I built an armada.

Xu Dongguo was still immersed in the triumphant march of the fleet and the rising prosperity of the nation. All the pent-up feelings in his heart were gone, and he felt that the sea and sky were vast and the future was promising.

However, at this moment of hope and pride, the door to the command center was suddenly pushed open, shattering the slightly excited atmosphere inside.

Rear Admiral Zhang Zhaoxin, Director of the Naval Intelligence Bureau, strode in. His face was solemn, and he was tightly clutching a thin document that seemed to weigh a ton.

"Report to the chief!"

Zhang Zhaoxin walked to Xu Dongguo's side, his voice low but incredibly clear, "We just received top-secret intelligence from 'The Mole's' highest-level channels, regarding the Iron Monkey Tribe..."

Xu Dongguo's smile froze instantly, and he gestured for Zhang Zhaoxin to continue.

"Intelligence indicates that the chieftain of the Eagle Tribe is extremely angry after the sale of the 'Fukuni' aircraft carrier and is determined to strengthen military deployments against us in the Eastern Seas. They have secretly and simultaneously contacted almost all the important countries in the Eastern Seas region, including the Philippine Tribe, the Thousand Buddha Tribe, the Neighbourhood Tribe, Singapore, and the Malay Tribe!"

Zhang Zhaoxin spoke faster, "The key point is that, under pressure from the Eagle Tribe, the high-ranking officials of these countries seem to have made a preferred choice and have recently secretly sent people to the Eagle Tribe to discuss specific cooperation matters!"

"This even includes the Iron Monkey Tribe, whose attitude had previously been ambiguous or even somewhat forceful!"

Zhang Zhaoxin took a deep breath and concluded: "Commander, the problem of the Eastern Wilderness tribe has not been completely resolved. Now, a new group of potential enemies may soon appear on our doorstep."

"The Eagle Tribe is trying to weave a huge net for us in the Eastern Continent waters! This poses an unprecedented and enormous challenge to the peace and stability of the entire Eastern Continent waters!"

Xu Dongguo listened quietly, the ease and smile on his face vanishing without a trace.

His eyes, which had been shining with pride at the fleet's successful voyage, now became sharp as an eagle's and unfathomable.

He slowly turned around and looked out the window at the seemingly calm blue sea again, but everyone could feel a heavy pressure spreading out from him.

Outside the window, the sun was still shining brightly, and the sea was sparkling.

However, the faces of Xu Dongguo and the other leaders turned completely gloomy at this moment, and they immediately reported to their superiors.

The underground command center of the Beijing Military Region.

The heavy reinforced concrete structure isolated the area from the outside world, with only the low hum of the air conditioning system and the subtle sounds of electronic equipment creating an almost stagnant and serious atmosphere.

At the center of the enormous circular conference table was a holographically projected strategic map of the Eastern Sea and its surrounding areas. The blue sea, the ochre land, and the densely packed light symbols representing the various military forces formed a complex and dynamic chessboard.

Commander Xue, who chaired the meeting, carried three generals on his shoulders, and his brows exuded a composure and authority honed through years of battlefield experience.

He is finalizing the details of a series of follow-up measures for the "Eastern Wilderness Tribe Affairs" with Chief Liu Huaming and another chief in charge of operational planning.

The plan is now complete, with a tiered deployment of diplomatic pressure, economic leverage, and military deterrence, all linked together.

"...In conclusion, as long as this plan is implemented, the Eastern Wilderness Tribe will be unlikely to pose a substantial threat to us in the next three to five years, and the pressure on our East China Sea defense line can be greatly relieved."

Liu Huaming circled several key nodes on the holographic map with a laser pointer, his tone confident.

Xue Shuai nodded slightly, just about to give his final summary, when the heavy explosion-proof door of the conference room slid open silently.

His personal bodyguard strode in quickly but steadily, went straight to Xue Shuai's side, leaned down and whispered a few words, and handed him an electronic letter marked "Top Secret, Urgent".

Xue Shuai's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes sharpened instantly.

He signaled for the meeting to pause, and then verified his fingerprints and iris scans on a dedicated reader to retrieve the contents of the coded message.

The few lines of text seemed to carry immense weight, causing the seasoned general, who had seen it all, to tense his knuckles slightly.

He silently pushed the reader toward Liu Huaming, who was standing next to him.

Liu Huaming glanced at it, his expression darkening slightly. Another general, after taking a closer look, also frowned.

The command center was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; only the lights on the holographic map flickered silently.

"Everyone."

Xue Shuai's voice broke the silence, carrying a cold quality, "Just received news. It seems the Eagle Tribe isn't planning to give us any breathing room."

He quickly switched the holographic map, shifting the focus from the main island of the East Ocean to the entire East Asian sea area, including the Filipino tribes, the Thousand Buddha tribe, the Niying tribe, and the Lijiapo tribe.

"The Eagle Tribe is secretly and intensively contacting high-ranking officials of various countries in the Eastern Sea Area."

Xue Shuai pointed to the scattered islands and coastline, "Their actions are swift and their intentions are clear. They are unwilling to accept that we have broken through the first sea area chain, and they want to weave a brand new blockade chain against Longxia in a wider sea area!"

Liu Huaming took a deep breath and continued, "Our previous prediction was that the main conflict hotspots would be concentrated in the second sea chain, or even further into the deep blue."

"I never expected that the Eagle Tribe would be so impatient, 'cultivating' our doorstep directly, attempting to build a more in-depth encirclement network."

"If these small and medium-sized powers were to be integrated into some form of quasi-military alliance, the resulting strategic pressure and daily harassment would far exceed the challenge of a single powerful enemy."

"Not only that."

Another general added, turning his attention to the vast northern territories, "We also need to consider the White Bear tribe. The White Bear, under the leadership of Pushkin, previously betrayed us in matters concerning northern airspace, completely blocking cooperation; their intentions are difficult to fathom."

"Although they have not made a clear statement yet, their movements are always a variable hanging over our heads. If they form a pincer movement with the Eagle Tribe from the east and west, even if it is just a tacit response from afar, our situation will be extremely passive."

Xue Shuai slowly stood up, walked to the holographic map, and stared at the map of the Dragon Xia tribe surrounded by the marks of various forces.

After a long silence, he let out a sigh with a complex meaning: "The Eagle Tribe... Sometimes, I really don't know whether to regard them as mortal enemies or 'sharpening stones'."

"They always push us forward in the most direct way, never daring to slack off in the slightest."

He turned around and glanced at his two colleagues: "The Navy's successful sale of the 'Fukuni' has opened up opportunities in Europe and even Africa. It was indeed a brilliant move, boosting morale and expanding our reach."

"But it seems that the Eagle Tribe will not sit idly by and let us develop in peace using this space. What is left for us may be another precious and urgent 'window of opportunity' where we race against time."

Liu Huaming and his companion nodded emphatically, their expressions solemn.

"Upon returning, immediately adjust the existing deployment plans." Commander Xue ordered, his voice resolute. "The Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, and all relevant units must accelerate their pace to prepare for a potential complex crisis from the southeast."

"We want everyone to understand that breakthroughs are never the end, but the beginning of a new round of competition!"

Just as the three leaders of Longxia were adjusting their strategies due to the sudden change in the situation in the south, a complex emotion was also permeating the depths of the White Bear Tribe's palace in the north.

For three consecutive days, the White Bear tribe did not make any major diplomatic or military moves.

They are like a giant bear that has just had a full meal, lying dormant for the time being, silently digesting the geopolitical and economic benefits they had previously gained in the northern part of the European waters through a series of tough measures.

On the other hand, its power core is also nervously discussing how to deal with its old neighbor, the Longxia tribe, whose potential is exploding at an astonishing speed.

In his office, adorned with ornate murals, Pushkin stood alone by the window, gazing at the flowing Moscow River outside, his brow furrowed.

He had just finished listening to the think tank's assessment report on the latest developments of the Longxia tribe, and his heart was filled with conflict and frustration.

"The distance is too close..."

Pushkin muttered to himself, his fingertips unconsciously tapping on the windowpane, "The vast Siberian border tightly binds us together. If a military conflict were to break out, its scale would be uncontrollable, a catastrophe unbearable for both sides."

"Our massive nuclear arsenal can ensure mutual destruction, but who can truly profit from the ruins?"

He walked to the huge globe, turned it gently, and lingered for a moment on the North American continent where the Eagle Tribe was located.

"We must not easily confront the Eagle Tribe head-on... Those capitalists would love for us to fight Longxia to a standstill so they can reap the benefits. But if we get too close to Longxia, we risk nurturing a tiger that will turn on us..."

Pushkin felt he was trapped in a strategic deadlock. The pressure from both the east and the west made things particularly difficult for this leader, who was known for his tough stance.

He couldn't help but envy the Eagle Tribe's geographical location. With the two oceans to the east and west as natural barriers and no powerful enemies to the north and south, they could dominate in their "backyard" and calmly manage their global hegemony.

Looking at itself, it faces increasing pressure from NATO in Europe to the west, and must be wary of the rapid rise of Russia to the east.

"If only I had known this would happen, perhaps I would have..."

A pang of regret swept through Pushkin's mind. He recalled that many years ago, the White Bear tribe had more opportunities to cooperate with Longxia on a deeper and more equal level, and even to dominate in certain key technological fields.

However, due to arrogance and suspicion, many collaborations either ended superficially or were subject to too many restrictions, ultimately failing to form a solid strategic bond.

Today, Longxia has caught up in many fields and even surpassed them in some aspects. It is now wishful thinking to try to "cooperate" with a superior attitude.

Just then, there was a knock on the study door.

General Boris, the head of the intelligence department, walked in with a document in his hand. His face showed the solemnity typical of intelligence officers, along with a hint of barely perceptible excitement.

"Your Majesty, the latest intelligence on the Asian seas."

Boris presented the documents, stating, "In the past 48 hours, we have confirmed that at least seven or eight high-ranking officials from Eastern Seas countries have secretly dispatched envoys to Washington after receiving a clear message from the Eagle Tribe."

"Including the Filipino tribe, the Thousand Buddha tribe, the Niying tribe, and even... the Lijiapo tribe, which always tries to please everyone, as well as the Iron Monkey tribe, which previously had some arms dealings with us."

Pushkin quickly scanned the intelligence summary, his furrowed brows relaxing slightly.

"Oh? The Eagle Tribe is making such a big fuss... It seems they're determined to play a big game in the southeast of Longxia."

"This is indeed a new plan targeting Longxia, and its scale is unprecedented."

This is not so bad news for the White Bear tribe.

The fact that the Eagle Tribe's attention has been drawn more to Longxia means that the pressure on the White Bear in the Europa region may be correspondingly reduced.

However, Boris's next words made Pushkin's mood even heavier: "At the same time, our comprehensive analysis of fragmented information from multiple sources indicates that a core carrier strike group of the Eagle Tribe Navy may have recently suffered some kind of... 'non-combat casualties'."

"The specifics are highly confidential, but indications suggest that they may have lost an important ship or that the aircraft carrier itself has suffered a major malfunction, temporarily hampering its projection capabilities in a key strategic direction."

Pushkin's gaze sharpened: "How reliable is the information?"

"Based on the overall assessment, it's highly credible. The Eagle Navy has maintained a tight grip on this matter, and we're still trying to verify it," Boris replied.

Pushkin remained silent for a moment, then slowly sat back down in his chair.

The setback suffered by the Eagle Tribe may be advantageous to the White Bear in the short term, but in the long run, a temporary setback by an opponent with superb recovery capabilities and technological foundation may actually stimulate the White Bear to make greater investments and more radical innovations.

And Long Xia... under such high pressure, the resilience he displayed was even more astonishing.

Any movement by the two giants, East and West, would stir the sensitive nerves of the White Bear tribe.

He waved for Boris to leave, then fell into deeper thought.

This global chess game is becoming increasingly dangerous and unpredictable with every move.

Longxia tribe, in Northwest China.

The vast Gobi Desert stretches to the horizon, the sky is a high, clear blue, and the blazing sun pours down without any obstruction, baking the earth until it is scorching hot.

Beneath this seemingly barren land lies Longxia's most crucial national strategic weapon research and development base—the Hongshan Nuclear Weapons Base.

Deep underground in a special living area, dozens of meters below the surface, Su Dingping was having a simple lunch with a sprightly old man in a simple yet well-equipped lounge.

The old man was none other than Qian Xuesen, known as the "Father of Nuclear Weapons and Rockets" in Longxia. Although he was advanced in years, his eyes were still clear and wise, shining with the light of wisdom.

The plates contained vegetables grown on the farm and a standard nutritious meal. The two ate quickly, with almost no extra small talk.

After the meal, Mr. Qian gestured for Su Dingping to follow him to a smaller, more private room next door, equipped with the highest level of electromagnetic leakage prevention and soundproofing measures.

Even Professor Zhang, who had returned with him and was equally distinguished, was not allowed to attend the meeting this time. (End of Chapter)