I accidentally joined a group of charlatans, so I immediately called the police and handed it over t

It is 9:00 AM Chinese time.

A brief announcement, consisting of just a few words, was sent to the world via an encrypted channel at Base 001.

Nantianmen Logistics Company will conduct a test delivery of "transoceanic express shipments" today, which is expected to take 15 minutes.

[Due to the rapid delivery speed, a slight sonic boom and heat wave may occur over the Pacific Ocean. Please be aware that some slow-moving aircraft along the route should give way.]

[Note: Negative reviews will not be accepted for this delivery.]

The announcement caused an uproar worldwide.

If the previous "seawater freezing" phenomenon had a somewhat eerie and mystical feel to it, then this time it's a blatant and explicit technological provocation.

Fifteen minutes to cross the Pacific Ocean?

This isn't science fiction, this is madness.

Washington.

Williams stood on the podium at the press conference, looked at the announcement handed to him by his subordinates, paused for a moment, and then burst into unrestrained laughter.

"Ladies and gentlemen, have you seen that?"

He projected the announcement onto the big screen, his toothless, slurred mouth now displaying the triumphant joy of a victor.

"This is a case of running out of ideas."

"This is the last helpless cry of an ancient empire when faced with absolute technological crushing power."

"I even suspect they might be planning to use some kind of 'paper airplane' to complete this 'delivery'?"

The Western journalists in the audience burst into laughter.

All the cameras were focused on that dark myth over the Pacific Ocean—the "Dark Star".

Inside the cockpit of the SR-72, ace pilot Pete Mitchell was leisurely stirring his coffee.

As the "King of the Sky" on whom the Pentagon places high hopes, he deserves it.

Mach 6.2.

This number is the basis of his arrogance.

He even turned on a public radio channel and broadcast to the world in a cat-and-mouse-like tone.

"This is 'Dark Star,' and I'm currently cruising over the Pacific Ocean. The weather is fine."

"I heard there's a 'logistics company' from the East that needs to deliver packages?"

Pete chuckled and took a sip of his coffee.

"I hope your deliverymen can keep up with my shadow."

"If you can see my taillights, I'll admit that your 'witchcraft' does have a little bit of that..."

Before he could finish speaking...

"drop--!!!"

The piercing alarm instantly filled the entire cockpit.

The radar screen in front of Pete was flashing red light like crazy.

A point of light appeared out of nowhere at the very edge of his radar detection range, following a trajectory that defied the common sense of physics.

No, it didn't appear.

They crashed in.

"Warning! Warning! Unknown high-speed object is approaching! Speed... incalculable!"

For the first time, the AI-generated voice stuttered.

Pete abruptly dropped his coffee cup and stared intently at the screen.

That point of light is not a "point" at all on the radar.

It is a line.

A straight line that stretches from one end of the screen to the other in an instant!

"My God..."

Pete instinctively turned his head.

It was right on the right side of his cockpit.

A jet-black fighter jet with sleek lines that seemed otherworldly was flying alongside him.

It was as if it had been quietly waiting there from the very beginning.

There was no terrifying roar, no violent shaking.

The only distinctive feature of that fighter jet was the constantly rotating, blue and red halo at its tail.

The space around the halo was distorted by high temperature and strong magnetic field, presenting a magnificent yet deadly ripple.

It's like the tail feathers of the mythical bird Vermilion Bird.

"Hongyan 01".

On the fuselage, there are only these four small white characters written in Chinese seal script, simple and solemn.

In the cockpit, the pilot, who was also wearing a black helmet, turned his head expressionlessly and met Pete's gaze.

Time seems to stand still at this moment.

Pete's pupils reflected that cold mask.

It also reflected on the dial of that fighter jet, a number that froze his soul.

Mach 15.7.

Pete's mind went blank.

He even forgot to breathe.

In this deathly silent stare...

The "courier" from "Nantianmen Logistics" slowly raised his hand.

He pointed at Pete and gave him a perfectly standard middle finger.

next second.

The blue-red halo at the tail of "Hongyan 01" suddenly contracted and then burst out with dazzling light.

No sound.

The black "Vermilion Bird" simply vanished from Pete's sight.

It was as if God had wiped it off the sky in an instant.

A few seconds later.

Pete's cockpit began to shake violently.

That was the lingering shockwave from when "Hongyan 01" broke through Mach 20, arriving late.

Pete struggled to lift his head and look ahead.

Above the cloudless sky.

Two parallel white contrails were left behind.

One of his proudest achievements, "Dark Star," came to an abrupt end.

The other line, straight and sharp, is like a god using an invisible giant ruler to draw an indelible straight line on the canvas of the sky, extending to the end of sight.

A press conference in Washington, D.C.

Williams' smile suddenly froze.

He watched in disbelief as the ghostly black fighter jet appeared on the big screen, stood side by side, raised its middle finger, and then disappeared.

The whole process took less than five seconds.

It was so fast that he even thought it was a hallucination caused by signal delay.

"No...it's impossible..."

Williams' face quickly changed from an arrogant flush to a terrified pallor.

"Cheating! This must be cheating!"

"This is CG! It's an animation faked by the Chinese!"

He was still roaring hysterically.

But the reporters in the audience were in a deathly silence.

Everyone stared at the "Dark Star" contrail, which was now far behind them, on the screen.

And then there's that proud, solitary straight line, seemingly mocking the entire history of Western aviation.

This is hardly a delivery test.

This is an execution.

A public execution of Western technological hegemony, broadcast live globally, with no suspense whatsoever.

"Thump."

Williams' legs went weak, and he collapsed into the chair.

His eyes were vacant, and he was muttering to himself unconsciously.

"God...mythology..."

"It's true..."

At this moment, the throne of the sky changed hands.