The scene shifts back to the battlefield.
The USS Lake Erie was first ambushed by Ma Chao, and then hit by several missiles.
Although it appeared severely damaged, there was no sign of it actually sinking.
Zhang Tian, watching from the sky, was displeased!
"Open fire, hit it again!"
And so, hundreds more missiles rained down.
The captain of the USS Lake Erie watched the sky outside with utter horror. All systems on board were malfunctioning, leaving him with no way to defend against air attacks!
"Abandon ship!"
He had no choice but to issue the order!
Lifeboats were launched into the sea, and over three hundred crew members, cursing under their breath, plunged into the water.
Soon, continuous explosions echoed from the USS Lake Erie.
And then, under everyone's gaze, the hull began to shake violently.
A grating, metallic screech, audible from hundreds of meters away.
This Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser gradually sank amidst the tremors.
Ma Chao lit a cigar and placed it in his mouth, about to let out a hearty laugh, when his subordinate delivered intelligence.
"Division Commander, Old Xi and Thirteen sent word that enemy ships have been spotted in the northeast and northwest directions!"
"How many?"
"Two on each side, but there should be more behind them. No carriers have been sighted."
Hearing this, Ma Chao stroked his chin and contacted Zhang Tian via radio.
"Old Zhang, we've got more action. How about we team up and wipe out their entire fleet?"
Zhang Tian's resolute reply was a single word.
"Engage!"
"Hahahaha, good, let's do it!"
"I'll take the left, you take the right!"
"Let's go first... Holy hell! Missiles!"
Ma Chao was ready to move, but before he could finish, he saw countless white smoke trails rapidly approaching from the distant sky.
"Retreat! Everyone retreat!"
He shouted urgently, issuing commands to his subordinates.
While the F-35s possessed defensive missile capabilities, the gold-collecting ships were merely transport vehicles. Against missiles, their only option was to flee!
Grabbing his radio, shouting a couple of times, he didn't dare delay and immediately led his forces south towards Antarctica.
The armada of gold-collecting ships pushed their speed to the absolute limit in the shortest possible time!
The overload caused by the sudden acceleration pressed every soldier of the Skyfire Army firmly into their seats, rendering them immobile.
Some even had blood flowing from their noses and mouths, but seeing the missiles, no one dared to slow down.
This was a matter of life and death!
Unlike Ma Chao, Zhang Tian merely offered a dismissive smile.
"Brothers! Intercept these missiles!"
"Hahahaha, Boss, don't worry, we'll make sure these missiles don't catch up to Commander Ma!"
"Exactly, if missiles can fly past us, I'll eat them raw!"
"........."
Hundreds of F-35s prepared for engagement in the shortest possible time.
Radar lock-on.
Missile launch.
AI-guided missiles...
This was the most intense aerial combat on Earth since World War II, bar none!
In the United States, on the back wall of a conference room in the Pentagon, hung an oversized display screen showcasing rotating satellite images of the skies above Antarctica.
The outcome was beyond everyone's expectations!
"The Commander of the Third Fleet has requested authorization for a nuclear strike. Shall we approve it? Let's vote!"
Someone stood up and proposed.
"I agree to use it!"
"As he said, a new world means countless resources and new opportunities. If we don't seize this chance, we won't be able to explain ourselves to the public once the news gets out!"
"China's development speed has been increasing year by year, severely threatening our international status!"
"As long as we secure that wormhole, we will continue to stand at the pinnacle of the world! And in two worlds at that!"
"I object!"
"Before we fully understand the enemy's capabilities, resorting to nuclear weapons rashly will lead the war down an irrecoverable path!"
"We have no idea what means the enemy possesses. Their fighter jets and cruisers could inexplicably lose control. I have reason to suspect they can also cause nuclear weapons to go out of control!"
"Regardless, we are the ones who have suffered losses. If we can reach a negotiation table in the future, these will be our bargaining chips."
"I agree!"
"Since the virus leak in 2020, these ten years have been the decade with the most severe intensification of domestic contradictions."
"This time, it's the perfect opportunity to deflect domestic issues!"
"Therefore, not only should we use nuclear weapons, but we should also publicize this news to the citizens!"
"........."
The President stood there, watching these people engage in another round of arguments, with a million unsaid expletives wanting to be uttered.
But he was utterly helpless...
If these people couldn't reach a consensus, nuclear weapons could not be deployed at all!
The arguments here were unknown to the outside world.
But the Commander of the Third Fleet was now almost driven to madness. From the recently received satellite photos, there were still a large number of enemy aircraft present in that battle zone.
Yet, the radar showed absolutely nothing!
The F-35, this damned thing, is a stealth fighter...
He wished he could grab Martin and beat him severely. Damn it, why didn't they build in a backdoor when they manufactured the aircraft?!
Now, even though they knew the enemy was there, they just couldn't hit them!
It was agonizing...
He subconsciously slammed a fist on the table, but then his face instantly contorted in pain. His previous injuries had not healed, and blood seeped out from the bandages again.
He gritted his teeth and said hatefully.
"Target the scientific expedition camp, fire all missiles!"
"Even if we can't hit their aircraft, we will destroy their ground forces!"
"Simultaneously, order Carrier Strike Groups 1, 3, and 11 to launch all their long-range missiles as well!"
"I want to see if they can still withstand it!"
He intended to carpet-bomb the area with missiles!
In less than three minutes, thousands of medium and long-range missiles were launched en masse towards the Skyfire Army camp.
Meanwhile, Zhang Tian had abandoned his attack on the US military and was leading his Skyfire Army in pursuit of Ma Chao and his forces.
They had already expended all their ammunition dealing with the previous wave of missiles!
Neither he, nor Zhuzi, nor Ma Chao knew what they would face next!