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

After leaving the valley, the group headed towards the coast of the British Empire, guided by Xiao Dingshan.

On the way, Xiao Dingshan said to Xiao Ce, "Xiao Ce, are you sure you don't want to test that energy cannon? Don't we need to have a simple assessment of its strength?"

Xiao Ce smiled at Xiao Dingshan and nodded, "No need. The main issue is that I really don't know where that thing came from... and after hearing what you said, I'm really hesitant to use it... Let's just leave it there... I really can't bear the consequences if using it..."

Xiao Dingshan nodded, then said to Xiao Ce with some concern, "By the way, Xiao Ce, do you think leaving that thing there will cause trouble for Morgana and the others?"

Xiao Ce asked Xiao Dingshan with a puzzled look, "Adding trouble...you mean...?"

"If your hiding place is discovered, and it has a tracking system..."

Xiao Dingshan got straight to the point.

After listening, Xiao Ce smiled and waved his hand, saying, "No, I've already checked it. Although the energy cannon has energy fluctuations, it doesn't have the function of receiving or transmitting signals."

Xiao Ce only found out this by asking Ling Xu; otherwise, he wouldn't have had the ability to know it.

After hearing what Xiao Ce said, Xiao Dingshan stopped showing any reaction and simply nodded.

Seeing that Xiao Dingshan did not continue with the question, Xiao Ce asked, "Uncle, are your ships already waiting?"

Xiao Dingshan nodded, then gave Xiao Ce a knowing look.

"Aren't you curious how our ships got in, now that you've essentially blockaded the seas...?"

Xiao Ce wasn't actually that interested at first.

However, after being asked this question by Xiao Dingshan, even those who weren't interested had to become interested...

Moreover, Xiao Ce already knew that Xiao Dingshan's question meant that their ships were unusual.

Xiao Ce said with a smile, "Uncle, at first I really wasn't that curious... but after you asked me that, I have no choice but to be curious..."

"I'm not too curious about how you got in. Although the sea ban still exists here, it's not as strict as it used to be. Besides, it's quite natural for you to come and go using your bishop's identity... So, I suspect your ships must be quite extraordinary..."

As he spoke, Xiao Ce began to make his own deductions.

Xiao Dingshan's eyes lit up as he listened to Xiao Ce's self-absorbed analysis.

Sensing that Xiao Ce was no ordinary person, they did not interrupt.

Xiao Ce continued, muttering to himself, "Of course, these aren't ordinary ships. Besides, the fact that you emphasized making me guess how your ships got in means they must be extraordinary..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Dingshan looked at Xiao Ce as if he were looking at a monster.

"Ships can't be invisible... could they be submarines that can sail underwater?"

Xiao Ce muttered his guess to himself.

Now it was Xiao Dingshan's turn to stare wide-eyed at Xiao Ce.

Xiao Ce's guess was indeed very bold, however, Xiao Dingshan came from Al-Qaeda.

This might seem completely impossible to outsiders, but if it came from Al-Qaeda, then everything makes sense...

After Xiao Ce finished speaking, looking at Xiao Dingshan's expression, he knew he had guessed correctly...

Xiao Ce said to Xiao Dingshan, "Uncle, it seems I guessed right..."

Xiao Dingshan nodded, then said to Xiao Ce, "That's right, you really guessed correctly... You're absolutely brilliant..."

Xiao Ce smiled and said to Xiao Dingshan, "You've forgotten, I'm actually a modern person..."

Xiao Dingshan nodded with a smile. They walked along the coastline after coming out of the jungle.

Under Xiao Dingshan's leadership, they found themselves in increasingly desolate terrain.

The other three were all robots, so they moved very quickly. Fortunately, Xiao Ce had been trained, so he was not left behind.

A desolate sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy smell, swept across the jagged reefs and barren coastline.

“We’ve arrived.” Xiao Dingshan stopped and turned his gaze to a section of water deep in the bay, shrouded in the shadow of a huge sea cave. The water there was a darker color, and the current seemed to be much gentler.

Xiao Ce followed his gaze and saw that the sea was empty except for the undulating waves.

However, with his spiritual power, combined with the instantaneous enhanced scanning ability of his spiritual power, he immediately detected the faint energy fluctuations and force field disturbances emanating from a well-defined metallic object deep underwater that was out of place with its surroundings.

"It's indeed well hidden," Xiao Ce remarked. Without prior knowledge and targeted scanning, even an experienced naval patrol would have struggled to detect this strange object lurking dozens of meters below the seabed.

After hearing Xiao Ce's words, Xiao Dingshan looked at the spot Xiao Ce was looking at with some surprise: "Xiao Ce, can you see where it is?"

Although Xiao Ce had concealed the existence of Lingxu, he had nothing to hide from him, so he nodded to Xiao Dingshan.

Xiao Dingshan was somewhat surprised, but did not ask any further questions.

Now it was Xiao Ce's turn to ask curiously, "Uncle, how are you going to contact that thing next...?"

Xiao Dingshan smiled and said, "It's very simple..."

Xiao Dingshan pulled something that looked like a gun from his pocket and fired a shot into the sea.

This should be an underwater signal flare...

A short while later, a dark cabin appeared on the sea.

Immediately afterwards, a small boat appeared on top and headed directly towards them to pick them up.

Xiao Ce was somewhat surprised; this small boat was actually fully automated, unmanned...

After Xiao Dingshan ushered them onto the small boat, he headed towards the submarine. Upon reaching the top hatch, he opened it to reveal a small, airtight compartment.

After they entered,

A powerful, warm airflow automatically emanated from above, instantly drying the seawater and moisture clinging to their bodies. The deck beneath their feet trembled slightly, accompanied by a low, almost completely isolated mechanical hum. Xiao Ce could feel the entire space steadily sinking.

The circular alloy door on the inside of the airtight compartment slid open silently, revealing the main passageway inside the submarine. The light inside the passageway was soft, a cool, silvery-white hue. The material was neither gold nor jade, but cool and smooth to the touch, exuding a sense of simplicity and efficiency unique to futuristic technology. The air circulation system emitted a very slight hissing sound, carrying a fresh, precisely filtered scent.

"Welcome aboard the 'Deep Diver,' Xiao Ce." Xiao Dingshan gestured for him to board.

"This is an underwater vehicle from al-Qaeda, codenamed 'Probe-7.' Although it is not large, it is large enough to allow us to cross the vast Arctic Ocean undetected."

As Xiao Dingshan explained, Xiao Ce stepped into the passage and curiously looked around. The passage was not wide, only allowing two people to walk side by side, but the space was used extremely efficiently.

The walls were inlaid with streamlined control panels, flashing various symbols and constantly changing graphs that he couldn't understand. Several closed hatches were marked with different functional areas: cockpit, living quarters, power core, life support system, and weapons depot (marked in red and locked).

The overall style is austere and practical, without any superfluous decorations, and full of industrial aesthetics born for a specific task.

Xiao Ce was truly in a daze. Even though he was a modern person who had been to the sky and the sea before, this was his first time diving into the deep sea...

深度120米，航向设定：正北偏西15度，航速30节。预计抵达目标海域时间：77小时32分。”一个毫无感情起伏的电子合成音在通道内响起。

"Autopilot activated, let's move to the living quarters."

Xiao Dingshan led Xiao Ce through an automatic door into a relatively spacious area.

There are four sturdy and comfortable-looking seats with seat belts, a small table fixed to the bulkhead, and a food processor and water dispenser embedded in the wall.

One side of the bulkhead is a huge, almost full-wall transparent observation window, or rather, a high-definition, adjustable-transparency display screen, which is currently simulating the deep-sea scene.

Xiao Ce walked to the "observation window".

As the submarine descended, the view outside the window instantly transitioned from the deep blue of the sea to a profound inky black. Searchlight beams pierced the darkness like sharp swords, illuminating a small, fantastical underwater world ahead.

Strange, faintly fluorescent deep-sea creatures were startled and darted past the edge of the beam of light like ghosts. Huge, menacing schools of black fish slid silently past, their cold scales reflecting the cold gleam of the searchlight.

Further away, the outlines of undulating, alien-like underwater mountain ranges loomed in the absolute darkness. A grand, lonely, and oppressively unknown atmosphere emanated from the screen.

"It's so quiet," Xiao Ce remarked, his voice exceptionally clear in the well-insulated cabin.

Compared to the hustle and bustle on land and the political intrigue, this underwater voyage at a depth of 10,000 meters feels like being in another time and space.

"The tranquility of the deep sea is its disguise; danger lurks just as deep beneath."

Xiao Dingshan sat down in the hover chair and gestured for Xiao Ce to sit as well. "However, the 'Probe-7' has top-notch sound insulation and sensing system, which is enough to avoid most threats. Hold on tight. Although it is very stable, there will still be some jolts when we encounter undercurrents or large creatures."

Xiao Ce sat down as instructed, and the seat automatically conformed to his body shape, providing good support. At this moment, the two robots stood silently at the entrance to the passageway from the living quarters, like two guardian deities.

Looking at Xiao Dingshan, Xiao Ce said, "Uncle, you're much calmer than me... your level of acceptance is quite high..."

After hearing Xiao Ce's words, Xiao Dingshan smiled and said, "It's not that I'm particularly accepting... it's just that each of them is someone I've never met before... I feel like I've been given a second chance at life..."

Upon hearing Xiao Dingshan's words, Xiao Ce smiled; his idea was indeed quite interesting...

The voyage continued in silence. Time seemed to lose its meaning within this metallic shell.

Xiao Ce spent most of his time observing the eternal darkness outside the window, occasionally exchanging a few words with Xiao Dingshan to learn about the outer perimeter of the al-Qaeda organization, or closing his eyes to rest, sorting through the vast stream of known information in his mind, especially the connection between the "Tianyin Star Chart" and that strange energy cannon.

Xiao Dingshan appeared preoccupied, his gaze sometimes falling on the observation window, sometimes lost in thought.

About halfway through the voyage, an unexpected turbulence broke the tranquility.

The submarine jolted violently, accompanied by a dull thud, like a giant hammer striking its hull!

This sudden turn of events gave Xiao Ce quite a fright.

It wasn't that he was afraid of death.

He just didn't want to die like this...

Xiao Ce looked outside...

The view outside the observation window shook violently, and the searchlight beam swept wildly, capturing a huge, suffocating shadow slowly rolling over from above the submarine!

It was a colossal deep-sea eel of immeasurable size, its dark purple skin, covered in bioluminescent organs and rough as rock. A single, indifferent eye, the size of a wheel, flashed by in the beam of light, exuding the aloofness and oppressive aura characteristic of ancient creatures...

The submarine's defense system was activated instantly. A visible light blue energy membrane flashed across the hull, neutralizing the impact of the giant eel's unintentional tail strike.

Alert lifted. Encountered an unidentified large creature. Defensive field activated. No structural damage.

The electronic voice reported calmly...

I was shocked after hearing this mechanical electronic music...

Xiao Ce wondered if this technology surpassed the technology of the era he had come from...

Xiao Ce figured that no matter what, they were probably evenly matched...

Xiao Ce and Xiao Dingshan exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of lingering fear in each other's eyes.

In this deep sea at the edge of human cognition, the power of an individual is as insignificant as dust.

The technological barrier is our only support.

And the technology of this al-Qaeda organization must far exceed Xiao Ce's expectations...

For the first time, Xiao Ce felt his own insignificance, and his curiosity about the soon-to-be-extinct al-Qaeda organization grew even stronger...

He didn't know what kind of organization Al-Qaeda was...

Lost in thought, perhaps it was the environment, that caused Xiao Ce to drift off to sleep...

"Arrived at the designated coordinates. Target iceberg identification in progress."

The electronic announcement jolted the two drowsy individuals awake, causing Xiao Ce to wake up groggily.

"We've arrived? That was pretty fast..."

Xiao Ce subconsciously looked out the window, and the scene before him gave him a tremendous sense of unreality...

He subconsciously rubbed his eyes, and everything before him was normal; this was not an illusion.