Chapter 1: Traversing with Nanobots

Only then did Guan Jing on the platform smile slightly and loudly address the women below: "Stand straight, I will now begin to scout for talent among you."

In June 2011, 18-year-old university student scientist Sun Yu successfully developed the NM01 model of nanorobots. This is an intelligent robot so small that its volume is measured in nanometers and can only be seen under a microscope. This marks the official debut of nanomachines on the historical stage. Sun Yu's name spread across the country, making him a highly sought-after figure throughout China

The farmer curiously glanced at Sun Yu and smacked his lips, saying: "Common Era? I haven't heard of this era before! It is currently the first year of Zhongping!"

... ... ''

In front of the registration queue stood two enormous wooden platforms, each bearing a large wooden sign.

Sun Yu turned his head to look in the direction of the sound, only to see a middle-aged woman walking up to the high command platform. The woman was dressed in scholarly robes and wore an official hat, but her long hair, cascading down, revealed her gender. Her appearance was not beautiful, appearing quite ordinary.

The man who was pulled over looked at Sun Yu with curiosity, glanced at his fern-patterned clothing, and mocked, "Brother, did you come out of the mountains? You don't even know this. Only men can be soldiers; they are not qualified to be generals. Only women are qualified to be leaders, but not every woman can do it; only those who can use 'military skills' can become leaders."

"What? Have I crossed over?" Sun Yu exclaimed: "No, this is impossible. I am a scientist; I cannot accept any supernatural phenomenon that cannot be explained by science."

Sun Yu saw two groups of people lined up in two long queues to enlist in the military, one group consisting entirely of men, while the other group was composed entirely of women

Beiping City is approaching quickly, the ancient city gate exudes a chilling atmosphere, and within the gate, there are two rows of soldiers holding iron halberds. The sharp, glimmering tips of the halberds, polished to a shine, instill a sense of fear at first glance

The voice of NM01 echoed in Sun Yu's mind: "Master, the first year of Zhongping is the year 184 AD, when the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out"

The top scientists in China gathered together to decide to use the still immature cryogenic technology to save Sun Yu's life. They would keep him frozen until this terminal illness can be cured, believing that with his intellect, he would still be of value, no matter how many years later.

Master, I do not know either. After sleeping for too long, NM01 is also unable to determine the current era: "To conserve energy, I have turned off the internal clock"

No, there is no such record in my database NM01 replied

At a glance, he was immediately struck with a profound shock, for all around him were desolate mountains and wilderness, with towering trees and ancient plants growing abundantly. In the northern plains stood a massive ancient city, a quintessential fortress of antiquity, characterized by its square walls, atop which were battlements.

The sign in front of the men in line reads: "Assemble the troops!"

I am a scientist; seeing is believing, while hearing is deceiving! Sun Yu shook his hand and said to NM01: "We must enter Beiping to understand whether all of this is true or false"

The closer one gets to the city of Beiping, the more pedestrians there are on the road

Sun Yu whispered with his last strength: "NM01, you should also enter sleep mode; there is no sunlight here, and your power will soon be depleted."

After bidding farewell to his parents, Sun Yu quietly walked into the cold storage room of the Beijing Academy of Sciences. As a calm and rational scientist, he understood that he should now accept refrigeration.

The nanorobot flew out from its master's ear, paused in the air for a moment, and then reported with a sense of delight: "Master, the name of this city is 'Beiping'. Judging by the style of the city walls, we are currently in the late Eastern Han Dynasty."

A vast training ground appeared before him, with hundreds of white horses drinking water beside it. A dozen knights on white horses galloped past Sun Yu, disappearing into the distance in an instant

After a long time, Guan Jing on the platform frowned and sighed: "Most people do not possess the qualities of a general, which is a pity. I have only found one person with such qualities. The woman standing at the end of the line, step forward!"

I want to confirm everything with my own eyes, I am a scientist! The usually calm and rational scientist Sun Yu has decided to get to the bottom of things. It is now essential to go to a populated area and unravel all the mysteries.

He had just arrived here when he suddenly heard a loud cheer from the women by the "Dianjiang Platform": "Lord Guan Jing has arrived! Lord Guan Jing has come to test our qualifications as military generals"

On the same day that NM01 was born, Sun Yu was diagnosed with an incurable disease, which current medical technology cannot heal, and his life can at most be sustained for another ten years

Sun Yu climbed out of the pit with a bitter smile, raised his head, and looked around.

The little girl was a bit shy, shrinking her neck timidly, and then spoke softly: "My name is Zhao Yun, courtesy name Zilong, from Changshan."

Sun Yu steadied himself, picked up a large bundle of coarse-stemmed ferns from the ground, wrapped them around his bare body, then lifted his feet and walked towards the distant city of "Beiping"

The farmer furrowed his brow and said: "The governor of Beiping, Lord Gongsun Zan, is recruiting soldiers to resist the Yellow Turban Army; I am going to enlist."

The women in the audience stirred restlessly as the green light emanating from Guan Jing swept over them, scanning back and forth multiple times.

Immediately, a dazzling green light erupted from Guan Jing's body, and two enormous green characters appeared above her head: "Talent Search!"

Understood. Sun Yu calmly said: "Before I study what this world really is, I need to find a job to fill my stomach first, and you should also replenish your solar energy."

The sign in front of the women in line reads: "Recruitment!"

A somewhat slender, pale-faced little girl stepped out from the back of the group. Sun Yu took a closer look; the girl appeared to be around ten years old, standing at most 1.5 meters tall and weighing perhaps only 40 kilograms, looking as if she might topple over with a gust of wind. Her appearance was quite beautiful, exuding a gentle and delicate charm, evoking a sense of sorrow and fragility.

A faint sound, imperceptible to the ear, reached Sun Yu's ears; it was the electronic synthesis sound of the ancestral nanobot NM01 that he had personally developed: "Understood, Master. NM01 is now entering sleep mode. When the Master awakens, NM01 will sense the Master's heartbeat to reactivate."

The soldiers glanced at the "ferns clothing" worn by Sun Yu, their faces showing sympathy. One soldier shouted, "That beggar, do you not even have clothes? The governor is currently recruiting soldiers; you might as well join the army, man"

In Beiping, the city is filled with dilapidated houses made of thatch and wooden boards. Even the most upscale two-story residences along the street are constructed with wooden boards and thatch. This world is imbued with a rustic beauty that no film set can rival in its authenticity

Ahead stood a massive barracks, its gate made of thick wooden pillars exuding a chilling aura of menace. Two soldiers armed with long halberds stood at the entrance. To avoid any trouble, Sun Yu took the initiative to say, "I am here to enlist in the army." Thus, he entered without any obstruction

What year is it in the Common Era? This was the first question that Sun Yu thought of, so he asked it in a low voice

However

This news regarding Sun Yu is nothing short of a bolt from the blue for both him and the Chinese scientific community, and even the global scientific community. How could such an outstanding talent be allowed to perish due to a terminal illness

Although this will mean that he will never have the opportunity to see his parents again in this lifetime, he will always live on in their hearts, and there is hope that he will continue to live on. This, compared to gradually weakening day by day and dying of illness in front of his parents ten years later, will clearly cause much less harm to them

The pedestrians are mostly dressed in coarse linen garments, and the style of the clothing is quite ancient. NM01 once again informs Sun Yu that the style of these garments dates back to the Three Kingdoms period

NM01! Let’s see what those two characters are. Sun Yu said anxiously: "Moreover, analyze what era this ancient city’s architecture belongs to; I find it very familiar."

Sun Yu stopped a peasant who was hurrying along the road and asked him: "Excuse me, sir, may I ask what year it is in the Gregorian calendar?"

Goodbye, Dad, Mom!" Sun Yu thought quietly before closing his eyes: "When I open my eyes again, what year will it be? 3000? 4000? 10000?"

"Oh? Did Gongsun Zan organize a women's army?" Sun Yu asked curiously

Sun Yu inquired with the soldiers about the location for recruitment, which turned out to be at the barracks in the city. He walked slowly towards the barracks, his steps somewhat weak from hunger.

NM01 replied affirmatively: "In my database, Guan Jing is a man"

Guan Jing shouted to the little girl: "Please state your name."

Sun Yu let out a cold laugh in his heart: Indeed, this is not the Three Kingdoms. Most of the generals in the Three Kingdoms are men; how could women possibly become generals? Huh? Martial General Skills? What does this mean?

With a whoosh, a large volume of rapid-freezing cold air burst from the walls of the cold storage room, causing the temperature to plummet sharply

... ...

NM01 replied without emotion and illustrated: "Master, I am also a product of science. I will inform you with a thoroughly scientific analysis that the city is called Beiping. The two characters of Beiping are written in ancient seal script. The style of the city walls is also from the late Eastern Han period, and this is beyond doubt"

"That is Gongsun Zan's White Horse Company." NM01 timely remarked, "The White Horse Company all rides white horses and wears white cloaks."

The arched city gate appeared quite eerie and terrifying, with a large plaque hanging above it, inscribed with two prominent characters. However, due to the distance, Sun Yu could not discern what those two characters were.

This sentence suddenly awakened Sun Yu; while seeking the truth is important, eating is even more crucial. He had been in cold storage for an unknown number of years, and his stomach was already growling with hunger. After all, it doesn't matter where the truth is found. I might as well go see what is really going on with Gongsun Zan's recruitment efforts.

Sun Yu curiously pulled over a man nearby and asked, "Oh, how strange! Why do all the men go to the recruitment platform, while the women all go to the generals' platform?"

What? Sun Wenyu felt a chill in his heart, and he quickly asked again: "Sir, what are you taking the hoe to Beiping for?"

Upon hearing this name, Sun Yuyi looked at the tender and timid face of the little girl and felt a loud bang in his head, nearly fainting.

When Sun Yu opened his eyes again, it was drizzling in the sky. He was lying in a pit, completely naked, and fortunately, a pile of ferns was covering his body, preventing him from being harmed by the cold.

Wow, it is Lord Guan Jing's military general skill! It is said that this skill can uncover hidden talents among generals

"Is this woman Guan Jing?" Sun Yuqi said: "NM01, didn't you say that Guan Jing is a man?"

Guan Jing, courtesy name Shiqi, was a highly trusted chief minister of Gongsun Zan, a civil official, male, with a narrow vision. After the defeat of Gongsun Zan, he died in battle to honor his lord NM01 immediately reported Guan Jing's information to Sun Yu