NFBE Chapter 1440 Strategic Retreat
Chapter 1440 Strategic Retreat
Almost at the same instant that Chen Jun's drone swept over the base, the radar warning system of the US military also emitted a sharp alarm. The lights on the screen flickered erratically, and the operator stared at the two drones, which were far larger than usual, his face full of confusion. The rain and night shrouded them in a blur, and the deep, continuous hum of their engines sounded like some giant beast panting in the clouds.
"Has the Peacock Kingdom gone mad? They haven't apologized, yet they dare to send drones over?" An adjutant leaned close to the radar screen, his voice filled with disbelief.
The commander stood behind the bulletproof glass of the command center, gazing at the gloomy sky outside. To him, it seemed more like a desperate, defiant act. He didn't even consider the distant Eastern superpower.
In the few seconds he was still speculating, a sudden change occurred in the sky. The belly hatches of the two large drones, like the mouths of giant beasts, silently slid open to the sides. Immediately afterwards, a "black cloud" poured out—hundreds of micro-drones, densely packed like a disturbed swarm of bees, instantly filling the airspace above the base. They hovered briefly in the air, then, as if possessing a unified will, abruptly scattered in all directions.
"What the hell is that?!" the soldier on the watchtower cried out in alarm.
The dive began. These tiny drones, though small in size, were incredibly fast, leaving elusive gray streaks in the rain. They deftly avoided sparse anti-aircraft fire, diving to extremely low altitudes.
The first explosion came from the vehicle repair shop on the east side of the base. A blazing fireball, carrying shattered metal parts, shot into the sky. Immediately afterward, a chain reaction of explosions occurred at the temporary ammunition storage site on the west side, with a series of deafening roars that shook the earth. The oil depot was hit, and orange-red flames rolled and licked at the night sky, while thick smoke mixed with rain pressed down heavily.
"Enemy attack! It's an attack! They've really made their move!" Chaos erupted in the command room, and the communication channels were filled with screams.
The commander's face flickered in and out of focus in the flashes of the explosion. He slammed his fist on the control panel: "Counterattack! Counterattack now!"
"Sir, most of the air defense systems were paralyzed in the first round of attacks! Several large craters were blown into the airport runway, and the fighter jets cannot take off!" the communications soldier reported, his voice trembling with tears.
Preliminary reports quickly arrived: a destroyer in the port had a huge gash torn in its side; several main battle tanks had become burning iron coffins; an entire squadron of fighter jets had been reduced to scrap metal in the hangar; and the base's command and communication facilities were under special scrutiny.
"This is war...this is blatant war!" the commander roared at the intermittently malfunctioning communication terminal.
His words were drowned out by another explosion that was almost within reach. He slumped into his chair, looking out the window at the camp engulfed in flames and smoke, finally realizing that this was no simple border skirmish. The enemy's objective was clear and ruthless: not to kill personnel, but to completely destroy the base's heavy equipment and combat capabilities.
At almost the same time, in Goguryeo, far away in Northeast Asia, at another important military base of the United States, almost the exact same scene was unfolding.
The pitch-black night sky was repeatedly stained red by the flames of explosions, and piercing alarms blared through the heavens. Precision-guided micro-drones swept across the tarmac, turning rows of expensive fighter jets into burning wreckage; they burrowed into the exhaust pipes of tanks, triggering deadly explosions from within.
The entire base descended into unprecedented chaos, with soldiers frantically searching for cover and commanders shouting themselves hoarse but unable to organize an effective defense.
……
In Yan State, at a hidden underground drone remote control center.
The enormous curved screen was divided into dozens of windows, transmitting real-time footage from two battlefields from different angles. A strange energy, a mixture of intense focus and suppressed excitement, permeated the air.
The operators sat in ergonomically designed chairs, their fingers flying across touchpads and joysticks. Most of them were young, their faces still bearing traces of youthful inexperience, but their operating skills were exceptionally proficient.
"Great! Straight to the ammunition pile!" a bespectacled operator exclaimed in a low voice.
"I've locked onto that Perry-class destroyer. See its Phalanx? It's not reacting at all!" another operator gave the order in rapid succession.
"Haha, another Abrams!" Excited cheers occasionally broke out.
"I've taken control of a radar station..."
Chen Jun, watching from the sidelines, stood with his hands behind his back, observing everything quietly. A slight, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips, but he quickly regained his usual composure. He gently tapped the back of the chair of a nearby operator who was beaming with excitement: "Pay attention to the rhythm, maintain coordination between your teams. We're on a military mission, not an e-sports competition. Be serious."
"Yes, boss! We're serious!" the operator replied immediately, but the next second, seeing that one of the drones he was controlling had successfully delivered a small bomb into a building's ventilation shaft, he couldn't help but chuckle in a low voice, "Look, precision detonation!"
Chen Jun shook his head and didn't try to stop them. He understood their feelings. The long period of peace hadn't erased something from the very core of this army. Now, being able to engage in combat in such a time-traveling, cutting-edge technological way, even though they were merely the invisible operators behind the scenes, the sense of participation and the thrill of precise strikes inevitably emanated from these young operators.
As long as it doesn't affect the execution of the task, let them relax a little.
Chen Jun thought to himself, then turned his gaze back to the main screen. There, the flames at both bases were still burning.
……
The underground operations command center of the military in the United States.
On the massive electronic situation map, the icons representing the military bases in both the Kongo and Goguryeo territories were covered by glaring red warning symbols. The Chief of Operations stood frozen in front of the screen, holding the newly delivered preliminary assessment report, his fingertips icy cold. High-resolution satellite images revealed the shocking devastation within the bases.
He opened his mouth, but his throat felt dry, and he couldn't utter a single word for a long time. Such a direct, large-scale, simultaneous attack hadn't been seen in decades. A chill crept up his spine.
“Minister…” the intelligence chief said hoarsely, “Preliminary technical analysis indicates that this is Yan’s unique ‘swarm’ micro-drone technology. Only they have such capability and audacity.”
"Yan Country..." The Minister of War finally found his voice, but it was hoarse, "They actually... actually made a direct move?"
"Immediately! Right now! Report everything here directly to the General Staff!" The Operations Chief turned abruptly, his face ashen. "We need top-level decision-making! Now!"
……
Beautiful Country, Command Headquarters Emergency Meeting Room.
The long oak conference table was full of people, but the atmosphere was as oppressive as the calm before a storm. When the Chief of Operations finished reporting that two overseas bases had been attacked by devastating drones almost simultaneously, the Commander-in-Chief, sitting in the main seat, was stunned for a moment, then his face turned red.
"Bang!" He slammed his hand on the heavy table. "Why are you only reporting this now? The enemy has already dropped bombs on our heads!"
The operations chief felt a surge of anger rising within him, but he could only forcefully suppress it. He couldn't argue, so he could only grit his teeth and explain, "Sir, the attack came extremely suddenly, using techniques never seen before..."
"I don't want to hear excuses!" the commander interrupted him rudely. "Yan Kingdom! They actually dared to attack our overseas garrison directly! This is blatant provocation! What do you say we should do now?"
The Chief of Operations took a deep breath: "Sir, the drone capabilities demonstrated by Yan State this time indicate that they have achieved an asymmetric advantage in certain areas. Before we thoroughly investigate the performance of their weapons and find effective countermeasures, I suggest that the troops stationed in the relevant areas consider strategic adjustments to avoid further unnecessary losses."
"Strategic adjustment? You mean retreat?" The commander's voice rose. "Retreat in front of the world? What will all our allies think of us? What about our decades of prestige?"
Silence fell over the meeting room. Some looked indignant; some lowered their heads and remained silent; and many more frowned.
Seeing no one respond, the commander waved his hand impatiently: "Since this matter is of great importance, let's proceed according to procedure! Convene an expanded meeting of the National Security Council and vote on the decision!"
This familiar political tactic of shifting blame sent a chill down the spine of the operations chief.
……
Peacock Country, a military base of the United States.
Inside the surviving command post, smoke filled the air. The commander's eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at the horrifying list of losses on the screen: over 70% of heavy equipment was destroyed, and core facilities were paralyzed.
"No response from home yet? Are we going to fight or withdraw?" he roared at the communications soldier, his voice hoarse. With each passing second, the suffocating feeling of an invisible blade pressed against his throat intensified.
"Sir, communications are still unstable. Back home... they only say they're having an urgent discussion." The communications soldier's voice was filled with fear.
A colonel, his face covered in soot, leaned closer and said in a low voice, "Sir, if I may be so bold, judging from the precision and restraint of the first wave of attacks, Yan is flexing its muscles and drawing a red line. If we don't withdraw, the next wave... I'm afraid it won't be so 'polite'."
The commander understood this principle all too well. He had been stationed here for many years and was used to being in a superior position. He never imagined that one day he would be forced to the point where he would almost lose the ability to fight back.
Just as he was struggling internally, a clear, cold voice came again from the loudspeakers outside the base:
"Ultimatum. Three hours. Evacuate completely. Otherwise, face the consequences."
The words were like icicles, piercing the eardrums of everyone in the command post. The commander's fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his face turning from red to blue, and finally deathly pale. This was no bluff; the enemy had already demonstrated their ability to deliver on their threats with a swift and unexpected strike.
"Contact the people back home! By every possible means!" He practically spat out the words through gritted teeth. "Tell them we have no time!"
A nearly identical scene unfolded at the American military base in Goguryeo. While anxiously awaiting orders from home, the Goguryeo base commander had already quietly issued preparatory instructions to his subordinates: each unit was to begin organizing important supplies and destroying sensitive documents… making silent preparations for a possible emergency evacuation. Many soldiers began silently packing their personal belongings; the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.
……
On American soil, the meeting concerning "dignity" and "reality" is still underway amidst swirling smoke.
"Retreat? That's cowardice! That's bowing to provocation! We still have hundreds of military bases around the world. If we withdraw from these two places today, other countries will follow suit tomorrow!" The hardline general's neck veins bulged.
"I agree in principle that we should not retreat easily, but... the current situation is special. Yan's weapons have exceeded our expectations. I suggest that, on the one hand, we should put pressure on Yan through diplomatic channels; on the other hand, we should order our troops to strengthen their defenses and buy time." This was a seemingly compromise suggestion.
Just as the debate was raging, a communications officer rushed in and handed a newly received telegram directly to the meeting chairperson.
The telegram was brief:
"The authorities of the Peacock Kingdom and Goguryeo, through the Yan Kingdom's communication channel, issued an ultimatum to our troops: complete the withdrawal within three hours, or face a devastating blow."
The meeting room fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop. The previous clamor of arguments ceased abruptly.
"A final... ultimatum?" The commander was stunned for several seconds before he seemed to understand the meaning of those words. "How dare they?!"
"The message is confirmed, Your Excellency." The tone was very firm, leaving no room for negotiation. The communications officer's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached every corner.
The hardliners who had just been vehemently advocating against retreat now seemed choked up, their expressions shifting uncertainly.
The Chief of Operations knew he had to speak. He stood up, his voice steady: "Ladies and gentlemen, the premise for discussing 'dignity' and 'prestige' is that we have the ability to maintain them. The current situation is as follows: First, our military forces in the area have suffered heavy losses; second, the attacking side possesses weapon systems that we cannot effectively defend against for the time being; and third, the other side's attitude is resolute, and they have given a clear and urgent timetable."
He looked around sharply: "Who insists on fighting? Who is willing to take on this responsibility and immediately come up with a feasible battle plan? Or, who is willing to personally lead reinforcements and arrive at the war zone within three hours?"
Silence. A deathly silence. Even the loudest voice from before now avoided his gaze.
Seeing that no one raised any further substantive objections, the commander's face was so dark it could drip water. He knew that the collective would take the blame, but the ultimate responsibility for signing off still lay with him.
"Notify the troops stationed in both the Peacock Kingdom and Goguryeo..." His voice was hoarse, as if each word weighed a ton, "Execute... the evacuation plan. Avoid new conflicts with the other side. The action must be swift."