Chapter Five: Undercurrents! Turmoil from All Sides!
"Hello, may I ask who you're looking for?"
At a missile testing base in a remote desert of the Nine Provinces, General Wang Tao was leading a group of generals through the final preparations before the test launch.
For today's test, the entire military had gone sleepless for three days, working tirelessly through three consecutive days and nights to achieve this result.
But just as Wang Tao was about to give the launch order, his phone rang.
It was an unfamiliar number, which struck him as odd. Throughout the Nine Provinces, fewer than ten people had his private number.
"Is this General Wang Tao?"
Clearly, the caller was not acquainted with him.
"This is he. Who is this?"
"Hello, General Wang. This is Song Huiming, Director of the National Seismology Bureau."
Song Huiming then, in very brief words, relayed the series of events that had just taken place.
"Director Song, I admit, what you've described is indeed extraordinary. But I don't understand—why did this so-called prophet ask you to contact me?"
"General Wang, do you have an email address?"
Wang Tao was momentarily taken aback, but immediately put the call with Song Huiming on hold and opened his email app.
There, an email titled ‘A Shocking Prophecy from a Certain Prophet’ appeared on his screen.
"At 13:08 on December 9th, an American warship will trespass into the South Sea. At 13:15, it will be driven away by our 388 and 163 ships.
Note: If this prophecy comes true, please contact 138XXXXXXXXX, General Wang Tao of the Army; 159XXXXXXXXXXXX, Minister Qi Tianli of the Ministry of Commerce; 137XXXXXXXXXXXX, Minister Li Lichen of the Department of Astronomy; ..."
"13:08?"
Staring at the time displayed on his phone, Wang Tao furrowed his brow and switched back to the call.
"Director Song, I have indeed received the same email from the prophet."
"However, the event he predicted is still about an hour and a half away. Let’s wait until 13:08 to decide what to do next."
Hanging up, Wang Tao composed himself and continued overseeing the test launch. Gradually, as the missile ascended, the matter faded from his mind.
---
At 13:20 that afternoon, having just concluded a highly successful mission, Wang Tao returned to the command center when his phone rang again.
This time, the caller was Song Huiming once more.
"Damn, I completely forgot about this," Wang Tao scolded himself, quickly hung up, and dialed the private number of Commander Chen of the Southern Fleet.
"Well, well, Old Wang, you don’t call me often. What’s up—inviting me for drinks?" came a deep male voice through the receiver.
"Old Chen, I don’t have time for jokes. Tell me, at 13:08, did anything unusual happen in our territorial waters?"
"The Army really is something," Chen thought to himself, but soon guessed it must be related to military satellites.
"There was indeed an incident. At 08 minutes past one, the Americans’ A311 destroyer trespassed into our waters, but by 13:15, our 388 and 163 ships had driven it away."
"Old Wang, is the Army so bored that you’re monitoring us in the Navy now?"
Beep-beep-beep!
Almost before Commander Chen had finished speaking, Wang Tao had already ended the call and pressed a button on his desk.
"Commander, you called for me?"
Soon, his aide, Qi Tianlei, knocked and saluted.
"Have the tech department hack into my personal email. Find the prophet’s message. You have five minutes. I want a full report on the sender in five minutes!"
"Yes, sir!"
With only five minutes, Qi Tianlei hurried out at once.
Meanwhile, Wang Tao quickly dialed Song Huiming.
"Director Song, the prophecy was fulfilled on my end as well. Let’s both take the ten numbers we have and start contacting the others immediately."
"Understood!"
Five minutes later, Qi Tianlei returned, holding a stack of documents. Seeing Wang Tao still on the phone, he remained silent and stood at attention like a rifle.
"Is the information ready?" Wang Tao asked offhandedly after finishing the call.
"Yes, sir."
"Read it."
"Chu Xiao, male, 23, originally from southern Anhui, later moved with his parents to Pearl City."
---
"His father, Chu Renfang, is the second-in-command of Pearl City; his mother, Qin Lihua, is the CEO of a multinational corporation; his grandfather, Chu Guozhong, is a veteran of the Red Army—the background is entirely clean."
"There is a subtle tension between Chu Xiao and Chu Renfang..."
"Get to the point. Where is Chu Xiao now?"
"Building 32, Lihua Villas, Pudong District, Pearl City!"
"The son of Pearl City’s second-in-command..." Wang Tao stroked his chin and said, "Contact the Military Commission in my name and request temporary command over the Pearl City garrison!"
"Yes, sir!"
As Qi Tianlei left, the gravity in Wang Tao’s eyes did not diminish; if anything, it grew more intense.
Just moments ago, he and Song Huiming had managed to contact the other twenty individuals listed in the prophet’s email. Except for Li Lichen of the Department of Astronomy, all the prophecies had come true.
In Li Lichen’s inbox, however, there was an additional sentence:
"If all the above prophecies are fulfilled, I request a meeting with Number One!"
After some hesitation, Wang Tao opened a drawer, entered a password, and retrieved a special communication device from a locked case.
"Hello, this is Wang Tao. Please have the Chief of State take the call personally!"
...
That afternoon, Wang Tao flew to Pearl City by special plane. Upon arrival, he proceeded directly to a garrison headquarters, where all high-ranking officials who had received the mysterious prophet’s email were already gathered. Now, everyone was waiting—the final prophecy was about to unfold.
Minute by minute, time crept forward. As the second hand swept past the thirty-ninth second, Li Lichen’s phone rang right on cue.
"Minister, the prophecy was exact—at 23:11:39, Lairton brushed past Earth at a speed of 89,000 kilometers per hour!"
Crack!
Stunned by the news, the cigarette in Wang Tao’s hand slipped silently to the floor.
"Tianlei, bring Chu Xiao here. Immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"