Qin Dynasty: They've all turned into zombies, what's there to fear about a rebellion?

Before the Hangu Pass, where the smoke of battle had not yet dissipated, the air was filled with a nauseating smell of burning and blood.

But for the Qin emperor and his ministers at that moment, it was the most wonderful fragrance in the world.

Tens of thousands of Allied prisoners of war captured from the battlefield were bound together like dumplings with specially made ox-tendon ropes and piled up densely in the barbican inside Hangu Pass like livestock waiting to be slaughtered. Most of them looked dazed, clearly still traumatized by the sight of zombies on their faces. A few who tried to resist were slapped unconscious by the guards and thrown back into the crowd like sandbags.

"I'm rich...this time I'm really rich."

Ying Zheng stood atop the highest point of the city wall, his hands clasped behind his back. The evening breeze ruffled his dragon robe, blackened by smoke, but it could not conceal the ecstatic joy that emanated from his very bones.

His emerald green eyes swept across the sea of ​​people below, not looking at living people, but at piles of walking gold coins, and rich energy mines.

"Your Majesty, the preliminary inventory has been completed."

Li Si, now mechanically modified, strode over with a series of precise gear-gripping sounds. A blue light flashed from the chip behind his head, projecting a screen of light onto which a dazzling array of data scrolled.

"In this battle, a total of 34,621 enemy soldiers were captured. Among them, there were 28,000 strong infantrymen, 4,000 elite cavalrymen, and the rest were officers of the rank of colonel or above."

Li Si's voice no longer had the inflection of before, but instead conveyed a sense of efficiency and cold, data-driven emotion.

"In addition, seven famous generals from six kingdoms were captured. Among them, the most valuable is Long Ju, a general from Chu. Although he has been infected by the T-virus and is in a semi-zombie state, he has retained extremely high combat instincts and is rated as an S-level material."

"As for Xiang Yu..."

Liston paused, the blue light in his eyes dimming slightly. "That guy was just too brave. He risked burning his life force and managed to break through our encirclement, escaping with only a few dozen cavalrymen."

"If they ran away, so be it."

Su Ming, holding the data logger, leaned over from the side with an indifferent expression. "That level of 'wild BOSS' isn't something you can take down in one go. Letting him run away is good; let him go back and spread the word for us, let those people from the Six Kingdoms know what the difference between eras really means."

"The most urgent task is to process this batch of spoils of war."

Su Ming pointed to the dark mass of prisoners below, licked his lips, and his eyes gleamed with the fanaticism unique to engineers.

"More than 30,000 mouths to feed, Your Majesty. If we were to imprison them according to the old rules, the cost of their food, drink, and sanitation alone would be astronomical. Although our Great Qin has abundant grain, we cannot afford to waste it like this."

"So, what does the Grand Preceptor mean?" Ying Zheng turned his head, his two fangs gleaming coldly in the moonlight. "To massacre them all?"

"Ah! Your Majesty, what a vision! What a vision!"

Su Ming slammed his fist on the railing, his voice filled with anguish. "Killing is the lowest form of violence! It's a terrible waste of resources! Look at these men, all strong and vigorous, the very foundation of our Great Qin's 'Cyber ​​Immortal Court'!"

"No interrogation, no detention, no nonsense."

Su Ming waved his hand and issued the highest order:

"Pass down the order: activate the 'Transformation Pool' on the third underground level of the Epang Palace! Bring all 30,000-plus people there!"

"Do you understand assembly line work? First, throw them into a pool of chemicals and soak them for three days and three nights with a high concentration of brainwashing agents... oh, I mean 'mind purification fluid,' to wash away all those anti-Qin thoughts from their minds!"

"Then implant [basic loyalty chips] and enlist them in the 'Black Iron Reserve'. Those with good physical abilities will undergo mechanization, be fitted with prosthetics and powered arms, and sent to mine or build the Great Wall; those with poorer physical abilities will be sent to the Blood Pool and Flesh Forest as 'bio-batteries' to power our defensive array!"

These words made Li Si, who was standing next to him, feel his CPU overheat.

It's too cruel.

This isn't treating people like human beings; it's treating them like parts that can be disassembled, assembled, and used at will! Compared to the Grand Preceptor's theory of "making the most of everything," the harsh laws and punishments he learned from Legalism seem as gentle as charity.

"Conversion Pool... Good name."

Ying Zheng, however, was overjoyed, his eyes gleaming with even greater elation. "This plan, Grand Tutor, not only eliminates hidden dangers but also strengthens the nation! It perfectly suits my purposes!"

...

Two hours later.

Beneath the Epang Palace lies a mysterious area that was recently completed but has never been opened to the public.

There was no sunlight here, only the phosphorescent lamps embedded in the walls emitting a ghastly green glow. The enormous conveyor belt roared and churned like a tireless steel python, carrying naked, terrified prisoners into the depths of darkness.

The air was filled with a strong smell of disinfectant and a strange medicinal fragrance.

"Let me go! What are you trying to do?!"

A Qi state captain struggled desperately, but the ox-tendon rope binding him was tightly constricted, and two incredibly strong mechanical corpse puppets held him down firmly.

"Stop yelling, save your energy."

The person in charge of operating the assembly line was a Mohist disciple (who had been turned by Gongshu Chou) wearing a white coat and a gas mask. He pressed a red button expressionlessly.

"Splash!"

At the end of the conveyor belt, a huge flap opens.

Before the Qi captain could even scream, he fell like a dumpling into the huge pool below, which was the size of a basketball court and was churning with dark green liquid.

The pool was already packed with people.

At first they struggled and shouted, but as the viscous liquid seeped into their mouths, noses, and pores, their eyes gradually became glazed and dull, eventually losing focus completely, like puppets without any thoughts, quietly floating on the surface of the liquid.

At the other end of the pool, several huge robotic arms were working with precision.

"Click!"

One robotic arm picked up a soaked "body", while the other robotic arm quickly extended a chip that flashed blue light and was precisely implanted into the back of the person's head.

Immediately afterwards, the current passed through.

The prisoner, who had previously "crashed," suddenly opened his eyes.

Those eyes no longer held fear and hatred; instead, they held absolute obedience and cold rationality. He stiffly climbed out of the pool, took the numbered tag handed to him, and marched in orderly steps toward the barracks deep in the darkness.

The entire process was fluid and seamless, with no unnecessary movements that were so coldly suffocating.

This is the [War Production Line] that Su Ming created for the Qin Dynasty.

Here, life is quantified, will is erased, and only pure instrumental attributes remain.

Su Ming stood in front of the observation window on high up, looking at the spectacular yet terrifying scene below, and put a checkmark in his notebook with satisfaction.

"The conversion rate is 99.8%, and the rejection reaction is controlled within a reasonable range. It seems that the quality of this batch of 'products' is quite good."

"Grand Preceptor, if word gets out about your methods, the whole world will probably call us devils."

Although Li Si was already a cyborg standing behind him, he still felt a chill run down his spine looking at this hellish scene, and even the data flow was a bit disordered.

"scold?"

Su Ming closed his notebook, turned to look at Li Si, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips. "Prime Minister, the victor is king, the loser is villain. When our Great Qin's battle flag is planted all over the world, when our spaceships have reached the moon, they will only kneel on the ground and sing praises of our greatness."

"Besides, what's wrong with being a devil?"

Su Ming stretched and looked out the window at the crimson blood moon, his eyes deep and unfathomable.

"In this cannibalistic world, only those who are more ruthless than the devil can live like human beings."

At this moment, a Black Iron elite soldier strode in, knelt on one knee, and made a sound like the scraping of metal:

"Report! His Majesty has issued a decree!"

"His Majesty is overjoyed at this great victory and has specially prepared a celebratory banquet in the main hall of Youdu!"

"His Majesty's decree: Imperial Advisor, please do me the honor of attending. Tonight... we shall not leave until we are thoroughly drunk!"

Su Ming raised an eyebrow.

A victory celebration banquet?

Eating with a bunch of zombies, cyborgs, and that red-haired zombie ancestor?

Just thinking about that scene...

"That's fucking awesome!"

Su Ming straightened his collar, and the fatigue on his face vanished.

"Let's go! I'm starving too, let's see what 'underworld delicacies' His Majesty has prepared for us!"