Liu Hui directed Xiao Hei to swiftly eliminate the USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, a feat accomplished in less than ten minutes, giving him a more immediate appreciation for Xiao Hei's overwhelming combat power.

Xiao Hei turned away from the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, ignoring the American soldiers floating on the sea surface, and continued its advance toward the Persian Gulf. Finally, half an hour later, Xiao Hei reached Dammam Port in Saudi Arabia, where it located the Star Sky Group's cluster of desalination plants nearby.

Aside from Liu Hui and Zhou Tengyun, Ah Huo and the others were completely unaware of Xiao Hei's existence. Xiao Hei was moving with minimal disturbance, generating virtually no sound, so the equipment Ah Huo and his team had set up on the desalination ships failed to detect any trace of it. They were rigorously executing Liu Hui's orders, heightening surveillance of the sea surface, the sky, and the seabed to guard against a surprise attack from the US military, unaware that the superweapon Liu Hui had dispatched to protect them had already arrived.

Upon finding the Star Sky Group’s desalination vessels, Xiao Hei immediately confirmed through its sensory abilities that the four ships were currently in a secure state. Far away in Hong Kong, Liu Hui finally felt a significant weight lift from his heart. He then directed Xiao Hei to leave the Star Sky Group ships and begin patrolling and surveying the waters near the Persian Gulf.

Xiao Hei proceeded along the northwest direction of the Persian Gulf, traveling all the way to the waters off Kuwait. One hundred kilometers south of Kuwait, it detected another American nuclear submarine. Liu Hui instantly ordered Xiao Hei to silently approach the vessel and conduct a sensory scan. By eavesdropping on the conversations of the US soldiers inside, Liu Hui learned that this was the USS Hampton, the very nuclear submarine that had previously attempted to launch a surprise attack from beneath the desalination ships. It had apparently been scared off by the active sonar attack from the desalination vessels and was now hiding near Kuwait. If Liu Hui had not been exceptionally cautious, he might have overlooked its presence entirely.

Since Liu Hui had already discovered the USS Hampton, a US Navy submarine, he naturally intended to destroy it. Liu Hui could not tolerate any remaining US military presence within the Persian Gulf; otherwise, a moment of carelessness on his part could severely threaten the security of the Star Sky Group’s desalination ships there.

Thus, Liu Hui commanded Xiao Hei to charge forward, using its body, over two hundred meters long, to directly entangle the Hampton. Xiao Hei then violently dragged the submarine toward the deep sea, hoping to use the immense deep-sea water pressure to crush the Hampton.

However, Liu Hui was unaware that the maximum depth in this area off Kuwait was barely over a hundred meters, and the water pressure was nowhere near sufficient to crush the Hampton. Xiao Hei swiftly shifted tactics. It used its tail to hoist the submarine high into the air, treating the nuclear vessel like a massive piling, and violently smashed it down onto the hard seabed. After several heavy impacts, the Hampton's reinforced hull was finally fractured by Xiao Hei. Seawater rapidly surged into the submarine, drowning the American soldiers inside, who had already been rendered senseless by the violent motion. The submarine then silently sank to the bottom of the Persian Gulf. Because the submarine had maintained strict radio silence for security reasons, and Xiao Hei’s attack was so sudden, they never had time to send out a distress signal, meaning no one even knew it had gone down.

After quickly neutralizing the USS Hampton, Xiao Hei resumed its patrol and detection sweeps within the Persian Gulf. During this process, it also identified several small warships and conventional submarines belonging to Gulf nations. However, Liu Hui chose not to engage these vessels, as they were not the objective of the Star Sky Group’s current operations, and Liu Hui wished to avoid deliberately provoking an incident.

Xiao Hei traversed the Persian Gulf in a precise zigzag pattern, meticulously scanning the waters, but found no further American military presence within the Gulf. Only then did Liu Hui feel secure enough to let Xiao Hei approach the Star Sky Group’s desalination vessels, where it found a trench to lie in wait, providing silent security protection for the ships.

The Pentagon in the United States, just as night was falling, was currently packed with military personnel in the Defense Department’s conference room. Judging by their shoulder insignia, the lowest-ranking officer present was a Brigadier General.

“Gentlemen, we have just received word that our USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group has been completely annihilated in the Persian Gulf,” Secretary of Defense Gates stated, bringing his hand down sharply on the table to deliver the bombshell news.

“Mr. Gates, April Fool’s Day is long over. Why are you playing such a joke on us, calling us all in at this hour? Our carrier strike groups are invincible; no force on this planet could possibly destroy one—not even the former Soviet Union had that capability. So, this joke isn't funny at all!” remarked one particularly large general, clearly displeased. Since World War II, the US Navy had never experienced the total loss of a carrier strike group. Even during the decades of Cold War confrontation with the Soviet Union, their carrier groups had never sustained even a single attack. It was no wonder he refused to believe the report.

“Gentlemen, I too wish this were untrue, but this is an absolute certainty, and it has already occurred. After verification, our USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is indeed lost, located in the Strait of Hormuz in the Arabian Sea,” Gates said gravely.

“Oh, my God! How is this possible? The Eisenhower Strike Group was one of our most powerful formations. Its hull is incredibly robust; even direct hits from heavy artillery—dozens of shells—might not sink it. How could it be wiped out in the Strait of Hormuz?” exclaimed another general. He knew Gates’s character and recognized he was not one for jokes, so while he believed the news, he was utterly stunned by the implications.

“In the Strait of Hormuz? Have the arrogant Iranians finally declared war on us? Those cunning Iranians dared to launch a surprise attack and destroy our Eisenhower Strike Group! America should immediately declare war on Iran, send their spiritual leader to the scaffold, liberate their people, and bring them democracy!” shouted one zealous general.

A wave of discussion erupted among the generals, filling the room with a cacophony of voices. Suddenly, a clear voice announced from the doorway: “The President has arrived.”

Instantly, the generals fell silent. They rose in unison, turning toward the door. The large doors swung open, and the US President entered the conference room, accompanied by a middle-aged man.

“Please, be seated, gentlemen. I have just heard the devastating news regarding the complete loss of our USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group. This is truly a sorrowful day. I am not a military expert, and I am here to hear your assessment: what exactly transpired in the Strait of Hormuz?” the President asked, his expression placid.

The Secretary of Defense stood and said, “Mr. President, Generals, let us first view the photographs taken from the scene.” The lights in the conference room dimmed, and images began to flash across the large screen on the far wall.

These photographs had been captured by the surviving oiler, the USNS Big Horn. In the crystal-clear images, everyone could see the Eisenhower burning after being struck, the cruiser USS Hue City overturned on the water’s surface, and the desperate sight of sailors being dragged down as the destroyer USS McFaul sank. There were terrifying scenes of the destroyers USS Carney and USS Farragut sinking with no visible escapees, and the fate of the two smaller frigates was even more horrific. The final image froze on the sinking of the oil tanker USNS Sacagawea.

“My God! This is too tragic…”

“Impossible! What kind of weapon could cause this level of damage to our mighty carrier strike group?”

“Heaven above! Most of the personnel aboard didn't make it out. We don’t know how many excellent soldiers we have lost…”

“Mr. President, Generals, you have seen the photos and confirmed that the total loss of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group is not a rumor. That is why we have gathered you here today: to deliberate on how to respond to the annihilation of the Eisenhower Strike Group,” Gates stated expressionlessly.

One general inquired, “Mr. Gates, as I understand it, our Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was usually deployed in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Why was it suddenly positioned in the Strait of Hormuz? The water there is not deep, making it unsuitable for carrier group operations, especially with the threat of Iranian artillery positioned on the eastern shore.”

Gates glanced at the President, who nodded almost imperceptibly. Gates then spoke: “Gentlemen, the reason the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was in the Strait of Hormuz was to execute a top-secret mission in the Persian Gulf.”

“Since the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was destroyed while carrying out this top-secret mission, we demand to know the contents of that mission,” another general stated, a demand immediately echoed by others.

As Gates prepared to speak, the middle-aged man accompanying the President stepped forward. “Gentlemen, the top-secret mission assigned to the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group will be explained by me.”

The President said, “This top-secret mission was formulated by Director Smith of the CIA. Therefore, Director Smith will provide everyone with an explanation.”

Director Smith of the CIA then addressed the room: “Gentlemen, you are undoubtedly aware that the Star Sky Group, located far away in Hong Kong, has developed a new technology for mass desalination of seawater. This new technology not only desalinate seawater rapidly and in large volumes but does so at an extremely low and affordable cost—a cost even lower than pumping groundwater.”

Upon hearing Director Smith’s words, the generals in the audience immediately began murmuring.

“Is such technology real?”

“How is that possible? How can desalinating seawater be cheaper than extracting groundwater?”

“Isn’t the Star Sky Group just a vendor? When did they enter the desalination market?”

Smith waited for the noise to subside before continuing: “You all understand the significance of this desalination technology; it concerns the future development of all mankind. Yet, this technology is currently held by a private corporation, and the owner of this company is a national of the Red Chinese nation. Do you believe this situation inspires confidence?”

“Naturally not. We have long-standing friction with Red China. If this technology remains in their hands, it will certainly pose a major threat to us in the future.”

“Let’s get to the main point quickly!”

Smith continued: “Our government has been in negotiations with the Chinese nation regarding this technology, but China is clearly unwilling to allow us access. They have placed extremely high barriers on our participation in the research of this technology. If we comply with their demands, the United States will lose control over this desalination capability, allowing Red China to hold our future development hostage. This severely damages America’s national interests.”

“And so?” a general asked.

“So, we dispatched our technical personnel to observe and investigate the Star Sky Group’s desalination ships in the Gulf region to assess the reality of this technology and determine if it causes any environmental pollution. However, the Star Sky Group refused our goodwill gesture. They not only expelled our technicians but also captured two of our escorting US military personnel. Furthermore, they destroyed our transport helicopter,” Smith declared, his voice filled with righteous indignation.

“Unacceptable…”

“We should deploy our military and let the Star Sky Group know our strength…”

“Therefore, we dispatched our Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, intending to give the Star Sky Group a show of force in the Persian Gulf. Unfortunately, the unexpected incident in the Strait of Hormuz led to their complete annihilation. That is the entire sequence of events,” Smith stated, weaving truth and falsehood to place all blame for the conflict squarely on the Star Sky Group.

A few astute generals among those present understood the actual situation, but at this uniquely somber moment, they chose silence rather than voicing the truth, lest they anger certain powerful individuals and jeopardize their own futures.

Having established the pretext of the Eisenhower Strike Group’s secret mission, Smith achieved his goal. The room filled with simplistic-minded military men who began loudly condemning the Star Sky Group.

Gates suddenly interjected, “Gentlemen, our purpose here today is to analyze the cause of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group’s destruction and determine our next steps, not to prosecute the Star Sky Group. Can anyone here tell me precisely how our Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group was destroyed?”

The generals below were sharply reminded of their current predicament and immediately fell silent. They were experts in warfare, but analyzing the specific cause of this accident—lacking physical evidence and facing their current military knowledge gap—was impossible for them.

If the attack had come from aerial missiles, that might account for the results, but the surviving US servicemen reported no signs of aerial missile strikes, and US spy satellites positioned over the Gulf detected no missile launches in the Strait of Hormuz.

If the attack came from coastal artillery, the soldiers heard no shelling and no subsequent explosions, ruling out land-based bombardment.

Since the attack originated neither from the sky nor the land, only one possibility remained: the assault came from beneath the sea. However, with so few clues, they could not ascertain the precise mechanism. Yet, they were certain of one thing: the force that struck the Eisenhower Strike Group was absolutely not Iranian. Even operating underwater, the Iranians were no match for the US Navy, and the Iranians were already hypersensitive and terrified of the US military, making a preemptive strike unthinkable. So, who attacked the US Navy?

As the meeting stalled into awkward silence, the President suddenly suggested, “Gentlemen, I propose we form an accident investigation team to immediately proceed to the Strait of Hormuz to investigate what happened to the Eisenhower Strike Group. However, since the Star Sky Group is still holding two of our excellent soldiers captive on their desalination ships in the Gulf, we should dispatch another carrier formation into the Persian Gulf. This force can rescue our soldiers, teach the arrogant Star Sky Group a lesson, and provide armed protection for our investigation team so they do not suffer the same fate as the Eisenhower Group.”

Smith immediately agreed: “Mr. President’s suggestion is excellent, and I concur with deploying another carrier strike group into the Persian Gulf. We cannot allow the Star Sky Group to humiliate the US government and then remain free. This time, we must show them the consequences.”

Gates, standing nearby, suddenly cautioned, “Mr. President, I don’t mean to dampen spirits, but we still haven't determined what destroyed the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group. Analyzing those images, I conclude we encountered a powerful attack from an unidentified underwater weapon against which our strike group was completely powerless to retaliate. If the carrier group we dispatch next encounters this same overwhelming force in the Strait of Hormuz, how are we to respond?”

The President frowned. “Mr. Gates, America possesses the world’s most formidable military might, amassed through annual defense budgets of five to six hundred billion dollars, dedicated to securing our national safety. But now, our national safety is clearly threatened by the Star Sky Group. Therefore, we must deploy our armed forces onto their desalination ships in the Persian Gulf to seize their water purification technology. Only by securing this technology can we guarantee America’s long-term development. Is our military not established to protect national interests? Furthermore, time is critical. If we hesitate now, and the Star Sky Group destroys those desalinators before we act, we will gain nothing. Will we then send our armies to attack China?”

Gates responded, “Mr. President, but until the threat in the Strait of Hormuz is understood, the safety of our troops cannot be guaranteed. We risk a major disaster.”

The President replied, “The Saudi government, in conjunction with Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Kuwait, has formally protested, forbidding us from using their domestic bases to attack the Star Sky Group’s ships. Our route for ground forces has been cut off. Our only recourse is our powerful Navy. For the sake of our national interest, should our soldiers not risk an attempt? If we fail to seize this favorable moment, we may never get another chance. Moreover, we have already lost the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group; if we gain nothing from this crisis, I fear the American people will unseat us tomorrow.”

Gates hesitated, then spoke, "But as we understand it, the Starry Sky Group's desalination vessels are not easy to deal with. They possess a mysterious weapon aboard—a weapon whose projectiles reportedly travel at speeds exceeding Mach Ten. We’ve already suffered setbacks because of this weapon, and we have no countermeasure for it. If we move rashly now, we risk a crushing defeat."

The American President replied, "It is precisely because I know about that mysterious weapon on their desalination ships that I have decided to deploy our formidable carrier strike group against them. Under the overwhelming force of our powerful strike group, those few desalination vessels will be nothing more than ants; they stand no chance against our massive war machine. Surrender will be their only option. This way, we not only exact revenge for our previous losses but also acquire that mysterious weapon and their desalination technology."

Gates shook his head. "Mr. President, but why assume the Starry Sky Group's vessels carry only one type of mysterious weapon? The Starry Sky Group has always been shrouded in secrecy; no one knows the specifics of their capabilities. What if they deploy new, unknown weaponry when we engage? Furthermore, who can definitively say that what transpired in the Strait of Hormuz wasn't their doing? Rushing in blindly might see us repeating the fate of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group."

Gates continuously countered the President’s points, which began to grate on the President’s patience. Yet, since Gates spoke only in terms of real, tangible threats, the President found no immediate way to refute him, so he shifted his argument. "Mr. Gates, I trust your assessment; you are a professional soldier. But have you considered the current state of the United States? Our economy is weak, and military expenditures are becoming increasingly difficult to justify. If conditions do not improve, we will be forced into a global military contraction. At that point, America's worldwide interests will cease to be guaranteed, severely undermining our very foundation. Moreover, if we appear this hesitant when confronting a minor regional company, those rogue nations will surely perceive us as weakened and begin challenging our hegemony—a very troublesome prospect for us. We have already made a move against the Starry Sky Group, so we must see it through to the best possible conclusion. If we retreat without securing any benefits, they will condemn us just the same. Faced with condemnation either way, why not accept their condemnation after gaining substantial advantages? Once we secure this desalination technology, America’s economy will have a safeguard for the future, allowing us to maintain our powerful military. Is that not the case?"

Gates hesitated, ultimately finding himself swayed by the President's logic. He conceded, "Very well, I will defer to the President's judgment! But we must also expedite the investigation into the events at the Strait of Hormuz."

The President sighed in relief. "Until this operation is complete, the complete annihilation of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group must remain classified. No one is to leak this secret under any circumstances. Furthermore, to ensure the success of this next action, we will escalate the conflict level against the Starry Sky Group; we will treat them as a major power. As for the specifics of the operational arrangements, let Mr. Smith explain."

Director Smith, standing nearby, immediately took up the thread. "Since that is settled, let us discuss the precise strategy for this operation!"

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