13: Encountering regular troops! Is this a test of friend or foe?

The clearing out of Scarface's remnants was like excising the last piece of rot from Shenlan Port. The captured weapons, ammunition, food, medicine, and the small amount of fuel and building materials stockpiled in the living area's warehouse significantly enriched the outpost's reserves. More importantly, the '"sea god's tears"' ore, glowing with a faint blue light, was immediately sent to Professor Wang Hai's laboratory, becoming the top priority for research.

On the bridge of Deep Blue 01, Lin Feng, Gao Qiang, Chen Hai, and Zhao Tiezhu, who had just been appointed as the Shore Defense Commander, were reviewing the blueprints for the port's defense upgrade. Zhang Defu's engineering team was incredibly efficient; the transformation of the small shipyard was already taking shape, and the massive gantry crane skeleton stood erect in Zone C. The keel laying for the first 'Lightly Armed Patrol Boat' had also begun, with special steel and precision components continuously replenished through exchange.

"The materials for the wall upgrade are in place. We'll heighten and reinforce it, add electrified barbed wire to the top, and install searchlights and heavy machine gun rotating platforms on the watchtowers," Zhao Tiezhu said, pointing to the circular defense line on the map, his eyes full of drive. "The power facility research will be completed this afternoon. Once the small water purification station is built, power can be connected, and we won't have to grope in the dark at night."

"Keep a close eye on the patrol boat construction progress," Lin Feng said, looking at the briefing sent back by Zhang Defu. "This is an extension of our naval power; they are crucial for dealing with One-Eyed Jack's speedboat fleet."

"Understood! Modular hull design, as long as materials keep up, it will be launched very quickly!" Zhang Defu's voice came through the communicator, accompanied by the background sound of metal clashing.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion. However, just in this seemingly calm construction period, an unexpected, sharp alarm suddenly blared!

Woosh—woosh—woosh—!

Unlike anti-submarine or combat alarms, this was... a long-range radar warning!

"Report, Captain!" The radar operator's voice was filled with incredulous shock. "Long-range alert radar has detected an unknown aerial target! Bearing: 075! Altitude: 8000 meters! Speed: 0.8 Mach! Distance: 250 kilometers! It's... it's approaching the port's direction! Signal characteristics... signal characteristic identification... highly suspected to be a 'Global Hawk' large unmanned reconnaissance aircraft!"

Global Hawk?! Lin Feng's pupils contracted sharply! Gao Qiang and Chen Hai also stood up abruptly! Everyone's hearts instantly jumped into their throats!

Regular army?! Which country's surviving military force is it? Or... some unknown power?

"Confirm signal characteristics! Initiate IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) query!" Lin Feng's voice was urgent but steady. He quickly called up the system interface: [System, can you analyze the target's intent and origin?]

[Target: RQ-4 "Global Hawk" High-Altitude Long-Endurance Unmanned Reconnaissance Aircraft (Suspected).]

[Current Heading: Pointing towards Shenlan Port.]

[Signal Analysis: Did not respond to our IFF query... using low-observability coating and electronic silent mode... Intent: High probability of strategic reconnaissance.]

[Threat Assessment: Low (unarmed), but extremely high risk of intelligence leakage!]

[Source Inference: Based on its heading and fragmented information on known spheres of influence, high probability of belonging to... the Northern Remnant United Defense Forces (UNC)?]

Northern Remnant United Defense Forces (UNC)? Lin Feng had some impression of this name; it seemed to be a hastily cobbled-together alliance of surviving military forces from several northern powers after the disaster, controlling several relatively stable enclaves, with a mysterious and exclusive modus operandi. How could they have noticed this remote southern port?

"Captain! Target distance 200 kilometers! Continuing to approach! Altitude unchanged!" the radar operator reported.

"Order!" Lin Feng's eyes were sharp. "The entire ship enters Level 2 anti-air alert! Haihongqi-10 missiles stand by! Close-in weapon system preheating! Radar maintains lock! But... no firing without my command!"

"Shore outposts! Anti-air alarm! All personnel enter bunkers! Anti-air firepower points (heavy machine guns) prepare for aerial vigilance!"

"Drones! Our 'Eagle Eye' immediately takes off! Climb to maximum altitude! Attempt close-range optical identification! Be sure to maintain a safe distance!"

"Electronic countermeasures system! Activate active jamming! Jam its reconnaissance pod and data link! Maximum power! Create a 'fog' for me!"

A series of commands was quickly issued. Deep Blue 01 was like a startled beast, anti-air missile launcher covers opened, close-in weapon system turrets rotated, and invisible electronic jamming beams shot into the sky like a barrier. On the shore outposts, amidst the piercing anti-air alarm, people on the construction site quickly put down their tools and orderly withdrew into reinforced bunkers. Heavy machine gunners climbed the watchtowers, their muzzles vigilantly pointing towards the northeastern sky.

"Eagle Eye report: Target confirmed! RQ-4 'Global Hawk'! Livery... non-standard military livery, no markings! Reconnaissance pod is active!" The shipboard drone quickly sent back clear images. In the footage, the large-winged drone, like a ghost in the high-altitude, flew steadily above the clouds, its multi-spectral reconnaissance pod under its belly pointed at Shenlan Port below.

"Electronic jamming effective! Target data link signal is strongly suppressed! Image transmission quality should be severely degraded!" the electronic warfare officer reported.

"Maintain jamming! Keep locking! See what it wants to do!" Lin Feng stared intently at the screen. The opponent was unarmed, shooting it down directly carried too much risk and could invite unknown retaliation. But letting it conduct reconnaissance would expose the existence of Deep Blue 01 and the secrets of the port's construction! This was a dilemma.

Time passed minute by minute. The 'Global Hawk,' at about 150 kilometers from Shenlan Port, seemed to sense the threat from the intense electronic jamming and radar lock below, and began to turn! It did not continue to approach, but instead, along a flight path parallel to the port's coastline, began to circle outside a safe distance! Clearly, its mission was close-range reconnaissance, but Deep Blue 01's demonstrated strong anti-air and electronic warfare capabilities forced it to maintain a cautious distance.

"It's circling... like it's drawing a map..." Gao Qiang frowned.

"It could also be evaluating our defensive strength and reaction speed," Chen Hai added.

Lin Feng looked at the regularly circling light spot on the radar screen, maintaining its distance, and quickly weighed his options. Show weakness? No, the opponent would take an inch for a mile. Forcefully shoot it down? The consequences were unpredictable. Perhaps... he could try another approach?

"Communications officer!" Lin Feng suddenly spoke. "Use the international universal maritime emergency channel, open code call! Target: 'Unidentified high-altitude drone'. Content: This is the Shenlan Port controlled area! Your aircraft has entered our airspace without permission, constituting a serious threat! We are exercising restraint, but have the right to take all necessary measures to defend our sovereignty! Please immediately state your identity, intent, and withdraw! Repeat, please immediately state your identity, intent, and withdraw!"

This was a test! And a warning! And a statement of position!

The open code call was sent out, like a stone thrown into calm water. The bridge was silent; everyone was waiting for the other party's response.

A few seconds later, a cold, emotionless electronic synthesized voice, processed with encryption and voice alteration, echoed through the communication channel:

"Deep Blue 01, Captain Lin Feng. Received your call. We are performing... routine patrol mission. No intention of infringement. Data collection... for regional security assessment. Your... existence and activities... have been recorded. Suggestion: Maintain... status quo. Do not expand north. Repeat, do not expand north. This area... belongs to the UNC Joint Defense Zone buffer zone. Conflict... is not beneficial."

Massive amount of information!

1. The other party knows Deep Blue 01 and Lin Feng's name! Their intelligence capabilities are astounding!

2. Admitted to performing a reconnaissance mission ("routine patrol" was a pretext).

3. Warned Deep Blue forces not to expand north (UNC's sphere of influence is in the north).

4. Designated the area around Shenlan Port as a "buffer zone," implying mutual non-interference, but also with connotations of surveillance and restriction.

"Buffer zone?" Lin Feng's lips curled into a cold smile. The other party clearly viewed Shenlan Port as a new emerging force that needed to be wary of, but was unwilling (or temporarily unable) to directly conflict, so they adopted this strategy of setting boundaries and maintaining surveillance.

"Reply to them!" Lin Feng's tone was firm. "Shenlan Port and the surrounding waters are our legitimate control area! We have the right to conduct all necessary defense and construction activities! As long as our interests and security are not actively infringed upon, we have no intention of being hostile to any force! But any unauthorized reconnaissance and provocation will be regarded as hostile acts! Consequences will be borne by yourselves!"

Strong! Clear! Drawing a red line!

After the communication was sent, the 'Global Hawk' circled twice more, seemingly evaluating. Finally, it changed course and flew towards the northeast, the direction it came from, increasing speed, and soon disappeared from the radar screen.

"Target... disengaged, returning to base," the radar operator reported.

On the bridge, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but their mood was not lightened. The appearance of the UNC was like a depth charge dropped into calm waters. This force, possessing remnants of regular army strength and advanced equipment, had an ambiguous attitude and unclear stance, posing a potential huge threat!

"It seems we've been targeted by our 'neighbors'," Gao Qiang said with a solemn expression.

"As expected," Lin Feng's eyes were deep. "The existence of Deep Blue 01 cannot be hidden from those with intent. The UNC's warning is both a restriction and an indirect acknowledgment of our existence in this area. As long as we don't actively move north to touch their core interests, there should be no direct conflict in the short term. But this surveillance... will not stop."

He turned to Chen Hai and Zhao Tiezhu: "The shore defense pressure will be even greater! Besides pirates, we must also be wary of eyes from the sky! The anti-air capability of the outposts must be improved as quickly as possible! The completed [Simple Anti-Air Missile Launcher] technology (included with wall upgrades) must be immediately put into construction! Even if they are just short-range anti-air missiles, they must create a deterrent!"

"Yes!" Both men solemnly accepted the order.

Just then, Professor Wang Hai's excited voice came from the laboratory, breaking the tense atmosphere: "Captain! Major discovery! Regarding the '"sea god's tears"'!".

Lin Feng immediately rushed to the laboratory.

Inside the laboratory, the faint blue ore was fixed in precise instruments. Wang Hai pointed at the waterfall of data and simulated images on the screen, speaking excitedly and rapidly:

"Unbelievable! Captain! The energy factors contained in this ore, their core spectrum, are... homologous to the energy in the 'poseidon's eye' and Leviathan's blood samples! The similarity exceeds 99.9%! But it... it's more 'gentle,' more 'stable'!"

"Gentle? Stable?" Lin Feng was puzzled.

"Yes!" Wang Hai called up a set of comparative waveforms. "You see, the energy within the 'poseidon's eye' and the giant beast is violent, chaotic, full of aggressiveness and inductive mutation. But the energy in this ore, though homologous, seems to have been 'tamed' or 'encapsulated'! It's bound within a special crystal lattice structure, and the energy release is slow, controllable!"

He pointed to the magnified microscopic structure diagram inside the ore: "Look here! This crystal lattice... this arrangement... it's almost like... an artificially designed energy storage device! We tried stimulating it with a weak current, and it actually released controllable, pure energy pulses! Although the intensity is very low, it's extremely stable! Moreover, it has a miraculous effect on iron-eating bacteria...!"

Wang Hai switched the screen, showing aA video of an experiment (segment of experimental footage): A drop of low-quality fuel containing a high concentration of iron-eating bacteria was dripped onto a small fragment of the ore. The previously highly active microorganisms, as if encountering a natural enemy, instantly became lethargic and completely lost their activity after a few seconds!

"It can inhibit or even kill iron-eating bacteria?!" Lin Feng was greatly invigorated! This was practically the key to solving the fuel purification problem!

"Not only that!" Wang Hai's eyes gleamed with the light of a scientific fanatic. "We tried using this energy pulse to neutralize fuel samples contaminated with iron-eating bacteria... the effect was significant! The contamination was rapidly cleared! And, this energy also seems to... enhance the corrosion resistance of metals! If we could grind this ore into powder and add it as an additive to the fuel purification process, or coat it on oil pipes and engine inner walls..."

[Ding!]

[Special Research Project: ""sea god's tears"" Ore Analysis (Preliminary) Completed!]

[Obtained Key Information: Stable-state "poseidon's eye" energy storage and release characteristics; special inhibitory effect on iron-eating bacteria; potential metal strengthening characteristics.]

[Unlocked Application Branches:]

- High-efficiency fuel purification catalyst (requires engineering implementation).

- Special anti-corrosion metal coating (requires materials laboratory).

- Miniature energy battery (theoretically feasible, requires advanced materials and energy technology).

[Obtained: Energy/Points + 1000 (Research Reward)]

[Hint: This ore may be a natural condensation product after "poseidon's eye" energy leakage, or... a man-made energy storage unit?]

The system's prompt made Lin Feng's heart race! The value of these ""sea god's tears"" far exceeded imagination! It could not only completely solve the core problem of fuel purification but also open the door to new materials and energy! And its possible source—that abandoned naval base—its importance soared once again!

"One-Eyed Jack... he must have more of this ore! Perhaps... he even knows the mining location or manufacturing method!" Lin Feng's eyes flashed brightly. The exploration of the naval base was no longer just for potential "energy source" clues, but also for this strategic resource!

"Professor Wang, continue the research! Focus on the practical application of the purification catalyst and anti-corrosion coating! Whatever resources you need, prioritize them!" Lin Feng decisively ordered.

"Understood!" Wang Hai was full of drive.

Stepping out of the laboratory, Lin Feng looked towards the northeast—that was the direction of the abandoned naval base, and also the direction of the UNC's sphere of influence. The shadow of the aerial threat had not yet dissipated, but the light of hope brought by the ""sea god's tears"" was even more dazzling.

On Deep Blue 01's radar screen, the icon representing the "Primary Deep Sea Detection Sonar Array," after investing enough points, finally lit up with a green [Installation Complete] indicator! The deep Manila Trench in the South China Sea, where the 'poseidon's eye' was located, was finally no longer out of reach!

"Order!" Lin Feng's voice spread throughout the ship and outposts via broadcast. "'Deep Sea Eye' array activate self-check! Deep Blue 01, prepare to set sail! Destination: South China Sea, edge of the Manila Trench! We are going to... see what secrets that 'poseidon's eye' holds!"

The tumor was cleared, the aerialPeeper (peeping tom) was deterred, and crucial resource clues were obtained... Deep Blue's course, steadfastly pointed towards the abyss of the sea—a place brimming with endless mysteries and dangers!

[Ding!]

[Mission: Anchor of Deep Blue - Objective 3 (Successfully installed and activated "Primary Deep Sea Detection Sonar Array") Completed!]

[Obtained: Energy/Points + 500 (Stage Reward)]

[New Mission: Abyss Exploration]

[Mission Description: The activated "Deep Sea Eye" array is the first window into the mysteries of the "poseidon's eye". Proceed to the target sea area, conduct the first deep-sea detection, and collect key data.]

[Mission Objectives:]

1. Arrive at coordinates [XX.XXXX, YY.YYYY] (edge of the Manila Trench).

2. Use the "Deep Sea Eye" array for continuous deep-sea scanning for over 12 hours.

3. Recover at least one set of valid detection data (energy readings, geological structure, biological signals, etc.).

[Mission Rewards:]

Energy/Points + 1500

"Deep Sea Unmanned Detector (Basic Model)" Blueprint × 1

Unlock "poseidon's eye" Phase 1 Information

Special Talent Recruitment Clue × 1

[Failure Penalty: Array may be damaged, exposing your position to unknown deep-sea threats.]

The call of the deep sea, accompanied by opportunities and risks, has officially arrived!