55: The first test of the sharp edge, the "gift" of the Siren

South China Sea, the scorching sun burned the sparkling sea.

The alert formation, with the Deep Blue, a 055-ton destroyer, as its core, slowly patrolled a curved alert line fifty nautical miles from the main island of the base, like a silent group of steel behemoths.

The bow cut through the Deep Blue water, leaving a long white wake.

At the top of the mast, the phased array radar antenna, like a vigilant eye, rotated at a rate of several turns per minute, and invisible electromagnetic beams penetrated the air and sea fog, weaving a net covering hundreds of kilometers.

The covers of the vertical launch system were open, revealing the array of missile launch tubes inside; the barrel of the 130mm main gun was slightly raised, pointing to the distant sea-sky line; the radar of the Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) was like a venomous snake sniffing out prey, its “head” lowered, in a critical state ready to erupt at any moment.

Inside the bridge command center, the atmosphere was as heavy as iron.

On the huge integrated tactical screen, the alert zone, buffer zone, identification zone, and absolute exclusion zone were clearly delineated.

Blue icons representing friendly ships moved regularly along the alert line.

However, within the wide-area detection range at the edge of the screen, yellow light dots representing unknown targets, like a school of sharks smelling blood, converged from all directions towards this sea area, their numbers growing denser and denser.

“Report! Southwest direction, 120 nautical miles away, a large ship formation signal detected! Speed 25 knots, heading directly towards us! Feature identification… highly consistent with the Iron Brotherhood’s flagship, the Skull Crusher, and its escort fleet!” the radar operator’s voice carried a hint of tension.

“Northeast direction, 180 nautical miles away, a cluster of high-speed low-observable targets detected! Speed exceeding 40 knots! Signal features are blurry, but electronic fingerprint comparison… suspected to be the Ark organization’s ‘Siren’ high-speed assault boats!” the electronic warfare officer reported immediately after.

“East direction, approximately 200 nautical miles away, multiple civilian modified ship signals detected, flying the flags of ‘Xin’gang’ and several nearby Free City States! Speed is slow, no hostility displayed, attempting to establish communication with us!”

“Northern underwater sonar array detected faint abnormal noise, features… unidentifiable, suspected to be advanced submersibles or… non-natural targets!”

Each piece of intelligence was like a cold steel needle, piercing the air of the command center.

Pressure, like tangible seawater, squeezed everyone on the bridge from all directions.

The aggressive approach of the Iron Brotherhood, the eerie high speed of the Ark’s “Siren,” the probing wait-and-see of the Free City States, and the elusive shadow underwater… the vanguard of the storm had arrived!

“Maintain alert level! Send standard warnings to all targets entering the identification zone! Order neutral ships like ‘Xin’gang’ to anchor outside the buffer zone, awaiting further instructions! Once the Skull Crusher formation enters the identification zone, if the warning is ineffective, authorize the Deep Blue’s main gun for deterrent firing!” Lin Feng stood in front of the command console, his voice as steady as a mountain, his sharp gaze sweeping across the tactical screen, precisely allocating response strategies.

“Focus on monitoring the ‘Siren’ formation! Electronic warfare center, keep a close eye on them! Report any abnormal movements immediately!”

“Yes, Commander!”

Time ticked by agonizingly slowly.

On the tactical screen, the yellow light dot representing the Skull Crusher formation was rapidly approaching the boundary of the identification zone.

On the public communication channel, the Iron Brotherhood fleet’s rude and arrogant shouts had already begun: “Listen, ships ahead! We are the Iron Brotherhood! Stop immediately and hand over Lin Feng and that ‘Deep Blue Heart’ blueprint! Otherwise, we’ll blast you all to the bottom of the sea to feed the fish!”

The Deep Blue’s communications officer calmly responded with a standard warning, his tone unyielding.

However, the other party ignored it, and the massive fleet, cobbled together from old warships and armed merchant ships, still pressed forward aggressively!

“Target entering identification zone! Warning ineffective!” the radar operator’s voice suddenly rose.

“Main gun locked! Target, 500 meters ahead of the Skull Crusher’s bow! One high-explosive shell! Fire!” Lin Feng ordered without hesitation.

Boom—!

The Deep Blue’s massive hull trembled slightly, and the 130mm main gun let out a deafening roar!

A scorching flash of fire tore through the air, and the shell, with astonishing muzzle velocity, cut a deadly parabolic arc, accurately smashing into the sea less than five hundred meters directly in front of the Skull Crusher’s massive but clumsy bow!

Bang!!!

A deafening explosion!

A huge column of water shot skyward, tens of meters high!

The violent shockwave and splashing seawater rained down on the Skull Crusher’s bridge, and its massive hull also shook violently!

On the communication channel, the Iron Brotherhood fleet’s arrogant shouts abruptly ceased, replaced by a cacophony of panicked exclamations and curses.

This shot was like a cold iron fist, heavily striking the hearts of all observers!

Precise, efficient, and ruthless!

It fully demonstrated the Deep Blue’s powerful fire control capabilities and Lin Feng’s uncompromising iron will!

This was not just a deterrent; it was a naked warning: one more step, and the next shell would land directly on your deck!

The Skull Crusher’s massive silhouette visibly paused behind the towering water column, then began to turn clumsily, its escort ships also appearing somewhat flustered.

Clearly, while the scar-facedPresident was brutal, he was not entirely mindless.

This unexpectedly powerful shot made him realize that the Deep Blue was not a soft persimmon he could casually squeeze.

“Target Skull Crusher formation beginning to turn! Heading deviating from our alert zone!” the radar operator’s voice carried a hint of excitement.

The tense atmosphere on the bridge eased slightly.

However, Lin Feng’s gaze never left the direction representing the “Siren” assault boat cluster.

These Ark elites, since being discovered, had maintained high speed, but then mysteriously slowed down and dispersed about fifty nautical miles from the identification zone, lingering like ghosts on the sea, without any communication or intention of further approaching.

“What are they waiting for?” the staff officer frowned.

Lin Feng’s eyes narrowed slightly, and an alarm bell rang in his heart.

The Ark would never give up so easily!

Albatross’s “Contact Plan B” and the so-called “gift” could not possibly just be for show!

“Electronic warfare center! Report ‘Siren’ formation movements!”

“The ‘Siren’ formation is in a state of high silence, with no obvious weapon activation signals.

But… a high-intensity, highly directional ultra-low frequency communication signal has been detected, targeting… our base’s main island!

The signal encryption method is extremely complex, attempting to decrypt! Wait… the signal source has changed! Three of the ‘Siren’ boats have suddenly submerged! Sonar signature… disappeared!”

Submerged?! Lin Feng’s pupils suddenly contracted!

The Ark’s assault boats have submersible capabilities?!

“Immediately notify the base! Underwater threat! High alert! Activate underwater defense array! Sonar full power!” Lin Feng ordered sternly, while also looking at the tactical screen, “Order frigates Iron Rock and Liren to advance to the edge of the ‘Siren’ formation’s activity area, active sonar detection! Depth charges ready!”

Just as the order was given, base communications urgently connected to the bridge!

“Commander! The base’s outer underwater defense array has detected high-speed moving targets! Three in number! Depth 100 meters! Speed… exceeding 50 knots! Rapidly approaching the main island! Features… highly consistent with the ‘Siren’ assault boats! Expected to contact the island reef anti-submarine barrier in fifteen minutes!”

Indeed!

The Ark’s “gift” had arrived!

Not a frontal assault, but a deadly “hidden arrow”!

Using the Deep Blue’s forward deterrence to attract attention, the elite “Siren” special submersibles would strike directly at the heart of the base from underwater!

The target, without a doubt, was the core research laboratory, the Deep Blue Heart blueprint!

“Order all anti-submarine forces at the base to intercept with full power! Underwater robots deployed! Stop them from approaching the core area at all costs!” Lin Feng’s voice carried a chilling killing intent.

He realized that the Ark was testing, and also demonstrating!

Testing the Deep Blue base’s defensive depth and reaction speed, and even more so, using this naked infiltration to declare that the Ark was capable of threatening Lin Feng’s most core interests at any time!

However, the Ark’s “gift” seemed to be more than that!

Just as Lin Feng was fully focused on the underwater threat, the electronic warfare officer’s startled cry rang out again: “Alert! Ultra-high-speed aerial targets detected! Four in number! Speed… Mach 6! Altitude… near space! Source… unknown! Rapidly diving! Trajectory calculation… targeting the Deep Blue!”

Mach 6?! Near space dive?! This speed far exceeded any active missile!

Lin Feng’s heart felt as if it was being squeezed by an invisible hand!

He suddenly looked up, and on the tactical screen, four dazzling red light dots, at a terrifying speed, from an almost vertical angle, tore through the atmosphere, slamming down fiercely towards the Deep Blue’s overhead!

“It’s a hypersonic weapon! All hands! Highest level air defense combat readiness! CIWS activated! Hongqi-10 ready! Electronic jamming full open! Evasive maneuvers!” Lin Feng’s orders exploded like a volley of gunfire!

The entire bridge was instantly engulfed by the piercing air defense alarm!

The Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) radar spun frantically, and the Phalanx gun barrels instantly raised, pointing to the sky!

Within the vertical launch units, the Hongqi-10 air defense missiles for close-range defense were ready for ignition!

The electronic warfare system was at full power, releasing the strongest jamming beams, attempting to disrupt the guidance of the incoming warheads!

It was the Ark!

This was definitely the Ark’s doing!

Using the “Siren” underwater infiltration to attract base defenses, while simultaneously launching a “decapitation” strike against the Deep Blue itself with this almost uninterceptable hypersonic weapon!

What a brilliant feint!

What a ruthless “gift”!

“Targets entering terminal phase! Speed Mach 7! Warhead separation… it’s a Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV)! Number… twelve!” the radar operator’s voice was hoarse with despair.

The four diving red light dots suddenly split in the final stage, transforming into twelve smaller, harder-to-track death meteors, at even more cunning angles, carrying world-destroying kinetic energy, covering the Deep Blue and its surrounding waters!

“CIWS! Automatic fire!”

“Hongqi-10! Launch!”

“Release all decoys! All hands! Brace for impact!”

Lin Feng gripped the command console handrail tightly, his gaze fixed on the twelve red lights descending like the scythe of death!

The Deep Blue’s flag faced its first true test of life and death!