Another Old Story

The White House.

An old archival video was playing in the military intelligence office.

All irrelevant personnel had already been asked to leave, leaving only A Chuan and the Department of Defense watching television with serious expressions.

On the television, the sky was dark, yellow sand rose, and the land was desolate. The city in the picture was full of low and dilapidated houses, without the tall buildings that are the hallmarks of modern cities. This must be a settlement in a backward country. In fact, it was indeed so. That place was Moyani, the capital of Comora, a small West Africa country.

One of the least developed regions in the world.

The number of people in the world who know about this place is probably no more than one million.

This place would never have King of Understanding; he wouldn't even know such a country existed. But not long ago, this poor, narrow, and insignificant land in West Africa attracted the attention of the most powerful nations on the planet.

It began as a vile invasion, and the terrifying and enduring Shadow Fr*nce upon the land of Africa, manipulating the rise and fall of the enslaved and exploited with a dark, gigantic hand.

This was originally just a minor incident in the decades-long chaotic political situation in Africa, but mercenaries from Fr*nce kidnapped a China man, and a young man came from the other side of the world to fight his way to the top.

He shattered everything, like a killing machine, and not only rescued his father, but also immediately carried out the bloodline's revenge, displaying ever-growing power.

The video that A Chuan watched was from the moment the Comora incident was settled, showing how the foolish France mercenaries unleashed a terrible monster from beneath the land, which was then annihilated by Kang De.

In this incident, they witnessed the power of Earth's most powerful superhuman.

The footage was taken by United States person with superpowers.

A young China man was engulfed in pure white Flame, the brilliant light transforming into a scepter that struck the ground. Then, crisscrossing streaks of light spread in all directions, covering the entire city.

On the edge of the city, bricks and stones constructed of light materialized out of thin air, stacking and unfolding layer by layer, growing ever higher, forming a luminous dome-shaped Shelter that, like a miracle, blocked out the terrifying swarms of insects from the outside world.

The video pauses here.

"Look! That's it! That's it!" A Chuan shouted, turning his head. "This thing is a shield too! Doesn't it look just like the shield of that octopus-like thing? I knew this must be the work of that China boy!"

"Sir, if I may be so bold, the China Type 81 rifle is a rifle, and our M16A2 rifle is also a rifle, but you cannot say that the M16A2 is made in China."

"Yes, that's the most gratifying thing for me! At least the arms companies haven't moved their production lines to China!" Trump said. "But what does that have to do with what we're talking about?"

The Department of Defense took a deep breath and explained earnestly, "Shields, this form of shield is a manifestation of energy defense, not an ability unique to one person. Furthermore, the large-scale energy defense that appeared in Moyani is very different in form and appearance from that monster's..."

"What's the difference? Even if there are differences, modifications are possible!" A Chuan roared angrily at the mention of this. "It's like their fifth-generation fighter jet copying our F-22! Shameless!"

The defense minister sighed, "Don't say things like that to the voters anymore... No, sir, please don't say things like that again."

"--Why?"

"Because that would make our various intelligence and national security agencies look like complete incompetents."

"I don't fxcking care!" A Chuan said, pointing at the TV. "And that's not the point! The point is that this China boy is using this method to invade United States and provoke our national security! We must respond!"

The defense minister's patience was wearing thin. "... Damn it, sir, this has nothing to do with Kang De!"

A Chuan insisted, "No, there must be a connection!"

You cannot make a judgment based on such unfounded associations!

"No! Because we are United States! I am the President!"

A Chuan shouted, "Haven't we done enough of this kind of thing? If that idiot Xiao Bu [beep--] can do it, why can't I!"

The defense minister suddenly jolted awake, only to realize that everyone in the room had been asked to leave. He breathed a sigh of relief, then loosened his collar and roared, "Because Kang De is not Iraq!"

He pointed to the Kang De file on the table. "Possessing immense autonomy, not subject to the supervision of the China 'Gordon,' extremely extreme in personality, a racist, hateful of whites, does not recognize the simple values of our free world, and is an extreme supporter of the China Communist Party and communism. He is a true-blue China redneck, dreaming of making China great again and taking back what they have lost from the free world!"

"And most importantly, he is one of the strongest known superhumans in the world!"

"This judgment is based solely on the abilities he demonstrated in Moyani."

"So do you understand, my great leader? Given the China people's tendency to never boast, their humility bordering on hypocrisy, and their love of hiding their true selves, can you guarantee that he's only as strong as described in the videos and reports?"

A Chuan was humiliated—"You're the one I promoted, how dare you talk back to your boss!"

He shouted, "So he's the enemy! So I'm right!"

"I know, but he can't be the enemy right now! We already have enough trouble; we can't afford to fight on two fronts! Because judging from the spatial teleportation ability that China man demonstrated, he's capable of becoming the most successful and terrifying terrorist in the world! All America should be thankful he's not from the Middle East!"

The defense minister softened his tone. "Understand, sir? Not now, not now."

A Chuan glared at him, and the other man met his gaze without flinching.

Just as a knock came at the door, the Chief of Staff's voice came from outside. "Mr. President, no offense intended, but there's a national hotline call... Our neighbor across the Pacific Ocean has noticed our assembling of a carrier strike group and the mobilization of a large bomber fleet, and is expressing concern and curiosity, asking if there's anything we can do to help."

"..."

A few dozen seconds later, the president's voice burst through the door.

" --China!"

On the ocean.

As time passed and the waves surged, the massive illusion constructed of Mist Crystal transformed into a colossal beast, roaring forward across the Pacific Ocean, the entire ship now tainted by Paradox Element.

While the Pentagon was planning and deploying a second wave of joint attacks, Kang De was also making corresponding preparations.

The weapons systems of the Afu have all been removed, including both the original weapons systems and those added later. The Horizon class frigates' close-in defense systems were already incredibly weak and inadequate, making them completely unable to withstand the full-scale attack of a dual-carrier battle group.

Moreover, it is impossible to defend against it—the idea of firing cannons and missiles from the body of a giant sea monster to intercept anti-ship missiles coming from all directions is itself a very absurd and suspicious thing.

But...

Kang De tapped on the control panel on the bridge and laughed, "What if we dismantle the illusion before we leave, letting the American Empire see that this is actually a Fr*nce warship?"

Horus laughed and said, "I wonder—will they surrender again?"

Kang De laughed out loud.

As he laughed, he sighed, "Life is so unpredictable. Two years ago, I was angrily criticizing the American Empire online and dreaming about when we would surpass it. Now, I'm facing it head-on."

From the very beginning of formulating this plan, he knew what risks and challenges he would face.

He will face a full-scale attack from the world's leading superpower—from initial probing to a full-scale offensive. The military and technological advantages built up over decades of hegemony will transform into a terrifying force of destruction coming from all directions, with conventional weapons, secret weapons, and ultimate weapons, and the firepower gradually escalating.

A full-scale offensive by the army, navy, and air force.

"Everything will be fine. We're not defenders, just porters," Horus reassured him. "Speaking of which, according to standard military readiness, it's still some time before we engage in battle. You don't need to stay here indefinitely. Why don't you take this opportunity to go home and visit your family?"

Kang De thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No need, to avoid distraction."

He seemed to have thought of something, and pursed his lips, saying, "They'll never guess what I'm doing."

"I hope that one day, everyone will know."

Horus said in a low voice, "This is not an easy task."

"Yes, but it's not too difficult." Kang De loosened his limbs. "The energy shield formed by the Paradox Element will block fatal attacks and create deceptive smoke, allowing us to redirect the vast majority of our attacks to another dimension—we need to do this quickly and well, because defensive capabilities have their limits."

He sighed softly, "What a pity, I've developed feelings for this warship."

Being corrupted by the Paradox Element means that the Knight Astolfo's lifespan is nearing its end. What's more, it will also face a full-scale attack from the four America armies. Every time the shields open and block an explosion, it is the full operation of the Paradox Element, which means impact and backlash on the vessel.

When the Afu reaches its limit, it will be completely swallowed up and destroyed by Paradox Matter.

Horus comforted him, "It's alright, Father, we will have someone better."

Pentagon.

"Iowa!"

A naval admiral shouted, "If we still had battleships, we wouldn't be so constrained! Damn, battleships are the perfect weapon to deal with these behemoths! We could rain down cheap shells instead of wasting millions of dollars worth of missiles!"

"Quiet, quiet, big guy, this isn't the time for this. This isn't a movie; the Missouri is practically scrap metal, it can't run at all."

Another American general interrupted, "Furthermore, based on feedback from the first wave of bombing, even the dense bombardment of the MK84 heavy bombs couldn't break through its shields, and the Iowa's 406mm main guns were useless."

"Who said we were going to use weak armor-piercing rounds!"

The general, clearly a passionate patriot of warships and artillery, was now flushed and extremely excited, waving his fist as he exclaimed, "Let's bring out that damn MK23 nuclear artillery shell! Such powerful equipment was never used in actual combat before being retired from service—isn't that a huge waste?!"

"Iowa! Nine 406mm cannons! Fire nine MK23 nuclear shells at that monster in a salvo, turning it into a pile of mangled flesh that will spill into the Pacific Ocean! That's what the Navy is all about!"

Most of the people present were soldiers, and soldiers loved explosions more than anyone else. Even the generals of the Air Force, the Army, and the four-legged multi-purpose combat animals were excited when they heard about this idea.

Imagine a sea monster with a displacement of 57,000 tons, a maximum speed of 33 knots, and a length of over 270 meters unleashing a barrage of nuclear shells from nine 406mm cannons—that would be pretty awesome!

"I know it's too late this time! But if there's a time, there will be a next time, gentlemen. Times have changed. Our enemies are no longer just humans, but also life forms we've never seen or even imagined before. The reason for retiring battleships is no longer a reason, because we will encounter similar terrifying enemies in the future—therefore, after this battle, I will make a suggestion to the Commander-in-Chief!"

"--Reboot Iowa!"

This is the Pentagon's "Gold Room," the location of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, often referred to as the "soul of the Department of Defense." The elite of the United States. military gather here to formulate the highest-level war decisions.

Before preparing for the future, they need to resolve their current problems.

Four hours later, the carrier strike group, advancing at full speed, was about to approach the designated firing point, and the vertical launch missile systems of the Ticonderoga class cruisers and Arleigh Burke class destroyers had completed pre-inspection.

The Los Angeles class attack submarine continues its advance, preparing to launch 533mm MK48 torpedoes.

All carrier-based aircraft that had completed anti-ship equipment loading and preparation took off.

Dozens of F/A-18E Super Bumblebee, each carrying AGM-84N and AGM-84K Harpoon anti-ship missiles, formed a spectacular attack formation, heading towards the direction from which the behemoth was attacking.

Meanwhile, a formation of bombers taking off from the mainland was approaching the west coast of the America.

Four B-1B Lancer carrying 96 AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, eight B-52H Stratofortress carrying 96 AGM-158A missiles, and four B-2A Spirit bombers carrying 64 AGM-158B missiles—these destructive monsters of the sky, carrying terrifying force capable of wiping out the defense capabilities of a medium-sized country, were preparing to confront an unprecedented deep-sea adversary.

Some people are going to be overjoyed.

In the White House, the Department of Defense gazed at the footage from the front lines and said calmly, "This offensive will deplete most of the ammunition reserves in the homeland's arsenals... A new round of procurement is about to begin."

A Chuan replied, "That's a good thing."

The defense minister remained silent.

"So, are the war correspondents taking pictures?"

"Yes, Mr. President, we will record the entire process."

When will the attack begin?

"Expected in one hour... very soon, Mr. President."

"Remember, 500 kilometers—if it's less than 500 kilometers from Los Angeles, I'll immediately authorize a nuclear strike." A Chuan turned and asked, "Are you preparing?"

"Yes, sir, a B-61 tactical nuclear bomb. The B-2 bomber assigned to the nuclear mission is being prepared."

A Chuan took a deep breath, stared at the raging beast on the screen, and whispered, "Come on, you ugly monster."

Another world.

The Endless Sea.

Dark clouds gathered, and a colossal beast emerged, majestic as an emperor. A hundred miles away, above the clouds, a cloud of mist solidified, supporting an old man in white robes, who seemed to float in the air, ethereal as a celestial being.

Dong Tianming waved his hand lightly, and a talisman spontaneously combusted without fire. Immediately, his eyes shone brightly as he looked through the clouds at the sea. Then, a hint of hatred flashed in his eyes.

"What a grand display," he said coldly. "Star Palace... Hmph, Star Palace."

He stared at them for a while longer, then exclaimed in astonishment, "What... what are these strange objects? I heard from my unworthy disciple that this giant beast once destroyed a Civilization —could these strange objects have been plundered from that destroyed Civilization? That's quite intriguing..."

The old man stroked his beard and shook his head, saying, "He's difficult to deal with. Even I, an old man, am not confident I can subdue him at sea. But with military tactics and formations, there are still ways to deal with him on land—humph, why am I thinking about that? That Kang De is so arrogant and thinks he's unparalleled in the world, then let him go and fight him himself!"

Thinking this, he snorted again, pondered for a moment, then reluctantly pulled out a talisman, ignited it in mid-air, and said, "You unfilial disciple, if your master returns, tell him I am already at sea, a hundred miles west of that giant beast, and that he must come quickly to see me and seek advice from his elders! Damn it!"

The mass of air transformed into a gentle breeze and swept towards the west coast.

Dong Tianming watched for a while longer, then cursed, "Damn it! The more I think about it, the angrier I get, damn it!"

After waiting for twenty minutes, Mr. Dong grew increasingly impatient. He had never seen such a young man before—arrogant, disdainful of everyone, and utterly detestable.

Damn it, what kind of person is he?

The indignant old man muttered to himself, then suddenly his expression changed.

Looking closely, one could see a figure appear out of thin air on the sea, clad in strange armor, riding the wind, flashing like lightning, skimming across the waves, and attacking the peerless ferocious beast that stood tall between the sky and the sea.

"This is Kang De..."

Dong Tianming looked at it for a moment, then revealed a look of disappointment. "Alone?"

The figure stopped less than three miles from the sea monster, standing proudly with his hands behind his back, exuding an extremely arrogant and disdainful air, while large and small black vortexes swirled and unfolded behind him.

From the dark portal, blazing Flame erupted.

That posture is absolutely infuriating.

Dong Tianming snorted, "The Dragon of Cathay? Let me see what you're capable of..."

Before the words were even finished, more than a dozen cruise missiles flew out of the Phase Gate, streaking and swaying with fire, whistling through the void, and crashing into the many floating boulders, bursting into fierce flames!

The boulder shattered, sending shockwaves flying. Dong Tianming glanced over disdainfully and said coldly, "The speed is alright... Firearms, explosions, using teleportation techniques to move and attack—Hmph, it's all old news."

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PS1: Today I looked through a lot of weapon technologies from the last century. People back then had such creative minds... I need to find a chance to build the Vanguard Cannon.