Chapter 167: East Sea Thunder (Part 1) — Electromagnetic Deprivation

East Sea, 4:20 AM.

The sea surface was as black as ink, with only a few scattered navigation lights rising and falling in the waves.

Twelve nautical miles out, on the bridge of the Foot-Basin Chicken Maritime Self-Defense Force 'Asahi'-class destroyer 'Kirishima', Captain Ichiro Sato stared at the radar screen, his face terrifyingly gloomy.

On the screen, the light spot representing the 'civilian survey ship' hadn't moved for three hours.

"Is communication still down?" Sato asked.

"Radio silence, satellite signal interrupted." The communications officer's forehead was sweating.

"The last data packet transmitted back shows they encountered an unidentified high-speed boat interception from the Dragon Country, and then... it was gone."

"High-speed boat?" The vice-captain frowned. "What kind of high-speed boat can intercept a two-thousand-ton ship in this weather?"

No one answered.

The atmosphere on the bridge was so oppressive it could wring out water.

Everyone knew what that 'survey ship' was; civilian on the surface, but actually equipped with the most advanced underwater acoustic detection array and electronic reconnaissance equipment, and even the crew were retired Self-Defense Force members.

Losing a ship is a small matter, but if the equipment and data on it fell into the hands of the Dragon Country people...

"What about the Dragon Country coast guard ship?" Sato turned to the radar screen.

"Still in place." The radar operator zoomed in on the image. "Ship 3307, fifteen nautical miles from us, no signs of movement."

"What are they waiting for?"

Before the words were finished, the radar operator suddenly widened his eyes: "Captain! New targets! High-speed targets! From the direction of the coast... four of them!"

"No, six! Speed... fifty knots! Still accelerating!"

Sato rushed to the radar screen.

Six light spots were cutting through the waves at an astonishing speed, their tracks pointing directly at the formation where the 'Kirishima' was located, including two 'Asahi'-class destroyers and four missile boats.

"What kind of ship can go fifty knots? Could it be torpedoes? Missiles?" The vice-captain's voice was tight.

"Not missiles, the volume is too large..." The radar operator stared at the data.

"Length about fifteen meters, surface targets. But the radar reflection characteristics... are very strange, sometimes strong, sometimes weak."

"General Quarters!" Sato ordered decisively. "Prepare missile systems! Once within range—"

"Captain!" The communications officer suddenly interrupted. "Received a clear-text broadcast on the Dragon Country's public maritime communication channel!"

"Play it!"

Standard Foot-Basin Chicken language came from the speaker, the tone as calm as a weather report:

"Foot-Basin Chicken Maritime Self-Defense Force 'Kirishima', 'Kongo', and affiliated vessels, this is the Dragon Country East Sea Joint Command Center."

"You have illegally intruded into our country's exclusive economic zone and dispatched disguised vessels for espionage activities."

"You are now ordered to stop your ships immediately for inspection and depart from the relevant sea area. Repeat, stop your ships immediately for inspection."

The bridge was dead silent.

"They... want us to stop for inspection?" A young officer couldn't believe it.

Sato's face flushed red. This was a naked insult!

"Reply to them!" he gritted his teeth.

"We are sailing normally in international waters, the Dragon Country has no right to demand we stop! Please stop dangerous provocative behavior immediately, otherwise—"

Before he could finish.

The radar operator let out a cry: "Targets disappeared!"

On the screen, those six high-speed light spots... were gone.

Not interfered with, not out of detection range, but wiped clean from the screen as if by an eraser.

"What's going on?!" Sato roared.

"Don't know! Radar... radar seems to..." The radar operator frantically adjusted the panel, but there was only static on the screen.

"All radar failed! Passive sonar is also... only noise!"

"What about communication?!"

"Full-band interference! Radio, satellite, data link... all paralyzed!"

Sato rushed to the porthole.

On the sea, it was pitch black.

The lights inside the bridge began to flicker, the needles on the instrument panel jumped wildly, and several display screens went black.

"Power system?"

"Main generator abnormal! Switching to backup power... backup power also failed!"

The 'Kirishima' was like a giant beast with its spine pulled out, slowly decelerating and spinning on the sea.

The entire ship fell into chaos: lights out, radar failed, power dropped, and even basic internal communication was reduced to harsh electrical noise.

"It's an EMP!" The vice-captain finally reacted. "Electromagnetic pulse attack! They used a non-nuclear EMP!"

"How is it possible... at this distance..." Sato looked at the pitch-black sea, suddenly remembering those six high-speed targets that had just disappeared.

They hadn't disappeared.

Those things had fired the EMP, and they themselves had perfect electromagnetic shielding, so the radar couldn't see them!

"What about the 'Kongo'? What about the other ships?!" he roared into the internal intercom that was barely working.

No answer.

Only in the distance on the sea could it be vaguely seen that the other five ships were also in the same paralyzed state, lights out, spinning helplessly in the waves.

Dragon Chant Research Institute Command Center.

The large screen was divided into six images, corresponding to the thermal imaging and electromagnetic spectrum of the six Foot-Basin Chicken ships.

Wang Hao sat in front of the console with his legs crossed, holding a steaming cup of coffee, taking a satisfied sip.

"Look! My 'Falcon' EMP missiles, one shot, one kill!" He pointed at the screen.

"Six ships, twelve missiles, all air-burst at an altitude of three hundred meters, pulse coverage perfectly overlapped, not a single one missed!"

Chen Guang analyzed the data calmly: "EMP intensity controlled above the threshold for paralyzing civilian electronic equipment, but below the threshold for paralyzing military-hardened equipment."

"By design, their combat systems should be disabled, but life support and basic power should still be maintained."

"That's the effect we want!" Wang Hao was smug. "Paralyzed, but people are fine. We are civilized law enforcement!"

Li Yang stared at the thermal imaging of the 'Kirishima': "Their turbine engines are still running, but the control system is paralyzed, and power output is unstable. There's a risk of running aground drifting like this."

"Then we have to hurry up and 'save' them!" Wang Hao switched the communication channel. "Coast guard brothers, your turn!"

East Sea, 4:40 AM.

In the cockpit of Coast Guard ship 3307, Captain Chen Hai looked at the six light spots that had reappeared on the radar screen.

Now they were circling the six paralyzed Foot-Basin Chicken ships at a leisurely speed of fifteen knots, like sheepdogs watching a flock.

The young voice came over the communication channel again: "Captain Chen, the targets are fixed, please proceed."

"Be careful, they might be a bit... confused right now."

Chen Hai took a deep breath and picked up the microphone: "All ships, proceed according to plan."

"First team control the 'Kirishima', second team the 'Kongo', and send a boarding team to each of the other ships."

"Repeat, the other side has lost the ability to resist, but the crew may have emotional fluctuations, pay attention to reasonable appeasement."

"'Appeasement'?" The first mate stifled a laugh. "Are we going to receive prisoners, or provide psychological counseling?"

"Both," Chen Hai said solemnly. "To embody the demeanor of our great nation."

Five coast guard ships and three rescue tugs slowly sailed toward the six paralyzed warships.

Approaching the 'Kirishima', Chen Hai saw several pale faces behind the portholes of the bridge through his binoculars.

Someone tried to signal with a flashlight, but the light flickered—even the batteries were affected by the EMP.

The boarding team climbed the gangway.

The Foot-Basin Chicken crew did not resist.

Not that they didn't want to, but they couldn't; most were suffering from severe seasickness (a side effect of the ship spinning out of control), and the few who could still stand were weak in the limbs.

Coast guard members quickly controlled key positions: the bridge, engine room, communications room, and weapons control room.

Chen Hai boarded the bridge of the 'Kirishima' himself.

Captain Sato stood in the middle, his face ashen, but he managed to maintain a soldier's stance.

He stared at Chen Hai and said in stiff Chinese: "This is... an act of war."

"'Act of war'?" Chen Hai laughed.

"Captain Sato, your ships illegally intruded into our country's exclusive economic zone, and we are conducting boarding inspections in accordance with the law. This is law enforcement, not war."

"You used electromagnetic weapons!"

"We used non-lethal law enforcement equipment," Chen Hai corrected.

"In order to protect the safety of personnel on both sides and avoid escalation of the conflict. Look, not a single one of your people is injured, and the ships are basically intact. This fully embodies our restraint and professionalism."

Sato opened his mouth but couldn't speak.

What could he say? Say "Thank you for hitting so gently"?

A coast guard technician ran over from the communications room and whispered to Chen Hai:

"Captain, their electronic equipment... is a bit strange."

"It's not ordinary paralysis; it's like being 'formatted'. All storage media, hard drives, solid-state drives, even read-only memory, the data has been completely cleared."

"Even the system firmware is damaged and cannot be recovered."

Chen Hai raised an eyebrow and looked at the surveillance camera behind him; he knew the Dragon Chant people were watching.

In the command center, Wang Hao laughed into the microphone: "I specifically added a 'Data Purification' module! The EMP pulse was mixed with a special frequency specifically for burning storage media!"

"Want to keep data? No way!"

Chen Guang added: "But I left a little 'souvenir'. Before each device was cleared, it displayed a line of text on the screen: 'Data cleared. Technical support: Dragon Chant Research Institute.'"

Li Yang covered his face: "You guys..."

"This is called 'professional after-sales service'!" Wang Hao said righteously. "Helping them clean up junk files, and not even leaving a name?"

On the bridge, Chen Hai held back a laugh and said to Sato: "It seems your equipment has some malfunctions. Do you need help towing it back to port for repairs?"

Sato gritted his teeth: "No, need!"

"That won't do," Chen Hai said sternly.

"According to international maritime safety conventions, ships that have lost power are obstacles in the shipping lane and must be cleared."

"We have already arranged tugboats, free service, don't mention it."

He paused and added: "Of course, towing fees, port docking fees, equipment repair fees... we'll calculate those later."

5:30 AM, dawn was breaking.

On the East Sea, the six Foot-Basin Chicken ships were connected in a string by tugboats like candied haws, slowly sailing toward the nearest Dragon Country port.

Coast guard ships escorted them on both sides, a quite spectacular scene.

In the command center, Wang Hao stretched: "Done and dusted! Brother Hao is going to catch up on sleep..."

"Wait," Feng Yan stopped him.

"The Foot-Basin Chicken side won't admit defeat so easily. They lost six ships, plus that 'survey ship'; they can't explain this politically."

"Then what can they do?" Wang Hao rubbed his eyes. "Send more ships? We EMP them again?"

"No," Feng Yan pulled up satellite images.

"They will use air power. The lost maritime power must be made up from the air. And..."

He zoomed in on the images, pointing to several air force bases in the Foot-Basin Chicken's territory:

"'Shinshin' improved fighter jets started intensive refueling and arming early this morning. Intelligence shows they might use the excuse of 'rescuing trapped crew' to send fighter formations."

Chen Guang frowned: "That would escalate the conflict."

"So we must control the situation before they escalate." Feng Yan looked at Wang Hao.

"Can your 'Falcon' EMP missiles hit planes?"

"Yes!" Wang Hao got spirited.

"But planes are fast, the timing and altitude of the EMP air-burst have to be calculated very precisely. And if they use electronic countermeasures..."

"Then have Guangzi cooperate." Feng Yan turned to Chen Guang. "'Torch Dragon's Eye' laser system, besides interception, can it blind airborne sensors?"

Chen Guang pushed up his glasses: "Theoretically, yes. But it requires precise tracking and continuous irradiation."

"Then formulate a plan," Feng Yan decided.

"The second half of the East Sea direction is not about hitting ships, but hitting 'planes'."

Li Yang suddenly said: "Brother Feng, should we deploy a few 'Bi'an' mechs there? Deploy them on the islands as a final line of defense."

"Can, but don't expose them actively," Feng Yan thought for a moment.

"Let the mechs stand by in the underground hangars on the reefs. If they really dare to drop bombs, then come out to intercept."

Tasks were assigned.

Wang Hao rubbed his hands, excitedly muttering: "Hitting planes... hitting planes... Brother Hao hasn't hit planes yet! This time I must hit with style! Hit with level!"

Chen Guang added expressionlessly: "It's 'persuading' planes to retreat."

"Same thing!" ===== CHAPTER 168 =====