Lin Ji, a history researcher, woke up one day in the body of the ruler of Qin.
From the start, he had one isolated border city, a thousand soldiers for the whole country, and a treasury so empty even the rats had moved out.
The Rong and Di tribes were sharpening their blades to the north, the six states eyed him hungrily to the east, and Wei had even sent the semi-sage of military strategy Wu Qi to lead an army and crush him in person.
Lin Ji smiled.
No offense, but he was a history researcher. He knew the roadmap to Qin’s rise by heart: Shang Yang’s reforms, the military merit system, distant alliances and close attacks...
But it didn’t take long for his smile to disappear.
Wu Qi, Sun Bin, Pang Juan, Bai Qi, Wang Jian... all these formidable figures, who should have lived a century apart, had ended up in the same era.
Half his expertise was useless.
Fortunately, the Strong Nation System activated.
Loyalty levels became visible, making it easy to spot which of his subordinates were traitors.
Free attribute points let him grow from a weakling who needed both hands to kill a chicken into an all-around great ruler.
And so, in this chaotic Warring States era, the poorest King of Qin in history began his outrageous schemes:
No money? Borrow from enemy states.
No food? Make enemy states send it.
No talent? Poach from everywhere.
To his own people, he was a jokester who was always ready with a witty line.
To his enemies, he was a living King of Hell who ate people without spitting out the bones.
Years later, when Qin’s iron cavalry had conquered the six states, someone asked him the secret to his success.
Lin Ji thought for a moment and answered sincerely:
“Mostly, the competition made me look good.”
