A new day arrived. The sun rose as usual, illuminating the Pacific Ocean.
The azure seawater was as it had always been. The only difference was the dazzling "halo" in the sky. The Sky Pit transformed the sunlight into a seven-colored rainbow and scattered it across the sea below.
No ships or aircraft approached within a hundred nautical miles of the Sky Pit. Meanwhile, the aliens that had emerged from it continued to wander around its perimeter, as though guarding it.
No one knew what they were waiting for. To the think tanks studying them, this was hardly a good sign. The militaries of the major powers began operating like tightly wound machines.
In space, reconnaissance satellites from various nations watched the pit, which was suspected to be a gateway, almost every moment. At the same time, aircraft belonging to different countries monitored the Sky Pit around the clock.
In an underground shelter somewhere in Great East, the focus had shifted from primarily monitoring the USA to monitoring the Sky Pit.
Inside the new Command Center, elite think tanks from Fudan University's Great East 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 armed forces—mainly the Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force, with relatively few from the Army—formed a Joint Command Headquarters.
The elite think tanks were tasked with delivering decisive recommendations whenever critical, major strategic issues arose.
The academicians and professors from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Science and Technology of China were responsible for providing sufficiently authoritative scientific theories and technical assessments to assist the think tanks. After all, before aliens came to Earth, humanity's primary enemies had been other humans. The think tanks' accumulated knowledge all concerned human history, psychology, behavior, and similar fields. When facing an extraterrestrial civilization, they needed authoritative science as a reference so they would not project human traits onto the aliens.
Finally, the armed forces were responsible for carrying out the think tanks' decisive recommendations.
Thus, an efficient command system was formed—one with far-sighted predictions, ample scientific theory as support, and resolute execution—to confront the threat posed by extraterrestrial civilization.
Personnel responsible for different duties wore different colors for easy identification. Soft discussions continuously echoed through the hall, accompanied by the hum of operating equipment and the whoosh of the air-conditioning system.
Service staff constantly brought bottled water and small sugary snacks to replenish the workers' brains. High-speed mental activity consumed an enormous amount of sugar.
An elderly senior commander sat at the staff table, reviewing reports submitted by various departments. The one that concerned him most was the elite think tanks' summary, "An Analysis of Social Classes in Earth's Nations," which pointed out the flaws in humanity's different political systems.
After on-the-ground investigation, it had been determined that Islamic regimes could not modernize and had no manufacturing industry.
Analysis of the USA's GDP showed that the USA depended on Great East more than Great East depended on the USA. It lacked the strength and ability to restore its manufacturing sector, and after losing the Pacific shipping routes, it had become a giant with feet of clay.
Europe, held hostage by LGBT and progressive-left ideology, lacked the organizational capacity to fight a full-scale war, let alone a war between two civilizations.
Asia, Africa, and Latin America had no industry, and their social conditions were far inferior to those of the Xinhai Revolution period.
"A tiny globe—how many flies smash into walls? They buzz and buzz, a few shrill cries, a few sobs."
With a sigh, the senior commander put down the report. He rubbed the sore corners of his eyes, leaned back against his chair, and turned to look out the window.
Inside the enormous command room, countless young people hurried back and forth. Several officers sat at the command platform, though they were only there to lend the young people some gravitas. The young people had already done very well.
The old commander's heart was filled with helplessness. Looking across the entire Earth, among more than a hundred countries, perhaps fewer than five could be of any use when facing the threat of an extraterrestrial civilization. Could they really expect LGBT+ people, drug addicts, environmentalists, and progressive-left do-gooders to fight aliens? It would be a blessing if they did not hold everyone back!
"Are the aliens still not making any moves?"
"Over the past 360 hours, there have been no changes in the Sky Pit. The alien aircraft still show no signs of leaving its vicinity. They have maintained a fixed distance while circling the Sky Pit."
No movement was not a good thing. Like the calm before a storm, it suggested towering waves were brewing.
"According to the War Support Department's assessment, it can now be confirmed that the mission of these alien aircraft is to protect the Sky Pit."
Looking at the massive tactical sand table in the command room, the old commander saw the three-hundred-nautical-mile exclusion zone drawn around the Sky Pit. Civilian aircraft and vessels were currently strictly prohibited from entering it, but fire could not be wrapped in paper. The Sky Pit's existence would be exposed sooner or later.
"Are the other countries making any moves?"
"Reporting, Commander. The European Union, NATO, India, the ASEAN Ten, Australia, Japan, and Russia are all redeploying ocean-going fleets toward the Pacific Rim region."
"What about our proposal to establish a 'Joint Investigation Fleet'?" the old man continued.
"It was not approved. Britain and the USA vetoed it, France abstained, and Russia agreed."
"Humanity always harbors wishful thinking."
The senior commander shook his head. The Sky Pit was like the eye of a massive storm: calm at its center, while violent winds and rain raged around it. Every capable country was making preparations. At a time like this, no one mentioned the United Nations anymore. Instead, each wanted to conduct the investigation as a nation and seize the greatest possible benefits from it.
Did they not know the risks involved? They did! But wishful thinking and greed drove these politicians to seek quick success, desperately trying to prove themselves right, because doing so would bring unimaginable benefits to the capital groups behind them!
"What is the USA doing?"
"Satellite imagery shows that the Truman Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Philippines three days ago and is resupplying in port. Over the past 240 hours, three hundred transport aircraft sorties have departed from the USA, transiting through other countries en route to the Philippines."
Taking the photographs handed over by the officer, he 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 Military forces on the first, second, and third island chains began an orderly withdrawal toward Hawaii. The redeployment is expected to be completed within one and a half to two months."
"120 hours ago, the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group withdrew from the Middle East. Its destination is Hawaii."
"62 hours ago, the US government demanded that Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, and other NATO nations fulfill their NATO obligations by deploying warships to escort the Truman Carrier Strike Group."
"Disagreements have emerged within NATO. France, centered around the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, has formed a joint fleet with Germany and is preparing to investigate the Sky Pit."
"India deployed the Indian Ocean Fleet. Its carrier-centered fleet also departed twenty-four hours ago."
"Pakistan and the Russian Pacific Fleet have contacted us, hoping to form a joint fleet with our country to conduct reconnaissance of the Sky Pit."
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