Arms Dealer in Late Qing: From Bandit to King of the Northeast

History says Zhang Zuolin became the King of the Northeast in 1900—but I rewrote that script in 1896. Armed with modern weaponry and ruthless ambition, a nameless bandit carves his own path to power in China's turbulent late Qing era. While Old Zhang recruits insurance teams, I equip mine with German artillery. While he appeases the imperial court, I negotiate with Russian forces using mortars as my diplomats. From raiding villages to commanding an iron-blooded border army, this is a rise more audacious and brutal than any warlord before. In an age of chaos, there's room for only one true king…