18: Air raid siren! Threat from land!

The night sky above Shenlan Port was briefly torn by two rapidly ascending drone contrails, then fell silent again. Everyone's hearts were fixed on the direction of Manila.

The shore-based anti-submarine sonar array flickered with eerie blue indicator lights in the darkness, announcing its final debugging and official integration into Shenlan Port's defense network. This giant steel ear would replace the weary Deep Blue 01, constantly listening to the whispers of the deep sea, vigilant against the Leviathan's revenge.

Inside the laboratory, temporarily converted from the bridge's reception room, the atmosphere was starkly different from the tension at the port. Ouyang Ming, like a child let loose in a toy store, was 'commandeering' Wang Hai's team's most precise instruments in an almost boisterous manner. His thick notebook lay open, filled with scribbled formulas and topological diagrams that clashed fiercely with the obelisk model constructed by Wang Hai's team.

"Old Wang, your model is just a shell! Where are the entangled spiral arms of the energy field? The quantum tunneling effect? And the mapping points of this 'Lullaby'—" Ouyang Ming's finger nearly poked Wang Hai's face, spittle flying, "—you must understand it through the Klein bottle structure in non-Euclidean space! Otherwise, you'll never decipher it!"

Professor Wang Hai's beard bristled with anger, but looking at the brilliant, almost insane deductions in Ouyang Ming's notebook, he had to suppress his fury. "Old Ou! You... you're fantasizing! The stability of the energy field..."

"Stable? How long has the obelisk existed? Its 'stability' far exceeds your imagination! It's super-stability under dynamic equilibrium!" Ouyang Ming didn't back down, grabbing a fragment of a "sea god's tears" ore. "Look! This is the proof! Its crystal lattice structure is the projection of the energy field's microscopic topology! Your previous purification applications only scratched the surface! Its true value lies in... resonance! Resonance with the obelisk's energy field! If we can find that frequency..."

Their argument was like a high-energy particle collision, sparking ideas. Lin Feng didn't disturb them; this clash of top intellects was the fuel Deep Blue urgently needed. He turned his attention to the "Ark of the Raging Sea" project. Resources from the exchange list were continuously being received by the engineering team, and huge modular living cabin components began pre-assembly on the open ground next to the dry dock. The damage to Deep Blue 01's starboard side, thanks to the 'blood donation' from the yuan yang feng shou's wreckage, finally saw its main structure sealed, and internal repairs and reinforcement began. The port propeller had been replaced, and the low rumble of engine tests from the engine room signaled that power was steadily recovering!

["Deep Blue 01" Power System Recovery: 85% !]

["Modular Living Cabin" Resource Availability: 70% !]

["Offshore Integrated Supply Warehouse" Blueprint Research Progress: 40% !]

["Primary Fleet Collaborative Command System" Research Progress: 25% !]

["Liren" Patrol Boat Construction Progress: 15% !]

Everything was improving. However, the communication blackout from Manila hung over them like a Sword of Damocles.

Time passed in anxious waiting. Dawn was approaching, and Shenlan Port was shrouded in a grey-blue mist.

Suddenly!

Woo—woo—woo—!!!

A piercing, ear-splitting air raid siren blared across the entire port without warning! Even sharper! More urgent than when the UNC drones appeared!

"Captain, report! Long-range early warning radar has detected a cluster of low-altitude, high-speed targets! Bearing: due north! Altitude: 500 meters! Speed: Mach 0.6! Distance: 80 kilometers! Number... number over twenty! Signal characteristics... identified as... armed helicopters! Mixed types! Suspected... Mi-24 'Hind,' AH-1 'Cobra'... and modified civilian helicopters!" The radar operator's voice was hoarse with alarm!

Armed helicopter fleet?! From the land to the north?!

The bridge instantly erupted! An air raid from land! This was an unprecedented threat!

"All hands, anti-air battle stations, Level 1! Full combat speed! Prepare evasive maneuvers!" Lin Feng roared, rushing to the command console!

"Shore defense system! All anti-air fire points! Heavy machine guns, rapid-fire cannons! Target incoming direction! Maximum elevation!"

"CIWS! Haihongqi-10! Lock onto the core of the formation! Free fire authorization!"

"Drones! Launch! Close-range identification! Jam their data links!"

"Sound the onshore air raid alarm! All personnel to underground shelters or reinforced fortifications!"

Deep Blue 01's massive engines let out a deafening roar, and the huge hull forcibly turned within the harbor, trying to gain a clear field of fire for its anti-air weapons. Onshore, amidst the piercing sirens, the construction site instantly emptied as people ran to the nearest shelters. Heavy machine gunners on the watchtowers and temporarily erected rapid-fire cannons (from salvaged equipment) all raised their muzzles, pointing towards the gloomy northern sky.

"Target distance 60 kilometers! Altitude dropped to 300 meters! Speed increased to Mach 0.7! Estimated to enter effective range in 5 minutes!" The radar operator's voice was like a death knell.

"Captain! Target signal characteristic analysis!" The electronic warfare officer urgently reported, "Fire control radar detected active! Locking... locking onto the shore-based anti-submarine sonar array and the dry dock area! Their objective is to destroy our defense nodes and shipbuilding capability!"

Lin Feng's eyes were icy. Not the UNC! The UNC's armed helicopters wouldn't be so disorganized, nor would they risk penetrating so deeply! This could only be... a warlord or large raider group entrenched somewhere inland, possessing some aerial power! They were attracted by the rise of Shenlan Port and its resources, or... incited by forces like One-Eyed Jack, launching this premeditated air raid!

"Order! Shore defense firepower! Once targets enter range, open fire! Don't aim for shoot-downs, aim to disrupt the formation and break their attack rhythm!"

"Deep Blue 01! Haihongqi-10 missiles! Target: lead helicopter! Fire!"

"CIWS! Prepare to intercept rockets and missiles!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

On the bow deck, the Haihongqi-10 anti-air missile launcher spewed flames! Several missiles, trailing white smoke, shot like arrows towards the low-altitude targets in the distance!

Almost simultaneously, the incoming helicopter fleet opened fire! Flashes of light flickered under their wings! Dozens of rockets, trailing exhaust, swarmed like dense bees towards the shore-based anti-submarine array and the dry dock area! A few older anti-tank missiles (possibly modified) even flew towards the Panshi docked at the pier!

The battle erupted instantly!

Buzz—!!!!

The 1130 CIWS on Deep Blue 01 once again let out its heart-stopping roar! A searing line of metallic storm fire collided head-on with the incoming rocket swarm!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Huge fireballs exploded in the sky! Like brilliant yet deadly fireworks! Most of the rockets were detonated in mid-air! Shockwaves and shrapnel rained down on the sea and shore!

The shore defense artillery also roared!

Tat-tat-tat-tat—!

Bang-bang-bang—!

Bullets from heavy machine guns and rapid-fire cannons sprayed into the sky like water. Although their accuracy was limited, the dense curtain of fire successfully disrupted the helicopter formation! A civilian modified helicopter that charged too aggressively was hit in its rotor by a burst of large-caliber bullets, spiraling down to the sea, trailing black smoke!

Rumble!

One anti-tank missile was successfully intercepted by the CIWS! But another narrowly grazed the Panshi's bow, exploding in a large crater on the concrete pier! Flying debris clanged against the ship's hull!

"Panshi reporting! Minor damage! No casualties! Maneuvering to evade!" Zhao Tiezhu's voice was filled with anger.

"Haihongqi hit the target! The lead Mi-24 exploded in mid-air!" The missile operator reported excitedly.

The explosion of the lead aircraft caused a momentary confusion in the helicopter formation. But the remaining enemy aircraft still fought fearlessly! They used their low-altitude advantage, like agile venomous wasps, continuing to close in on their intended targets! More rockets and autocannon shells rained down!

Boom! Boom!

The base of the shore-based anti-submarine sonar array was hit by several rockets! Flames shot skyward! The sturdy concrete base was gouged, exposing thick cables that sparked with electricity! The array's spherical sonar dome shook violently, emitting a piercing alarm!

"Sonar array damaged! Functionality reduced by 40% !" The shore defense command center reported.

"Dry dock! Dry dock area hit!" Another cry of alarm came! Several rockets struck the dry dock's roof and peripheral equipment! Sparks flew everywhere! The prefabricated modular living cabin components were overturned by the shockwave! The keel of the Liren, under construction, was also hit by flying debris!

"Damn it!" Lin Feng watched the damage reports on the screen, his anger burning. These attackers were striking at Deep Blue's vital points!

"We can't let them rampage any longer!" Gao Qiang roared, "Main gun! 130mm cannon! Load high-explosive shells! Target: the helicopter cluster's rear assembly point! Saturation fire!"

"No! The field of fire is blocked by harbor buildings! Insufficient elevation!" The fire control officer urgently said.

Just at this critical moment, a calm, almost icy voice came over the communicator. It was Ouyang Ming: "Captain Lin! Give me control of the array's active sonar! Frequency set to... 37.5 kilohertz! Amplitude to maximum! Quick!"

Sonar? 37.5 kilohertz? Lin Feng instantly understood Ouyang Ming's intention! He wanted to use high-power sonar to create a sonic attack! Although the effect on sturdy helicopters was unknown, this was the only unexpected move!

"Shore Defense Center! Immediately transfer temporary control of the sonar array to Professor Ouyang! Do as he says!" Lin Feng didn't hesitate!

"Control transferred! Frequency 37.5 kilohertz! Amplitude maximum! Activating!" The shore defense operator immediately complied.

Woo—————!!!!

A super-low frequency sonic pulse, extremely deep yet containing terrifying energy, suddenly erupted from the massive sonar dome of the shore-based anti-submarine array! This sound was far beyond human hearing range, but the invisible sound waves swept across the entire airspace like a physical sledgehammer!

The effect was immediate!

The incoming helicopter fleet seemed to hit an invisible wall of sound waves! The noise of their rotors was instantly drowned out! Inside the cockpits, all instruments wildly flickered! Glass vibrated violently! Pilots screamed in agony, their eardrums feeling as if they were being pierced! Several old, modified civilian aircraft instantly lost control, their rotors unbalanced, spiraling into the sea or land!

Even the relatively sturdy military helicopters swayed violently in the air as if drunk, their flight attitudes completely out of control! Rocket launches abruptly ceased! Autocannon barrages became aimless!

"Good opportunity!" Lin Feng's eyes flashed with fierce light! "All anti-air firepower! Free fire! Hit them! Leave none alive!"

Buzz—!!!!

The 1130 CIWS's metallic storm roared again!

Tat-tat-tat-tat—!

Bang-bang-bang—!

The shore defense rapid-fire cannons and heavy machine guns opened fire!

The disoriented helicopter fleet became sitting ducks! One after another, they were blown up, disintegrated, and fell trailing thick smoke! The few that narrowly escaped the first wave of attack, like startled birds, frantically turned around and fled madly towards the inland!

In just a few minutes, the formidable helicopter fleet was utterly crippled! More than half were shot down in mid-air, and the rest fled in disarray! Burning wreckage and oil slicks floated on the sea, and several crashed aircraft lay scattered on the shore, signaling the complete failure of this air raid!

"Threat neutralized! Repeat, threat neutralized!" The radar operator's voice was filled with the excitement of surviving a close call.

A long-suppressed cheer erupted in Shenlan Port! Shore defense personnel excitedly slapped their weapons, and applause also broke out on the bridge. Ouyang Ming stood in front of the sonar control console, pushed up his glasses, and a hint of 'I knew it' pride appeared on his face.

However, Lin Feng and Gao Qiang did not relax in the slightest. They looked at the damage on the shore-based sonar array's base, at the mess in the dry dock area, at the scattered components of the prefabricated living cabins... the losses were real.

"Immediately assess the damage! Prioritize repairing the sonar array and dry dock! Salvage the Liren's keel!" Lin Feng said in a deep voice, "Medical team! Search for survivors! See if any enemies parachuted! Capture them alive!"

"Captain! 'Eagle Eye' drones are tracking the fleeing enemy aircraft... They're flying towards the northwest inland... Coordinates point to... that abandoned chemical plant marked as 'dangerous' by Zhao Tiezhu!" Chen Hai's voice suddenly cut into the communication; he was clearly also following the port's battle via an encrypted channel!

Abandoned chemical plant?! Lin Feng's eyes narrowed! There were underground warehouses and air raid shelters there! So the attackers' lair was hidden there!

"Good! Lock down the location!" Lin Feng's eyes flashed with cold light. "After we deal with this, we'll settle this score properly!"

Just then, the communications officer reported again: "Captain! Manila direction! 'Eagle Eye' 3 has sent back a signal! Captain Chen Hai... they succeeded!"

The screen switched. In the image, at the edge of the smoke-filled "Pan-Asia Deep Sea Research Institute" ruins, Chen Hai and his team, all wounded and grimy, but with bright eyes! They were protecting an Asian woman wearing a torn white lab coat, pale but tightly clutching a silver metal box—it was Dr. Isabel Chen! Scattered around her were the burnt wreckage of phase disruptors and broken limbs of shelled monsters.

"Captain! Doctor is safe! The core data hard drive and decoder are both here! We... made it out!" Chen Hai gave a tired but brilliant smile to the camera.

The heroes of Manila had returned! The guardians of Shenlan Port had held their ground! And the venomous sting from the land had been decisively removed!

However, Lin Feng knew that the battle was far from over. The threat of the abandoned chemical plant, the shadow of the UNC, the covetousness of One-Eyed Jack, and the silent obelisk in the abyss... Deep Blue's voyage still navigated through raging seas and battle smoke.

He looked out the porthole at the gradually brightening sky, Deep Blue's flag fluttering in the morning breeze. The silhouette of the mobile fortress loomed faintly in the smoke, a new battle about to begin in the direction of the land.

[Ding!]

[Successfully repelled a large-scale air raid! Outpost defense capability verified!]

[Obtained: Energy/Points +2000 (Defense Victory Reward)]

[Obtained: "Light Anti-Air Missile System (Shore-Based)" Blueprint x 1 (Unlocked based on combat needs)]

[Obtained: Special Talent [Dr. Isabel Chen (Deep Sea Acoustics/Ancient Civilization)] (Loyalty: 75%)]

[Hint: The abandoned chemical plant (warlord stronghold) has become a direct threat. It needs to be cleared as soon as possible to ensure the safety of the port and the inland depths.]

New challenges and rewards rose with the morning sun.