9: Chapter 009 The US's Ridicule and Surveillance

While the "Hidden Dragon" base was buzzing with excitement over the successful theoretical verification, on the other side of the planet in the capital of Pretty Country, the atmosphere inside a modern building was relaxed, carrying a sense of certain victory.

James Craig, the CIA Asia Bureau Chief, held a cup of steaming coffee and leisurely watched a large screen. The screen was displaying a satellite imagery analysis briefing regarding Dragon Country's recent "abnormal" resource allocations and the movements of some scientific researchers.

"Gentlemen," Craig took a sip of coffee, his lips curling into a mocking arc, "it seems our Eastern friends are being pushed into a bit of a frantic scramble."

A few low laughs of agreement rang out in the meeting room. An analyst pointed to several red dots on the screen and said, "According to the intelligence we have, Dragon Country has indeed made some internal adjustments in material science and aerospace recently, mobilizing several top experts. It seems they want to concentrate their strength to break through our blockade. However, judging by the resources and direction they're moving, it looks more like a desperate attempt to find any solution in a crisis."

"Concentrate their strength?" Craig sneered. "In the face of an absolute technological generation gap, piling up manpower is nothing more than a death struggle. Do they really think that by having a few old academicians hold meetings behind closed doors, they can conjure up technologies that took us decades and trillions of dollars to master out of thin air?"

His words were filled with a condescending sense of superiority. In his view, all of Dragon Country's efforts were merely the struggles of a trapped beast, completely unable to shake the stable position Pretty Country had built on the foundation of its technological hegemony.

"Director, do we need to strengthen the monitoring of these movements? Especially those research institutions they suddenly focused on..." another subordinate cautiously suggested.

Craig waved his hand, appearing somewhat dismissive. "Just maintain the routine level of surveillance. We must believe in the power of the market and the cooperation of our allies. Without our high-end chips, without Europa's precision instruments, and without Japan's special chemical materials, they can't even put together decent experimental equipment. What kind of tricks can they play?"

He set down his coffee cup and leaned forward slightly, his face wearing a cat-and-mouse-like playfulness. "I'm quite looking forward to seeing what kind of wonderful expressions they'll have when they've exhausted their resources only to find that all roads are blocked. Notify our 'friends' in the East to continue putting pressure on Dragon Country's related industries and academia. I want to make sure they don't even have a chance to catch their breath!"

"Yes, Director!"

The orders were quickly relayed. Under Craig's direction, the technological blockade and public opinion suppression by Pretty Country and its led technological alliance became more intensive and aggressive. Articles disparaging Dragon Country's aerospace and materials fields began to appear in some internationally renowned tech media, suggesting their research and development had stalled and that the so-called "independent innovation" was merely a slogan to deceive the public.

Under this seemingly monolithic blockade network, Craig and the massive intelligence machine he controlled were completely unaware that a technological spark originating from the system, ignited by Lin Mo's own hands, had already quietly taken root and sprouted in Dragon Country's core fortress.

They monitored those research institutes on the surface and watched the movements of known experts, but they were completely ignorant of the base codenamed "Hidden Dragon" hidden deep beneath the mountains of the Southwest, and the young man known anonymously as "Patriot X" who was turning theory into reality bit by bit in a simple rented room.

Arrogance had blinded their eyes.

Craig walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the city as the lights began to glow, feeling complacent. He did not know that every moment of contempt and mockery he felt now was accumulating strength for that slap in the face that would soon echo around the world.

A storm was brewing in the silence, while the side with the absolute advantage was still immersed in the illusion of being an invincible loner, completely unaware of the impending subversion.