"Right now, I don’t want to hear these ghost stories," King Zhao declared. "Go and search immediately. I refuse to believe that these people could have disappeared into thin air!"

It’s important to note that King Zhao was inside the palace with his daughter-in-law, indulging in the pleasures offered by music and poetry, which explains why they did not hear the helicopter outside.

Just as he finished chastising the subordinate’s report, someone else rushed in with panic, bringing news identical to what the initial person had said.

Although the message did not claim that the entire family of the Grand General had escaped, it did assert the sighting of an unknown flying object in the sky.

And based on reports and descriptions from several sources, even those who came to deliver the news initially, it was evident to King Zhao that the situation was serious. He furrowed his brow deeper, starting to believe these claims.

After all, one person might deceive him, but it’s unlikely that so many would dare to lie unless they had conspired together.

But if they had truly united in such a conspiracy, his power would have significantly declined, possibly because a prince orchestrated a rebellion, rallying numerous court officials to act on it.

Otherwise, as the reigning King of Zhao Country, they would not dare to deceive him, especially since others, beyond these initial two, continued to rush in with similar stories.

King Zhao, compelled by these reports, began to panic, realizing the initial informant might be telling the truth. Could this contraption indeed fly?

Does such a thing capable of flight truly exist in this world?

At this moment, King Zhao’s mind was utterly chaotic. He couldn’t comprehend or believe what was happening, prompting him to summon the courtiers immediately.

The courtiers, informed beforehand, rushed into the Royal Palace without delay, already aware of the situation.

When the helicopter ascended, they had run out of their residences, stunned by the behemoth outside.

Upon hearing the summons from the king, they hurried over, their expressions unified in shock, particularly the Third Prince, whose face was darkened with anger.

Facing the Emperor, he straightforwardly said:

"Father, there’s something strange about this situation. I believe what they’ve claimed isn’t true.

Think about it—these flying things seem unrealistic and impossible to construct, and the complete disappearance of individuals suggests internal cooperation in their escape, possibly indicating a significant traitor lurking within. Otherwise, how could the General’s family easily escape the Capital City?"

Moreover, now that his family has left, the Grand General is free from Father’s control, holding nearly 100,000 troops at his command. If he were to march back to challenge the throne, Father, we stand little chance."

Indeed, the credibility of the Third Prince’s words held weight. If an army truly returns to lay siege to the palace, they would have no means to resist. Currently, only several thousand troops reside in the capital’s heart.

Confronting 100,000 troops in a siege, they simply could not withstand it.

Despite having seen the flying object himself, the Third Prince did not admit it explicitly, claiming those accounts were fabricated.

His reason was a personal strategy—seizing this opportunity to suppress the Eldest Prince, creating a path to the throne.

Unless he undermines the Eldest Prince, rising to power based on his current strength is implausible, but if he seizes this moment, he could ascend to immense power.

As for the flying object or whether it aided the General’s family’s escape, he did not know.

Yet, once he finished speaking, not only did the Eldest Prince furrow his brows, but King Zhao did as well.

Much like the Third Prince, having not personally witnessed the allegations, King Zhao grew uncertain, though his son could not possibly lie to him.

Moreover, in his understanding, such a thing couldn’t exist, leading him to partially concur with the Third Prince’s words, acknowledging that internal and external collusion might indeed have facilitated the escape.

However, at this point, the Eldest Prince stepped forward, speaking sternly to the Third Prince:

"Is now the time for squabbling? Third Brother, do you realize the gravity of this situation?

It concerns the life and death of our Great Zhao Country. If the Grand General leads an armed rebellion, we’ll all be caught in this mess. Our positions will be threatened."

Upon hearing this, King Zhao nodded in agreement, just as the Eldest Prince said, understanding now isn’t the time for dispute over their departure but rather focusing on the aftermath and potential actions from the Grand General.

At this moment, the Third Prince stubbornly replied to the Eldest Prince:

"Brother Huang, you’re wrong; the Grand General has always been in your favor. This situation wouldn’t occur without your consent, allowing someone to take his family."

"Besides, about those things flying in the sky, do you think we’ll believe such tales?"

The Eldest Prince heard this and opened his mouth yet said nothing.

Just as the Third Prince had implied, the Grand General had been aligned with him, becoming an unavoidable suspect.

Even the Father Emperor might suspect him, given how the family escaped under all eyes within the palace.

For now, leaving these debates aside, Lin Yi had boarded the helicopter, heading towards the Right Country. Initially overwhelmed with panic and fear, everyone gradually calmed down.

After half an hour of flight, curiosity piqued everyone, leading some brave individuals to peer through the windows, observing the outside.

Upon witnessing the scene below, they gasped in unison, retreating several steps in fright, plummeting to the helicopter’s floor.

These heights were simply terrifying, given they lived lives rooted on the ground—standing atop a treetop would even induce fear.

Moreover, the helicopter hovered alone in the sky.

[To be continued...]

PS:

Yuzu wishes everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival and family reunion. If you enjoy this book, don’t forget to leave some comments for Yuzu in the comment section to show it’s not a solo campaign.