Chapter Eight: Unrestricted Destruction!

“Headquarters has formulated the ‘Operation Furious Dragon’ plan with three main objectives!” After Quiet had introduced the basic situation and background, Lei Tiangang took over, his voice grave as he said, “First, to punish the island independence forces and the Eastern U organization, crushing their arrogance; second, to intimidate the backers behind these two factions, demonstrating our resolute determination to defend sovereignty and territorial integrity, deterring them from reckless actions, further shrinking their survival space, and creating conditions for their complete eradication; third, and most urgent and practical, to draw the attention of hostile forces—especially Jeppon—creating as much room as possible for the upcoming cross-strait peace talks!”

Lei Tiangang scanned the war room and slowly continued, “These past few days, you should already realize the immense cost our country has borne for this operation and how much cover has been arranged…”

Silence fell over the war room.

Those present were not ordinary soldiers but the Republic’s elite special forces, highly intelligent and specially trained. If they had harbored any doubts at the outset, the continuous intelligence they received over the past week, coupled with their keen battlefield instincts and formidable analytical skills, had made clear the true meaning of Lei Tiangang’s words.

First, exploiting internal turmoil in Myanmar and Thailand, troops were mobilized and stationed at the border to attract global attention. Then, a covert maneuver commenced: special forces across various theaters massed, preparing a thunderous strike against Eastern U. But in truth, all this was a ruse to conceal the ultimate goal: the Fourth Squad’s covert crossing into Jeppon to exact unprecedented punishment on the puppet masters behind the two separatist terrorist groups, severing their claws!

One could only imagine that as multiple special forces launched a powerful offensive, drawing the world’s gaze to Central Asia, and international opinion cried foul, an elite unit would be deep within enemy territory wreaking havoc and spreading terror—what a feeling that would be!

And when the full truth of the operation finally came to light, people would realize it had all been a cover for a particular purpose. But by then, it would be too late—the cross-strait peace agreement would have been signed and announced; everything irreversible! All that would remain would be fear of the nation’s impending powerful rise or admiration for the age-old cunning country that had once again cleverly outwitted the world.

What a brilliant chain of stratagems! Each step seemingly reasonable and unremarkable but intricately linked until the final awakening—whose hand could have orchestrated such a plan?

Lei Dong’s gaze shifted to Quiet, seated calmly beside Lei Tiangang, a faint, almost imperceptible gentle smile at her lips.

Considering Quiet’s inexplicable disappearance for several days and her presence to brief on two critical matters, even if the entire plan was not solely her creation, she had certainly played a part.

Thinking of Quiet’s extraordinary command and planning of such a special operation, Lei Dong admired her deeply yet sighed quietly within.

Indeed, Quiet possessed exceptional intelligence judgment, broad vision, and meticulous analysis—a rare strategic genius. But was she truly willing to undertake this burden? Did she find any joy in it?

“Sending us to execute such a mission is both a trust from headquarters and a desperate measure…” Lei Dong pondered silently, while Lei Tiangang’s words echoed clearly in his ears: “Our nation is undergoing a special transitional development period. Our modernization cannot be interrupted again by foreign war. Our urgent mission of peaceful reunification cannot suffer interference now. The hard-won peace must not be sacrificed just because it involves a powerful nation! Therefore, we must conduct this secret campaign in this manner. Consequently, starting today, your military status will be temporarily revoked. During the entire operation in Jeppon, the state and military will bear no responsibility for your actions. Should you be captured or perish, your identities will be unacknowledged by the state! This is a solitary war!” Lei Tiangang’s voice deepened as he sighed softly.

“Some say that not fighting openly and reclaiming everything on the battlefield is a disgrace to us soldiers,” Lei Tiangang slammed the table with a sharp crack and shouted angrily, “Nonsense!”

Lei Tiangang’s expression was steely, his hair bristling. “We are soldiers, the state’s most violent and sharpest sword. It is our duty and sacred responsibility to protect our nation’s territory from violation and our people from humiliation! Therefore, my order to you is—”

“Unrestricted destruction!” Lei Tiangang’s face twisted fiercely as he roared, “By any means necessary, at any cost, strike him so deeply it pierces to the bone, so thoroughly he dares not invade again! Show our might!”

“The wrath of the divine dragon shakes the world! Kill—”

The team’s blood surged; they leapt from their seats and roared in unison, their voices shaking the room, the atmosphere charged like a storm breaking!

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June 4, 5 a.m., the Republic’s largest northern deepwater ice-free port, Caowangtuo.

The night was deep. Under the dim yellow lights of the harbor, shadows of trees stretched long. The tide was beginning to slowly rise, the gentle waves sounding like a beautiful nocturne, soothing and serene. Over the sea, unknown seabirds darted swiftly over the rippling surf, their clear calls piercing the quiet.

This was a vast harbor entirely reclaimed from the sea. After twenty years of expansion, a small island once about one square kilometer had grown to over five hundred square kilometers. The island was densely packed with massive steelworks, oil refineries, container terminals—the largest steel, petrochemical, and logistics base in the north. Even at night, its grandeur and might were palpable.

What no one knew was that beneath this enormous logistics yard lay the Republic’s most vital northern submarine base.

Between the wide, straight roads and the sprawling cargo stacks, Chen Jianhong stood in civilian clothes, hands clasped behind his back, eyes fixed on the yard’s gate. From afar, two dim headlights rapidly approached and soon came to a halt before him.

It was a medium-sized bus with civilian plates. As it stopped, six figures disembarked.

In the dim light, Chen Jianhong frowned slightly at their strange appearance. Each carried a medium-sized suitcase with plastic wheels rolling softly on the pavement—obviously light in weight.

Their attire was odd: all in suits, hairstyles varying from long to short, parted or cropped, walking loosely, even unsteadily. One looked around curiously like a child, his face betraying an unhidden thirst for knowledge. The leader, the youngest-looking, wore a broad smile and even a clumsily handmade green ring—by appearance, they could be corporate white-collar workers, casual tourists, or idle loafers with nothing better to do. There was no trace of the sharpness or toughness typical of soldiers.

Yet Chen Jianhong, having seen their photos beforehand, knew these were exactly the people he had been waiting for.

Out of strict naval discipline and mental training, Chen Jianhong showed no reaction or spoke, merely gesturing for them to follow, then turning towards his “den.” But inwardly, he was puzzled: “What exactly are these people here for? Sightseeing?”

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Chen Jianhong had received orders from superiors to meet a secret mission squad here but was given no details about the task. He understood well that some things were better left unknown.

He, of course, did not know that this was the Furious Dragon Squad’s unique way of relaxing—when not training or on missions, they appeared completely lax and loose. Only once on the battlefield would their demeanor transform utterly.

Nor did he know that within the seemingly crude handmade ring lay a vast arsenal of weaponry and equipment!

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On the day the operational guidelines were issued, more detailed intelligence on Jeppon flooded into the hands of each squad member. Soon after, an almost full-scale miniature sand table of Jeppon Island, along with models of key buildings with intricate internal layouts based on the latest intelligence, were assembled for repeated assault rehearsals.

During these days, the squad’s time was split between training and drafting more detailed operational plans. Lei Dong had once tried to contact Shui Yaoxian, hoping she could teach the squad some spells to enhance their mission capabilities, but the report returned that Shui Yaoxian was out on a mission, and the attempt was futile.

This made Lei Dong itch with frustration toward the old mystic master—after all, just getting a broken spatial ring from him had been like risking his life; the master had fled before Lei Dong could finish a word, let alone impart any spells.

“Damn, I’ll squeeze you dry sooner or later!” Lei Dong gritted his teeth and followed Chen Jianhong into a long underground passage.

The corridor was over thirty meters wide and more than twenty meters high, sloping downward. On either side, sailors clad in naval combat uniforms busied themselves without speaking, occasionally casting strange glances at the odd-looking visitors accompanying their captain.

Unamused by these stares as if she were a strange creature, Wuyun shot back a provocative glare.

But soon, Wuyun’s gaze froze, her mouth forming an exaggerated “O” shape. Following her gaze, every squad member’s eyes halted in unison!