Chapter 2: Activation of the Imperial System

Early the next morning, warm sunlight streamed through the wooden window, bathing Du Chengfeng’s face in a gentle glow. Feeling the sun’s warmth, he awoke early. After a simple breakfast of thin porridge, he was about to go outside to exercise his frail, stiff body when, all of a sudden, a mechanical, electronic voice echoed in his mind: “Empire System initiated. Please confirm activation, Host. Repeating, Empire System initiated. Please confirm activation.” The electronic voice reverberated ceaselessly in his head, leaving Du Chengfeng dumbfounded, his mind momentarily stunned by shock.

“A system? Is this the legendary protagonist’s aura? A pie falling from the sky, a powerful cheat code?” he exclaimed in disbelief. Yet, after a brief moment, Du Chengfeng composed himself.

After all, since he had already crossed into another world, it wasn’t so hard to accept the sudden appearance of a system in his mind, he thought.

“The Empire System! Ha! Just the name alone sounds so grand and imposing. Activate it—hurry, activate it!” Du Chengfeng’s excitement was barely contained, his face alight with joy. Though he could not yet be sure what this Empire System actually was or how powerful it might be, its name alone exuded a sense of majesty and dominance.

In his previous life, Du Chengfeng had often read countless online novels to pass the time, so he was certain that this so-called Empire System was sure to be both amazing and powerful. He never expected such an incredible thing would fall into his lap by sheer dumb luck.

Thinking of this, Du Chengfeng couldn’t help but burst into laughter, waving his arms and dancing with glee. Thankfully, his elder brother was still asleep and there was no one else around to witness his antics, or they might have thought him mad.

Calm down, you must calm down, he told himself, doing his best to steady his emotions. Just then, the electronic voice sounded again: “Host confirmed. Empire System activated.”

“System, may I ask what you are?” Du Chengfeng asked, still a little dazed.

“I am not some mere thing; I am the unmatched, mighty Empire System!” the system snapped, suddenly indignant.

Du Chengfeng gave a sly chuckle, finding the system’s reaction oddly amusing. “Then, System, what is your function?” he asked curiously.

“My purpose is to assist the host in building an invincible empire in this world,” the system replied.

Build an empire? Good heavens, the system was certainly ambitious. “An empire? Me, just a humble villager?” Du Chengfeng replied with a hint of sarcasm.

“Never doubt the might of this system!” the system retorted proudly.

Is this system always this temperamental? Sensing its annoyance, Du Chengfeng grumbled inwardly.

“In light of the host’s weak constitution, the system is awarding a starter pack. Please check your inventory. And there’s no need to act so surprised—just communicate with me in your mind, I can hear you perfectly well. Also, please select a location for the Empire System’s base as soon as possible,” the system announced loudly.

“What, there’s even a base?” Du Chengfeng’s brow twitched in astonishment. “System, can the base be built underground?” he asked, struck by sudden inspiration.

Considering that the villagers of Du Family Village surrounded him, the sudden appearance of an advanced technological base would cause unimaginable chaos and repercussions. He was new here, had no foundation, and no real strength; keeping such a secret hidden seemed wisest. Most importantly, if possible, he had absolutely no desire to let anyone know about the existence of something so fantastical.

“It can. Given the current environment, constructing the base underground is indeed a very wise choice,” the system commended.

That was a relief. With the system’s confirmation, Du Chengfeng felt reassured.

He recalled that behind the village, deep in the mountains, there was a secluded valley with a concealed cave. The entrance was just big enough for an adult to squeeze through, and it was hidden by several ancient trees, making it extremely safe. Though the entrance was small, the inside was spacious, and about a kilometer in, there was a smaller tunnel that extended even deeper underground. Du Chengfeng had never explored its full depth; he only remembered his grandfather discovering the cave by accident during a childhood outing. Building the base at the bottom of this cave seemed the perfect plan.

It was still early, just after dawn, and the villagers had yet to rise. Seizing the opportunity, Du Chengfeng dashed toward the cave like a gust of wind.

Only after reaching the depths did he pause to catch his breath. “System, build the base here at the bottom of the cave,” he instructed.

“Command received. Beginning base construction beneath the cave,” the system replied. Moments later, a flash of white light illuminated the cave, and a massive, bizarre vehicle materialized on the flat ground. By Du Chengfeng’s estimate, it was twenty to thirty meters long and seven or eight meters wide. Once it appeared, it moved of its own accord, burrowing deeper beneath the cave floor.

Staring into the pitch-black depths, Du Chengfeng resisted the urge to investigate and chose to wait patiently. Several minutes passed before a chime sounded in his mind: “System base construction complete. Please check the base interface in your mind.”

At that moment, a vast blue electronic screen appeared in his mind. At the top, several large icons were displayed: Reputation System, System Warehouse, System Store, and System Base. The Reputation System and System Store were grayed out, while the Warehouse and Base were highlighted in blue. Du Chengfeng instinctively selected the System Base interface.

Upon seeing the screen, he was momentarily speechless—this looked just like the interface from the Red Alert games he used to play.

“The host may now choose construction projects,” the system prompted.

Without hesitation, Du Chengfeng opened the base interface. Having played Red Alert Empire in his previous life, he was very familiar with the layout. At the top was the starting capital—forty thousand. On the right, various buildable projects were listed, their prices strikingly similar to those in the game, at least for now.

“By the way, System, how does one acquire money for the base?” Du Chengfeng asked. With only forty thousand to start, building a few barracks would likely deplete it. He needed to understand everything, as this was no virtual game, but the foundation of his future power.

“The host can construct ore refineries. Funds can be generated by refining ore,” the system suggested.

Ore? Du Chengfeng was unsure about the local mineral resources. “System, can you scan for ore deposits near our village?” he asked helplessly.

Judging by the situation, Du Chengfeng realized that developing the base would require vast mineral resources. With the powerful support of the system base, he felt even more confident in establishing the mighty empire the system promised.

“Rest assured, Host. The base has already detected abundant iron and coal deposits beneath Du Family Village,” the system confirmed.

It seems even the heavens are helping me, Du Chengfeng thought, his face breaking into a wide grin. Without further hesitation, he said, “If there are resources, then let’s start by building one barracks, three power plants, and two ore refineries.” These were the basic facilities, and he decided quickly.

“And also, build one war vehicle factory and produce five hundred soldiers,” he added. His reasoning was that, though he now had a base, he needed an army for security, especially to guard the base’s surroundings.

“Reminder: War vehicle factories require the system to reach level three to unlock, and cloned soldiers are currently limited to two hundred fifty per day,” the system replied, pouring cold water on his enthusiasm.

“What, level three is required for that?” Du Chengfeng was dismayed, his earlier excitement fading. This was nothing like he imagined.

But he had to admit, power could only grow step by step. If he could reach the pinnacle instantly, he could conquer the world in a heartbeat. This was understandable, and he calmed himself.

However, he realized he hadn’t been told how to level up. Without unlocking the war vehicle factory, many future units would be unavailable. He quickly asked, “System, how do I reach level three? Can the base be discovered by outsiders? Do mining vehicles need to surface to collect ore? And what’s the difference between cloned soldiers and real people?” He fired off every question he could think of.

Overwhelmed by the barrage, the system hesitated before replying: “Once the host establishes a nation, the system will reach level three, and sub-bases will also be unlocked. All bases are constructed at a depth of over two hundred meters underground; with current human technology, they are impossible to detect. Mining vehicles also operate underground and will not be exposed to the surface—rest assured, Host.”

“As for cloned soldiers, they are indistinguishable from regular people. They possess normal cognition, require food and drink, and can be upgraded and trained. Given your present circumstances, the base can provide logistics for fifty thousand soldiers per month. At level two, this increases to one hundred fifty thousand, and at level three, six hundred thousand. Supplies include food, clothing, water, firearms, and ammunition, so please ensure your development and construction plans do not exceed these limits,” the system explained in detail, displaying a very human touch.

“System, you’re amazing!” Du Chengfeng couldn’t help but praise.

The system’s explanations eased many of his concerns, such as logistics for cloned soldiers and the base’s concealment.

As for establishing a nation to reach level three and unlock more units, he knew this was not something that could be accomplished overnight. Building a country was not solely a matter of force. With his advanced knowledge and the system base as his backing, he was confident it was only a matter of time.

The road ahead would be long and arduous, Du Chengfeng knew. Since fate had brought him to this era and bestowed such a powerful gift, the path before him would inevitably be filled with thorns, blood, and extraordinary challenges.