The vast expanse of the Arctic Ocean was dotted with icebergs, their colossal forms drifting on the surface. This region, synonymous with extreme cold, was second only to Antarctica in its frigid temperatures. Icebergs were ubiquitous, posing a constant threat to any vessel that might strike one, inevitably leading to its destruction.
"I wonder what's happening here. Why can't we send out any electromagnetic waves? We have no idea what's going on in the outside world!" someone grumbled, their voice laced with frustration. Since arriving in this area, they had been completely cut off from any knowledge of external events.
Upon entering this peculiar sea, they discovered they could no longer communicate with the outside world. The magnetic field in the region had been altered, rendering all attempts to send electromagnetic waves futile. Their only recourse was to navigate by map.
"It doesn't matter. What news could there be from the outside? It's so cold in the Arctic now, it must be the same everywhere else. People are probably just staying indoors, trying to get by. There won't be any news!" someone tried to comfort their companion.
Another chimed in, "It's only been a few days since we lost contact. What's the big deal? The world can't have changed that much in a few days, can it?"
Meanwhile, He Qiuan gazed at the ceaselessly falling snow and the myriad icebergs in the sea. The world was a vast expanse of white. Without sunglasses, the glare reflecting off the ice and snow could easily blind one. His thoughts, however, had drifted far away.
"What are you thinking about? Are you worried about the situation at the military camp? With Song Nanxi providing support, everything will be fine!" As He Qiuan was lost in thought, Gong Changfa approached him.
He Qiuan replied, "I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about the fight against the sea beasts. I have a bad feeling that if we continue with the current plan, our casualties will be extremely high!"
He Qiuan hadn't seen any discernible advantage for their side in the battles so far. Although they had a numerical advantage, this was a battle of abilities. Without an absolute advantage, a slight numerical superiority was insignificant.
It was known that all sea beasts were at least seventh-tier ability users, while most of their own ability users were below third-tier. There were very few true powerhouses, and even fewer who could fight underwater.
Under these circumstances, He Qiuan's greatest concern was the high casualty rate. If such a situation occurred, his own strength would be directly diminished.
"Talking about it won't change anything. We've come this far, and there's only one path forward. We have to see it through and prepare for even fiercer battles ahead. I just wonder how things are going in the outside world," Gong Changfa said calmly.
He also understood that if his students had made their move recently, it should have been successful by now, especially by taking advantage of the current period when ships in the Arctic Ocean were unable to contact the outside world.
"After calming down, I feel a sense of fear. If my wrong decisions lead to heavy losses for so many Chinese ability users, it would harm China's interests. If it really comes to that, I'll be a sinner!" He Qiuan said dejectedly.
Gong Changfa thought to himself, *If only you had thought this way earlier, instead of being swayed by that old man. Now that we're at this stage, you're starting to waver. Don't you have any firm conviction?*
However, Gong Changfa couldn't voice these thoughts. Instead, he comforted, "It's no use saying these things now. Let's prepare for the upcoming battle. But I believe that with the sincere cooperation of humanity, we will surely obtain the meteorite!"
He Qiuan nodded, looked up at the sky, and murmured, "Shen Feng, you despicable scoundrel, you're probably still floating in the sky, watching our predicament!"
As they were speaking, two foreigners suddenly ran over, bowed respectfully, and invited them to a large ship. "Two esteemed sirs, Mr. Tom requests your presence at a meeting!"
"We've been drifting aimlessly at sea for days, constantly facing attacks from sea beasts, and now we have to attend a meeting? Are they out of their minds?" He Qiuan said irritably.
The messenger quickly replied, "This meeting is about how to achieve victory. Once we complete the final battle, we will obtain the meteorite!"
Upon hearing this, He Qiuan frowned and pondered. He didn't believe their words, as it didn't seem like the final battle was imminent.
However, since a meeting had been decided, he intended to comply. After all, he had voluntarily joined the world's other allied organizations and couldn't refuse to attend due to a petty mood.
"I hope what you're saying is true. Also, a few more Chinese ability users need to be present, as I cannot control the forces under them. Please go and summon them!" He Qiuan added.
The messenger nodded quickly and followed the instructions to notify the others to attend the meeting. Although there were only over 500 ability users at sea, their subordinates, the evolved ones, numbered over 3,000. It was impossible for all of them to gather on one ship for a meeting, nor could any ship accommodate so many people, especially since aircraft carriers couldn't enter the Arctic Ocean.
When the meeting began, Tom appeared on the stage and addressed the attendees earnestly, "I have good news to share with you all. After days of relentless combat with the sea beasts, we have figured out their abilities and their plans!"
The attendees exchanged glances and discussed amongst themselves, but no one raised any questions.
Tom continued, "You may be wondering why we can't contact the outside world. This is because the electronic field is completely chaotic, and it's not solely due to the meteorite. Besides the electromagnetic field generated by the meteorite, there's also the electromagnetic effect from that giant octopus. Therefore, according to our estimations, this massive area has a diameter of 100 kilometers. Within this range, electromagnetic pulses frequently occur, causing electronic equipment to malfunction. The closer you get to the meteorite, the more likely this is to happen!"
"But even if we know this, what good does it do? Can we avoid it just by knowing?" someone said unhappily.
Tom replied, "When a region's magnetic field changes, a compass becomes useless. If the electromagnetic field is chaotic, various electromagnetic waves cannot be transmitted, and even many electronic devices on ships will be affected. Therefore, we face significant disadvantages regarding the underwater terrain. However, due to the heavy snowfall, the prevailing winds have actually helped us. Now, I can reveal our plan!"
After saying this, he had his subordinates display a topographical map. This map showed numerous mountain ranges and marked glaciers. One area was circled in red, and everyone focused on this large topographical map. Within the red circle was a funnel-shaped canyon.
"Everyone, please look here. According to the calculations of my subordinates, we are currently driving the sea beasts towards this funnel-shaped canyon. Once they enter the canyon, I only need to dispatch one ability user to block the end of the canyon. Our fleet will then be positioned at the entrance of the canyon, forming a trap!" Tom explained seriously.
Generally, in a situation where the electronic field is completely chaotic, it is very difficult for ordinary people to understand the underwater terrain of the Arctic Ocean. However, they now had a new method to measure the underwater topography. The appearance of a massive underwater canyon had greatly assisted them.
"Won't these sea beasts escape through the sea? As far as I know, these canyons under the Arctic Ocean are all very deep, at least a kilometer from the surface. Such a height is enough for these sea beasts to escape!" someone suddenly raised a question.
Tom smiled and said, "The reason I mentioned earlier that Shen Feng helped us is because he created this severe cold weather, which led to the formation of massive glaciers. These towering underwater mountains, combined with the high glaciers, have formed solid walls. Once the sea beasts are driven into the funnel, they will have no choice but to escape along the canyon. However, if we suddenly block the canyon entrance, these sea beasts will be trapped!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's spirits were lifted. "It's great that we can finally have a decisive battle! These sea beasts are so despicable with their surprise attacks. We must force them into a desperate situation to defeat them in one fell swoop!"
The people in this fleet harbored deep resentment towards the sea beasts due to their surprise attacks. These beasts particularly favored attacking at night when visibility was poor. However, being underwater, they could locate their companions using sonar and other methods, resulting in heavy losses for the humans. Several warships were lost in every engagement.
According to the analysis of some strategists accompanying the fleet, the sea beasts were clearly learning a tactic called guerrilla warfare. This tactic was incredibly insidious, relying on fighting in familiar territory against unfamiliar opponents. Victory was not necessary; small gains were sufficient. Over time, through attrition, a smaller force could overcome a larger enemy.
Therefore, the simplest counter-tactic against such an enemy was to force them into a desperate situation and engage in a decisive battle to settle the outcome.
During this period, many strategists, combining terrain and practical conditions, continuously observed and finally discovered a terrain favorable to humans: this canyon. The canyon was located near the North Pole, surrounded by thick glaciers, making it the ideal location for a decisive battle.
"In that case, let's give it our all. For the next few days, even if we have to go without food or drink, we must drive the sea beasts into this funnel-shaped area. Then, we'll prepare for the decisive battle!" Andolf exclaimed, standing up excitedly.
The others shared similar sentiments. Now that they finally saw a glimmer of hope for victory, how could they easily give up?
Tom also smiled, his thoughts extending further. He knew that even if a research institute were established in the future, it would require a leading nation or power. Whoever achieved merit in this battle would become the leader of this institute and thus dominate the global situation. It seemed that this tactic had been proposed by their North American region, which meant he would hold the dominant position in the research institute.
"Our country is the beacon of humanity. It has been so, and it will continue to be so!" Tom thought fervently.