The two American soldiers had been injected with a special substance. Desheng then glanced at the watch on his wrist, saying nothing. Precisely two minutes later, the expressions of the two American soldiers suddenly changed, becoming serene.

Desheng nodded toward Zhou Tengyun, and the cameras were activated. Desheng and Zhou Tengyun began their interrogation.

“State your names, ranks, and unit designations.”

“My name is Johnny. I’m from the US Army’s 13th Strategic Detachment, rank Specialist.”

“My name is Binnie, but everyone calls me Firebird. I’m also from the 13th Strategic Detachment, rank Staff Sergeant.”

The two answered every question with meticulous detail, showing no inclination to conceal anything. It seemed the special substance was already taking effect. Desheng and Zhou Tengyun exchanged a look and immediately relaxed.

“Tell us about the mission you were executing.”

“The mission we were executing is designated Operation 998, carried out by our 13th Strategic Detachment. The objective was to acquire the desalination technology aboard the Starry Sky Group’s desalination vessel in the Persian Gulf. We were to use a pretext of helicopter mechanical failure and insufficient fuel to forcibly board the vessel, seize control, and obtain the desalination technology,” Johnny stated.

“What was the plan for the Starry Sky Group employees on the desalination vessel during your operation?”

“If those employees could be controlled, we were to take them all back. If they could not be controlled, they were to be executed on the spot.”

“And then?”

“If we were discovered, we were to claim terrorists had appeared on the vessel and that we were neutralizing them, subsequently labeling those killed as terrorists. If we were not discovered, we were to frame the Al-Qaeda for the killings.”

“Did you have any contingency plans?”

“Yes, we had three operational plans in total. Besides the forced boarding plan, there was Plan B, utilizing a laser-guided missile strike from the Predator UAVs, and a third plan involving a nuclear submarine beneath the surface attacking the desalination vessel. The details of these plans were…”

“Who was the commander for this operation?”

“Our commanding officer was…”

Under the witness of the two cameras, these two American soldiers began to recount in detail the specifics of their mission, including the exact personnel codes and command structure of their unit. With the recording from these two cameras, the Liu Hui now held a critical vulnerability of the American government in his hands. However, Liu Hui also realized that the low ranks of these two soldiers meant they held little influence within the US military, and their testimony alone would not be convincing. This was why he had specifically dispatched Zhou Tengyun and Desheng to the Persian Gulf to execute a stunningly audacious capture operation.

Before dawn broke the next day, the Starry Sky Group’s desalination vessel ceased supplying fresh water to Saudi Arabia. This decision was made personally by Liu Hui after consultation with Abdullah. During this sensitive period, Abdullah understood Liu Hui’s reasoning, especially since the existing reserves of fresh water within Saudi Arabia were sufficient to last ten days.

Once the desalination vessel halted its supply to Saudi Arabia, its onboard desalination units shut down. Furthermore, the Saudi liaison personnel aboard the vessel had already been discreetly removed earlier, leaving the vessel entirely in the hands of Starry Sky Group personnel.

Then, a large machine, recently installed on the vessel, began its operation. It drew vast amounts of seawater from the ocean. This water then underwent several conversion processes within the machine before emerging as immense quantities of white steam. This white vapor diffused into the air, lingering for a long time, gradually enveloping the Starry Sky Group’s desalination vessel.

As the volume of white steam generated by the massive machine increased, the area above the vessel slowly became obscured. Gradually, a thick white cloud formed above the desalination ship. This cloud hovered motionless, successfully blocking the US military’s attempts to spy on the vessel from space, rendering their reconnaissance satellites incapable of observing the ship's activities.

Uncertain of the Starry Sky Group’s next move, with Middle Eastern military deployments still incomplete, and wary of the threat posed by the mysterious weapon aboard the desalination vessel, the US military refrained from dispatching reconnaissance aircraft near the vessel. After successfully shielding itself from US detection, the desalination vessel immediately commenced the installation and calibration of the equipment transported by the Starry Sky Two dedicated transport.

As night fell, Zhou Tengyun and Desheng, leading a cadre of trusted subordinates and specialized gear, evaded US visual range, departed the desalination vessel, reached Dammam Port, and began their journey toward the US military base within Saudi Arabia.

The US military base inside Saudi Arabia was ablaze with light at this hour. Aircraft continuously took off and landed on the airfield, while massive loading vehicles moved staggering amounts of strategic supplies brought in by transport planes. Armed helicopters constantly patrolled the skies, casting beams from their nose-mounted searchlights that illuminated the entire base in minute detail, ensuring nothing below escaped their observation.

Down below, the various surveillance systems covering the base were fully active, maintaining 360-degree, omnidirectional monitoring to ensure no unauthorized flies could penetrate the perimeter. Fortifications ringing the base were heavily armed, their black muzzles pointing in every direction, ready to unleash a barrage should any issue arise.

Zhou Tengyun stealthily approached the US base. Dressed entirely in black and wearing a clown mask, he stood atop a small mound beside the base. He took a deep breath, circulated his internal energy, and leaped downward, dashing toward the base wall like lightning. His speed was astonishing; he reached the outer perimeter instantly, then jumped upward, floating effortlessly over the wall and into the base interior.

Without pausing, Zhou Tengyun merely scanned his surroundings before flashing into a barracks. He clamped his hand over the throat of an American soldier just exiting the building to relieve himself, dragging the man into a nearby dark recess. He whispered close to the soldier’s ear, “If you want to live, don’t shout.”

The American soldier, clearly unprepared for abduction within his own base, was so terrified he wet himself. However, he quickly regained composure; his current demeanor determined his survival. The masked man before him possessed immense strength; any resistance would be futile. He immediately abandoned resistance and chose cooperation, though he could only nod silently to confirm understanding.

Zhou Tengyun slightly eased his grip and asked, “Where are Major Karl and Major General Morrison housed?”

The soldier whispered, “There are three two-story buildings to the southwest. All the officers live there. I don’t know the specific room numbers for Major Karl and Major General Morrison, though.”

Zhou Tengyun tightened his grip, instantly snapping the soldier's neck. He cursed, “Damn dog, even wetting himself.” He carefully concealed the body behind something and rapidly headed southwest.

“Chris, do you see something odd with our monitors?” an American soldier in the surveillance room asked.

“Heh, Cooper, I think you’re being paranoid! The screens look fine. Look here, aren’t those our patrol soldiers? Their times and routes match our data. How could anything be wrong?” Chris said, gesturing toward the monitors.

“But I keep feeling something is off. Look here, the monitor for this sector suddenly showed static, then normalized. And look here, this spot also flashed static before clearing. It’s like the static is contagious,” Cooper insisted.

“That is strange, but the static disappeared almost immediately—less than two seconds each time. And our sentries are still on the screens; they haven't raised any alarms. It should be fine, right?” Chris admitted, noticing the brief snow bursts.

“I hope I’m just mistaken!” Cooper sighed, his gut telling him that the night’s events were abnormal, yet he lacked concrete proof.

Zhou Tengyun moved southwestward, his speed like a gust of wind, covering great distances instantly. The guards on duty noticed nothing as he passed. Zhou Tengyun carried a signal jammer manufactured by the Starry Sky Group, which caused the static flashes on the surveillance screens as he passed. Because his speed was so great, he passed beyond the monitoring field of view quickly, resulting in extremely brief static bursts that appeared as minor equipment glitches rather than anything suspicious. Given his current cultivation at the Foundation Establishment stage—equivalent to the realm of gods among mortals—entering the US military compound posed absolutely no pressure.

Zhou Tengyun arrived before the three barracks housing the US officers. He flowed past like the wind, and the sentry standing guard suddenly vanished. Zhou Tengyun carried the guard into one of the small buildings and coldly stated, “Tell me the residences of Major Karl and Major General Morrison immediately, or I won’t hesitate to kill you and search myself.”

The sentry, who had only felt a rush of wind and a dizzying shift before finding himself inside the small building, held by a masked man, was immediately terrified, realizing the captor's power far exceeded his own. He immediately whispered, “Major Karl is in Room 203 of this building. Major General Morrison is in Room 102 of the second building outside.”

Zhou Tengyun grunted, his thumb pressing against the soldier's neck until the man slumped into unconsciousness. He laid the soldier down, then swiftly dashed upstairs. Finding Room 203, he pressed his palm against the door, secretly channeling energy. The door clicked open silently.

Zhou Tengyun flashed inside. Able to see perfectly even in the darkness, he instantly spotted a middle-aged white man lying on the bed. Grabbing nearby clothing, he found an identification card inside. A quick look confirmed it was Major Karl’s ID; the photo matched the man on the bed precisely.

Zhou Tengyun moved forward rapidly and swept his right hand across Karl’s neck, knocking the Major out of his sleep into unconsciousness. He hoisted Karl over his shoulder and vaulted out the window, his movements still impossibly graceful, as if Karl weighed nothing.

Carrying Karl, Zhou Tengyun entered the second building and easily accessed Room 102 in the same manner. He headed straight for the bedroom and saw a white man lying on the bed, his eyes open as if deep in thought.

The white man was visibly surprised by Zhou Tengyun’s sudden intrusion, but his reaction was swift; his hand dove under the pillow for a weapon. However, Zhou Tengyun seemed to teleport, appearing instantly beside him and delivering a punch to the man’s neck, sending him into unconsciousness as well.

Zhou Tengyun began searching the room and found Morrison’s ID on the desk. Comparing the photo confirmed the man he’d just knocked out was Morrison. Suddenly, Zhou Tengyun’s expression shifted. He picked up a document from the desk—its designation was 988. He instantly recalled the words of the two American soldiers and knew this was the mission file concerning the seizure of the Starry Sky Group’s desalination technology. A flicker of joy crossed his face as he tucked the file into his pocket. He then slung Morrison over his other shoulder and swiftly exited the room.

Having captured his targets, Major Karl and Major General Morrison, and secured a vital document, Zhou Tengyun considered the operation a perfect success. Bringing back these two key witnesses would complete his assignment.

Just as Zhou Tengyun burst out of the room, preparing to accelerate his exit from the base, he sensed danger. He smoothly shifted ten meters to the right, and where he had stood moments before, a violent explosion ripped open the ground, leaving a massive pit still emitting white smoke.

Immediately, powerful lights flooded the area, and a mass of armed American soldiers appeared surrounding him. Above, a fully armed Longbow Apache helicopter descended.

A voice boomed from a loudspeaker: “This is the military! You are surrounded! Immediately release Major General Morrison and Major Karl, and your life will be spared. Otherwise, you will be shot on sight!”

It turned out that Cooper in the surveillance room had finally noticed a critical anomaly. He connected the routes of the monitors that had successively displayed static and discovered the path led from the outer wall directly to the officers’ quarters in the southwest corner. He began focusing on the three two-story buildings in that area and noticed the sentries who should have been standing guard were gone. Cooper immediately sounded the alarm, alerting the US patrol units outside.

Zhou Tengyun’s movements were incredibly fast. Just as the US patrol soldiers arrived and began setting up an ambush, Zhou Tengyun had already completed his mission and was leaving. A hidden US sniper fired a 20mm round, but Zhou Tengyun dodged it. Only when the sniper clearly saw the figures slung over Zhou Tengyun’s shoulders did he secretly thank fate that the bullet missed; otherwise, he would have shot and killed his own commanding officer, General Morrison.

Zhou Tengyun narrowed his eyes. He realized he had been detected by the base’s troops after all. But with his current overwhelming power, the surrounding soldiers posed no threat. He accelerated, appearing as if instantaneously eighty meters away, breaking through the encirclement of the soldiers.

“What happened? Where did the enemy go?”

“Look! He’s way over there…”

The surrounding soldiers panicked when Zhou Tengyun vanished from their front. Someone then spotted his figure in the distance and shouted.

But Zhou Tengyun’s speed was beyond their comprehension. He accelerated again, covering another eighty meters, and delivered a kick that struck and killed the sniper hiding in the shadows. With several more bursts of speed, he reached the perimeter wall while the American soldiers remained rooted to the spot, unable to keep pace.

Zhou Tengyun took a stride, about to clear the compound, when he realized that while the ground troops couldn't catch him, the Longbow Apache helicopter above could match his speed. Seeing him about to escape, the helicopter disregarded the safety of Morrison and Karl and launched a rocket barrage. Although Zhou Tengyun evaded the missile, his speed was instantly checked.

Despite his power, Zhou Tengyun was ill-equipped to fight high-altitude attack helicopters, especially while carrying two captives, leaving him few options to attack the aircraft. He could only rely on rapid movement to evade the rocket attacks. As his escape speed was being neutralized by the helicopter, several more Longbow Apaches scrambled from the base.

The pilot of the lead Longbow circling overhead was stunned by Zhou Tengyun’s terrifying velocity, but upon spotting the additional Apaches emerging from the base, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Once the reinforcements arrived, they could corner Zhou Tengyun, rescue Major General Morrison and Major Karl, and capture this powerful intruder.

Seeing the Longbow Apaches clinging to him like burrs, Zhou Tengyun let out a cold sneer and emitted a strange cry. Following this cry, a cannon shell flew at extreme speed from the small hill in the distance, hitting the leading Longbow Apache in a flash. Then, five more shells followed, striking the five Longbow Apaches flanking Zhou Tengyun. All six helicopters exploded, becoming massive fireballs that crashed to the ground, followed by booming secondary blasts.

In an instant, the seemingly invincible Longbow Apaches were all shot down by unknown projectiles. From the direction of the distant hill, a strangely shaped aircraft flew low across the ground, its speed phenomenal. In mere moments, it reached Zhou Tengyun. Its braking system was exceptional; it halted precisely in front of him. The craft hovered, a window slid open, and Zhou Tengyun, with his two prisoners, jumped inside.

Inside the peculiar aircraft was Desheng and his team, waiting to extract Zhou Tengyun. Desheng asked, “Commander Zhou, what’s the status?”

Zhou Tengyun replied, “The mission is complete. We can return now.” He then tossed the two US generals he was carrying onto the seats inside the craft.

Desheng let out a breath of relief and immediately ordered, “Prepare for immediate return.” The aircraft turned, ready to retrace its path.

“Three US F-15 fighters are closing in from behind!” a subordinate suddenly shouted.

“They really don’t know when to quit, still daring to pursue us. Launch electromagnetic railgun rounds immediately and wipe them out,” Desheng sneered.

Three cannon shells rapidly burst forth from the strange aircraft, precisely striking the three F-15 fighters approaching from the distant sky, transforming them into blazing torches that plummeted to the ground before detonating.

Having neutralized the aerial threat, the bizarre aircraft accelerated, swiftly departing the US military base.

It took less than three minutes from the moment Zhou Tengyun broke free from the encirclement until all six Longbow Apache attack helicopters and three F-15 fighters were utterly destroyed. Only then did the US military personnel inside the base manage to react. By that time, Zhou Tengyun and his group had already made a clean getaway, leaving the American base behind them engulfed in chaos.

My thanks to book friends: Da Han Guo Xing Liu and Kan Shu → Zuo Pang for their tips. And thanks to book friend: Ye Ming for a 300 coin tip. Also, thanks to book friend: Ye Ming for 4 tickets for 9000-character updates, though I have disappointed you; today’s update is only 6000 characters.

Thanks to book friends: Tian※Xia and Hun Dun づ Xing Chen for their monthly vote support.

Qian Yu Chu Hai needs to emphasize one point: to those who claim I only update once a day, please kindly check the word count of each update. On average, it is no less than 6000 characters per day. If I were to split this single update into two chapters of 3000 characters each, that would count as two updates. Therefore, please do not judge my updates based on the single-post count; it’s better to look at the actual character volume!

As I always say: this book becomes more brilliant because of your attention. Thank you! A