CHAPTER 305: CHAPTER 5: OVEREXCITED

It was still before dawn in Washington when the news of the ’Harden’ crash gradually reached ’Dongda’, directly reported to the top ’leadership’.

Initially, it was naturally learned that ’Harden’ went missing after attending a US Navy gathering, and since the crash site was at the estuary, it was highly probable that even the body would be difficult to find.

All informed ’leaders’ immediately sighed with grief and pain.

"Alas... we knew it was dangerous for him at that position, but we didn’t expect it to be so dangerous. He had just taken the position for a few days; did he already get exposed?"

"The struggle between China and the United States is long and winding, indeed shortcuts cannot be relied upon."

"Seal the relevant files; maybe in decades people will be surprised to discover this extraordinary event."

At this moment, the news of the ’Harden’ crash dominated the headlines of major media outlets.

Almost all American citizens, regardless of party, race, or ethnicity, had the first reaction of... extreme shock, yet it was not unexpected when seeing this news.

Not to mention the American internet; the whole world immediately focused on this matter, with related comments emerging like a tidal wave.

"This is a despicable assassination; the American political arena has no error-correcting ability left."

"It’s over; although I disliked Harden, he didn’t deserve to die like this. This is dictatorship; we have ultimately become what we most despise."

"A person truly willing to do things has left, leaving behind a bunch of useless people who wouldn’t make mistakes if they didn’t do anything, only caring about votes."

While the Americans mourned Harden’s death and angrily scolded the darkness of Washington politics, satellite antennas were raised within the ’Playground’ shelter, sending encrypted information directed domestically with highly directional microwaves.

The top ’leaders’ were just thinking about how to wrap up this high-security-level case when they were shocked to learn that ’Harden’ was not dead.

"He fell from a height of six hundred meters and didn’t die?"

"This guy even saved the two people with him; the three rescued individuals have now been transferred to a safe area and are receiving emergency treatment."

"Then what should we do now? Washington was planning to give him a state funeral."

The situation turned 180 degrees, catching everyone who was knowledgeable off guard. Even more surprising situations were brought to the desks of the ’leaders’.

"The homeland detection satellite sent back data showing abnormal infrared characteristics of the ’Ford’ carrier docked at the Norfolk Naval Base. Preliminary analysis suggests that its internal compartments may be on fire."

Ah...?!

That aircraft carrier seemed to have just been visited by that kid.

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In space orbits hundreds to tens of thousands of kilometers from the ground, military satellites from powerful nations watch over the ’major national instruments’ of potential opponents with the vigilance of an untiring hawk.

As for the ’Ford’ — a supercarrier embodying cutting-edge technology — it was locked on 24 hours a day; any movement would draw attention.

None were more eager to capture such ’amusement’ than Russia’s TASS news agency.

When the first unusual plume of smoke arose within the ’Ford’, they eagerly released the news:

"According to infrared characteristic analysis from military reconnaissance satellites, a fire is occurring aboard the ’Ford’ aircraft carrier at the Norfolk Naval Base."

This news did not initially cause much of a stir on the international public opinion stage.

After all, the strong image portrayed by the US Navy over the years had already deeply instilled itself in people’s minds; how could an ultra-expensive supercarrier worth hundreds of billions of US dollars catch fire in such a basic manner?

Russian hacksters often fabricate news, and the commentary section of TASS News was filled with various skeptical and mocking messages:

"Worry about your ill-fated ’Kuznetsov’ instead; it’s the one that’s truly been burned. When will it leave the shipyard?"

"A little military common sense, please? The ’Ford’ is a nuclear-powered carrier with rigorous protection measures in core areas; even in case of accident, it wouldn’t emit thick smoke like ordinary warships."

"When will the Slavic brutes head to the frontline? We look forward to your second ’Afghan War’ and tasting the flavor of disintegration again."

Facing the tide of skepticism and ridicule, TASS did not shrink back, quickly producing more compelling evidence — several infrared and optical images taken by satellites on different orbits.

The infrared photos clearly showed the surface of the ’Ford’ carrier docked at Norfolk Naval Base radiating unusually high temperatures.

The massive hull seemed like a piece of iron glowing red-hot from roaring flames, with the heat source center being dazzlingly bright.

In the optical photos, thick black smoke pillars billowed continuously from the mid and aft sections of the ’Ford’, shooting straight to the skies, leaving glaring ink marks against the gray-blue heavens.

On the port’s docks, emergency vehicles such as fire trucks and ambulances swarmed like ants, and many firefighting boats and tugs were rapidly approaching within the harbor.

One could clearly see several dock service ships doing their utmost, blasting high-pressure water cannons towards the ’Ford’, attempting to lower its ever-rising temperature.

Yet, the water jets only turned into white mist upon impacting the gunwales and deck, to no avail.

TASS’s military commentators seized the moment, penning an intensely sarcastic commentary filled with mockery and schadenfreude:

"Such intense infrared features and billowing smoke clearly indicate that the interior fire on this most advanced US Navy aircraft carrier has spiraled out of control.

It is highly likely to have burned through multiple decks, even threatening the core areas of the carrier.