Take You to See the Real Thing

Zhang Xueming's voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority.

His sharp gaze swept over everyone present.

Chen Houpu and the others exchanged glances, their expressions a colorful mix.

Some were excited, some bewildered, but more than anything, they were uneasy about the unknown.

Commander-in-Chief of the Navy?

It sounded impressive.

But did Fengtian even have a navy?

They didn't even have a single little sampan!

Wouldn't that make him a commander with no troops?

To put it less kindly, it was just a pie in the sky—nice to look at, but it wouldn't fill their stomachs!

Seeing their hesitation, Zhang Xueming curled his lips and suddenly smiled.

"What? Do you think my temple is too small to house all you great deities?"

"Or do you think I, Zhang Xueming, am just drawing you a pie to stave off hunger?"

He rose and walked to the window, pushing it open.

A salty sea breeze rushed in at once.

"Come on."

Zhang Xueming spoke without turning around.

"Hearing is not believing; seeing is believing."

"I'll take you to see the real thing, so you don't think all I can do is brag."

Chen Houpu froze. Everyone else was just as baffled.

See the real thing?

What thing?

Could the Young Marshal really conjure a few warships out of thin air?

Though they were full of questions, they followed Zhang Xueming out of the room.

The motorcade was already waiting downstairs.

They headed east, straight through Fengtian City and toward Bohai Bay.

The closer they got to the coast, the stronger the salty dampness in the air became.

At last, the motorcade stopped in front of a heavily guarded port.

The port was brand-new—so new that the concrete on the docks still gave off its distinctive smell.

A huge ceremonial arch stood at the entrance, four characters written across it in bold, sweeping strokes.

Yingzhou Port!

A brand-new, ice-free deepwater harbor!

Chen Houpu's heart began to race for no apparent reason.

He had a feeling that today, he might see something capable of turning his whole life upside down.

"Mister Zhang, this..."

Chen Houpu had just begun to ask when Zhang Xueming merely gestured for them to proceed, then led the way into the port.

The others followed, hearts uneasy.

They rounded a row of enormous warehouses, and the sight before them brought everyone to a halt.

At that moment, even their breathing stopped.

Three steel behemoths lay quietly on the vast, shimmering sea!

On the outermost side was a destroyer, its sleek lines brimming with speed.

In the middle was a cruiser, its hull long and slender, its decks bristling with gun turrets.

And on the innermost side, moored at the main pier...

What a colossal war machine!

Its hull towered like a mountain range, its massive gun barrels looked savage and thick, and its bridge soared into the clouds...

Every detail was beautiful in its violence and promise of destruction.

"Gulp."

Someone struggled to swallow.

Chen Houpu's eyes widened like copper bells, and his mouth gaped wide enough to fit a fist.

He reached out, pointing at the three warships with a trembling hand. His lips quivered, but not a word came out.

That destroyer!

That cruiser!

And that... that battleship, which existed only in myths!

These... weren't these the three ships from the blueprints?!

They were identical!

"An illusion... This has to be an illusion..."

A naval technical officer muttered to himself. He even pinched himself hard.

The sharp pain told him that everything before his eyes was real!

"Oh, my God!"

Another man collapsed right onto the ground, his face filled with disbelief.

"This... how is this possible?! Where... where did they come from?!"

Chen Houpu suddenly came to his senses and rushed to the edge of the dock like a gust of wind.

He almost sprawled on the ground, staring fixedly at the battleship's hull.

Cold steel, familiar rivets, and the faint smell of paint drifting through the air...

It was real!

All of it was real!

He whipped around to look at the young man behind him, hands in his pockets and a look of perfect calm on his face.

"Young Marshal! This... this...!"

He was so excited his face had turned red, and he could barely get the words out.

Zhang Xueming smiled, came over, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Well, Mister Chen?"

"My pie in the sky is pretty substantial, isn't it?"

Substantial was an understatement!

It was enough to stuff a man to bursting!

Chen Houpu felt his entire worldview shatter in that instant, then rebuild itself.

He had thought Zhang Xueming was a farsighted, bold genius.

But now, how could he be merely a genius? He was an Immortal descended from the heavens!

"I'm convinced! I, Chen Houpu, am completely convinced!"

Chen Houpu took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Zhang Xueming once more.

This time, he had no hesitation.

Zhang Xueming looked at him, then at the people behind him, who had slowly recovered from their shock and now wore feverish expressions.

He sighed and put on a troubled look.

"Ah, we've got the ships, but unfortunately, nobody knows how to sail them."

"A while ago, I sent a few guards who knew how to pilot fishing boats aboard to give it a try..."

"Good grief, they nearly snapped the cruiser in half at the waist."

"It's a headache!"

He glanced at Chen Houpu and continued at an unhurried pace.

"If you're unwilling to come, I can't just let these precious treasures rust away in the harbor."