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

"Waiting for the right moment, either as humanity's last refuge or as a deadly dagger to pierce the enemy's heart."

Xiao Dingshan listened quietly from the side, his heart also filled with turmoil.

Xiao Ce's planning and deployment were not only far-sighted but also highly practical, making the most of limited resources and manpower.

This goes beyond his understanding of war and defense; it's more like building a miniature civilization that can survive in the apocalypse.

Xiao Ce always manages to bring them different surprises and insights...

He increasingly felt that Xiao Ce was the one sent to save their world...

“General Frank!” Xiao Ce looked at this core general!

"You are well-versed in military defense. I have complete confidence in you overseeing the planning and construction of the entire defense system of the combat readiness zone, including the deployment of sentries, the construction of fortifications, the design of traps, and the formulation of contingency plans for future defensive operations."

"Yes, sir! Mr. Xiao Ce!" Frank straightened his back, his eyes burning with the fire of a great responsibility. This was no longer simply about guarding their homeland, but about building an iron wall to protect humanity's hope.

“Morgana!” Xiao Ce turned to Morgana, who looked confident, and said, “Your ability to coordinate the overall situation and your power to unite people are key to maintaining the operation of the entire war zone. Survival support (water, food, housing, medical care), internal management, order maintenance, and coordination of secret supplies with Zion are all entrusted to you. You will personally oversee the initial trials of the underground farm. Remember, stability and sustainability are the cornerstones of survival.”

"Understood! Mr. Xiao Ce, I will do my utmost to make this place a true fortress that can protect everyone and support the future." Morgana solemnly promised, feeling a heavy burden on her shoulders, yet filled with an unprecedented sense of mission.

Moreover, Xiao Ce gave them each their own tasks, and they all had perfectly clear ideas about what to do...

“Jones Snow!” Xiao Ce’s gaze fell on the composed Snow. Intelligence work is your future stage. Building an intelligence network is not a matter of a day or two; it requires absolute loyalty, caution, and wisdom. Select the best, not the most capable, and establish secure contact points and communication methods. The initial objective is to ensure unimpeded communication with the outside world, especially regarding Zion, Victor King, unusual movements within the Illuminati, and… any future clues about ‘extraterrestrial visitors.’”

“Yes, Mr. Xiao Ce. I will blend into the darkness like a shadow, becoming the eyes and ears of this forest.” Jones Snow’s voice was deep and firm.

"As for the energy cannon..." Xiao Ce's voice became even more serious!

"This is our strategic deterrent force, our trump card. Moreover, we don't know how they will use it. In the future, our research group can be given the highest priority for the research and maintenance of energy cannons, and will have priority in resource allocation."

All new core members joining later must sign the highest level of confidentiality agreement. The research will focus on two aspects: first, ensuring its immediate availability; and second, exhaustively understanding its principles, even if it only allows for the simplest maintenance and charging operations. Its existence and use are known only to the core members currently in this room; outside knowledge is strictly prohibited! Every activation must be performed under my direct command or with my authorization.

The group nodded emphatically.

"Funds, supplies, and some key technologies... Zion Cabo will provide them through secret channels."

Xiao Ce concluded, “I will give him a detailed, phased list. What you need to do is transform this mountain forest, this valley, into an indestructible rock, even in chaotic times! Let your sweat, every inch of rock you carve, and every grain of food you store become solid capital to withstand future storms. This place will no longer be a refuge for exiles, but a beacon for human civilization to survive tenaciously in the midst of storms and accumulate the strength to fight back!”

As Xiao Ce finished speaking, the wooden house fell silent, with only the faint sounds of labor and the wind rustling through the forest coming from outside the window.

At this moment, Morgana, Frank, and Snow were all incredibly excited.

However, Morgana calmed down after a moment of excitement.

A worried look appeared on her face, so Xiao Ce said to Morgana, "Morgana, it seems like there's a problem? Do you think there's anything wrong with my plan?"

Morgana shook her head, then said to Xiao Ce, "Mr. Xiao Ce, this plan is naturally not a problem... However, the plan you mentioned requires a large investment of manpower and resources... If we can utilize those resources, that would be great..."

"But if it's not used... wouldn't that be a bit of a waste... a complete waste of effort..."

Xiao Ce did not answer directly; instead, he walked to the window.

The valley was so quiet at night that you could hear the whispers of the grass. In the distance, the campfire on the training ground flickered, casting shadowy figures in its warm glow. The melodious sound of a short flute drifted in on the night breeze, the most simple and honest echo of human life.

"A waste?" Xiao Ce turned around, his voice low, his gaze sweeping over Frank and Jones Snow before finally settling on Morgana's face. "Morgana, look at the people around that campfire. The storm may be raging, but tomorrow, they will still have to farm, train, and live. The air defense zone I'm talking about has never been a cold graveyard existing solely for war."

His tone shifted to a more persuasive one: "It's more like a whetstone, a giant furnace."

"A whetstone?" Morgana repeated softly, still puzzled.

“Yes, a whetstone,” Xiao Ce affirmed.

“It’s also our ‘underground kingdom’ during our peaceful times!” He pointed to the reclaimed land faintly visible outside the window and the silhouette of the rugged mountain walls in the distance!

"Are those planned underground farms only for wartime stockpiling? No! Specialty mushrooms, shade-tolerant tubers, and hydroponic vegetables—once these technologies mature, their quality and yield, especially during Britain's long, damp, and cold winters, will become priceless treasures! Sion Capo can enable caravans to transport them far and wide, exchanging them for the iron, cloth, and medicinal herbs we desperately need, nourishing this valley and even benefiting the entire British people!"

Frank's eyes lit up instantly, as if he could see mountains of granaries and a bountiful valley.

Xiao Ce continued to outline the blueprint: "That massive underground water purification and storage system is a lifeline in wartime, but what about in peacetime?"

He asked himself and answered, "It will be the inexhaustible lifeline of this valley! In the dry season, it can irrigate the terraced fields and support larger-scale farmland reclamation; in the rainy season, it can control floods and protect our homes. With it, we can build watermills, paper mills, and even try simple water-powered machinery in the future... The convenience of life and the improvement of production all stem from this!"

"The reason why those British empires didn't take advantage of this before was because those nobles were all self-enclosed and controlled their own territories. This kind of expansion requires enormous manpower and resources, and it can't be done without huge support... But we have that capability..."

He paused, then emphasized, "And there's that vast and sturdy underground space! Once completed, it will be naturally ideal for storage, warm in winter and cool in summer. Whether it's the abundant produce of our underground farms, the exquisite leather goods and tools you will craft in the future, or even the potential smelting results from the mountain's mineral veins, all will need a dry, stable, and massive storage center. Military preparedness is its skeleton, but the prosperity of people's livelihoods is its flesh and blood!"

"And let's talk about those fortifications!" Xiao Ce looked at Frank!

"Are the traps and surveillance networks in the outer dense forest, and the elite scouts trained to be useless in times of peace? No! They are the strongest barrier protecting caravans as they traverse treacherous mountains and forests, cracking down on roaming bandits, and maintaining peace in the region."

The sturdy walls and passes built along the mountainside in the middle layer are excellent strongholds for connecting the inside and outside worlds and controlling trade routes! As for the camouflage and reinforcement techniques at the entrance to the core area... wouldn't this experience be a ready-made guarantee if we wanted to establish several absolutely secure secret warehouses or workshops in the future?

He walked up to the model and traced his finger across the mountain area that represented the future underground network.

"Excavating mountains, digging tunnels, and building layers of defensive and living spaces—this in itself is forging an unparalleled engineering force!"

The technology and experience they possess will become the most valuable asset of the British Empire and indeed the entire Western world. In peacetime, they can build roads, bridges, and cities, and help other places in need to dig canals and construct water conservancy projects... This force is the foundation and source of our future development!

Xiao Ce's gaze finally landed on Morgana, and he slowly said, "Morgana, you say it's a waste of effort? No, it won't."

The process of building is the process of improvement; it is a process of uniting people's hearts, honing capabilities, accumulating wealth, and laying the foundation for the future! The word "combat preparedness" is meant to guard against the sword of disaster from beyond the heavens, but its foundation is forever deeply rooted in the soil of our pursuit of a better life.

When that day truly comes, what we will hold in our hands will be far more than cold weapons and desperate refuges; it will be a spark honed by time, brimming with hope and strength!

His voice was firm: "This spark can ignite new life from the ruins. But if that storm never comes..."

Xiao Ce's lips curled into a smile: "Then let's consider this an investment in lasting peace for our descendants, for our own peaceful land. No matter how you look at it, this investment is worthwhile! Having a weapon doesn't necessarily mean you have to use it. In fact, its greatest value is already evident when you haven't used it..."

Morgana took a deep breath, as if the heavy stone in her chest was being shattered bit by bit by Xiao Ce's words.

Frank clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, his eyes burning with a newly ignited conviction.

Jones Snow gazed at the winding outline of the mountains on the sand table, as if he could already see the vibrant life surging within that underground kingdom.

When Morgana raised this question earlier, they all thought it made a lot of sense.

They were now feeling a pang of urgency regarding their shortsightedness...

“I understand, Mr. Xiao Ce.”

Morgana's voice trembled slightly, yet it was firmer than ever before: "Mr. Xiao Ce, I was narrow-minded! This is not a drain, but a seed, a forging! You have shown us a path to true strength. Whether or not that storm occurred, this thing is not a burden... I was short-sighted, please forgive me, Mr. Xiao Ce..."

Xiao Ce smiled and then said, "It's normal to have problems, and it's normal to not understand. You're right, setting up this combat readiness air defense zone is indeed a huge undertaking!"

She straightened her back: "Mr. Xiao Ce, you've analyzed it so clearly for me. Rest assured, no matter what, I will lead everyone step by step to turn this from blueprints into reality! I will not let you down... I..."

Frank and Jones Snow both nodded in agreement: "Mr. Xiao Ce, we will cooperate with Ms. Morgana to do our job well here and complete your tasks..."

Ce nodded with a smile, and the solemnity brought by the grand blueprint quietly dissipated...

The warm glow of the bonfire outside the window illuminated the relaxed figures of the people, and a faint, peculiar aroma, mixed with the scent of burnt oil, drifted into the window frame on the night breeze.

"We've pretty much finished discussing the important matters..." Xiao Ce changed the subject, his tone becoming lighter. "I think everyone's getting hungry. Frank, did you hunt some game earlier? Morgana, there should be some fresh mushrooms and wild vegetables in the newly cultivated vegetable garden, right?"

Frank was taken aback for a moment, then grinned and said, "Yes! Several plump forest deer, just pickled yesterday, full of fat!"

Morgana also came to her senses and smiled broadly: "I picked a lot of porcini and chanterelle mushrooms, the newly sprouted wild onions and garlic are very fresh, and there are also several baskets of wild berries!"

"Great!" Xiao Ce said, rubbing his hands together. "There's no time like the present. Zion Capo gave me some good wine just before I arrived! Tonight, I'll treat you to something truly good... barbecue!"

"Barbecue?" Frank and Jones Snow looked at each other. To them, the word meant nothing more than roasting prey over a fire, which was hardly "fresh".

Morgana, on the other hand, swallowed hard. Among the group, only Morgana had ever tasted Xiao Ce's barbecue...

Xiao Ce smiled mysteriously, offering no explanation, but instead ordered, "Frank, take some men to bring over a few flat stone slabs of suitable size, thick and heat-resistant."

Morgana instructed the kitchen to cut the best venison and pheasant into finger-width strips, and also to cut some marbled wild boar belly pieces.

Choose the largest mushrooms and wash the wild vegetables thoroughly. Also, prepare honey, salt, crushed wild garlic, and powdered dried wild chili peppers. Hmm… bring some fresh wild berries if you can squeeze out the juice.”

He was articulate and had the air of a master chef.

Although no one understood why, they all obeyed "God Xiao's" orders and immediately got to work.