54: Storms gather, undercurrents surge

Lin Feng's earth-shattering global declaration was like a red-hot branding iron thrown into a boiling oil pot, instantly igniting the world's already taut nerves!

The Ark, 'Noah' Ecological Dome No. 7, Council Hub.

Albatross stood before the giant circular screen, watching the constantly scrolling global communication monitoring data and the full text of the declaration released by the Deep Blue Alliance. His characteristic composure had long vanished, replaced by a livid gloom and suppressed fury. The crystal goblet in his hand creaked as he squeezed it, expensive liquor dripping from between his fingers onto the carpet.

"Madman! A complete and utter madman!" an old man in a white lab coat exclaimed, "He dares to publicly reveal the Deep Blue Heart?! Doesn't he know how many greedy jackals this will attract? This is playing with fire!"

"No, Dr. Carlos," Albatross's voice was icy, carrying a hint of the ruthlessness of being fooled, "He is not a madman. He is more cunning, and more… arrogant than we imagined." He pointed at the phrases "open attitude" and "seeking the broadest, most equitable cooperation" on the screen, his eyes glinting coldly, "He is cornering us! Putting our Ark, and those low-class bandits, those lingering warlords, at the same negotiating table! Using the grand name of 'human future' to block any possibility of us taking it by force privately!"

"He thinks this will protect him?" another Council member, a stern-faced General, scoffed, "Turning himself into a global enemy and a target for all? Foolish! This will only make the situation more chaotic, and allow things like the Observer to act even more recklessly!"

"Chaos is exactly what he wants," Albatross took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, "There is opportunity in chaos. He places himself in the eye of the storm, seemingly dangerous, but also potentially able to rise with the momentum. He is betting that we need him, betting that the threat of the Observer will make others hesitant, betting that… he can build his 'fortress' into a true iron wall before the summit!" He turned abruptly, "Notify the 'Siren' squadron, cancel all stealth operation plans. Immediately change course, full speed towards the Deep Blue Alliance coordinates! Carry the 'gift'

… execute 'Contact' Protocol B!"

"Protocol B? The cost…" The General's face subtly changed.

"Cost?" A ruthless glint flashed in Albatross's eyes, "Since he wants 'openness' and 'cooperation', then we will give it to him! In a way he cannot refuse! But before cooperation, he and his Deep Blue must deeply understand that the Ark's will is not to be challenged! Also, activate the 'Deepweb' project. I want to know the bottom line of all notable forces that might attend the summit before it begins!"

Somewhere in the deep sea, inside an unknown structure.

Cold purple light flowed on the smooth, non-metallic, non-rock walls. In the center, a giant 'core' made of pure energy, constantly shifting geometric shapes, silently hovered. The surface of the core clearly reflected the scene of the corridor outside the core research lab of the Deep Blue Alliance base, where the strange runes etched on the wall emitted a faint but continuous fluctuation.

Some vague, non-human mental intentions communicated silently in the space:

[Confirm… coordinate anchoring… energy signature… 97.8% match… target: Deep Blue Heart…]

[Interference… strong… human… resistance… mental resistance… weak… effective…]

[Mother… command… acquire… highest priority…]

[Summit… gathering… opportunity… chaos… conducive to infiltration… retrieve…]

[Imprint… activate… phase… prepare…]

The core's light flickered, transmitting a stronger command: [Wait… for the moment… swarm… descend…]

West Pacific, Free City States "New Port."

In the dilapidated but vibrant port city, Lin Feng's declaration was being broadcast on a giant public screen. The crowd was first dead silent, then erupted into a deafening clamor!

"Deep Blue Heart?! Infinite energy?!"

"They really found alien technology in Antarctica?!"

"Technology sharing summit? Can we… can places like ours participate?"

"That Lin Feng… what great ambition! Isn't he afraid of being besieged?"

Inside the Mayor's Office, an old man with white hair, dressed in an old-style naval officer's uniform, slammed his hand on the table: "Immediately inventory all our technological reserves and resources! Contact all the old friends we can still reach! Prepare our best ship! Go to the Deep Blue! This is our only chance to break free from energy shackles and truly rise! Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, we must take it!"

Eurasian hinterland, Iron Brotherhood fortress.

In the rough steel hall, a burly giant with a hideous scar on his face and covered in crude exoskeleton armor, looked at the declaration brief presented by his subordinate, letting out a beast-like growl: "Bullshit technology sharing! Bullshit human future! That little brat Lin Feng just got lucky and found a treasure! This kind of power should be controlled by the strongest!" His eyes gleamed with greed and brutality, "Notify all mobile units, assemble! Target, South China Sea! Tell that Lin Feng, either hand over the blueprints, or… I'll use his ship as a coffin!"

Across the globe, countless surviving scientific research institutions, secret consortiums, small groups with special technologies, and even remnants of certain long-dormant national powers… were all thrown into turmoil by this declaration.

Shock, doubt, ecstasy, greed, fear, calculation… countless emotions fermented wildly in global survivor networks and secret channels. Countless ships began maintenance, aircraft began refueling, dusty communication codebooks were reopened, and ancient intelligence networks were reactivated. There was only one target — the Deep Blue in seventy-two hours!

---

And in the eye of the storm, the Deep Blue base, was now transforming into a high-speed war machine! The 'Fortress' defense plan, under Lin Feng's iron will, was pushed to its extreme with unprecedented efficiency!

Steel Bulwark:

Several key reefs surrounding the main island of the base were directionally blasted. Large prefabricated caissons were precisely deployed and flooded with water amidst the roar of engineering vessels, forming an underwater anti-submarine barrier and foundations for additional shore-based artillery platforms.

Temporary dry docks worked day and night, utilizing existing materials and emergency-smelted alloys, to rapidly produce batches of modular shore defense turrets, vertical missile launch units, and close-in weapon systems. Like steel thorns, they were densely deployed at strategic high points on the island and key locations along the coastline.

The Type 055 Destroyer Deep Blue itself, as the mobile command core and strongest firepower point, was anchored in the core area of the base. Its powerful radar and electronic warfare systems became the central nervous system of the entire defense system. Around the hull, several frigates and supply ships, newly repaired and equipped with simplified weapon modules, guarded it like loyal escorts.

Energy Shield:

Near the core research lab, several large energy generators were urgently deployed, with thick cables laid out like giant pythons. These were secondary technologies, still imperfect but usable, derived from the Deep Blue Heart blueprints — prototypes of "phase shift shield" generators based on partial spatial resonance theory. Although their power was limited, duration short, and instability risked, this was the only hope against the strange energy attacks of entities like the Observer.

Engineers were constructing a multi-layered, multi-frequency anti-energy field and spatial stabilization device in the corridor outside the core research lab, centered on that strange purple imprint, attempting to interfere with and isolate any potential subsequent effects of the imprint.

Invisible Net:

The electronic warfare center was tripled in size, and newly installed server arrays hummed. The detection arrays extending from the Deep Blue were maximized, combined with newly deployed land-based detection nodes, to weave a three-dimensional monitoring net covering hundreds of nautical miles. The "Hive" firewall was upgraded to its limit, and special filtering and tracking modules targeting the Observer's energy signal characteristics were added.

Lin Feng personally authorized the temporary unlocking of an expensive item in the system's exchange list — ["Di Ting" Wide-Area Quantum Communication/Monitoring Satellite (One-time deployment)]. A special rocket soared from the base's temporary launchpad, trailing a long plume of fire as it pierced the clouds. Hours later, a clearer, harder-to-interfere-with "Eye in the Sky" would hang over the base, providing unparalleled early warning and communication assurance.

Wall of Flesh and Blood:

All Marines and crew on leave were recalled. Everyone capable of movement within the base was mobilized for basic combat training and defensive construction. Technical personnel and armed individuals who had defected from other survivor strongholds, after strict vetting, were quickly integrated and supplemented into the defense forces.

The medical center was brightly lit, not only treating soldiers who had suffered previous mental attacks but also working tirelessly to analyze residual data from the Observer's mental attacks, developing countermeasures and protective equipment. The air was filled with the scent of disinfectant and tension.

Lin Feng stood on the highest observation deck of the bridge, looking through reinforced glass at the entire base, a construction scene as if boiling. The clash of steel, the roar of engines, and the shouts of command intertwined, forming a grand and poignant war song. The sea breeze, carrying the scent of salt and a faint smell of gunpowder (from the test firing of newly deployed artillery), caressed his face.

"Commander, report! 'Di Ting' satellite successfully entered its predetermined orbit! Signal link stable! Monitoring range covers the designated sea area!" The excited voice of the communications officer came through.

"Report! Third and Fourth coastal artillery groups have completed deployment and are in combat readiness!"

"Report! 'Phase Shift Shield' prototype assembly complete, currently injecting energy for final debugging!"

"Report! The electronic monitoring network has captured a large number of abnormal communication signals, originating from all over the globe! Analysis shows that multiple known major factions have clearly moved and are gathering towards our waters! This includes the identification signals of the Ark organization, and… the flagship signal of the Iron Brotherhood!"

Reports flowed in like a stream. Pressure, like tangible seawater, squeezed in from all directions.

The staff officer stood behind Lin Feng, his face filled with worry: "Commander, seventy-two hours… it's too tight. Our defense system is far from complete. The Ark, the Brotherhood, and those hidden in the shadows… they won't give us time."

Lin Feng's gaze retracted from the busy base, cast towards the distant horizon where sea and sky merged. There, he seemed to already feel the presence of countless ships breaking through the waves. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, without the slightest waver, only burning fighting spirit and cold calculation.

"Time is fought for, not waited for," Lin Feng's voice was not loud, but it carried immense weight, "The core of the 'Fortress' plan was never to hold fast and wait for reinforcements. It is to tell all covetous parties…"

He suddenly turned around, pointing at the cannon muzzles and missile launchers erected like a hedgehog around the base's perimeter, his voice resolute:

"The cost of entering this sea area and attacking this island will be so high that they cannot bear it! Every additional cannon we erect, every additional shield we deploy, is increasing their 'admission fee'!"

"The Ark wants 'cooperation'? Then let them see that without their 'help', we can still build a bulwark strong enough to make them wary! The Brotherhood wants to use brute force? Then let us tell them with artillery fire that times have changed!"

"As for the Observer…" Lin Feng's gaze swept towards the core research lab, where the energy shield generator emitted a low hum, "If it dares to show its head again, I will make the 'imprint' it left behind its tombstone!"

"Notify them," Lin Feng issued the final command, "'Fortress' plan's final stage — 'Deterrence Patrol', activate!"

"'Deep Blue' battle group, advance to the 50-nautical-mile alert line outside the base! All weapon systems disarmed! Radar full power scan! Let our muzzles point at all unauthorized approaching vessels!"

"Let the whole world see clearly that beneath the Deep Blue Alliance flag is an iron will, and burning cannon fire! The gates of the summit are open only to guests who come with sincerity! As for enemies… there is only destruction!"

On the Deep Blue sea, led by the majestic Type 055 Destroyer, a small but formidable fleet cut through the waves, heading towards its designated alert position. Cold cannon muzzles reflected a chilling gleam in the sunlight, and invisible radar beams pierced the distance like sharp swords.

The storm had gathered, and the Deep Blue, this solitary ship carrying hope and ambition, was meeting the surging tempest with the most assertive stance!