I built an armada.

The high command of the Longxia Navy has not yet received any concrete intelligence regarding the underhanded schemes that the countries in the European maritime region may be secretly planning, but even if they were aware of them, they would not be overly concerned.

"A clown, only good for making people laugh."

Xu Dongguo took a deep breath and calmly commented, "In the face of absolute strength, any tricks are pale and powerless. If they know what's good for them, we'll keep things peaceful; if they overestimate themselves, we'll have our own ways of dealing with them."

The current focus is on conducting friendly and professional military exchange visits according to the established plan, showcasing the open and confident image of the Longxia Navy.

When the visit ends and they leave, it will be natural to pick up those who have arrived at the port and are eager to return home, especially high-level talents like Lu Xiangdong and Ma Jiancheng.

"The first stop, the trip to the British tribes, was a clear objective and went smoothly."

Liu Huaming concluded, his eyes revealing composure and foresight, "This is a good start. Next, we will continue to move forward according to plan."

This voyage across the ocean was not just a simple repatriation mission, but also a successful strategic declaration and a transmission of confidence.

It planted the seeds of confidence in the hearts of the Longxia people, sowed the shadow of despair in the hearts of the Eastern Wilderness people, stirred up ripples of weighing in the hearts of the various countries, and also made the Eagle Tribe feel an indescribable fatigue.

The power structure of Earth is undergoing a profound and irreversible evolution amidst this silent voyage and the varying reactions from all sides.

The Longxia Navy not only cleaved the waves of the North Atlantic, but also created a chasm between the old order and the new reality.

After the initial shock and helplessness, the leaders of the European maritime nations quickly found a delicate psychological balance.

They communicated frequently in private through encrypted channels. Although their words still carried a sense of frustration, they began to think about how to regain some initiative in this game where they were already at a disadvantage, even if it was just on the surface.

"Gentlemen, the Dragon Xia fleet is indeed impressive. A head-on confrontation would not be a wise move."

During an informal video exchange, the French leader broke the silence by tapping his fingertips lightly on the table, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes. “But they are on this trip under the guise of ‘bringing back their compatriots.’ Why don’t we ‘help’ them, and do so openly and enthusiastically?”

He paused briefly, seemingly organizing his thoughts, or perhaps observing the reactions of the others, before continuing slowly and deliberately: "Imagine if we not only let those on their list go, but also 'kindly' inform all the Longxia people in Europe through official channels—"

"Including international students, scholars, and even ordinary workers and tourists, as long as they wish, they can all ride this mighty army back home... What a sight that would be!"

The Hans leader immediately understood the implication, a knowing smile playing on his lips: "Hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of civilians, dragging their luggage, helping the elderly and children, are flocking to their warships... It's not just about carrying a few people."

“The space on a warship is limited, and living facilities are intended for well-trained military personnel. The influx of a large number of civilians will inevitably encroach on combat readiness space, disrupt normal combat duty order, and consume precious fresh water and material reserves.”

"Their journey home will no longer be the majestic, disciplined, and heroic figure depicted in the promotional video, but rather more like a..."

"Yes, a chaotic, bustling sea migration."

"Yes!"

The leader of the boot-shaped country joined the discussion, his tone tinged with schadenfreude: "This is an open strategy. We have demonstrated our 'magnanimity' and 'humanitarianism.' If they refuse to allow most civilians to return to their ships on the grounds that they are combat platforms, then their lofty slogan of 'bringing their compatriots home' will be greatly diminished and appear hypocritical."

"If they grit their teeth and accept it all, haha, that would be too much to bear. I can't even imagine how much of a headache their commanders and sailors would have."

"In any case, we can watch a good show, 'disgust' them a little, and let our people at home feel that we are not completely passive and being beaten. At least in this matter, we have the 'initiative'."

This somewhat mischievous suggestion quickly gained the tacit approval of the other heads of state.

In this oppressive atmosphere where direct confrontation is impossible, finding a way that neither crosses the line nor frustrates the other party, while also providing self-comfort, seems to be the best way for them to vent their sense of powerlessness.

Therefore, in subsequent official announcements, they deliberately blurred the specific scope and categories of the people being brought back, using extremely broad language.

At the same time, they "leaked" the information to familiar media outlets through informal channels.

They even secretly encouraged them to create an atmosphere of "Longxia Navy opening its arms to welcome all wanderers aboard the ship," attempting to create a public opinion image that Longxia Navy was about to be "overwhelmed" by enthusiastic returning civilians.

Thinking of the disciplined and meticulous sailors of Longxia, they might have to temporarily set aside their combat duties.

When leaders helped settle the elderly, look after children, coordinate berths, and even handle minor conflicts that might arise due to limited space, a sense of satisfaction, like that of someone who had pulled off a prank, would inevitably rise in their hearts.

It's as if it's saying, "Look, no matter how powerful you are, you'll still be bothered by these mundane worldly matters."

In this asymmetrical contest, this seems to be their only source of psychological comfort, allowing them to slightly regain some ground.

However, at this moment, the high command of the Longxia Navy had already set their sights beyond this sea area and these insignificant tricks, turning to a grander picture concerning the strategic balance for the next few decades.

Inside the heavily guarded core conference room of the naval headquarters base in the capital of the Longxia tribe, a tense discussion about higher-level strategic weapons is underway, the atmosphere serious and focused.

On General Liu Huaming's desk was a heavy file bag marked "Top Secret - Core" in scarlet.

He carefully opened it, and inside were complete technical data on the "Yunfan-1" anti-ship ballistic missile, data from all tests, performance evaluation reports, and a top-secret recommendation on its subsequent handling.

The "Yunfan-1" was once a trump card held by Longxia, a crucial pillar of its anti-access/area denial strategy, and it dealt a heavy blow to enemy aircraft carriers. The true carrier killer represented Longxia's highest achievement in cutting-edge missile technology at a certain period.

Liu Huaming observed very carefully, his gray eyebrows sometimes furrowing as he fell into deep thought, and sometimes relaxing slightly as if he had just realized something.

This document is related to a highly confidential technology transfer, and the one who made the request to receive it was none other than Su Dingping, the genius chief designer who had made numerous outstanding contributions but always remained behind the scenes, and who almost single-handedly promoted the generational leap of the Longxia Navy's equipment.

"Comrade Dingping wants this?" Liu Huaming finally raised his head, his sharp gaze sweeping over the core generals in the office, including the calm and steady Xu Dongguo, and the quick-tempered but insightful Qian Wenbing.

He tapped the thick document lightly with his knuckles, his tone tinged with inquiry, "His report says that there is a need for more in-depth adversarial research and forward-looking upgrades and iterations of the existing sea-based and shore-based anti-ship systems."

"We believe that the unique aerodynamic design of 'Yunfan-1' under certain extreme conditions, its terminal maneuvering evasion algorithm, and its anti-jamming capabilities still have extremely high research value and can serve as a technical reference and verification platform for the next generation of ultra-high-speed precision strike weapons."

Xu Dongguo pondered for a moment before speaking first, his voice steady: "Commander, I personally believe this is a good thing, and a very timely one at that. Although 'Yunfan-1' was once our trump card with tremendous deterrent power, technological development is advancing rapidly, and the enemy's defensive measures are constantly being upgraded."

Instead of permanently sealing it in the cave, let it give full play to its last bit of value and temper it for a future sword.

"Comrade Dingping's vision and strategic foresight are evident to all and we have absolute confidence in him."

"Since he made this request so seriously, he must have seen a key point that we have not yet noticed, or he must have already come up with some kind of subversive idea."

"Perhaps he can extract the essence from these seemingly 'outdated' technologies, apply it to other areas, and create a sharper and more difficult-to-defend 'spear' for us, or conversely, forge a stronger and smarter 'shield'."

Qian Wenbing nodded in agreement, speaking quickly but clearly: "I completely agree with Lao Xu's view. Senior Commander, the worst thing in technological research and development is working behind closed doors, especially in the field of cutting-edge weapons."

"'Yunfan-1' represents the pinnacle we could achieve under specific historical and technological conditions. Every design choice, every success and failure, including the technological bottlenecks that once troubled us and the final solutions."

"These are invaluable assets, their value no less than that of the missiles themselves. I have complete confidence in entrusting these to Comrade Dingping and his team! Their greatest strength lies in innovating and surpassing based on absorption and digestion."

"but……"

He abruptly changed the subject, his expression becoming extremely serious. "The security and confidentiality level for this matter must be raised to the highest level immediately! All personnel involved in the transportation and handover must undergo the most rigorous political vetting and background checks!"

"No information about 'Yunfan-1', not even the specifications of a single screw, must be leaked!"

Liu Huaming listened attentively to the opinions of each general, his gaze slowly sweeping across their faces, seeing the same trust and decisiveness.

The last trace of doubt in his eyes dissipated, replaced by an expectation for future breakthroughs and a heavy responsibility as a decision-maker.

Without further hesitation, he picked up the familiar, slightly worn fountain pen and solemnly signed his name, stroke by stroke, in the approval section on the document's title page. He then added a clear annotation:
"agree."

"Starting today, the top-secret transfer procedure for 'Spark' will be initiated."

"The relevant core components, test missile bodies, and all technical data of 'Yunfan-1' are authorized to be transferred to the storage area of ​​the 'Hongshan' Comprehensive Strategic Weapon Research and Testing Base in Northwest China, and placed under the management of the 'Fifth Special Research Laboratory' led by Chief Designer Su Dingping. It is authorized to use them for the 'Jinglei' series of national-level major pre-research projects."

"The transportation along the route was fully armed and escorted by the 'Sharp Sword' Special Operations Regiment directly under the headquarters. The highest level of secure communication lines were used, and all military regions and security departments along the route were coordinated to provide unconditional cooperation and clear obstacles to ensure the absolute safety of the transfer process without any mishaps!"

"This order is hereby issued by Liu Huaming."

With the final stroke, he gently blew on the still-wet ink, as if blowing away the last speck of dust before making a major decision.

He knew that the signing of this document was not just a transfer of weapons, but a technological relay that spanned eras, connecting past glories with future prospects, pointing towards a deeper and farther blue sky.

Having dealt with this crucial matter concerning future strategic deterrence, Liu Huaming's thoughts returned to the victory before him.

A rare, relaxed smile appeared on his face as he addressed the assembled crowd: "We fought a brilliant battle in the Eastern Wilderness Sea!"

"We completely destroyed their backbone at sea, and even the claws that the Eagle Tribe stretched out were chopped off by us!"

"Once things are completely resolved in the East and the situation stabilizes, our navy must hold a grand victory celebration banquet!"

"Every participating unit, from commanders to frontline soldiers, and every meritorious individual, must be honored and rewarded!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces lit up with excitement. The significance of this victory was too great to be missed; it truly deserved a grand ceremony to commemorate and celebrate it.

However, Liu Huaming's smile quickly faded, and he changed the subject, raising a question that everyone found somewhat thorny: "The celebration banquet and the regular commendations are easy to handle, just follow the rules. But... there is one person whose merits should be evaluated and commended, and I'm not quite sure how."

He paused, then slowly uttered the name: "Su Dingping".

The conference room fell silent instantly.

Everyone understood what Liu Huaming meant.

Su Dingping, an excessively young genius, almost single-handedly propelled the leapfrog development of the Longxia Navy's main combat equipment.

From the integrated electric power system of the new destroyer to the world-leading radar and electronic warfare systems, and then to those elusive underwater unmanned combat platforms...

The technological advantage he provided was one of the decisive factors in achieving such a brilliant victory in this naval battle. His contributions cannot be simply described as "outstanding".

"Comrade Dingping is now a senior colonel."

Liu Huaming said slowly, "Based on his contributions, it is only right that he be promoted to the rank of general. However... his age, the speed at which he was promoted... is just too fast."

"We're approaching a point where breaking with convention might even attract unnecessary attention and criticism. Within the Navy, we genuinely feel somewhat powerless regarding how to properly handle his rank and benefits." (End of Chapter)