Chapter 2: A Madman's Goal
1331 Words
"I must be out of my d*mn mind!"
Zhou Lin muttered as he opened his laptop browser. He needed to verify some information before deciding whether to take the plunge into madness.
...337 meters long, 41-77 meters wide, standing over 40 meters tall without even accounting for the mast...
A full displacement exceeding 110,000 tons...
Two A1B pressurized-water nuclear reactors capable of operating for 50 years, generating over 200,000 kilowatts of power...
A hangar bay 190 meters long, over 30 meters wide, and 9-10 meters high, equating to a cavernous volume of 60,000 cubic meters—about the size of 750 large shipping containers...
...In combat-ready cruise status, the supplies onboard could sustain 5,000 personnel for three months, including food...
Just reading these specifications was enough to make his heart race and his eyes burn with excitement!
"TMD!"
Zhou Lin slammed his fist onto the table. "To hell with it—fortune favors the bold! I'm doing this!"
Decision made, his face flushed with excitement, he immediately contacted a travel agency he was familiar with and requested the fastest possible arrangements for a trip to the island nation. A few minutes later, his phone rang.
"Brother, if you provide your passport now, you can board a flight tonight. But about the cost..."
"Money isn't an issue," Zhou Lin replied.
"Alright! I'll head over now. Have your passport ready."
With enough money, even the impossible becomes possible. By 5 PM, Zhou Lin was on a shuttle bus to the airport. At 7:30, a flight from Yun City to the island nation's capital took off right on schedule. Four hours later, it landed smoothly.
After taking a bus from the airport to the city center, Zhou Lin exhaled deeply. Just thinking about his insane plan sent his heartbeat into overdrive.
Neon lights bathed the streets, and the very air seemed to buzz with excitement. Eccentrically dressed young women passed by, many slowing their steps upon noticing his sharp features and rugged demeanor. Some even greeted him, but speaking in a language he didn’t understand—not that he had the time or interest to respond.
After checking into the hotel arranged by the travel agency, Zhou Lin locked himself in his room. The location was perfect—standing before the floor-to-ceiling window, he had a direct view of the island nation’s harbor.
Tonight, the harbor was unusually bright, likely because an entire fleet from the Federation had anchored there. Ostensibly, they were visiting the island nation; in reality, they were there to intimidate the Eastern Alliance and the Northern Union.
Zhou Lin narrowed his eyes, his gaze locking onto the silhouette of the largest vessel in the harbor—the "Tefor"-class aircraft carrier, Tefor.
So what if it was an aircraft carrier?
Wasn’t an aircraft carrier still a mode of transportation?
No.
Zhou Lin believed it was, and if he deemed it so, then it was!
So...
He lowered the curtains and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
There was no chance tonight.
Even in a friendly port, the Federation would never let its crown jewel go unguarded. Anyone attempting to approach the Tefor unauthorized would likely be shot on sight.
Zhou Lin had no intention of throwing his life away.
Tomorrow was the real opportunity!
Perhaps to showcase its dominance to the island nation and the world, the Federation had arranged an "Open Deck Day" for this visit, allowing civilians to board and tour any ship in the harbor—including the Tefor.
Of course, visitors would be restricted in their movements—likely confined to the deck with no access to critical areas. But for Zhou Lin, that was more than enough.
"Sleep now. Rest up. Tomorrow, I make history."
June 28. The sun blazed high in the sky, heralding a perfect day—one Zhou Lin felt would be world-shaking.
After 9 AM, the harbor buzzed with activity.
Streamers, balloons, people in flamboyant costumes, bizarre-looking entertainers...
Walking down the crowded streets toward the port, Zhou Lin felt like it was busier than even the Lunar New Year travel rush back home.
The cacophony of instruments, horns, and excited voices in multiple languages grated on his nerves. He had half a mind to drop a thermobaric bomb on the place—just to shut everyone up.
Fortunately, the moment he spotted the Tefor, it was as if he had swallowed an ice-cold popsicle in the height of summer. A wave of exhilaration washed over him, making his entire body tremble.
Calm down!
He dug his nails into his thigh through his pocket, forcing himself to stay composed.
Anyone with a shred of sense would realize that the crowd contained plainclothes Federation agents, stationed to prevent potential threats.
Closer now!
The closer he got, the more he felt the sheer mass of the Tefor pressing down on him.
Its stadium-sized bulk, its towering height—comparable to a dozen-story building—the sheer thickness of the mooring ropes securing it to the dock, each thicker than Zhou Lin’s thigh...
Boarding had begun.
An immense crowd lined up at the dock, their numbers stretching beyond sight. Even if he joined the queue now, there was no telling when—or if—he’d be allowed aboard. After all, he didn’t have an island nation ID.
Not that he had ever planned to wait in line.
His Symbiosis ability didn’t require him to board a vehicle—just touching any part of it was enough to trigger the bond.
A massive mooring bollard sat not far from him.
Slowly, Zhou Lin maneuvered himself behind it. Once he was sure no one was watching, he placed his hand on the Tefor’s thick steel mooring rope.
[Symbiosis—Activate!]
In an instant, his body felt electrified, as if every cell was vibrating at an unimaginable frequency. It was like being tossed into an industrial rock crusher, soul and all.
Am I about to be shaken to death?
In reality, Zhou Lin had completely lost his external perception. He assumed he was visibly trembling, but in the eyes of others, he simply stood still—just another awe-struck visitor admiring the might of the Tefor.
Even the Federation’s undercover agents barely spared him a glance.
And then—
He vanished.
No one noticed. Or rather, even if someone did, they would simply assume they had imagined it.
After all, people don’t just disappear into thin air. This wasn’t some magic show.
"So this is Symbiosis?"
The violent vibrations ceased, but Zhou Lin couldn’t quite describe his current state. All he knew was—he was inside the Tefor.
Or more accurately—he had merged with it.
A strange intuition filled his mind: if he so desired, he could materialize anywhere aboard the carrier. So long as he remained in this state, no human technology could detect him.
Incredible.
Invincible.
Zhou Lin was ecstatic.
Had it not been for that fateful news report, he never would have thought of bonding with an aircraft carrier.
His Symbiosis ability had evolved.
Symbiosis:
[Level 1 - 100/1000]
Currently Bonded Vehicle: Large Waterborne Transport (Unnamed)
Additional Bond Slots: 0
Storage Space: 0/1
...
Having never possessed an ability in his past life, Zhou Lin had no benchmark for comparison. He would have to explore his powers on his own.
His mind now held all information regarding the Tefor—if he wished, he could seize control of it immediately. No, correction—
He was the Tefor.
He could hear the captain conversing with the first officer, and oddly enough, he now understood their language fluently.
According to them, the Open Deck Day would last until 3:30 PM, followed by routine maintenance.
Then, in the evening, there would be a grand celebration. Most of the officers and crew—including the captain—would leave the ship.
Zhou Lin burst into silent laughter.
The heavens are smiling upon me!
- Writer
