Canglan Naval Port.
The moment the order came down, the entire naval port erupted into activity.
The shrill battle alarm blared.
The quiet port mobilized within ten minutes. Destroyers and frigates began casting off from their berths in succession, their main guns raised and missile hatches thrown open as they formed a defensive perimeter around the port.
At the air-defense positions along the shore, missile vehicles quickly moved into place, and radar dishes spun rapidly.
On the road, tanks and armored vehicles from the Army's armored brigade formed a steel column and raced toward the naval port.
Fully armed soldiers jumped out of their vehicles and established a defensive line behind the breakwater.
Behind the breakwater, two armored crewmen leaned against an armored vehicle and spoke in hushed voices.
"Something's off. The Navy's at the highest alert level, so why did they call in our Army armored brigade too? This doesn't look anything like a routine exercise."
"No idea. The command center only said an unknown massive target was approaching. Even the naval port's phased-array radar can't lock onto it. It's damn strange."
"Can't lock onto it? Our radar can even pick up stealth fighters. What kind of thing can block every detection system? And what could build a flying warship this big...?"
An older soldier beside them tapped one of them on the shoulder, his expression stern. "Quit guessing and keep watch! Follow orders! Whatever it is, if it crosses the line, take it down!"
Just then, an order came through the command channel used by every unit:
"All units, attention! Target spotted! Three o'clock, five nautical miles away!"
"Maintain alert. Do not open fire without authorization. Report the target's movements in real time!"
Everyone fell silent at once and turned toward three o'clock in unison.
In the night, every searchlight at the naval port switched on. Thick beams pierced the darkness and swept across the sea.
Then they saw it.
First came a colossal shadow, like a moving mountain, blotting out the moonlight on the water.
The searchlights slid along its edge, gradually illuminating the outline of the enormous object.
Its Gothic hull was covered in cold, metallic patterns, its surface gleaming darkly beneath the lights. Rows of exposed secondary guns bristled across it, and the faint shimmer of a Void Shield flickered around the hull.
Even from several kilometers away, they could feel the overwhelming steel menace bearing down on them.
The 1.5-kilometer-long Cobra-class Destroyer slowly entered the waters outside the naval port.
The instant its hull touched the sea, its immense buoyancy shoved the water fiercely aside, raising waves several meters high. They crashed against the breakwater with a thunderous roar, and even the ground beneath their feet trembled slightly.
An enormous shadow swept over them, engulfing the entire naval port.
The soldiers stared up, feeling as though a dark steel mountain was slowly bearing down on them.
The mighty destroyers inside the port, each weighing tens of thousands of tons, looked like little skiffs beside it. Their hulls were less than half as tall as the giant vessel before them, and not even a tenth as long.
Their once-massive main guns now looked like children's toys.
The gantry cranes along the shore, dozens of meters tall, seemed no higher than stools beside the giant ship's bridge.
There were no gasps, no panic.
Every soldier and officer held their breath. They gripped their weapons tighter, their eyes filled with utter shock.
They were in awe of unknown technology, but not the slightest bit afraid.
At the same time, inside a command center somewhere within the S.P.E.A.R. Bureau,
a massive holographic screen showed live footage of the sky above Canglan Naval Port.
The gigantic ship, 1.5 kilometers long, gleamed coldly in the night, clear as day.
A middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the screen with a deep frown.
An intelligence officer beside him reported rapidly, "Director, the military has gone to the highest alert level."
"The target vessel just sent an unencrypted message. The sender identified himself as Fu Haoran and requested negotiations."
Zheng Xian was silent for several seconds before speaking slowly. "To block every radar and approach our territorial waters without a sound—that's beyond the capabilities of any known country."
He turned to the agents waiting behind him. "Put the combat team on standby. Be ready to intervene at any time."
"Also, connect me to the military's secure line. I want to speak with Canglan."
His deputy hesitated. "Director, the S.P.E.A.R. Bureau's job is to deal with supernatural threats and foreign superhuman organizations... For an overt military encounter like this, wouldn't it be better to leave things to the military?"
Zheng Xian shook his head. "They've revealed their presence voluntarily, kept to the lowest possible speed, and sent an unencrypted message. Every step they've taken shows good faith."
"But anyone with technology like this isn't here to discuss anything ordinary."
He paused, his gaze sharpening. "Besides, I have a feeling... the person he's waiting for—the one with the authority to make the decision—may include us."
Inside the Canglan Theater Command Center, the moment the secure-line call ended, the theater commander stared at the image of the giant ship on the screen for a long time without speaking.
His adjutant asked quietly, "Commander, what did the S.P.E.A.R. Bureau say?"
The commander was silent for several seconds before replying, "Zheng Xian said to let their people come ashore."
The adjutant blinked. "Just like that?"
"It's not that simple." The commander shook his head. "He said that if this person dared to come here, he must have something we can't afford to refuse."
He looked up at the screen, his expression complicated. "Have the forward positions prepare to receive them. Let's hear what he wants in exchange."
Inside the destroyer's bridge,
the Tech-Acolyte turned to report. "My lord, all landing equipment is ready. The Leman Russ Tanks and Chimera Armored Transports are standing by."
Fu Haoran looked down at the naval port, where everyone was braced for a fight. He saw the soldiers holding their weapons, alert but perfectly composed, and the corner of his mouth lifted in a faint smile.
"Open the main hatch and lower the landing ramp."
"Yes, my lord!"
At the bow, the heavy alloy hatch slowly opened, and the telescoping landing ramp extended down toward the sea.
Fu Haoran straightened his collar, then turned to Lucifer beside him and gestured for her to go ahead.
"Let's go, darling. The negotiations are the real reason we came here."
Lucifer glanced down at the naval port, then rose languidly and moved to Fu Haoran's side, half a step behind him.
She glanced through the porthole at the soldiers and armored vehicles on high alert. "Bringing all that down—is it because you're afraid they won't understand how sincere you are?"
Fu Haoran smiled. "Sincerity is about attitude. Strength is what gives you confidence. We need both."
He paused, adding silently, If we can seal this deal, we can bring the Hive City's industrial production line here—and mass-producing Power Armour might finally be within reach.
At the bow, the heavy alloy hatch slowly slid open to either side, and the telescoping landing ramp extended down toward the sea.
The moment the hatch opened, tension throughout the naval port reached its breaking point.
Behind the breakwater, the soldiers kept their fingers on the triggers, staring fixedly at the enormous door as it slowly opened.
The first things to emerge were the Servo-Skulls.
They floated out of the hatch and hovered in midair, their red optical lenses sweeping over the surroundings. They carried no weapons.
The soldiers' nerves eased by the slightest degree. At least they weren't facing row upon row of gun barrels.
Then two figures appeared in the doorway.
The young man at the front looked to be in his early twenties. Dressed in simple black combat gear, he calmly surveyed the naval port below, as though he had expected the forces arrayed there.
The woman at his side wore an elegant black robe. Her expression was cool and detached, as though she were strolling through her own garden. She walked half a step behind him.
Ten armored soldiers followed them, carrying only their weapons and lining up in two columns like an honor guard.
Inside the giant ship's hatch, the gun barrels of the Leman Russ Tanks gleamed coldly. The outlines of the Chimera Armored Transports were faintly visible in the shadows, but not one vehicle rolled out.
They could see them, but they stayed aboard.
The visitors' orderly entrance showed no hint of hostile intent, immediately easing the tense atmosphere at the naval port.
Everyone knew this standoff would ultimately end at the negotiating table, not on the battlefield.
Yet the sight of weapons and equipment they had never seen before still made their hearts race, and their hands tightened around their guns.
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