176: Great Cleanup

In a depression in the No Mans Land.

The Defensive Array was activated, and staff methodically extracted artifact refining materials using equipment.

The Pengcheng University mentors sat leisurely in their tents.

Today was the day they would return!

"A grand meal, I must have a grand meal when I get back!"

"Stir-fried garlic sprouts with pork, braised pork, steamed pork with rice flour, lamb, beef—I want to eat my fill!"

"I'll never touch compressed rations again in my life; the taste has been consistently awful for so many years."

The atmosphere was lively, and the mentors looked forward to returning to Pengcheng.

"Vice Principal Lu, there are a total of thirty-four artifact refining mines, including seven Tiger's Eye Stone mines, six Frost Jade mines, and..."

Fu Dechang handed the compiled document to Lu Yuan.

It meticulously recorded the mining costs, how many Tiger's Eye Stones each mine could produce, how many cubic meters of Frost Jade, and so on.

"If Vice Principal Lu finds the document too cumbersome, you can have a professional review it," Fu Dechang said thoughtfully.

"Just tell me the total amount."

Lu Yuan put the document into his storage ring.

Of course, he would find a professional to review it; it's always good to be careful.

"Sixty-three billion five hundred eighty million..." Fu Dechang was precise down to the cent.

Sixty-three billion five hundred eighty million!

Lu Yuan's heart stirred.

This was the seventy percent net profit he gained from cooperating with the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce!

Vice Principal Zhan Shouzhen, who was nearby, clicked his tongue.

No wonder Yuan Yongfeng was willing to collude with the Great Shun Dynasty just to get the map of the marked artifact refining materials mines.

This was too much!

The number might be hard to grasp, but sixty-three billion five hundred eighty million in cash weighed 730 tons, equivalent to 150 adult elephants!

"The money was transferred to Vice Principal Lu's account yesterday," Fu Dechang said.

He had specifically ordered someone to return to Huaxia to transfer the money to Lu Yuan.

Due to the lack of signal in the No Mans Land, Lu Yuan hadn't received the text message.

When he learned how much money he had made, Lu Yuan felt a sense of unreality.

This much money was enough for him to squander for ten lifetimes, or even a hundred lifetimes!

Fu Dechang was equally excited.

The Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce's cooperation with Lu Yuan referred to the price of artifact refining materials in Huaxia.

The same artifact refining materials sold for one price in Huaxia, but a different price in other city-states.

Fu Dechang had already explained this to Lu Yuan in advance.

Lu Yuan indicated that he could accept it.

If the Cangqiong Chamber of Commerce could sell something worth ten yuan for one hundred yuan, that was their capability.

He only needed his share; everyone got what they needed.

Hearty laughter rang out, and both Lu Yuan and Fu Dechang were very satisfied with this cooperation.

Mu Zhihong looked at Lu Yuan, knowing that he was about to face judgment.

He just didn't know how The Authorities in Huaxia would deal with him.

"You've gotten much younger."

Sensing Mu Zhihong's gaze, Lu Yuan walked over.

In just half a month.

Mu Zhihong, who had originally looked like a centenarian, now appeared to be eighty years old.

"Before returning to Huaxia, we should talk," Lu Yuan said.

Mu Zhihong's nerves tensed.

He had lived a fairly comfortable life during this time; Lu Yuan had not mistreated him.

He ate what everyone else ate, including his living quarters.

What excited Mu Zhihong the most was that he had gotten so much younger, and his bodily functions were returning to a normal age!

"Besides your appearance, what else has changed?" Lu Yuan asked.

Mu Zhihong was a little embarrassed and stammered.

"I used to be a eunuch; now I'm not."

Under Lu Yuan's sharp gaze, Mu Zhihong whispered.

The Pengcheng University mentors around them smiled, and Vice Principal Zhan Shouzhen crossed his arms.

"So now you want to live," Lu Yuan achieved his goal.

Senior Fu, who served as a Wind-Splitting Alliance Elder, once said that among the prisoners he interrogated, one type was the most troublesome.

Those were prisoners who were orphans and had a weak will to survive.

Such people had no weaknesses, and since they didn't want to live in the first place, there was no way to get to them.

Mu Zhihong was just like that!

Now it was different; at least Mu Zhihong had a desire to live.

"What are the names of the two Saint Realm powerhouses Yuan Yongfeng colluded with, what official positions do they hold, and everything you know about Ancient Professionals."

"I want to know everything!"

Lu Yuan looked at Mu Zhihong.

He had disrupted too many of the Great Shun Dynasty's plans.

The Eighth Prince Mu Qianfeng had even died by his hand, as had Prince Shun Mu Zhenxiao, the Emperor of the Great Shun Dynasty's blood brother.

Knowing oneself and one's enemy ensures victory; Lu Yuan didn't want to be led by the nose.

However, Mu Zhihong fell silent, unwilling to speak.

"Do you think I'm a good-tempered person?" Lu Yuan gripped Mu Zhihong's right arm and squeezed hard.

A scream rang out!

Chu Wushe shrugged, making it seem like Lu Yuan was abusing an old man.

"I helped you return to youth, but you went back on your word." Lu Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Before, you wanted to die, so I didn't kill you, but now you want to live..."

Lu Yuan grabbed Mu Zhihong's neck.

"Cough, cough." Mu Zhihong's face turned crimson, and he struggled to breathe.

"I suddenly want to kill you!"

"Zhong Yutang, Peng Gaojun. Zhong Yutang is the Minister of War, and Peng Gaojun is the Imperial Advisor's confidant." Mu Zhihong finally chose to answer truthfully.

"Look at this mess; your neck is all red. Come, let's chat while we eat."

Seeing Mu Zhihong willing to cooperate, Lu Yuan said with a smile, handing Mu Zhihong a freshly roasted beef leg.

Mu Zhihong gasped for air, looking at Lu Yuan, who changed his demeanor faster than flipping a book, with trepidation.

Compared to Chu Wushe, who would kill at the slightest disagreement, Lu Yuan was the kind of person who terrified him more!

"As long as you cooperate, we're friends. If not..." Lu Yuan's smile grew even wider.

Mu Zhihong knelt before Lu Yuan, taking the sizzling, oily roasted beef leg with both hands.

"You're really eating it," Lu Yuan asked.

Mu Zhihong: "..."

"The Yuan family is a chess piece planted by the Imperial Advisor in the new era," Mu Zhihong organized his thoughts.

"You mean the Imperial Advisor of the Great Shun Dynasty started planning over three hundred years ago?!"

Zhan Shouzhen felt a chill down his spine.

According to Mu Zhihong, the two Saint Realm Ancient Professionals had extraordinary backgrounds.

One was the Minister of War, and the other was the Imperial Advisor's confidant!

There was no information about the so-called Imperial Advisor of the Great Shun Dynasty in history, so he had never heard of Peng Gaojun, the Imperial Advisor's confidant.

But Zhong Yutang, the Minister of War, was quite famous, a Wind Attribute, Saint Realm eight-star powerhouse!

What frightened Zhan Shouzhen was that the Imperial Advisor of the Great Shun Dynasty had been planning for over three hundred years.

This meant that Yuan Yongfeng wasn't colluding with the Great Shun Dynasty; the Yuan family itself was a force secretly supported by the Imperial Advisor.

They were just waiting for the Ancient Professionals to awaken and then help them better adapt to the new world!

"This information is too crucial," Zhan Shouzhen said.

However, Mu Zhihong said something even more shocking!

"His Majesty is very unhappy with you and the Imperial Advisor."

"Me?"

Lu Yuan asked uncertainly.

"Exactly!" Mu Zhihong nodded.

"You stole the high-grade heaven and earth spirit treasure His Majesty used to restore his cultivation, which enraged him, but the Imperial Advisor believes you should be won over."

Mu Zhihong said.

Lu Yuan's expression was strange.

He had indeed stolen those high-grade heaven and earth spirit treasures to heal his teacher.

"Why would the Imperial Advisor want to win over Vice Principal Lu?" Fu Dechang asked curiously; he didn't know about the five young people.

"Maybe it's because I'm handsome."

Lu Yuan gestured for Mu Zhihong to shut up.

"Besides the Yuan family, what other family forces or powers are the Imperial Advisor's hidden pieces in the new era?"

Fu Dechang, Zhan Shouzhen, and Liu Ruixiang listened intently.

What Mu Zhihong was about to say was extremely important; after they returned,

Huaxia's families and forces would face a comprehensive purge!