I am a living immortal.

With a bang, the door to the room was kicked open. The supreme commander of the Zhenbei Army, who was dining, savored the food calmly, as if the person who had just kicked the door in did not exist.

"General, did you see that?"

Even though the general was anxious, his tone was still respectful.

"What?" The general put down his chopsticks and looked at his favorite general. He thought for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Oh, you mean the person from the Imperial Master's Mansion just now. What happened?"

"What's wrong?" The general looked at him with a strange look, as if he didn't recognize his general. This was Youcheng, the headquarters of the Zhenbei Army. Not to mention the gods that even he hadn't noticed, just that beam of light just now actually reached directly into the Zhenbei Army's headquarters. If it was the enemy, it would be a disaster.

"Have you eaten?" the general answered irrelevantly.

"General, you..."

"Come! Sit down." The general raised his hand and said, "I know what you're talking about. The latest technology was always used by the military, after all, the military is always on the front lines. For example, the aerospace warships we had before were not available to other departments; they were built specifically for the military."

"But this time is different. I know you see the strategic value of this, but I really can't help you this time. The one at the Imperial Master's Office is truly amazing, able to put these things into practice in a short period of time. If it were another department, we might be able to talk to them, but not the Imperial Master's Office, because they're working on something bigger."

"Perhaps you'll be able to apply this to the military in the future, but you definitely won't use it all. You know we're different from the civilians. And all the technology in the Imperial Preceptorate is different from both the civilians and the military. Do you know why the civilians were collectively making a fuss earlier, and why the general acquiesced to this behavior? Because a new system was born."

"This system represents neither the civil service nor the military, but the people of the world. It's squeezing out the two existing systems. The stronger this system becomes, the less visible our presence will be. If the Imperial Master's ambition truly comes true, and everyone becomes a soldier, will there still be a need for military commanders? Unless the entire military commander system is integrated into the system created by the Imperial Master, do you think we dare use their system?"

"If they gain access, the entire military officer group's foundation will rely on that system. You and I should know the consequences of being controlled by others. At this stage, the military officer group hasn't yet reached a conclusion. And the civilians clearly want to engage. Use your brain; many things can't be judged superficially. Do you think I'm not jealous? I'd love to keep that man. But I can't. First, they're blazing a trail for the Han Dynasty, exploring a viable path forward. We have to admit that he's a pioneer. And right now, the civilian group and some of us are still arguing over some unfounded interests."

"Secondly, although you can't see it, I saw it. The gods in the sky bowed their heads. The Beast Master, whom we once considered a formidable threat, was nothing more than a fleeting blow before these beings. You know, I saw a jasper Ruyi fall from the sky and smash the Beast Master into pieces, leaving him powerless to fight back. The aftermath of the shockwaves alone killed the shamans who had gathered around the Beast Master to listen to his enlightenment. Then, from the vast sky, several figures emerged to take his place."

"I watched the entire process. The most thrilling part was the gods arguing over who would take over. Do you understand? From a limited perspective, if that one Imperial Master could command these beings, he must be able to command even more. When I think of tens of millions of heroic spirits, tens of thousands of gods overlooking the battlefield, the scene is truly shocking and chilling."

"He's creating a glorious future, but it has nothing to do with us now," the general said. Despite his calm demeanor, the ripples in his wine glass proved his unrest. The hand that once held a greatsword steadfastly now trembled even with a single glass.

The general who had come to question them was completely stunned after hearing these words, with a buzzing sound in his ears. He realized that they were about to be abandoned by the times, but he had not expected to be abandoned so completely.

Seeing his most promising general in this state, the general sighed, "There's no need to panic. They may not succeed. Even if they do, it's no big deal. The worst that can happen is that we can just join them."

"So, let's not overthink it. All we have to do now is focus on our own affairs. Their casual actions have caused indelible damage to the Xiongnu, so let's win this war quickly and decisively. We can leave the future to the future."

"Yes!" The general quickly composed himself. They were soldiers, and fighting was their duty. Melancholy about the passing of time shouldn't, and couldn't, occur to them. They were the emperor's sword, the emperor's knife. As long as the emperor still needed them, they would obey. Whether a stronger, faster sword would appear in the future was beyond their consideration.

"Go!" The general downed the wine in his hand and placed it steadily on the table. They still had a tough battle to fight next. The Xiongnu had been able to dominate the grasslands for so many years, so they must have some foundation.

The deputy supervisor who left didn't know, or rather, all the people in the Imperial Master's Mansion who were outside didn't know, that what their unintentional behavior revealed made a group of people so scared that they could hardly do anything.

Even if they knew, they wouldn't care. They don't have time to care at the moment and are racing against time.

The framework envisioned by the Imperial Master is barely even one-tenth complete. It's simply impossible to complete it in a short period of time. Why a short period? Because completing this framework is only the first step; a long period of development is required. True success is impossible without the dedication of several generations. If the initial construction is slow, the subsequent operation time will be continuously extended.

A hundred years is the deadline. The reason for this is because of a prophecy by Supervisor Su Can. Within a hundred years, changes will occur. If they can't fully establish a system within a hundred years, their ability to withstand risks will be greatly weakened. Therefore, it must be completed within a hundred years. Furthermore, the operation must be tested by at least three generations; a hundred years is simply not enough.

They could only find other ways to reduce time as they went along. One challenge after another awaited them. So if they didn't race against time now, all their previous efforts would be wasted if they couldn't complete the task later.