Setting Off Again

A new day dawned, the sun rising as usual to illuminate the Pacific Ocean.

The azure waters were as they always were, the only difference being a brilliant "halo" in the sky. The Sky Pit turned sunlight into a colorful rainbow, scattering it across the vast sea below.

Within a 100-nautical-mile radius of the Sky Pit, no ships or aircraft dared to approach. The aliens that had emerged from the Sky Pit continued to roam around it, as if guarding it.

No one knew what they were waiting for. For the think tanks studying them, it was not a good omen. The armies of the major powers, on the other hand, were operating like tightly wound machines.

In space, reconnaissance satellites from various countries were staring at the suspected gateway, the pit-like opening, almost every moment. Simultaneously, aircraft belonging to different nations were monitoring the Sky Pit 24 hours a day.

In an underground bunker at East University, the focus had shifted from primarily monitoring the USA to the Sky Pit.

Within the new command center, a joint command was formed, comprising the elite think tank from East University's East University Research Institute, academicians and professors from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Science and Technology of China, along with a large number of technicians from the military (mainly Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force, with fewer from the Army).

The task of the elite think tank was to provide decisive opinions on critical, major strategic issues.

The academicians and professors from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Science and Technology of China were responsible for providing authoritative scientific theories and technical deductions to assist the think tank. After all, before the aliens arrived on Earth, humanity's primary enemies were other humans. The think tank's knowledge base was entirely focused on human history, psychology, behavior, and so on. When facing an extraterrestrial civilization, authoritative science was necessary as a reference to avoid projecting human characteristics onto the aliens.

Finally, the military was responsible for executing the decisive opinions of the think tank.

Thus, an efficient command system was established, characterized by far-sighted predictions, supported by comprehensive scientific theories, and executed with unwavering resolve, all to counter the threat of an alien civilization.

Personnel responsible for different tasks wore clothes of different colors for easy identification. The hall was filled with the constant murmur of discussions, accompanied by the hum of equipment and the whoosh of the air conditioning system.

Support staff continuously supplied workers with mineral water and small, sugary snacks to replenish their brains' sugar levels, as the human brain consumed a significant amount of sugar when operating at high speed.

An old senior leader sat at the staff table, reviewing reports submitted by various departments. The one he paid most attention to was the "Analysis of Earth's National Social Classes" compiled by the elite think tank, which pointed out the shortcomings of different political systems worldwide.

[Based on field research, Islamic regimes are incapable of modernization and lack manufacturing capabilities.]

[Analysis of USA's GDP shows that the USA's dependence on China exceeds China's dependence on the USA. Without the strength and capability to restore manufacturing, and having lost Pacific shipping routes, it has become a giant of clay.]

[Europe, swayed by LGBT and "white left" ideology, lacks the organizational capacity to wage a full-scale war, let alone a war between two civilizations.]

[Asia, Africa, and Latin America lack industry, and their social conditions are far worse than during the Xinhai Revolution period.]

"A tiny globe, with a few flies bumping their heads. Buzzing, a few shrill cries, a few sobs..."

The senior leader sighed, put down the report, rubbed his tired eyes, leaned back in his chair, and turned to look out the window.

In the vast command center, numerous young people were bustling about. Several officers sat on the command platform, though they were merely there to "keep order" among the young people; they were already doing a commendable job.

The old senior leader was filled with helplessness. Looking at the entire globe, out of over a hundred countries, perhaps fewer than a handful could be of any use when facing the threat of an alien civilization. Could they really expect those LGBT+ individuals, drug addicts, environmentalists, and "white left" do-gooders to fight aliens? It would be a blessing if they didn't become a burden!

"Any movement from the aliens yet?"

"In the past 360 hours, there have been no changes in the Sky Pit. The alien spacecraft have still not moved from their positions around the Sky Pit, maintaining a fixed distance as they orbit."

The lack of movement was not a good sign; it was like the calm before a storm, brewing a tempest.

"According to the assessment by the operational support department, it has been confirmed that the mission of these alien spacecraft is to protect the Sky Pit."

Looking at the massive tactical sand table in the command center, a 300-nautical-mile exclusion zone was marked around the Sky Pit. Civilian aircraft and ships were strictly prohibited from entering the zone. However, secrets could not be kept forever; the existence of the Sky Pit would eventually be exposed.

"What actions have other countries taken?"

"Reporting, sir. Currently, the European Union, NATO, India, ASEAN Ten, Australia, Japan, and Russia are all deploying ocean-going fleets towards the Pacific Rim region."

"What about our proposal to form a 'Joint Investigation Fleet'?" the old man continued to ask.

"It was not passed. The United Kingdom and the United States vetoed it, France abstained, and Russia agreed."

"Humanity always harbors a sense of wishful thinking."

The senior leader shook his head. The Sky Pit was like the eye of a massive storm, calm at its center but with storms raging around it. Capable nations were preparing. At this point, no one mentioned the United Nations anymore; instead, countries wanted to conduct investigations in their own capacity to gain maximum benefit.

Did they not know the risks involved? They did! But wishful thinking and greedy desires made these politicians short-sighted, desperately trying to prove themselves right, as doing so would bring unimaginable profits to the capital groups behind them!

"What's the USA's status?"

"According to satellite imagery, the US Truman Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Philippines three days ago and is currently in port for rest. Over the past 240 hours, 300 transport aircraft have taken off from the United States, transiting through other countries to the Philippines."

Taking the images handed over by the officer, one could clearly identify the aircraft carrier "Truman," the guided-missile cruiser "Gettysburg," and the two guided-missile destroyers "Stout" and "Jason Dunham."

"164 hours ago, US forces in the First, Second, and Third Island Chains began an orderly withdrawal towards Hawaii, with deployment expected to be completed in one and a half to two months."

"120 hours ago, the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group departed the Middle East, with Hawaii as its destination."

"62 hours ago, the US government requested Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, and other NATO countries to fulfill their NATO obligations and dispatch warships to escort the Truman Carrier Strike Group."

"There are divisions within NATO. France, with the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle at its core, has formed a joint fleet with Germany, preparing to investigate the Sky Pit."

"India has dispatched its Indian Ocean Fleet, a fleet centered around its aircraft carrier, which also departed 24 hours ago."

"The Pakistan and Russian Pacific Fleets have sent messages, expressing their desire to form a joint fleet with our country to scout the Sky Pit."