Chapter 582: When It's Time to Perform, You Still Must Perform

The Arizona slowly docked at the dedicated pier. A red carpet had already been laid on the pier, two rows of Marine Corps personnel stood at attention with rifles, and the military band played the welcome music. The flags of Lanfang and Meilika fluttered side by side.

The gangway was lowered. Rodman was the first to step down. He was wearing a white summer general's dress uniform today, golden stars glittered on his shoulder epaulettes, and his chest was covered with service medals. His hair was speckled with gray, but his back was straight, his stride steady—a typical bearing of a professional soldier.

Li Te stepped forward and saluted, "General Rodman, welcome to Dubai. I am Li Te, commander of the Lanfang Navy."

They shook hands. Rodman's hand was strong and dry, and the handshake lasted just the right amount—warm yet dignified.

"General Li, thank you for your hospitality. Dubai is more modern than I imagined," Rodman said, his gaze sweeping over the rear of the pier—where rows of warehouses, repair shops, and oil tanks stretched, and farther away the city's outline could be seen, skyscrapers reflecting the glass curtain walls in the sunlight.

"Lanfang's nationhood is young; everything is still under construction," Li Te smiled, "Please follow me; we have prepared a simple welcome ceremony."

The ceremony was brief. The military band played both nations' anthems, inspected the honor guard, and then the motorcade left the pier, heading toward the interior of the base.

Rodman sat in Li Te's vehicle, observing the scenery through the window. The road was wide and smooth, flanked by orderly barracks and office buildings. Soldiers trained on the drill field with synchronized movements; trucks shuttled along the road carrying supplies; in the distance, two twin‑engine reconnaissance aircraft were taking off from the airport runway.

Everything was orderly and full of vitality.

"General Li, the scale of your navy is impressive," Rodman said casually, "I saw the 'Huai River' at Pearl Harbor, but I didn't expect to see two more 'Bismarck Class' ships here in Dubai."

"One is under major repair; the 'Zhujiang' was damaged at the bow during an exercise last month," Li Te replied naturally, "The other, 'Dingyuan', has just completed a modernization upgrade, adding a new fire‑control system."

"How long is the refit cycle?"

"Usually six months. But if there's an urgent need, it can be compressed to four months," Li Te paused, "After all, the current international situation… is unstable."

Rodman caught the implied meaning. It was hinting at Lanfang Navy's rapid response capability.

The motorcade entered the repair zone, which was even busier: three destroyers were being serviced in the dry dock, workers cut steel plates with welding torches, sparks flying everywhere; a crane lifted massive steam‑turbine components; technicians tested newly installed radar equipment.

Rodman asked to get out and take a look. Li Te agreed.

At the repair site of the battleship 'Zhujiang', Rodman examined the welding workmanship closely. Lanfang workers used arc welding; the weld seam was flat and smooth, almost flawless. Meilika Navy, by contrast, still used a great deal of riveting—reliable but heavy and time‑consuming.

"Is this welding technology developed by your country itself?" Rodman asked.

"Partly from outside sources, partly our own improvements," Li Te answered, "The key to welding is material and process. We have developed a special welding rod that maintains stable melt‑filling performance at high temperatures."

"What level of stress can it endure?"

"The weld seam strength can reach over ninety percent of the base material," Li Te gestured for an engineer, "General, take a look at the test report."

The engineer handed over a document. Rodman skimmed it quickly, his expression growing serious. The report showed that Lanfang's hull welding technology had reached world‑leading levels, meaning their warships could be lighter, faster, and structurally stronger.

"If the general is interested, we can arrange a technical exchange," Li Te said at the right moment, "Lanfang is willing to share peaceful applications of its technological achievements with all friendly nations."

Friendly nations. The phrase was used very cleverly.

Rodman nodded, "The Meilika Navy has always been open to technological progress. I believe our two navies have many areas where we can learn from each other."

The tour continued—training center, logistics warehouse, communications hub… At each stop, Li Te gave detailed introductions, yet left out some details appropriately. Rodman's professional eye could see that Lanfang Navy's construction concept was highly advanced—not merely a pile of weapons, but a complete system.

At eleven o'clock in the morning, the tour ended and the motorcade headed to the officers' club.

The officers' club sat on a small hill, overlooking the entire naval base and part of Dubai's cityscape. The building was Mediterranean‑style, with white walls, arched doors and windows, surrounded by meticulously trimmed gardens and palm trees. Except for the distant ship masts at the harbor, it almost resembled a vacation villa.

The meeting room was on the second floor, its windows facing south with an expansive view. A long conference table was covered with dark‑green velvet, displaying the small flags of Lanfang and Meilika. After the attendant served tea and snacks and withdrew, only Li Te, Rodman, and a few aides from each side remained in the room.

"Thank you again, General Li, for the thoughtful arrangements," Rodman began, his tone more formal than before, "This visit has given me a completely new understanding of the Lanfang Navy. Your country's construction speed and professional level are admirable."

"You flatter me, General," Li Te smiled, "Lanfang is an emerging nation and still needs to learn from traditional naval powers in many respects. Especially the Meilika Navy—its experience from the Spanish‑American War to the Great White Fleet's global circumnavigation serves as our model."

Diplomatic rhetoric, but spoken sincerely.

Rodman took a sip of tea and turned to the main point: "General Li, my visit, beyond ceremonial exchange, has an important purpose—hoping to understand Lanfang's view on security and stability in the Pacific region under the current international situation."

The question arrived. Li Te had been prepared.

"Lanfang's stance is clear: we advocate that all nations, regardless of size or strength, have the right to develop equally and to protect their legitimate interests." He set down his teacup, "Specifically regarding the Pacific region, we believe this vast ocean should be a bridge for cooperation among nations, not a battlefield of conflict."

"But the reality is that Europe's war is spreading worldwide," Rodman said, looking at Li Te, "Germany has colonies in the Pacific, Yingguo has huge interests here, the Sakura Nation is rearming, and Lanfang… is also accelerating naval construction. In this situation, how can we ensure peace in the Pacific?"

Li Te met Rodman's gaze, "General, peace is not achieved through weakness. On the contrary, only by possessing sufficient strength to defend one's interests can conflict be avoided, because any rational nation will calculate the cost before taking action."

He paused, then continued:

"Lanfang builds its navy not for aggression but for protection—protecting our oil in the Persian Gulf, safeguarding our trade routes in Southeast Asia, and defending our legitimate presence in the Pacific. If someone respects our interests, we become the best partner; if someone attempts to infringe, we will resolutely counter."

His words sounded hard, yet his tone was calm, as if stating objective facts.