Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

Chapter 1108 Preparing to Explode the Heavenly Star!

Having arranged everything, Gao Yao could finally focus on his last task—destroying Tianxing. This mysterious extraterrestrial object was both the possible reason he had traveled here and the source of future uncertainties.

The construction of the underground palace had been ongoing for many years. To maintain secrecy, Gao Yao employed his most trusted team of craftsmen, and upon completion of each stage, the craftsmen were transferred to the frontier, receiving generous rewards but ensuring they remained far from the core. Now, the palace was finally completed, and Tianxing was placed in the deepest, most secret chamber.

Standing before the celestial meteorite, Gao Yao sensed a strange energy fluctuation. The meteorite's surface shimmered with a faint luster, as if it were breathing with life. Over the years, he had studied countless ancient texts and consulted numerous alchemists, finally confirming one point: the celestial meteorite contained a power beyond the comprehension of this era.

"What if this thing falls into the wrong hands..." Gao Yao muttered to himself. He thought of those rulers in history who had gone mad in their pursuit of immortality or extraordinary power. Even if Lü Zhi was exceptionally intelligent, who could guarantee that she wouldn't be tempted by such a thing?

Therefore, he decided to take the most extreme approach—to use enough explosives to flatten Mount Li and completely destroy Tianxing. This was not an impulsive decision, but a carefully calculated one. He summoned the best gunpowder craftsmen of the era and, combining their modern knowledge of explosives, designed a multi-stage detonation system.

“The fuse is divided into three, each leading out from a different direction,” Gao Yao explained to his confidant in charge of the matter. “Once activated, the entire underground palace will be reduced to ruins within half a quarter of an hour. Even if someone survives the explosion, there will be no way they can enter the core area.”

The confidant's expression was grave: "Your Majesty, such a massive explosion could potentially cause landslides and even affect the surrounding area..."

“I know,” Gao Yao interrupted him. “I have ordered the evacuation of the people within a ten-mile radius, under the pretext of building a temporary palace. After this matter is over, this area will be designated as a permanent forbidden zone.”

The Final Gaze: Power, Emotion, and Responsibility

On the eve of the explosion, Gao Yao stood alone outside the Tianxing Secret Chamber. The torches on the wall cast long shadows that danced on the stone. Fifteen years of time flowed through his mind like a river—from the initial fear of arriving, to the arduous rise to power, and finally to his current position of absolute authority.

He thought of Empress Lü. The woman who analyzed the political situation for him under the dim light of an oil lamp; the wife who personally cared for him when he was seriously ill, disregarding court etiquette; the mother whose eyes shone with wisdom when explaining history to their son.

"If we weren't at the pinnacle of power, perhaps we could have grown old together like an ordinary couple," Gao Yao murmured to himself. But he knew it was just wishful thinking. From the moment he transmigrated, from the moment he chose to embark on this path, an ordinary life had been forever abandoned to him.

He recalled the Empress Lü in the historical records—cruel, autocratic, murdering meritorious officials, and enfeoffing members of the Lü clan. That was the Lü Zhi of history before Gao Yao existed. But the Lü Zhi of today, because of his appearance, had changed her trajectory, becoming wiser and more restrained, but in doing so, she had accumulated even greater power and influence.

“I left the secret edict with Xiao He not to restrict you, but to protect you,” Gao Yao said to the void, as if Lü Zhi were right in front of him. “Power is like a ferocious beast. If wielded properly, it can protect the country and its people. But if it is out of control, it will turn on its master. I do not want you to become that beast that is devoured by power.”

This wasn't distrust, but rather an over-understanding. Gao knew Lü Zhi's capabilities and the potential consequences they could have in extreme circumstances. The insurance he set up was both a responsibility to the empire and a final protection for Lü Zhi.

On the day of the blast, Gao Yao personally supervised the operation. The fuse was lit, and three lines of fire shot into the depths of the ground like red serpents. Everyone retreated to a safe distance, awaiting the decisive explosion.

Gao Yao stood on high ground, watching the outline of Mount Li gradually become clear in the morning light. This mountain has witnessed too much history—the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the blood and sweat of countless craftsmen, and now it will witness the end of a secret.

"Your Majesty, it's time," a trusted aide whispered a reminder.

Gao Yao nodded, but didn't look away. He was waiting, and he was thinking. If the explosion succeeded and Tianxing was destroyed, his last special connection with this world would be severed. He would truly become a part of this era, subject to birth, aging, sickness, and death, with no way back.

If he fails... no, he can't fail. He has done everything he could to prepare.

boom--

A deep rumble came from underground, initially like distant thunder, then gradually intensified. The ground began to tremble, rocks tumbled down, and birds and beasts took flight in fright. Then, a deafening roar ripped through the morning tranquility, a huge plume of dust erupted from one side of Mount Li, and the entire mountain trembled.

The explosion lasted for nearly fifteen minutes. When the last echo dissipated into the air, Mount Li had changed its appearance—one side of the mountain had clearly collapsed, forming a huge depression.

"Your Majesty, it's a success!" the explorers reported. "The underground structure has completely collapsed; nothing could possibly have survived intact."

But Gao Yao wasn't particularly happy at this moment. Instead, he still frowned as he looked at the collapsed underground imperial tomb. The smoke and dust hadn't completely dissipated, and the air was filled with the acrid smell of gunpowder and dust. His heart pounded even lower after a brief moment of anticipation—because even now, his mind remained silent; the mysterious system hadn't given any notification.

This can only mean one thing: Tianxing, the meteorite carrying the mystery of time travel and unknown energy, has not yet been completely destroyed. His mission is not yet complete.

A mixture of irritability, anxiety, and unease surged within him. He had prepared for so long, mobilized almost the largest destructive force he could muster, even risking geological upheavals and alarming the government, yet the result was still "incomplete."

What exactly is this celestial star made of? Or perhaps its very existence transcends the realm of conventional physical destruction?

However, Gao Yao had no time to wallow in this sense of defeat. He was never one to give up easily; he had risen from humble beginnings to his current position thanks to his almost obsessive caution and his habit of always having multiple backup plans.

Faced with this unexpected situation, his eyes sharpened, all his emotions were instantly frozen, leaving only absolute calm and decisiveness.

"The first wave of blasts failed to achieve complete success..." he muttered to himself, his voice unusually clear and cold in the empty blast site. His entourage and the Ministry of Works officials in charge of the blasting all held their breath and lowered their heads, the atmosphere suddenly becoming even more tense. Gao Yao's gaze swept over the vast ruins where rocks were still falling, as if trying to pierce through the layers of rubble to see the stubbornly existing celestial star deep within.