I built an armada.

"What?! More than a dozen countries?!"

The chieftain's languid and indifferent expression vanished instantly, replaced by incredulous astonishment. His face suddenly turned serious. "Are you sure? Which dozen or so countries? How exactly are they assisting?"

After receiving confirmation and the list from his staff, the Great Chief remained silent.

He slowly walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the view of Washington, D.C. outside, but his heart was filled with turmoil.

What he was worried about was far more than just the small matter of picking people up.

He keenly realized that the fact that these dozen or so countries, spanning different continents, cultures, and levels of development, could coordinate their actions for Longxia at this moment, even if it was only preliminary, sent an extremely dangerous signal!
"They...they're moving closer to Longxia! They're making their stance clear through concrete actions!"

The chieftain muttered to himself, his brow furrowed, "Today they might provide ships to pick up people, tomorrow they might provide bases for security, and the day after tomorrow they might form some kind of... some kind of military alliance against us!"

The thought that Long Xia might take this opportunity to form factions and create an "Eastern Alliance" to challenge the Eagle Tribe's global leadership filled him with intense unease.

The speed of Longxia's rise, and the unique appeal it displayed that differed from the Western model, made him feel a real sense of urgent strategic threat for the first time.

He fell into a long, deep period of reflection, needing to reassess his strategy toward Longxia and how to maintain and strengthen his alliance system.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Anthony's mood was like a rollercoaster ride.

He had originally decided to stop paying attention to the "trivial matters" of the Longxia Navy and just wanted to enjoy the secret pleasure of causing trouble for Longxia. He even planned to open a bottle of good wine to celebrate that night.

However, the latest intelligence Richard brought was like a bucket of ice water poured over his head, chilling him to the bone.

“Mr. Prime Minister, the situation has changed. We have detected that more than fifteen countries have expressed their willingness, in various forms, to provide ships or other assistance for Longxia’s repatriation efforts.” Richard’s tone was tinged with bitterness and disbelief.

"How many? Fifteen?!"

Anthony jerked upright in his comfortable chair, his smile freezing on his face. "How...how dare they? Aren't they afraid of our economic sanctions? Aren't they afraid of being isolated within the Europa system? I don't understand! I just don't understand!"

He originally thought this was an almost unsolvable open scheme, enough to make Long Xia flustered and humiliated.

He had even imagined how the Western media would ridicule Longxia's "logistical disaster".

But now, all of that has been completely shattered by this sudden and massive international aid!

Long Xia not only avoided making a fool of himself, but also used this opportunity to put on a show that demonstrated his international influence!
This stark contrast and the complete failure of the plan left Anthony feeling incredibly frustrated and defeated.

His meticulously planned "brilliant scheme" appeared so laughable and vulnerable in the face of the opponent's absolute strength and unexpected allies.

That night, Anthony tossed and turned, unable to sleep, the question echoing repeatedly in his mind: "Why? Why aren't they afraid?"

Other heads of state in the European maritime region who participated in this "open conspiracy" also felt the same regret and had difficulty sleeping.

They had hoped to gain a small advantage through this, but they didn't expect to shoot themselves in the foot. Instead, Longxia's reputation and international influence were boosted to a new level.

A complex mix of helplessness and anxiety spread through the power centers of Europe.

The power structure on Earth seems to be shifting profoundly at a speed that exceeds their expectations.

The next two days were agonizing for British Prime Minister Anthony.

He tossed and turned for two nights in a row, unable to fall asleep.

As soon as I close my eyes, the majestic silhouette of the Longxia Navy, the deafening cheers of the Longxia people in the port, and the sight of the flags of more than a dozen countries waving before my eyes haunt me like a nightmare.

On his turf, the Longxia Navy not only did not fall into the predicament he had hoped for, but instead completed a magnificent display of "strength and friendship," which made him feel extremely uncomfortable and resentful.

He noticed that the other high-ranking officials from the European countries involved in this "open conspiracy" had also been unusually silent these past two days, not exchanging phone calls with him as usual to share their "experiences".

Clearly, everyone felt equally anxious and conflicted.

Their meticulously planned conspiracies and seemingly unsolvable schemes failed one after another in the face of Longxia's demonstrated strength and unexpectedly broad international support, dealing them a heavy blow.

The heads of state are forced to confront a reality: with the Longxia Navy currently enjoying considerable international sympathy and its growing influence, any further provocations or actions could backfire and further damage their own image and interests.

After an emergency internal consultation and a tacit understanding, they decided to temporarily suspend further action plans against the Longxia tribe.

First, let this "unapproachable" fleet leave their territory safely. Subsequent maneuvering and countermeasures need to be carefully considered, and a more suitable time and entry point should be found.

On the morning of February 15th, Anthony, sporting dark circles under his eyes, received a report from Richard.

"Mr. Prime Minister, the Longxia Navy has officially notified us that its friendly visit to Britain will end today, and the fleet is expected to depart after completing the personnel transfer."

"According to its published sailing plan, the next stop may be the port of the Hans tribe."

Upon hearing this news, Anthony's tense nerves finally relaxed a little, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

The fleet that had kept him up at night was finally leaving.

"It's good that you're gone, it's good that you're gone..."

He muttered to himself, then forced himself to stay alert and instructed Richard, “Notify the relevant departments to ensure the security of the port and surrounding waters, so that the Longxia naval fleet, and... and those ships that came to ‘help,’ can leave smoothly and safely.”

"At this critical juncture, we must not make any mistakes, and we must not give them any more excuses to make trouble."

The port now presents a completely different scene compared to just a few days ago, and its scale has increased several times over.

The pier was packed with people, bustling with activity. Among them were overseas Chinese and students from Longxia who came to see them off, local residents and journalists from various countries who came to watch the spectacle, but most of all were Longxia people carrying large bags and bundles, their faces beaming with anticipation and excitement, ready to return home with the naval fleet.

Ambassador Zhao's diplomatic team operated efficiently, having already spread the word through various channels that all those wishing to return home by ship should register.

The final statistics were astonishing: in Britain alone, the number of people who registered exceeded 15,000!
Among them, 305 were highly accomplished individuals in various fields or urgently needed to return to China, after initial screening and confirmation. This number even shocked Senior Colonel Zhou Qinglei upon learning of it.

However, there was also a hint of excitement in his heart. The more high-level talents returned to the country, the faster the prosperity of the Longxia tribe could be promoted, and the faster his motherland could develop and become stronger!
“More than 15,000 people… Ambassador Zhao, this…” Zhou Qinglei looked at the list and, even though he was mentally prepared, felt immense pressure.

Although Ambassador Zhao looked tired, his eyes were full of determination: "Colonel Zhou, don't worry. Everything has been coordinated back home. We are not fighting alone."

He pointed to the vast sea outside the window, "The ship that will support us is already on its way."

As if to confirm his words, Zhou Qinglei's personal communicator rang. It was a report from the main control room: "Report to the captain, our fleet's long-range maritime surveillance radar has detected multiple large surface targets heading towards our port. The number... exceeds thirty!"

"The models are mostly large cruise ships and ferries, and they fly... a variety of totem flags!"

Zhou Qinglei walked to the window, picked up the binoculars, and looked out at the distant sea.

Where the sea meets the sky, a massive, non-military fleet is sailing in. They are huge and varied in style, but they are all heading toward the same goal.

He put down his binoculars and gave Ambassador Zhao a relieved yet proud smile: "Ambassador Zhao, it seems we don't need to wait for 'on the way' anymore, our ship has arrived."

Meanwhile, in the command center of the Royal British Naval Base, radar screens were also filled with glowing dots representing unidentified vessels.

The operator nervously reported the situation: "General, a large number of civilian vessels have been spotted approaching our controlled waters, and... it seems they have not submitted complete entry approval documents in advance."

General Morton Forbes stared grimly at the dense cluster of lights on the screen. He knew, of course, what these ships were there for.

The thought of these ships openly defying British maritime regulations and coming to "support" Longxia filled him with a strong sense of displeasure and humiliation.

As is customary, he has every right to order the Coast Guard to intercept, question, or even order them to leave.

However, he remembered Prime Minister António's repeated instructions—"Make sure you leave safely."

In the current delicate and sensitive situation, any unforeseen actions could trigger unpredictable diplomatic incidents or even give Longxia a pretext for attack.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and issued the order in as calm a tone as possible: "Maintain surveillance, record it. Notify the Maritime and Coast Guard Department... release."

"Allow them to enter the designated berth area."

He silently made a mental note: "I'll settle this score later!"

And so, under the watchful eyes of countless people, a magnificent scene unfolded.

More than thirty large cruise ships, ocean ferries, and temporarily converted passenger and cargo ships from different countries sailed into the port waters of Britain.

They flew the blue and white flags of the Lasi tribe, the green flags of the Fuyou tribe, and the flags of the Tesha tribe, among others...

These flags represent the countries that extended a helping hand to Longxia in critical moments.

Like a massive international volunteer fleet, they silently proclaim the formation of a new force.

Ambassador Zhao immediately directed the pre-organized Longxia volunteers, diplomatic personnel, and some naval officers and soldiers to coordinate with representatives of each ship and begin the final preparations before boarding in a tense but orderly manner—verifying the list, allocating cabins, guiding the flow of people, and arranging supplies.

Ambassador Zhao handed the list of 305 senior talents to Zhou Qinglei and solemnly said, "Colonel Zhou, these are our country's valuable assets. We must ensure their absolute safety and relatively comfortable journey."

"I suggest that they be given priority to board the ship and housed together on the best-equipped cruise ships, where our staff will take special care of them."

Zhou Qinglei took the list and nodded solemnly: "Understood! Please rest assured, Ambassador, I guarantee the mission will be accomplished!"

At 10:00 a.m. sharp, the sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the sparkling sea.

Dozens of large ships, adorned with various flags, slowly and orderly docked at the designated pier.

The scene was grand and spectacular, like an international shipping expo!
Under Ambassador Zhao's unified command and the efficient organization of Longxia staff, tens of thousands of Longxia people waiting to return home began to board the ship in an orderly manner according to the pre-assigned batches and boarding gates.

Contrary to expectations of chaos and overcrowding, there was instead a hopeful and orderly busyness.

Among the crowd were elderly people with white hair, women holding babies, and countless energetic young faces.

They looked back at the land where they had lived for a long or short time, and then resolutely embarked on their journey home.

The 305 highly skilled personnel, guided by personnel arranged by Zhou Qinglei, boarded several of the most well-equipped luxury cruise ships via a special passage.

During the boarding process, Zhou Qinglei had a final brief exchange with Captain Blackett, the representative of the Royal British Navy who came to see him off.

Both sides maintained a polite and professional demeanor, their words were impeccable, but both could sense the undercurrents beneath the calm surface.

“We appreciate the convenience provided by the Royal Navy during this visit,” Zhou Qinglei said.

“It is our honor, and we look forward to more opportunities for exchange in the future,” Blackett replied, his smile somewhat forced.

When the last Longxia compatriot boarded the passenger ship and all the ships were confirmed to be ready, Zhou Qinglei shook hands with Ambassador Zhao to say goodbye.

"Ambassador Zhao, thank you for your hard work! See you back home!"

"Colonel Zhou, have a safe journey! Make sure you get everyone home safely!"

"Don't worry, we will arrive safely. Take care!"

Zhou Qinglei turned around and, under the watchful eyes of Blackett and the others, strode steadily toward the majestic 10,000-ton destroyer.

Blackett, following protocol, escorted him all the way to the gangway of the warship. (End of Chapter)