Who could have foreseen that events would take such an unpredictable turn? Early that morning, Shen Langhua came to inform us that Old Man Shen and the villagers had discussed it the previous night and decided to band together and head south to catch up with Yu Xun. Having had poor hauls for the past half month, they were anxious; if they didn't increase their catch volume, they’d lose out on diesel money this month, and increasing the catch meant venturing to richer southern fishing grounds.

Fortunately, those four agents from the night before hadn't alarmed the fishermen, and the reactionary propaganda materials they scattered had been entirely gathered up by Zhu Da and Cai Bao'er. As for the dog, it had been hit by a poisoned dart; Zhu Da and Cai Bao'er examined it before dumping it into the sea, leaving no trace of the incident behind.

If the fishermen had seen the reactionary leaflets distributed by the Yuè Nán Amphibious Brigade last night, they absolutely would not have dared to sail south to fish. The leaflets laid down several strict prohibitions for the fishermen: no fishing in restricted areas, and no cooperating with government investigations, or they would face punishment from a certain foreign special team. I suspect these Yuè Nán people weren't first-time cross-border propagandists, or else the fishermen wouldn't have turned pale at the mere mention of it and refused to report to the garrison for inspection duties.

After breakfast, eight steel-hulled fishing boats lined up and headed south. The boats navigated cautiously, trying their best to steer west to avoid the Yuè-occupied islands like Nanzi Island and Nailuo Reef. However, steering too far west brought them too close to the Yuè Nán mainland coastal defenses, so the entire journey was filled with trepidation. Every boat owner feared a single misstep could spark an international dispute; the memory of being shelled by Yuè Nán gunboats was too deeply ingrained in their experience.

As they moved further south, hidden reefs became numerous, but the fishery resources grew exceptionally abundant. No one dared to slack off, desperately dragging their nets, hoping only to fill their holds and turn back home quickly.

But Zhu Da, Cai Bao'er, and I were dragging our feet, engaging in purposeful slowness. The frantic energy we usually put into work was gone. After all, the faster and more we caught, the sooner we would return to the dock, and the slimmer our chances would become.

“Did the three of you not eat enough this morning?” Shen Langhua asked.

Zhu Da replied, “We ate plenty; we’re still stuffed.”

“Then why are you dawdling with the work? If we keep this up, they’ll get ahead of us. There are five of us; you don’t want to go back to the dock and be laughed at by the villagers, do you?” Although Shen Langhua was a girl, she was quite strong-willed and talkative, a complete contrast to Old Man Shen.

I explained, “I don’t know what’s wrong today; we just can’t get into the rhythm of the work. Maybe it’ll clear up in a bit.”

Shen Langhua came over solicitously and touched my forehead. “You’re not running a fever. Is it an old ailment acting up? Do all three of you have some kind of issue? We’re stranded out here with no village nearby—if you get sick, I can’t help you.”

Zhu Da thumped his chest. “Don’t worry, Boss Shen. We’re strong as oxen. We’ll be back to normal after working a bit longer. We guarantee we won’t hold up your fishing.”

Old Man Shen focused solely on piloting the boat, ignoring our situation. We were only earning a meager two hundred yuan a month anyway; the fishing trip in the first half of the month had already earned him that much. As long as he could scrape together enough food, he wouldn't lose money.

I nudged Zhu Da and Cai Bao’er with my elbow, signaling them to look out into the distance. They gasped in unison. “A warship!”

“Shh, not a word yet. Old Man Shen and the others probably haven't noticed. Let’s get a bit closer before we say anything.”

Zhu Da whispered, “They’re two Soviet-made 'Scorpion' R-class missile fast attack craft. We hit the jackpot this time! We absolutely must let them deal a heavy blow to these fishing boats, or these guys won’t learn to stand up for themselves.”

I countered, “We shouldn't just focus on our own objectives. Protecting the safety of the fishermen is paramount; otherwise, we’ll truly become sinister conspirators.”

As the two missile boats approached, the four fishing boats simultaneously sounded their alarm signals. Old Man Shen wrenched the rudder, ignoring the fish in the nets, and jammed the throttle, turning back immediately.

Shen Langhua stumbled. “Dad, what’s wrong?”

Old Man Shen said quietly, “Don’t worry about it, just cut the nets quickly, hurry!”

At this moment, the roar of the Yuè Nán missile boats was growing audible. Shen Langhua looked up and spotted the single large red star insignia on the warship—not the small star circling a large one, but just one solitary large star: the symbol of Yuè Nán.

Shen Langhua’s face changed too. She turned to Zhu Da, “Zhu Da, hurry and chop the drag net, quick!”

Zhu Da didn't rush. “Why? You wasteful girl! Even if there were no fish in there, one net is worth a lot of money. Just pull it up. Look at how many fish that net has caught; pulling it up means we can knock off early.”

Shen Langhua reached for an axe. “Are you tired of living? You have no sense of urgency! At a moment like this, if a Yuè Nán warship fires even one shot, none of us will survive!”

I stopped Shen Langhua from cutting the net. “Don’t speak vaguely. Why would they shoot us? We are fishing normally in our own country's waters. We haven't even complained about them infringing on our operational area. This is our Great Dragon Country’s territory; what are they doing here?”

What I said was true, so I spoke with confidence, but Shen Langhua was so anxious she nearly stamped a hole in the deck. “You’re infuriating me! Don't you care about your lives? I don't have time to explain to you right now; get out of the way! It’ll be too late if we delay!”

Zhu Da snatched the axe from Shen Langhua. “No way! I refuse to back down! We work on our own soil, yet we have to sneak around, watching other people’s faces—what kind of logic is that! They’re just two rotten Yuè Nán missile boats. If I get really mad, I’ll smash them into the water with my bare fists!”

Shen Langhua was so agitated her face flushed red and she couldn't speak. Old Man Shen steered the boat while stomping his foot. “You damn stubborn mules are going to kill us! I knew you outsiders couldn't be trusted! You don’t know the power of the big guns on those warships. Three people from our fishing village died last year, all because those gunboats sank their trawlers. Do you want your father and me to follow them down the drain?”

I turned to Cai Bao’er. “Signal the other seven boats to keep fishing. Since Old Man Shen’s hands are shaking, Big Boss Zhu, you take the helm. Let’s get to work! Let’s see what those bastards dare to do to us!”

The communication system among the eight fishing boats was simple. Due to their backwardness, they had no radio equipment, relying solely on body language for signals. We had managed to learn most of their signals over these past few days. Cai Bao’er jumped onto the deck and began waving his arms toward the three boats ahead. Zhu Da, meanwhile, pulled Old Man Shen behind him and seized the steering wheel.

As the boat’s speed dropped, I started reeling in the net. It looked like this haul was quite good. Such rich fishery resources were being occupied by the Yuè Nán people—damn their ancestors for eighteen generations! Is there any heaven or logic left? They even sent warships to flaunt their might! Since we are face-to-face today, it is time for a fight to begin.

…Yuè Nán is one of the few socialist countries in the contemporary world. Following the Ninth National Congress of the Yuè Communist Party, Dê Méng Nóng was elected General Secretary. Under his governance, Yuè Nán’s economy developed rapidly, with GDP quickly catching up to other Southeast Asian nations; the revenue derived from the sea accounted for the largest share.

Out of self-interest, the Central Committee of the Yuè Communist Party was extremely cautious regarding the Nansha issue—less belligerent than in previous months, but only comparatively speaking. In reality, Yuè Nán’s encroachments and occupation of the Nansha Islands had never ceased since the late 1970s because the Nansha Archipelago had become intrinsically linked to Yuè Nán’s economy.

In the dead of night, Dê Méng Nóng was jarred awake by a phone call. This was an exclusive line, accessible only to a few key national figures. It hadn't rung by Dê Méng Nóng’s bedside once in the previous few months. Startled from deep sleep, Dê Méng Nóng sprang upright from his bed.

The call was from the Minister of National Defense, Nguyễn Lão Er. “Comrade General Secretary, there is a major problem. Please come to Meeting Room No. 1 immediately.”

Dê Méng Nóng quickly threw on his clothes and rushed to Meeting Room No. 1, the primary venue for top leaders to discuss critical issues. Already present were Defense Minister Nguyễn Lão Er, the two Vice Chairmen of the Military Commission, Hồ Thư and Ngô Thước, Chief of the General Staff Lê Mao, and Navy Commander Nguyễn Phong.

When Dê Méng Nóng entered, everyone rose to greet the General Secretary. Dê Méng Nóng cut them short. “No pleasantries. Get straight to the point.”

Navy Commander Nguyễn Phong reported, “Comrade Secretary, our other miniature submarine went missing last night.”

The 126th Amphibious Brigade had originally been under the jurisdiction of the Fourth Coastal Region but was recently reassigned directly to the Navy Command. It was an inauspicious start for Navy Commander Nguyễn Phong, who had just taken charge, as two submarines had now vanished in quick succession.

Dê Méng Nóng slammed the table. “How is your work being conducted? I ordered you to fight the espionage war carefully and cautiously, yet you are continuously losing forces! Show me some results!”

Nguyễn Lão Er interjected, “Comrade Secretary, please don’t be angry. This isn't entirely the Navy’s fault. We should focus on planning the search mission. Since the sea area where the submarine disappeared belongs to the Great Dragon Country’s territorial waters, sending our warships in rashly to search risks provoking resentment and misunderstanding from the Great Dragon Country.”

Another Vice Chairman of the Military Commission, Hồ Thư, argued, “What resentment and misunderstanding? We have already officially declared to the world that the Great Dragon Country’s so-called western Nansha waters have belonged to Yuè Nán for generations. Our troops are already stationed there, and we’ve conducted countless normal military exercises. What is searching for a submarine compared to that?”

Vice Chairman of the Military Commission Ngô Thước disagreed. “Hồ Thư, you are just a brute! Why don’t you analyze how those two submarines disappeared? Did both malfunction and sink on their own? Someone is definitely sabotaging this, and there is no force in Southeast Asia that can contend with the 126th Brigade!”

The Yuè Nán people’s boasting about their military strength was not without basis. First, Yuè Nán has a relatively abundant population resource among Southeast Asian nations, providing a solid base for conscription.

Second, beginning in the 1940s, Yuè Nán fought near forty years of continuous warfare against major military powers of the time, including France, the United States, and China, resulting in extensive combat experience. India also fights wars, but against nations like Pakistan, which is frankly unimpressive.

Third, throughout those nearly forty years of conflict, Yuè Nán received massive amounts of military equipment from China and the Soviet Union, in addition to capturing large stockpiles from the US, France, and others. In essence, the Yuè Nán Army is equipped by weaponry derived from several of the world’s strongest militaries.

Fourth, Yuè Nán is situated in jungles and mountains, making it suitable for guerrilla warfare. Yuè Nán learned guerrilla tactics and small-unit combat from China, effectively adapting these methods to establish their own tailored doctrine, eventually employing these tactics against their teacher, the Chinese.

Fifth, as a socialist country, the political and ideological work within the Yuè Nán military is excellent, successfully motivating the soldiers. In wartime, this allows for a nation-in-arms approach, making it, admittedly, a terrifying force.

Chief of the General Staff Lê Mao interjected, “Now is clearly not the time for arguing. Finding the two submarines and analyzing the cause of their disappearance is the most critical task. If we don’t address this seriously, such incidents will likely continue.”

Lê Mao was absolutely correct. Everyone reviewed the relevant data from the beginning, but because communication was lost the moment the two submarines submerged, the truth of the matter could not be determined. They could only estimate the general area of disappearance based on when the missions began.

While self-inflicted mechanical failure was a possibility, it was highly probable that hostile nations were executing secret military strikes. The predecessor of the 126th had offended many countries; warships from the US, France, and the Z-nation had all been attacked by them. They had accumulated too many enemies.

Regardless, the meeting resolved to conduct a search of the relevant waters the following morning under the guise of a military exercise, hoping to locate the two consecutively missing submarines and subsequently uncover the reason for their disappearance to guard against further enemy strikes.

As a supplement and reinforcement, the impromptu meeting also revisited the matter of military procurement from the Bear Country. Dê Méng Nóng and the others were aware of the strength of the Yuè Nán Navy: their fleet could flex its muscles in the South China Sea, but it couldn't withstand a single strike from powers like the M, R, F, or Z nations. Of course, those countries wouldn't wage full war against Yuè Nán unless the stakes were extraordinary, which served as a strong bargaining chip for Yuè Nán’s hardline politics.

Take the Great Dragon Country’s situation, for instance. Yuè Nán currently occupies nearly thirty reefs and controls vast oil and gas resources in the Gulf of Tonkin and the South China Sea. What can the Great Dragon Country do? Besides issuing a few protests asserting sovereignty, they have taken no concrete action. Why do they not dare strike against the Yuè Nán people? Everyone in the world knows the reasons!

First, the Great Dragon Country’s reach is too short in the Nansha. Without carrier support, fighting in the Nansha means they lose air superiority. Recent world conflicts have shown that losing air superiority equals losing the war. Yuè Nán, relying on its land-based airfields, can conduct comprehensive strikes on all occupied islands using its Su-27 fighters!

Second, the economic activities on the reefs occupied by Yuè Nán involve several major military powers—the Eagle Country, the French Country, the M Country, the Australian Country, etc. The Great Dragon Country is constrained by the interests of these nations. Even if they build an aircraft carrier, they won't easily launch military action on the Nansha Islands.

Third, the Great Dragon Country cannot afford to divert its attention to the South China Sea disputes; the pressure from the East is too great. These minor issues in the South China Sea can only be addressed after the conflict in the East subsides. By then, the South China Sea resources will likely be depleted, and letting Yuè Nán withdraw from the islands won't matter much.

Chief of the General Staff Lê Mao specifically cautioned everyone, “Gentlemen, military procurement is necessary, but we must be cautious about whether Russian equipment is the most suitable for us.”

Navy Commander Nguyễn Phong responded, “What do you mean? According to our navy's assessment, Russian warships and submarines best suit our operational needs. Since the Great Dragon Country Navy uses mostly Russian equipment as well, using American gear would only enhance the Great Dragon Country Navy’s advantage. Everyone knows Russian weapons are designed to target the weaknesses of American systems.”

Lê Mao clarified, “That’s not what I mean. The whole world knows there is a munitions maniac in the arms trade. This person made a bold move as soon as he appeared, eliminating eighty percent of existing arms suppliers. Now, he is the sole entity in the world arms market. If you can name a weapon, he can supply it—whether high-tech or aircraft carriers and submarines, whatever you need. Reliable intelligence suggests even the M Country has purchased several Mercury-class submarines from him, let alone ordinary developing small nations that rely on purchasing from the arms maniac. They have no choice: first, the arms maniac controls the world arms market, and second, his goods are genuinely competitive. As long as what you need isn't bleeding-edge high technology, his prices are reasonable.”

Everyone nodded. They had heard of this matter. Now that Lê Mao brought it up, it seemed the procurement plan needed some adjustments. Dê Méng Nóng commented, “How can we compare ourselves to the M Country? Even if we bought two Mercury-class submarines, I ask you all: do you have the capability to operate them, or maintain them afterward? Those are nuclear-powered submarines. Given our current technological level, I’m afraid they are unsuitable.”

Lê Mao said, “Nuclear power is unsuitable for us, but we can custom-order diesel-electric submarines that better suit our needs, or even directly procure Russian Kilo-class submarines from them. Every time we buy weapons from the Bear Country, we suffer from their unequal political oppression. Now, we can provide the weapon models we intended to buy from the Bear Country to the arms maniac because if you can name the model, he can manufacture it exactly to specification, with performance equal to or better than the original, and at a lower price than the original manufacturer’s quote.”

After discussion, everyone agreed this approach was feasible. However, Dê Méng Nóng reminded them, “This must be kept secret, at least for the foreseeable future. The Bear Country has never been a good partner; if they find out we’ve switched procurement sources, they might take offense at Yuè Nán. I suggest we don't cancel the original procurement deals with the Bear Country, but only scrap the later purchase plans that hadn't been disclosed to them. That way, if our deal with the arms maniac is exposed, we won't face major disputes with the Bear Country.”

Everyone gave enthusiastic thumbs-ups. “The General Secretary is truly wise!”

Before the flattery could fully subside, a messenger rushed in to report, “Report to the General Secretary! The garrison on South Victory Island has been attacked by an unknown enemy!”

The group instantly jumped up in shock, but the matter was quickly clarified. It turned out that in the early morning hours, the camp of the South Victory Island garrison was ambushed by a small unit that stealthily landed from the sea. However, the enemy's firepower was not intense; after destroying a few barracks and military facilities, they retreated back into the sea under the garrison's first counterattack.

The losses suffered by the South Victory Island defenders were not too severe, but the implications of this incident were enormous. Since Yuè Nán landed on South Victory Island, this was the first time an armed conflict of this nature had occurred. What was worse, the aggressor failed to reveal their nationality. Based on their uniforms and the weapons used, identification was impossible. Moreover, the enemy operated swiftly, retreating immediately after a successful strike, causing no casualties, which made tracing them virtually impossible.

Dê Méng Nóng waved his hand solemnly, signaling for quiet. “Comrades! The situation is urgent. Considering the sequential disappearances of our two submarines, coupled with this incident, we can definitively state that a nation is acting behind the scenes!”

Everyone stood up in unison. “General Secretary, give the order!”

Dê Méng Nóng stated firmly, “The entire army is to be on high alert, coastal defenses strengthened! If enemy contact is made, engage when necessary! We must let the whole world know Yuè Nán’s determination and courage in defending our territory!”

“Yes!”

The fishermen, despite their current need to flee, remained surprisingly cohesive. When they saw Old Man Shen’s Shunfeng slow down, they reduced speed to inquire. However, they paid no heed to the signal Cai Bao’er flashed: ‘All safe, continue fishing.’ It seemed our credibility was still quite low.

The two Yuè Nán ‘Scorpion’ H-class missile fast attack craft were now close enough to touch. They didn't attack immediately. After a brief standoff, a loudspeaker on their vessel blared to life, broadcasting in Chinese.

“Attention Great Dragon Country fishing boats, you have entered the range of our navy’s exercise zone. Please depart immediately, or we will implement forceful expulsion!”

Old Man Shen was frantic, but since we controlled the boat, and he knew the strength of the three of us, he could only stand by helplessly. Shen Langhua, however, showed less fear, taking her father’s hand to calm his nerves.

Cai Bao’er stood at the bow and bellowed, “Damn your ancestors! Expel us? Who authorized you to hold exercises here! This is the fishing ground generations of Great Dragon Country fishermen have used! You sons of dogs, get out of here!”

Although Shen Langhua was bold, Cai Bao’er’s sudden outburst startled her. Not because she had forgotten Cai Bao’er only possessed the intelligence of an eight-year-old while feigning madness, but because she feared his recklessness might provoke the Yuè Nán people, which would be disastrous.

“Zhu Er! Are you tired of living? We want to stay alive! They will open fire on us! Turn the boat around quickly; there might still be hope that way.”

Zhu Da retorted to Shen Langhua, “Why are you acting like your father? Why should we be afraid of them? Let me tell you again: why should we obey the dictates of outsiders when we are working on our own land? The more you fear them and tolerate them, the more arrogant they become! Don’t you interfere with what we’re doing today. The three of us brothers handle all the injustices in the world! Unless they apologize to us today, they aren't leaving this spot!”

Shen Langhua felt faint. At this point, she was utterly convinced the three of them had lost their minds. No matter how strong you are, facing down steel giants with cannons and missiles on the vast ocean—weren't they deliberately asking for a beating?

The loudspeaker on the patrol boat blared again: "We are beginning a ten-second countdown. If you do not withdraw from our exercise area immediately, we will ram your fishing boat!"

Old Man Shen grew anxious. "These Yuenam people mean what they say. Stop posturing and leave now!"

I said solemnly, "Old Man, don't worry about us. To tell you the truth, we are precisely the ones who fight the Yuenam people. From now on, our fishermen must unite. If they dare to encroach upon our territorial waters again, we must resolutely counterattack."

Old Man Shen sighed. "That sounds noble, but even the government turns a blind eye to what happens here. What can we ordinary fishermen do? We can't exactly block cannonballs with our bodies."

I guided Old Man Shen. "As far as we know, there is an organization called the Red Dragon. You can seek their protection."

Information was scarce here, and Old Man Shen knew nothing of these matters, yet he said, "No matter who protects us, we need money. Hurry up and go; it will be too late otherwise."

By this time, the countdown from the loudspeaker on the Yuenam missile boat had ended. One missile boat's engine roared to life, and the hull surged forward at full throttle, bearing down on the Shunfeng fishing vessel.

Zhu Da leaped onto the deck. "Rookie, launch the human cannonball!"

Cai Bao'er hoisted Zhu Da up and shouted to me, "Commander Zhao, give him the acceleration!"

Without hesitation, I delivered a solid kick to Zhu Da's backside. Zhu Da shot forward like the wind, streaking toward the Yuenam missile boat at a super-speed of one hundred kilometers per second. The crew on the Yuenam boat thought a shell had been fired. Before they could react, they felt a jarring shock underfoot. Boom! The missile boat's reinforced hull was pierced with a massive hole.

Old Man Shen had taken the helm by then. He quickly spun the boat around, narrowly avoiding the charging Yuenam missile boat. The two vessels scraped past each other. Inside the targeted Yuenam boat, a series of thundering noises erupted—not from the engine, but from internal sabotage. Soon, several explosions followed, and the Yuenam sailors on board began leaping about wildly. The boat drifted dead in the water.

A silhouette carrying a large pack vaulted onto the deck of the missile boat. Without waiting for the Yuenam sailors to fire, he sprang off the deck, returning to the Shunfeng fishing vessel as if gliding effortlessly across the surface.

Cai Bao’er curiously approached the large bag Zhu Da had brought back. "What is it?"

Zhu Da opened the bag. "It's all provisions from those little Yuenam devils! I crashed right into their galley and stuffed this bag on the way out for a little improvement in our diet. Eating only fish and rice would make even an immortal sick of it."

Shen Langhua stared dazedly, her voice trembling slightly. "You... you... you used your head to smash a hole in the boat?"

Zhu Da smirked proudly. "You don't understand that, do you? If the speed is fast enough, any object can be a weapon. I specialize in the Iron Head technique; it’s quite formidable."

Shen Langhua asked again, "Were you flying back just now?"

Zhu Da made up a story. "Of course. We are the Eighteen Arhats descended to the mortal realm, specifically here to rescue you suffering fishermen brethren."

Old Man Shen exclaimed, "You still have the nerve to joke! They are about to open fire!"

Because the other fishing boats were far away, the deck guns on both missile boats were aimed squarely at the Shunfeng. The loudspeaker crackled again: "In response to your blatant war provocation from the Chinese side, the Yuenam military has decided to launch a firm counterattack! We swear to defend our sovereign territorial waters and resources to the death!"

I stood at the bow, spat, and cursed, "Go to hell! Anyone with eyes can see it’s your Yuenam military invading our waters and illegally occupying many of our islands! Now you pull this stunt? Every single citizen of Z-country wishes they could skin you alive and tear out your tendons! I'm giving you one last chance—if you want to live, get out now!"

It seemed there was no reasoning with them. The muzzles of the guns on both missile boats lowered further. Suddenly, smoke billowed out, and two shells shot toward the Shunfeng fishing boat with terrifying speed. Zhu Da and Cai Bao’er shouted in unison, "Good timing! We were just wondering what heavy ordnance we'd use to deal with you!"

The two leaped into the air, meeting the incoming shells head-on. Due to the short distance, the initial velocity of both shells was incredibly high, but Zhu Da and Cai Bao’er’s modified bodies were far from ordinary. They grabbed one shell each, executed a somersault, and redirected the projectiles, using their momentum to send them rushing back toward their point of origin.

Zhu Da and Cai Bao’er used their anti-gravity boosters in their shoes to land lightly back on the Shunfeng. Then, Boom! Boom! Two massive explosions rocked the sea. The two Yuenam missile boats had no time to evade their own shells. Tragically, the boat that had already been breached took a direct hit to its ammunition compartment. With another violent explosion, the hull began gurgling as it sank, while the remaining sailors scrambled desperately for life preservers.

Because Zhu Da and Cai Bao’er had moved so fast, Old Man Shen and Shen Langhua didn't see exactly what happened. They had ducked, bracing for the impact of the shells, only to hear the explosion and find themselves miraculously unharmed. Looking up, they saw the two once-arrogant Yuenam missile boats had been struck by their own ordnance.

The remaining, un-sunk missile boat was busy rescuing survivors and had no inclination to bother us further. Since we achieved our initial objective in this first engagement, staying any longer risked drawing more Yuenam warships. While we weren't necessarily afraid of them, it wasn't quite appropriate for the three of us to challenge those steel behemoths; better to leave those for our fleet.

I said to Old Man Shen, "Old Man, let's head back. We've caught enough fish, and watching them play in the water isn't that interesting anymore."

"Yes, yes!" Old Man Shen responded happily again and again. Truthfully, every one of these fishermen harbored deep hatred for these Yuenam warships. Before, they were powerless, but now, seeing them sunk, Old Man Shen and the others were overjoyed beyond measure.

Shen Langhua turned to Zhu Da. "You three are truly amazing! We’ll have a real feast tonight to celebrate!"

"Really!" Zhu Da and Cai Bao’er cheered. "What are we having?"

"Two pots of white rice and two basins of fish!"

The two instantly fainted in the fish hold. Zhu Da got up and handed the supplies he had looted from the missile boat to Shen Langhua. "Eat these. If we have to eat white rice and fish again, we’ll die."

Shen Langhua examined the food Zhu Da had recovered. "There’s no soil on our small island, so we can’t cultivate anything. Plus, there’s too much sea wind and too many waves; ordinary vegetables simply won't grow. It’s not like we have a choice. You'll get used to it after a couple of years. Oh, I almost forgot. You aren't ordinary people. You’re only staying in our fishing village to hide your identities. You'll probably leave in a few days, right?"

Shen Langhua was a clever girl. Even without today's events, she probably had noticed something before. However, as long as certain things weren't brought up, everyone kept quiet. Now that events had reached this stage, there was no point in maintaining the pretense any longer.

I turned to Shen Langhua. "Miss Langhua, to be frank, we actually are..."

Zhu Da interrupted me. "Miss Shen, to tell you the truth, we are the unparalleled champions known across the world, the benevolent and compassionate, the Jade-Faced Flying Dragon, and the Metropolitan Thunderbolt Trio! We learned that you fishermen were suffering, so we braved untold hardships to infiltrate your area to investigate the situation. Today, we have finally vented some of your anger for you. Now it’s time for you to show us what you’re made of."