American Strategic Deception Bureau

　Whenever the sun breaks through the clouds and shines down, the sea surface sparkles like the most luxurious jewel box.

　The gentle sea breeze and the tranquil sea surface together form a harmonious picture.

　Amidst the clear blue sea, a lone warship, flying both the American Stars and Stripes and the South Vietnamese flag, cut through the waves, sailing eastward. The surging waves plowed by the bow, boiling and surging, flowed down the navy-gray steel surfaces on both sides, rushing into the distance.

　Fili held Marita with one hand and held the railing of the Yukikaze with the other, looking at the sea with waves rolling in the sun, feeling the moist sea breeze coming towards him comfortably, and couldn't help feeling refreshed.

　I have to say that, generally speaking, it is a very pleasant thing to sail on the ocean on a luxury yacht.

　Especially when the ship is the famous Danyang, uh, no, Yukikaze.

　——Since she has been kicked out of the National Army, let’s just call her by her old name “Snow Wind” until she is given a new name by South Vietnam.

　Of course, the experience of leaning over the side and gazing at the sea is truly exhilarating only when the weather is clear, the wind is gentle, and the boat's speed is kept below 18 knots. If the weather is unfortunate and the sea is whipped up by the relentless wind, huge waves will surge, and the whole world will frantically interpret the true meaning of "chaos" at a bold pace.

　Even a steel ship weighing thousands of tons will become a plaything of nature in a storm, thrown from one wave crest to the bottom of the valley, and then thrown to another wave crest, rolling and swinging helplessly on the sea, at the mercy of the wind and rain, like a dice in the hands of a gambler.

　Furthermore, even in calm seas, the ship would pitch violently once it reached its top speed of 25 knots or more. Originally designed, the Yukikaze was capable of 35 knots. However, after more than two decades of continuous service, the ship's engines and boilers had aged severely, and after experiencing a grounding disaster and numerous brutal modifications, it could no longer reach even 30 knots.

　Earlier, when the Yukikaze sailed out of Tokyo Bay and just rounded the Chiba Peninsula, General LeMay saw that the weather was good and the sea around it was clear, so he ordered the boiler room to try sailing at full power and full speed.

　Then, Marilyn Monroe, who had been enjoying the breeze on the deck, practically scrambled into the cabin, retching into a tin bucket. Not to mention the violent turbulence of the ship, even the gentle breeze at 29 knots felt like a knife. Sun-soaked salt spray and mottled mist washed over her face at a relative speed of 60 kilometers per hour, creating the feeling of being under a sandstorm on one side and a torrential downpour on the other.

　Except for a few experienced old sailors, everyone else on the ship vomited profusely at this high speed, and almost every cabin emitted a sour smell. Afterwards, it took a whole day just to clean up the filth and broken equipment on the ship.

　Fortunately, as a god-favored person with an extraordinary physique, Fili has no problem with seasickness, and Marita's ability to resist seasickness is also surprisingly good - Marita's father was first a German submarine commander and later a captain of an American cruise ship. Marita, who has a family background in seasickness, has lived on the ship with her father all year round. Before she was seduced by the bearded Castro, she almost regarded the cruise ship as her home, so naturally she was not afraid of the wind and waves.

　After this failed test, the speed of the Yukikaze was kept below 20 knots, sometimes even sailing at a snail's pace of 10 knots - fortunately the departure time was relatively early, otherwise the group would have been in danger of not reaching the US mainland before Christmas.

　So, in the following time, Firi and others slowly enjoyed this sea journey across the Pacific Ocean.

　-

　It had to be said that the Yukikaze's reputation as an auspicious ship was truly well-deserved. During the nearly 5,000-nautical-mile voyage that Firi embarked on from Tokyo Bay eastward across the Pacific, the entire journey was smooth and sunny, with the worst sea conditions never exceeding level 4.

　just like

　It was as if Magellan's long and peaceful journey when he first entered the Pacific Ocean was happening again.

　Of course, if the Yukikaze was still a legitimate WWII Japanese warship, even if the weather was calm and sunny, the experience of ordinary people crossing the Pacific on it would definitely not be considered comfortable.

　After all, warships before World War II weren't as automated as later warships, relying heavily on manpower, with an average of one soldier per 10 tons of displacement. Some ships had more, others fewer: the US Fletcher-class destroyer, with a standard displacement of 2100 tons, could accommodate a full 353 men during wartime; Japan's Akizuki-class air defense destroyer was slightly better, with a standard displacement of 2700 tons, but still managed 315 men during wartime.

　The Kagero-class Yukikaze was a relatively new ship in the Japanese Navy at the time. With a displacement of 2000 tons and a crew of 228, it offered decent livability. However, the captain was given a small private room, officers were provided with bunk beds, and enlisted personnel were forced to sleep suspended in hammocks.

　—Note: The bunk beds on a warship are not like the bunk beds in a school dormitory. They are three-tiered, high, medium, and low. The person sleeping in the middle has a hard time turning over...

　In addition, the sailors have to take turns to eat in the restaurant. Otherwise, there are not enough seats, and most of the time they can only eat lunch boxes at their posts.

　As for entertainment and leisure, there is no question of it: there may be a military band on the battleship, but there may not even be a radio on the destroyer.

　However, the reason why the living conditions on warships are so poor and the sailors' resting space is so cramped is that the designers tried to cram as many weapons, equipment, fuel and ammunition as possible into the limited space of the hull, leaving little space for people to live.

　In order to operate so many ship-borne weapons and equipment, and in case of combat damage, there had to be redundancy in manpower, which meant that the number of sailors on the warships could not be reduced at all. As a result, with the desperate efforts to cram in equipment and people, the warships were naturally packed like sardines in a can, akin to purgatory.

　In comparison, the "Liberty Ship" transport ship, built on the American industrial assembly line using the same technological conditions of World War II, had a full load displacement of 14000 tons and only required 45 sailors to operate, plus a maximum of 24 naval soldiers to guard against pirate robbery.

　Due to its large displacement and small number of people, the living conditions of the Liberty Ships, although not as good as those of a proper passenger ship, were already luxurious compared to warships - the captain, chief engineer, first to third mates, purser, gunner, and anyone with a little status all had their own small private room on the ship.

　Even ordinary sailors at least had beds to sleep in, rather than swaying in hammocks. Furthermore, the ship also had a recreation room, library, shower room, and air-conditioned conference room—and yet, sailors still complained about poor living conditions because their bedrooms lacked air conditioning…

　But considering that the Liberty Ship's speed is surprisingly slow, it takes more than two months to cross the Pacific Ocean at a speed of five knots, so it is normal to have higher requirements for living conditions.

　Ahem, back to the topic, after Taiwan decided to transfer the Yukikaze to South Vietnam, it carried out drastic "demilitarization" transformation. The main goal was to improve the appearance and comfort, while reducing firepower. The three main turrets, which were as square and crudely made as matchboxes, were all dismantled at the first opportunity, and most of the remaining secondary guns and anti-aircraft machine guns were also dismantled, and the matching ammunition depots were naturally vacated.

　The Yukikaze's sonar and torpedo tubes were removed when Japan surrendered, and they were never reinstalled after it changed its nationality and was renamed the Danyang. The depth charge launcher at the stern and the radar on the mast, whose authenticity was unknown, were also removed, freeing up a few more cabins.

　Next, in order to free up more space for fresh water and onboard cold storage and improve the quality of life at sea, the Yukikaze's oil tank was also reduced, and the maximum cruising range was reduced from 6000 nautical miles to 3000 nautical miles - as the cruising range decreased, the space for storing food could also be reduced accordingly.

　Finally, because the weapons and reconnaissance equipment had been cut, the Yukikaze naturally no longer needed so many operators. The crew strength plummeted from 228 to 88, and the lifeboats were cut in half. The addition and subtraction naturally resulted in a lot more living space.

　Therefore, no one on the Yukikaze slept in a hammock anymore. Even ordinary sailors had bunk beds, and the captain's cabin was truly luxurious.

　In addition, there are two luxury guest rooms with balconies, four ordinary guest rooms and ten small single rooms for guests - this ship will most likely serve as the presidential yacht or naval flagship of South Vietnam in the future, and it must have space to accommodate the presidential team or the commander's staff, as well as military reporters!

　In addition, the ship also has a sea view restaurant, ballroom, casino, bathhouse, sauna, conference room, library and movie theater - unfortunately, the library is empty at the moment, with nothing but a few copies of "Playboy", but there are a lot of movie copies prepared.

　A salute cannon was placed at the forward main gun position, not only for welcoming guests but also for setting off fireworks during parties at sea. The rear main gun position was transformed into an open-air swimming pool with a sunshade. Although this four-meter-long, two-meter-wide pool might seem a bit small by 21st-century standards, it was considered a luxury at the time: Marilyn Monroe would jump in whenever she had the chance, enjoying the pleasure of soaking in the water and gazing at the sea view.

　That's it, Fei

　I boarded the Yukikaze with the other captains, sailing leisurely past Wake Island, passing Midway Island, and briefly stopping in Hawaii for a rest and resupply. Then, we entered the vast eastern Pacific Ocean, drawing ever closer to the west coast of North America...

　Author's Note: PS: I looked up the naming conventions of the South Vietnamese Navy. All "large ships" above frigates were named after people. Landing craft were sometimes named after people, and sometimes after places. Because of the constant coups, the naming conventions for ships acquired during different periods were inconsistent.

　So, when Xuefeng arrived in Nanyue, she was named Lu Shizhenhao, in memory of the female general of Jiaozhou in the Three Kingdoms period who was famous for her big breasts.

　And her famous saying: "I will ride the strong wind, step on the rough waves, kill the whales in the East China Sea, drive out the Wu army, recover our homeland, smash the shackles of slavery, and never bow down and be someone else's wife or concubine!" seems very powerful.

　——Especially the word Wu in Wujun, it can be Eastern Wu or Wu Tingyan.

　Once Xuefeng goes to Saigon, start preparing for the coup!

　Chapter 188: Rescue General Li Mei

　Under the clear blue sky, the vast ocean is boundless.

　Even a steel battleship with a displacement of over 2,000 tons is nothing more than a tiny leaf compared to it.

　——After leaving Pearl Harbor on Oahu Island, Hawaii, Firi and others, who had accompanied Admiral LeMay on the "armed yacht" Yukikaze, embarked on the final leg of their journey eastward toward home.

　Compared to the western Pacific, dotted with numerous islands and endless coral atolls, the eastern Pacific, stretching from Hawaii east to the west coast of North America, and especially the northeastern Pacific, appears much more empty.

　Except for the waters very close to the American continent, where there are several archipelagos separated from the continent, there is almost only vast ocean between leaving Hawaii and arriving at the American continent, and there are almost no island relay stations for rest along the way.

　So not only can you not see the islands, you can't even see any birds flying in the sky. The sea beneath your feet is empty and lonely, like a blue desert.

　For some reason, after not seeing land for several days, despite the good weather and good health, and despite the fact that he still made Marita squirt and scream every day in bed, Fili always felt an inexplicable irritation in his heart.

　"What's there to be upset about? We didn't encounter any storms along the way, the food was good, and the accommodations were also okay!

　It’s actually quite interesting to bask in the sun, play mahjong, play poker, and watch old movies every day.

　"I think you're just too free! Or maybe you're worried we won't make it to the US before Christmas? Don't worry, it's only December 17th, and we're already far past Hawaii! Even if the rest of the journey drags on, we should be in San Diego by the 20th, right?"

　Dr. Kissinger, sitting on a beach chair on the deck, scooped ice cream from a paper cup with a small spoon. He tilted his head and looked at the rippling blue waters not far away. "If you're really bored, why don't you take a dip in the pool?"

　Following Dr. Kissinger's gaze, he could clearly see that the site of Yukikaze's former No. 2 turret had been transformed into a 4-by-2-meter miniature outdoor swimming pool. The pool's bottom and edges were tiled with royal blue mosaics, and the water outlet was adorned with a gilded lion's head, with a gurgling spring gushing from its mouth, a truly pleasing sight.

　What is even more pleasing to the eye is the beautiful women soaking in this pool of water:

　Miss Monroe, with her blonde hair and long legs, was wearing a bikini and soaking in the mini swimming pool. She was lying comfortably on the edge of the pool, humming an unknown light tune and showing off her beautiful body, which had become more and more curvy, to everyone on the boat.

　All the navy sailors around were taking the opportunity to look at this delicate body coveted by all American men, with either direct and bold or veiled gazes.

　And marvel at the boldness and unrestrainedness of this sexy goddess.

　Well, I have to explain here that although the three-point bikini swimsuit had already appeared in Europe and the United States in the 1950s, the customs at that time were relatively conservative, so before the late 1960s, most bikini shorts covered a lot of area.

　——They were not briefs, nor were they small pieces of cloth tied on a rope, but rather wide and large boxer shorts, with three or four times more fabric than later generations.

　Specifically, even if women did not shave their hair at all and kept their hair lush and natural, they could still wear the bikinis of the time to the beach.

　However, at this moment, Marilyn Monroe replaced the old-fashioned bikini boxer shorts with a super fabric-saving thong!

　This reveals her plump, round, and elastic buttocks without reservation, attracting the attention of everyone around her.

　On Miss Monroe's left and right, there were two petite Japanese girls wrapped in bath towels serving her attentively. One gave her a massage, and the other poured drinks and cut fruits for her. While serving her, they secretly admired Marilyn Monroe's natural beauty.

　As Japanese women who had served American soldiers for years, they had long observed that while white Americans had fair skin, they were often heavily freckled. Even those without freckles often had rough skin, and both sexes had a strong odor that required perfume to barely conceal.

　However, the Marilyn Monroe in front of me is obviously not young anymore. But her skin is still as smooth as silk.

　There wasn't a single wrinkle on her face, her skin was much better than those of the yellow race, and her slender body didn't have the slightest smell of foul odor...

　They could only admire deeply the golden cat in front of them. She was indeed a top-tier beauty, incomparable to ordinary white women!

　In addition, there were two white girls, also wearing relatively conservative one-piece swimsuits, lying on the other side of the pool, whispering in each other's ears, and looking at Marilyn Monroe's sexy body glittering in the sun with envy and jealousy.

　Because the mini swimming pool was so small, just five women in the water had already taken up most of the area.

　Therefore, Monroe's ex-husband, DiMaggio, did not go into the water with her. Instead, he wore sunglasses on his face and only a pair of flowered shorts on his body, lying on a beach chair by the swimming pool to bask in the sun, while proudly watching Monroe become the focus of attention of many men, as if he was showing off a treasure.

　"I think I'd better not try to compete with the ladies for a seat. Can't you see Mr. DiMaggio is staying by the pool?"

　Ferry looked around the outdoor swimming pool for a while and said this with disapproval.

　"Uh, that's right, Miss Monroe's butt, you must be getting tired of touching it these days, right?"

　Dr. Kissinger quipped, "Is enema hydrotherapy really that effective? I think Miss Monroe seems to be getting younger and younger these days!"

　"Ah, I think the biggest contributor to Miss Monroe's vibrant spirit is probably the nourishment of love, right?"

　Ferry replied vaguely, "I have to go prepare the water therapy potion for Miss Monroe. See you at dinner tonight, Doctor..."

　-

　As the sky was filled with sunset glow and night was approaching, the melodious sound of blues saxophone music could be heard from the restaurant of the Yukikaze.

　On the dining table covered with snow-white linen, the warm and hazy night light complements the light of the stars and the moon shining on the sea outside the porthole.

　Although it was only a "small boat" with a displacement of 2,000 tons, after being transformed into an "armed yacht," the dining facilities on the Yukikaze had become quite luxurious: not only had the ship's kitchen been greatly expanded, but it was also equipped with an additional food freezer with a total volume of 20 cubic meters, capable of storing fish, pork, beef, ham, eggs, dairy products, fresh vegetables, fruits, and other perishable foods.

　In addition to an oven, the kitchen also has a freezer that can be used to make ice cream and shaved ice.

　When a banquet is held in the restaurant, every guest can use shining silver cutlery and enjoy sumptuous meals such as grilled steak, fried pork chops, cream-braised chicken, curry beef, etc. - if the chefs temporarily loaned by the US Navy were not so skilled, they could actually make some more upscale dishes.

　However, as time goes by, these chefs are also working hard to hone their cooking skills and improve their level.

　For example, in the center of the long table in the restaurant tonight, Fieri saw a slick Hawaiian roast suckling pig with an apple in its mouth. It was surrounded by colorful tropical fruit platters and plates of butter, jam and foie gras for diners to use at any time.

　Despite being in the tropics, the restaurant was well air-conditioned. Therefore, everyone attending the dinner wore suits and ties or military uniforms. The women also dressed up, donning either retro ruffled long dresses or more fashionable off-the-shoulder evening gowns.

　After a while, General Li May also walked to the main seat with a cane and picked up the wine glass with the help of the orderly.

　It's undeniable that the missile attacks earlier this year and his recent tour of Asia appear to have severely impacted General LeMay's health. His signature square face has become considerably thinner, and his hair has grayed considerably. Although his leg injury from the Pentagon collapse has largely healed, allowing him to walk with a cane and no longer need a wheelchair, he still trembles and coughs every few steps.

　However, just as everyone was about to listen to Admiral LeMay's toast and were about to raise the oars of their highball glasses in the river of wine, beer and Hawaiian punch, they saw Admiral LeMay suddenly sway, fall sideways to the ground, and faint!

　The restaurant was silent for a few seconds, and then there was a chaotic sound of footsteps, as well as loud screams and roars.

　"General! General! Please wake up! Wake up quickly!"

　"Doctor! Where is the doctor?"

　"There's no doctor on this ship! There's only a medic!"

　"What's wrong with the General? I've only had three weeks of first aid and bandaging training!"

　"Is there a port nearby where we can dock? General LeMay needs to be taken to the hospital immediately!"

　"We're now halfway between Hawaii and San Diego! The nearest port is three days away..."

　"Calling for a rescue helicopter is out of the question—where on this ship is there room for a helicopter?"

　While a group of people were surrounding the unconscious General Li May, talking and clamoring, Fili stood aside and secretly sighed: The Yukikaze is indeed worthy of being called an auspicious ship that absorbs luck. If it has companion ships traveling with it, the companion ships will surely be unlucky. Even if it acts alone, it can bring bad luck to the passengers on the ship!

　Then, Firi discovered that his own luck seemed to have been sucked away a little by this auspicious ship.

　"How about...let Major King give it a try?" Marilyn Monroe raised her hand high, with a look of clear stupidity in her eyes.

　...In Japan, when even the local doctors couldn't help me, he was the one who cured me! I still go to him for physical therapy regularly!"

　Thus, the glorious mission of rescuing General LeMay fell on Ferry's shoulders...

　Author's words: PS: The investigation into the accident in which the cabin door of a Boeing passenger plane flew away found that the problem was not that the expansion bolts were not properly installed, but that the expansion bolts were not installed at all.

　I don't know how the quality control is done.

　Then there are the public intellectuals who boast that Boeing aircraft are of good quality and can fly without tightening any bolts.

　Hey, I suddenly remembered that during World War II, Japan asked the beef canning factory in Nagoya to produce Zero fighters, but the pass rate was only 15%, and the pilots refused to use them when they were sent to the front line. The quality of today's Boeing aircraft is probably comparable to that of the Zero fighters produced by the canning factory.

　Chapter 189: Rescue Crazy Chengwu!

　Lying on the big bed in the luxurious VIP cabin, looking at the unconscious Admiral Curtis LeMay, Ferry felt overwhelmed.

　My God, he didn't even go to medical school, nor was he a military doctor, and they actually asked him to save people? Isn't this forcing him to do something he shouldn't do?

　Garrett, the short black medic standing nearby, was adding to the chaos. He opened a grimy first aid kit, rummaged through it, and finally pulled out a red, miniature, toothpaste-like, disposable stimulant. He pulled off the cap to reveal the syringe, and asked cautiously, "How about...a shot of stimulant first? During training, the instructor said if someone's unconscious, give them this!"

　Looking at this military-grade stimulant, which was either heavily spiked with amphetamine or cocaine, and the gleaming, sharp needle, Ferry couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly. Moreover, before he could even open his mouth, Marilyn Monroe excitedly interrupted.

　"Ah, Major Jin didn't use such a small needle when he treated me! He always used that big, thick thing to inject me from behind!"

　Monroe said something that could easily be misunderstood while taking out her enema. "By the way, can an unconscious patient also be given an enema?"

　Looking at these two funny guys and then at the orderly who was already pulling down General LeMay's pants, Ferry suddenly felt his eyes go dark and the corners of his mouth twisted.