Chapter Nine: Setting Sail

Several hundred meters away, at the end of the passageway, a vast, jet-black behemoth lay quietly on the water’s surface. Its elongated, teardrop-shaped, streamlined form, the tall command tower equipped with two fins, the towering periscope, and the open missile launch hatch all indicated that it was a submarine. Yet the problem was that this submarine was simply enormous!

Decades ago, the Sos Federation had built a “Kamikaze-class” strategic nuclear submarine, renowned for its massive size, exceptional power, extended endurance, and terrifying nuclear missile capabilities. It was known as the “Western nightmare” and remains the largest known submarine in the world.

But to Lei Dong, even the “Kamikaze-class” seemed like a Chihuahua when compared to the monstrous nuclear submarine before him.

Its hull stretched endlessly, coated in a deep black hue, and its design was both archaic and regal, while still exuding a futuristic aura. It resembled a super warship sailing from the future or a primeval beast that had traversed time itself. Simply lying there, it radiated an overwhelming sense of power and oppression.

It took Lei Dong a full minute to recover from the shock. Gritting his teeth, he muttered two words: “Pangu?!!!”

The “Pangu-class” strategic nuclear submarine, code-named “098,” was the Republic’s pinnacle of naval technology. It took over ten years to develop and was the most powerful submarine beneath the waves—its strongest nuclear deterrent.

To the vast majority of the world, “Pangu” existed only as an elusive legend, mere speculation in foreign media, or as the stuff of impassioned netizens’ fantasies. But to the members of the Dragon Fury unit, who had access to the Republic’s highest military secrets, though specific details were unknown, they knew the “Pangu-class” was very real.

Yet no one could have imagined that this legendary terror would now appear right before their eyes. Even more astounding was that the “Hanjing,” the submarine they were about to board, was none other than a “Pangu-class.”

“That’s right, the Pangu-class!” Chen Jianhong, who had remained silent and avoided any eye contact with the team until now, finally spoke up. “The hull is built with high-strength, lightweight titanium alloy. It measures 281.5 meters in length, 35.8 meters in width, with a draft of 15 meters. It displaces 30,000 tons on the surface, 45,000 tons submerged, and has a maximum operating depth of 680 meters—beyond the limits of any known submarine in the world.”

“Wow—” Wuyun gasped in amazement, eyes shining as Chen Jianhong continued unabated. “It carries thirty-six modified Julang-3 ballistic missiles, each equipped with six to nine independently targeted multiple warheads. Each warhead packs a 200-kiloton yield with a range of 12,000 kilometers, guided by Star-light inertial navigation, with an error margin under 500 meters over 10,000 kilometers. It also has four 533mm torpedo tubes, eight 650mm torpedo tubes, and thirty Swordfish anti-submarine missiles for defense.”

“Is it really that impressive?” Wuyun asked incredulously. Chen Jianhong beamed with pride and suddenly pointed to the mid-rear section of the “Hanjing.” “See that? The fifth-generation, latest PA-1600 sodium-cooled fast neutron reactor with a total power of 800 megawatts. It can run at full power for over 180 hours. Nuclear fuel efficiency has increased from less than 1% in pressurized water reactors to over 60%. It burns long-lived radioactive nuclides, turning waste into treasure and reducing radioactive hazards!”

“Holy hell!” Even the usually composed Lang Tianyu couldn’t help but exclaim. These were truly staggering figures!

Chen Jianhong looked at the stunned team, his face glowing with pride. “It has a 100,000-horsepower main propulsion system, four 10,000-kilowatt generators, surface speed ‘knot’—” he corrected himself, “surface speed of 25 knots, submerged speed of 42 knots, endurance of 200 days, crew of 180 with 120 officers. As for the rest…” Chen Jianhong lifted his chin, “You’ll have plenty of time to experience it over the next few days.”

As he spoke, Chen Jianhong led the team through the hatch.

“Holy cow!” At the moment they entered, the seven team members, like country bumpkins, all let out a simultaneous exclamation.

It was too luxurious! The corridors were lined with red carpets, the silver-gray cabin doors modest in size but framed with walnut wood trim—was this a submarine or a luxury cruise liner? Or perhaps a five-star hotel?

“This is the gym, fully equipped; that’s the swimming pool, maintained at a constant 24 degrees Celsius; indoor golf; a library with three thousand books, though the reading area is a bit cramped…” Chen Jianhong, now seeming utterly self-satisfied, showed no trace of his previous reticence. “And this—”

Before he finished, Wuyun jumped so high that his head hit the ceiling with a dull thud. Ignoring the pain, he grabbed Chen Jianhong’s hand, shouting, “What is this? What is this?”

Chen Jianhong chuckled and casually pointed to a small, steaming room. “That’s the sauna and massage room. What’s the big deal?”

“No big deal?” Wuyun shook Chen Jianhong’s collar vigorously, incredulous. “Isn’t it said that submarine crews have the hardest lives? Endless missions at sea, cramped in tight spaces like underwater sardine cans, never seeing sunlight, breathing stale air, surviving on simple food. Their muscles atrophy, nerves dull…”

But what was in front of him now? Cabins as luxurious as a five-star hotel, a library, gym, swimming pool—and even a sauna and massage!

Wuyun was utterly speechless.

Observing Wuyun’s dumbfounded expression, Chen Jianhong laughed again, wearing a mischievous grin. “How about I arrange a little spa treatment for you later—just to be clear, no female soldiers involved…”

Wuyun shook his head vigorously. “Better not. I’m not used to being served by a bunch of big guys!”

Amid the laughter, the team was led to a cabin. “Sorry, conditions onboard aren’t ideal, so you’ll have to share a small room just like the rest of the crew,” Chen Jianhong said apologetically, though his eyes betrayed pride and satisfaction.

The stunned expressions of the team satisfied his pride and vanity immensely. Though he didn’t know the background of these seemingly spoiled youths, the Republic Navy Commander, Admiral Huo Shengli, had bypassed his command in the Yellow Sea Fleet to order him to deliver this special team for an “extremely important” and “top secret” mission. This could only mean these guys were elite forces. Yet even such elite operatives were overwhelmed by his “treasure.”

Chen Jianhong smiled politely and said, “Please make yourselves comfortable… uh—” He stopped mid-sentence, glancing at the team with a puzzled expression. These supposed secret operatives showed no signs of being on a mission; they carried no guns, no backpacks, nothing but a small travel case. What equipment could possibly fit inside? Thankfully, Chen Jianhong quickly changed the subject. “By the way, would any of you like to tour the command tower?”

Wuyun, watching Chen Jianhong’s seemingly modest yet restrained smile, glanced at Song Jingang beside him and shook his head with a smirk. “Damn, these two are really alike. Usually they’re tight-lipped, but mention their precious ‘toy’ and they act like lifelong soulmates.”

Just as he was debating whether to flatter Chen Jianhong to get a chance to see the command tower, Chen Jianhong surprised them by immediately inviting them along. Without hesitation, he tossed his small case into a storage compartment, turned, and cheerfully called to the others, “Come on, come on, Old Song, move it a bit faster...”

Indeed, the “Pangu-class” strategic nuclear submarine was massive. On a typical nuclear submarine’s command tower, a captain, a navigation officer, and a lookout would feel cramped standing together. But aboard the “Hanjing,” named after the Republic’s capital, there was no such problem. Chen Jianhong, a captain and navigation officer, a lookout, and seven curious team members could all stand comfortably with room to spare.

The densely packed electronic, navigation, and observation equipment on the command tower was unlike anything the team had seen on other submarines.

Only minutes after boarding, the dockside machinery ceased operations. All submarine crew were at their stations, and preparations were complete. A silver-gray tugboat hummed as it pushed the sub’s bow, aligning it with the eastbound exit channel.

The tugboat then departed, clearing the way and signaling “Hanjing” a safe passage.

Everything began silently—and ended just as quietly.

Now dressed in a spotless navy linen uniform, Chen Jianhong stood at the command console. The moment he assumed his post, his stern demeanor returned.

“Engine room, speed one, course ten,” Chen Jianhong pressed the communicator, issuing his first order.

Amid the salutes and waves from the sailors on the dock, the two massive propellers at the stern churned up roaring waves as the “Hanjing” set sail toward the main route to Cao Wang Tuo.