Chapter 224: First Stop of the Global Cruise — Pacific Ocean

Global cruise test, initiate.

Li Yang's voice sounded on the Penglai bridge, calm as if announcing a trip to buy groceries.

The time was 4 a. m., and the East Sea was still pitch black.

But inside the bridge, lights were blazing, and the first crew members had taken their places before over thirty control stations.

Wang Hao sat rubbing his hands at the propulsion control station, Chen Guang provided remote support from the ground control center, and Feng Yan presided over the Dragon Chant main control room.

Li Yang's voice sounded on the Penglai bridge again: "Global cruise test, officially initiated."

The navigation officer reported, "Route planning confirmation in progress."

"First stage: cross the Pacific, then pass through the waters east of Hawaii, then head southwest."

"The total distance is about twelve thousand kilometers, with an estimated cruise time of nine hours."

Wang Hao grinned: "Nine hours? If we converted this distance to an old carrier, the fastest it could do would be three days."

Li Yang called up the status panel: "All systems ready, optical camouflage activated, radar cross-section adjusted to small drone mode."

Penglai rose slowly.

The seventy-two nozzles of the fusion propulsion array were precisely adjusted, letting the 80,000‑ton giant lift off as lightly as a feather.

When it reached an altitude of three kilometers, the hull's optical camouflage took effect, the ship's silhouette fading in the night sky until only a blurry outline remained.

"Silent penetration mode, engage." Li Yang ordered.

Penglai gradually accelerated, speed soon stabilizing at Mach 0.95, a subsonic cruise mode that saved energy and was quiet.

Like a ghost, it flew silently over the Pacific.

All that could be seen below was the open sea.

An Eagle Country destroyer was conducting routine patrols on the sea surface.

The destroyer's radar operator, weary, yawned while still having to watch the sea clutter on the screen.

Suddenly, a tiny blip flashed across the screen.

"Huh?" He had just leaned in to get a clearer look when the blip vanished.

"What's up?"

"On the radar… just now something seemed to flash, but it was gone immediately."

"The radar cross‑section is also unusually small, like a drone," the operator scratched his head.

"But this is out at sea; maybe it's a seabird?"

The captain glanced at the empty radar screen, then looked out the window at the dark sky: "Can a seabird fly that fast? Forget it, keep monitoring."

What they didn't know was that, directly above them at an altitude of ten thousand meters, a 380‑meter‑long aerospace carrier was streaking past at near‑supersonic speed.

Inside the Penglai bridge.

Wang Hao watched the blips of the warships below on the sea and chuckled: "How big do we appear on their radar?"

"The equivalent radar cross‑section is 0.3 square meters," Chen Guang's voice came over the comms.

"That's about the size of an albatross, and our route happens to lie at the edge of their radar blind spot—Torch Dragon is doing well."

"This stealth capability is also excellent." Wang Hao called up the life‑support system monitor.

"By the way, how are the vegetables we're growing on board?"

Li Yang replied helplessly: "It's 4 a. m. now, and you're worried about your vegetables?"

"People regard food as heaven!" Wang Hao declared righteously.

"Besides, I'm the deputy captain in charge of logistics!"

He switched the monitor.

In the living quarters amidships, a 200‑square‑meter plant cabin glowed with simulated sunlight.

Lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers were growing well, and several rows of strawberries had just begun to flower.

"Look! This is soilless cultivation with LED‑simulated daylight supplementation, plus a fully automatic irrigation mode," Wang Hao boasted.

"Once this system cycles, this cabin can at least supply fresh vegetables for three hundred people every day."

"But we only have thirty‑six people now, we can't finish it all—I plan to make some strawberry jam later…"

"Let's get underway first," Li Yang interrupted. "We'll talk about the strawberry jam after we land."

Five hours later, Penglai had reached the international airspace eight hundred nautical miles east of Hawaii.

Below, the outline of Pearl Harbor could be faintly seen, along with a few Eagle Country warships.

"Disable optical camouflage," Li Yang said.

The camouflage layer on the hull receded like water, revealing the silver‑gray giant fully in the morning light.

At the same time, Penglai activated its identification signal and broadcast a message on the international common channel:

"Longguo aerospace carrier Penglai is conducting a routine cruise test."

"Current coordinates: 21° N, 157° W, altitude 20,000 meters; please keep a safe distance, nearby vessels."

It was delivered in bilingual Chinese‑English, repeated.

As soon as the message was sent, the Eagle Country base below exploded in an uproar.

"What the hell is that? It's at 20,000 meters—what kind of aircraft can fly that high and be that big?"

"Where's our radar? Why didn't it pick it up?!"

"It wasn't there a moment ago—how did it suddenly appear up there? It's like… like it materialized out of nowhere!"

In the Pearl Harbor command center, the commander stared at the blip on the screen, his face ashen:

"At 20,000 meters… our F‑35s only ceiling at 18,000; send two up to check, but keep your distance!"

Two F‑35s scrambled upward, climbing toward Penglai.

But soon the pilots reported: "Sir, the target is at 20,000 meters altitude… we… can't reach it."

"What does 'can't reach' mean?"

"It means exactly what it says! We can't fly that high!"

The command post was deathly silent.

The Penglai bridge.

Wang Hao watched the two F-35 dots circling below on the radar and gave a hehe laugh: "Even if they jump up at this altitude, they still can't reach us."

Li Yang ignored him and told the communications officer, "Send them the safety reminder again."

The communications officer nodded, adjusted his tone: "Penglai of Longguo reminds: Eagle military aircraft below, please pay attention to flight safety, suggest maintaining current altitude. Repeat, suggest maintaining current altitude."

This time it's in pure English.

In the Pearl Harbor command post, everyone heard it.

The commander slammed his fist on the table: "This is utterly bullying!"

The deputy officer beside him whispered a reminder: "Sir, they are indeed at 20,000 meters... we really can't reach them."

"……"

At the same time, the Yan Jing Eastern Suburb Training Base.

Zhou Ming was morning jogging with the reserve teammates beside him.

The base's big screen suddenly switched to an image showing the Pacific's azure sea and the outline of the Hawaiian Islands in the distance.

"Holy shit!" a crew member exclaimed, "Have we already reached Hawaii? That fast?"

"It's only been a few hours..."

Instructor Qin walked over, looked at the screen: "Do you know what this means?"

The crew members fell silent.

"It means that from today on, there is nowhere on this planet that Longguo's power cannot reach." Qin pointed at the screen.

"Before we had to rely on carrier battle groups, overseas bases, diplomatic negotiations. And now?"

He paused: "Now we only need one Penglai, and within nine hours we can appear at the doorstep of any country."

"Moreover, even if they're right above your head, they can't hit you."

Zhou Ming looked up at the silvery-gray giant ship on the screen, his palms sweating a little.

Qin looked at him: "Zhou Ming, when you used to deliver takeout, what's the farthest you've ever gone?"

"Uh... about twenty kilometers?"

Upon hearing that, Qin patted his shoulder: "From now on, the things you escort may have to fly 200,000 kilometers."

Low laughter rose around, but Zhou Ming didn't laugh.

He nodded seriously: "Understood."

Looking elsewhere, the Penglai continued its cruise plan.

Li Yang took advantage of the stable flight phase to demonstrate the modular maintenance system.

Outside the hull, several spider-like maintenance robots crawled out of the hatch and, with their mechanical arms, easily dismantled an auxiliary thruster.

That engine had shown minor vibrations in previous tests and needed replacement.

The new thruster module was delivered from inside, then the robots precisely docked, locked, and wired it.

The whole process took only seventeen minutes.

"Changing this on the ground would take half a day." Wang Hao explained.

"But up here, having these little guys do the assembly is actually much simpler."

Chen Guang added from the ground: "During maintenance, cruise speed dropped only 3%, not affecting overall mission progress."

Feng Yan watched all this in the Dragon Chant control center, nodding slightly.

The technical demonstration wasn't just showing off; it was telling other countries worldwide that we not only can build it, but maintenance is also simple and it can be deployed for combat at any time.

This is naked deterrence.

At 1 p. m., the Penglai left the Hawaii waters and headed southwest.

Below, several Pearl Harbor warships were still locked on radar, but they no longer sent planes to try to approach.

"Can't reach is can't reach; trying again is just asking for humiliation."

On the bridge, Wang Hao finally got to eat the first batch of strawberries picked from the cultivation bay as he had wished.

"Sweet!" he popped one into his mouth, "Just a little less, only yielded three catties."

"Having something to eat is enough to be content." Li Yang looked at the route chart: "Eating strawberries you grew yourself at 10,000 meters altitude, you're also the first in human history."

"Oh~, then can I apply for a Guinness World Record!"

The two were talking when Chen Guang's communications cut in: "Torch Dragon detected a new situation—NASA has just mobilized three reconnaissance satellites to track Penglai's position."

"Also, the European Space Agency is adjusting their sentinel satellites."

Wang Hao chewed on a strawberry: "Then let them look; looking won't hurt."

Li Yang looked toward Feng Yan.

In the control center, Feng Yan looked at the orbital parameters of the three satellites on the screen and laughed:

"Let them follow."

He paused:

Just let them see where we're headed next, let them see clearly.