191: Fight the Sixth Fleet!

The USA.

New York, Wall Street, Morgan Stanley trading floor.

There has always been an old saying in the international financial market: Wall Street is often more sensitive to the Global situation than the The White House!

And at this moment, a “Sky Dome” military operation by the Dragon Country Air Force tore apart the confidence of the Wall Street financial market!

Benjamin Coleman, a veteran trader at the Morgan Stanley trading floor, was experiencing an incredible scene firsthand at this moment!

He sat in a vest in front of the stock trading equipment, his fingers hovering over the keyboard.

On the screen, the green numbers of the Dow Jones Index futures suddenly froze, then flickered wildly as if choked by an invisible hand: -3%, -5%, -7%... “Oh my God...”

This sudden and tragic scene left Benjamin Coleman, a veteran stock trader, bewildered.

He yanked off his headphones, only to find the entire trading floor already drowned in a cacophony of curses.

Everyone was discussing the recent Bloomberg report that, half an hour ago, the Dragon Country Air Force's “Qianlong” squadron had forcefully traversed Iran's airspace, with Iran's air defense system remaining silent throughout.

Now, the Dragon Country Air Force's 3.5-generation fighter jets have already arrived at an Air Force base along the Persian Gulf coast of Iraq, with their spearhead pointed directly at The Pentagon's Sixth Fleet!

The Dragon Country Air Force's forceful deployment in the Middle East, demonstrating strategic deterrence and disregard for the Global order established by the Superpowers, directly triggered severe turbulence in the Global financial market!

International financial capital has an inherent nature to seek profit and avoid harm; everyone felt that a large-scale upheaval in the Middle East, or even a Global war, might be imminent!

International capital's risk aversion sentiment soared!

“Sell!”

“Sell everything!”

Traders from various investment banks roared frantically on the phone.

Escalating geopolitical risks in the Middle East led to increased energy security concerns, putting pressure on the U.S. Dollar Index, while safe-haven asset prices like gold surged.

The Wall Street Dow Jones Index futures plummeted by over 7%, directly triggering the circuit breaker mechanism!

What the Dragon Country's “Qianlong” Fighter Jet tore apart was not only international airspace rules but also Global capital's faith in the USA' military hegemony!

For the international financial market, confidence is often more important than gold!

When everyone loses confidence in the stock financial market, the game of “pass the parcel” can no longer be played, which could even lead to the outbreak of a financial crisis!

...The Pentagon.

A high-level, closed-door meeting on the Middle East situation was being held urgently.

The Dragon Country Air Force's sudden high-profile announcement of its first Global 3.5-generation fighter jet and overseas Air Force bases had already caught The Pentagon off guard.

And just now, that “Sky Dome” military operation, which disregarded international airspace rules, directly shocked The Pentagon!

What the “Sky Dome” military operation ostensibly demonstrated was the J-16 Fighter Jet, the Dragon Country Air Force's newly commissioned fighter jet, with its astonishing ultra-long range and strategic projection capabilities.

But in fact, this was a public show of force by the Dragon Country Air Force to The Pentagon in front of the whole world!

That is, I have broken the international airspace rules set by your USA; what can you do?

The Dragon Country Air Force was using practical actions to express to the whole world that it possesses powerful military capabilities to disregard international rules!

It is no exaggeration to say that this was a Global military deterrence display by the Dragon Country Air Force!

Inside The Pentagon's operations room, an electronic sand table displayed the real-time situation in the Persian Gulf.

At this moment, the J-16 “Qianlong” Fighter Jet formation of the Dragon Country, marked in red, had formed a standoff with the Sixth Fleet's four Carrier Battle Groups!

“The Dragon Country Air Force's actions are an open military provocation against our efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East!”

“If the Sixth Fleet, facing the escort of the J-16 formation, allows the oil tankers of the Dragon Country and Iraq to pass, wouldn't that be tantamount to us admitting defeat to the Dragon Country on a Global scale?”

“Does it even amount to publicly acknowledging that the Dragon Country's “Qianlong” Fighter Jet is the strongest 3.5-generation fighter jet in the Global?”

The Pentagon Secretary of Defense slammed his fist on the table and said.

Ten minutes earlier, before this meeting had even begun, he had received pressure from the The White House.

Now, Global international capital was accelerating its flight from the USA stock market, and the financial market was beginning to lose confidence in the USA' military hegemony.

If market expectations could not be restored, it would be a fatal blow to the entire USA economy!

Therefore, The Pentagon must find every possible way to respond favorably to the offensive posture of the Dragon Country Military!

At critical moments, even an “accidental strike” might be permissible!

“The The White House has politically promised to back us, The Pentagon, so militarily, we must launch a strong counterattack!”

“The four Carrier Battle Groups can relax the blockade of the Persian Gulf, but the Dragon Country's oil tankers absolutely cannot leave the Arabian Sea region!”

“If a strong confrontation occurs, after applying to me, an ‘accidental strike’ on the Dragon Country's oil tankers and fighter jets may be permitted...”

The Pentagon Secretary of Defense said to the Chief of Naval Operations with a serious expression.

The Pentagon blockaded the Persian Gulf, while the Dragon Country Air Force launched the “Sky Dome” operation; both sides seemed to be doing their own thing, but they were both flexing their muscles at each other across the air, which could even be described as a military standoff!

And now, both sides clearly had no intention of backing down, both showing an incredibly tough stance in front of the Global!

Then, the only option left was a direct confrontation!

“Yes, sir!”

The Chief of Naval Operations stood at attention and saluted, a slight smile appearing on his face.

Since the The White House and The Pentagon both permitted their Sixth Fleet to carry out “accidental strikes,” they naturally dared to go all out!

He did not believe that the Dragon Country's 12 so-called 3.5-generation fighter jets could stir up any trouble in front of four Carrier Battle Groups!

In this region of the Middle East, whether you are a dragon or a tiger, you have to obediently cower!

Not to mention the Dragon Country, even the Soviet Union, also a Superpowers, they had no fear!

...Dragon Country.

On the military plane returning to Yanjing from the military airport in the Northwest desert.

Comrade Peng Lin, Marshal Xu Yong'an, and Commander-in-Chief Liu Yufei of the Air Force were discussing the Middle East situation.

“Comrade Peng Lin, do you think the The White House and The Pentagon will back down?”

Marshal Xu Yong'an gazed towards the Southwest, a worried look in his eyes.

The struggle for interests in the Middle East concerned the Dragon Country's grand plan of reform and opening up.

If the military's strategy in the Middle East succeeded, and the oil jointly extracted by the Dragon Country and Iraq was continuously transported to the Global, then the people of the Dragon Country could at least suffer ten or even twenty years less hardship, rapidly completing primitive accumulation and industrialization with the income from selling oil!

And by the end of this century, allow the people to reach the level of a middle-income country!

If this military confrontation failed, the Dragon Country would completely lose the opportunity to take this “shortcut”!

The Dragon Country might only be able to start with light industries like textiles and cultivate little by little!

In that case, the Dragon Country might have to “sacrifice” the happiness of a generation!

Because if there was no shortcut, the Dragon Country could only achieve the primitive accumulation of industrialization through the arduous struggle of a generation, with blood and sweat!

That was destined to be a difficult and heavy road.

“The The White House is highly unlikely to back down!”

“But we absolutely cannot back down either!”

Comrade Peng Lin replied without hesitation.

In his previous life, Comrade Peng Lin had already experienced a great development process of the Dragon Country's industrialization!

That was truly a great struggle history where countless farmers and workers dedicated a generation of arduous blood and sweat; it was their sacrifice of all their youth that brought about an incredibly powerful Dragon Country!

But now, since there was an opportunity to change, Comrade Peng Lin truly wanted to create a “shortcut” for everyone to take together!

To let the Dragon Country suffer less, and to make the Dragon Country even stronger than in his previous life!

“Never overestimate the USA' bottom line!”

“I estimate they have even prepared for ‘accidental strikes’ on our oil tankers or even our fighter jets!”

“So what we need to undertake is not just an escort, but a true military mission and battle!”

Comrade Peng Lin continued to add.

Marshal Xu Yong'an and Commander-in-Chief Liu Yufei felt a sinking feeling in their hearts upon hearing Comrade Peng Lin's words.

At the same time, a murderous aura involuntarily emanated from both their eyes!

“Comrade Peng Lin, then what is your meaning?”

Commander-in-Chief Liu Yufei asked with a stern and serious expression.

“Fight the Sixth Fleet!”

“As the saying goes, in literature there is no first, in martial arts there is no second!”

“Without clearly knowing our strength, The Pentagon will not allow our oil tankers to leave the Arabian Sea and travel to the Global!”

Comrade Peng Lin said, enunciating each word clearly and with a deep voice!