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

He personally stepped forward and took Lin Zhong's trembling arm, saying gently, "Uncle Zhong, don't be anxious. I asked you to stay because I wanted to talk about the Imperial Uncle! Sit..."

Yin Weiyong also gestured for Lin Zhong to sit down.

Everyone sat down again, and Lin Zhong still had an expectant look in his eyes...

Seeing this, Xiao Ce looked into Lin Zhong's eyes and said seriously.

"This incident occurred in the Roman capital. The person who kidnapped the royal uncle used extremely strange and sophisticated methods, leaving almost no valuable clues at the scene, except for a letter that specifically named me, demanding that I return to Xiao Kingdom to meet him. Their purpose was clearly to use the royal uncle as a hostage to force me to show myself, and to try to seize the 'Hidden Dragon Tomb' and the 'Heavenly Yin Star Map'."

Xiao Ce didn't reveal much about the Hidden Dragon Tomb and the Heavenly Yin Star Map when he was with those people.

Firstly, there are some people who don't need to know, and secondly, after talking to Lin Zhong about these things, we'll talk about the Hidden Dragon Tomb.

To find the Hidden Dragon Tomb, we still need the help of the Heavenly Mystery Institute...

Lin Zhong looked at Xiao Ce with a puzzled expression and asked, "Hidden Dragon Tomb? Heavenly Yin Star Map? What are those?"

Xiao Ce gave a brief and clear explanation of the Hidden Dragon Tomb and the Heavenly Yin Star Chart...

Lin Zhong's eyes widened after hearing this.

It seems to be digesting.

However, Lin Zhong is the dean of the Tianji Academy, so he is relatively accepting of this information.

After listening, Lin Zhong said to Xiao Ce, "Your Highness, so you're saying there's a shrine in our capital, even beneath the imperial mausoleum?"

Xiao Ce nodded: "That's right, and I suspect they came here because of this..."

Lin Zhong nodded and continued, "Then...did the old prince suffer?"

Xiao Ce shook his head: "Based on our repeated investigations and intelligence analysis afterward, there were no signs of a struggle at the scene. Also, as you know, the Imperial Uncle is a modified humanoid; it would be very difficult for an ordinary person to harm him... Therefore, the possibility of him being injured at the time is unlikely. I even think they were just verbally coercing the Imperial Uncle..."

He nodded: "Your Highness, what do we need to do now! As long as we can save the old prince, the entire Tianji Academy will be at your service, even at the cost of our lives! What do you need me to do? Do you need weapons made to deal with those metal lumps?"

Xiao Ce looked at Lin Zhong.

He slowly shook his head: "Uncle Zhong, I understand your feelings. Against those mechanical creations and energy weapons, conventional swords and guns, and even our most advanced artillery, are extremely limited in effect, or even... negligible."

Lin Zhong's expression was grave: "Your Highness, the Heavenly Mystery Institute has not been without progress these past few years! We have been researching new Western explosives and improving smelting methods, achieving breakthroughs in material strength and explosive power! Furthermore, we have made some progress on those sketches of electricity and magnetism that you left behind. Although they are not yet practical, I believe that given time, we may achieve breakthroughs..."

Looking at Lin Zhong, Xiao Ce smiled and affirmed, "You have done a great job! Absolutely great! What I saw when I entered the city was a network of railways, patrolling warships, towering buildings, and a stable and prosperous life. The Tianji Academy has made a tremendous contribution! Your efforts have laid a foundation for our advanced industrial base, which is extremely important! Without the foundation you have laid, nothing else would be possible!"

He then shifted his focus to the core issue: "However, to directly confront those extraterrestrial technologies, we need to leap forward, not merely catch up. We need to open a door, a door leading to something older, and perhaps closer to the answer! That is the Hidden Dragon Tomb!"

Lin Zhong's spirits lifted: "Your Highness! You mean... the imperial tombs?!"

Xiao Ce said with sharp eyes, "That's right, the Tianyin Star Chart is their target, and also the key to our breakthrough! The power and secrets it contains may be our only hope to fight against or even counter those extraterrestrial visitors! And the star chart is very likely hidden in the Hidden Dragon Tomb of the Taizu Emperor's Mausoleum!"

Xiao Ce paused for a moment, then told Lin Zhong in detail about the information he had previously analyzed with Yin Weiyong regarding Xiao Dingbang's large-scale renovation of the imperial mausoleum and the unsuccessful digging, as well as the speculation that the entrance to the Hidden Dragon Tomb might be hidden by special means or require specific conditions to open.

Lin Zhong listened intently, his brows furrowed: "So that's how it is... No wonder... No wonder that scoundrel Xiao Dingbang was so obsessed with renovating the imperial mausoleum, wasting manpower and resources. It turns out he was also coveting the power of this star map! Humph!"

A flicker of disdain crossed his eyes, then he fell into deep thought. "According to what the Prince and Prime Minister Yin said, conventional excavation and exploration are clearly not feasible... That entrance probably involves extremely sophisticated mechanisms, and might even be... concealed by some kind of energy barrier..."

Xiao Ce affirmed, "Uncle Zhong, what you said is very likely, which is why I kept you behind alone, Uncle Zhong! Finding and safely opening the Hidden Dragon Tomb is no task for anyone but your Tianji Academy! This requires not only top-notch knowledge of mechanism deciphering, geological exploration, and structural mechanics, but also... ingenious ideas that break out of our existing cognitive framework! It may even require combining what you said about our current preliminary mastery of new powers such as electricity and magnetism to try to sense or interfere with the possible energy barrier!"

Xiao Ce looked at Lin Zhong with a determined expression and said, "Uncle Zhong, I need you now. Immediately and secretly return to the Heavenly Mystery Institute! Select your most reliable, most skilled, most quick-thinking, and most discreet core craftsmen! Establish a top-secret special task force! The task force's sole mission is to study how to locate and open the Hidden Dragon Tomb!"

After hearing Xiao Ce's words, Lin Zhong nodded firmly and said to Xiao Ce, "Your Highness, no problem... I will listen to everything you say carefully!"

"I will provide you with the most detailed original structural drawings of the imperial tomb."

As he spoke, Xiao Ce looked at President Lin Zhongyin and said, "This matter requires you to coordinate with the Royal Archives to retrieve all the sealed construction plans for the Taizu Emperor's Mausoleum and secretly send them to the Imperial Secretariat."

Lin Zhong nodded earnestly: "This old minister obeys! Your Highness, rest assured! The entire Tianji Academy will do everything in its power. This old minister is willing to risk his old bones and his life to break open the gate to the Hidden Dragon Tomb for Your Highness... for the Xiao Kingdom... for all the people of the world! If I do not find the star map and rescue the old prince, this old minister will not die in peace!"

As Lin Zhong spoke, his hunched back seemed to straighten a little, and an astonishing light burst forth in his cloudy old eyes—a resolute determination that burned his life's skills and loyalty to the extreme.

Looking at Lin Zhong, Xiao Ce said directly to him, "Your stated purpose for going this time is to promote the scientific construction of the imperial mausoleum... I will accompany you then..."

After hearing Xiao Ce's words, Lin Zhong nodded solemnly...

"However, Your Highness, the relationship between the Hidden Dragon Tomb and the old prince is just your guess, isn't it?"

Xiao Ce nodded, then smiled and said, "Not bad..."

Lin Zhong continued, "Your Highness, is it possible that it's not in the royal mausoleum?"

After hearing Lin Zhong's words, Xiao Ce nodded and said, "Of course, it's possible... but let's try it now..."

Lin Zhong nodded, then said to Xiao Ce, "Alright, Your Highness, I'll go and make the plan..."

As he spoke, Lin Zhong looked at Xiao Ce and said, "Your Highness... are you going to the Heavenly Mystery Institute?"

Xiao Ce said to Lin Zhong, "Of course I'll go, but not now. You guys work on the plan first... I need to put the work on those humanoid simulators on the agenda..."

Then, Xiao Ce said to Lin Zhong, "Uncle Zhong, do you have anyone who wants to become a humanoid?"

After listening to Xiao Ce's words, Lin Zhong glanced at him and then said, "I would like to... but I still have some concerns. After all, the researchers in our Tianji Academy possess extremely important secrets... According to what Your Highness said, our researchers know the biggest secrets of our research... If they were to use them... then..."

Before Lin Zhong could finish speaking, Xiao Ce waved his hand with a smile.

After hearing Xiao Ce's words, Lin Zhong asked with some doubt, "Your Highness, is it alright?"

Xiao Ce smiled and nodded: "That's right, even in basic scientific research, the Creation Base is far ahead of us. They've already sent some people from the Academy of Sciences to the Western Alliance; they have our people there too, and they're spreading the knowledge. Later, they'll bring back the knowledge they've gained..."

After hearing Xiao Ce's words, Lin Zhong nodded and then said, "That's no problem... Your Highness, if you're so sure, then I really do have a few people..."

Xiao Ce said to Lin Zhong, "Alright, then compile the list and give it to Han Da. I'll do a final screening, and then we'll begin..."

Lin Zhong nodded... and bowed to Xiao Ce, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness. On behalf of my men, I thank you..."

Xiao Ce smiled at Lin Zhong, then nodded and said, "No problem, Uncle Zhong, you can go ahead and get busy..."

Lin Zhong nodded, then said, "Alright, Your Highness, I'll take my leave now... If there's anything I can do, please let me know immediately..."

Xiao Ce smiled and nodded...

At this moment, they were in another room in the government building.

Those people who were in the meeting earlier are now lining up.

They all went to Han Da to register...

Yan Jia was the first to step forward: "Marshal Han Da, this is the list. My vanguard battalion's adjutant, Qin Shan, suffers from years of old injuries, damaging his internal organs. Even the best doctors are helpless; he won't last a month. This man is unparalleled in loyalty and bravery; he once took three blows for me. I can vouch for his loyalty with my life..."

He handed over a short document with Qin Shan's name and brief information on it.

Wei Wuji followed closely behind, handing over two documents. He said earnestly, “Commander Han, two documents. One is my old personal guard captain, Zhao Laoshuan, who has late-stage tuberculosis and is coughing up blood incessantly. The other… is my uncle, who was injured in the leg many years ago. Now the poison has seeped into his bone marrow, and both of his legs are crippled. He suffers day and night. Both of them are from military families for generations, with impeccable lineage, and are absolutely reliable.”

Han Da took it and nodded.

Qian Lai, Qian Dahai, and Qian Dafang also gathered around. Though they came from merchant backgrounds, they showed no trace of mercenary shrewdness at this moment, only an urgent sense of kinship. "General Han, my father…"

"Han Shuai, my younger brother..."

"Han Shuai, one of my old shopkeepers..."

Gold can make you richer than a country, but it can't buy back your life...

At this moment, Xiao Ce gave them a glimmer of hope, and they gave the names of their closest relatives or absolute confidants...

Xu Zhiyuan, Rong Heping, and others also stepped forward one after another, introducing themselves as relatives or friends...

Without exception, they were all terminally ill and nearing the end of their lives, and their identities and backgrounds were all plausible.

Han Da, with a solemn expression, took each item and carefully checked it, occasionally asking a few questions about the details to ensure that it met the three ironclad rules set by Xiao Ce: "terminal illness, loyalty, and controllability".

The list in his hands grew thicker and thicker; it was not just a collection of sheets of paper, but also a collection of lives waiting to be rebuilt and a weighty trust placed in him.

The entire data collection process lasted for more than half an hour. After it was completed, Han Da told them to wait for news and to inquire with their patients, explaining the pros and cons of the matter...

After hearing this, these individuals naturally bowed and agreed...

Looking at the thick stack of names in his hand, Han Da roughly estimated that there were more than twenty people.

He took a deep breath, organized the list, turned around and strode away from the government building, then went to his residence at the Presidential Palace.

He actually knew that these people were all very anxious...

Furthermore, we cannot show favoritism...

...

After Xiao Ce and Yin Pan'er returned, they began searching again among the books about the Tianyin Star Chart that A Tie had selected.

After Han Da arrived, he bowed and presented the list with both hands: "Your Highness, here is the preliminary list, totaling twenty-three people, all of whom meet Your Highness's requirements. This humble general has preliminarily verified their identities, backgrounds, and illnesses, and most of them are in critical condition."

Xiao Ce took the list and quickly flipped through it. Names, identities, illnesses, recommenders... the information was concise yet crucial.

He nodded slightly: "Well done, Han Da. Time is of the essence, arrange it immediately. Notify all relevant personnel on the list and their families to be secretly escorted to the port where Qi Lin is located under the highest level of confidentiality. The operation must be swift and, more importantly, discreet. The official explanation is that it is a special medical mission or recuperation."

"Yes, sir!" Han Da accepted the order and turned to make arrangements with swift and decisive action.

"correct..."

Upon hearing Xiao Ce's words, Han Da stopped and looked at him, asking, "Your Highness, is there anything else you require...?"

"Tell those people not to spread this word. After all, there's a time limit for making androids, and it's not a quick process. Since those people are on the verge of death, everyone is racing against the Grim Reaper. If the queue gets too long, those who don't get their turn will inevitably harbor resentment. In that case, my good intentions might turn into something bad..."