Chapter 131: A New Chapter, Crimson Continent

Within half an hour, Chen Mu had secured control of the capital of the Southern Barbarian Kingdom. The "new king" and the rebel general were both taken into custody.

Chen Mu summoned the young man named Li Abadun, commended him highly, and appointed him as the new captain of the reserve forces. He then instructed the young king and the political instructor to pacify the populace. Having witnessed the might of the cannons, the Southern Barbarians were unlikely to revolt again.

Due to the rapid development of the Great Xia’s national strength, Chen Mu had overlooked the necessity of a show of force. He decided that, in the future, he would hold a military parade whenever tributary states came to pay homage, displaying the Great Xia’s muscle to ensure they would not dare to act recklessly.

A few days later, Chen Mu led his army back to the Great Xia. Soon after, the rubber from the Southern Barbarian Kingdom arrived; it was raw, white rubber sheets. The tires produced from this processed material were also white. Recalling that the tires from his previous life were black due to additives, Chen Mu ordered the Academy of Engineering to conduct research in that direction. Furthermore, as only solid tires were currently available and lacked sufficient elasticity, he tasked them with developing pneumatic tire technology. These were matters for the future, but the solid tires were still useful for increasing friction, reducing noise, and dampening vibrations. Chen Mu arranged for state-run enterprises to begin production, offering them to the public through a tire-fitting service. He decided to consider bicycles and tricycles only after pneumatic tires were perfected.

Time flew, and New Year arrived. Once the festivities concluded, Chen Mu grew restless again. He went to the imperial palace to present his next plan to Chen Xingtian.

"There is still a vast expanse of land south of the Kingdom of Isa?" Chen Xingtian asked in astonishment. "And it’s three times the size of the Kingdom of Isa?"

The Kingdom of Isa was sparsely populated but already nearly as large as the Great Xia, and the continent of Chizhou that Chen Mu described was three times its size—meaning it was roughly three times the size of the Great Xia.

Chen Mu nodded. "Indeed, though there is little land suitable for farming there; most of it consists of grasslands and deserts. However, it is rich in rare mineral resources, making it well worth developing."

Chen Xingtian did not ask how Chen Mu knew this, as he wouldn't understand the explanation anyway. "Very well, then. Be careful, return as soon as you can, and take plenty of troops, provisions, and..." Chen Xingtian rambled on like an ordinary father fretting over a child embarking on a long journey.

Chen Mu smiled. "Don't worry, I have experience with these things."

This time, Chen Mu took only fifty guards and one thousand Invincible Flying Troops. He brought only muskets, leaving the cannons behind to travel light and fast. Moreover, he knew that Chizhou was likely still a primitive society, requiring no massive military force. Instead, he prioritized supplies, packing four hundred carts worth of provisions for his one hundred and six transport vehicles. In addition to staples like grain, dried meat, and dehydrated vegetables, he anticipated the cold nights of Chizhou and included down jackets and canvas tents. They were well-equipped for any eventuality.

Once prepared, Chen Mu led his troops through Persia, Western Qiang, and Isa, crossing the narrow passage between the two continents to reach the continent of Chizhou. He thought that if maritime technology became advanced enough in the future, they could consider digging a canal there to connect the two seas, though it was unnecessary for now.

The northern part of Chizhou was all desert and mountains. As the army marched, Chen Mu mapped the terrain, sketching a large triangular shape—wide at the top and narrow at the bottom—and adding details like mountains and rivers as they went.

As they pressed on, the army entered a mountainous region. The presence of trees on the mountains indicated a water source nearby, a vital resource that had to be marked on the map. The convoy searched for a path, navigating through the trees and soil, until they reached a narrow passage where the electric crawler vehicles could only pass one by one.

Then, disaster struck. A section of the mountain suffered a sudden landslide, and the vehicle Chen Mu was riding in plunged down along with the sliding earth and rocks.

The nearby soldiers were horrified.

"Crown Prince!"

"No!"

"Save him!"

Some prepared to climb down, but Zhang Zhong quickly stopped them. "No! It's too dangerous!"

"But we must save the Crown Prince!" the soldiers cried.

"It will cause another landslide!" Zhang Zhong warned. "And if the vehicles or people lose control, they might crush the Crown Prince!"

The group fell silent. Zhang Zhong continued, "Split into two teams, carefully move away from this spot, and search separately. If you find anything, fire a signal flare."

The soldiers obeyed and split up. Meanwhile, Chen Mu had tumbled to the ground, crashing through countless trees. He coughed violently, caught his breath, and looked around. The trees were tall, obscuring his line of sight; he could not see the mountain road above.

"Li Ke? Li Ke?"

Chen Mu turned to the driver, only to find him silent. He hurried over to check, reached out to feel for a pulse in the carotid artery, then shook his head and stood up. Li Ke was beyond saving. Chen Mu gathered what supplies he could from the vehicle and began searching for a way back.

Suffering from internal injuries, Chen Mu unsheathed his sword and used the scabbard as a cane, walking step by step along the mountainside. He was so busy looking around that he failed to watch his footing. Suddenly, he felt his ankle caught; a rope pulled taut, and Chen Mu was hoisted into the air.

It was a trap!

Chen Mu quickly bent at the waist, drew his longsword, and severed the rope. At that moment, he heard voices—a cacophony of wild howling—as a group charged toward him. Chen Mu held his sword and backed against the mountainside, maintaining his guard.

A savage clad in animal skins and brandishing a spear burst through the bushes, waving his weapon and shrieking at Chen Mu. The "spear" was merely a tree branch tipped with a sharpened stone, posing little threat. However, a second, then a third, and soon dozens of others leaped out, howling as they confronted him.

Chen Mu let out a long breath. His internal injuries were still painful, and a direct fight was not the best strategy. He sheathed his sword at his waist to signal no hostility, then used hand gestures to indicate he had fallen from above.

The savages in front of him exchanged glances, exchanged a few grunts, and then went quiet, watching him intently.

As Chen Mu wondered what to do, he noticed movement behind the line of savages. They parted, allowing someone to step forward. Upon seeing this person, Chen Mu froze.

The man’s attire was clearly that of a Westerner! Although his clothes were in tatters, they were unmistakably of Western style.