I wield power with my innate talents, and forge the Heavenly Court.

Chapter 164 Unstoppable, Tumed Forced into a Desperate Situation
As some runes and patterns evolved within the dynasties, the artisans eventually managed to figure out some things.

Some of the runes that evolve from guiding supernatural powers can not only serve as a medium to guide the power within the user's body into the weapon, enhancing its controllability and providing additional energy.

In addition, it can also be used as an energy-gathering rune, which can gather a certain amount of energy and store it in the weapon. When it is used, it can be released all at once to further enhance the weapon's power.

The ability to harness the wind can effectively reduce air resistance and counteract the effect of wind on the trajectory of a bullet.

The runes that evolve from the Flame-Spitting Divine Power can increase the burning temperature and efficiency of gunpowder, thereby increasing the power of bullets.

Furthermore, if combined with the amplifying rune patterns evolved from the Divine Power of Copying, its power will be further enhanced.

The rifle in Wang Dahu's hand is a new type of rifle engraved with runes, and its power is beyond imagination.

The bullets they fired were just as good as artillery shells.

But what if we used artillery shells instead? How powerful would they be?
The only downside is that inscribing runes is not easy; it requires at least reaching the Qi Refining stage.

Only recently have many craftsmen broken through to the Qi Refining realm and completed experiments on inscribing runes on guns and cannons.

Only a handful of these were actually fully produced.

Only a few high-ranking generals were rewarded by the dynasty and were able to be equipped with one.

The artisans are currently researching methods for mass-producing runes.

Their approach involved energy-gathering runes and the machine tools that the leader had mentioned before.

If the research is successful, the energy-gathering runes will collect energy as a power source, and the machine tools will be finely engraved with the runes.

Then, this almost magical weapon will truly enter the mass production stage.

Of course, before that, they needed to develop the steam engine and even the internal combustion engine.

At that time, the development of the People's Salvation Army will enter a completely new stage.

However, even with the dynasty's forward-looking guidance and the assistance of supernatural powers and runes, it was not something that could be achieved in a short period of time.

After all, runes haven't even been completely simplified and perfected yet, let alone anything else.

The dynasty estimated that if it truly wanted to reach the level of development of later generations, it might not take several hundred years.

However, it is inevitable that it will take twenty, thirty, or even fifty years.

The development involves many aspects; it's not enough to simply develop weapons or one aspect.

On the other side, when Wang Dahu and his men stopped firing, there was not a single living person left on the entire battlefield, except for the militia.

Five thousand soldiers of the Salvation Army sat upright on their horses, each exuding a strong aura of killing intent. This numbered in the tens of thousands, and even long-range rifle fire would not be without impact.

The spiritual forces of despair, fear, resentment, and even the lingering resentment of the remnants of the souls of countless steppe cavalrymen before their deaths rapidly converged around the crowd.

In an instant, Wang Dahu and the others were surrounded by ghostly figures, as if they were in a ghostly realm.

The People's Salvation Army is like a ghostly army, suppressing countless vengeful spirits and evil ghosts, while Wang Dahu is the King of Hell. Even though countless vengeful spirits and evil ghosts are filled with intense resentment and obsession towards him, they dare not approach him at all.

Looking at the vengeful spirits and ghosts around him, Wang Dahu couldn't help but snort coldly.

Yes, Wang Dahu can see those vengeful spirits and ghosts.

In fact, not only Wang Dahu, but also the five thousand soldiers who were saving the people behind him could see these vengeful spirits.

This is an instinct that comes after one has attained the divine status, a kind of supernatural power that is not a divine power. They cannot see or sense pure spiritual power.

However, these remnants of souls are already considered aggregates of spiritual power, and in some ways, they are similar to powers like the Iron-Blooded Aura.

Naturally, they were able to see and sense the iron-blooded aura, and thus they were also able to see these remnants of souls.

However, they were not afraid at all. The iron-blooded aura of the army was the nemesis of these remnants of souls, vengeful spirits and evil ghosts.

These vengeful spirits and malevolent ghosts couldn't even get close to them, let alone harm them; they could only linger around them.

Moreover, since they can see it, they can naturally harm or even kill it.

"Humph!"

As Wang Dahu snorted, endless iron-blooded murderous aura suddenly descended, instantly engulfing those vengeful spirits and ghosts.

"Ah~!"

In an instant, those vengeful spirits and vengeful ghosts let out silent wails, their bodies twisting and breaking apart.

The endless, bloodthirsty aura grew even denser, its malevolent energy soaring to the heavens, seemingly capable of slaying gods and demons.

Wang Dahu turned his horse around, pointed his long sword at the large tribe, and the group immediately spurred their horses away.

All the able-bodied soldiers in the tribe had been slaughtered, and the remaining people naturally had no power to resist. Faced with the menacing army that was trying to save the people, they all surrendered.

Even the troublemakers were shot dead along with the old and useless ones immediately.

Thus, the remaining able-bodied people and children were all escorted by Wang Dahu and his men to Gansu Town.

During their journey, they even destroyed another large medium-sized tribe, as well as several small tribes.

By the time they arrived in Gansu Town, the number of people had increased from the initial 20,000 to 30,000 to 50,000.

After Xu Ming took over the prisoners and escorted them to the interior, Wang Dahu once again ventured deep into the grasslands.

They went back and forth like this until no grassland tribe within hundreds of miles dared to approach.

During this process, Ligdan Khan, as the Great Khan of the Tatar Tumed, naturally led his army to encircle and suppress them several times.

Unfortunately, no matter how many troops he sent, they were all just going to their deaths in the face of the militia's rifles.

If an ordinary person were using a rifle, they might be able to get close to the cavalry.

However, the People's Salvation Army was different. Not only were all of them sharpshooters, but they were also under the command of Wang Dahu, so there would never be a situation where several, or even a dozen or dozens of people aimed at and killed one person.

Hundreds of thousands of bullets—that could truly kill hundreds of thousands of people. If Lindan Khan hadn't been so terrified of the militia's sharp arrows that he had never approached the battlefield, he would have been shot dead by Wang Dahu long ago.

After several such exchanges, Ligdan Khan completely lost confidence and led his tribe far away from the territory of the Salvation Army.

Meanwhile, Wang Shi and his team's attack on the Qinghai Tatar Tumed was also going incredibly smoothly.

It would be even easier than attacking the grasslands.

After all, the vast grasslands offer ample depth.

South of Qinghai lies the Duogan Pacification Commission, to the west the Yarkand Khanate, to the north the Shaanxi Provincial Commandery, and to the northwest the Turpan Khanate.

It can be said that the Tatar Tumed tribe in Qinghai was completely surrounded, with little room for maneuver and no external support whatsoever.

If it were when the Ming army was stationed in Shaanxi, Ligdan Khan could have even led his army through Shaanxi and directly into the Qinghai Tatar Tumed tribe.

However, at this time, Lindan Khan did not even dare to approach, let alone support the Tatar Tumed tribe in Qinghai.

In less than a month, the People's Salvation Army had occupied the area surrounding Qinghai, including Chaka Salt Lake.

The dynasty began to mandate the production of salt.

Having learned about some salt-making methods in later generations, the Weapons Manufacturing Division had long ago developed a method for producing pure salt that would be used in later generations.

As for why the Weapons Manufacturing Division would research methods for salt production...

Yes, as mentioned before, the weapons manufacturing bureau established by the dynasty was actually equivalent to the Ministry of Works of the Ming Dynasty, or the Academy of Engineering in later times.

They not only researched and manufactured weapons, but also steam engines, machine tools, and even salt-making methods.

It's just that because we are currently at war, we are more focused on weapons.

After occupying the area surrounding Qinghai, Wang Shi and his men did not stop their offensive. Instead, they continued westward, driving the Tatar Tumed tribe westward.

In the end, the Tatar Tumed tribe was completely terrified by the militia. Upon discovering the militia, they immediately spurred their horses and fled for their lives.

Finally, three months later, the Salvation Army occupied most of the territory of the Qinghai Tatar Tumed tribe, reaching a level with Shazhou and Guazhou, and drove the remaining Tatar Tumed tribe to the far west.

During this process, the southern leader, Dugansi, did consider taking advantage of the chaos to attack the militia.

However, after they inadvertently witnessed a battle between two armies, in which a few hundred militiamen easily annihilated thousands of Tatar Tumed cavalrymen from a distance of only a few hundred meters, they never again entertained the idea of ​​taking advantage of the chaos.

At this time, a large number of Tatar Tumed people gathered in a small area in the west, and the pressure to survive increased exponentially.

At this moment, the Qinghai Tatar Tumed tribe was completely driven into a desperate situation by the militia.

If they want to survive, they have no choice but to expand outwards and seize the territories of other powers.

The area to the east was the territory of the People's Salvation Army, so naturally they dared not go there.

Then they could only expand in other directions, either towards the Turpan Khanate to the north, or towards the Yarkand Khanate to the west, or cross the Kunlun Mountains to the south and enter the territory of the Dorgons.

Of course, they had another option: to travel through Turpan to the northern grasslands and integrate into the Tatar Tumed tribe.

Alternatively, they could join another faction.

If they were to choose which faction to join, the one they would most like to join would naturally be the People's Salvation Army.

Although the militia had carried out large-scale massacres.

But doesn't this further prove the strength of the People's Salvation Army?

These grassland tribes, who are inherently strong and respect the powerful, didn't actually face much psychological pressure in getting them to submit to the Salvation Army.

However, that would only work if the militia were willing to help.

In any case, the militia attacked and attacked again along the way, and never intended to recruit surrender.

It wasn't until three months later that the militia stopped their pursuit.

They were forced to retreat to a small area in the far west.

A group of tribal chiefs, their faces covered in dust and grime, gathered together to discuss their next move.

"Sigh, I think we should just surrender to the militia."

"Hehe, that depends on whether they're willing to accept it."

"Oh~!"

Everyone sighed in unison and fell silent.

After a long while, someone finally spoke:
"Why don't we take the route through the Turpan Khanate and enter the northern grasslands?"

"Easy for you to say. Do you really think Turpan would allow hundreds of thousands of us to pass through?"

"This won't work, that won't work, so what do you suggest we do?"

"How about we join the Turpan Khanate?"

The moment he finished speaking, everyone turned to look at him with puzzled expressions.

Is this guy an idiot?

When Turpan faced the militia, didn't it also lose the city and territory? Hundreds of thousands of people were killed in total, and now it doesn't dare utter a sound, forced to cower and hide.

Moreover, although the militia did not attack the Turpan Khanate again, it seems they did not say anything about forgiveness.

Who knows when, that devilish militia might attack Turpan again.

What will happen to them then?
Could he be ordered by Aji Khan to go to the front lines and die?

At best, they would be chased around like dogs by the militia again.

(End of this chapter)