Chapter 70: International Status Ascends

The winds and waves over the Pacific calmed as the United Fleet dispersed.

On the sea, the 518G-type electronic reconnaissance ship.

Ye Chen stood on the bridge, watching the red dots on the radar screen recede, feeling a surge of exhilaration.

"Captain, the targets have all withdrawn," the adjutant reported from beside.

Ye Chen nodded, said nothing, and picked up the internal communicator, calling, "Black Fish No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, mission complete, return to base individually."

"Received."

"Received."

"Received."

Three brief signals came from the deep sea, then fell silent.

"Let's go, too."

Ye Chen turned, a long‑missed smile appearing on his face.

The next day, a news item spread to every corner of the world via Yanhuang Guo's official news channel.

"Yesterday, our 518G-type reconnaissance ship, while conducting a routine patrol in the western Pacific high seas, unexpectedly encountered a joint military exercise held by Eagle Sauce and five other nations."

"Seeing this, we conducted a close‑range friendly observation of the exercise. It is reported that the joint exercise was cut short yesterday due to sudden severe weather."

The report was brief, its wording precise, even arguably plain.

Yet every reader could read between the lines a certain meaning: dominance and humor.

"Friendly observation"?

"Severe weather"?

It was as if they had torn Eagle Sauce's skin off, stepped on it repeatedly, and then politely asked, "Does your face hurt?"

For a moment, the world erupted in uproar.

Meanwhile, within Yanhuang Guo, the online world had already exploded.

"One Ship Holds the Gate, Ten Thousand Ships Must Not Sail! The Hardest Passage in History!"

"In‑Depth Analysis: How 'Severe Weather' Is Actually 'Severe'?"

"Eagle Sauce: Do I Not Care About Face? Yanhuang: No, you don't!"

"Other countries were invited; we insisted on joining as well—no problem, right?"

A flood of cheeky headlines kept appearing, and the comment sections turned into a sea of merriment.

"Brothers, I have an announcement! From today, our Meteorological Bureau is officially upgraded to the Strategic Deception Bureau!"

"Hahaha! Admiral Tomson: I'm sixty years old and have never seen such severe weather—a hailstone the size of a ship that almost sank my carrier!"

"Stop being cheeky upstairs, I'm genuinely curious—when did our country become this fierce?"

Just two days ago I was worried about finding a job, and today I see the nation already riding on Eagle Sauce's face to launch? This happiness came way too suddenly!

"What's so strange? The reason it feels sudden is because those unsung heroes have been bearing the load for decades."

In places you cannot see, countless people are burning their lives, earning the upright backs we have today.

"After long accumulation, we're simply in the season of harvest now."

"Well said! There's no such thing as overnight strength; it's just steel forged a hundred times! Tonight we must drink two glasses, to those nameless heroes and to our great nation!"

Online discussions, from initial shock and mockery, gradually turned into a nationwide outpouring of pride and patriotic fervor.

A warm current rose in countless hearts.

It turned out that living in such a powerful country gives an innate sense of security and pride that no material can replace.

At the same time, the storm blew into the international arms market.

Ministry of National Defense, Diplomatic Affairs Liaison Office.

Phone rings rang up and down without stopping.

"Minister! The desert camel royalty of the Middle East called, specifically requesting to order our 518G-type reconnaissance ship—no, they said they want the kind we use ourselves!"

They also said price isn't an issue; they can settle entirely with oil!

A young liaison, covering the microphone, reported with a flushed face.

"His idea is rather nice, but note this: the most advanced version can't be sold; the censored version can."

"Minister! Several Southeast Asian nations sent a joint letter of intent to purchase our Black Fish series submarines; they say even a Monkey version is fine, as long as its silent performance is at least half as strong as ours, they'll buy in droves!"

"Also, those European countries that have been watching Eagle Sauce's face sent encrypted emails, inquiring about our anti‑ship missiles and air‑defense systems…"

In an instant, weapons made by Yanhuang Guo became hot commodities on the international market.

Many countries realized that mixing with Eagle Sauce only makes you a spend‑thrift henchman, and you'll be sold out at the crucial moment.

Yanhuang Guo, while not provoking trouble, also fears none, and the gear in its hands can truly push back Eagle Sauce's carrier battle groups.

Whose fist is hard, that one is the truth.

This is an age‑old unchanging principle.

Yanhuang Guo's international standing, after this bloodless clash, surged upward at a visibly rapid pace.

The balance of the world order began to show a subtle tilt.

Eagle Sauce, Bai Gong.

In the oval conference room, the atmosphere was so oppressive it seemed you could wring water from it.

President Weier's face was grim as he clenched a report on the 'Sharp Sword' exercise.

In front of him stood the Minister of Defense, the CIA Director, and several top‑rank generals.

No one roared, no one shirked responsibility, because everyone knew the failure stemmed not from tactics but from technological lag.

After a long pause, CIA Director Buli Si was the first to break the silence,

"Two years ago we could precisely track over eighty percent of their submarine activity; their fighter jet engine lifespan is less than half of ours. Their satellite reconnaissance capability lags ours by at least several years."

He paused, picked up the remote control, and pressed a button.

On the wall screen, a high-definition satellite image appeared—it was that lone 518G reconnaissance ship, silently moored not far from the carrier Freedom.

"And now they can make a ship appear like a ghost in the heart of our carrier battle group.

"This means their stealth technology, electronic countermeasures, silent running… have surpassed us in some fields. This is not progress; it's a leap."

The Minister of National Defense then said:

"Admiral Thomson's handling was correct; if we had ordered fire then, no one could have survived. Our proud Aegis System, before it, is like a sheet of transparent window paper."

"How could this happen?"

President Wil finally spoke, he didn't look at anyone, just stared fixedly at the 518 reconnaissance ship on the screen, as if questioning himself, or questioning God.

"How did all this escape my control?"

In the meeting room, no one could answer.

Yeah, why?

What on earth happened in Yanhuang Guo? Where did they get this advanced technology?

Could it really be that they picked up alien black tech?

However, they will never know the truth to this question.