of Guanzhong... but ultimately, you are still a de facto emperor... not an Emperor."
"What do you want to say?" Zhuanxu frowned, waiting for King Yama to continue.
"It's like this... In the near future... we will be undertaking a major operation, and we hope you can feign compliance and stand aside for a while. Once it's accomplished, we guarantee that Suzou and Bazhou will be completely under your control."
"Hmph... What major operation can you possibly undertake? It's nothing more than some 'Night of a Hundred Ghosts' or 'Ghost Soldiers on Patrol'..." Zhuanxu snorted dismissively.
In Zhuanxu's view, organizations like the Underworld Palace were merely cults worshipping strange gods. After the death of the previous King of the Wheel, it was debatable whether they could even stir up any significant trouble.
As long as his elite troops were mobilized, wouldn't these people scatter like dried leaves in the wind?
"Don't worry... this time it will be absolutely different..." King Yama chuckled, "You'll know when the time comes. If you wish to proclaim yourself king or establish dominance, you are welcome to cooperate with us..."
This time, Zhuanxu did not retort but fell into contemplation...
After a while, King Yama left the headquarters, and Zhuanxu's adjutant was summoned.
"General." The adjutant saluted.
"Go investigate the frequency and number of people sent from Longjing recently, and also, find out the situation of the Underworld Palace within Suzou. I want this information on my desk by tomorrow morning."
"Yes!"
...
Sand Sea, on the Gobi Desert.
As the elder guide spoke, everyone's gaze immediately fell upon a bewildered Qian Xiao. Under their stares, Qian Xiao's expression changed several times before he finally spoke indignantly, "Old man! Don't spout nonsense! Why are you pinning this on me?!"
"Why?" The elder guide let out a cold chuckle and asked, "Did you have an argument with the locals in the outer district of Yumeng City before entering the sand sea?"
Upon hearing this, Qian Xiao's face changed, and he then said with a dark expression, "That's right..."
"Heh heh... You all know that Sand Scorpion Beasts hunt using sound waves, right?" Seeing everyone nod, the elder guide continued, "In this Hexi region, there's something called a 'Life-Seeking Whistle.' It's something the locals use specifically against their enemies."
"This thing is hung on clothing or items and releases an infrasound wave through air currents, which humans cannot hear. However, demon beasts like Sand Scorpion Beasts can hear it and it can enrage them. Therefore, wherever you go, you always attract nearby Sand Scorpion Beasts."
"And this specially made copper bell can resonate with the sound waves of the Life-Seeking Whistle, producing a ringing sound when approaching it."
After the elder guide finished his explanation, everyone turned their gaze to Qian Xiao, waiting for him to defend himself or act.
Qian Xiao took off his jacket and fumbled for a long time on his sleeve. Finally, with a grim expression, he pulled off a small black metal whistle.
"Get rid of it. We'll discuss compensation later," the elder guide said, turning and heading into the transport vehicle without looking back.
One by one, everyone walked past the stunned Qian Xiao. Finally, as Zhang Hanshan passed by, he whispered to Qian Xiao, "If Mok Chuan dies, you'll be going to jail."