Chapter 261: What the Hell is This, Automatic Interception?!

Sorry, big bosses, I'm taking a leave today; I'm feeling a bit unwell. I will continue with five chapters tomorrow. Because the book has been banned, this book has no income. I hope the big bosses who are able to will support it. Thank you!

……

The two sets of anti-aircraft systems began operating almost simultaneously; the Anti-aircraft Machine Guns spat out tongues of fire, and a dense stream of Bullets flowed toward the sky.

At the same time, eight small anti-aircraft Missiles rushed out from the launch tubes, heading straight for the enemy Rocket Shells.

Amidst the deafening sound of explosions, the sky was lit up by firelight like fireworks.

Of the more than ten Rocket Shells launched, seven were intercepted and exploded in mid-air, while the remaining few deviated from their trajectories and landed on the open ground on the outskirts of the position.

"Holy shit..." Colonel Wang was dumbfounded, "This is impossible..."

The officers and soldiers of the entire position were stunned; they had never seen such a scene—the enemy's Rocket Shells could actually be intercepted in mid-air!

For many years, they had been accustomed to only being able to hide in bunkers when enemy planes bombed, praying that they would not be hit.

And now, they had witnessed an anti-aircraft battle that looked like a science fiction movie.

Li Mingyuan did not stop to admire his achievement, but instead continued to command: "The enemy planes might carry out a second wave of attacks; Missile group, reload quickly! Machine gun group, check the ammunition!"

Sure enough, the enemy planes did not leave after the first round of attacks failed, but instead adjusted their strategy, scattering to prepare for a second attack.

"East system, lock onto the two enemy planes on the left flank! Center system, lock onto the right flank formation!" Li Mingyuan calmly assigned the targets.

The second round of engagement was even more intense. The enemy planes not only launched Rocket Shells but also dropped aerial bombs.

Although the "Steel Umbrella" system was designed more for high-speed targets such as Rocket Shells and Missiles, its dense firepower also posed a threat to the low-flying enemy planes.

The barrage from the Anti-aircraft Machine Guns forced the enemy planes to increase their bombing altitude, greatly reducing their hitting accuracy.

At the same time, although the anti-aircraft Missiles failed to hit the enemy planes directly, the cloud of debris generated by the explosions caused one enemy plane to be damaged, and it flew away from the battlefield, wobbling and emitting black smoke.

The entire air raid lasted less than twenty minutes; nearly half of the bombs and Rocket Shells dropped by the enemy were intercepted in mid-air, and most of the rest landed on the outskirts of the position or on the fortifications, causing casualties and losses far lower than expected.

When the last enemy plane disappeared on the horizon, a deafening cheer erupted from the entire position.

"That's fucking amazing!" A young officer waved his fist excitedly, "Did you see that? Those goddamn bombs exploded in the sky!"

……

"What the fuck! What the hell is this thing?!" Inside the enemy frontline command post, Major Jackson, who was in charge of the air raid operation, slammed his fist onto the operational map, his face livid.

The Communication Soldier held up the radio report he had just received, his voice trembling slightly:

"Major, the 'Thunder' squadron of the third wave reports that their Rocket Shells were actually intercepted in mid-air! Not just one or two, but more than ten!"

"Nonsense!" Jackson snatched the report, "Long Country doesn't have this kind of technology! It must be a malfunction of the Rocket Shells themselves!"

The operations staff officer silently handed over a photo taken by a reconnaissance plane: "Major, this is what our reconnaissance plane risked flying over to take. Look at this device on the hilltop position... it looks like some kind of Radar and..."

"Damn it!" Jackson widened his eyes, "Since when did these damn Long Country people have this kind of weapon?"

On the photo, one could vaguely see a strange device with a rotating Radar on top, surrounded by things suspected to be Anti-aircraft Machine Guns and small Missile launch tubes.

"Get me the frontline commander!" Jackson roared, "Send three more Bombers, bring extended-range fuel tanks, and dive-attack from high altitude! Their Anti-aircraft System must have a blind spot!"

Thirty minutes later, three A-26 "Invader" Bombers fully loaded with bombs whistled toward the target area.

"Remember, dive rapidly from high altitude, and pull up immediately after dropping the bombs!" the Bomber formation leader instructed over the radio, "The Long Country guys' new toy definitely can't react in time to high-speed targets!"

The Bombers began to dive from an altitude of 8,000 meters, their speed rapidly increasing to 700 kilometers per hour, and the roar of the engines at the nose of the planes was deafening.

"Target locked, three, two, one, drop bombs!"

Dozens of bombs fell toward the Long Country position like raindrops, and the pilots showed smiles of Victory.

However, just as the bombs were falling, the "Steel Umbrella" system on the Long Country position started up again. The Radar locked onto the high-speed falling bomb cluster, and the Anti-aircraft Machine Guns immediately adjusted their angles, spitting out a dense barrage.

At the same time, several small anti-aircraft Missiles soared into the air, heading straight for the bomb cluster.

"How is that possible?!" The Bomber formation leader looked at the scene before him in disbelief—their bombs were hit in mid-air, exploding prematurely, forming small Mushroom Clouds.

"Good heavens! How did they do it? This is simply magic!" the co-pilot screamed in terror.

The three Bombers hurriedly pulled up, but the Long Country's anti-aircraft firepower had already turned toward them. One Bomber had its right wing pierced, emitting black smoke, and barely managed to escape the battlefield; another was even unluckier, its fuselage hit in multiple places, and it made an emergency landing in a valley on the way back.

At the enemy frontline command post at the foot of the mountain, Major Jackson listened to the battle report with a deathly pale face.

"The Long Country people possess some kind of strange weapon that can intercept our bombs in the air... heavy losses... requesting instructions..."

"Radar detection, automatic locking, mid-air interception..." Jackson muttered to himself, "This is impossible! Our laboratories are still researching this kind of technology! How could the Long Country people..."

The Intelligence Officer leaned over and asked in a low voice: "Should we report to headquarters immediately? This kind of anti-aircraft capability might seriously affect the 'Thor Project'..."

Jackson slammed the table: "Shut up! Do you want to be convicted of treason? The 'Thor Project' is top secret!"

He took a deep breath and calmed down: "Send another high-altitude reconnaissance plane; I want detailed photos! At the same time, prepare for a mm Howitzer salvo; I want to see if this kind of Anti-aircraft System can intercept shells with curved trajectories!"

"Attention all systems, enemy artillery activity detected in the frontal direction!" the observation post reported urgently.

Li Mingyuan frowned, calculating in his heart: "mm Howitzers? It seems the enemy is changing tactics." He turned to the operators: "Radar Group, monitor with full effort. It is expected that the enemy will use curved trajectory shells; this is a challenge for our system."

"Chief Engineer Li, can the 'Steel Umbrella' intercept shells?" Colonel Wang asked worriedly.

Li Mingyuan spoke the truth: "Theoretically, it is difficult; shells are fast and small in volume, making them hard for the Radar to capture. But we can try... More importantly, the enemy is testing the limits of our system."

He pondered for a moment, and his eyes suddenly lit up: "Comrade Li, organize anti-artillery reconnaissance immediately. Once the enemy artillery position is determined, implement a precise counterattack immediately! We cannot let them fire at their leisure!"

In less than ten minutes, the enemy artillery position opened fire. Dozens of 155 mm Howitzer shells whistled across the sky, forming a perfect parabolic trajectory, smashing toward the Long Country position.

"Radar Group reports that some shell trajectories have been captured! Anti-aircraft Machine Guns, adjust elevation to 85 degrees; Missile group, get ready!" the technician shouted nervously.

"Steel Umbrella, fire!" Li Mingyuan ordered.