?Mobile reading Compared to the tense atmosphere aboard Japanese warships, the American warships were bustling with activity and joy—cinemas and bars, always the favorite spots for the crew, were now packed to capacity. The enlisted men chewed on gum, chatting and laughing in small groups. After all, it was the Japanese who had fallen; they had no need to grieve deeply. Qin Feng decided to shift his strategy. To sink this large warship would be a straightforward task—he simply needed to replicate the actions he had previously taken against the Japanese. However, if the ship were actually sunk, the Americans would have even stronger grounds to remain on site, and the incident would gain further significance. This was precisely what Qin, the young officer, did not wish to see—his grandfather, Wei, certainly did not either. Therefore, his priority was to scare off the Americans. Disruptions, minor explosions—these were his primary objectives. He remained composed, beginning to install interference components within the ship's advanced electronic systems. These small devices, though seemingly unobtrusive, could completely disable electronic equipment once activated, and they were equipped with self-destruct capabilities, leaving no trace behind. Soon, every critical area marked with significant labels had been fitted with such components. Next, he began installing miniature bombs with explosive power equivalent to hand grenades, strategically placed at key locations. After completing all preparations, he quietly withdrew, returning to his own ship's cabin. Just then, the sound of knocking came from outside, followed by the first mate's voice: "Major Qin, the celebration banquet is ready—Commander and the rest are waiting for you!" "Very well, I'll come right out," he replied, donning his naval uniform, adjusting his appearance slightly in front of the mirror, and then stepping out of the cabin. The dining area was filled with over a dozen different dishes, though most were staples frequently enjoyed by the crew. Yet, the generous portion sizes, combined with the fact that the Sun people had previously suffered setbacks, brought everyone great delight. The Captain even produced a bottle of fine red wine he had been saving for a long time, sharing it with all of them. Qin Shao arrived just as the banquet began, and the atmosphere grew increasingly vibrant. At that moment, a watch officer hurried over and reported, "Report, Captain—the lights on the U.S. amphibious assault ship suddenly went out completely, and then, a few seconds later, lights began to flicker back on sporadically—this is very unusual!" "Could it be a lights-out order?" the First Mate speculated. "Unlikely. This isn't wartime, nor is it a live exercise—we're currently conducting salvage operations. How could there be a lights-out order in such circumstances?" the Captain analyzed. Qin Shao swallowed a large shrimp, saying, "I suspect the ship itself has an issue. The Sun people have had a series of mishaps, and now the Americans are following suit. Perhaps there truly is something unusual about this sea region. On the U.S. naval vessel, personnel across departments were in disarray—never before, since the ship entered service, had there been such a power outage as this. Although the power system has now been restored, many electronic systems have been damaged. Crew members clearly heard faint explosions; upon inspection, they were stunned to find numerous areas severely compromised and irreparable. The extent of the damage from a single power failure was truly astonishing, leaving everyone, including the commanding officer, puzzled. The only thing that gave him comfort was that nothing had gone wrong in these areas. The technical team quickly resolved the issues, the control systems returned to normal, and gradually, everything else stabilized as well. The Black Chief Officer came over and said in a low voice, "I just checked with the neighboring vessels and confirmed that we have not been attacked at all. This is absolutely strange!" "What exactly do you mean?" the captain snapped. "I believe this area is an unlucky one," the chief officer replied. "Think about it—Sun People have had plane crashes, unexplained ship sinkings here, and now this incident. Isn't that enough proof?" The captain's face grew serious: "All of this is just vague speculation!" "Yet it has actually happened," the chief officer said earnestly. "We simply can't ignore it anymore." "Then, my suggestion is that we withdraw to base," the captain said, struggling to utter the words. The second-in-command nodded and said, "Our ship has encountered problems—this is a fact. We must return to base for a systematic inspection. That's a perfectly normal reason. Also, when we depart, we require destroyer escort. With everyone evacuating together, it will be the safest arrangement." The captain thought for a moment and replied, "Very well. Let's immediately report the situation to the base command and contact the destroyers to prepare for evacuation!" "Understood!" In short order, the American ships, taking advantage of the night, full-throttle departed. This left the Chinese crew utterly puzzled. The Americans had notified the Sun people before leaving, but since they were not allies of China, they naturally did not inform the Chinese fleet. "This is quite strange," the captain asked, "They've only been here for a few hours and now they're withdrawing so quickly." "Yes, and when they arrived, they came with such a strong show of force, so full of pride, afraid that others wouldn't treat them as leaders. Honestly, they're still far from where they are now—probably haven't even pinpointed the exact location of the sinking vessel yet, and now they've pulled back altogether." The second-in-command couldn't quite understand it either. Qin, the young officer, smiled calmly and said, "It's exactly what I predicted—these people simply have poor character; this is a case of divine retribution!" A young crew member spoke up carefully, "Shouldn't we also consider withdrawing? The Sun Nation and the American warships have both been affected—what if it's our turn next?" The captain and the second-in-command exchanged glances, surprised that their own crew would raise such an absurd question. Qin, serious and composed, said, "I believe we should take this seriously. Of course, I'm someone with excellent character and will never face divine retribution. But I'm not actually a true naval officer myself—fearful that someone among you might have poor character. This issue must be addressed. Captain, what do you think?" Several crew members nodded in agreement. The captain, struck by the contradiction, banged the table: "How can that be possible? Never heard of a ship being dragged down just because its personnel are lacking in character. No matter how much the Sunnites or the Americans stir things up, we just need to focus on our own affairs. You five—stop making such nonsense, or you'll all have to write formal reports!"