248: Chapter 248 Standoff on the High Seas, Major Power Weapons

In the underground secret room of Longwan No. 1, Chen Haoyu split and enlarged the satellite images on the screen.

In the international waters of the Indian Ocean, waves rolled. Five grayish-white armed patrol boats were tightly tailing the massive hull of the "yuanyang no. 1."

On the decks of the patrol boats, mercenaries in black held heavy machine guns and carried individual rocket launchers on their shoulders. All muzzles were aimed at the freighter's cockpit.

English coming from the speakers, mixed with static, drifted into the secret room.

"yuanyang no. 1, stop your ship immediately for inspection! You have three minutes left!"

The other side opened fire. A string of tracer bullets grazed the bow of the freighter, crashing into the sea and kicking up several columns of water.

Chen Muyang leaned his hands on the control console.

"Dad, these people aren't an environmental organization at all." Chen Muyang stared at the screen. "This is a private armed force hired by European plutocrats, using inspection as a pretense to seize our ship. Should I call in the Shadow Guard for an airdrop?"

"Distant water can't quench a nearby thirst." Chen Fan looked at the screen. "This is the high seas. If the Shadow Guard goes there, the European media will seize the opportunity to claim we're engaging in armed smuggling."

The raspy voice of the "yuanyang no. 1" captain came through the communication channel.

"President Chen, the other side is preparing to board by force. There are no weapons on the freighter. Even if we have to ram them, we'll sail this ship back!" The captain's voice was firm.

Chen Fan picked up the microphone on the table.

"Steady your course and maintain original speed. Don't go head-to-head with them." After giving his instructions, Chen Fan cut the communication.

Chen Fan turned and walked toward a black metal cabinet in the corner of the secret room. He pressed a series of numbers on the combination lock. The cabinet door popped open, revealing only a red telephone without a dial.

Chen Fan picked up the receiver and pressed the speakerphone button.

The phone rang once and was picked up.

"Mr. Chen." On the other end of the line was a steady, middle-aged male voice.

"Coordinates: Latitude X North, Longitude Y East. My ship has been intercepted by a few stray dogs," Chen Fan said.

"Received. Five minutes." The call ended.

Chen Muyang stood nearby, having listened to the brief conversation.

"Dad, who did you call?" Chen Muyang asked.

"Do you remember the Titanium Alloy Aerospace Engine model Zhou Ming set out on your first birthday?" Chen Fan walked back to the monitoring screen.

Chen Muyang nodded. That was a top-tier propulsion system developed by Pangu Biology and the Huihuang Academy of Sciences.

"Five years ago, I donated that propulsion system to the state for free." Chen Fan looked at the large screen. "In exchange, I received a promise. Under any circumstances, the state would guarantee the absolute security of our legal overseas assets."

On the high seas, the three-minute countdown ended.

The mercenary leader on the patrol boat cursed and raised his walkie-talkie.

"Fire! Disable their thrusters and board by force!"

Two patrol boats accelerated toward the stern of the freighter. The heavy machine gunners on deck cocked their weapons, and the rocket launcher operators crouched, aiming at the propeller shroud above the freighter's waterline.

In the cockpit, the captain gritted his teeth and gripped the rudder tightly.

The radar alarm on the patrol boat emitted a piercing scream. On the radar screen, a massive red dot was approaching at high speed.

"Boss! A large ship is approaching! It's too fast, and the radar shows strong electromagnetic interference!" the radar operator shouted at the top of his lungs.

The mercenary leader lowered his walkie-talkie and grabbed high-powered binoculars to look at the distant horizon.

On the sea, a massive white wave was split open.

A silver-gray steel beast broke through the waves. With a displacement of over seven thousand tons, a streamlined hull, and a towering phased-array radar.

On the side of the bow, a white hull number reflected the light. It was the Huaxia Navy's newest model of Missile Destroyer.

The destroyer was extremely fast, cutting directly between the patrol boats and the freighter, blocking the way.

Through the binoculars, the mercenary leader clearly saw the 130mm main gun on the destroyer's foredeck rotating. The thick barrel lowered, locking directly onto their lead patrol boat.

The high-power directional broadcast from the destroyer echoed across the sea.

"This is the Huaxia Navy Escort Task Force! The vessel ahead is a legal merchant ship of our country!"

After the announcement in pure Mandarin, a firm English version followed.

"You have posed a serious threat to the safety of our country's merchant ship and personnel! Cease your provocative actions and change course immediately! Otherwise, we will take all necessary coercive measures!"

The broadcast echoed across the sea.

The hand holding the binoculars trembled. Challenging a regular army? And one of the world's top maritime powers? Even with a hundred times his current courage, he wouldn't dare.

"Turn the rudder! Full rudder! Retreat!" the leader roared into his walkie-talkie.

The five armed patrol boats didn't even dare to look back, carving messy white trails in the sea as they fled in the opposite direction.

The destroyer slowed down, accompanying the "yuanyang no. 1" on its side, escorting it all the way.

The underground secret room of Longwan No. 1.

Chen Haoyu walked over carrying two cups of freshly brewed hot tea and handed one to Chen Fan. The two watched the fleeing patrol boats on the screen and glanced at each other, neither saying a word.

Chen Fan held the teacup, blew on the steam, and took a sip.

Chen Muyang let out a long breath, his back already soaked with sweat.

"Dad, the ship is safe," Chen Muyang said.

Three days later, at Jinmen Port.

Fifty million tons of grain and thirty million tons of ore were successfully unloaded and stored. On the same day, domestic prices for rice, flour, and oil were reduced by ten percent across the board. The panic-buying craze completely subsided.

In the international commodity futures market, the entry of this massive amount of physical stock from the Huihuang Group smashed through the bulls' defenses. Prices for wheat, corn, and soybeans plummeted at the opening and continued to crash. The high-position long orders established by the Knights Templar with hundreds of billions in funds were all liquidated within an hour.

Europe, an ancient castle deep in the Alps.

Several white-haired old men sat at a long table, looking at the crashing data on their tablets.

"We have lost three hundred billion euros in commodities," the old man sitting at the head of the table said in a raspy voice.

"Chen Fan had already calculated this step," another old man tapped the table. "We can't afford to waste time with him in the regular market anymore. Use that trump card."

The several old men looked at each other and nodded.

Imperial Capital, Longwan No. 1.

In the study, Chen Fan stood before his desk. Xuan paper was spread out on the table, and he was writing with a brush.

Chen Muyang pushed open the study door. Taking large strides, he walked directly to the desk and slapped an urgent telegram onto it.

Chen Muyang's chest heaved as he panted heavily.

"Dad, something happened," Chen Muyang said.

Chen Fan's wrist moved, the brush strokes continuing across the paper without him even looking up.

"Ten minutes ago, we received a notification from our European headquarters. The Knights Templar have mobilized their highest political resources." Chen Muyang pointed at the telegram on the table. "They have kicked Huihuang Group and all our affiliated enterprises out of the SWIFT settlement system."

Chen Muyang's breathing became heavy. "Dad, we've been blocked from the global financial network. All the foreign exchange in the group's accounts has turned into digital trash that cannot be transferred."