[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten":3,"chapter-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-252":6,"glossary-terms-4587":23},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Simulated to Reality: I Once Looked Down Upon Ten Thousand Ages?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2347267,4587,"Chapter 252: The Four Nations Converge on the Yellow River!","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-252",252,"\u003Cp>Finally!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress Qianyuan’s phoenix eyes, even concealed behind a ghost mask, radiated a chilling, heart-stopping brilliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xuan involuntarily felt a cold chill, as if trapped in an ice cellar, his body subtly trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress’s gaze swept across the battlefield sand table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xuzhou, Bozhou!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both were key northern strongholds, yet now abandoned, as troops retreated en masse to Yuezhou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuezhou is mountainous and densely wooded, with the Yellow River as a natural barrier—unlike the flat plains and rolling hills of the other two provinces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ying unfurled the map, the battle formations of both armies already taking clear shape in her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The generals under Qianyuan were all battle-hardened veterans; now they frowned deeply and murmured:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does Beifeng intend to fight a rear-guard battle against the mountains in Yuezhou? This move is highly suspicious…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon saying this,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a flicker of doubt crossed his eyes, as if this deployment clashed with the current battlefield reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Art of War says: ‘Only when cornered can one find life; only when placed in mortal peril can one survive.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The general spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beifeng has positioned its forces in Yuezhou, with the Yellow River as a natural barrier on the left, the Yueshan Mountains as a shield behind, and the Zhi River on the right—effectively securing both flanks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yuezhou’s terrain is complex and narrow, making it impossible to deploy large forces at once; troops must advance in waves. This limits manpower deployment but also reduces the risk of chaos and trampling.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This tactic, known in military texts as “fighting with one’s back to the water,” or “sinking the boats and smashing the cauldrons,” is a desperate, all-or-nothing strategy used by outnumbered troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the current scene bred deep suspicion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The northern lands are now called Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan is merely one region of Daqing; Beifeng is an entire nation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beifeng’s army is not only vast, capable of assembling fifty thousand troops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It also has the natural advantage of the Yellow River; logically, it should have ambushed the Yanbei army as it crossed the river and delivered a fatal blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beifeng has done the opposite—abandoning the advantages of two provinces to fight a rear-guard battle against the mountains in Yuezhou. This decision is baffling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon closer thought, the drawbacks are obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beifeng has forsaken the vast strategic depth of the north and its intimate familiarity with that land, effectively surrendering all initiative and adopting a purely defensive stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is Beifeng so terrified it’s surrendered before even fighting?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Art of War is cunning and ever-changing—perhaps Beifeng is feigning weakness to lure us deeper, then strike back?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or perhaps they harbor another scheme, aiming to settle the war in one decisive battle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battle-hardened generals were perplexed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ying smiled faintly and said slowly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tuoba Shuyi is truly terrified—he fears being outmaneuvered again in tactics and strategy, so he’s abandoned all complex schemes and simply adopted a posture of mortal combat, hoping to win by brute force.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s laughable. The battle hasn’t even begun, yet they’ve already lost three-tenths of their morale. They hold the advantage, yet only cower in place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ying grew even more intrigued by this Lu Chen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tuoba Shuyi fears this young lord of the Lu family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She prided herself on her military prowess—her troop deployments never yielded to anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>another Qianwei from Heibing Tai hurried into the war tent, bringing fresh intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, spies from Chu and Han have delivered urgent military reports.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In war, information is immeasurable—often, a single critical piece of intelligence can reverse the tide and decide victory or defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since taking command, the Empress has won repeatedly; this glorious record stems not only from her extraordinary military genius but also from the intelligence network she personally built—Heibing Tai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is an invisible net, spread beneath the Son of Heaven’s feet, providing her with vital intelligence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The key to war, beyond sufficient grain and strong troops, lies equally in acquiring and utilizing information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ying thought of Lu Chen’s “Mercury” within the Lu family army.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Known as: “Mercury spills on the ground—seeps through every crack.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress said coolly: “Speak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Heibing Tai Qianwei replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seven days ago, the armies of Han and Chu set up camp fifty li outside Shizhou City, but strangely, they’ve remained motionless, launching no attacks.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to our spies, they only beat war drums every night to create noise, yet have made no move to assault the city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Zhou Xuan frowned deeply, his mind filled with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why have Han and Chu’s armies reached Shizhou but delayed their assault?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This behavior contradicts their previous conduct—it’s utterly perplexing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black-robed man added:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yesterday, a thousand troops dispatched from Daqing’s capital arrived at Shizhou; their commander is Jia Fu and Cheng Pu of the Lu family army.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After setting up camp outside Shizhou City, these elite cavalry have been provoking Han and Chu’s forty-thousand-strong army since yesterday—but Han and Chu have remained silent, refusing to sortie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dark premonition surged in Zhou Xuan’s heart!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current scene mirrored exactly what they had encountered at Jingyang City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weaker side didn’t retreat—it sent a thousand men to provoke. The same script, baffling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew Lu Chen’s military genius well; though they’d never clashed directly, Lu Chen’s record was undeniable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xuan himself had once faced the Empress Qianyuan—the memory still sent shivers down his spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Empress’s “majesty” convinced him: no one in the world could match her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was this profound understanding that led Zhou Xuan to ultimately submit to Qianyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet faced with the current situation,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xuan weighed his options and pleaded again:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, Jingyang City is critical. Seizing it first is like making a brilliant first move in a game—guaranteed gain! Allow me to lead thirty thousand elite troops and crush that mere thousand of Lu’s men!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ying listened, then shook her head slowly, returning to her seat with calm, unshakable authority: “Now is not the time to act.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what should we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xuan frowned, his impatience unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The throne of Chaoling lies within reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right before us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ying smiled faintly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xuan was puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone is even less patient than we are.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xuan hurriedly said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we let this situation develop, we’ll miss our chance! Imagine—if our army now marches straight for Chaoling, the lands south of the river are ours for the taking!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then Han and Chu will be unable to resist, while Beifeng and Lu Chen fight each other—we reap the benefits as the bystander.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The throne of hegemony is within reach!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Ying shook her head gently, choosing silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arguing with a fool only makes you one of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Pingxi, seeing this, smiled and explained to Zhou Xuan:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, please remain calm. We must understand: once we seize Jingyang City, the situation will turn dire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beifeng and Yanbei will immediately halt their civil war and turn south, while Han and Chu will unite to encircle us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At that moment, Qianyuan’s and Your Majesty’s Hexi territories will instantly become the target of all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Xuan found this impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gongsun Pingxi sighed and continued:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, consider this vast, intricate chessboard of the world—every player harbors ambition, unwilling to yield.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then who is most likely to be eliminated?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Usually, the weakest—or… the strongest.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1222,"2026-06-21T01:33:00.595Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","90acf86905e71efd8e61738101c59f1b74d500ba54b827127a11b8ed663fa230","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-253","simulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-chapter-251",728,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsimulated-to-reality-i-once-looked-down-upon-ten-cover.jpg",{"terms":24,"userReplacements":130},[25,30,35,40,45,50,55,60,65,70,75,80,85,90,95,100,105,110,115,120,125],{"id":26,"raw_term":27,"original_term":28,"translations":29},1799945,"Lu Chen","陸沉",[],{"id":31,"raw_term":32,"original_term":33,"translations":34},1799946,"Wu Ying","武纓",[],{"id":36,"raw_term":37,"original_term":38,"translations":39},1799947,"Gongsun Pingxi","公孫平溪",[],{"id":41,"raw_term":42,"original_term":43,"translations":44},1799948,"Yu Ke","俞客",[],{"id":46,"raw_term":47,"original_term":48,"translations":49},1799949,"Dou Gu","竇固",[],{"id":51,"raw_term":52,"original_term":53,"translations":54},1799950,"Huang Yu","黃鈺",[],{"id":56,"raw_term":57,"original_term":58,"translations":59},1799951,"Yu Xu","虞許",[],{"id":61,"raw_term":62,"original_term":63,"translations":64},1799952,"Zhou Cheng","周成",[],{"id":66,"raw_term":67,"original_term":68,"translations":69},1799953,"Liu Wen","劉溫",[],{"id":71,"raw_term":72,"original_term":73,"translations":74},1799954,"Zhou Jinyu","周錦瑜",[],{"id":76,"raw_term":77,"original_term":78,"translations":79},1799955,"Feng Haiping","封海平",[],{"id":81,"raw_term":82,"original_term":83,"translations":84},1799956,"Tuoba Hongyan","拓拔宏宴",[],{"id":86,"raw_term":87,"original_term":88,"translations":89},1799957,"Zhou Xuan","周玄",[],{"id":91,"raw_term":92,"original_term":93,"translations":94},1799958,"Gu Yi","顧議",[],{"id":96,"raw_term":97,"original_term":98,"translations":99},1799959,"Tuoba Shuyi","拓拔術遺",[],{"id":101,"raw_term":102,"original_term":103,"translations":104},1799960,"Lu Jiaxuan","陸佳軒",[],{"id":106,"raw_term":107,"original_term":108,"translations":109},1799961,"You'an","幼安",[],{"id":111,"raw_term":112,"original_term":113,"translations":114},1799962,"Lu Yu","陸羽",[],{"id":116,"raw_term":117,"original_term":118,"translations":119},1799963,"Yuwen Liqian","宇文璃淺",[],{"id":121,"raw_term":122,"original_term":123,"translations":124},1799964,"Su Beihai","蘇北海",[],{"id":126,"raw_term":127,"original_term":128,"translations":129},1799965,"Old Li","老李頭",[],{}]