Chapter 354

The Secretary of Defense frowned. "Don't beat around the bush, just say it."

"First is the boarding incident on the USS McCain. This matter is truly too incredible. The USS McCain was not docked at the time, so the enemy could only have boarded from the air or underwater. But the Aegis system is sufficient to detect something the size of a baseball within 160 kilometers. No one could have parachuted from the air without being detected. And there should have been soldiers on duty on the ship's deck at the time. It was daytime and the weather was clear. If someone had parachuted, they couldn't have failed to notice."

"The USS McCain's sonar system is also sufficient to ensure its underwater safety."

"However, the USS McCain was still invaded. If everyone in the command center hadn't gone insane, or if the enemy really was a superman as they reported, then there is only one possibility that can explain this: they were subjected to all-around, full-band signal jamming. The enemy carried out a boarding operation right under their noses, yet made them completely unaware."

"Who could do this?" the Secretary of Defense asked.

The Arleigh Burke-class is the most advanced destroyer in the United States. The USS McCain and USS Ramage had only been in the water for two years. At the same time, they were equipped with the world's top radar early warning system—the Aegis system—and were specially equipped with electronic warfare and anti-jamming reinforcement components. Who else in this world could silently silence such a high-tech-packed warship?

"Could it be... the Soviet Union?" the Secretary of Defense mused. "What was the second thing you mentioned?"

"At 9:45 AM, the British warships were hit by a torpedo," the intelligence officer said. "After the USS McCain was attacked by a torpedo, the British warships were immediately hit by a torpedo. But at this time, our combat instructions had not yet been issued. Who launched this torpedo?"

"The USS Ramage still had the possibility of fleeing the battlefield at the time; there was no reason to launch an attack on the British fleet. And if it was an attack launched by the USS McCain, it either means they violated fleet command and launched an attack on an ally without authorization, or it means—the people on the USS McCain might no longer be our own."

"And the latter possibility is greater."

"Plus the message sent when the USS McCain finally sank... they said they found the source of the interference, yet they launched Tomahawk missiles at the British mainland and French territory... Unless the source of the interference came from the British mainland or France, otherwise, their behavior looks more like an attempt to provoke conflict between our country and Britain and France."

The Secretary of Defense's eyes lit up. "You mean, this incident was led by the Soviet Union, an incident to provoke war between us and our allies?"

"Or there are two other possibilities: one is that it was done by terrorists within Britain, and the second is that it was done by the French."

"But the former is difficult to explain the other side's jamming ability. Throughout the event, our unknown enemy demonstrated very powerful information jamming ability, which is not something ordinary terrorists can do. And if it was done by the French, I can't find their motive no matter what."

"Therefore, only the Soviets are possible."

"Perhaps at that time, one of their submarines was lurking nearby."

"I see." The Secretary of Defense breathed a sigh of relief.

This is a very plausible reason, and it is also a very politically correct reason.

The Soviets messing with the British and Americans—isn't that a matter of course?

The Soviet Union looked like it was about to kick the bucket two years ago, but for some reason, it actually recovered, and even recently it seems to have gradually landed steadily. This made him feel overwhelmed every day, but it also saved him the reason to ask for military spending.

Don't you see such a big threat standing there?

Anyway, if a bad thing can't find the culprit, throwing it on the Soviet Union, it is highly likely that no one will object.

"Do we have any evidence?" the Secretary of Defense asked again.

"Not yet."

"Continue the investigation," the Secretary of Defense said. "Especially the USS McCain. Also, check the impact point in France. Two Tomahawks, one landed in London. If the other one landed in Paris, I wouldn't be surprised at all, but why did it land in an uninhabited area?"

"Is it really an uninhabited area? Go check and see what exactly is there."

France, "uninhabited area"—Château d'Orous.

That castle with a history of over a hundred years had already turned into a ruin.

At this moment, above the ruins, seven or eight wizards were working hard on search and rescue.

They were Aurors from the French Ministry of Magic.

"Too miserable." A middle-aged bald man came to the ruins and patted the back of a young man who was vomiting, causing the latter to retch violently again. "Vomit, you'll get used to it after vomiting more."

"Emile," a wizard with a serious expression standing in front of the ruins saw the other party. "You should go and set up the Muggle-Repelling Spell. Isn't that what the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes does? Why are you still here?"

"Cannot set up spells," the bald man said. "You must also leave as soon as possible. The Muggle investigators will be coming over in a while."

"Let them get lost, there are still people here who haven't been rescued."

"There is no one left, Henri," Emile said. "This was destroyed by a Muggle bomb. That bomb blew the castle to pieces. Unless someone can turn into meat paste and still be alive after being burned, otherwise, there are no living people left inside."

The Auror Captain named Henri glared at him fiercely. "Is this funny to you?! The Wizards' Union was meeting here, and a full 130 members of the Union attended the meeting! That's more than half of the Wizards' Union members!"

Emile curled his lips. "Do you have relatives here?"

"Putain! Emile! Do you understand what happened here at all?!"

"They all died in France. How will the international community look at us in the future?"

Emile shrugged. "You're still worried about this? These people are all dead. What international community will there be in the future?"

The Auror Captain was stunned, speechless for a moment.

"Alright, Henri, take your people and go quickly. The Muggles know a bomb landed here, and they will send people over. I can't cast the Obliviation Charm on thousands of people."

"What about here?"

"What else can we do? Burn it first, then I'll go find the Muggle President and see if there's any way to cover this up."

"Putain! Emile!" In the Presidential Office, Emile was sprayed with dog's blood by the Muggle President who was also bald.

"A missile, from the English Channel, flying to the Anjou region, over 300 kilometers! Ten thousand radars around the world can see it. How can I cooperate with you to cover up such a thing?"

"It's not a missile, Mr. President, it's those corpses..."

"If your 'ghost fire' can burn those corpses clean, that's best. That place should be woodland, an uninhabited area! You'd better really turn it into a place where no one lives."

"It's difficult, sir, there is brick and stone covering it..."

"Then you need to give me a reason. Why did the American missile cross over 300 kilometers to kill these people? Who exactly are they? Should I tell the whole world that they are wizards? Is this a vendetta from the Wizarding World? And they can actually control American warships and control American missiles?"

"Putain!"

President François's head was about to explode at the thought of this. "Damn it, don't think about using any Obliviation Charm on me. You must give an explanation for this matter!"

"Give us half a day, Mr. President. Just half a day, and we can clean up the scene."

François glared at him angrily.

Half a day? The Americans had already called the Élysée Palace seven times!

However, it seemed that this was the only way.

"Last time!" François said through gritted teeth. "I warn you, wizards! This is the last time you come to cause me trouble! Don't let me see you again in the future! And don't ever mention things like sanctioning other countries' companies or restricting trade again!"

"This is our country! This is my country! Don't point fingers at me! Since you guys want to hide, hide where no one can see you!"

"Get out! Get out! Hide in a corner and never come out again!"

(End of chapter)