It turned out those hundred-plus fighter jets were indeed looking to ‘get intimate’ with the Japanese. Judging by their models, there were bombers and fighters among them. The bombers headed straight for the Japanese Hachihachi Fleet, while the fighters engaged the twenty-two F-15Ms, with roughly fifty aircraft in each group.

The twenty-two F-15Ms were completely stunned by the sight. Seeing the opposition approach, they panicked and launched surface-to-air missiles to intercept. If only they hadn't fired first—the moment they did, they were met with a devastating barrage from the enemy. The fifty-plus unmarked fighters first repelled the opponents' initial volley, immediately following up with counterattacks of their own air-to-air missiles.

The F-15Ms stood no chance. Setting aside the advanced nature of the enemy's dogfight missiles, the sheer two-to-one ratio of the dense firing meant the Japanese pilots had no option but to flee immediately.

In that first exchange, the Japanese lost six F-15Ms. Then, with a swift maneuver, the enemy launched a second wave of missiles. This time, the Japanese suffered terribly. Being chased and pounded from behind, and with the missiles’ speed and guidance precision far exceeding their imagination, the remaining sixteen F-15Ms were wiped out—taken down collectively!

The Japanese Hachihachi Fleet couldn't provide anti-air artillery support to their fighters because they, too, were facing imminent bombing runs. Because the enemy appeared so suddenly, their defensive missiles hadn't even entered launch positions before the bombs were raining down. Although a few anti-air cannons managed to fire, making loud thuds against the bombers' hulls, they failed to inflict any damage whatsoever. It seemed ordinary shells were useless against that protective armor.

Bombs fell like a relentless rain, and instantly, explosions flared across the Japanese fleet. Some smaller missile boats couldn't withstand a single bombing run and sank directly into the water, leaving scores of sailors floundering and calling for help. Two Kongo-class destroyers were hit by several bombs in quick succession and immediately dropped anchor, losing all power.

The fifty-plus bombers delivered four consecutive waves of bombs, one of which was an anti-submarine ordnance. Two Oyashio-class submarines beneath the surface were struck. The remaining two attempted to escape but were hit by sea mines launched from an unknown location, detonating instantly and sinking to the seabed.

At this point, not a single intact Japanese warship could be seen on the surface. The two remaining Kongo-class destroyers, still temporarily afloat, began taking on water across large sections. Following the explosion of one ship’s magazine, it disintegrated, while the other slowly succumbed to the depths. Soon after, nothing remained on the water but debris and sailors; not a single warship was visible.

Everyone was stunned—the Japanese, the Americans, the Dragon Country citizens, people across the entire world, and even the eight Longteng University students stationed on Oil Rig C. The situation had developed too rapidly, leaving no time for comprehension. By the time they recovered their senses, there was only silence, as the cries of the Japanese sailors couldn't travel that far.

The massive aerial vehicles, having completed their strike mission, swiftly recalled their aircraft. Immediately afterward, their hatches sealed, and they plunged beneath the waves with a deep whoosh, vanishing so completely that even the high-altitude 'Keyhole' satellites could no longer detect a trace. Once the water calmed, it seemed as if nothing had ever happened.

Even the eloquent Mu Fei stammered, “Th-th-this… what in the world was that? Where did those planes come from? Does our country possess weaponry this powerful?”

Gao Sheng drooled slightly, saying, “As far as I know, no. If we had such advanced toys, why would we still be fighting? We could just show them to the Japanese, and I guarantee they wouldn't dare eye the East China Sea for the next twenty years.”

Cui Ling snapped back, “Idiot. If we could have shown them long ago, could we have hammered them into sinking like that just now?”

Shang Gao offered a grim thought, “I fear we've severely angered the Japanese this time; the coming battles will be even fiercer.”

Chen Ge scoffed, “Damn, with power like that, what’s there to fear? Let’s just keep watching. Hurry up and forward the recording back home! Make sure to sign my name. I want the old man to know his son is actually useful for something, so he stops calling me a good-for-nothing squanderer every day.”

The group waited and waited, not seeing anything else until the sun finally sank below the horizon. In fact, the Dragon Country fleet had also retreated. This left the previously ecstatic group feeling thoroughly deflated. They finally set up shifts to guard the platform while the others went to the nearby sleeping quarters to rest.

While their immediate vicinity was quiet, the world outside had been in an uproar since daybreak. Photographs of those massive underwater objects were immediately presented to weapons experts in the US, Russia, the UK, and other nations. Without understanding the operational capabilities of this new weapon, planning the next phase of the conflict was impossible, lest they face unilateral slaughter.

Through an immediate teleconference, the assembled experts began a face-to-face discussion. The US expert spoke first: “Based on the intelligence we possess, this giant weapon must be a derivative of the Mercury-class submarine, a fact we can infer from their naming convention: Mercury—Mars—Venus—Earth. Although Venus and Earth are merely our educated guesses, we have reason to believe this is an Earth-class underwater supercarrier!”

“From the day the Mercury-class submarine was born, it was a specialized weapon for the Red Dragon. Only after its technology was partially declassified was it sold to other nations, but the submarines sold abroad were clearly simplified versions. Based on this, we can confirm that the super arms manufacturer, the munitions maniac dealer, has deep ties to the Red Dragon. Although the aircraft that attacked the Japanese fleet bore no Red Dragon markings, we are certain the Red Dragon was absolutely involved. I just don’t understand why the Red Dragon would favor the Dragon Country so much. Is there some connection between them? If the Red Dragon were a secret military force of the Dragon Country, I wouldn't believe it if you beat me; the Dragon Country couldn't possibly have developed such a force without our knowledge!”

The expert from the Bear Country (also known as Russia) stated: “How was a weapon of this colossal size designed? And how did they solve the power system issue? These are things none of our current nations can accomplish, and given the Dragon Country's technology and industrial base, it is utterly impossible.”

The Japanese expert offered: “Based on visual estimation, it appeared to be a disc shape, leading us to suspect a connection to UFOs. The Red Dragon might very well be an alien organization.”

The others ignored the Japanese expert’s bold hypothesis. The UK expert chimed in: “What concerns us most is its offensive and defensive capability. Looking at the sinking of the Japanese fleet, the attack power of this underwater weapon is extraordinarily dominant. I fear that even two of our aircraft carriers might not match one of theirs. Judging by the estimated displacement, it could exceed the volume of three carriers. Besides the hundred-plus fighter jets we saw, the remaining space inside its hull could likely house other offensive and defensive weaponry.”

The US expert concluded: “It is now certain that the mysterious underwater missiles that shot down three P-3C anti-submarine patrol aircraft were launched by this vessel. Analyzing the performance of the three known classes of Red Dragon submarines, this fortress-class weapon should integrate anti-air, anti-submarine, anti-ship, and strategic bombing capabilities. I fear that nothing short of a nuclear bomb can deal with it.”

After deliberation, all the weapons experts unanimously agreed that the only way to strike this underwater weapon was with nuclear missiles. They even drafted a detailed nuclear strike plan to present to US President Bush.

After reading it, Bush furiously slammed the desk, shouting, “Are these people insane? The enemy has such an advanced weapons system, and the nuclear reactor cores they sold in the Mercury-class submarines are incredibly sophisticated; I suspect their nuclear technology far surpasses ours! If we really use nuclear weapons, first, we won't be able to find them, nor will we know the location of their homeland. Second, whether we have more nuclear warheads than they do is a major question. I fear that before our US nuclear missiles even leave the silos, their bombs will be raining down upon us. We can see this from their previous attacks. Therefore, nuclear attack is absolutely out of the question unless it’s mutual annihilation, and even then, how can we achieve mutual annihilation if we can’t locate the enemy?”

How the Battle of the East China Sea would be fought was now unclear to the Japanese, and the Americans were also stumped for the moment. After a day of noisy arguments, the Joint Fleet finally decided to temporarily redeploy two carrier strike groups from the South China Sea to reinforce Japan. Of course, this didn't mean the US was declaring war on Dragon Country, because by this point, everyone understood that the weapon did not belong to Dragon Country. If Dragon Country possessed such power, why would they still be arguing here? They would have long since recalled their forces and gone home to sleep.

Dragon Country, after firing missiles for half the night, had suddenly become an outsider at the critical juncture. No one in the world was paying attention to the Sino-Japanese war anymore; all focus shifted back to the Red Dragon.

At this moment, an announcement from Dadi Energy finally cleared the confusion in the minds of the various nations. Since the mysterious weapon bore no markings, although suspicion fell on the Red Dragon, it hadn't been definitively confirmed.

Dadi Energy formally announced its acquisition of Dragon Country’s Zhaoyang Energy, taking over all assets under its name entirely. Concurrently, they appointed Fang Chaoyang, the former boss of Zhaoyang Energy, as the company’s President, and his daughter, Fang Yanmeng, as General Manager. All industries registered under Zhaoyang Energy were now under the full protection of the Red Dragon, and any action detrimental to the interests of this company would be met with severe sanctions from the Red Dragon!

The rumors and whispers from the past year were finally confirmed. Now the US and Japan understood why the Red Dragon attacked the Japanese fleet and aircraft: they had encroached upon Dadi Energy’s interests. Oil Rig C happened to be an asset formerly belonging to Zhaoyang Energy!

Over the past year, Dadi Energy had been aggressively purchasing resources worldwide, and corporate acquisitions happened daily. Even US-based Pan-Am Media had been privately bought out; what was one Dragon Country enterprise in comparison?

This development effectively unified the conflicts in the East China Sea and the South China Sea; the enemy had become singular. As for Dragon Country’s involvement, Japan had no time to care now. As long as Dragon Country didn’t invade their homeland, everything else could wait. If they couldn't handle this Red Dragon, all nations would fall, and then what would there be left to fight about?

The US still had capable minds. After President Bush vented his fury, his think tank finally devised a solution. Given that the Red Dragon’s weapons could evade radar scans, it was imperative to immediately equip forces with electronic binoculars. This type of electronic binocular was developed by US scientists specifically to counter the continuous emergence of anti-radar weaponry. Although the detection range was limited due to Earth's angular line of sight, when paired with 'Keyhole' satellites, it could quickly spot the enemy’s stealth equipment.

The latest upgraded models could even perform an electronic eye scan 300 meters beneath the water’s surface, making it difficult for standard stealth submarines to escape detection. To counter the Red Dragon’s elusive submarine forces, these electric eyes were deemed a mandatory standard feature for all warships.

Following the think tank's advice, all Joint Fleet submarines were also required to install these electric eyes. Nearly 300 submarines were then mobilized, divided into three submarine groups, concentrating superior force for a grid search across the South and East China Seas. If any Red Dragon submarine was sighted, they were to be eliminated collectively.

As for surface operations, since they couldn't cope with the immense offensive power of the Earth-class underwater fortress in the short term, they had to pause for now. Once they located the hidden submarines underwater, the wolf pack of over a hundred submarines equipped with electric eyes would attack them en masse, using wolf-pack tactics—they refused to believe they couldn't defeat them. Once the Red Dragon’s submarine force was destroyed, their surface fleet wouldn't survive either.

The entire Joint Fleet immediately suspended all other duties and focused entirely on retrofitting the electric eyes. Three days later, all warships and submarines were successfully equipped, and the wolf packs swiftly launched, supported by several 'Keyhole' satellites overhead, as the comprehensive search operation began its vast sweep.

The group waiting anxiously on Oil Rig C stared out to sea for three full days, their necks practically worn out. During these three days, while they could constantly receive the latest war updates from home via mobile networks, the complete lack of movement at their location became unbearable. Fortunately, these few students had gained minor fame at Longteng University and even within the media circles of Dragon Country. Many admiring young women sent congratulatory messages, giving them something to occupy their time.

The one person who truly had nothing to do was me. All operational plans had been communicated before my arrival. Execution was the responsibility of the leadership of the Three-Dimensional Corps and Xiao Hui and Xiao Yu Di. Because the Second and Third Fleets lacked sufficient human operators, all controls were handled by machine soldiers. It was precisely because of this efficiency that Xiao Yu Di and Xiao Hui took over command of the Second and Third Fleets, as controlling those machine soldiers was far more convenient for them than for us.

During periods of boredom, I would send text messages, exchanging sweet nothings to pass the time, praying for the East and South China Sea affairs to resolve quickly so I could return to my leisurely, comfortable life. Wife secured, home secured, career established—a man who achieves this, needing only a few children to consider his life successful.

One day, He Yuqing sent me a set of photographs. They showed several golden humanoid statues and a few wall murals sketched purely with lines. According to He Yuqing, these were shown to her by Elena. Elena said these golden figures appeared frequently in the prehistoric artifacts and murals she had observed, possibly representing the leaders of some prehistoric tribe.

I examined the golden statues closely. The craftsmanship of the prehistoric people wasn't great; the figures were vague, only showing rough outlines. Two of the figures were clutching objects resembling giant watermelons, one had wings and appeared to be flying overhead, and another was holding two figures with long bodies—likely female. Did prehistoric people also practice polygamy?

As for the line drawings on the murals, they were nothing more than tributes. The protagonists appearing in them were likely the same figures, but some scenes were incredibly violent and bloody, suggesting these individuals were not benevolent souls. However, as long as there was war, there would be no good people; war meant death, even in the most ancient eons.

He Yuqing also mentioned that Elena was conducting an extremely significant experiment. If her experiment succeeded, she would fundamentally change human history.

I paid little attention to these matters. I didn't believe the Americans could get ahead of us. If they had truly invented a time machine, we would already be capable of interstellar navigation by now.

Wolf Pack Two set out with great success, discovering the first Earth-class underwater fortress in the waters east of the Ryukyu Islands. Following the pre-arranged operational plan, the underwater submarine battle commenced.

The Joint Fleet rejoiced upon receiving the news and quickly dispatched the other two submarine groups to reinforce the Ryukyu Islands area. This time, they were determined to sink at least one Red Dragon submarine, or their morale would plummet. Based on all previous engagements with the Red Dragon, there had never been a report of any loss on their side.

Wolf Pack Two surrounded an Earth-class underwater fortress within the operational range of IO Sea. Because they were ignorant of the Earth-class fortress's underwater attack capabilities and were also waiting for reinforcements, the two sides remained deadlocked for a full fifty-six hours without engaging.

Upon learning that Wolf Packs One and Three had established the second and third blockade lines on the outer perimeter, Wolf Pack Two finally received the attack order from the Joint Fleet commander via a surfaced liaison boat. This sent the waiting submarines into a frenzy of excitement. A target with a displacement of 300,000 tons was highly conspicuous; even if they couldn't sink it in one go, they could certainly puncture a few holes.

As the weapons experts had speculated, what lay before the Joint Fleet’s wolf pack was a disc-shaped object, flat on the bottom and slightly convex on top, perfectly resembling the images of popular disc-shaped UFOs today. This design was optimal for reducing drag from air and water and facilitating underwater maneuverability and surfacing.

From the exterior, this Earth-class underwater fortress had no protrusions; even necessary antennae or sensory devices were missing. Unable to locate a structural weakness, the submarines could only target the center of the disc. Instantly, nearly a thousand torpedoes were launched, a dense, dark cloud surging toward the motionless Earth-class underwater fortress.

Under the display of the latest US 'Keyhole' satellites, the colossal object, 300 meters beneath the surface, suddenly emitted ten thousand beams of black light. The black light counterattacked rapidly, enveloping the nearly one thousand torpedoes launched by Wolf Pack Two. Then, an earth-shattering explosion resonated underwater. Nearly a thousand torpedoes detonated almost simultaneously. The powerful shockwave slammed the submarines of Wolf Pack Two on the first blockade line, sending them tumbling several times! Towering waves spread rapidly outward, submerging a small island several kilometers away!

Before the shaken Wolf Pack Two could stabilize, the Earth-class underwater fortress, motionless despite its sheer mass and incredible propulsion, suddenly unleashed another ten thousand beams of black light directly at the Joint Fleet's Wolf Pack Two. It was only then that the multinational submarine forces realized those ten thousand beams of black light were torpedoes.

It was too late. Even if the submarines of Wolf Pack Two dove immediately, they couldn't evade these automatically guided torpedoes designed for both surface and deep-water use. The encirclement had become a circle of death. Nearly ten thousand fully explosive torpedoes, launched in a single salvo, shredded the one hundred submarines of Wolf Pack Two—a mix that included nuclear-powered vessels.

Wolf Packs One and Three, having sensed that things had gone terribly wrong, immediately turned to flee. One hundred submarines were no match for a single enemy vessel; what was the point of fighting? Whoever ran slowest would be left behind to feed the fish.

The commander of the Joint Fleet also issued a retreat order. If that behemoth were allowed to launch two more waves of torpedoes, all the Joint Fleet’s remaining assets would be wiped out.

But it was too late to retreat. The electric eyes on the submarines had already scanned the depths, revealing a thousand Mars-class submarines rapidly ascending. The Joint Fleet had previously used one hundred submarines each to form two outer encirclement rings. Now, the enemy was forming an even denser, larger encirclement with one thousand Mars-class submarines. The Joint Fleet intended to trap the Red Dragon’s forces, but they had instead become the meat in the enemy’s bowl.

This was disastrous. What did two hundred submarines represent to the world powers, let alone the vast number of submariners aboard? Should they fight, or not? If they fought, the two hundred submarines were guaranteed to sink. If they didn't fight, they had no choice but to surrender to the Red Dragon.

In moments like this, the Americans never hesitated—this explained why so many US soldiers were captured during the Korean War. Their guiding principle was to surrender to preserve strength.

Surrender! This was the urgent directive President Bush issued to the Joint Fleet. If negotiations broke down, the remaining two hundred submarines could all be sunk in one final volley, and his presidency would surely end. If he allowed those sailors to die needlessly when victory was impossible, the people of the US, who had already lost loved ones and sons, would drag him from the White House—this was far worse than the Iraq War.

How does one surrender? The participating nations had never established direct contact with the Red Dragon. Should the sailors climb out of their submarines in the deep ocean and hoist a white flag? That was entirely unrealistic.

However, contact underwater via public radio channels was impossible, and time was life. The US immediately sent an urgent appeal to the Red Dragon garrison at the M-base, requesting that the Red Dragon leadership temporarily hold fire so they could sit down and discuss the future development of the world.

A reply came almost instantly. The Red Dragon refused any negotiations with the US. They demanded that the US either publicly announce its surrender to the world or continue the fight.

Bush slammed his desk in anger. Forcing him to utter the word ‘surrender’ to the Red Dragon would be too humiliating. This was unprecedented for the US since its founding. If he did this, his career as president would be over.

But if he didn't comply with the Red Dragon’s demands, they would have to fight on. If he allowed the remaining two hundred submarines to be destroyed in a single salvo, he wouldn't keep his job anyway. The American public, having already lost family and sons, would tear him limb from limb if he knowingly sent those sailors to their deaths—this was far beyond the context of the Iraq War.

The Red Dragon gave the Americans 24 hours to consider the matter; they were, comparatively speaking, being courteous, as a direct engagement would surely have cost Qiaobushi his life.

This certainly left Qiaobushi in an impossible position, aging overnight; by dawn, he finally announced to the world via the media networks: On the battlefields of the East and South China Seas, the U.S. surrenders to the Red Dragon organization!

This news shocked the entire world. Surrendering to a terrorist organization—was this something the Americans would do? But how could outsiders know that two hundred submarines were unaccounted for beneath the waves? One misstep by Qiaobushi could doom them to the deep sea.

The Red Dragon responded immediately: The Red Dragon accepts the surrender of the joint fleet led by the U.S. All warships, submarines, and supply vessels in the joint fleet located in the waters surrounding the East Pacific must be left behind, along with all their weaponry and equipment. The Red Dragon will only permit personnel to evacuate safely, allowing a period of 48 hours. After 48 hours, the Red Dragon will annihilate any vessels and personnel who refuse to accept the surrender.

This sent the world into another frenzy. Everyone had assumed the Red Dragon only wanted a verbal promise from the Americans, that it was a matter of pride. Now, they had laid out an astronomical price. Such a surrender would undoubtedly cripple the U.S. and the other participating nations. Though they hadn't committed their entire naval strength, they had mobilized nearly half of their forces. If they had to give up all that weaponry for nothing, they would have no voice left in the world order.

However, what happened next compelled the participating nations to immediately and obediently comply with the Red Dragon's orders: a staggering number of Earth-class underwater fortresses suddenly emerged in the waters around the East Pacific!

They deployed nearly ten thousand fighter jets to patrol the skies over the Pacific. At that moment, if the Red Dragon leader gave the order, let alone the two hundred submarines underwater, not even half of the surface carrier groups and warships would survive!

These gigantic underwater leviathans transformed into super fortresses upon surfacing. The disc-shaped surface was densely covered with missile silos, the rows of precision-guided high-explosive missiles blinding those aboard the joint fleet. Weapons experts immediately pointed out: Any single missile from the Red Dragon could carry a nuclear warhead; if they intended to strike the U.S. mainland, a single volley of long-range nuclear missiles could scour the entire country.

Under such circumstances, what was the point of fighting? Even ignoring the thousands of Mars-class submarines lurking below, dealing with just these hundreds of Earth-class fortresses was impossible. It was better to surrender early and go home to rest.

Now, even if Qiaobushi wanted to refuse surrender, no one would listen to him. Nations scrambled to organize transport aircraft, ferrying their soldiers home under the watchful eyes of Red Dragon fighters. All the warships and materiel were left adrift at sea. When the Americans publicly inquired about the disposal of these assets, the Red Dragon organization replied: They would be melted down for steel and iron!

The participating nations collectively fainted. How much value could there be in recycling steel and iron? Not to mention the untold millions the missiles alone were worth, the electronic equipment alone was valued in the hundreds of billions. But then they reconsidered: With the Red Dragon's current power, money was irrelevant; a pile of scrap iron was almost more useful.

What was dubbed World War III concluded abruptly, its ending catching the world completely off guard. Although the warships ultimately captured by the Red Dragon were indeed gathered near the port of Wenlai and weren't immediately smelted, the governments of the participating nations shed tears every time they recalled the incident. Now, the entire East Pacific belonged to the Red Dragon. Although the organization made no move to expand its sphere of influence, a mere utterance from them could now send tremors through every nation, forcing them to live their days beholden to the Red Dragon’s mood.

Of course, this did not mean every nation submitted to the Red Dragon organization after their surrender. The U.S. naval base in Hawaii and the various military bases stationed in Japan still existed, but under the suppression of the Red Dragon's immense air power, even routine aerial patrols had to be conducted with extreme caution, lest they accidentally provoke an attack from those ten thousand fighters.

Though the coalition fleet led by the U.S. lost this war, it provided a massive stimulus to U.S. technological development. Post-war research focused intensely on countering Red Dragon weaponry. Electro-eye technology, in particular, continued to be strengthened, evolving into an essential device for all warships and fighter jets, with significantly enhanced resolution and accuracy. Furthermore, the U.S. began developing underwater communication technology, hoping to solve the problem of submarines becoming effectively blind once they submerged.

After the battlefield was cleared, the Red Dragon forces—apart from the surface warships of the First Fleet—vanished almost overnight. Yet, everyone knew they had merely concealed themselves in the vastness of the deep ocean. Even though U.S. Keyhole satellites tirelessly scanned depths up to 300 meters, considering that Mars-class submarines could dive to 1,000 meters, it was hardly a challenge for the Earth-class underwater fortresses to descend to 10,000 meters. If the U.S. wanted to find any trace of them, they’d likely have to wait for the next lifetime.

The East Pacific waters had become the dominion of the Red Dragon. Any fishing vessel flying the Red Dragon flag was given deference by the government of any nation, no matter its origin. Secretary-General Demengnong of Yue Nan was now suffering in silence, unable to voice his bitter plight.

It was he who had initiated what was called World War III. If he hadn't convened the nations for oil protection, none of this would have happened. The leaders of every country now harbored a deep-seated hatred for him, and he dared not mention the oil protection mission again.

News arrived from the Nanwei Island front: fishermen had reportedly landed and begun constructing dwellings, and they had already issued warnings to the garrison troops about endangering personal safety. If they deemed it necessary, they would invite the Red Dragon to clear out the island garrison.

This news was devastating to Demengnong. If the entire joint fleet couldn't stand against the Red Dragon, what chance did his small nation of Yue Nan have in challenging such a force? Yet, abandoning the entire Nansha meant setting back Yue Nan’s economy by twenty years.

Demengnong sought out the Red Dragon through various channels, extending a hand of ‘friendship’ and hoping to cooperate on developing Nansha oil. His request was met with a stern refusal. The Red Dragon stated: The Nansha is an inalienable territory of Da Long Guo. The Red Dragon is merely an international security organization and does not engage in resource management. The subsidiary of Earth Energy signed an agreement with Da Long Guo for Nansha development back in the nineties, and the Red Dragon, having accepted Earth Energy’s request, would provide security. Any action that has harmed or will harm Earth Energy and its subsidiaries will be met with severe retaliation!

Demengnong was dumbfounded. At this point, the nations cooperating with Yue Nan on oil extraction in the Nansha recognized the Red Dragon’s intentions and began preparations to withdraw. No one wanted to provoke the Red Dragon, at least not in the East Pacific. Feilu, Malay, and Indonesia all sent invitations to the leaders of Da Long Guo, hoping to sit down and discuss cooperative development of the Nansha islands.

Under these circumstances, Demengnong was compelled to visit the leader of Da Long Guo in the capital city four consecutive times, seeking what he considered a reasonable solution. However, the Da Long Guo government took a hardline stance this time: Territorial integrity is inviolable. All foreign troop presence and economic activities must cease immediately, or Da Long Guo will deploy its navy to clear them out.

In truth, the surrounding nations feared the consequences even without Da Long Guo deploying its navy. Soon enough, Red Dragon maritime protection vessels arrived at their islands. To ensure the safety of the fishermen, the Red Dragon strictly ordered the garrison troops on the islands to remain confined to their barracks without moving. Subsequently, to further guarantee the fishermen's safety, they confiscated the troops' weapons. This was a clear message: if they didn't retreat now, the entire garrison force would be lost.

After two months of cleanup, the Nansha archipelago finally enjoyed a stretch of clear blue sky, and the Red Dragon fleet navigated its waters unimpeded. No fishermen raised objections, because every fisherman knew that without the Red Dragon, they would still be living in constant fear.

Ming Dao, now an isolated island, had lost all its former belligerence. With the Red Dragon operating in the waters east of the island, the remnants of the U.S. fleet dared not venture into that sea. Consequently, they could not intervene in the Taiwan Strait conflict. If the Americans didn't interfere, Ming Dao would inevitably fall into Da Long Guo’s hands!

The Red Dragon solidified its position during this war; relying on its formidable maritime strength, it could soon advance into the air and onto land. The day it broke out of the Pacific was not far off!

The war had concluded, and the supply ships arrived once more. Consequently, the group of nine managed to return to Longteng University. Mu Fei and the other eight were instantly hailed as heroes, receiving a fervent welcome from the faculty and students of Longteng University. I was technically part of that group, though I did not attend the welcoming ceremony.

This was because the work ahead was overwhelmingly demanding. The formation of the new world order required us to establish a new starting point. Of course, achieving these initial successes was no reason to grow complacent; the path ahead was even more arduous: controlling the entire ocean and dominating the world's economy.

With the Red Dragon’s powerful escort, even though the Americans were fully aware that Huanyu’s satellites provided immense aid to the Red Dragon during the war, they dared not retaliate against Huanyu. If they tried to strike Huanyu, not only would the Red Dragon refuse to let them, but Huanyu’s satellites were not passive; if pushed, they could actively engage and attack U.S. satellites at a two-to-one ratio.

Meanwhile, Earth Energy profited immensely from this war. The nations spent vast resources preparing for war initially, and afterward, they began building new ships and weapons to restore military strength. Most of this wealth flowed directly into Earth Energy’s coffers, making the Fang family father and daughter ecstatic.

The Zhao family was no longer the small tofu-selling company it once was. Through financial warfare, the Western Gold War, the Wenlai naval battle, and the East Pacific War, it had grown into a global behemoth. And I, once an inconspicuous figure, now stood atop this giant as its dashing young master. Heh... the revolutionary struggle must continue, and the pursuit of pleasure must certainly continue...