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

If he really does get killed in the explosion, Lingxu can store his consciousness and then create a lifelike human...

Of course, this is the worst-case scenario, and Xiao Ce also felt that it was unlikely to happen.

So, he came to test the waters first.

This Hulong City adopts a "easy entry, strict exit" model, requiring minimal checks upon entry.

All you need to do is provide Xiao Guo's ID card.

After entering the Dragon Guard City, Xiao Ce took a stroll around the city.

This later-built Dragon Guard Castle was actually not much different from the construction of Kyoto.

As he wandered aimlessly around, a dirty little boy followed Xiao Ce from a distance.

Xiao Ce turned to look at the child, who was covered in dirt and was grinning broadly with his big white teeth.

Seeing this, Xiao Ce waved to him.

In fact, when Xiao Ce was in the capital, he almost never saw people dressed like vagrants, so tattered and dirty.

In fact, we rarely saw people like that along the way.

The child's smile widened when he saw Xiao Ce waving at him.

He walked respectfully to the child and then said to Xiao Ce, "Sir, you're from out of town, aren't you? Are you going to the Dragon Guardian Ghost City?"

The child whispered furtively to Xiao Ce.

Although he was acting furtively, he was quite direct in his speech...

Xiao Ce nodded to the child, then asked, "How did you know?"

The child flashed a bright white smile at Xiao Ce, then said, "Sir, your clothes clearly indicate you're from out of town. And ninety percent of the people who come here are going to the Ghost Market—partly to see the sights, and partly because it has many rare and exotic treasures that can't be bought elsewhere..."

After hearing the child's words, Xiao Ce nodded and said to the child, "So... what do you want to do?"

The child said to Xiao Ce, "Sir, would you like a guide? I'm a true native..."

Xiao Ce saw that the child had made his position clear.

Xiao Ce looked at the dirty but cunning child in front of him. His white teeth, which contrasted sharply with his dark skin, were particularly striking in the dim light.

He nodded slightly, a barely perceptible smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Oh? A guide? You're quite clever. Tell me, what can you show me?"

Seeing Xiao Ce's interest, the child's eyes lit up even more, and he puffed out his thin chest: "Sir, my name is Mudfish. There's no corner in this Dragon Guard Ghost City that I don't know! Are you looking to find some rare trinkets? Have some fun? Or... inquire about some special information?"

He spoke the last few words in a very low voice, with a hint of shrewdness, but his eyes glanced almost imperceptibly at the three silent Creation One members behind Xiao Ce.

"Special news?" Xiao Ce repeated with amusement.

The little mudskipper nodded, then said to Xiao Ce, "Sir, you're very kind... I'm very cheap, only ten dragon coins, and I can take you around for a whole day..."

After listening to the little mudskipper's words, Xiao Ce immediately took out a hundred-coin dragon coin from his pocket. This dragon coin was made of a special alloy...

"Here you go, I'm not short of money! Lead the way, Mudskipper, let me see if this Dragon Guardian Ghost City is really as mysterious as the rumors say."

Seeing Xiao Ce's generosity, the little mudfish's smile widened even more.

"Alright! Sir, please come with me!"

After receiving the dragon coins, the little mudskipper skillfully stuffed them into the lining of his tattered cotton-padded jacket, his movements so quick it was as if he feared Xiao Ce might change his mind.

He turned around and, like a real loach, nimbly slipped into a narrow alleyway that was completely different from the main road and smelled strongly of mold and cheap grease.

This road was indeed frequented by all sorts of people from various countries, and each person was accompanied by a raggedly dressed person leading the way.

Xiao Ce's expression remained unchanged as he followed...

Creation One, Two, and Three followed like three silent shadows, their sharp gazes silently scanning the surroundings, ensuring no potential threat escaped their notice...

The alley was deep and winding, with haphazardly constructed shacks on both sides, using planks, sheet metal, asbestos tiles, and even discarded planks as building materials...

The light struggled to squeeze in through the gaps above, only to be fragmented by the layers of randomly constructed buildings, casting bizarre and distorted spots of light on the ground.

Occasionally, ragged residents would peek out from the low doorway, their cloudy eyes filled with numbness or wariness as they sized up Xiao Ce and his group, who were dressed relatively neatly, before quickly retreating back into the darkness.

"Sir, this way, we're almost there!"

Little Mudskipper called out from ahead, his voice echoing in the narrow space. He skillfully bypassed a pile of foul-smelling garbage and pushed open a creaking, rusty iron gate.

To be honest, Xiao Ce was somewhat dazed when he arrived here.

Strictly speaking, this area is also under the jurisdiction of Hulong New City.

I never imagined there would be a place like this here...

However, Xiao Ce also understood that where there is light, there must be darkness.

When they were governing, they still followed Xiao Ce's advice...

...

After Xiao Ce followed, the space behind the door suddenly opened up.

Or rather, it is another form of openness.

What I saw was a breathtaking sight!

A colossal, bowl-shaped crater, as if sculpted by a god's hammer, stood prominently in the center of Dragon City. This was the masterpiece left by that infamous natural disaster—a gigantic crater...

The pit walls are not vertical, but rather steep slopes, like an inverted giant cone with its tip cut off.

The pit opening is at least several kilometers in diameter and its depth is unfathomable. The bottom of the pit is shrouded in even deeper darkness, with only a few scattered, dim yellow lights flickering, like the single eye of a giant abyss beast.

On the walls of this enormous pit, humanity displayed astonishing survival instincts and chaotic creativity.

Layer upon layer of densely packed buildings cling to the steep pit walls like a honeycomb, stacking up and almost touching the sky at the edge of the pit.

These buildings completely disregard any urban planning, using a motley collection of materials and employing bizarre structures. Precarious wooden stilt houses stand right next to rusty tin shacks, several makeshift shacks are built on top of dilapidated brick and stone structures, huge concrete pipes have been converted into dwellings, and shipwrecks have been cleverly embedded into the building complex.

Connecting these aerial pavilions is a huge, seemingly endless walkway that spirals downwards along the pit wall.

The walkway itself is also made of various materials, including wood, iron and concrete slabs. Some parts are wide and flat, while others are so narrow that only one person can pass sideways.

The outer side of the walkway is a simple railing, and in some places it is even completely missing. Below is a dizzying abyss.

The inner side of the plank road is carved out or naturally formed with numerous caves and facades of varying sizes, which constitute the main body of the ghost market.

After witnessing this scene, Xiao Ce couldn't help but admire him.

These kinds of places actually possess a different kind of beauty...

At this moment, Xiao Ce and his group stood at the starting point of the plank road at the edge of the pit, amidst a cacophony of voices in the air!

Cries of vendors, arguments, children's cries, the piercing sounds of unknown instruments... countless sounds converged into a massive, relentless torrent of sound, repeatedly vibrating and echoing within the enormous pit...

"How about it, sir? Pretty good, huh?"

The little loach proudly raised its chin and pointed to the bizarre scene below, which resembled a painting of hell!

"This is the real Dragon Guardian Ghost City! All those glittering new cities up there are just for officials and the rich. This is where the living truly live!"

His words carried a sense of world-weariness and shrewdness beyond his years.

"Indeed...extraordinary."

Xiao Ce nodded, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic yet vibrant underground kingdom with profound intensity.

This tenacity and chaotic order that erupted from despair reminded him of certain scenes of apocalyptic struggles, but on a far larger scale.

He could clearly sense that beneath this filth and darkness, countless humble yet passionate life pulses surged, and unspeakable sins and secrets lurked within.

The Zionist Church's choice of this location as its hideout was indeed advantageous, as it was a melting pot of all sorts of people and an easy place to hide.

"Come on, sir, let me take you downstairs to broaden your horizons!"

The little mudskipper called out and took the lead on the spiral walkway that extended downwards.

The plank road appears even more precipitous than it does from above.

The wooden planks beneath my feet groaned under the weight of my footsteps, and through the gaps I could see the deeper buildings and even smaller figures below.

Where there are no railings on the outside, the cold wind howls up from the abyss, carrying a biting, damp chill.

The shops on the inside of the boardwalk are lined up one after another, selling all sorts of strange and wonderful things.

There was a cave carved into the rock wall. Under the dim light of a kerosene lamp, there were antiques covered in mud and whose age was indiscernible. An old man with cloudy eyes muttered something about imperial items from the previous dynasty.

Next to it was a stall emitting a pungent medicinal smell, with various dried insects, plant roots and stems, and even dried animal organs piled together. The stall owner patted his chest and guaranteed that it could cure all diseases.

There were also blacksmith shops under tin sheds, where the furnaces burned red-hot, and burly men toiled, hammering away at the red-hot iron bars to make simple knives or parts, the clanging sounds never ceasing.

There were also some decent-looking shops that sold firearms and old crossbows.

Seeing Xiao Ce staring at the firearms, Little Mudskipper whispered, "Sir, since you like these things, I'll take you to see a better, cheaper place later..."

After hearing what Little Mudfish said, Xiao Ce smiled and said, "Isn't Xiao Kingdom a country where guns are banned nationwide? How come we can still buy and sell firearms here?"

Upon hearing Xiao Ce's words, the little mudskipper smiled broadly and said, "Sir, this is the Dragon Guardian Ghost City. We can sell it to you as long as you have the money... and we'll guarantee its transport... You just need to pay, and you don't need to worry about anything else..."

Xiao Ce nodded, and they arrived at a platform, a place where people were converging...

There were many heavily made-up and scantily clad women standing at the dimly lit doorway, soliciting business. These women came from all over the world.

Or perhaps a few teenagers are chasing and playing, nimbly weaving between the crowds and the dangerous edges of the boardwalk, as if dancing on a knife's edge...

The air was thick with a mixture of stench from cheap tobacco, body odor, rotting food, rusting metal, cheap perfume, and various unidentified chemicals, so strong it almost formed a tangible odor...

The lighting mainly relies on hanging homemade oil lamps, some items resembling glow sticks, and even some luminous moss or minerals. The light and shadow dance on the crowded people and messy buildings, creating a bizarre and eerie atmosphere.

Xiao Ce looked around and saw a relatively open platform at a bend in the walkway below.

A large crowd had gathered around a makeshift platform, where a middle-aged man in a tattered robe, but with a fanatical gaze, was waving his arms and giving a spittle-flecked speech:

"...Filth fills the earth! False gods have usurped power! Look at your lives! Look at this filthy abyss! This is the world under the rule of false gods! The glory of the true God is obscured! Only by believing in the true God, purifying our bodies and minds, and offering our loyalty and lives, can we usher in final purification! When the holy fire is lit, cleansing all filth, the apostles of the true God will lead us to rebuild the pure kingdom that belongs to God's chosen people! To restore our nation and save the world! To welcome the true God's descent!..."

His words were highly inflammatory, and his animated gestures elicited low growls and echoes from some of the sallow-faced, emaciated, and listless people in the audience.

"True God again, purification... these must be the people from that so-called Scar Wolf's Restoration Church?"

Xiao Ce's eyes turned slightly cold...

This low-grade brainwashing slogan is exactly the same as that of the cannon fodder who attacked the port and ambushed him.

It seems that the tentacles of the Zionist Church have already penetrated every corner of this ghost town, using despair and suffering to cultivate their fertile ground.

He noticed several relatively neatly dressed, sharp-eyed people in the crowd, vigilantly scanning their surroundings. They were clearly key members of the church responsible for maintaining order and observing potential threats.

Little Mudskipper saw Xiao Ce looking in that direction and pouted, then whispered, "Sir, he shouts every day, it's so annoying. But quite a few people believe in him, especially those who can't go on living, always thinking that the true god can lead them out of their suffering. And those... um..." He seemed to have thought of something, and hesitated before continuing.

"Anything else?" Xiao Ce asked casually.

The little mudfish gave an awkward smile and waved its hand, not continuing, "Sir, just ignore those people..."

Xiao Ce was somewhat surprised by the little mudskipper's attitude. He had assumed that the entire Dragon Guard Ghost City was the stronghold of the Restoration Church, but now it seemed that this was not the case.

"Little mudskipper, aren't you one of them?"