The year is 1158, the 28th year of the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Song. In this era, the Four Great Inventions have been perfected and are utilized in social production: papermaking, gunpowder, the imperial examination system, and advanced technology. Commerce is thriving, the population is abundant, and the productivity surpasses that of the Han and Tang dynasties. Yet, the Jin Dynasty dominates the Central Plains, Xixia occupies the Northwest, Dali controls the Southwest, and the Song Dynasty clings to its precarious position in the south. In the far Northwest and Central Asia, the Western Liao Dynasty still dreams of restoring its former glory. On the vast steppe, the Mongols are slowly growing, accumulating the terrifying power that will soon overturn the world order. How can one find a path to light and avoid falling into ruin in this fragmented world of great strife? First, one must not place any hope in the Song Dynasty.