Chapter 249

The next morning, at dawn, on the banks of the Shen River, at that secret military dock.

The dawn light faintly appeared, dispelling the night's chill, but the river wind remained bitterly cold. Lin Yu, wearing that sharp black German-style general's uniform, arrived at the dock on time under the escort of Feng An and a squad of elite guards.

He stood tall, his visage stern; the black uniform looked even more imposing in the morning light. His high-top leather boots struck the dock's planks, emitting a steady, powerful sound.

The surrounding guards each held live ammunition, eyes vigilant, standing stiffly on both sides, forming an invisible barrier; the whole scene was filled with solemnity and the atmosphere of an impending departure.

Right behind Lin Yu was the guard regiment commander, Feng An. But at this moment, his hands were not gripping a weapon; instead, he was pushing a wheelchair.

Seated in the wheelchair was none other than the Eastern special operations chief who had been arrogant until yesterday but was now utterly miserable—Sato Kenichi.

After a simple 'handling,' Sato Kenichi barely kept his life, but his condition could only be described as 'worse than death.' His limbs hung limp at twisted angles, bound by thick bandages and makeshift splints—clearly, they had been brutally broken on Lin Yu's orders.

His face was wrapped in gauze, only his eyes and mouth exposed, yet through the gauze one could see swelling and deformation. His complexion was as pale as paper, his lips chapped, his gaze vacant and lifeless; occasionally a flicker of indescribable fear and pain crossed it, but he seemed to lack even the strength to groan.

He sat slumped in the wheelchair like a broken doll, a stark contrast to the arrogant, domineering imperial special agent he had been yesterday.

Feng An pushed the wheelchair expressionlessly, bringing this 'special guest' to the dock's edge, stopping not far behind Lin Yu.

Sato Kenichi seemed to sense something; a flicker of terror passed through his vacant eyes, his body twitched slightly, but he could offer no resistance.

Lin Yu didn't even glance back at him, as if the person in the wheelchair were merely an irrelevant piece of luggage.

"Depart." Lin Yu ordered calmly.

A torpedo boat painted in gray-black camouflage, already waiting nearby, immediately pulled alongside. Lin Yu stepped aboard first. Then, with the help of several guards, Feng An carefully pushed the wheelchair and got Sato Kenichi onto the boat.

The speedboat's engine roared to life with a low rumble, then shot out of the dock like an arrow from a bow, heading along the Shen River toward the vast sea beyond the Yangtze estuary.

As the speedboat left the inland waters and entered the open Longjiang estuary, the sky gradually brightened. A thin morning mist hovered over the sea, visibility not great. The boat sped across the water, kicking up white spray.

Lin Yu stood on the bow deck, facing the whistling sea wind, his gaze sharp as he scanned ahead. Feng An secured Sato Kenichi's wheelchair near the cabin entrance, ensuring he could see the forward view but could not interfere with Lin Yu.

Gradually, the fog ahead seemed to change, no longer a uniform thin mist but taking on an unnatural, curtain-like density. The speedboat's speed began to ease.

At that moment, as if an invisible force were at work, the thick fog began to churn and recede.

First, some vague, mountain-like huge silhouettes emerged in the dim morning light.

Then, as the speedboat drew nearer and the fog further dissipated, those outlines grew ever clearer, ever larger, ever more awe‑inspiring!

A towering bridge! Turrets like the fangs of a beast! A straight, wide flight deck! And countless secondary and anti‑air guns bristling with icy killing intent!

The vast, modernized steel fleet of the 'Eagle Strike Task Force,' like a beastly legion stepped out of myth, lay silently anchored in the morning‑lit sea, wordlessly displaying its earth‑shattering power!

The air filled with an indescribable tension and pressure—the scent of steel, gunpowder, and war.

Even though Lin Yu had mentally prepared himself, seeing his own invincible fleet up close in this manner made his heart involuntarily race.

The torpedo boat slowly approached the 'Iron Blood' battleship, whose massive hull loomed like a cliff. The closer it got, the more overwhelming the pressure from this steel leviathan felt. Although its size might not exceed that of the familiar 'Long Gate,' its design was clearly more modern, lines sharper, exuding a keen sense of strength and power, and those eight black‑muzzled 380 mm main guns all radiated a suffocating oppression and aura of destruction.

A massive gangway had been lowered, resting steadily on the speedboat's deck.

On the wide main deck of the 'Iron Blood,' rows of navy personnel stood at attention, wearing crisp German‑style naval uniforms, spirited, eyes sharp, silent as crows; the scene was solemn and imposing.

At the front of the formation stood the fleet's temporary commander and Ship Captain of the 'Iron Blood,' Major General Shen Chonghai. Beside him were the Ship Captain of the carrier 'Firmament,' Colonel Gao Zhihang, the submarine force commander Colonel Liu Jinsong, and several cruiser and destroyer Ship Captains plus core fleet staff officers. All wore immaculate German‑style naval officer uniforms, solemn expressions, awaiting the arrival of the Supreme Commander.

Lin Yu led the way, stepping steadily onto the gangway. His black commander's uniform fluttered slightly in the morning breeze, making him appear even more upright.

When Lin Yu's figure appeared on the deck, Shen Chonghai stepped forward and rendered a crisp, powerful German‑style military salute, reporting loudly:

"Your Excellency Supreme Commander! All personnel of the Eagle Strike Task Force are ready! The fleet has entered the highest combat readiness! We can engage at any time! Please give your orders!"

All the officers and soldiers behind him simultaneously came to attention, their gazes fixed on Lin Yu, filled with fervent admiration and absolute loyalty.

"At ease." Lin Yu returned the salute, his gaze calmly sweeping over his own naval elite before him. "General Shen, thank you for your hard work. How is the fleet?"

"Report to the Supreme Commander! All is normal! Radar and observation posts have detected no abnormal targets! We are prepared to meet any enemy!" Shen Chonghai briefed succinctly, his voice loud and confident.

At that moment, Feng An pushed the wheelchair, and with the help of several guards, also lifted Sato Kenichi onto the deck. To prevent him from committing suicide or making noise that would interfere, a cloth was stuffed into his mouth.

The wheelchair was pushed to a spot at the edge of the deck with an open view.

When Sato Kenichi's originally vacant, numb eyes were forced to lift and he could clearly see the massive fleet anchored before him on the sea, his pupils contracted to the extreme!

What did he see?!

That super‑battleship, with its sharp, modern lines! Although its main‑gun caliber (380 mm) was slightly smaller than that of the 'Long Gate,' its overall design, armor layout, and the aura of elite combat power it exuded made him instinctively feel an unprecedented threat! It was absolutely a vessel capable of dueling the 'Long Gate' in long‑range gunnery—and possibly even surpassing it.

And there was that huge warship with a straight flight deck! Its deck was packed with unfamiliar, menacing‑looking aircraft! This… is an aircraft carrier?! A genuine aircraft carrier! How could Great Dry possibly possess such a strategic weapon that points to the future of naval warfare?!

Farther off, there were several powerfully armed heavy cruisers, agile destroyers, and the lurking threat beneath the waves!

This… the composition, modernization level, and the spirit displayed by these sailors were worlds apart from the image he held of Great Dry's navy—a motley fleet of a dozen or so dilapidated, patched‑together old ironclads! It was as if they existed in entirely different dimensions!

Lin Yu… whom he viewed as a 'local warlord,' a 'land‑army mud‑leg,' how could he possibly, in such a short time, secretly build a naval force comparable to the main fleets of the Great Powers?! This completely defied all his knowledge and intelligence!

The immense shock and disbelief hit him like a tsunami, instantly shattering Sato Kenichi's already fragile mental defenses! The numbness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by utter shock, fear, and utter bewilderment!

"No… impossible… this isn't the Great Dry navy…" he uttered muffled sobs, his mouth blocked, only able to emit desperate gasps. His body shook violently, his wide eyes bloodshot, locked on the steel leviathan before him, as if beholding the most inconceivable, terrifying sight in the world.

"It must be fake… surely a trick…" he began shaking his head wildly, his gaze unfocused, muttering incoherently like a madman. The very existence of this fleet utterly overturned his cognition, shattering his last psychological barrier.

Sato Kenichi finally understood why Lin Yu could act so arrogantly, why he dared to ignore the empire's threats.

It turned out… it turned out that the opposing side actually held in its hands such a terrifying force capable of challenging the empire's naval supremacy! And they, like fools, sailed their self‑proclaimed invincible fleet straight into a trap meticulously prepared by the other side!

The immense fear and despair washed over him like a tide. He seemed to have already seen his own doom and that of the south‑bound fleet. Only now did he truly comprehend what real despair meant.