Siheyuan: I, Shazhu, started out as an army and became a general.

South China Sea.

The vast expanse of blue water is covered with low-hanging clouds.

The sea, which should have been filled with the sounds of fishermen singing at dusk, was now filled with a suffocating aura of steel.

A colossal steel behemoth, as large as a mountain, brutally sliced ​​through the sea, stirring up layers of white waves.

The Enterprise. The first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in human history, America's mobile maritime fortress, is currently strolling leisurely on someone else's doorstep.

All around, cruisers and destroyers surrounded the moon; overhead, F-4 Phantom fighters tore through the sky, their sonic booms echoing like rolling thunder across the sea.

This is the most unreasonable naval force on the planet today.

Inside the bridge.

Admiral Harry Felt, commander of the Seventh Fleet, held an exquisite bone china coffee cup in his hand and glanced at the faintly visible Chinese islands and reefs in the distance through the bulletproof glass, as if looking at his own backyard.

"General, radar shows we've entered the contiguous zone of their territorial waters." The adjutant hesitated, looking at the flashing red dot on the screen. "The Chinese have already broadcast a strongly worded message on public channels."

"Strict?" Felt's lips curled into a mocking smile as he blew on his hot coffee. "Let them shout. What else can they do but shout? Send those little sampans to ram and sink my Enterprise?"

"But General, that Chinese commander codenamed 'Tiger' is fighting very fiercely in India..."

"That's land, Major," Felt interrupted impatiently, tapping his finger on the glass. "At sea, we are God."

"As for the Chinese Navy? Ha, it's at best a 'near-shore bathtub patrol force.' Forget aircraft carriers, they can't even muster a decent number of destroyers."

"This operation is meant to teach the whole world, and that arrogant 'Tiger,' a lesson: who really calls the shots on this blue planet?"

Felt put down his coffee cup, his tone chilling:

"Pass down the order: full speed ahead! Take off two squadrons of fighter jets and fly close to their airspace! I want them to hear the roar of jet engines and tremble in their beds!"

"yes!"

……

Beijing, Xishan Command Post.

A deathly silence.

The air seemed to freeze, making it hard to breathe.

Marshal Nie stood before the enormous nautical chart, his brow furrowed deeply, his fingertips turning slightly white from the pressure. On the chart, the red arrow representing the US aircraft carrier strike group resembled a poisoned blade, piercing straight into the heart of the South China Sea.

"This is outrageous!"

With a crisp "snap," the red and blue pencil in the hand of an air force general broke in two.

"They're defecating on our necks! Marshal Nie, give the order! Our J-5 and J-6 fighters may have short range, but once they get there, they're ready to fight them hand-to-hand! At worst, we'll all perish together!"

"Fight? What are we going to fight with?" A staff officer beside him, his eyes red and his voice hoarse, exclaimed, "That's a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier! Our planes haven't even seen them before they're locked onto by radar. They have hundreds of advanced fighter jets waiting; flying over there would be like being sitting ducks!"

Marshal Nie did not speak.

He just kept smoking, and in the swirling smoke, his resolute face looked exceptionally old. The ashtray was already piled high with cigarette smoke.

This is not just a gap in equipment, it's a generational gap.

This is an asymmetrical and desperate contest.

Just then—

"Ring ring—!!!"

The red secure phone suddenly rang.

The piercing ringing of the bell sounded particularly chilling in the deathly silent command post. Everyone's heart skipped a beat.

Marshal Nie grabbed the receiver and said in a low voice, "This is...."

On the other end of the receiver came a familiar voice, with the roughness unique to the plateau and a touch of cynical coldness.

"Marshal Nie, this is He Yuzhu."

"Zhu Zi?" Marshal Nie's eyes narrowed, and he tightened his grip on the phone. "How's it going on your end?"

"The Indians have submitted, signed the agreement, and paid the compensation. I'm preparing to return home in triumph." He Yuzhu spoke rapidly, then abruptly changed the subject, "But I heard that a group of uninvited guests have arrived at my house and are causing trouble at the door?"

"It's the Americans." Marshal Nie sighed. "The Enterprise carrier strike group. They're using this as a diversionary tactic, trying to force us to back down on the India issue."

"Dream on." He Yuzhu sneered, his murderous aura palpable even through the phone. "Commander Nie, since they want to play, let's play a big game with them."

"What do you want to do?" Nie Shuai's eyelids twitched, sensing something was off about He Yuzhu's tone.

"In a conventional battle, we'd be beggars trying to outdo the Dragon King in treasure—we'd lose." He Yuzhu's voice lowered, tinged with madness. "But don't we have a 'big guy' we just created?"

Marshal Nie froze for half a second, then his pupils contracted sharply, and he exclaimed, "You mean... a hydrogen bomb?!"

"No! Absolutely not!" Marshal Nie refused resolutely, his voice trembling. "That's a prototype, with a yield of 130 million tons. It's a strategic trump card! If it's used, it will lead to a full-scale nuclear war! Even the Emperor himself couldn't bear that responsibility!"

"Who said we were going to throw it away?" He Yuzhu's tone was relaxed, even a little playful. "We're just taking our treasure out to sunbathe, doing a 'live-fire exercise.' We'll conduct a bombing drill right above their aircraft carrier group!"

"Going to an exercise with real weapons?!" Marshal Nie felt his blood pressure soaring. "What if a gun accidentally discharges..."

"There's no 'what if'."

He Yuzhu interrupted Marshal Nie, his voice turning incredibly cold, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth:

"Marshal Nie, dignity is earned through fighting, not through endurance! Americans are most afraid of death; they can't afford to take this kind of gamble!"

"Give me six H-6 bombers, mount the 'Crazy Boom No. 1' hydrogen bomb that we just assembled, and go to Lop Nur to get a few tactical nuclear warheads to mount on them."

"I will personally command this operation."

There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone.

A full minute.

Only the hissing sound of electricity could be heard.

Marshal Nie's fingers tapped lightly on the table, each tap seeming to strike the hearts of everyone present. He was engaging in an extremely difficult psychological battle.

Finally, he took a deep breath, stubbed out his cigarette, and his eyes became more determined than ever before.

"good!"

"Zhu Zi, I'll set this fire with you!"

"But you remember this: you must bring the plane back! And bring everyone back safe and sound!"

"Don't worry, Marshal Nie."

On the other end of the phone, He Yuzhu's voice was filled with an air of triumphant arrogance:

"This time, I'm going to teach the Americans a lesson on what it means to—"

"Truth lies only within its measure!"