My Realistic Simulation Game

Chapter 262 The Sinking of China
"The Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War, the Taiping Rebellion..."

Qin Yuan looked at the three world options and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

As he had expected, the worlds that appeared in this "myriad worlds" were all key segments in the long history of Earth.

These three options span the entire turbulent nineteenth century.

He had no way of knowing whether other players or the creatures beneath the tower faced the same choice, but he understood the intricacies of these three worlds perfectly.

Which one should we choose?
There's no need to think about it at all.

Qin Yuan's gaze slowly swept across the options, finally settling on the third option as firmly as a rock—[The Fall of China - Elegy of Heaven].

Chaotic times are the touchstone for heroes and the best stage for ambitious people.

His understanding of the struggles, humiliations, and quests of that ancient land in the mid-19th century was profound and insightful, surpassing that of anyone in this era.

His finger, steady and firm, pointed in the void to the option that carried blood and fire, ideals and tragedies.

The moment you tap, the surrounding light and shadow shift and change like ripples on water.

[Player has been detected to possess Realm Coins; player may freely choose initial identity.]

"As expected, the function of Boundary Coins is not only to open new dungeons and skip queues, but also to freely choose the initial character, which is a huge advantage."

Qin Yuan understood immediately and looked up at the endless void:

Which roles can I choose?

The system responded immediately, unfurling a more complex and detailed light screen that displayed a dense array of identity options, clearly marked "optional" and "unoptional":
[Qing Dynasty Camp]

Central Core: Emperor Xianfeng (not selectable, currently no access), Empress Dowager Cixi (not selectable), Consort Yi (not selectable), Sushun (not selectable), Prince Gong Yixin (selectable)...

Military commanders and local officials: Zeng Guofan (not selectable), Hu Linyi (not selectable), Senggelinqin (not selectable), Shengbao (selectable), Hechun (selectable), Zhang Guoliang (selectable)...

The core of the Hunan Army (the Zeng brothers): Zeng Guoquan (optional), Zeng Guohua (optional), Zeng Guobao (optional)...

Local militias: Zuo Zongtang (optional), Li Hongzhang (optional), Yuan Jiasan, Jiang Zhongyuan, Liu Changyou… (some optional)
[Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Camp]

Leadership: Hong Xiuquan (not selectable), Shi Dakai (selectable), Hong Rengan (selectable), Meng De'en (selectable)...

Military pillars: Chen Yucheng (optional), Li Xiucheng (optional), Li Shixian (optional), Wei Zhijun (optional)...

The Nian Rebellion and Others

Nian Rebellion leader: Zhang Lexing (optional)...

Qin Yuan's gaze swept over the names that had left a deep impression on history books, and he was filled with emotion.

Surprisingly, most of these names, whether shining brightly or infamously in history books, appear in the available list!

Although many high-ranking characters are displayed as "unselectable" due to insufficient permissions, the list itself reveals the vastness and freedom of this instance world.

Qin Yuan clicked his tongue in amazement:

"Even Emperor Xianfeng and Empress Dowager Cixi can be chosen... This power structure is truly outrageous."

"I wonder which unlucky soul will choose these people."

However, he is also more certain that Boundary Coins and level completion ratings are absolutely key to upgrading permissions and unlocking higher starting points.

His gaze quickly swept over the prominent names that were "not selectable," focusing instead on the list of "selectable" names.

Zeng Guoquan? Li Hongzhang? Zuo Zongtang?
These people were undoubtedly the backbone of the Xiang Army, Huai Army, and Chu Army militias, and also the pillars of the Qing Dynasty in later generations.

Choosing them might allow for faster access to resources and a climb to the pinnacle of power, following the historical trajectory. But can these people truly save a world mired in deep-seated problems?

Is the goal of this world to save the crumbling edifice, to vie for supremacy in the Central Plains, or... to have a deeper purpose?
"A lament for Heaven... The rise and fall of China..." He murmured, savoring the title of the instance. "What is Heaven's greatest regret?"

"It had the ideal of an 'underground paradise' but ultimately turned into a chaotic tragedy."

"Relying on those old-style literati of the Qing Dynasty was destined to lead to decay and stagnation, and it was impossible to truly innovate."

"It would be difficult to achieve great things with the leaders of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom who were bound by religious fanaticism."

"As for the Nian Rebellion and the Heaven and Earth Society, they were nothing but a disorganized mess."

"Various local militias? Too many obstacles, they can hardly accomplish anything."

Was it really that difficult to open up a new world for China in that era?

Qin Yuan pondered repeatedly.

His gaze involuntarily moved upwards again, settling on that name—[Shi Dakai].

The accompanying description is concise yet somber: "After the Tianjing Incident, his entire family was massacred by the Northern King Wei Changhui. Although he was granted the title of 'Commander-in-Chief of the Telegraph Army,' he faced suspicion and exclusion from the Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan, finding himself in a precarious situation."

The introduction was short, but Qin Yuan knew clearly how heroic and tragic the fate of the Wing King, who was hailed as the "Righteous King," would be.

He fled Nanjing, traveled through Zhejiang and Fujian, and led his troops to Hunan and Guangxi. In the end, his army was trapped at the Dadu River. In order to give his soldiers a chance to survive, he bound himself and cleared the camp. He was subjected to the death by a thousand cuts and died when he was just over thirty years old.

"In 1857... he should have been only twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, in the prime of his life, possessing both literary and military talents, and enjoying extremely high prestige in the army."

Qin Yuan sighed inwardly, "Such a person shouldn't have such a tragic end."

One hundred thousand troops, fighting across several provinces, ultimately met their tragic end...

A thought flashed through Qin Yuan's mind like lightning.

If... if Shi Dakai's fate could be changed, could his prestige and his battle-hardened elite troops truly forge a different path amidst the struggles of this apocalypse?
His gaze was fixed on Shi Dakai's detailed introduction, his mind racing as he compared the known history with the current situation.

"One hundred thousand people...traveled through Zhejiang and Fujian, entered Hunan, went down to Guangxi, and entered Sichuan..."

"100,000 people...Zhejiang and Fujian..."

A vague yet bold idea, like a flash of lightning in the darkness, suddenly illuminated his thoughts.

It's him!

Qin Yuan's gaze sharpened, and he precisely pointed his finger at the "Shi Dakai" option, saying in a deep voice, "System, I choose Shi Dakai as my initial character!"

[Identity confirmed: Shi Dakai.]

[Loading the world...]

The moment the words left his mouth, the surrounding light and shadows suddenly distorted and shattered!
Immediately afterwards, deafening shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, and the neighing of warhorses engulfed him like a tidal wave!
The pungent smell of blood and gunpowder assaulted my nostrils, and the cold rain mixed with sweat soaked my clothes...

Qin Yuan (Shi Dakai) suddenly opened his eyes and found himself riding a warhorse in the middle of a chaotic battlefield.

The sky was dark, fires were raging, and all around were Taiping soldiers fighting desperately, as well as Qing troops surging in like a tide.

A general covered in blood rode up to him and shouted in a hoarse voice, "Your Highness Prince Yi! The Qing demons' reinforcements have arrived, and the vanguard battalion is about to be overwhelmed."

"Your Highness, please make a swift decision regarding whether we should fight or retreat!"

A new journey has begun amidst the clash of swords and the bloodshed.

(End of this chapter)