Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

Xiao Ce did not respond after hearing Morgana's words.

Actually, Xiao Ce initially planned to wage a proxy war against Nie Bing here.

Xiao Ce wanted to see the strength of this Nie Bing, and even that of the original owner.

However, to his utter surprise, they were much dumber than he had imagined.

Xiao Ce never expected to find himself so close to Nie Bing and become a key figure in her inner circle.

Not only that, Zion Capo has also taken over the British Empire. Although many people are now forced to his side because of the lingering influence of the Illuminati, Zion Capo only needs time to firmly control those individuals.

Therefore, Morgana's position conflicts with the role of Zion Capo and his team.

Morgana noticed that Xiao Ce hadn't responded yet, and stared at him blankly, somewhat surprised: "Mr. Xiao Ce, what's wrong? Is there a problem?"

Xiao Ce smiled and said, "There's no problem... It's just that the situation outside is different now than before; things have changed... So, for the moment, I really haven't decided..."

Morgana smiled and nodded after hearing Xiao Ce's words, then said, "That's good. I thought something had happened..."

After hearing Morgana's words, Xiao Ce smiled and asked, "Morgana, do you think I've always been the kind of person who plans ahead for every step I take?"

Morgana nodded after hearing Xiao Ce's words.

Xiao Ce smiled and said, "I might have been like that before, but after so much time, I understand even more what it means to be outmaneuvered by fate..."

After saying this, Xiao Ce paused for a moment, then turned to Morgana and asked, "Have you heard anything about what's happening outside?"

After hearing Xiao Ce's words, Morgana shook her head: "I've heard some things, but not much. After all, we have a lot to do here. This base is very large, and this is just one part of it. We've divided it into several areas..."

After listening to Morgana's words, Xiao Ce smiled and nodded, "I know that...we're outside..."

Xiao Ce was about to speak, but then realized that this wasn't the place to talk.

Morgana was then asked to find a place to rest.

After Morgana brought Xiao Ce to his residence, she began to read...

As Xiao Ce spoke, he began to tell Morgana about the things happening outside.

Both Morgana and Frank were people Xiao Ce truly considered his own, so he didn't hide anything from them.

After hearing Xiao Ce's words, they all froze on the spot...

Morgana spoke first, then turned to Xiao Ce and said, "Mr. Xiao Ce, so you mean that you've already effectively taken control of the entire Western Alliance without saying a word..."

Frank said in surprise, "I knew it! Everything here was going so smoothly... We had planned for a bloody battle during this escape... But, I never expected... never expected... this to happen... Thank goodness for you. Even though you weren't here, you've been protecting us..."

After hearing Frank's words, Morgana nodded in agreement: "Then, Mr. Xiao Ce, does that mean we have no reason to exist...?"

Xiao Ce shook his head: "Of course not... Your presence is just in case... Moreover, the situation is still unclear. Although it seems like I have the situation under control, you can see from what I've done that the current situation has far exceeded my expectations..."

"Therefore, the situation could change in an instant. That's why your presence is necessary...after all, only a few people know of your existence..."

As he spoke, Xiao Ce stared intently at them again.

He said slowly, "Gentlemen, do you not want to stay? If so, I can find a way to get you out. Although there are many of you, Zion Capo can process you in batches, and I believe it can be done discreetly..."

Upon hearing Xiao Ce's words, they quickly shook their heads and said, "Mr. Xiao Ce, that's not what we meant... What we meant was that we need to find something to do here... After all, living aimlessly isn't a good thing..."

Hearing Morgana say this, Xiao Ce smiled at her and then said, "I know what you all think. I just wanted to ask you... what are your thoughts?"

"After all, I don't really need you guys to do anything right now... or rather, I can't think of anything right now... Let's brainstorm together..."

After hearing Xiao Ce's words, Morgana pondered for a moment, seemingly giving it serious thought.

Frank said to Xiao Ce, "Mr. Xiao Ce, I have a suggestion..."

Seeing Frank's words, Xiao Ce asked with some curiosity, "Oh? What suggestion?"

Frank said to Xiao Ce, "Mr. Xiao Ce, this place was originally prepared as a base..."

"The reason the British Empire has left this dense forest undeveloped is because, although it's a dense forest, most of it is mountainous terrain with rugged paths. Developing it would yield minimal profits but incur enormous costs... We, on the other hand, can make use of this area..."

Upon hearing Frank's words, Xiao Ce was filled with surprise. Frank then asked Xiao Ce, "So...you...you want to turn this place into a combat-ready human defense zone?"

Frank froze upon hearing Xiao Ce's words: "A combat-ready human defense zone? What does Mr. Xiao Ce mean by this?"

Xiao Ce's eyes suddenly lit up, and a useful idea flashed through his mind.

That is, although everything is ready now, if these people go out, they won't be of much use. If they stay and create a defensive zone here, it might not be useful.

The reason Lingas City was chosen here was because, from a Western perspective, the British Empire occupies a vital, central position. Therefore, establishing a military-defense zone here was necessary...

As for its purpose, it's certainly not for defending against ordinary enemies...

Xiao Ce was increasingly excited about the idea and felt it was feasible.

He wasn't in a hurry and said to them, "The current situation here is indeed much better than I expected. Order, production, defense, and morale are all taking shape. But this is not the end, but the real beginning. Frank's mention of 'base' and 'development' has given me a reminder of why we need this place and its future role."

As he spoke, he stood up, walked to the window of the simple wooden house, and his gaze seemed to penetrate the wooden planks, looking out at the vibrant yet perilous valley and dense forest.

"First of all, let me make one thing clear: your existence is by no means meaningless, much less a 'useless place.'" Xiao Ce turned around, his tone resolute. "On the contrary, Sion Capo openly controls Britain, while Victor King mediates within the Illuminati. This forms a visible network. And here you are, this hidden network deep in the forest, unknown to anyone, is my trump card, my last line of defense, a 'safe haven' and 'base for counterattack' against the unpredictable storms of the future."

"Furthermore, you can proceed with the development as you see fit, and they will continuously supply you with resources..."

"An unpredictable storm?"

Morgana keenly caught the word, and recalling the information Xiao Ce had previously revealed about "extraterrestrial visitors," "Al-Qaeda," and "the Guardians," her heart involuntarily tightened.

“Not bad.” Xiao Ce’s eyes deepened.

"As I mentioned before, shutting down the Lost Island signal only temporarily cut off the 'Adventists' channel for guiding external enemies."

But since they've been here once before, it's only a matter of time before they can locate this place again using those technological means we don't understand.

The al-Qaeda 'guardians' also foresaw this, which is why they were eager to find allies and discuss countermeasures. We call this unknown threat 'the storm'.

It could be an overwhelming fleet, bizarre and powerful alien warriors, or a devastating attack that we simply cannot comprehend.

He paused for a moment, allowing the invisible pressure to settle in everyone's hearts.

Xiao Ce had mentioned these things to them before, but they still didn't quite grasp the concept, so while their faces showed tension... they were mostly confused and bewildered...

"Faced with an unknown threat of this level, both the Kingdom's army, which Zion Cabo openly controls, and the Alliance army, which Victor King integrates under the framework of the Illuminati, could be destroyed or paralyzed in an instant."

The nature of war will completely surpass our current understanding. At that time, we will need a 'fortress' that can preserve our strength, accumulate resources, and launch a counterattack when the opportunity arises.

A place where an enemy is hard to find, and even if they do find it, it is difficult to conquer in a short time, and where one can maintain life and combat effectiveness in extreme environments.

This place is where we are now, and it will be the civil defense zone that we need to develop extensively in the future!

Frank and Morgana nodded, echoing Xiao Ce's words: "A combat-ready human defense zone? Is that also a fortress?"

Xiao Ce nodded and said, "It's similar to a fortress, but larger. And this combat-ready personnel defense zone has an even larger functional area..."

After a pause, Xiao Ce continued, "This is not a simple hiding place, but a comprehensive, permanent underground and semi-underground strategic fortress system that integrates survival, defense, production, and counterattack. Its core objective is singular: to ensure the survival and continuation of core personnel, resources, technology, and counterattack forces in extremely harsh environments, or even under complete blockade or attack, so as to buy time and space for final victory or the continuation of the flame of civilization."

As she spoke, Morgana saw Xiao Ce searching around.

Morgana then said to Xiao Ce, "Mr. Xiao Ce, there's a sand table over there; we're creating a simulation of the situation here..."

Xiao Ce's eyes lit up, and then he noticed the sand table on one side, which was not yet finished.

He gave Morgana a thumbs up...

"Morgana, you really are observant... or did you actually listen to everything I said..."

Morgana nodded: "Mr. Xiao Ce, please speak, we're listening..."

Xiao Ce nodded, then said, "First of all, if we want to establish such a wartime civil defense zone, survival guarantee is the foundation."

"First, we must solve the water problem... The current mountain springs are far from enough. We need to find, explore, and develop deep groundwater sources and establish multiple redundant water purification and storage systems. At the same time, we need to collect rainwater and develop condensate technology. We must ensure that under any circumstances, including extreme situations where surface water sources are polluted or cut off, there is a stable and safe drinking water source inside, supporting the basic survival of tens of thousands of people and possibly expanding to hundreds of thousands in the future."

Hearing Xiao Ce mention that he might have to support hundreds of thousands of people, I was truly astonished...

However, they still did not interrupt.

Xiao Ce continued, "Secondly, there is the issue of food. The existing farmland and vegetable gardens are the foundation, but they are far from meeting the needs of self-sufficiency in war preparations. We must vigorously develop underground agriculture."

Xiao Ce pointed towards the mountain on the sand table.

"By utilizing caves and deep underground spaces, and employing specialized lighting methods, we are cultivating shade-tolerant, high-yielding crops with short growth cycles, such as mushrooms, potatoes, and fast-growing vegetables. Simultaneously, we are exploring hydroponics and nutrient solution cultivation techniques to maximize space utilization efficiency."

Establish large underground granaries to store enough durable grains, including cereals, beans, dried meat, and compressed foods, to support the entire workforce for at least a year. In livestock farming, the focus will shift to smaller, easier-to-raise, and faster-breeding poultry and livestock such as rabbits, quails, and small goats, with consideration given to the possibility of underground farming.

Upon hearing Xiao Ce's words, they were dumbfounded and asked, "Hydroculture? What is that?"

Xiao Ce smiled and said, "Later, I'll give you my contact information, or I'll have them send you some books..."

After listening, Morgana and Frank nodded subconsciously, then respectfully asked Xiao Ce to continue...

Xiao Ce said, "Another challenge is controlling the air and temperature. Going deep underground means that air circulation and temperature control become difficult. We need to design complex ventilation duct systems, utilize natural elevation differences to create airflow, and supplement them with windmills or water-powered mechanical ventilation when necessary. At the same time, we need to utilize geothermal temperature to stabilize the temperature and design insulation layers to ensure that the underground space is warm in winter and cool in summer, with fresh air. We also need to have filtration and isolation systems to deal with toxic gases and nuclear contamination."

Morgana and Frank, who hadn't wanted to interrupt, couldn't understand at all: "Mr. Xiao Ce, I can roughly understand what you mean by ventilation, but..."