Chapter 543: Along the Coastline of Yinghua Guo

The commander's facial muscles twitched noticeably. "Our stance is scientific and cautious. At present, there is insufficient evidence to support any specific theory. The government promises that once there is a definitive conclusion, it will truthfully inform the public."

"More nonsense," Minister Zhang shook his head. "I am all too familiar with this kind of official statement; it's just stalling for time."

The television screen cut to a street interview, showing crowds of people in the footage holding signs that read "Disclose UFO Truth" and "We Have the Right to Know" while marching in Washington.

"Look at that bunch," Li Mingyuan laughed. "They really take the UFO seriously."

"That's just how people from the Star-Spangled Country are," the old general said disdainfully. "Daydreaming about aliens all day long."

The image on the television switched again to news from Beijixiong Guo. A solemn-faced high official from Beijixiong Guo was giving a speech, claiming that their scientists were also closely monitoring this "unusual phenomenon" and hinting that it might be a secret weapons test by "certain countries."

"Beijixiong Guo is a bit shrewder," Li Mingyuan commented. "At least they suspect it's man-made, rather than some alien technology."

The atmosphere in the conference room was relaxed and joyful; everyone was secretly smug about this major "psychological warfare" victory for Long Country. A tiny "Kunpeng" had actually stirred up the entire Western world, plunging the two major camps into chaos and suspicion.

After finishing the news, Minister Zhang turned off the television and turned to Li Mingyuan. "Lao Li, you just mentioned wanting to let 'Kunpeng' head out to sea again. Do you have any specific plans?"

Li Mingyuan stood up and walked to the map in the center of the conference room. "Yes, this time I want to conduct an even bolder operation."

He pointed to a location on the map, "The coast of Yinghua Guo."

The conference room went quiet instantly, and everyone stared at Li Mingyuan in surprise.

"Yinghua Guo?" The old general was the first to react, his voice rising by an octave. "You want to go to the waters of Yinghua Guo?"

Li Mingyuan nodded calmly. "That's right. Last time we proved that 'Kunpeng' could move freely in the middle of the ocean, and the strongest fleet of the Star-Spangled Country was helpless against it. This time, I want to go a step further and test 'Kunpeng's' performance in complex waters, while at the same time..." He paused, a sharp light flashing in his eyes, "sending a clearer signal to the world—the power of Long Country can be projected to any place we want to go."

"This is too risky," Deputy Minister Liu said worriedly. "The coast of Yinghua Guo has garrison bases of the Star-Spangled Country, and the anti-aircraft radar network is dense. Once discovered..."

"Precisely because of that," Li Mingyuan interrupted him, "it is the best place to test 'Kunpeng's' performance. If it can still come and go as it pleases under the joint surveillance of the Star-Spangled Country and Yinghua Guo, then its strategic value will truly be proven."

He turned to the old general. "General, you should understand the military significance of this operation."

The old general pondered for a moment and nodded slowly. "From a military perspective, this is indeed a rare reconnaissance opportunity. We can collect a series of key intelligence, such as the Star-Spangled Country's radar deployments, communication frequencies, and emergency response procedures in the Asia-Pacific region."

"Not only that," Li Mingyuan added, "this operation also has important strategic significance. The Star-Spangled Country is now searching the whole world for that 'Ocean Ghost'. If it suddenly appears on the coast of Yinghua Guo, how much of a psychological shock will it cause to the Star-Spangled Country's Asia-Pacific defense system? How will they explain a UFO specifically going to 'visit' their military bases?"

Minister Zhang's eyes lit up. "This will make them suspect whether Beijixiong Guo has already deployed new types of weapons in the Asia-Pacific region!"

"And Beijixiong Guo will think the Star-Spangled Country is playing some kind of trick," Li Mingyuan laughed. "The mutual suspicion between the two major camps will further intensify."

"Makes sense," Minister Zhang nodded, but he was still somewhat worried. "However, the risks of this operation are indeed much greater than the last one. In case something goes wrong..."

"I will pilot 'Kunpeng' myself," Li Mingyuan said firmly. "I will maintain the highest stealth state throughout the entire journey, appearing briefly only at the predetermined location, and then immediately withdraw. The entire operation will not exceed 24 hours, and I will use the 'Sky Eye' system for navigation and surveillance for the entire round trip to ensure nothing goes wrong."

The conference room fell into a brief silence, with everyone weighing the pros and cons of this bold plan.

Finally, the old general slapped the table and stood up. "I support Chief Engineer Li's proposal! Long Country soldiers never fear risks, and besides, 'Kunpeng' has already proven its reliability. This operation will further deter the enemy and enhance our strategic position!"

Deputy Minister Liu also nodded slowly. "From the perspective of intelligence gathering, this is indeed a rare opportunity."

All eyes turned to Minister Zhang; as the highest decision-maker, the final say rested with him.

Minister Zhang took a deep breath, his gaze lingering on Li Mingyuan's firm eyes for a few seconds before finally making up his mind. "Alright, I agree to this operation. But we must formulate the most rigorous plan to ensure nothing goes wrong. 'Kunpeng' is a vital national asset, and you, Lao Li..." His voice choked slightly, "you are an even more precious talent that we cannot afford to lose."

Li Mingyuan nodded with a smile. "Don't worry, Minister Zhang, I guarantee I will return safely, bringing back plenty of intelligence and the joy of victory."

He walked to the map and traced his finger along the coastline of Yinghua Guo. "It's settled then, 'Kunpeng' phase two mission—high-speed cruise along the coast of Yinghua Guo!"

Everyone nodded solemnly, and a tense yet excited atmosphere permeated the conference room. Everyone knew in their hearts that this operation was not just a test of 'Kunpeng's' performance, but also an important step for Long Country to flex its muscles to the world.

Three days later, on a dark and windy night.

At the east pier of Penglai Base, "Kunpeng" floated quietly on the water, its silver-gray hull gleaming with a cold metallic luster under the moonlight. The engineers of the special operations team were conducting final adjustments and checks. Li Mingyuan stood to the side, wearing a special flight suit, his hands in his pockets, his expression as calm as water.

"Main propulsion system check complete, power output stable at 105%," the chief engineer reported. "Lift system and stabilization system are all normal, 'Sky Eye' connection signal strength is 99.8%."

"What about the weapon systems?" Li Mingyuan asked.

"According to your instructions, all offensive weapons have been unloaded; only electronic jamming equipment and defensive systems remain."

Li Mingyuan nodded with satisfaction. The purpose of this operation was reconnaissance and psychological warfare, not to provoke a real military conflict. He had specifically painted a striking dragon pattern on the belly of 'Kunpeng's' hull, with the Long Country flag next to it—this would be a "calling card" for Yinghua Guo and the Star-Spangled Country.

Minister Zhang hurried over to see him off, his face full of worry. "Lao Li, are you really decided?"