I built an armada.

The command center instantly descended into chaos, filled with the sounds of communications, keyboard clicks, and officers shouting.

The previous composure and disdain have been completely shattered, replaced by a tension and horror as if a knife were held to the throat.

Almost simultaneously with the chaos erupting in the British tribal command center, similar scenes were playing out to varying degrees in the naval headquarters and air defense command centers of one after another of the European coastal countries, including the High Road Tribe, the Hans Tribe, and the Boot Tribe.

The ghostly appearance of the Longxia fleet on the radar screen completely shattered all the previous assumptions that the Longxia people were just bluffing, or at least would abide by some "unspoken rule" to keep their distance.

Urgent telegrams and transoceanic phone calls were being frantically passed between high-ranking officials and military commanders in various countries.

"They shut down some of the radar and removed the corner reflectors! This is a standard covert approach maneuver!"

"How did they breach our outer early warning network? Why did it take them until they were so close to detect us?"

"Nineteen ships! Including at least two 10,000-ton-class destroyers and more than ten of the latest Aegis-equipped ships! This is a force capable of challenging the regional maritime balance!"

"What do they want? Are they really just here to pick someone up? Or..."

Questions, shock, and even a barely perceptible sense of fear, along with the silent yet massive figure of the Dragonxia fleet, enveloped the entire Europa Sea.

By using this almost showy method, the Longxia Navy announced their arrival and clearly conveyed a message to the entire Western world—the rules of the game have changed.

Inside the main control room of the 10,000-ton destroyer, Zhou Qinglei stood there calmly as ever.

The deputy captain reported again: "Captain, based on electronic reconnaissance and analysis of radar signals from multiple countries, significant electromagnetic disturbances and a surge in communication volume have occurred in the target area. It is determined that they have detected the presence of our fleet and may have entered a high level of combat readiness."

Zhou Qinglei gazed intently at the seemingly calm but actually turbulent azure sea outside the window, and gave a soft "hmm".

"Maintain formation, course, and speed of 18 knots."

He paused, then added, "Pay attention to public channels and wait for the 'guest' to contact us. Also, notify the foreign affairs team to prepare the handover process."

"Yes!"

The fleet continued its steady and composed journey, sailing unhurriedly towards the heart of Europe.

The steel bow cut through the deep blue sea, leaving a long, gradually spreading trail, like an unmissable brushstroke on a huge blue canvas.

Meanwhile, in the distant East, the despairing silence within the Japanese cabinet council chamber contrasted sharply with the tense standoff on the European seas, creating the most stark and brutal contrast of this era.

One side struggles helplessly under invisible shackles, while the other side is inscribing a new order and power on the ocean in the most direct way.

General Morton Forbes stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window in the command center. His view, which was originally overlooking the magnificent scenery of the entire naval port, now seemed to be blocked by the invisible Great Wall of Steel in the distance.

His face gradually changed from ashen to a suppressed flush, and his clenched fists made a soft "click" sound from his knuckles.

The Longxia Naval Expeditionary Fleet, this massive force that seemed like a ghost, appeared at the predetermined coordinates right under the noses of his most elite naval and air forces, with perfect precision!
This cannot be explained by a simple technological gap; it is a naked, precisely calculated humiliation, a resounding slap in the face to the century-old glory of the Royal Navy!

"How...how did they do that?"

Morton Forbes' voice was low and hoarse, with a tremor he himself didn't even realize, "If this wasn't a visit to announce our presence, but a real sneak attack..."

He didn't say anything more, but all the officers in the command center felt a chill run down their spines; the consequences would be unimaginable!
Their much-vaunted early warning system proved utterly ineffective against the enemy's advanced stealth technology and electronic warfare capabilities.

At this moment, he strangely understood the helplessness and despair of the high-ranking members of the Eastern Wilderness tribe when faced with Long Xia's absolute strength.

It's a deep sense of frustration that comes from trying your best but finding that you can't even touch the hem of the other person's clothes!
He clearly realized that the equipment and technology in the hands of the Longxia Navy, especially the comprehensive combat power represented by those few 10,000-ton destroyers, were probably at least half a generation ahead of the latest ships currently in service with his own side.

This generational gap cannot be bridged by soldiers' courage or tactical micromanagement alone.

A sense of relief, mixed with immense humiliation, emerged—fortunately, the domestic leadership remained relatively clear-headed.

Without issuing strict orders such as "intercept" or "expel," otherwise, if a conflict were to break out accidentally, the wrath of this Eastern dragon could be directed towards its homeland... The thought sent chills down his spine.

The aircraft carrier's captain, Blackett, was deathly pale, his forehead covered in a fine layer of cold sweat.

The previous "not found" report now seems so ridiculous and glaring.

He felt a chill run down his spine, a mixture of shock and anger at the mission's failure, and a lingering fear as if he had just escaped a disaster.

He spoke with difficulty, trying to defend himself and the entire monitoring system: "General, we...we have used all available means."

"But their stealth capabilities far exceeded expectations, their electromagnetic silence was extremely thorough, and their route selection cleverly utilized ocean currents and certain radar blind spots..."

"Moreover, according to our shared intelligence channels, other navies along the route, including those known for their anti-submarine and surveillance capabilities, also failed to detect their presence in advance."

"The stealth and long-range mobility of this fleet are indeed... truly terrifying."

He paused, seemingly wanting to change the subject, and added, "Also, regarding the Type 052C destroyers they sold, according to the contract and previous communications, the delivery order was indeed strictly based on the signing date; they've always been very compliant in this regard..."

Morton Forbes waved his hand, interrupting his somewhat incoherent explanation.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his turbulent emotions, and looked sharply at Blackett: "Abel, it's not entirely your fault. The gap in technology cannot be bridged by personal courage and loyalty."

He addressed Blackett by name, his tone softening somewhat, but still serious: "Now is not the time to assign blame."

"Immediately prepare your fleet and, in accordance with international naval protocol, go out to 'welcome' our friends from Longxia."

"Remember, although we lost the initiative, we cannot afford to lose face for the Royal Navy in the upcoming encounters! We must maintain the proper etiquette, but we must also demonstrate the proper demeanor!"

He deliberately emphasized the word "welcome," his tone filled with helplessness and irony.

"Yes, General! I understand!"

Blackett straightened his back, saluted, turned and strode away quickly, his steps carrying a resolute determination born of shame.

Morton Forbes watched him leave, sighed heavily, and picked up the secure communication phone that connected directly to the highest levels of government in the country.

He knew that this report, which contained humiliation and warning, had to be submitted immediately. Almost at the same time that the British Navy was experiencing this storm, the news that "the Dragonshire Navy has arrived on time and has appeared on the border of British waters" detonated like an information bomb.

Through encrypted channels, diplomatic notes, and even some informal channels, it spread like wildfire within the British tribe and among the high-ranking officials and military personnel of the six European countries that had previously participated in or witnessed the Longxia Navy's "passing by" in a very short time!
Previously, there were many voices of doubt among these seven countries.

Some believe that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Longxia's announcement, which was accurate to the minute, was nothing more than a bluff, a form of psychological warfare, or a smokescreen to deceive people.

Some speculate that the Dragon Summer Fleet might be late, or choose a more discreet route to enter.

However, once the news was confirmed by Britain, a long-established naval power and a direct party involved, all doubts, speculations, and the last glimmer of hope instantly turned into a deathly silence.

This silence is more powerful than any clamor.

It represents a harsh reality that must be accepted.

The Longxia Navy not only possesses formidable hard power, but also the strategic resolve and execution capability to precisely deploy it to any designated sea area in the world.

Their sense of time, their code of conduct, and their equipment were all imbued with unquestionable precision and power.

British Village, 10 Downing Street.

Richard, the head of the intelligence department, practically jogged into Prime Minister Antony's office, not even having time to straighten his slightly disheveled tie as usual.

“Prime Minister! It’s confirmed! The main force of the Longxia Naval Expeditionary Fleet appeared near our territorial waters boundary just minutes ago!” Richard spoke rapidly, his face flushed with urgency and tension.

Prime Minister Antony, who was reviewing documents, suddenly stopped, looked up, and his face instantly turned extremely ugly.

Despite being mentally prepared, the overwhelming sense of oppression still made him gasp for breath when he actually confirmed that this force had arrived at the city gates so "punctually".

Richard took a breath and continued his report, lowering his voice: "In addition, we received an urgent report and some... deductions from Admiral Morton Forbes, a senior naval officer."

"They judged that the Longxia Navy's stealth penetration and long-range precision positioning capabilities demonstrated this time far exceeded our previous assessments."

"They...they may have used some technology that we do not yet have mastered, or the actual performance parameters of their equipment are much more advanced than the publicly available data."

"The Navy believes that the risk of a direct confrontation is currently...extremely high."

Anthony leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and rubbed his throbbing temples with his fingers.

His mood was extremely complicated.

There was even a hint of relief, a relief that I hadn't listened to the instigation of some radicals and engaged in irrational provocations, thus avoiding a conflict that might have been irreparable.

There was a strong sense of resentment, a resentment that the British Royal Navy, once a world superpower, was now being so "humiliated" on its own doorstep.

There is also a profound sense of humiliation, a humiliation stemming from the relative decline of national power and the inability to bow down to the forces of the new era.

He clearly realized that a visible gap had emerged between the two sides in the iteration of their main combat warships.

The advanced nature of the Longxia Navy is an indisputable fact, while our own... at least at this stage, is indeed "unable to swallow" this tough nut.

Besides accepting reality and enduring it for the time being, he seems to have no better choice.

Seeing the Prime Minister fall silent, Richard opportunely changed the subject, which was another important purpose of his visit: "Mr. Prime Minister, regarding those..."

"Should we proceed with the original plan... and notify the senior talents of the Longxia tribe who are planning to leave to prepare?"

Anthony suddenly opened his eyes, a struggle flashing in them.

He was silent for a few seconds, then asked in a dry voice, "The Longxia Navy... how long do you expect it to take to arrive at a port where we can pick people up?"

“Based on their speed and position, it will be approximately… two and a half hours later,” Richard replied quickly.

Two and a half hours! Time is so tight!

Without further hesitation, Anthony grabbed the red secure phone on the table, his voice urgent and firm: "Immediately connect me to the emergency video conference with the other six world leaders! Quickly!"

A few minutes later, the seven leaders appeared on the large screen of the encrypted video conference.

Everyone's expression was unusually solemn.

Without any pleasantries, Anthony cut straight to the point, reporting that the Dragonshire Navy had arrived on time and was now at the border of British waters.

In the video footage, the reactions of the other six leaders varied, but all showed shock and a hint of panic.

"God, they really arrived right on time..."

"So fast? And right on the border? This..."

"It seems that not a single word of their announcement can be taken lightly."

After a brief period of commotion, a near-helpless consensus began to form.

"Now that things have come to this, any further trouble will only bring shame upon ourselves, or even backfire."

“Prime Minister Antony, it seems that our previously agreed-upon ‘cooling-off’ approach was correct. The most important thing now is to avoid any form of conflict.”

“That’s right. Since they call it a ‘visit,’ then we’ll follow the visit’s procedures. Let’s get through these fourteen days and see this ‘big shot’ off first.”

"I hope they really are just here to pick up people and make a visit..."

Listening to the comments from the various leaders on the screen—some helpless, some relieved, and some eager to distance themselves—Anthony felt his head buzzing and his mind a complete mess.

These political figures, who usually wield great influence domestically and engage in power struggles on the international stage, surprisingly reached a consensus so quickly in the face of absolute power—compromise and forbearance.

This is undoubtedly the most rational choice at present, but it also made him deeply aware of the Western world's sense of powerlessness and strategic confusion when facing a resurgent Eastern power with a completely different behavioral logic and strength foundation. (End of Chapter)