Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

Chang'an City.

In the cramped and dark side room in the backyard of the Honglu Temple, there was a strong smell of cheap ink.

Inu no Mita Kyuu knelt on the low couch.

His small, bloodshot eyes were fixed intently on a rough drawing spread out on the table. It depicted the outline of a new type of water-powered spinning machine that was already being promoted among the people of the Tang Dynasty.

"Hurry up and draw it! Make the angle of that flywheel even more precise!"

He lowered his voice and urged the several deputy envoys to Tang China who were also slumped over the table.

When these people were out in public, they all pretended to be humble and submissive. But when they met officials of the Tang Dynasty, they would practically kowtow to the ground, constantly proclaiming their "admiration for the teachings of the Celestial Empire."

But as soon as they returned to this secluded room, the pretense on their faces was completely torn off, replaced by an almost pathological greed and fanaticism.

"Lord Inu, we still haven't gotten our hands on the blueprints for the 'Tang Dynasty No. 1' steam locomotive. The Imperial Guards are too tight on guard; the brothers can't get even a step close to the arsenal."

One of the deputy envoys rubbed his aching wrist, complaining bitterly.

"Baka!" Inugami Oden shoved backhand and delivered a resounding slap, causing the man's mouth to bleed.

"Do the Tang emperor and that brat crown prince think they can fob us off with a few standing-room-only tickets? The resilience of our Yamato people is something these arrogant Central Plains people can never understand!"

Like a mouse guarding its food, he carefully rolled up the newly copied textile machine drawing and gently tucked it into his inner pocket.

"If we can bring back the blueprints for these agricultural tools and textile machines, Yamato will accumulate enormous wealth within ten years. Then, we'll be able to build those steel monsters ourselves!"

Inugami Odenkuchi stood up and walked to the small window.

He gazed at the towering, cloud-piercing landmark of Chang'an—the Eastern Palace Arsenal—that spewed black smoke day and night. A dreamlike, ecstatic joy spread across his lewd face.

"Just you wait, you foolish Tang people. One day, all these miracles you've created will become the paving stone for my Great Hegemony to dominate East Asia!"

At this time, Inugami Oda Kuchi was still immersed in the dream of "learning from the barbarians' superior techniques to control them" and could not extricate himself.

He had no idea that while he was indulging in his pipe dream, his beloved homeland of Yamato, which he so desperately wanted to bring back "advanced technology," was facing a terrifying dimensional catastrophe.

Our gaze travels through distant times and spaces.

Deep in the East China Sea.

The gale-force winds gathered dark clouds and whipped up towering waves, threatening to devour all life on the sea.

In the past, even the most experienced sailors could only desperately lower their sails and pray for the mercy of the sea god during such severe thunderstorms.

But today.

On this turbulent sea ruled by fury.

Thirty pitch-black steel mountains, with an extremely tyrannical and unreasonable attitude, are stubbornly resisting the level 10 headwinds and surging through the waves!

"Ugh—!"

The deep, resounding steam whistle boomed amidst the thunder.

Those thick, giant chimneys spewed out billowing black smoke, merging with the dark clouds in the sky, resembling an apocalyptic scene when a demon god descends.

Inside the cockpit of the treasure ship flagship, Zheng He stood as steady as Mount Tai in front of the control panel.

He stared at the extremely steady pointer on the compass, his eyes gleaming with unprecedented excitement.

"Your Highness! Favorable or unfavorable winds are practically useless against this steam-powered treasure ship! Even the Sea God couldn't stop this ship!"

Zheng He's voice trembled with excitement. As a navigator, to be able to command such an invincible fleet that defied the laws of nature made his life worthwhile.

Li Chengqian sat on a leather sofa to the side, holding a cup of freshly brewed West Lake Longjing tea.

Despite the raging storm outside, the spacious command room remained so calm that not even the water in the teacup rippled.

"This is nothing."

Li Chengqian blew on the tea leaves on the rim of his cup, his tone lazy yet tinged with a cold mockery.

"Once I develop an internal combustion engine, I'll build you a metal lump that can dive underwater, and then you'll know what it truly means to roam freely across the world."

The two were talking.

Suddenly, a hoarse roar, distorted with extreme excitement, came from outside the cockpit:

"Reporting to Your Highness! Grand Steward!"

"Land outline spotted 15 nautical miles ahead! Judging from the terrain, we should be on the west coast of Kyushu Island in Japan!"

Upon hearing this name, Li Chengqian's previously languid gaze instantly sharpened like a knife.

He put down his teacup, stood up, and strode to the huge floor-to-ceiling glass window.

Through the glass washed by rain.

On the horizon ahead, a long, narrow, and somber coastline, like a loach lurking in the water, was faintly visible to the fleet.

And on the edge of that coastline.

Several Japanese fishermen, who had just escaped the storm, were rowing their dilapidated little wooden boat back to port.

He was completely terrified by what he saw.

Their eyes widened in horror as they stared at the thirty smoke-emitting monsters that burst forth from the sea mist, towering several times higher than the tallest shrines they had ever seen.

"Umibozu... the legendary Umibozu has become enraged!"

An old fisherman threw down his oar, so frightened that he knelt on his rocking boat and kowtowed frantically at the giant steel ships, not daring to stop even when his forehead bled.

In the eyes of these Japanese people who are still in a semi-primitive tribal state.

This colossal creature, which can sail against the wind without needing sails and spews fire and smoke, can only be explained by divine punishment.

Li Chengqian coldly watched the fishermen praying like ants in the giant waves.

He showed no sympathy whatsoever.

Because he knew very well that these seemingly pitiful ants would, over the next few hundred years, breed a pack of bloodthirsty wolves.

Dealing with a people whose inherent flaws are deeply ingrained.

The best way is to crush them, skin and bones, into the mud while they are still worms with the heaviest boots!

"Issue the order to the entire army."

Li Chengqian turned around and issued the cold-blooded order that would change the fate of the entire island nation to the messenger behind him.

"Stop the ship and drop anchor."

"All the red-coated cannons, no need to aim, just unleash five rounds of firepower on that coastline!"

"Smash their dilapidated shrines, raze their fishing villages to the ground!"

Li Chengqian sat back down on the sofa, picked up the cup of Longjing tea that hadn't cooled down yet, and a chillingly cunning smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Let the roar of cannons tell that emperor who has never seen the world."

"The Tang Dynasty's 'creditors' have come to collect protection money."