74: My sword of Damocles is hanging over your head!

Aris barely suppressed the urge to feel dizzy and questioned the person on the other end of the phone, “You, are you sure?”

“Tingda Base really has no bombers left?”

The person on the other end of the phone reported, “Yes, Commander, our people found the entire base empty.”

“All the warplanes we deployed there are gone.”

Aris asked, “What about the people, the guards arranged there?”

The person on the other end of the phone said, “Almost everyone was killed… There was only one survivor, who said he was originally ground crew at the base and was on a shift break when he suddenly heard a thunderous gun battle outside.”

“When he got dressed and went out, the battle was already over, and he was held at gunpoint by troops in unfamiliar military uniforms, becoming a prisoner.”

“It was as if the other side deliberately wanted to keep him alive, making him watch as their people did something to the bombers parked in the hangar and on the runway.”

“Then, right before his eyes, those bombers took off from the hangar and runway.”

Hearing these accounts.

Aris’s mental defenses completely collapsed, his body swayed, and he fell back into his chair.

His ears buzzed, his mind went blank, and it felt like a drum was pounding in his chest. It took a long time for him to recover.

“Medicine, I need my medicine—”

Aris instinctively reached into the drawer for his arrhythmia medication. Someone handed him the bottle, and Aris, like a drowning man grasping a straw, took it and swallowed the pills with cold water, which helped him to calm down.

The one who handed him the medicine was, naturally, Pearson.

Aris sighed deeply.

Despite all his calculations, he had not anticipated that the core of this war would be at Tindal Air Force Base, with those bombers!

But it was too late now.

Aris quickly issued another order: “All military bases on the Australia mainland, regardless of type, launch all warplanes, operate radars at full power for early warning, and ensure effective aerial blockade of the entire Australia coastline!”

Hopefully, it’s not too late.

As long as they could find and shoot down those bombers before they left Australia airspace, even with significant losses, it would prevent the worst possible outcome.

But, was that possible?

Tingda Base is in northern Australia, not too far from the coastline.

Moreover, almost all the bombers at Tingda Base are stealth bombers.

If those warplanes flew a little higher, had a slightly cunning flight path, and all the bombers dispersed a bit, it would be too easy for them not to be fully detected.

And while in principle, even if those nuclear warheads were seized, they wouldn't be easy to use, requiring nuclear strike authorization from the United States, the fact that those people could fly the bombers away and detach them from the command sequence indicates they possess some degree of warplane or nuclear warhead function unlock capability.

Coupled with the Anti-War Army possibly being backed by the Dragon Country, anything was possible.

Aris had to calm himself, staring at Pearson, and questioned, “Tell me, what exactly do you want to do?”

By this point, Aris no longer dared to ignore Pearson’s threats.

Pearson was composed.

“The People's Army’s demands are actually not complicated.”

“First, the People's Army must stop its plan to bomb Darwin City with certain high-power weapons before dawn.”

“Second, a ceasefire, with a ceasefire period of at least three months, and a ceasefire treaty to be drafted. I will represent the Australia government as an intermediary for you. During these three months, if either party violates the treaty, the other party can use any means to retaliate.”

“Third, after the war, no one in Darwin City shall be held accountable, regardless of whether they are military or civilian.”

“Fourth, any People's Army prisoners captured by your army… if there are any, shall be fully released. As for your army’s prisoners captured by the People's Army, they will not be released before the end of the three-month ceasefire period and will remain as hostages with the People's Army.”

“Fifth, your army shall only retain one basic unit of ammunition and essential self-defense equipment. All other ammunition and equipment shall be handed over to the Anti-War Army.”

“Sixth, your army is responsible for compensating the People's Army for its casualties and losses in this war, as well as for the damage suffered by Darwin City.”

“Seventh, the People's Army will then carry out a major strategic transfer with all military personnel and armaments, including the armaments delivered by your army. During the entire process of our transfer, your army shall not engage in any offensive actions.”

“Once you do so, the People's Army will consider your side to have violated the agreement and will retaliate using all means, not limited to nuclear strikes!”

As he listened, Aris’s face swelled and turned purple like an eggplant!

“This is outrageous, outrageous! This is entirely a surrender under duress, you’re going too far—”

“The first, second, third, and even fourth articles, we can still tolerate.”

“But starting from the fifth article, your side is being completely exorbitant!”

“You want us to keep only one basic unit of ammunition and give you the surplus ammunition and equipment? What kind of joke is this?!”

“Compensate for war losses and urban reconstruction losses?! Only a completely defeated party would be asked to do this. So far, we haven’t been completely defeated; in fact, the People's Army still holds the initiative. On what grounds do you demand compensation from us?!”

“And you want a long-distance transfer? Are you kidding? Where do you want to transfer to? Out of Australia? You can only disarm completely; only then might the People's Army allow all of you to leave the country!!!”

Senator Pearson did not argue, instead taking out a communicator, connecting and contacting someone.

“Hello, this is Pearson.”

“General Aris seems to have objections to the seven basic conditions proposed by the People's Army.”

“He doesn’t believe they have been defeated, nor does he believe the People's Army is qualified to propose these conditions.”

“Show them your strength.”

“Hmm, okay, that’s all for now.”

The communication ended, and Aris was utterly confused.

Then, in less than three minutes, the alarm sounded again outside the base.

This time, it was clearly an air raid alarm.

Then the office phone was connected again.

“Commander, bad news. A suspicious warplane just flew at low altitude over the People's Army base. Based on the transponder signal identification, it should be a B1 semi-stealth bomber that took off from Tingda Base!”

Huh?

Aris’s hand trembled as he held the receiver.

Clearly, the other party had deliberately displayed its radar signal, indicating its presence and proving that it was indeed flying effectively in the sky, and could even deliver a nuclear warhead at any moment.

Pearson watched the other party’s reaction with cold eyes, thinking that the news that would come later would truly make him regret becoming the Commander-in-Chief.