Chapter 4: Those Who Defy Heaven’s Might Shall Be Punished, No Matter How Far

“So, has it become a spirit now?”
The live stream chat instantly exploded.

“Maybe even the great white sharks are feeling patriotic! Those Americans—none of them are any good!”

“Righteousness brings many allies, unrighteousness few!”

One comment after another flew across the screen, flooding the chat.

Only Zhang Beihai’s face darkened. As the highest-ranking officer on the submarine, he was painfully aware that after the first wave of attacks, Submarine 255’s systems had been reduced to near-total paralysis. Sonic weapons were out of the question; if the mysterious assault continued, even escaping from this place might be impossible.

They were in the deep sea—if the submarine were lost here, every soul aboard would be doomed.

And as for those sharks, their actions had nothing to do with any of their so-called weapons.

Xu Bing peered through the observation window, her beautiful eyes wide with shock.

This! In the depths of the ocean, anything could happen, but these great white sharks actively sabotaging the American weapons?

“Captain!”

“The propulsion and defense systems have been fully restored.”

Soon, a firm and powerful voice sounded behind him.

At that, Zhang Beihai nodded, his expression softening slightly. What happened outside was beyond their anticipation, and for now, it had to be set aside.

Right now, the most important thing was to deal with the tailing enemy behind them.

“Find those guys. It seems the situation we’re facing is grave.” Zhang Beihai narrowed his eyes, his brows drawn tightly together.

This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, but never had the crisis been so severe.

There was no room for further retreat—who could predict what disaster might come if they did? Besides, not only were there soldiers aboard, but also a beautiful journalist; the national livestream was still ongoing, and the whole country was watching.

Even as a Rear Admiral, Zhang Beihai dared not show the slightest carelessness under such circumstances.

He drew a deep, cold breath, his features growing even more steely.

“When can the attack systems be restored?” he asked, teeth clenched. He knew the weight of his decision—its impact would be far-reaching.

But for the sake of national dignity, he had no choice. The enemy was at their doorstep—how could they shrink back now?

It was just as the saying went: On a narrow path, the brave win.

“Well…” The officer beside him hesitated, a trace of helplessness on his face. “Though our propulsion is restored, the power system is still compromised. The attack system won’t be nearly as strong as before.”

In truth, he stated these facts not for any other reason but to prompt Zhang Beihai to issue the order for a full retreat. Though it might not be glorious, at least lives could be preserved.

After all, the Americans truly did have a technological edge in these matters. If Submarine 255 hadn’t suffered damage earlier, they would have stood a fighting chance. But now, the odds were against them.

“We’ll get in close and let these Americans know the consequences of entering Chinese territorial waters.” Zhang Beihai’s face darkened further, his gaze hardening.

He was a soldier. From the day he enlisted, he’d made a vow: even if one day he was wrapped in a horsehide shroud, he’d never be a deserter.

“Yes, sir!” The soldier hesitated just a moment, then responded.

When Zhang Beihai spoke, the live stream chat was instantly awash in thick emotion.

“Long live China!”

“Whoever offends our sovereignty, no matter how far, will be punished!”

“Whoever offends our sovereignty, no matter how far, will be punished!”

The mood in the chat soared, the viewer count rapidly approaching five million.

Xu Bing’s beautiful eyes were reddened with emotion as she watched the stream, silently mouthing the words along with the people.

Outside the submarine, Lin Qiu had already noticed the changes within.

“Wouldn’t it be better if these people just lived peacefully?” Lin Qiu frowned again.

But in the next instant, with a soft sound, the submarine began to move.

Lin Qiu swung his massive body and, without hesitation, followed. He had once been a passionate young man. Though now transformed into an orca, he still possessed human emotions.

The American submarine had already resorted to stealth attacks. Worse, it had indirectly caused Lin Qiu a great deal of trouble. Since that was the case, how could he possibly let them off so easily?

Inside the submarine, the crew remained largely unaware of what was happening outside.

“Now, we are about to enter combat status. This may well be our last battle.”

“But I hope that, as sons of China, we will remember this moment,” Zhang Beihai intoned solemnly.

He knew all too well what would happen if this standoff continued.

And yet—though the propulsion system was restored, whether or not it would hold long enough to return to port on the surface was a question no one could answer.

If luck held, all would be well.

But with the enemy lurking behind them, how could they simply let them go? Even if it meant death, they would show these invaders just how formidable they were. Did they really think this was their private back garden?

A surge of tragic resolve welled up in Zhang Beihai’s heart.

“General, only a thousand meters remain. If we move forward, we’ll be detected,” came a soldier’s report.

“Stop.”

“Prepare all Y-torpedoes on the submarine. Send every last one their way,” Zhang Beihai ordered, his voice cold.

“Yes, sir!”

Excitement burned in the soldiers’ eyes. For too long, foreign incursions into Chinese territorial waters had gone unanswered. After today, that would never happen again.

One after another, the Y-torpedoes launched with a whoosh.

But outside, Lin Qiu, shadowing the submarine, frowned.

These Americans were truly relentless. One undersea drone had already been destroyed, yet here they were, undeterred—four of them at once?

“I’ll just swallow them and be done with it!”

Lin Qiu didn’t hesitate. To him, all these high-tech human contraptions would only help his own growth if he devoured them. Besides, he felt his camouflage ability still lacked endurance; who knew what effect consuming four more drones might have?

“General, bad news! Drones are approaching!”

“Drones?” Zhang Beihai’s heart sank. Even a single one had been trouble enough—now they were sending more?