King Carlyle of Wenlai formally requested protection from the Red Dragon Organization three days later. Previously, Carlyle had attempted to secure counter-terrorism support from the special forces of Australia and the Flying Donkey nation, but both elite units were ambushed en route by a mysterious force, utterly routed, and forced to flee back home.

The Red Dragon Organization replied to Carlyle's request the very same day. Red Dragon agreed to provide national security protection for Carlyle, but the condition was the cession of 100 square kilometers of coastal land to be used as a dedicated zone—a territory Red Dragon would lease for 100 years to construct a naval port and military base.

Carlyle naturally could not agree to this demand. In his estimation, eliminating this disruptive terrorist group would cost at most a few billion; even a price tag of ten billion US dollars was entirely affordable. Wenlai was renowned globally as an oil-rich, small Eastern kingdom, one of the wealthiest nations due to its abundant petroleum and natural gas reserves.

Allowing Red Dragon to establish a military base within the country would first face insurmountable opposition from the United States, and for Carlyle himself, it meant placing the kingdom under the control of an outside power. Thus, he refused the condition outright.

That night, Carlyle’s Royal Guard suffered a devastating blow. A terrorist unit, fewer than a hundred strong, materialized from an unknown location, attacking the guards stationed near the Royal Palace with overwhelming firepower. Within half an hour, the intense barrage routed the thousand-strong guard force, forcing them into a chaotic retreat, and the attackers managed a clean withdrawal before reinforcements could arrive.

The following day, the opposing side issued a declaration of warning to Carlyle, demanding he vacate the throne within 24 hours or face another assault on the palace. Having witnessed the enemy’s power, Carlyle panicked. Simultaneously, Australia and the Flying Donkey nation, who had planned to aid Wenlai, were struck by retaliatory terrorist attacks, plunging both countries into chaos, leaving them utterly unable to concern themselves further with Wenlai.

Carlyle then extended an invitation to the United States. Considering the strategic situation in the Pacific, the US decided to dispatch a 200-man Sea Turtle Commando unit and 500 paratroopers to support Carlyle. That evening, these 700 troops successfully established defensive positions around the Royal Palace.

As night fell, explosions erupted from inside the Royal Palace. By the time soldiers reached the source of the disturbance, the perpetrators had vanished. Immediately thereafter, explosions sounded from the outer perimeter. This back-and-forth engagement continued until dawn, leaving fewer than 300 of the 700 elite troops remaining.

Carlyle, hiding in the suburbs of Sri Bhagawan City, was also attacked that night by unknown monsters. The creatures breached his ten-layered defense perimeter, drilling up from underground to bite off Carlyle’s left thigh. Frantic machine-gun fire proved useless against them. Carlyle’s seventh and eighth concubines also suffered severe injuries in the raid, losing both arms, an event so infuriating it caused Carlyle to vomit blood and faint.

The next day, Carlyle’s chief advisor urged him: since even the US Sea Turtle Commandos were helpless against the enemy, perhaps agreeing to Red Dragon's terms was the better option. By aligning Wenlai with the Red Dragon Organization, the nation’s safety might yet be secured.

At this point, the terrorists were pressing Carlyle relentlessly, issuing a public statement online: if Carlyle did not abdicate that night, they would slaughter his entire family. Knowing the threat was credible, Carlyle found himself with no options left. He finally turned back and agreed to Red Dragon’s demand. Although Wenlai was small, it possessed 5,765 square kilometers of land; surrendering 100 square kilometers to preserve the kingdom’s peace might prove a beneficial trade.

Upon receiving Carlyle’s response, the Red Dragon Organization immediately published a statement online declaring that Carlyle’s Darussalam of Wenlai was henceforth under Red Dragon protection. Any individual, organization, or nation attempting actions that endangered the nation’s security would face devastating repercussions from Red Dragon.

What Carlyle hadn't anticipated was that the terrorists who had tormented him for days and nights, upon learning of this development, issued a statement of voluntary withdrawal, claiming they were granting face to the Red Dragon Organization and would never set foot in Wenlai again.

Some observers declared Red Dragon's might proven—scaring off the terrorists before their troops even arrived. However, the more astute sensed something amiss. The Americans, in particular, were furious upon learning that Red Dragon had secured 100 square kilometers of Wenlai territory for a naval port and military base.

The Pacific Ocean had historically been the undisputed domain of the US Navy. If a Red Dragon military base suddenly sprouted in Wenlai, given Red Dragon's previous performance in West Jin, it was predictable that the Wenlai base would severely interfere with the normal operations of US military installations across the Pacific. Most suspicious to the Americans was the overly sudden nature of the entire affair: terrorists appearing without reason, causing turmoil, and then vanishing precisely after Red Dragon secured the Wenlai military base. Too many variables didn't add up.

Nevertheless, America’s own failures had eroded Carlyle's trust. If he followed the demands of US President Joe Bush and rejected Red Dragon’s terms, Carlyle dared not guarantee he would survive the night. Nations like Singapore and Japan permitted the US to establish military bases on their soil; what difference would allowing Red Dragon to build one base in tiny Wenlai make?

The Americans knew the failure of the Sea Turtle Commandos and the paratroopers was irreversible. After Carlyle defied President Joe Bush's demands and agreed to Red Dragon establishing a military base in his country, the US Navy decided to deploy forces to halt Red Dragon’s actions.

Night descended upon a brightly lit, secret underground naval port in the South China Sea. Twenty Mercury-class submarines, five Venus-class submarine carriers loaded with Walrus bombers, ten Xia-class cruisers, and twenty Light Rain-class destroyers stood ready for departure.

Zhang Dahai turned to me and said, "Commander Comrade, the troops are fully assembled. All mecha-soldiers, mechanical ants, and underwater excavation equipment have been loaded onto the vessels. Please give the order to depart."

Tonight marked our true first step toward marching upon the oceans. The submarine fleet had operated in secrecy until now; starting tonight, the Navy would formally present itself to the world’s nations. I felt a mix of anticipation and unease. Satellite reconnaissance indicated that the US Pacific Fleet was already steaming toward the Nansha Islands region, seemingly targeting the Wenlai military base location.

Furthermore, reliable intelligence revealed that the government of the Ox Nation had convened an internal meeting, deciding to exert pressure on the Red Dragon Organization to prevent its expansion from land to sea. Naturally, I held no fear of these two nations, but this news necessitated utmost care and prudence in our operations.

The original plan called for only five Venus-class submarine carriers and five Xia-class cruisers. However, due to ample construction time and the heavy patrol duties assigned to the five successfully built Venus carriers, the base rushed the production of five additional Venus carriers to fill the gap. Concurrently, the heavy Walrus-class bomber had also been successfully developed and produced, formally equipping the Venus carriers for their missions.

Glancing at the assembled troops and the magnificent warships, I felt a surge of high spirits. What did it matter if we stood against the entire world? History dictates that the victor is king and the vanquished is the thief. Power grants capability. I looked at Zhang Dahai and declared solemnly, "The force is to move out!"