"Modern warfare is about logistics and national strength."

On top of the Emperor's Tower.

Li Longxing sat on the throne in the vast and grand palace, which was empty except for some minimalist facilities.

Bright sunlight shone through the long windows, illuminating the palace.

Even more radiant than the sunlight was the first princess sitting below.

Li Linyue.

She was exquisitely made up, with her long hair tied up. Her snow-white jade-like neck was as elegant as a swan, and the crystal earrings gently swayed on her perfect cheeks, reflecting a myriad of colors.

With perfect, impeccable etiquette and posture, she listened to her father's speech.

"The earth-shattering strategies and decisive tactics of ancient military books do not exist here. A complete staff system and advanced reconnaissance technology greatly reduce the space for conspiracy."

"In war, strategy comes first, tactics second, logistics third, and national strength overall."

"The reason why the empire is in decline now is due to excessive internal strife, causing the gradual decline of national strength, no longer as strong as it used to be."

Li Linyue raised her head, and the sunlight shone on her profile, making her skin as white as jade. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, making her look pitiful, unlike her usual strong demeanor.

"Father, how can we restore the national strength of the empire?"

Li Longxing looked at her with a serious expression and cold eyes, devoid of any fatherly affection.

But Li Linyue believed that this was the real father. The previous one, who was slippery and nonsensical, and would not stop until he made her angry, was just a disguise.

But she didn't think too much about why her father was pretending to be like this in front of her.

"Linyue, restoring the national strength of a vast empire is not that simple. A clean political system, orderly order, and fair rule of law are only the most basic conditions. We need a new, thorough system to eradicate all the decayed, backward, and dark things, and to eliminate the deep-rooted problems of the past 180 years."

Li Longxing looked at her, only to see the blush on his daughter's perfect face.

"You are absolutely right."

She tried to suppress her excitement and maintain perfect etiquette.

"The empire needs a new system to ensure your unique voice. The empire only needs one authority, just as the sky only needs one sun!"

"The chaos of the empire is due to the arrogance of these despicable people! They dare to stand shoulder to shoulder with the supreme emperor, dare to restrain the supreme imperial power, leading to the disorder of ranks, the chaos of order, the dominance of the despicable, and the inability of the virtuous to act. The laws of the empire are virtually nonexistent."

"This is the root cause of the empire's decline, day by day."

"Only under the rule of a supreme, holy, talented, noble, and wise emperor can the empire flourish anew!"

Li Longxing was extremely disappointed, still holding onto a glimmer of hope, and asked:

"What do you think of the system of a parliamentary election?"

Li Linyue frowned imperceptibly, but the disgust in her eyes was unmistakable, as if she had seen feces while enjoying a sumptuous meal.

"A foolish and worthless system. Ignorant commoners cannot even handle trivial matters, so how can they have the qualifications to discuss national affairs?"

Li Longxing lost interest in continuing the conversation. He resumed his cold expression and said lightly, "I'm tired, you may leave."

Facing her father's indifferent attitude, Li Linyue did not feel the slightest sense of alienation. She bid farewell to her father with perfect etiquette and even some of the old imperial rituals.

Watching the first princess walk away, even in the empty palace, she still maintained perfect etiquette, every step exuding the nobility of a princess and the dignity of the royal family.

This was also the reason she was praised as the most perfect princess in the history of the empire.

The number and quality of her suitors far exceeded those of previous first princesses. If the emperor used her for marriage, he would at least gain the strong support of a senior figure.

But Li Longxing knew that his education had completely failed.

Li Linyue was once his favorite daughter. When she was seven years old, that exquisite little princess, that innocent and romantic little girl, who would cry for a bird with a broken wing, always remained in Li Longxing's memory, never leaving.

Unfortunately, the environment greatly changed her. During the time when Li Longxing was deeply involved in political struggles, the emperor's throne was not guaranteed, and there were many collateral branches with legal support.

To seek refuge, he sent his family away.

Many years later, when the political situation finally stabilized, Li Longxing brought them back, but by then, she had become like this.

Li Longxing tried various methods, but he could never find the innocent girl she once was.

Now, in front of him, was a political figure.

Even more terrifyingly, a naive political figure.

She was indeed talented and understood human nature, but that did not prevent her political naivety. She thought that by magnifying the model of the Princess Party to the entire empire, she could baptize the empire.

Li Longxing tried to educate her, but each time only brought about more serious disasters.

She mistook forbearance for retreat, deadly combat for fighting, alliances for laws, and consensus for self-centeredness.

After causing several major political disasters, Li Longxing no longer discussed any political or struggle-related topics with her.

But Li Linyue, not receiving her father's guidance, was always unwilling to leave. Later, she seemed to have figured something out and always took his unintentional words as a hidden message, overinterpreting any of his actions.

Li Longxing began to talk nonsense and drove her away.

As a result, it became a habit, and he started talking nonsense in front of his wife and brothers.

As a result, he was often beaten by his wife, to the point where Li Longxing even began to miss the old imperial system.Of course, this is just a thought.

The grand imperial system of the old empire was an even more backward and ignorant system, which placed the rise and fall of the world entirely on the shoulders of the emperor. If the emperor was a man of great talent and grand vision, which occurred once in a millennium, the empire would naturally prosper. Otherwise, the empire was bound to decline.

Most of the time, it would be the latter, which had become a consensus within the empire.

Now, with the rapid expansion of imperial power, many people were already crying out for caution against the grand emperor.

Since the battle of Zezhou, as the empire engaged in three major wars simultaneously, the four great elders judged that the empire was at a critical juncture of life and death. According to the empire's highest sacred principles, they began to switch to an executive state, taking over the reins of the supreme ruler of the empire.

The governance of the empire shifted from eight to thirteen, and then to five.

The emperor of the empire and the first elder, Li Longxing, had transformed from a nominal mascot to one of the actual rulers.

Subsequently, with the support of the three pillars of the Senate, thirteen elders, and many nobles, he officially assumed the duties of the grand marshal of the empire.

Since then, imperial power had reached its peak in nearly twenty years.

Li Longxing took this opportunity to quietly eradicate the empire's malpractices while handling state affairs.

For example, he changed the news censorship system, curbed threats to journalists and bribery to some extent, increased channels for public feedback, and strictly constrained the governors and councils everywhere.

This was his last attempt at top-down reform.

If it really succeeded.

Then he and Sheng Huaixuan would not have to launch their thunderous plan, and many lives could be spared in the empire.

Li Longxing stood in front of the window, with the bright sunlight entering at a 75-degree angle, submerging everything below his eyes in the bright light.

The shadow of the window lattice obscured his eyes. Looking down from 600 meters above, the imperial capital was still bustling as ever.

May this golden age be as I see it.

—

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Upon arriving at the riverbank, Lin Wen immediately noticed a faint phoenix cry from the "No Colorful Phoenix in Body."

But as soon as he stepped onto the boat, the faint phoenix cry disappeared, and it returned once he stepped back.

Lin Wen thought for a moment; the phoenix cry signified good karma, and its disappearance upon boarding meant that he would miss an opportunity to acquire good karma.

So, Lin Wen slipped away unnoticed and waited by the riverbank.

As soon as the boat left, Lin Wen saw dozens of bodies floating down the river.

This was the good karma.

Lin Wen glanced at his remaining 18% of spiritual essence and used "Mango Pomelo Sago."

Spiritual essence remaining: 5%

He leaped into the river and swam to the bodies amidst the rushing currents.

Upon closer inspection, the bodies were already dead.

Most had been shot, and a few had been tortured; their organs were removed, eyes gouged out, and noses and ears cut off.

That's not right, is it?

Where does good karma come from the dead, and I can't resurrect them.

"Resurrection" was one of only two True Immortal-level spells in his list of spells, and the number was too dark to look at, lest it be heartbreaking.

Was it to bury them?

Lin Wen wasn't sure in his heart; physical burial was just a ritual, meant to comfort the living, and wasn't water burial also a form of burial?

But to ignore the good karma right in front of him would mean he didn't deserve the Lin surname.

After some thought, Lin Wen decided to bring them ashore for burial.

He untied the weapon belt from his waist, which had several layers for inserting different tactical weapons and was quite long when unfolded.

He tied all the bodies together and dragged them ashore.

Just as he was about to find stones to build a simple grave, Lin Wen suddenly noticed someone spitting out water.

Not dead.

Lin Wen rushed over and felt the body; it was ice-cold, with a very faint heartbeat, and at a glance, it was easy to mistake for a dead person.

5% of good karma was only enough for one "Mango Pomelo Sago."

Lin Wen immediately cast the spell.

Invisible green light entered the body, the temperature gradually returned, water was coughed out from the lungs, breathing stabilized, and the heartbeat gradually strengthened, but the person remained unconscious.

Saving lives, good karma +2

Although it wasn't much, Lin Wen was happy as long as there was an increase in good karma.

After a thorough check and confirming there was only one survivor, he stacked the bodies together, piled stones on top, and made a simple grave.

Just as he was about to return, his phone rang in his pocket.

Qin Luoshuang: "Lin Wen! Where have you run off to again? Can't you stick with the group? If you have any plans, at least tell me first!"

Lin Wen couldn't be bothered with small talk and activated his "Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart," only to hear it say:

"Telling you would worry you. Not telling you would sadden you. The matter of emotions, in this world..."

Qin Luoshuang had been fooled too many times and knew that whenever Lin Wen's style changed abruptly, when he no longer spoke like a blunt, straightforward man, but instead became pleasing to the ear, sometimes sweet, sometimes flirtatious, sometimes artistic, he was just brushing her off.

"Shut up!" she snapped angrily: "Tell me where you are now and what you're planning to do."

"I'm in the distance from you, wanting to enter your heart, but you've closed the door, leaving me..."

Lin Wen wisely turned off the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, realizing that even hearts have limits and can't always cheer someone up.

Probably because they had been together for too long, his erratic behavior was a clear sign that something was amiss.

Before the explosion on the other end of the phone, Lin Wen said: "I'm not far from the boarding point, I saved someone, send a speedboat to pick me up."

"Okay."

A brief reply came from the other end of the phone.

After a pause, the voice came through again.

"Lin Wen, you don't have to try to cheer me up, but there are some collective actions that you need to inform me about, otherwise, it's difficult for me as a leader to operate."

"Okay," Lin Wen replied.

"Also, if you're willing, I really think you and Xia Ting are a good match. Why not give her a try? I'll make sure she can't escape."