This world is complex.
The human heart is the same.
There are noble saints and despicable villains.
As Ninth-Level Soul Engineers, some are courageous geniuses like Ye Yulin, while others are greedy and cowardly.
A courtyard near Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
The area is sparsely populated, hiding the courtyard in a deep alley. The above-ground part of the courtyard is just like the surrounding houses, like any other ordinary house.
"Your Highness!"
A warm voice rang out.
It was a tall, thin figure with an old face forcing a fawning smile. He approached a black-haired boy and enthusiastically led the way, saying, "This way, this way."
"Oh."
An Zhen walked at a leisurely pace, a faint smile playing on his dark eyes. "If only everyone were as sensible as you, Old Master Xu."
As he spoke, the boy glanced at Ye Yulin, who was following him like a guard. Ye Yulin was driven by the master-servant contract.
"How could a mere frog in a well possibly know of Your Highness's wisdom and prowess?" Xu Guozhong flattered.
An Zhen continued walking forward, recalling information about this person in his mind.
Xu Guozhong.
Although his personality is very different from his name.
A descendant of the former royal family, a relative of He Caitou, he betrayed the former emperor during a palace coup many years ago, being one of the traitors. For this, he received numerous rare and precious treasures as rewards, successfully becoming a Titled Douluo and entering the ranks of Ninth-Level Soul Engineers.
Greedy.
Prioritizing personal interests.
Unlike Zhang Feng, Wang Ming, and Ye Yulin, after being forced to sign the master-servant contract, he did not feel any resistance to the deathly necromancy. After accepting the information fed back by the master-servant contract, a fawning smile instantly appeared on his face, and he directly put himself into the new identity.
A typical fence-sitter.
However, from a certain perspective, it can be considered that they know how to take sides.
He is now deeply favored by the Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, and even Xu Tianran is trying hard to win him over.
Currently responsible for guarding this underground warehouse.
A Ninth-Level Soul Engineer looks at a repository.
If it were any other kind of talent, it would be a complete waste of its potential.
But if it's this...
An Zhen's gaze fell on the ordinary-looking bungalow in front of him.
What's inside is enough to drive any emperor mad.
Although his character wasn't exactly loyal, Xu Guozhong's abilities were still quite considerable to have earned him his current power and status. When An Zhen asked to take a look at the treasury he was guarding, he had already arrived first and dismissed the other guards.
Xu Guozhong didn't know much about An Zhen. But he knew that, thanks to the master-servant contract he held, An Zhen not only knew what he was thinking but could also kill him with a single thought at any time. Therefore, he absolutely couldn't let anyone else notice this prince and expose his whereabouts.
Wealth is valuable, but life is priceless.
Looking at the passageway door disguised as a large cabinet, Xu Guozhong sighed.
Anyone could imagine what to do when they come to the treasure vault.
Even the Crown Prince is not authorized to access the things here; only the Emperor's decree is permitted. He knows everything about these things and can easily make a fortune by secretly taking a little extra.
He is very greedy.
But I'm even more afraid of dying.
Treasure can only be enjoyed while one is alive.
Xu Guozhong took out several keys and skillfully manipulated them. The next moment, a narrow passage with metallic walls appeared in front of An Zhen.
"Your Highness, please." Xu Guozhong stood to the side like a lackey.
"Um."
Under the leadership of Xu Guozhong, who held the highest management authority, the journey proceeded smoothly without any obstacles.
First floor.
The space, spanning tens of thousands of square meters, contains at least tens of thousands of tons of rare metals.
The second layer.
It was much smaller than the first floor, but the value of the items was many times greater. It contained thirty-two kinds of rare metals that could be measured in tons, each of which was extremely precious. Many of them were raw materials for level nine spirit tools, and even some of them, even if they were only the size of a palm, were priceless. It was definitely the paradise that every Soul Guide dreamed of.
"Your Highness," Xu Guozhong said, "that pseudo-emperor occasionally sends people here to collect rare metals for the Hall of Enshrinement to use in the development and research of advanced spirit tools. If you need them, for safety's sake, it would be best to leave a portion of each type here."
Bound by the master-servant contract, Xu Guozhong dared not harbor any thoughts of deception. He was acting entirely for An Zhen's sake, and if the other party were exposed, and if they harbored any suicidal intentions or used him to distract others, his life would be in danger.
An Zhen gently shook his head.
"There's no need to care about the other person."
He's already going to overthrow the other side, why does he need to care about these things?
However, his target today is not these rare metals.
"Proceed to the next level," An Zhen commanded.
"Yes." Xu Guozhong walked to the end of the room, took out a key, and began to open the next floor.
As the three descended a flight of stairs, a massive steel jungle appeared before them, more than ten times larger than the first level. Soul-guided cannons, spirit tool ray guns, milk bottles, and all sorts of strategic-level spirit tool materials were present. According to Xu Guozhong's explanation, these items could easily equip four full-fledged soul-guided legions.
" The profound heritage of the Sun Moon Empire," An Zhen remarked.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. The Sun Moon Empire's treasure trove is far more than this; its accumulation over the years is far greater than this. The Imperial Palace and the Hall of Enshrinement, overseen by Kong Deming, the so-called father of spirit tools, are the true stores of its riches.
Although a coup occurred many years ago, it did not cause serious damage to the country.
An Zhen's gaze quickly shifted from the strategic materials to some cylindrical objects. These objects, one side cylindrical and the other conical, lay there quietly, but An Zhen, with his powerful mental force, sensed a great threat emanating from these inanimate objects.
Fixed-load soul-guided projectiles.
Although the highest level is only the seventh rank.
But the lowest of these is only the fifth order.
There were at least tens of thousands of them, densely packed together.
Tens of thousands of shells.
"The sun and moon will be without light, a day of destruction," An Zhen murmured softly, uttering words that puzzled Xu Guozhong.
This place is very close to the underground warehouse of Mingde Hall.
In the original story, Lord Huo triggered the explosions of these shells, intending to destroy what he couldn't take with him and the nearby Mingde Hall. However, the commotion from these explosions triggered sixteen level-nine fixed-position soul-guided shells stored in a warehouse beneath Mingde Hall.
This disaster directly affected one-third of Mingdu.
It's important to understand that the combined capitals of the other Three Great Empires were less than half the size of Mingdu. Add to that the significantly taller skyscrapers and higher population density, and it's essentially equivalent to razing two of the Three Great Empires ' capitals to the ground.
"What a tragedy." An Zhen didn't want such a tragedy to happen. He was never merciful to his enemies, but the civilians of the Sun Moon Empire had not committed such a heinous crime. He had once been an unarmed man himself.
To be fair, the placement of these cannonballs was somewhat problematic, but from a certain perspective, it wasn't a major issue. The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy was located near the outskirts, and this place was no exception. Furthermore, it was guarded by a Ninth-Level Soul Engineer, and the materials and mechanisms used meant that even a Level 9 fixed-position soul-guided cannonball detonating on the ground wouldn't affect those below. The preparations were practically foolproof; even a team of several Super Douluo wouldn't be able to get in quickly enough. This time would also give the Mingdu experts enough time to react. But who could have imagined that Lord Huo was there, something that, according to common sense, shouldn't exist...
Fourth, Spirit Ability, erosion.
The Virtual World has arrived, touching upon reality.
In a daze, it seemed as if two identical Worlds had overlapped and superimposed.
In An Zhen Under the control of mental force, the box containing the fixed soul-guided cannon shell, along with the space around it, was swallowed into the "stomach" of the Virtual World.
It would be better if he puts these dangerous items away.
If these items are needed in the future, these fixed-position soul-guided cannons can be handed over to the Ninth-Level Soul Engineers who lead the troops to distribute them.
A moment later, a space suddenly appeared in the huge warehouse.
Xu Guozhong looked puzzled.
There isn't a single level 8 fixed-mount soul-guided shell among these. What does Your Highness need these things for?
Forget it, as long as it's not blown up, everything is fine.
"Let's go." An Zhen looked at Xu Guozhong and said calmly, "It's time to visit the next Ninth-Level Soul Engineer."
"Hehe." Xu Guozhong revealed a gloating smile. "Does Your Highness have a target? Would you like me to recommend someone?"
The moment when Xu Guozhong's life fell into An Zhen's hands.
Xu Guozhong no longer harbored any thoughts of loyalty to the royal family.
Saying such things wasn't just about dragging other Ninth-Level Soul Engineers into the mess; it was also a genuine desire to help An Zhen. Xu Guozhong sincerely hoped An Zhen would be alright, before breaking this damned master-servant contract. In any case, only when An Zhen's power increased would Xu Guozhong's life be safer.
and...
Xu Guozhong also had some ulterior motives.
Although His Highness didn't specify his goals, enslaving the Ninth-Level Soul Engineers must be part of a grand scheme. If he truly achieves something great, then he, as the guide, will be a major contributor.
" Hall of Enshrinement and Soul Guide Legion." An Zhen mentally considered the remaining Ninth-Level Soul Engineers before speaking, "Of the five Guardian Hands Soul Guide Legions, the Imperial Dragon and Royal Guards are stationed outside Mingdu. As the two strongest Soul Guide Legions in terms of overall strength and resources, they must have more than one Ninth-Level Soul Engineer, right?"
"That's true." Xu Guozhong nodded.
"I suggest you start by taking down those guys in the Imperial Dragon Corps," Xu Guozhong suggested. " The Imperial Dragon Corps is controlled by the Royal Family, and even the Emperor cannot directly control it. Although I am from the previous dynasty's royal family, we are still family, and we all share the surname Xu."
An Zhen glanced at Xu Guozhong with some surprise.
So proactive?
He now understands why so many people hate those who lead the way.
However, before "taming" others, this kind of cooperative fence-sitter is indeed quite easy to use.