Chapter 1, I have finally crossed over
That is actually a Long Card from China Construction Bank
Watching them walk away, he let out a long sigh, found a stone to sit on, and gazed at the massive silhouettes of the warships slowly approaching in the sea
As he watched the warship sail into the harbor, he finally realized that the corners of his eyes were already wet
In the afterglow of the setting sun, he watched as the towering giant ship, resembling a mountain, slowly approached. The golden dragon at the bow shimmered in the sunlight, while the slanted twin-barreled turrets positioned one in front and one behind made his blood almost boil with excitement.
His idea originated from a personal experience that was quite humorous. Once, while accompanying a friend to drive to a remote area to pick up goods, they encountered a rural toll station that caused a delay. In a moment of panic, the friend pretended to be from the National Security Agency, which resulted in them receiving a clear passage all the way to their destination. Upon returning, everyone recounted the incident and it became a topic of laughter, but amidst the hilarity, they never dared to make such jokes again.
A burst of chuckling laughter came from behind.
He was contemplating what kind of language to use to effectively communicate with these soldiers when the leader had already drawn the revolver from his waist and aimed it at his head, saying, "Not going to speak, huh? Do you believe I won't blow your head off?"
I am a student studying abroad, having come from Shenyang to travel here, but unfortunately fell into the sea... At the moment he saw that soldier brother pull back the hammer of the gun, he finally thought of what to say and immediately responded.
This is precisely the reason why he dared to ascertain the era in which he found himself and to concoct such nonsense earlier
The sergeant clearly expressed his dissatisfaction with his statement, scrutinizing him in his drenched state, and the suspicion in his eyes deepened. The surrounding cavalrymen also appeared ready to pounce at any moment. A blast of a steam whistle sounded, and his gaze shifted towards the sea, momentarily taken aback as a strange thought flashed through his mind. He tried to maintain an air of calm confidence and quietly said to the sergeant, "To be honest, I have just returned from the East, having gathered urgent military intelligence. I hope you can grant me a favor, sir (this is really awkward)." As he spoke, he pulled out his wallet from his clothing and displayed a card in front of the sergeant.
In fact, everyone is now quite familiar with the concept of "time travel." Some have returned to the Qin Dynasty to become emperors, some to the Han Dynasty to become generals, and some to the Song Dynasty to unify the world. Conservatively speaking, one could even return to the Ming Dynasty to be a prince, each enjoying power and influence amidst a sea of flowers. It is said that the farthest anyone has traveled is back to primitive society to become a village chief (what a sweat...). It seems that there are no dynasties left that have not been traversed, yet here I am, having traveled to the last dynasty of China, the Qing Dynasty. I have heard that this era has strict requirements regarding hairstyles. Ironically, just before my travels, I had shaved my head for a cool look. Now, facing a group of queue-wearing cavalrymen with eyes nearly popping out of their heads, no matter what explanation I come up with, I feel like I can't quite get away with it.
Around the year of Jiawu (he is still unsure if it is indeed the year of Jiawu), an era on the brink of decline, a powerless time traveler who has just transformed from "White Bone Spirit" (white-collar, backbone, elite) into "Protein" (fool, idiot, neurotic) with nothing to his name.
When you witness all of this with your own eyes, the feeling is certainly not something that a movie can provide
The Japanese army detachment is heading to Korea ... ... '' Before he could finish his sentence, the other party's expression turned serious, and he waved his hand to signal him to stop speaking, '' This is a matter of military importance, and it is our duty. I apologize for the earlier rudeness, please feel free to go, sir. '' The soldier waved his hand and left with his subordinates in a flurry.
He gazed at the vast ocean, contemplating that perhaps jumping back into the sea now would be a better choice. After hesitating for a long time and letting out a sigh, he ultimately dismissed this thought.
That means I have traveled back to the Qing Dynasty myself
Only after calming his easily excited emotions did he realize his current predicament
This marked the era when China, having endured the hardships of the sea, first possessed battleships, and it is no wonder that the Japanese trembled before her 305 mm giant cannons. They sought every possible means to eliminate this threat, even designing a children's game to ensure that future generations would remember this fear. The fire spewing from those dark cannon muzzles was sufficient to crush the ambitions of all invaders. At that time, China had finally managed to welcome over a decade of peaceful development, and these warships indeed played an indispensable role.
Reflecting on what I know, apart from being quite clear about the details of this humiliating history and my ability to count money, I truly cannot think of what I can do in this era
One Nokia N70 mobile phone (surprisingly still functional, truly rare), one spare battery, one wallet containing three bank cards (belonging to China Construction Bank, Bank of China, and China Merchants Bank), several Renminbi, and several coins. One jacket, one pair of trousers, and one pair of Nike travel shoes (all wet, currently being worn)
He had only seen warships in foreign films before, and he considered himself somewhat of a military enthusiast. He remembered being deeply impressed by the scene in "Under Siege," starring Steven Seagal, when the world-famous battleship "Missouri" entered the port. It was a symbol of a nation's strength during the era of "giant ships and big guns." However, the scene that unfolded before him today brought back that exhilarating feeling of trembling excitement.
He checked the "equipment" on himself, unsure whether to cry or laugh
Having been at the starting point for quite some time, I have come to see myself as an old hand. Every time I witness others traversing through worlds, they seem to have the wind at their backs and the rain at their feet, wielding power over the realm and possessing wealth that rivals nations. The protagonist is brimming with an air of arrogance, followed by a group of underlings, and the women by his side are either queens or princesses, constantly clinging to him. If you only have two women, you would feel embarrassed to call yourself a time traveler! Such scenes have made me, as a reader, envious to the point of spitting blood, wishing I could also traverse to another world immediately. Yet now that it is truly my turn to traverse, I never imagined it would unfold in such a comical manner!
Perhaps it was the fierce dragon depicted on the card that intimidated these individuals, as they clearly paused for a moment. After contemplating, he waved his hand to signal his subordinates to step back and quietly inquired, "Since this is an urgent military matter, I should not ask, but could you perhaps reveal a little bit?"
The urban newcomer Sun Gang gazed at the fierce braids of the cavalry and confirmed one thing
Looking at the things he brought from the original era, he suddenly had the feeling of wanting to buy a piece of tofu to smash his head against.
Stop! What are you doing
He blinked, confirming that his eyes were not deceiving him. When did the Qing army equip themselves with such Western-style pistols? After all, he had been a representative in history class, and failing to understand this matter would be a disgrace for someone who had traversed time. He racked his brains and basically concluded that it should have been after the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but no, it was most likely during the First Sino-Japanese War... That said, he seemed to recall hearing that during the suppression of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Qing soldiers were equipped with many foreign guns and cannons, so this revolver before him... He racked his brains and basically concluded that it should have been after the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, but no, it was most likely during the First Sino-Japanese War... That said, he seemed to recall hearing that during the suppression of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Qing soldiers were equipped with many foreign guns and cannons, so this revolver before him...
Having just lost his job at the bank, he initially intended to travel to Dalu Island to clear his mind. However, he was caught in a storm and accidentally swept into the sea. By the time he managed to get himself back to shore, he discovered that everything around him had changed.
Wait? What? A handgun?
It seems that in this era, purchasing items relies on silver and copper coins. The thought of wanting to buy a piece of tofu to end my life feels rather unrealistic.