Chapter Thirty: Immense Power

A mere bamboo tube, holding at most half a catty of so-called "gunpowder," produced such astonishing power upon ignition. The deafening roar, the bamboo shards flying in every direction, and even the rocks sent hurtling through the air left everyone pale with fright, save for Yang Xi.

"Terrifying," they thought. "We should have stood further back."

Captain Wang Xuan, who had just lit the fuse, was left completely stunned. Had he remained nearby when the explosion occurred, he shuddered to think what would have become of him.

Seeing the raw power of the simple gunpowder mixture, Yang Xi could not hide his delight. He shouted to the astonished generals standing nearby, "Haha, gentlemen, do you now understand the utility of this invention?"

"Marshal, it seems it could be used to breach city walls and gates!" Gao Shi, the quickest to react, immediately responded. "It would be incredibly useful during sieges and in battle!"

"Well said," Yang Xi replied, glancing at Gao Shi before turning his gaze toward the other still-shaken generals. He spoke with a cheerful tone, "This is called gunpowder—a powder that can be ignited with fire, possessing immense power. Alchemists have long known this principle, yet no one ever thought to apply it to weaponry. If we utilize gunpowder extensively in our military, it will surely bolster the combat effectiveness of our Great Tang army. I suspect you haven't fully grasped its destructive potential yet; I shall demonstrate it once more!"

The generals knew the gunpowder had been created according to Yang Xi’s own formula. This demonstration had already shown them its potency, elevating their respect for him to new heights. To create such a formidable weapon—it was no small feat! Naturally, they were eager to witness another test to see just how powerful it truly was.

Yang Xi immediately ordered his soldiers to take an iron canister, fill it with about a pound of gunpowder, bury it in a pit dug into the mountainside, and leave the opening exposed. Once again, he had a trail of gunpowder laid out as a fuse, and again, he ordered Captain Wang Xuan to light it.

Having already witnessed the explosive force, Wang Xuan approached with extreme caution, lit the fuse, and immediately scrambled away at full speed. The trail burned rapidly, igniting the powder within the iron canister and triggering a violent explosion.

With a thunderous blast, countless clods of earth and shards of rock were hurled high into the air, some traveling a great distance before raining down. Only then did many realize how close they had been standing to the blast site; earth and stone showered down upon them. Panic ensued, with many scrambling for cover or shielding their heads, abandoning all pretense of composure.

Yang Xi, ever the most foresighted, had already retreated to a safe spot behind two adjacent pine trees when he ordered Wang Xuan to light the fuse. The debris fell near the trees and struck the trunks, but Yang Xi remained unscathed. His guards, however, were not as fortunate; several were struck by flying debris, and some sustained injuries from the sharp stones. Soldiers standing in other directions, caught too close, were left stinging from the impact of the gravel.

The debut of gunpowder in human history was quite intimidating; hundreds of battle-hardened soldiers were left at a loss. Innovation, when shrouded in mystery, always produces a profound effect—much like a sudden clap of thunder, which startles even the most seasoned veteran.

A thick plume of black smoke rose from the blast site but was soon dispersed by the wind. Yang Xi emerged from behind the pine trees and walked to the still-smoking crater to inspect the results. The power of this improvised "bomb" was significant, carving out a pit several dozen centimeters deep and wide—resembling the impact of a small cannonball.

The other generals, still shaken, followed Yang Xi to the site. Seeing the size of the crater, their astonishment only grew.

"Marshal, this gunpowder you’ve created is truly useful. If we used more, we could collapse entire city walls!" Li Fude, who considered himself a confidant of Yang Xi, seized the chance to flatter him. "Marshal, it is truly brilliant that you have created such a powerful weapon; I am filled with admiration. I believe that if we use this against the rebel forces, even setting aside its lethality, the sheer noise alone would strike terror into their hearts. With this weapon in your hands, how could the rebellion not be quelled?"

Though Li Fude’s tone was sycophantic, his words resonated with many. The effectiveness and psychological impact were undeniable—the fact that the flying debris could injure men and the roar had startled even these veteran commanders proved it.

If humans were shocked, the horses were even more so. The two massive explosions had terrified the officers' mounts, which neighed and kicked wildly; had the soldiers not held them back with all their might, they would surely have stampeded. In the heat of battle, throwing explosives into enemy ranks would not only inflict damage but also cause chaos among the enemy's men and horses.

"I need say no more of the power of gunpowder; you have seen it for yourselves," Yang Xi said, looking at the generals with a triumphant smile. "Next, I shall order the craftsmen to continue refining this, creating portable explosive weapons suitable for actual combat. In a short time, I will petition the imperial court to launch an attack on Shanjun, and I hope gunpowder will play a pivotal role in that campaign."

Creating weapons from gunpowder was not difficult. The simplest form would be explosive satchels. By wrapping a large amount of gunpowder and using a fuse, these could be thrown by hand or launched via trebuchets, causing immense damage during sieges or when defending a city.

As long as a reliable fuse was developed—which was not high-tech, as it could be made from gunpowder, paper, and hemp rope—Yang Xi saw no reason for failure. The detonator, however, was the trickiest part.

Now that gunpowder had been realized, the development of grenades and shells would eventually follow. Yang Xi knew how to design a fuse; he was an expert in this field. Without the proper technology and materials, it was not easy to craft, but he was certain that with his presence—a special forces operative from the future—the era of gunpowder in warfare would be advanced by centuries.