An Island from the Start: I Build an Empire on It

Jiang Chen, a marine engineer, is exiled to the empire's most remote barren island, where only thirty condemned prisoners await death. He builds fishing boats, dries sea salt, and constructs a wharf, turning the island into a maritime trade hub. The empire's powerful see him as a dead man, but he welcomes merchant ships from every nation and builds an intelligence network on the island. When the Pirate King attacks with three hundred warships, Jiang Chen has already built fire ships and a giant crossbow formation. He sinks the enemy fleet in a single battle. After the imperial navy suffers a crushing defeat, the emperor urgently summons Jiang Chen to save the throne. His reply: “Pay me, supply me with food, and give me a proper post. Otherwise, I'll found my own country.”