Season 3: Chapter 293. Tang and Pang (3)

China existed almost solely to reach the pinnacle of their civilization, the Ming dynasty. Only upon reaching this point could China fully utilize all its factions and transform into a completely overpowered version of itself.

[Unification of the World]

Unification of the World meant that all the unique traits of China’s previous civilizations would now merge together.

[All previous civilizations are unified and all faction traits are applied.]

The devastating explosive arrows from the Yuan dynasty, the relentless iron cavalry of the Liao dynasty, the resilient infantry and formation buffs from the Jin dynasty, the defensive crossbowmen and economic prowess of the Song dynasty... Everything now combined into one ultimate power. This was the true meaning of Unification of the World.

"Finally."

Like all Chinese civilization players, Liu Bei had been waiting for this moment. There was a common belief that China’s unique trait of switching between various civilizations gave them a strategic advantage throughout the game, but that wasn’t entirely true.

While other civilizations gradually grew stronger as they advanced through eras, China was stuck to one civilization at a time. This flexibility was useful until the second era, but China would start falling behind by the third era. In theory, China was always stuck in the second era.

If they couldn’t properly transition between dynasties, they wouldn’t be able to withstand the firepower of other civilizations as they advanced into the third era. That was why the gap between skilled professionals and casual players was largest when playing the Chinese civilization. Despite this difficulty, China was still a popular choice among players.

Why? Because of moments like this.

[Ming Dynasty]

Boom!

"Ming dynasty?! China just reached the Ming dynasty?!"

"Ah..."

Once China reached the Ming dynasty, all their previous problems would be solved. They retained the strength of all prior civilizations while unlocking the unique powers of the Ming dynasty. A key feature of the Ming dynasty was its advanced technology. This faction focused on siege weapons. Any siege engines built at the Ming's special technology research facility gained increased health and attack power. In short, China’s siege units were now much stronger for the same cost.

"Wait a minute?! If China reaches the Ming dynasty now, we can't be sure what will happen next!"

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Joseon was still in the third era and China had reached the so-called fifth era, the Ming dynasty. Even though Joseon controlled the central plains and gathered resources at an incredible rate, the commentators couldn’t help but feel nervous.

— Woah

— What’s happening?

— Fifth era before the fourth?!

— Something big is coming...

"Sure, the Ming dynasty sounds intimidating, but Joseon shouldn’t be shaken. They’ve already achieved a decisive victory in the 200 vs. 200 battle! What was a 9-to-1 advantage might have dropped to 8-to-2. They’re still winning, aren’t they?!"

"And Joseon is securing the central plains, which means their resources are rapidly increasing!"

Indeed, Joseon now pulled ahead of China regarding resources due to exploiting the central part of the map.

"Exactly! They’ve created a solid lead!"

"But wait! China’s resources aren’t dropping at all now that they’ve reached the Ming dynasty!"

China’s economic faction from the Song dynasty automatically activated along with the Ming dynasty. Their resource generation graph started to rise again.

"They can’t afford to give China any more time! This is when they have the least money!"

"This is like real estate! China’s resources might skyrocket if they’re not stopped now!"

— Joseon’s got to act fast!

— Why does China always come back stronger?

"Joseon is already on the move!"

"They’re trying to seize control before things escalate!"

"Yes, but this could backfire if they act recklessly! If they don’t end this quickly, China could rebound even stronger!"

Even though Joseon was still in the third era, they launched an offensive against China. They couldn’t afford to wait any longer.

"That’s right! Even though China reached the Ming dynasty, this is when they’re most vulnerable!"

Like other civilizations, China also had weaknesses right after entering a new era. The Ming dynasty’s special units had yet to be produced and their famous gunpowder units just started rolling out. Only a few had been built.

"Besides, China has no troops right now! They’re still in the process of rebuilding their army!"

All that remained were Guan Yu and a handful of cavalry. China’s current troop count was below fifty.

"At this point, human wave tactics hardly apply to China anymore!"

— Does this mean Joseon can win now?

— This is nerve-wracking...

— We have to press on!

Although China had reached the Ming dynasty, its army consisted of only thirty-four soldiers. In contrast, Joseon’s forces were close to 150 with twelve siege weapons ready. If Joseon advanced now, China wouldn’t be able to stop them.

"But China has made a decision! They’ve pulled their troops all the way to the back!"

China withdrew their troops to the rear instead of fighting with thirty-four soldiers. This was a classic final stand strategy in

Civil Empire

. Buildings had decent defensive capabilities, so it would take time for the enemy to break through the walls and reach the base. The Ming dynasty fortifications could launch cannon fire from turrets on the walls, which would slow down the enemy significantly. China aimed to buy time by pulling back their troops.

"China is upgrading their defensive buildings and pulling back all their forces! They’re preparing for one last counterattack!"

"Right. China knows their towers alone won’t stop Joseon, but they can stall for time while gathering their troops!"

"They’re even rebuilding their forges and training camps behind the palace! They’re going all in on this!"

"Joseon needs to move fast and strike hard!"

China’s decision to rely on defensive structures was a standard late-game strategy, but it was surprising how quickly they switched to this approach.

"It seems like China made this move a lot earlier than expected. They’re essentially giving up everything except their main base!"

"China’s giving up a lot! They’re basically saying, 'Take what you want!' But they’re giving up so much that Joseon might not catch on to their real plan!"

Joseon couldn’t easily predict China’s intentions in this situation.

"Joseon doesn’t seem to realize what’s happening!"

China’s defensive strategy already bought precious time.

"Joseon is advancing cautiously!"

They moved slowly, expecting Chinese troops to be lying in ambush. This caution gave China even more time to prepare its final counterattack.

***

Cookie managed the central plains while keeping a close watch on the battlefield. Siege weapons hurled massive stones and walls crumbled under their force.

Boom! Boom!

They were steadily taking over the Chinese territory. They did encounter some resistance though.

Boom! Boom!

Cannon fire spewed from China’s towers, but these AI-controlled defenses couldn’t stop Joseon’s army. The soldiers skillfully scattered to avoid the cannon fire. They maneuvered around and continued advancing. However, something felt off to Cookie.

"Hmm?"

He sensed that something wasn’t right from his vantage point as the commander.

‘They’re all gone?’

China left almost no soldiers to defend their territory. To the Joseon soldiers, it just seemed like they had advanced into areas where the Chinese army wasn’t present. However, Cookie could see the entire battlefield and knew the truth. No Chinese troops could be seen anywhere.

‘What’s going on?’

He couldn’t believe China had already pulled all its forces to the rear for one final battle. He assumed an ambush had to be hiding somewhere.

[Scout Hawk]

Cookie used his first scout hawk on the nearby forest, a likely spot for an ambush.

‘Nothing.’

Of course, he found nothing there. His thoughts grew more complicated. He only had one more scout hawk left. Once he used it, it would take a long time before he could use it again. Perhaps not even until the game ended.

‘What’s happening?’

The idea that China was preparing for a final showdown crept into his mind, but he wasn’t sure yet. It felt more like a maybe scenario. China's current strategy was like a boxer with plenty of energy purposely taking hits, waiting for the perfect counterpunch.

They didn’t even bother to block or jab to create openings. They just took hits, waiting for that one perfect strike. It seemed like an insane choice.

Cookie thought hard. Why would they do that? If China was making such an extreme choice, what was the reason?

‘...!’

Suddenly, he realized the answer. The time he was taking to think about this, his very hesitation was the answer. China was betting that Cookie wouldn’t believe they would make such a reckless move, causing him to advance cautiously. China needed time more than anything else to prepare for their final stand.

‘Damn.’

Cookie checked the time.

[Scout Hawk]

He sent the second hawk soaring. This time, it flew to the rear of the enemy’s palace where the forest cradled the area like a cozy couch, perfect for amassing troops.

‘Ah.’

There they were. The Chinese army had swelled to over eighty soldiers from the original fifty, all fully equipped with Ming dynasty armor and weapons.

***

“Oh no! Cookie just realized!”

“This is a big one!”

“Joseon is finally speeding up their advance!”

“But even if China has grown stronger, doesn’t Joseon still have a better chance of winning? Even if they lose this final battle, Joseon could still regroup for another one!”

— Haha, that’s true

— Exactly!

— Makes sense!

“Yes, that’s true!”

If China had prepared for a final showdown, Joseon could prepare for one too. That was the reality, but OrangeKing wasn’t entirely sure.

‘Joseon is still in the third era, while China has reached the Ming dynasty.’

The situation was different for both nations. China had already progressed to the Ming dynasty, but Joseon was still in the third era. If Joseon lost this battle, advancing to the fourth era would be difficult if not impossible. They would have to face a larger Ming army while still stuck in the third era.

‘This is a mess. Everything is falling apart...’

The game's outcome was still uncertain, but Joseon’s chances of victory would drop significantly if they couldn’t break through here.

‘Incredible, Liu Bei.’

Cookie had to admit Liu Bei’s strategy was brilliant. Liu Bei hadn’t fallen into Cookie’s traps and remained focused on his own plans for a final showdown. He was an opponent that left no room for complacency. Realizing this, Cookie concentrated even harder on the unfolding battle.

“Joseon is speeding up their advance! They’re storming the last wall and breaking through like a highway!”

Fortunately for Joseon, they quickly picked up the pace after discovering the Chinese army’s location. They smashed through the last barrier of the palace’s defense.

Boom, boom, boom...!

As the wall crumbled, the last of China’s troops stepped forward and formed a final defensive line.

“China is preparing their last stand!”

China gathered around 100 troops around the palace and ten defensive gunpowder units. They stood firm, ready to confront Joseon’s army of 200, which had broken through the wall and swarmed the palace.

“Oh! Joseon is now saying, ‘Let’s see who the real scholars are! Let’s battle it out!’”

— Haha!

— Poor Ming dynasty!

— The “true” nobles!

— LOL!

Now, 100 Ming soldiers faced off against 200 Joseon troops. The Ming army’s strengths lay in their defense within their own territory and their powerful gunpowder units. Meanwhile, Joseon chose to forgo advancing to the fourth era and reinforced their army to its full capacity instead. Their troops were filled with confidence.

Then—

“What...?!”

OrangeKing suddenly stood up and struck the table in excitement because of the Chinese troops’ formation.

“This... this is...!”

China had just deployed a formation OrangeKing recognized as the ultimate defensive strategy.

“Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation!!”

— Whoa!

— Wait, what?

— What is that, some kind of ninja move?

— Haven’t you kids read The Three Kingdoms? Come on!

— Wow, this is serious now!

The Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation was a legendary defensive strategy from ancient Chinese military tactics. It involved eight gates: Rest, Life, Injury, Block, View, Death, Shock, and Open.

Only two of these gates guaranteed survival—Life and Open. China would suffer if the enemy entered through Injury, Shock, or Rest. If the enemy went through Block or Death, it would be fatal. This ultimate entrapment formation was designed to lock down the enemy and leave only two paths to survival. This was China’s final, desperate strategy.