Chapter 34: Patriotic Youth

Chapter 34: Patriotic Youth

Having arranged to meet Gu Nan in the Magic Capital, Xiong Zhaozhao squatted at the bow of the ship and continued observing the ocean floor. After circling around without finding anything significant, she realized that the largest creature nearby was Siren. Upon closer inspection, it dared to approach the Sea Reef Island?

Its location wouldn't cause it to run aground; the creature was rubbing against a large rock... It even chose one covered with seaweed, afraid of damaging its skin? As she observed, Xiong Zhaozhao noticed several large sea snails on the reef, a common variety found in markets, quite sizable.

Sea snails could fetch 30 yuan per catty during this season, but they were heavy. Having found her second target after the tuna, the crew members enthusiastically dove into the water to collect the sea snails, their excitement growing. They had a share in the profits, so the more they caught, the more they earned. These men were now more motivated than Xiong Zhaozhao.

Yao Guang, posing at the bow, pointed her in a direction. "Southeast, there's a ship underwater."

A ship underwater?

A sunken ship?

Sunken ships = Antiques!

Her mind raced. Was this an unexpected windfall?

She quickly asked, "Wooden? How long is it? I wonder if there are any antiques. Is it in international waters?" Yao Guang's next words extinguished her dream.

"It's made of iron! About ten meters long."

Iron? That meant it was a modern ship that had sunk recently.

Because Bear Dad had been lost at sea, Xiong Zhaozhao was concerned about this possibly modern sunken vessel. She sat down to meditate for a while, gathering her spirit energy and focusing it on her eyes as she looked in the direction Yao Guang had indicated.

Is this it?

An iron sunken ship?

Indeed, Yao Guang was illiterate. How could she have relied on her last time when she was notified about a living, second-class protected animal that needed rescuing?

This wasn't a sunken ship; it was clearly a submarine!

More importantly, it didn't seem to be from Huaguo. If she hadn't misread the emblem on its tail, this submarine belonged to the Navy of New Nation.

Xiong Zhaozhao quickly checked the coordinates in the cockpit; their ship was still within Huaguo's territorial waters. The submarine's position should be near the boundary. She searched her phone for related news, but there was nothing about military exercises or passing through.

In other words, the New Nation's Navy had secretly entered the edge of Huaguo's territorial waters. This was undoubtedly up to no good. Who would believe it was harmless passage?

As the top rival of Huaguo in the international community, you've gone too far, New Nation. The patriotic youth Xiao Xiong decided to give them a push.

The submarine had a sleek design, looking brand new, like a model fresh off the production line. When seized, it would make a fine trophy for Huaguo's naval museum. Since you're here, don't leave!

Xiong Zhaozhao decided to give New Nation a nudge, confiscating the submarine for a bit of fun, solidifying the fact that military equipment had intruded into territorial waters.

She told Xiong Quan she was going to search for fish with Siren and instructed him to pick her up later using the coordinates.

Calling out to Siren, she jumped into the water. The crew members who surfaced saw her and Yao Guang riding the killer whale, nearly dropping their jaws in astonishment.

Yao Guang's bracelet allowed her to avoid water, enabling her to dive underwater at any time while riding Siren. Approaching the area, she feared the submarine might detect her presence, so she removed the bracelet and tied it to Siren's tail, pointing forward to guide the creature. Together, she and Yao Guang submerged.

When Siren reached the rear of the submarine, in the instant Xiong Zhaozhao emerged from Yao Guang's realm, she used all her power to unleash the fourth level of Water Control Technique, the Blue Sea Tide, pushing the submarine toward Huaguo's coastline.

The people inside the submarine were likely stunned. Suddenly, a massive wave rose from the calm seabed at a depth of over 120 meters, sweeping away the submarine instantly. Unprepared, the four individuals inside the cabin flew around, tumbling into a heap.

"Seaquake!...seaquake!"

"Oh, no!!!..."

"...tsunami?"

Xiong Zhaozhao held nothing back in this strike, fearing it wouldn't push the submarine far enough. She even consumed a Pulse Fruit, sparing no expense.

The submarine was tossed and turned by the giant waves for a long time. Initially, its head collided with a reef, then bounced off, rolling several times. Its tail fin deformed, and it finally ended its invasive journey upside-down on the seabed.

Once everything settled, Xiong Zhaozhao closely examined the submarine. The four people inside remained motionless. The exterior of the submarine was largely intact, its quality impressive. The streamlined design reduced resistance significantly.

Seeing that it didn't appear capable of escaping anytime soon, she didn't mind. If it tried to run, she'd deal with it again. Estimating the distance, she confidently entered Huaguo's territorial waters, perfect.

The submarine's inverted position ensured no one inside could escape. As for whether the disoriented individuals were alive or dead, she couldn't care less. For a country that once invaded her homeland, bearing a blood feud, and now the top rival, the New Nation's soldiers didn't evoke any maternal instincts. They came of their own accord to do wrong; she respected their fate.

Siren slowly carried her back to the surface above the submarine. Xiong Zhaozhao pressed the tracker. Approximately thirty minutes later, the Yaoguang approached.

She still needed to report the incident promptly. Who knew if the people inside had sent a distress signal?

Climbing up the gangway, Xiong Haiming couldn't wait to ask, "What kind of fish did you find this time?" He truly admired his niece. Killer whales obeyed her like dogs. With such a top-tier marine predator under her command, catching fish was never a problem.

"This time, it's not fish. I found something else. Let me check the cockpit first."

In the cockpit, she confirmed their location firmly within Huaguo's territorial waters, far from the boundary line.

Xiong Zhaozhao estimated their original position. New Nation wasn't entirely innocent; they had already sneaked into the edge of territorial waters. They could have argued it was an innocent passage, but Xiong Zhaozhao's intervention turned it into an established fact.

No one walks down the street and, instead of taking the wide road, secretly detours into someone's yard. If caught, you're stealing! And this wasn't just on the surface; they were operating a submarine underwater, akin to wearing nightclothes and sneaking into someone's courtyard in the dead of night.

Xiong Zhaozhao logged onto a famous domestic military forum and searched for information on New Nation's naval submarines.

Soon, she found what she was looking for—a blurry image claimed to be a spy photo, matching the one lying on the seabed. It was said to be New Nation's new nuclear submarine, launched last year, with unknown primary functions.

Huh? The latest model? It had some value, after all.

Without hesitation, Xiong Zhaozhao dialed the maritime police emergency number and instructed Yao Guang to keep an eye on the submarine underwater. When the call connected, not only were the four people in the cockpit stunned, but the operator on the other end was equally bewildered.

Operator: How amusing. Someone still dares to play such pranks? It's absurd.

Xiong Zhaozhao repeated herself helplessly, "I'll report the coordinates again. East longitude xxx, north latitude xxx. We are fishing here. Our registered fishing boat is named Yaoguang, identification number Chongyu 46563337. I discovered a suspected foreign military submarine underwater. Please notify the navy immediately. Don't come alone; you can't handle it. Have them bring salvage equipment."

The operator, resilient, asked again, "Madam, you understand that such jokes aren't to be taken lightly. If we inform the military and there's no such incident, no one can bear the responsibility. False alarms are illegal and can lead to criminal charges. Are you aware of that?"

"I've already reported our fishing boat information. Check it quickly. If it's a false alarm, come and arrest me directly. You can also have the military contact me." Even a patriotic citizen couldn't get her report taken seriously. Well, it was a bit absurd, indeed.

After repeatedly confirming her willingness to take responsibility for a false alarm, the operator hung up the call to verify the information.

In the cockpit, four others had listened to the entire conversation—Xiong Quan, Rao Jianyang, Big Linzi, and Xiong Haiming, who had followed her in. They stared at her intently.

It was Big Linzi who couldn't hold back, asking directly, "Zhaozhao, there's really a foreign submarine?"

"Why would I lie to the maritime police? There's indeed a foreign submarine in the sea, most likely military. Just know this, and don't tell anyone else. Xiong Quan, move the ship further back. This is right above it. Don't let the military find us foolishly parked above a nuclear submarine when they arrive. Uncle Haiming, go out and tell the crew to rest now. Make up any excuse. No one is allowed to go into the water. Stay put. Action!"

No one moved.

Xiong Quan felt the plot was a bit fantastical, stuttering, "N...nuclear submarine? Would moving two hundred meters be enough?"

Rao Jianyang, having left the military only a few years ago, understood the gravity of the situation better than anyone. The New Nation's military had secretly entered their territory; this was no small matter. Seeing everyone's serious expressions, he reassured them, "It's a nuclear submarine, not a nuclear missile. Nothing to worry about. But how do you know it's a nuclear submarine?" He asked, looking at Xiong Zhaozhao.

"I found a suspected image online. I'm just guessing," she shrugged.

Xiong Haiming was worried, "Do we still need to watch over it?"

"Don't worry, everyone. I think they've crashed and can't move. It's fine. We're helping the country keep an eye on it. Just don't go into the water."

Big Linzi, a young and fearless comrade, was unafraid of anything, his face filled with excitement. He petted the rolling ball on the ground twice. "Then I'll stay here and won't go out. I'm afraid I can't control my mouth. Won't the maritime police reward us with a commendation for righteousness and bravery?"

"For returning lost property, too. They'll definitely send you a banner when they issue the commendation," Xiong Zhaozhao replied sarcastically.