ebookland Chapter 1171
Chapter 1171
Captain Ma knew Captain Chen's temperament; once he made a decision, he wouldn't easily change it. So he could only nod in agreement: "Then you must be careful! I'll have the troops at the dock prepare for support. If anything happens, we'll provide immediate assistance!"
Captain Chen nodded, turned and left.
Soon, a speedboat carrying Captain Chen and dozens of elite soldiers left the dock and headed toward the approaching convoy.
The speedboat left a white trail on the sea, a stark contrast to the eight large ships in the distance.
At this moment, on the bridge of the Kunlun, Captain Qin Yue was watching the approaching speedboat through binoculars.
His hair was gray, and his face was etched with the marks of time and disaster. Although the major general's star on his shoulder insignia was worn, it still shone brightly.
Seeing Captain Chen's familiar military uniform and flag on the speedboat, a gratified smile appeared on his face.
"Captain, the other side has sent a speedboat over," the staff officer next to him reported.
Qin Yue nodded and put down his binoculars: "Pass the word down, launch the speedboat, and I'll take two people over for a meeting."
"Captain, this is too dangerous! What if the enemy..." the staff officer said urgently.
"Don't worry." Qin Yue waved his hand, his gaze firm: "I've already spotted the mothership on the sub-island. It's the iconic ship of the South China Sea Fleet, and Captain Shang's identity is genuine. Besides, after so many years of wandering, we've finally found a fleet that belongs to our own people. Even if there are risks, it's worth a try."
The staff officer had no choice but to go along himself to protect the captain.
Soon, a small speedboat emerged from the side of the Kunlun, carrying Qin Yue, a staff officer, and a woman in her thirties, and approached Captain Chen's speedboat.
When the two speedboats met in the middle of the sea, Captain Chen recognized Qin Yue at a glance.
Although it had been many years since we last met, Captain Qin looked much older than I remembered, but his upright posture and resolute eyes still carried the unique dignity of a soldier.
Captain Chen was the first to stand up and gave Qin Yue a standard military salute: "Captain Qin! Chen Feng from the South China Sea Fleet is reporting for duty!"
A flicker of excitement crossed Qin Yue's eyes. He quickly returned the salute, his gaze lingering on Chen Feng for a moment as he carefully examined the details of his military uniform and manners. Once he was certain, his tone softened: "Little Chen! It really is you! I never expected that after so many years, we would meet again on this vast ocean!"
"I never expected to see you and the Kunlun!" Chen Feng's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement: "After the disaster broke out, communications were completely cut off, and we always thought that the other fleets were..."
"We just survived by sheer luck." Qin Yue sighed, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepening with exhaustion, and his tone becoming heavy: "In the third year of the apocalypse, after we carried out an evacuation mission in the northern Indian Ocean, we encountered an unusually strong storm cluster when we were preparing to return. I will never forget that scene in my life."
He slowly closed his eyes, as if he had returned to that terrifying moment: "A Category 12 hurricane, accompanied by ten-meter-high waves, crashed down on the fleet like walls of water. The giant waves crashed down for seven hours in a row. The three outermost supply ships could not withstand it at all. Their keels were snapped and they sank on the spot. Of the more than three hundred crew members on board, less than fifty were rescued in the end."
"The other two frigates collided while trying to avoid the surge, tearing a large hole in the hull and causing seawater to rush in. The propulsion system was completely paralyzed, and we had no choice but to order them to abandon ship."
Qin Yue's voice was slightly hoarse: "As the flagship, the Kunlun was equipped with thickened armor. Although it withstood the impact of the giant waves, it was tilted at nearly forty degrees. The starboard deck was completely destroyed, the engine room was flooded, and half of the propulsion units failed. It almost sank to the bottom of the sea."
Captain Chen listened with a furrowed brow: "Captain Qin, a storm alone probably wouldn't be enough to cause a well-equipped fleet to lose more than half of its forces, would it? Are there other reasons involved?"