Chapter 43: The Next Expedition Begins

Everything was unfolding exactly as Jiang Chen had expected.

The International Adventure Club had meticulously planned their move. Not only did they send the challenge email, but they also broadcasted it live on the internet for the world to see.

They invited multiple media outlets to report on the challenge, ensuring that the moment Jiang Chen received the email, millions were already watching.

If he refused, they could manipulate the narrative, painting him as a fraud or a coward who was afraid to prove himself.

And of course, certain Western media outlets, such as The New York Times, would seize the opportunity to discredit Jiang Chen and China's explorers.

This was a well-orchestrated trap.

Whether he accepted or declined, he would be playing into their hands.

But Jiang Chen didn't hesitate.

Because he was an explorer.

Because he never backed down from a challenge.

And most importantly—because he wasn't just representing himself.

He was standing for every Chinese explorer, for the spirit of adventure, and for national pride.

He hoped that future Chinese explorers would be met with respect and admiration, not ridicule and doubt.

And so, his decision was simple.

He accepted the challenge.

The West Erupts

As expected, the Western world exploded with excitement.

Major news outlets began their media frenzy, stirring up the event into a spectacle.

Meanwhile, Jiang Chen remained completely unbothered.

Instead, he returned to his study, which had been completely remodeled.

In the center stood the replica of the prehistoric human ruins—a perfect recreation of the site he had discovered underground.

The structure was identical in size and design to the original, down to the last detail.

Jiang Chen had always been curious about the purpose of this replica.

Now, he intended to find out.

He carefully examined every corner of the ruins but found no differences from the underground site.

That's when a thought struck him.

"If this is an exact copy… does that mean everything inside it is also the same?"

His pupils contracted as realization dawned upon him.

"If that's true," he muttered, "then the real ruins underground are not just ruins… but a blueprint."

His heart pounded with excitement.

"If everything matches perfectly… there must be something hidden that we didn't find before!"

A Shocking Discovery

Jiang Chen immediately started searching.

He combed through every detail—every corner, every crevice.

But just as before, there was nothing—only pottery, jade artifacts, and murals.

Unless…

His eyes shifted downward.

"Could it be… underground?"

Without hesitation, Jiang Chen grabbed a shovel and began digging.

He didn't have to go far.

Less than half a meter deep—bones began to emerge.

Jiang Chen's breath caught in his throat.

"These… these are prehistoric human remains. They could be from Atlantis or Lemuria…"

But then—something even more incredible appeared.

Beneath the skeletons, a stone slab lay buried in the dirt.

Jiang Chen's pulse raced.

Ancient civilizations had always used stone tablets to record their knowledge and history. Unlike paper or other materials that decay over time, stone endures for eternity.

He carefully brushed away the dirt, revealing complex engravings—patterns and symbols unlike anything he had seen before.

Jiang Chen's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"This… this is a prehistoric text!"

If deciphered, it could contain the secrets of a lost civilization.

But he knew he wouldn't be able to translate it alone.

"I'll need to find experts in ancient human studies to help decode this…"

Without hesitation, he stored the stone tablet into his mobile space—keeping it safe until he found the right people to analyze it.

A Crazy Idea

As he turned back to the prehistoric skeletons, an idea crossed his mind.

"What should I do with these?"

Then, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"I should assemble them… and place them at my front gate. Let them guard my house!"

A prehistoric skeleton as a doorman?

The idea was wild.

If any archaeologists or historians knew about this, they'd probably have a heart attack on the spot.

But Jiang Chen didn't care.

To him, it was just a fun experiment.

After all, if museums could display ancient skeletons, why couldn't he?

The Map of Lost Continents

Jiang Chen's gaze returned to the final mural on the replica site.

It depicted a map—but not of the modern world.

Instead, it showed Atlantis and Lemuria—two lost continents that had since vanished beneath the ocean.

According to mainstream history, these civilizations were myths.

But Jiang Chen knew better.

They were real.

The problem was locating them.

Millions of years of continental drift and tectonic movement meant that the lost continents might not be where they originally sank.

Jiang Chen's fists clenched.

"But it doesn't matter," he muttered.

"I will find you. Sooner or later, I will uncover the truth of prehistoric civilization!"

A New Challenge Begins

As Jiang Chen was deep in thought, another letter from the International Adventure Club arrived.

It contained his next challenge location—

South Korea.

This was where the International Adventure Challenge would begin.

At that exact moment, a familiar system notification echoed in Jiang Chen's mind.

Ding—

[System Reminder: Third Expedition Location Confirmed – South Korea.]

Jiang Chen's lips curled into a smirk.

"Fine," he said. "Let's see what these so-called adventurers can do."

With his next journey set, Jiang Chen's adventure was far from over.