While the Zhongzhou Team rushed towards Diaoyu Island, the Donghai Team veered in a different direction, heading toward a location distinct from the island’s course—precisely where the US Navy forces stationed at American bases in Japan were located; or more accurately, where the patrolling warships of the US Seventh Fleet were stationed.

Such an ordinary fishing boat was not uncommon in the Pacific, but its appearance in the middle of the ocean during such a violent storm was quite rare. Most deep-sea fishing vessels would seek refuge in the nearest international port until the storm subsided before resuming operations. Therefore, when this fishing boat appeared, the warships immediately sent messages ordering it to stop and submit to inspection, while the naval soldiers aboard the warships were placed on high alert.

It was only when the members of the Donghai Team directly spoke the words mentioned above that the inspecting soldiers became agitated, raising their weapons and aiming them at the group. The events at Pearl Harbor had long since spread across the globe, and nearly every nation’s military had received detailed reports: that mysterious team possessed immense combat strength, enough to destroy an entire fleet, and boasted technology far exceeding this era. The power of a single blast from their 'Magic Engine Cannon' even surpassed that of nuclear weapons. This was precisely why several nations along their route were desperately trying to locate the Zhongzhou Team.

And these people before them were clearly connected to that mysterious group... "Indeed, we are Interpol agents returning from the future, our objective being to apprehend the smuggling organization that illegally entered this time period. Our team is known as the Donghai Team."

"We are a small unit specifically tasked with overseeing the East China Sea region. Because that smuggling syndicate is carrying high-tech weaponry developed only in the future, we, who lack future weapons, are no match for them. We urgently require the assistance of the national forces of this era."

Miyata Kuraki, the captain of the Donghai Team, spoke to the several officers standing before him.

Behind him stood the Donghai Team’s most crucial senior members.

This was the first task Adam had instructed them to perform: leveraging their identity as future Interpol agents.

By connecting all the military forces globally deployed to surround the Zhongzhou Team, the initial deployment and plans of the Zhongzhou Team would entirely fall into the hands of the Donghai Team.

Although the Zhongzhou Team had indeed located the Donghai Team, the Donghai Team had simultaneously gained a corresponding strategic advantage.

Never underestimate naval warships, especially under these perfect storm conditions.

Especially in this boundless ocean.

Particularly with the 'Main God' restricting the use of high-tech aircraft, the long-range ship-to-ship missile capabilities of modern warships were sufficient to kill several members of the Zhongzhou Team.

Although the Zhongzhou Team had previously suggested that dealing with them required a full fleet operation.

That referred to engagements at close range. If fighting remotely, from several kilometers away or further, the Zhongzhou Team, discovered by the US Pacific Seventh Fleet, would certainly be locked in a brutal struggle.

"There is absolutely no need to doubt that. Chu Xuan courts danger, but it is danger tempered by stability, and stability interwoven with change. Until the final moment, one cannot grasp his true objective, but once his true objective is known, the difference between victory and utter defeat becomes negligible. It is better to force a crisis to find a way out; simply use his recklessness to break his stability. Turn that stability into your 'momentum'… Only this way will you have the slightest chance."

Miyata Kuraki recalled Adam's words in his mind.

If they acted according to their own instincts, they would likely counterattack the moment the warships began their inspection, and then flee as fast as possible. They might even hijack another battleship to escape more quickly. However, in doing so, they would completely fall into Chu Xuan’s trap. Constantly bombarded by attacks from surrounding military forces, their speed would be drastically reduced until the Zhongzhou Team caught up, at which point they would be cornered.

But what if they acted contrary to Adam’s advice? True, they stood a high chance of seizing the peak of 'momentum.' But simultaneously... they would have no retreat, destined to fight the Zhongzhou Team until the very end... Thinking of this, Miyata Kuraki subtly glanced at the girl in the kimono beside him.

The girl was frowning, head bowed in deep thought, as if facing some insurmountable problem.

Regardless of how the Donghai Team members behaved, the officers before them were stunned into silence. After a long pause, a naval general, perhaps in his late fifties or sixties, finally asked, "Do you have any proof?" Miyata Kuraki didn't hesitate.

He pulled an iron box from his inner pocket. "Because teleportation technology artifacts cause violent fluctuations in spacetime, they are strictly prohibited. This item is necessary for our mission. It can display all biological entities within a ten-li radius as thermal projections on a three-dimensional image. You may take it for verification. You can also study its technology and mechanics before that smuggling team arrives. However, please ensure you return it to us before engaging in combat with the smuggling team."

It was actually a small device; its effective radius was far less than ten li. Moreover, its power supply was limited. While its exchange price at the 'Main God' system wasn't excessively high, for a team possessing psychic controllers, this little gadget was pure waste. However, this fact could not be voiced. They even needed to feign that the item was extremely important to successfully lull the officers before them.

Indeed, the officers cautiously accepted the metal box. The leading naval general pressed a point on the box, and a blue-and-red image immediately materialized above it. The blue outlines roughly depicted the shape of the entire warship, while the red shapes represented the personnel moving on the deck. Such a three-dimensional view looked marvelous; at least with the current level of technology, manufacturing such an instrument was impossible. It involved too many disciplines—just the factor of biological thermal scanning, along with the issue of component miniaturization. Accomplishing such scanning within such a small box would shock anyone with even a rudimentary grasp of science.

The officers had initially been somewhat dismissive, even suspecting these people were lunatics or charlatans, perhaps the children of wealthy families bored enough to play-act roles after hearing about Pearl Harbor. While engaging in such theatrics during a perfect storm was undeniably tedious, they truly didn't feel there was anything to worry about. It wasn't until the Donghai Team produced this physical object that they realized these individuals must have an extraordinary background. Regardless of whether their claims were true, at the very least... they no longer had the standing to question them.

"Please wait a moment. I believe the Pentagon and the President will be very interested in discussing the future situation with you."

"...The basic situation is as such. It has been confirmed that the Donghai Team has established contact with the US Pacific Seventh Fleet and is awaiting deployment under the fleet's protection." Chu Xuan stated casually in the conference room.

"Uh? Is this Adam's strategy? It doesn't seem very impressive; didn't we find their location immediately? And is Adam really that strong?" the newcomer Lin Juntian asked curiously.

Zhang Heng beside him immediately responded, "Adam must be strong. In a previous horror movie world, we were nearly wiped out by the Heavenly God Team. Having witnessed their planning and schemes, I've grasped a little: no matter how complex a conspiracy, it pales in comparison to even the most straightforward overt scheme. Because the simpler the overt scheme, the harder it is to set up, isn't that right?" Before Chu Xuan could speak, Xiao Honglu had already nodded in affirmation. "That is correct. It’s like playing chess; you see every move clearly, yet you are powerless to reverse the attacks of a stronger opponent, move by move, until utter failure. What is before us is a move laid out by Adam. No matter how we respond, he will have a countermove ready. That is an overt scheme... Do you know how to crack an overt scheme?" Xiao Honglu smiled, and without waiting for others to answer, he stated directly, "Cracking an overt scheme is simple; it follows the same principle as chess. Do you know the greatest taboo in chess? It is to play precisely where the opponent wants you to play. Where they want us to place our piece, we must deliberately not place it there... Next step: we head straight for Diaoyu Island."

"Straight to Diaoyu Island?" Several people repeated in unison, and a few others instinctively looked towards Chu Xuan.

Chu Xuan remained silent, his head bowed over his documents, as if the entire affair had nothing to do with him. Xiao Honglu, showing no restraint, addressed the group: "That’s right. From now on... we stop pursuing the Donghai Team. Let them run if they wish; we will ignore them... Our target: Diaoyu Island! We will certainly have a surprise waiting for them there!"

"Is... is this what you two call failure?" Zheng Zha asked, genuinely puzzled. He looked at Xiao Honglu curiously.

Xiao Honglu glanced at Chu Xuan and sighed. "Although I hate to admit it, for Chu Xuan, this constitutes failure, because we have been forced out of the original plan and must resort to alternate methods to counter their overt scheme. This fits the definition of failure, especially for Chu Xuan... Furthermore, this forces us into a hard fight—the Donghai Team lying in wait amidst the warships, coupled with the entire US Pacific Seventh Fleet. The emergence of this battle, which could have been avoided, is failure... What else did you think it was? If we didn't react to this extent, it would be impossible to deceive Adam; he would detect it instantly and gain crucial information, making us even more passive in the final confrontation."

"To us, the Donghai Team is too weak, too weak in both intellect and strength. Reaching this point is the failure of the Zhongzhou Team. Moreover, in this battle... those among us with weaker combat power genuinely face mortal danger, as missiles are not toys... This is already a failure, or perhaps, it is the failure we need to show Adam."