His innermost thoughts were revealed, and he ventured into a fictional dynasty with the system.

The emperor's mind was thrown into chaos, like a turbulent sea with howling winds sweeping across it and creating towering waves.

Those chaotic thoughts were like a tangled mess, intertwined and entangled, unable to find peace for a long time.

But he was, after all, the ruler of a country, bearing the heavy responsibility of the world. In this chaotic situation, he quickly suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

He took a deep breath, as if trying to inhale the chaotic air around him, in an effort to calm himself down.

His gaze gradually regained its resolve, like a torch rekindled in the darkness.

He quickly regained his composure and displayed the decisiveness and majesty befitting an emperor.

He immediately ordered all the shadow guards and secret guards to be mobilized and to find Su Jinyun's whereabouts as quickly as possible, either alive or dead.

The voice was firm and powerful, carrying an unquestionable majesty, echoing like a great bell in the empty palace.

Every word seemed to carry immense force, striking the eardrums of everyone present and resonating deep within their hearts.

Pei Yanci was equally anxious, knowing that the seriousness of the matter far exceeded his imagination.

His usually calm and composed face was now filled with anxiety, and fine beads of sweat even appeared on his forehead.

The beads of sweat shimmered like pearls in the candlelight of the palace, yet they also exuded an air of tension.

He immediately dispatched his carefully trained and well-disciplined bodyguards to join the search team.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the capital became tense and volatile, like a fully drawn bowstring.

The bowstring was taut to its limit, as if it would snap at any moment, ready to explode at any instant.

An invisible pressure permeated the streets and alleys, as if a storm was about to break, the air became oppressive and heavy, making it hard to breathe.

Every corner was shrouded in a somber atmosphere, like a thick layer of haze, weighing heavily on the hearts of the people.

The faces of the people were filled with worry and unease. They hurried about, and the former prosperity and hustle and bustle were gone, replaced by a depressing silence.

It was as if the entire capital was shrouded in the shadow of fear, and was plunged into a tense and uneasy wait.

At this moment, Qin Qianluo, like a swiftly flying feather, was heading towards the border of the Jizi Kingdom with all her might.

The shocking disappearance of Su Jinyun in the capital was like a secret shrouded in layers of mist, and it did not reach their ears at all.

Firstly, Su Jinyun's life is not in immediate danger, and the scales of fate have not yet tipped to a dead end.

The two messages, transmitted across the vast world, spread like faint ripples, yet had not yet reached their remote location.

Therefore, even Feng Qingyun was completely unaware of this sudden change.

When the night is as dark as ink, pressing heavily upon the earth, the moonlight, like silver frost, pours down, draping all things in the world in a dreamlike veil.

Qin Qianluo and her group finally arrived at the border of the Kingdom of Jizi.

In the forest where they were, the trees stood tall, their branches and leaves intertwined, like giant green umbrellas that shaded the sky.

With a calm expression, Qin Qianluo moved her mind slightly, and the SUV disappeared into the space like a phantom.

Then, with practiced ease, she summoned the steam engine smoothly.

As the steam engine emitted a deep and powerful roar, it was as if a sleeping giant was awakening.

They slowly drove the steam-powered vehicle toward the border city.

The wheels rolled on, leaving deep ruts on the land, as if engraving the mark of their mission on the earth.

This border city now resembles an isolated island shrouded in gloom, filled with a suffocating tension and oppression.

Every inch of air in the city seemed to be frozen with fear and unease.

Inside the city's council chamber, the atmosphere was so heavy it was like a mountain about to collapse, making it hard to breathe.

The haggard-looking but determined prefect, his deputy general who had miraculously survived the war, and a group of officials from the prefect's office were sitting around a slightly worn table.

Military maps were spread out on the table, covered with dense lines and markings, much like their chaotic thoughts at that moment.

The group looked serious, their brows furrowed, like two opposing mountain peaks, intently discussing a crucial defense strategy.

They all knew in their hearts that the cunning and greedy Jizi Kingdom would never give up easily, its ambitions like those of an insatiable glutton.

Now, the Kingdom of Jizi, through some secret and despicable means, has stolen their artillery and firearms techniques, which they rely on to defend themselves against enemies.

However, due to previous events, the number of such weapons in our own hands has become pitifully small.

Like a few shallow pools of water remaining on a dried-up riverbed, they are far from being able to withstand the fierce offensive that the Kingdom of Jizi may launch at any time.

Even more serious is that reinforcements seem like distant stars in the sky, unable to cross the long distance to reach this perilous border in a short time.

They were like a small boat adrift in a raging storm, tossing and turning in the turbulent sea, racking their brains and trying every possible way to buy time.

Like a drowning person desperately grasping at the last straw, they eagerly await a turning point.

At this critical moment, Qin Qianluo and her companions, led by the soldiers, stepped steadily into the hall.

The prefect and his deputy instinctively looked up, and the moment their eyes met their figures, an incredulous look, as if they had witnessed a miracle, flashed across their eyes.

His eyes were like those of someone suddenly seeing a glimmer of dawn in endless darkness.

Immediately afterwards, as if drawn by a powerful force, they all stood up quickly, their excitement surging like a turbulent tide, reaching its peak in an instant.

The deputy general, in particular, had his eyes redden instantly, tears welling up and almost spilling out.

He quickly took a deep breath, trying to suppress the turmoil in his heart, straightened his slightly disheveled clothes, and then bowed respectfully and solemnly.

With a slight tremor in his voice, he said, "It is an honor for a humble person like myself to see the face of King Zhao, and also for the eldest son and the second young lady."

"In the past, when the frost covered the fields, I was fortunate to receive General Lin's help, like a candle lit in the cold night or a spring flowing into a dried-up rut, which allowed my frail body to survive until now."

Qin Qianluo's gaze shifted, and when it fell upon the deputy general's tired and wounded body, her eyes instantly filled with deep concern and tenderness.

She moved with a light and graceful gait, as if the wind had sprung up around her, like a gentle breeze carrying the warmth of the spring sun, and in an instant, she drifted to the side of the deputy general.

Then, she slowly extended her slender and beautifully shaped hand, which was fair and strong, and her movements were so gentle that she seemed afraid of disturbing something.

Yet it carried an irresistible, unwavering strength, gently landing on the lieutenant's arm and steadily lifting him up.

The armor worn by the lieutenant was like a weathered history book, repeatedly tempered by the years and the flames of war, with dried bloodstains on every inch of its metal surface.

These bloodstains came in various shapes and sizes; some resembled a winding, frozen river, meandering down from the shoulder; others looked like wildly splashing flowers, blooming on the breastplate.

As if they were silent witnesses to countless fierce battles, their armor was etched with the cruelty and ruthlessness of war, telling the story of those breathtaking, life-or-death battles.

His hands and face were crisscrossed with scars, like the cracked lines of parched earth in a year of severe drought, a shocking sight.

It was treated in a very simple way; the crude bandages were wrapped haphazardly, and the seeping blood had already soaked the cloth red.

It exudes a faint yet heart-wrenching smell of blood.

Looking into his eyes, they were filled with a dense, intricate web of blood vessels, a vivid reflection of his tireless dedication and tireless efforts day and night.

Every blood vessel seemed to tell the story of the immense pressure and exhaustion he had endured over the past few days.

His eyes revealed a deep weariness, yet a resolute flame still burned within them. Though dimmed slightly by exhaustion, that flame never went out.

It was obvious at a glance that he had been like a string stretched to its limit, ready to snap at any moment, without a moment of peace or proper rest these past few days.

They maintained their spirits, like a tireless statue, always vigilant against any possible enemy invasion, guarding this war-torn land.

How could Qin Qianluo not see the hardships he had gone through and the immense pressure he had endured?

The lingering heartache in my heart was like fine stitches, intricately interwoven, yet surging and churning like a tidal wave within.

This heartache gripped her tightly, making her throat feel as if it were choked by a heavy boulder.

Every time I try to speak, I feel short of breath and can't utter a single harsh word.

Her lips trembled slightly, turning pale with heartache, and her eyes glistened with tears.

Tears glistened in the candlelight, as if they might burst forth at any moment.

She gently patted the lieutenant's hand; her palm was broad and warm, and the temperature of her palm seemed to carry endless comfort and strength.

The power flowed like a gentle stream, down the lieutenant's arm, slowly into his exhausted body, reaching deep into his heart, giving him comfort and encouragement.

She spoke, her voice soft yet firm, like the gentlest breeze in spring, carrying the vitality and hope of all things reviving, gently brushing across the earth.

Yet it carried an undeniable, majestic aura, as if it could dispel all the gloom in the world: "The north wind has stained our armor, and the journey has been arduous. I have seen all of the young general's hard work in guarding the border."

Now I have traveled day and night to reach you, and I temporarily borrow this watchtower as my refuge, entrusting you with the beacon fires and the frost.

Reinforcements arrived like wild geese returning from the horizon, and were expected to arrive soon.

When banners obscure the sky, we will surely crush the enemy camp to avenge my uncle's loyal soul and to comfort the soldiers and civilians on the frontier. This deep-seated hatred will one day be settled.

Upon hearing Qin Qianluo's words, the deputy general felt as if he had received a long-awaited rain in a desolate place. Every word seemed to carry immense force, striking heavily on his heart.

In an instant, his eyes were suddenly filled with scalding tears, turning as red as burning flames.

These tears were a cathartic release of the exhaustion and pressure he had accumulated over many days of struggling in the crucible of war.