"Fire Boss, those Tomahawk cruise missiles are within fifty kilometers of us now." "Then what are we waiting for? Take them out immediately!" Ah Huo commanded.

And so, from the desalination vessel, a crimson beam from the laser weapon shot out, downing eight cruise missiles, followed instantly by another flash that destroyed another eight. "General, our missiles have been shot down again by the enemy." The radar operator watched helplessly as his missiles vanished from the screen; by now, he knew they were being intercepted and destroyed by the opposition.

"Is there anything showing on our satellite imagery?" James felt a sharp pang of loss, even though he was certain the enemy possessed formidable missile defense technology. Watching his missiles disappear one after another was agonizing.

Each Tomahawk cruise missile cost over a million dollars on average; if this continued, even the US government couldn't sustain the losses. "General, our satellite imagery shows a flicker of red light crossing the path of those missiles just before they were destroyed." James peered at the blurry feeds, vaguely catching glimpses of several red flashes before his cruise missiles disintegrated.

When he redirected the spy satellite to focus intently on the flight paths of his aircraft and missiles, he finally detected a subtle clue regarding the Starry Sky Group's mysterious weapon. As James observed the satellite feed, the remainder of his Tomahawk cruise missiles were completely annihilated by the desalination vessel.

"Damn it, this is a laser weapon! I can't believe the Starry Sky Group's desalination ship is armed with one.

Immediately order all fighter wings and bomber formations to withdraw! Where on earth did our intelligence come from..." James panicked and hastily issued the retreat order.

Holding a high rank, he was privy to the progress of America's cutting-edge weaponry research. Lasers of this devastating power had indeed been developed by the US military, earmarked for installation on warships, but their power was matched by a long recharge time, making them impractical.

To find such a terrifying laser weapon on a Starry Sky Group desalination ship—and one capable of continuous firing to down all 120 of his cruise missiles—shocked him. He instantly worried for the safety of the fighter and bomber squadrons already en route to the desalination vessel and rushed the recall order, though it was clearly issued too late.

"Captain, we are now one hundred kilometers from the desalination vessel. Should we proceed?" "Inform the B-1B Lancers behind us immediately to launch missiles...

Hell, what is that? Help!" The squadron commander aboard Sapphire-1 hadn't finished speaking before his aircraft split into two pieces, then four, as he plummeted from the sky screaming.

This occurred after Ah Huo, having ordered the destruction of the second wave of eighty Tomahawk missiles, noticed that the fighter and bomber formations were now only one hundred kilometers away. He immediately ordered the destruction of the aircraft themselves.

The weapons crew wasted no time, unleashing high-energy lasers against the US aircraft. Sapphire-1, flying point, was tragically the first combat aircraft to be destroyed by the laser weapon.

The squadron commander's jet was sliced apart in an instant. By some miracle, he wasn't killed instantly, but as he began to fall, the laser also destroyed the parachute attached to his seat.

This "lucky" American fighter pilot’s fate was sealed: he was destined to become a pancake upon impact. The Super Hornet fighters above watched in stunned silence as the lead aircraft disintegrated.

Before they could react, seven more crimson beams sliced through the air. In a single pass, seven Super Hornets were cut into four sections each and began to drop like dumplings.

Those slightly luckier might eject and parachute out; the unlucky ones were sliced cleanly in half. James's latest order hadn't even reached them before the entire attack squadron was wiped out.

Back at the rear command center, the red lights representing the dozen or so Super Hornets flickered out, turning grey. They then heard a chaotic burst of sound over the comms, followed by cries for help.

Before they could react, the red lights indicating the B-1B Lancer supersonic heavy stealth bombers behind them also extinguished completely. "General, our Sapphire 146th Attack Squadron and their escorting B-1B Lancer supersonic heavy stealth bomber squadron have been completely annihilated." General James, realizing the Starry Sky Group’s secret weapon was the laser, was deeply startled and immediately ordered all frontline aircraft to retreat at full speed.

However, his order had not yet been transmitted before his Sapphire 146th Attack Squadron and the B-1B Lancer squadron were shot down. Major General James quickly stated: "Order our attack and bomber squadrons to pull back immediately at full speed.

If withdrawal is impossible, eject and abandon the aircraft! The power of the Starry Sky Group’s laser weapon is beyond our current imagination.

Simultaneously, connect me to the Pentagon; I need to speak with the Secretary of Defense." Major General James issued new commands, realizing that the Starry Sky Group could maintain absolute aerial defense using only their laser weapons. The desalination vessel was protected by an impenetrable shell, leaving him powerless against it.

Furthermore, the appearance of the laser weapons meant that their proud arsenal of missiles, fighters, and bombers was completely outmatched, placing their forces in extreme danger. He therefore ordered his pilots to parachute out, aiming at least to preserve their lives.

His immediate priority was contacting the Secretary of Defense to request a temporary halt to the operation, thereby avoiding further catastrophic losses in personnel and equipment. Just as Major General James disseminated his new order, another F-4 Phantom attack squadron and the accompanying B-1B Lancer supersonic heavy stealth bomber squadron vanished from the screens, their red indicators turning grey.

The remaining attack squadrons, still over two hundred kilometers from the desalination vessel, immediately executed turns upon receiving the latest directive, preparing to flee the terrifying airspace at maximum velocity. "Fire Boss, our 'Spiritual Energy Fluctuation Radar' shows the enemy aircraft attempting to flee." "Heh heh, it seems our laser weapons have been discovered, which is why they're scrambling to escape.

But they are still within our three-hundred-kilometer range, so let's wipe out every aircraft inside that radius!" Ah Huo sneered. Since his secret weapon had been exposed, there was no need for secrecy; he might as well annihilate the enemy completely!

Under Ah Huo’s command, the lasers aboard the desalination vessel unleashed their full power, systematically purging the skies of US fighters and bombers. The American aircraft, upon receiving the latest instruction, would immediately bail out the moment any aircraft in their squadron was destroyed.

Soon, all US combat and bomber aircraft within three hundred kilometers were destroyed by the desalination vessel’s laser weapons. Aside from the few unlucky ones hit initially, most personnel managed to eject and parachute to safety, resulting in fewer casualties than the initial devastating losses.

The E-2 Hawkeye carrier-borne early warning aircraft, which had been circling three hundred kilometers from the Starry Sky Group, also met their demise. Suffering the same fate were four newly launched Global Hawk UAVs and two E-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft; they were shot down by laser weapons before they could execute even a single mission.

James watched the red lights indicating aircraft status turn grey on his console, his heart aching as he listened to the constant cries for help over the comms. He knew the surprise attack had failed completely.

Operation "Gale Force" had deviated severely from its plan, yielding zero success while incurring massive personnel and equipment losses, leaving the US military heavily crippled. Without a doubt, the blame for this operational failure would fall squarely on his shoulders as the commander.

James connected with the US Department of Defense. He stated into the phone, "Mr.

Gates, I strongly advise immediately halting the offensive against the Starry Sky Group, as I have discovered we know absolutely nothing about them. They possess laser weapons on their ship.

We have already sustained major casualties and equipment destruction. If we press the attack, we risk losing every single plane, and even then, we might not inflict even a scratch on the Starry Sky Group’s desalination vessel." Gates and the top brass at the Pentagon had been monitoring the localized conflict in the Gulf region, though they had withheld specific directives.

Gates recognized the dire situation facing the US forces. He turned to ask, "Mr.

President, the situation has changed drastically. Should we perhaps pause this offensive?

As long as the threat of the Starry Sky Group’s laser weapons remains unaddressed, our military will continue to suffer catastrophic losses." The American President, observing the heavy losses from the Pentagon, felt a chill. He had never anticipated the Starry Sky Group would prove such a difficult opponent—a sharp hedgehog that, instead of being grasped, had inflicted deep, painful wounds upon his own hand.

"Mr. Gates, are you suggesting we have no chance of winning now?" the President inquired.

"Mr. President, if we committed all our military might, victory would undoubtedly be ours.

However, the current reality is that America has numerous interests globally that require protection. Our military strength is already severely stretched..." Gates answered evasively.

The President considered this, glanced at Smith beside him, and concluded, "Then, until we find a countermeasure for the Starry Sky Group's laser weapons, we will temporarily suspend Operation 'Gale Force'!" Receiving the President's assent, Gates let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He instructed James: "Immediately abort Operation 'Gale Force.' All personnel are to withdraw and return to their respective bases." A controller suddenly interrupted James’s transmission: "General, our forces are all withdrawing.

However, one CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter from the Saudi base has flown close to the Starry Sky Group's desalination vessel. Should they retreat as well?" James was baffled: "How did they get there?

Weren't all our planes and missiles intercepted?" The controller replied: "Their CH-47 Chinook utilized the terrain of the low canyons, flying essentially skimming the ground, so they weren't detected. Moreover, they are currently less than five kilometers from the Starry Sky Group’s desalination vessel." "The Starry Sky Group can't detect ultra-low-altitude aircraft?" The thought flashed through James's mind, but he immediately reacted: "Order them back now!

We don't know the true extent of the Starry Sky Group's capabilities; they are flying into a death trap." The controller responded helplessly: "But they have entered the electromagnetic barrier zone; we can no longer contact them." Under Ah Huo's calm command, the Starry Sky Group’s desalination vessel had successfully repelled every incoming missile and combat aircraft, demonstrating overwhelming power that forced the US military into caution and a full recall of their offensive forces. On the display of the 'Spiritual Energy Fluctuation Radar,' all enemy aircraft within three hundred kilometers had been destroyed, and those beyond were rapidly retreating.

The US forces had unequivocally suffered a total rout. Seeing this favorable situation, the crew aboard the desalination vessel finally let out a sigh of relief.

Although the desalination vessel was equipped with the most advanced weaponry, it could not withstand a determined, all-out assault from the full might of the US military. Its success in repelling this attack was largely due to the manner in which the US chose to fight.

The US military traditionally relied on high-tech warfare, emphasizing decisive, single-strike capability. Leveraging their technological superiority, they deploy sophisticated, high-end weaponry.

Warfare typically begins with electromagnetic interference and suppression, followed by precision missile strikes aimed at paralyzing the enemy's command centers and radar, rendering them blind and deaf from the outset. It is this very nature of precision strikes that made the US attacks somewhat thin and scattered; they rarely launched more than a hundred missiles at a time.

After all, these high-tech weapons carried exorbitant costs. Even for the wealthiest government on Earth, unlimited use of such technology was financially unsustainable.

Thus, when the US employed their high-tech arsenal against the Starry Sky Group's desalination vessel, it provided the perfect stage for the Starry Sky Group's laser weapons to shine. By shooting down these small batches of high-tech ordnance, the US forces were left with no viable option but retreat.

However, had the US opted for conventional warfare tactics, encircling the vessel with thousands of large-caliber artillery pieces and saturating it with tens of thousands of cheap shells from the start, even the Starry Sky Group’s arsenal of lasers might have been overwhelmed or destroyed. Fortunately, Liu Hui had previously leveraged threats against Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain to cut off the US ground supply routes to the Gulf, preventing the formidable US Army from participating in the fight against the desalination vessel.

Furthermore, the US’s high-tech specialized units were precisely countered by the Starry Sky Group’s lasers and electromagnetic cannons. Consequently, the Starry Sky Group held a distinct advantage against technologically advanced forces like the US military, but would likely be outmatched if the US reverted to traditional warfare strategies.

Just as celebrations began aboard the desalination vessel, personnel monitoring the imagery returned by the "Starry Sky" Observer suddenly called out, "Fire Boss, something seems wrong." "What is it? What happened?" Ah Huo asked.

"Fire Boss, someone just breached our aerial defense perimeter and is approaching the desalination vessel from the sea level." Ah Huo commanded, "Bring up the visual feed of the intruder." The image transmitted by the "Starry Sky" Observer was magnified on the screen. It showed a figure sprinting rapidly across the ocean surface.

This individual appeared to possess a unique ability, running across the water without sinking, maintaining incredible speed, and rapidly closing in on the desalination vessel. Not far behind this figure, the wreckage of a downed helicopter was slowly sinking beneath the waves, near dozens of US soldiers struggling to swim in the surrounding water.

Upon seeing the figure running on the water, Zhou Tengyun’s face changed drastically. He shot to his feet and declared, "It's a master of the Divine Realm!

I'll go deal with him; provide me with support." From the manner in which the person ran across the water, Zhou Tengyun instantly recognized the opponent as a master of the Divine Realm. Only masters who reach that level gain the ability to glide briefly in the air and execute short bursts of running across the water's surface without falling in.

Ah Huo paused, then watched Zhou Tengyun vanish from the room. In the external feed, Zhou Tengyun leaped into the ocean and began sprinting across the water himself, matching the intruder's speed closely, though slightly slower.

"Laser weapons, prepare for immediate fire support for Commander Zhou," Ah Huo ordered. The two laser weapon mounts pivoted, aiming at the incoming threat, but the enemy’s speed was too erratic, their movements lacking any discernible pattern, making it impossible for the laser weapons to lock on.

Zhou Tengyun sped across the water until he saw a middle-aged Caucasian man running toward him from the distance. This man was Mr.

Bynum, a special consultant for the CIA who had previously appeared in Hong Kong. Seeing Bynum, Zhou Tengyun launched forward without preamble, throwing a punch aimed directly at Bynum’s head.

Bynum was currently executing a special assignment from CIA Director Smith: infiltrate the Starry Sky Group base, rescue hostages, and inflict mass casualties on the military personnel as revenge for the humiliation of having key personnel abducted from the Saudi base. Fearing detection by the desalination vessel's mysterious weaponry, their helicopter had flown extremely low, skimming the surface until it accidentally made contact with a small hump on the water, causing the aircraft to crash.

This very crash noise, however, alerted the "Starry Sky" Observer to their presence. Bynum and his team were deep inside the US electromagnetic interference zone and unable to contact headquarters.

Unaware that the situation outside had completely reversed, they were still committed to the hostage rescue mission. With the helicopter destroyed, Bynum had no choice but to abandon the US soldiers struggling in the sea, leaving them adrift for potential rescue, while he proceeded alone, hoping to retrieve Major General Morrison and Major Karl from the desalination vessel.

Bynum was sprinting at full speed when suddenly a figure materialized on the ocean ahead—another Divine Realm master who immediately launched an attack against him. Bynum pivoted, utilizing his immense speed to instantly shift a hundred meters away, evading Zhou Tengyun’s initial strike.

Zhou Tengyun was momentarily surprised that Bynum’s speed surpassed his own, but he was not deterred. With a powerful lunge, he closed the distance again and renewed his assault.

With Zhou Tengyun’s interference, Bynum’s pace noticeably slackened from its previous breakneck speed.

Just as Biner dodged Zhou Tengyun's attacks several times, a beam of red light suddenly shot out from the desalination ship opposite him, directed straight at Biner. However, due to Biner's incredible speed, the beam did not injure him directly, merely grazing his scalp and burning away a patch of hair and skin, which startled Biner immensely; he couldn't fathom what weapon possessed such power.

In that instant of Biner's shock, two more beams of red light erupted from the desalination ship. These two beams were aimed to completely seal off all possible escape routes for Biner, and they didn't dissipate, ensuring that no matter how he dodged, he would be struck.

At this critical juncture, Biner finally, without any hesitation, unleashed the Vajra Transformation. His body instantly swelled into a giant over three meters tall, preparing to meet the crimson laser assault head-on.

Biner, in his Vajra form, braced to receive the impact of the laser weapons. The result was that the lasers failed to penetrate his Vajra body, yet Biner was temporarily immobilized by the beams, unable to move.

Zhou Tengyun, observing this opportunity from the sidelines, threw another punch toward Biner's back. Biner had no choice but to meet Zhou Tengyun's immensely powerful blow with his own back. The punch landed solidly, eliciting a cry of agony from Biner as he was sent flying. While still airborne, he coughed up a torrent of blood, appearing gravely injured, but in doing so, Biner managed to break free from the immobilization effect of the laser weapons.

A thank you to the esteemed reader: Ye Ming, for the 688 coin reward, and thank you for the 7 update tickets accompanying 9000 characters. However, I must disappoint you again; today's update will still only be 6000 characters, as Qianyu (the author) must manage his own work outside of writing.

Thank you to the readers: Shuyou He and Kaluoqi for your tips.

Thank you to the reader: Heiye Huohua, for your monthly ticket support!

With your attention, this book will only become more brilliant. Thank you! A