Chapter 1090: Chapter 1077: Books Share the Same Script, Vehicles Share the Same Track Chapter 1090: Chapter 1077: Books Share the Same Script, Vehicles Share the Same Track As spring gave way to fall, the rice sown in the planting season had, unbeknownst to all, turned a golden yellow. A gentle breeze blew through the fields, causing the heavy panicles to sway and stir up wave upon wave of golden tides.

This scene would bring a smile to anyone who beheld it. By the fields of the Gai Nation, due to the cease-fire, the able-bodied men sent back home were now looking at their own fields with eyes full of anticipation,
“Another bountiful year! It’s about time for His Majesty to mobilize the army,” one of them said.

…
“Since you declared a cease-fire, aiming to mobilize the entire nation for digging canals, building trenches, and constructing warpaths, this year marks the fifth consecutive bountiful harvest. Are you planning to continue stockpiling grain?”

“Another year of bountiful harvest indeed,” Muria remarked as he looked over the summaries of grain production data from various regions, not without a sigh of appreciation and a smile across his face.

“Five years of continuous rich harvests, we don’t need to keep stockpiling anymore. It’s time for the first expansion,” he declared.

“I thought you were going to wait even longer,” Ferdinand said with a deliberately surprised look on his face upon hearing Muria’s words.

“Wait for what? If we wait any longer, there’ll be an uprising from below,” Muria replied.

“So you do know the state of affairs among the people below,” Ferdinand quipped.

“Of course, I know.” Muria rolled his eyes; he knew that Ferdinand’s remark was just to tease him. The reason, naturally, was that for the past five years, he had been “idling around,” basically staying out of governmental affairs and leaving everything to the Corpse Ghost to handle.

Of course, he hadn’t truly been idling around; his focus and effort were simply invested elsewhere.

He had established a military academy, nurturing a large number of mid-to-lower-level military officers. Furthermore, he handpicked a group of individuals with talent within the Gai Nation and devoted himself to their development.

To truly conquer and govern a region for the long term, simple military force wasn’t enough. It required officials familiar with local customs and environments to manage affairs specifically, and of course, a complement of armies and powerful figures adequate to suppress the area.

“If we press down on this any further, the number of people petitioning for war next year will surely double.”

“Most likely.” Muria nodded. Since the second year of the cease-fire, people had been petitioning him for war. Every subsequent year, the number of petitioners and the ranks of those joining in the requests continued to escalate.

No one was a fool. Over the years, Muria had been digging irrigation channels and reservoirs, constructing paths dedicated to warfare, and frantically stockpiling food. Anyone with common sense could see that all these preparations were for war.

Requesting to go to war was in line with the national interest, fitting the will of a new king—it was being in harmony with the times.

This year Muria decided not to hold back any further. The Gai Nation was now like a bloodthirsty tiger-wolf, driven by hunger, and could hardly wait to feed and fill its emaciated belly.

The only one who could restrain this beast was Muria, and now that he decided to release the chains in his hands, the tiger-wolf would burst from its domain, consuming everything in its vicinity until it satiated its hunger.

“My King, five years ago, Sara and the other two kingdoms took advantage of our nation’s reforms and weakened state to invade the Gai Nation. But thanks to your efforts, you turned the tide, supported our collapsing household, and defeated the invaders from the Three Kingdoms. Now, after five years of recuperation, the Gai Nation has a vast army, abundant provisions, and I request…”

The general in the hall below was making a passionate statement. Muria listened with an impassive face. The way the general described that war five years ago made it sound as if the Gai Nation had been greatly wronged. One would think the Gai Nation had suffered major losses five years prior without knowing better.

But this general was shamelessly complaining about the Gai Nation being greatly wronged five years ago and then using it to justify a call for retaliation, to regain the lost face and reputation from that time.

This general’s shamelessness was nothing more than an excuse to initiate external warfare, which was what nearly everyone in the Gai Nation wanted at the moment. They desired to wage war, to expand, to conquer more territories, and to reap greater benefits.

“Granted,” Muria responded with a neutral expression when he once again heard the requests for war from the officers below. The generals in the hall were momentarily stunned, then their faces filled with exultation.

“Then, my King, whom shall we attack this time?” A general asked cautiously after the thrill had passed.

“Whichever nations attacked us five years ago, we strike them now,” Muria replied.

“An attack on all three kingdoms at once?” Hearing Muria’s statement, all the generals in the hall were taken aback. None of them had anticipated such grand ambitions from their king.

“Is there a problem?” Muria inquired. In his eyes, the most important aspect of war wasn’t the initial annihilation but the subsequent conquest and management.

Given time, Muria alone could have toppled the entire Ymir Plain, but is this truly conquest? Of course not. True conquest requires the complete assimilation of the other, changing customs, and genuine acceptance of his rule from the heart.

For this, cooperation between officials and the army was needed, as well as the erosion of time; mere personal martial strength was of no use.

“…” Upon hearing Muria’s question, the generals, eager for battle, looked at each other in dismay.

“All troops, prepare for war!”

The call to arms for war preparation blared across all regions of Gai Nation, and soldiers, already sharpening their blades and thirsting for battle, shouldered their long-prepared armor, mounted their well-fed, robust warhorses, and hastened toward the sound of the horn — they had waited too long for this signal.

At this time in Gai Nation, anyone with the slightest capability had been mobilized. Under the system of Farming and War, the entire nation transformed into a massive, highly efficient war machine, bursting forth with fearsome power.

…

Amid the fields fragrant with the scent of rice, sturdy farmers swung their sickles, harvesting the heavy rice grains. Thanks to the bountiful harvest, a touch of a smile crept onto the face of each farmer, but it wasn’t as bright as usual.

What they truly desired had yet to come, and they all waited, hoping this bountiful harvest would prompt the King to change his mind and issue the order to go to war.

“The King commands…”

Soldiers clad in black leather armor, riding warhorses, brandishing banners with black backgrounds and red patterns, raced across the fields, stirring up whiffs of dust, catching the gaze of young men harvesting in the fields as they rode by.

After the cavalry had gone, the fields fell silent for a moment, then erupted in cheers. Young men clambered up the ridges and sprinted toward their homes.

Parting from their parents and relatives, they donned armor long prepared and picked up weapons polished till they shone, then set off in groups to report to the nearest barracks.

…

The war had started, just like it had five years prior. The difference was that five years ago, Gai Nation had been defensively fighting on three fronts against the Three Kingdoms, but now they were focusing their military might on an offensive against one nation.

The officials who had learned the enemy’s language stood ready to set off, poised to take up administration immediately after the army secured the enemy’s territory.

Unifying script, standardizing tracks and measures, changing customs — that is what true rule is.

The onslaught from Gai Nation was exceedingly abrupt, just like the Three Kingdoms had attacked without declaration before. Now was an era when lives were as worthless as grass, long devoid of any so-called courtesy or morality — pure, naked interest reigned supreme, and all means were permitted in pursuit of victory.

Although Muria’s true self bore the Golden Dragon lineage, he was now a King. A King is not a gentleman; a King is responsible only to his subjects and needs to preach etiquette and morality only to them.

Thus, in this war, Muria took part too. The military might of Gai Nation had already outclassed any neighboring nation after five years of regrouping and preparation, positioning itself as the dominant force in the region.

With the addition of Muria, Gai Nation’s army became an unstoppable force. Muria, advancing ahead of the troops, eradicated most of the enemy’s ruling class.

In the absence of unified command on the enemy side, Gai Nation’s army, once crossing the national border, was invincible, achieving victory in every battle without facing a single worthy opponent.

In less than a month, Gai Nation had destroyed a nation of similar size and strength, with the soldiers clad in Black Armor conquering and sweeping through every city.

This spectacular victory astonished every neighboring nation, prompting them to significantly escalate their threat level for Gai Nation and heighten their vigilance, particularly those who had previously invaded Gai Nation.

After annihilating one nation, Gai Nation’s army did not cease. Leaving enough force to suppress the conquered cities, the main military might of Gai Nation pointed its blade towards a second nation.

This time, Muria did not intervene because the first battle had already fueled the morale of Gai Nation’s troops to an extreme high. Every soldier was firm in their belief of inevitable victory, participating in a war that was assured to end triumphantly.

Under these circumstances, Gai Nation’s army advanced on the second country that had once invaded them. As Muria did not participate and because the enemy was prepared, the advance of Gai Nation’s army was significantly slowed compared to before — hardly comparable.

Still, the army’s momentum was relentless. Facing the invasion of Gai Nation’s troops, the targeted country’s army fell back continuously, unable to withstand for long.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read