The Tianhua Empire and the Ocland Empire stood as the twin titans dominating this vast continent. To most inhabitants, whether other civilizations existed beyond the endless oceans remained a mystery - for them, this land already stretched beyond comprehension, with these two empires collectively ruling over eighty percent of its territory, defining the boundaries of their entire world.
The Tianhua people, industrious and unpretentious, were the quintessential agrarian society. For centuries, they had built their civilization upon an agricultural foundation, adhering to the principle of "governing through farming." Through remarkable assimilation, they gradually integrated numerous non-Tianhua ethnic groups into their fold.
From humble beginnings as the Tianhua Tribe, they evolved into the Tianhua Alliance, then the Tianhua Kingdom. Decades ago, when their territory finally surpassed all others on the continent, they ascended to become the Tianhua Empire - a transformation marked by:
Agricultural Mastery: Developed sophisticated terrace farming and irrigation systems
Cultural Absorption: Conquered peoples adopted Tianhua customs within a generation
Gradual Expansion: A 300-year progression from tribal settlement to continental hegemony
The Ocland Empire, in stark contrast, traced its origins to marauding bands. Born of plunder, its people had built their civilization on the principle of "conquest through steel." Through relentless campaigns, they absorbed neighboring tribes into a militarized society where every citizen bore arms, evolving from nomadic raiders to the Ocland Kingdom, and ultimately, decades ago, into the Ocland Empire - now the continent's second largest power.
The Delicate Balance
For centuries, three factors prevented open conflict:
Geographic Isolation: Their heartlands lay a continent apart
Mutual Deterrence: Each respected the other's strength
Buffer States: Smaller kingdoms absorbed their aggression
The Shifting Tides
As both empires expanded:
Tianhua assimilated neighbors through cultural osmosis
Ocland conquered through "blood and iron" campaigns
Remaining states became vassals through:
Tribute payments
Hostage exchanges
Forced marriages
Military conscription
The Inevitable War
When their borders finally met:
Golden Age of Trade (7 years): Silk and steel flowed freely
The Poisoned Harvest: Mutual territorial ambitions grew
The Breaking Point (10 years ago): Ocland cavalry burned Tianhua's border granaries
War of Attrition
Tianhua's Advantage:
Population reserves
Agricultural surplus
Industrial capacity
Ocland's Strength:
Veteran warriors
Mobile cavalry
Shock tactics
Stalemate: 10 years of bloodshed with no decisive victory
Zhao Zheng: The Border Lord
At thirty-five, the governor of Qingyang Province bore his inheritance heavily:
Family Legacy: His father fell defending Canal No.9
Current Command: Leads from the same canal's edge
Reputation: "The Trench General" for his defensive brilliance
Burden: Counts each harvest lost to Ocland's raids
[War Council Note]
Tianhua's current strategy: "Let them break upon our terraces like monsoon waves"
Facing Qingyang Province across the border lay the Ocland Empire's Lance Province. The Lance family had governed this territory for generations, and since the war's outbreak, they had become Zhao Zheng's primary adversaries. The Zhao and Lance families were now bound by blood feud—Zhao's father had fallen to the previous Lance patriarch's blade, and Zhao Zheng had subsequently slain the old noble to avenge him. Now, his opponent was Trevor Lance, the current family head and ruler of Lance Province.
Ironically, the two men had once been on friendly terms. In the era before the war, when trade still flowed across the border, the Zhao and Lance families had maintained cordial relations as neighboring lords. Though not childhood friends, Zhao Zheng and Trevor had shared many cups of wine at border feasts. But war had transformed them into patricidal enemies. While Zhao lamented fate's cruelty, he knew their conflict was beyond reconciliation.
The Iron Prize
Zhao's current campaign centered on this contested stretch of land—technically part of Lance Province, but recently discovered to contain iron deposits. For Tianhua, perpetually short on weapons-grade metal, this was a godsend. Before Zhao could devise a strategy to claim the territory, Trevor learned of the discovery. As the rightful lord, Trevor moved swiftly to secure the mines, forcing Zhao to resort to a direct assault.
Zhao's Forces: 2,000 elite troops (all he could spare from other fronts)
Trevor's Response: Matching 2,000 elites dispatched under a senior Lance uncle
Command Contrast:
Zhao: A frontline commander who led charges personally
Trevor: An administrator who delegated military matters
Plans and Disruptions
Confident in his preparations, Zhao had brought his secret weapon: He Chuan, a renowned strategist from the Zhao family's retinue. With He's counsel, Zhao expected to crush the Lance forces without worrying about tactical surprises.
Yet for all his caution, Zhao couldn't have anticipated Matthew Ho's sudden appearance—an anomaly that now threatened to derail his carefully laid plans.