The other factions in the joint fleet immediately sent a message to the group chat: "Lord Bao Mu, we’ve reached the assembly point. Where is your fleet?"
Seeing this message, Bao Mu smiled faintly and replied, "Everyone, please be patient. Our fleet will be there soon. For now, start slowly advancing on the Aircraft Carrier Base. As you know, the Sea Eagle Country carriers are quite a ways off, and I’m waiting to rendezvous with them before we all head over."
"Oh, so that’s the situation. Sea Eagle Country is a long way from here. It’ll probably take them at least a week to arrive!"
"With how much the sea levels have risen, a week might not even be enough!"
"In that case, let’s all wait. We can all afford to wait a month or two."
As for Bao Mu’s order to approach the Aircraft Carrier Base, they all conveniently chose not to mention it again.
Bao Mu cursed inwardly, ’What a bunch of opportunists! They won’t act until they see a sure thing!’
Still, he didn’t force the joint fleet to approach the Aircraft Carrier Base. He was confident that the base’s reconnaissance would be able to spot the fleets that had already gathered.
Bao Mu’s guess was correct. The Aircraft Carrier Base’s patrols had already spotted the joint fleet.
The joint fleet had too many ships, including three aircraft carriers. They were so conspicuous it was impossible to hide. As long as the Aircraft Carrier Base’s patrolmen weren’t blind, spotting them was a certainty.
Wang Jun frowned as he read the report from the patrol. "Keep a close watch on this fleet’s movements," he ordered in a low voice. "Report any changes immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
Wang Jun shared the news with Long Zhan and Ji Yizhi. Long Zhan sounded worried. "Wang Jun, they’re not actually going to attack you, are they?"
"They only have three carriers right now. They probably won’t attack just yet," Wang Jun said, shaking his head.
"But they’re clearly waiting for reinforcements. More carriers might be on the way!" Ji Yizhi said gravely. "I suggest we send out all our destroyers and see if they’ll engage. If they fight, we fight. If they don’t, we do the same thing Long Zhan did and chase them far away!"
"Hmm, good idea. I’ll make the arrangements immediately," Wang Jun said with a nod.
The Aircraft Carrier Base immediately scrambled all its destroyers, which headed out in formation toward the joint fleet.
The joint fleet had only just assembled and hadn’t yet had time to set up a patrol boat perimeter. By the time they spotted the destroyers from the Aircraft Carrier Base, the two forces were less than twenty kilometers apart!
"The Aircraft Carrier Base is attacking! Everyone, run!"
The first captain to spot the Aircraft Carrier Base’s force immediately yelled in the group chat and turned to flee!
Seeing this message, the other fleets, like a flock of startled birds, immediately turned and retreated without a moment’s hesitation.
Bao Mu quickly sent a message to the group: "Don’t panic! You must not split up, or the Aircraft Carrier Base’s forces will pick you off one by one! They only sent destroyers. You have three aircraft carriers, don’t you? You have nothing to fear!"
"Sir, you don’t understand! They have too many destroyers! Our carriers can’t handle that!"
"Everyone knows how strong Dragon Country’s forces are! We’re not just going to sit here and wait to die!"
Bao Mu frowned. He’d always known the joint fleet was a disorganized rabble, but he hadn’t expected them to be this spineless.
"Since you don’t want to fight the Aircraft Carrier Base’s forces head-on, then retreat. But maintain your formation! If you split up, you’ll never escape!" Bao Mu warned.
"Right, sir!"
What happened next was a replay of Long Zhan’s pursuit of Mike. The Aircraft Carrier Base’s destroyers chased the joint fleet more than six hundred kilometers away before finally slowing to a halt.
Seeing the Aircraft Carrier Base’s forces stop, the members of the joint fleet collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
"They’ve finally stopped. The Aircraft Carrier Base is insane! Running so many large destroyers for that long... can you imagine how much fuel they must have burned?"
"I don’t care how much fuel they’ve used—I’m almost out! I probably don’t have enough to last another fight!"
"Me too. If this keeps up, our carriers are going to be sitting ducks."
"All we can do now is wait for Xi’an Base. We can ask them for some fuel then! As long as we can take down the Aircraft Carrier Base, I’m sure it’s full of fuel!"
"I guess that’s the only option... Sigh. I hope those Sea Eagle Country carriers get here soon!"
「Meanwhile」The Xi’an Base fleet had arrived near the Seventh-level Wind Sea Region, the location of Peach Blossom Base. With them was the fleet led by General Mike.
"Mike, when can the other two carriers get here?" Bao Mu asked, staring at the Seventh-level Wind Sea Region before them.
Mike glanced at his phone and replied, "Based on their current speed, it’ll be about three more days."
"Then we’ll wait for three days. After that, we attack Peach Blossom Base," Bao Mu said with a slight nod.
"Yes, sir!" Mike replied.
Just then, a soldier hurried over.
"Sir, report! A patrol boat has spotted us!"
Bao Mu just smiled. "The Aircraft Carrier Base is certainly cautious! Focus on the movement of their carriers. Ignore those flies."
’The more cautious the Aircraft Carrier Base is, the more important Peach Blossom Base must be. It also proves our theory was correct!’
"Yes, sir!" The soldier turned and left.
Mike frowned slightly and asked in a low voice, "Sir, if forces from the Aircraft Carrier Base show up, are we to engage them?"
"Of course not," Bao Mu said, shaking his head decisively. "We’ll have the numbers to crush them. Why would we fight now? We’ll wait for the other two carriers to arrive!"

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