I built an armada.

A coded message from a military base?
What sudden event has occurred that has prompted the military base to contact us so urgently?
Could it be that the USS Enterprise is already at its limit and is about to be completely sunk by the Longxia Navy?

If it weren't for this, Douglas really couldn't think of any urgent matter that would make the military base contact him in such a hurry.

If his guess was correct, then he could only apologize to Willis. It wasn't that he hadn't tried, but he simply couldn't make the carrier fleet move there instantly.

The carrier-based aircraft squadron that was previously sent to provide support was blocked by the Longxia Navy's ambush fleet. What could he do?
He had the will but not the ability; he was just an ordinary person.

After these chaotic thoughts surfaced, Douglas looked at the radar screen with some helplessness. It was still as clean as ever. At this moment, the communications soldier who had deciphered the code hurriedly reported, his voice trembling.

"Reporting to the captain, General Koro said in a coded telegram that the medium-range ballistic missile launched by the Longxia tribe was aimed at our ship!"

"What? The target is my ship?"

This news was like a bombshell, leaving Douglas stunned and speechless!

It hasn't been long since the USS Enterprise was hit by a ballistic missile, has it?
How did it suddenly happen to me?

Holy crap, this is unacceptable! Why would the Dragon Summer Tribe attack him? He just arrived in the Eastern Continent Sea Area on a mission, and he hasn't even had a chance to settle in yet!
What did they do to deserve this? Could the military base have made a mistake?
In an instant, Douglas thought about many things, but he was at a loss and completely baffled.

It's perfectly normal for him to have such wild thoughts, since he couldn't think of a better way to deal with it, since it was a ballistic missile, not an ordinary missile.

If it were an anti-ship missile attack, or some other fighter jet, he probably wouldn't even lift an eyelid and would immediately issue a kill order.

But what can be done now? The USS Condor was beaten so badly that it was unable to fight back and was eventually paralyzed, reduced to the point where it could only rely on other warships for protection. If the USS Condor also suffered the same fate... Douglas didn't dare to think about it any further; the thought was terrifying.

While the USS Condor carrier fleet was still sailing in the Pacific Ocean, he fantasized about taking a good rest after arriving at the Eastern Wilderness tribe, becoming a carefree emperor, finding a few beautiful girls to accompany him, and doing whatever made him comfortable.

As he approached the waters of the Eastern Wilderness Tribe, he received a mission to reinforce the USS Enterprise. However, the carrier air wing he dispatched was unexpectedly blocked and forced to turn back. From then on, he felt that he should not be high-profile and that it was already quite good if he could safely reach the relevant base.

It could be said that his hopes were repeatedly lowered, but he did not expect that this was not the lowest possible outcome.

Now it seems that it wasn't the lowest possible outcome. He had been too optimistic. Reality was far more cruel than he had imagined!
That was a ballistic missile capable of hitting an aircraft carrier; how could he possibly be safe? He already feels incredibly lucky to be alive!

If that ballistic missile could hit the USS Enterprise, why couldn't it hit the USS Condor? Therefore, he dared not gamble, nor did he have the capital to do so.

If the Yunfan II anti-ship ballistic missile were to hit the USS Condor directly, he would be devastated. Even if he survived, he would ultimately have to return to China for a major overhaul of the carrier.

Before it can even be confident in its deployment mission, it has to go back for major repairs. How can it hold its head high in front of so many aircraft carrier captains?
If someone suddenly said at this moment: "Douglas, weren't you going to the Eastern Wilderness tribe to enjoy a carefree life? Why did you suddenly turn back halfway?"
These words were utterly devastating, becoming the biggest stain on his military career.

Before coming to the Eastern Wilderness Tribe, he had mobilized his troops to enjoy a carefree and happy life in the tribe, eating hot pot and living a wonderful life. He had imagined everything to be extremely beautiful. But now he suddenly received news that he was going to be hunted down by ballistic missiles launched by the Dragon Summer Tribe!

My goodness, this is going to kill me! It shattered all his promises and will ensure he can never recover!

Suddenly, he felt so miserable! He almost cried.

After taking several deep breaths, Douglas asked nervously, "Could it be that General Coro has mistaken the person for someone else?"

The communications officer was also a bit confused, but after glancing at the contents of the coded message, he reported truthfully to his superior: "Reporting to the captain, I don't know if General Koro made a mistake, but that's what the coded message said."

Douglas scratched his head with both hands, looking very troubled.

He then turned to the radar monitor beside him and asked directly, "Have any unusual targets been detected in the airspace so far?"

In fact, he had specifically checked the radar display beforehand and found that the airspace was very clean, with no trace of any abnormal targets except for his own carrier-based aircraft.

Besides, even if the incoming target is a ballistic missile, it should still be detectable, since those things aren't stealthy.

"Captain, the airspace is currently clear," the radar monitor reported truthfully.

"Clear airspace means there are no incoming targets."

Douglas let out a sigh of relief, then reassured everyone, "General Coro must have mistaken the target. Everyone, continue operating with peace of mind and make sure everything goes smoothly."

The people in the main control room nodded in agreement and turned to continue operating the instruments and equipment in front of them.

Despite their outwardly calm demeanor, they were not at ease, as no one could guarantee that it wouldn't happen, nor was it just a baseless rumor.

After giving everyone a deep look, Captain Douglas slowly walked to the porthole and looked out. The ocean was still pitch black, like a monster with its gaping maw ready to devour everything around it.

The dark clouds in the sky were gradually dissipating, and a full moon slowly revealed half of its face, casting its cunning moonlight upon the churning ocean, but it could not dispel the darkness.

At this moment, the first mate leaned closer and whispered, "Captain, how credible is the message from General Koro?"

Douglas merely glanced at him without responding to anything.

"captain."

The deputy captain turned and glanced at the operators, then reported truthfully, "Regardless of how credible the contents of that coded message are, it has already affected the morale of our troops."

Douglas didn't say anything, nor did he make any unnecessary movements; he just kept looking outside.

In fact, he was well aware that the medium- and short-range ballistic missiles launched by the Dragonxia tribe had accurately hit the USS Enterprise, directly causing it to be paralyzed.

Moreover, he had previously stated that it was a fluke, an occasional hit. Even the Eagle Tribe and the White Bear Tribe did not possess the technology, yet the Dragon Summer Tribe did. Why was he so skeptical? However, no one could guarantee that the next ballistic missile would not hit the Vulture aircraft carrier, thus creating immense pressure.

"Captain, how about we perform a maneuver, taking an S-shaped route, just in case of extreme situations?"

Seeing that Douglas still didn't speak, the vice-captain took a deep breath and voiced his thoughts.

Upon hearing this, Douglas turned and gave the vice-captain a deep look, his face serious, and asked, "Do you think the Dragonxia Tribe will attack us next?"

The vice-captain was visibly taken aback, and began to wonder to himself.

Captain, there's no need for a reason, okay? We've become the only aircraft carrier fleet with full armament in this area.

If the Longxia tribe doesn't target us, who else could they target? A ballistic missile is very expensive, you know, and it needs a target that matches its value.

"The reason why the Dragonxia tribe chose to attack the Enterprise aircraft carrier is that they were clashing with the Dragonxia Navy on the battlefield, and they had also blocked the Dragonxia Navy's entrance several years ago. It can be said that they have a deep-seated hatred for them."

Before the vice-captain could speak, Douglas began to explain, "But we haven't entered the battlefield. We've only just arrived in the Eastern Wilderness territorial waters. The carrier air wing we sent out to provide support was attacked by them, and we lost several aircraft."

"No matter what, we should be the ones seeking revenge for the past, not the other way around."

The vice-captain gave Douglas a deep look, and immediately understood.

The fact that Douglas could say such a thing proves that even now, he still doesn't see himself as an enemy of the Dragon Xia Navy, but rather as the victim.

From this perspective, Douglas's words were indeed correct, showing that he was somewhat aggrieved and unhappy to be beaten without having done anything. On the other hand, Willis, having a previous grudge and now allied with the Eastern Wilderness Tribe's navy against the Dragon Summer Tribe, had a legitimate reason to be attacked.

"Moreover."

Douglas continued, "What good would they gain from fighting us? They can't just fight for the sake of fighting, can they? Wouldn't that just be stirring up trouble?"

“We have never provoked them or attacked them from the beginning. It is clear that we are well-behaved, unafraid of aggression, and have already made concessions.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the vice-captain couldn't help but remind him directly: "Captain, we are currently in a state of hostility with the Longxia tribe. Our reconnaissance aircraft are still searching for the Longxia naval fleet. You also gave orders to immediately concentrate fire and attack once they are spotted."

"Therefore, we are not innocent, nor have we left the battlefield!"

Sure enough, as soon as he said that, Douglas immediately shut his mouth. He had forgotten all of that and was only concerned with portraying himself as an innocent victim of the battlefield.

"Hey!"

Douglas couldn't help but sigh deeply and replied helplessly, "How could I not know all that? What I said just now was just an attempt to portray myself as a victim, to comfort myself and soothe everyone's tension."

"Why did you have to tell me the truth? It's so bloody, it completely refutes me."

"How can I boost morale now? How can I reassure everyone to operate the ships and carry out the next combat missions?"

"If I can't even convince you, how can I convince everyone else?"

The vice-captain was immediately embarrassed, wishing he could carve out a one-bedroom apartment with his thumb, crawl inside, and never come out again. He hadn't expected Douglas to pull this stunt so suddenly, without even giving him a heads-up.

Just then, the radar monitor's anxious and terrified voice suddenly broke the awkward atmosphere between the two, and also made the atmosphere in the main control room tense.

"Captain, radar has detected an incoming missile at an altitude of 34km. The speed... damn it, the descent is too fast..."

"It has already broken through Mach 13, and the speed is still increasing dramatically."

"Captain, according to computer calculations, the incoming missile is targeting our ship!"

These words shattered Douglas's last remaining hope, leaving his face filled with frustration and helplessness.

He knew very well that all the excuses he had just made had collapsed and become a joke.

The urgent coded message from Koro was not fake news, but rather a notification to prepare for air defense and missile defense.

The second medium-range ballistic missile launched by the Longxia tribe was aimed at the USS Condor aircraft carrier, with the goal of crippling it, just like the USS Enterprise!
In an instant, panic gripped the entire main control room, and everyone felt a dark cloud hanging over their hearts, as if lightning was flashing and thunder was striking.

The Enterprise's experience did not prevent them from avoiding danger. Even if they knew, what could they do? They had no way to defend against ballistic missiles!

It was said to be a fluke before, but who can guarantee that something unexpected won't happen?
What if it happens? If it hits, it's a 100% hit rate, which proves that the Longxia tribe has mastered the technology of using ballistic missiles to attack aircraft carriers!
In an instant, everyone in the main control room panicked.

"Captain, Captain, the target is really here."

Seeing that Douglas remained unresponsive, the first mate shook his arm vigorously and shouted, "It's time for you to step up and take charge. Give the orders now!"

Realizing what was happening, Douglas shuddered and took several deep breaths before saying, "Everyone, listen to my command, abandon all illusions, and prepare for battle."

"The fleet has initiated the first-level missile interception procedure. All ships are to take action!"

Once the highest level of combat readiness was activated, the entire main control room became a hive of activity, filled with the clatter of keyboards as everyone was fully engaged in the anti-missile mission, as if wound up tight.

As for what happens next, will they be able to shoot down the incoming ballistic missile? (End of Chapter)