A large army has assembled on the western border.

Three hundred thousand Qin soldiers stood in a dark mass on the edge of the desert, their banners fluttering and their killing intent soaring to the sky.

Five thousand new expeditionary war vehicles stood in neat rows, their metallic gleaming in the sunlight.

The wicked man stood on the high platform, surveying the conquering army.

"Gentlemen," he said in a booming voice, "our Great Qin has waged war for many years, pacifying the Xiongnu, Yuezhi, and the Western Regions. Now, it is time to turn our gaze to even more distant lands!"

He pointed westward, his gaze blazing: "Beyond the Western Regions lie Kangju and Parthia. These barbarians, ignorant of their own limitations, dare to form an alliance to resist our Great Qin. Today, I, the Grand Commandant, will lead you all to utterly crush these ignorant nations!"

"The Grand Commandant is mighty!"

"The Qin army is invincible!"

Amidst the deafening cheers, the wicked man continued, "This expedition is different from the past. We will traverse vast stretches of the Gobi Desert, where conditions will be harsh. But with the aid of the Mohist's newly developed expeditionary chariots, these difficulties will be easily overcome!"

He pointed to the new armored vehicles: "These vehicles can travel at high speeds on the sand and can store large quantities of water. With them, we can launch long-range raids and deliver a fatal blow to the enemy!"

"Furthermore," he said, his gaze sweeping over the generals, "the goal of this campaign is not merely conquest, but the complete subjugation of these nations! Those who know their place will be spared. Those who resist..."

His gaze turned cold: "Then let them follow in the footsteps of the Western Regions kingdoms and disappear from this land forever!"

The soldiers of the three armies responded in unison, and their morale soared.

"Order the entire army to march!"

With a single command, the 300,000-strong army surged westward like an iron torrent. Expeditionary chariots led the way, cavalry followed in the middle, and infantry brought up the rear. This was a true expeditionary force, carrying the might of the Qin Dynasty to ever greater heights!

On the third day after their departure, the army had already penetrated deep into the Gobi Desert.

Under the scorching sun and amidst swirling yellow sand, ordinary armies would quickly become exhausted, but the Qin army's expeditionary chariots proved remarkably effective.

The specially designed, multi-layered tires traversed the sand with ease, completely unaffected. The vehicle's water storage system ensured that soldiers never lacked drinking water. More importantly, the improved "Hog Rush" was fixed to the vehicle, ready to launch a deadly attack at any moment.

"Grand Commandant," Meng Tian spurred his horse forward, "at our marching speed, we should reach the Kangju border in three days. However..."

"But what?"

"Our military movements have been too large; they have likely already alerted Kangju. Intelligence indicates that they have already amassed a large army on the border, preparing to resist."

The wicked man sneered, "Just what I wanted! Order the army to speed up the march. This Grand Commandant will show these ignorant barbarians what real war is!"

The army continued its advance, now at an even faster pace.

On the evening of the fifth day, a scout on horseback arrived with a report: "Grand Commandant! Kangju scouts have been spotted ahead. They appear to be monitoring our army's movements."

"Capture him alive!" the wicked man immediately ordered. "This Grand Commandant will interrogate him personally!"

Before long, several Kangju scouts were captured alive and brought before the wicked man.

These men were burly and rugged, clearly valiant warriors from the grasslands. But before the Qin army, they were nothing more than lambs to the slaughter.

"Speak!" the wicked man said coldly, "How many troops does Kangju have on the border?"

The scouts looked at each other, neither willing to speak.

"Won't talk?" the wicked man sneered. "Guards, cut out their tongues and then torture them slowly!"

Upon hearing the translator's words, the scouts turned pale. They had long heard of the Qin army's brutality, and now, witnessing it firsthand, they knew it was indeed true.

"I'll talk! I'll talk!" a man who seemed to be the leader said in a trembling voice, "The King of Kangju has mobilized an army of 100,000 and stationed them east of the Syr Darya River. In addition, the Great Xia has also sent 50,000 cavalry to reinforce them. They...they plan to fight a decisive battle on the riverbank..."

"Oh?" A cold glint flashed in the wicked man's eyes. "What other information is there?"

"The King of Kangju has already sent envoys to the Yuezhi, hoping they will send troops to help. In addition, they have dug numerous horse traps along the riverbank, intending to use the terrain to their advantage to resist the Qin army..."

"Very good." The wicked husband nodded in satisfaction. "You're all honest. But..."

He waved his hand: "Cut off their heads and hang them on the flagpole. Let the Kangju people see what happens when they spy on the Qin army!"

Amidst piercing screams, several scouts were executed on the spot. Their heads were hung high on flagpoles, swaying in the wind, a testament to the brutality of the Qin army.

Upon learning of Kangju's deployment, the wicked man immediately adjusted his strategy.

"Give the order to the entire army," he commanded. "Change our route. We will not take the main road, but will instead bypass it from the south and strike directly into the heart of Kangju!"

"The Grand Commandant is wise!" the generals echoed in unison.

The Kangju people originally thought the Qin army would take the main northern route, so they deployed heavy troops along the Syr Darya River. But the wicked man decided to launch a surprise attack, bypassing the fortified section of the river from the south and directly penetrating into the heart of Kangju.

The army changed course overnight and headed south.

The new chariots posed no obstacle to nighttime marches, and were even more efficient than during the day. The 300,000-strong army, like a giant dragon, silently bypassed Kangju's defenses and headed straight for its heartland.

At dawn on the seventh day, in Molde, a major town in Kangju.

This was the most important city on the Syr Darya River, and also the granary of Kangju. The locals were still asleep, completely unaware that danger was approaching.

"Release the arrows!"

At a command, thousands of rockets fired simultaneously. Countless rockets pierced the dawn sky and crashed into the city. In an instant, flames roared and thick smoke billowed.

"Ah! The Qin army is here!"

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