Su Chen and the others followed behind the Americans and the Japanese toward the dilapidated palace.

Several rafters had already collapsed, with debris and broken walls everywhere. After entering, they found spider webs covering everything, and a thick layer of dust covering even the original floor. The interior was empty, as if a great sweep had taken place, with even the gold and colored glazes that had been inlaid pried off.

The palace's layout differed significantly from ancient palaces in Huaxia Country. Those palaces are typically square and divided into several courtyards. But this palace was circular, with many exits and entrances, more like a labyrinth.

"How about we split up and each search different areas?" Prince John suggested, after looking around and finding nothing.

"How about this, friends from Huaxia Country, you check the rooms on the east side," Chuan Ye also suggested.

"Okay." Su Chen had no objections; he was eager to see what these people were up to.

"Mr. Su, the Americans and Japanese are acting strangely. Could they be up to something deceitful?" Guan Zhihui asked in a low voice after they had walked a bit to the east.

"Yes, Mr. Su, they're acting so abnormal, there must be something fishy!"

"Shush! Just be aware of it, and let's see how things unfold!" Su Chen said, glancing at the others, who nodded in agreement. "Let's split up and search thoroughly."

Guan Zhihui and the others immediately dispersed, each entering different rooms to start looking.

"Mr. Chuan Ye, do you think those Huaxia people will find that place?" Prince John asked somewhat uneasily in a room on the west side.

In fact, after splitting up from Su Chen and the others, they hadn't searched for anything, but instead went into a room together.

"I don't know, if they don't find it, can't we just 'help' them when the time comes?" Chuan Ye said with a cunning smile.

Prince John laughed. "Exactly, we'll just lend a modest hand when necessary!"

....

Almost an hour and a half passed, and Su Chen and his team had searched most of the rooms on their side, still with no results. Guan Zhihui and the others regrouped around Su Chen, their expressions somewhat dejected.

Su Chen, however, remained calm, as this result was what he had expected. If it had been so easy to find, the Americans and the Japanese would have plundered everything long ago.

"How did it go? Did anyone find anything?"

At that moment, a voice rang out as the Americans and Japanese walked over from a distance.

"No discoveries whatsoever." Su Chen intentionally showed a hint of disappointment, shaking his head. "How about you? Did you find anything?"

"Just like you, we found nothing." Prince John and Chuan Ye also shook their heads.

"Have you finished searching this area?" Prince John asked again.

"Not yet, there are just these last seven or eight rooms left." Su Chen pointed toward the area deepest inside, then showed an appropriately puzzled expression. "Could it be that the information was wrong, and there is no such material here at all?"

"It shouldn't be the case." Chuan Ye frowned slightly. "That explorer doesn't have the guts to joke around with so many countries."

"That's true." Su Chen nodded in agreement.

"There are only a few rooms left. Let's all look together again, and if we still don't find anything, we can discuss what to do next," Prince John said.

"That sounds good."

Then, everyone scattered into the seven or eight rooms, at least two people entering each room.

A moment later, Su Chen suddenly heard a voice from the room next door: "There's something here!"

Upon hearing the voice, everyone hurriedly ran into that room.

"What did you find?" Su Chen immediately asked upon arrival.

"Mr. Su, look here!" Chen Ping lifted a painting on the wall and pointed to a square hole!

There was a black valve in the hole, but it appeared to be quite old.

The newly arrived Prince John and Chuan Ye, upon seeing the valve, immediately showed expressions of delight!

"We started by searching this room too, how come we didn't think to lift the painting to check?" Chuan Ye looked at Chen Ping gratefully. "We really owe it to this friend from Huaxia Country!"

"Mr. Chuan Ye is too kind. It was actually Mr. Ye's subordinate who discovered it," Chen Ping spoke calmly. He really couldn't bring himself to express fiery enthusiasm towards people from the Island Country.

The "Little Ye" Chen Ping mentioned was a subordinate of Chuan Ye, and upon hearing Chen Ping's words, Chuan Ye couldn't help but pat Little Ye's shoulder. "You did well! I will reward you handsomely when we return!"

"Thank you, boss!" Little Ye quickly bowed.

Meanwhile, Su Chen also deliberately showed a surprised look, but in his heart, he actually had many questions.

Firstly, the edge around the square hole clearly showed signs of damage. If he was not mistaken, this hole should have been hidden behind the wall, and not exposed as soon as the painting was lifted.

He just didn't know whether the protection or concealment outside the hole had been destroyed by John and Chuan Ye. But no matter who had done it, there was absolutely no way they could have failed to find it in their earlier search. Their current behavior seemed more like they were waiting for the others to make the discovery!

What exactly were these people up to? Su Chen couldn't figure it out!

"Mr. Su, hurry up and give it a twist!" John urged from behind Su Chen.

Seeing that the group was almost standing together, Su Chen extended a hand and began to turn the valve. If there was really a problem, they would definitely want to keep their distance from him and the others.

As Su Chen turned the valve, a crack slowly appeared on the nearby ground, then moved apart to both sides, revealing an entrance about a meter in width and length!

"There's actually a cave here!" Lu Zheng exclaimed in surprise.

Su Chen walked over and took a look. Beneath was pitch black, without a glimmer of light, but there were stairs leading downward at the entrance!

"Mr. Su, I'll go down first to check it out!" Now that something had finally been found, Lu Zheng couldn't wait to go down and take a look.

But just as he set foot on the stairs, Su Chen pulled him back up. "Don't you know the rules? We in Huaxia are a nation of ceremony and should act with humility and manners!" Then he turned to Prince John and Chuan Ye with a smile. "Please go ahead, we will follow behind!"