South China Sea, 2035 – A Tense Standoff

The night descended slowly over the South China Sea, its vast expanse blanketed by thick, heavy clouds. In the gaps between them, scattered moonlight shimmered across the endless waters, reflecting an eerie blue glow.

Through the darkness, a formidable fleet of warships cut through the ocean, their hulking forms moving steadily forward. The deep rumble of engines and the occasional radar scan filled the silent night, adding a layer of tension to the already charged atmosphere.

This was no ordinary patrol.

For weeks, tensions had been brewing beneath the surface. The USS Washington Carrier Strike Group had entered the region under the guise of a routine “freedom of navigation” operation, but anyone with military experience could see through the pretense—this was a direct show of force against China’s naval presence. The standoff between two superpowers had reached a critical point, one that could ignite into conflict at any moment.

Silent Watchers in the Sky

Above the vast ocean, at an altitude of 10,000 meters, an elite unit of the Chinese Air Force was already watching, monitoring every move below with unwavering focus.

In the cockpit of his cutting-edge J-31C “Thunderhawk” stealth fighter, Song Xu maintained a steady grip on the controls as he patrolled above the Chinese carrier battle group. With over ten years of combat experience, he was no stranger to high-stakes encounters.

Tonight, his mission was clear: monitor enemy movements and provide cover for reconnaissance drones, ensuring that no hostile aircraft intercepted them.

Inside his cockpit, the dim glow of electronic displays cast green hues across his helmet visor. His radar constantly scanned for signals, mapping out the presence of both friendly and enemy assets. His sharp eyes locked onto the tactical screen, fingers gently adjusting the throttle as he maneuvered through the night like a predator stalking its prey.

“Thunderhawk One, Thunderhawk One, do you copy?”

A familiar voice crackled through his comms—Shen Xue, his trusted wingman and longtime comrade-in-arms.

“Copy, reading you loud and clear.” Song Xu responded, his gaze never leaving the darkness ahead.

“Satellite surveillance confirms that the USS Washington has launched at least eight F-35I stealth fighters. They’re heading in our direction.”

A frown crossed Song Xu’s face.

His right hand instinctively adjusted the radar controls, enhancing signal clarity. A moment later, eight red-marked targets appeared on his tactical display, closing in from the west.

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“Are they probing us, or looking for a direct confrontation?”

Rather than speculate, Song Xu immediately relayed the information to ground command.

“Thunderhawk One to base—confirming eight incoming F-35I fighters approaching South China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone. Estimated contact in five minutes. Awaiting orders.”

Seconds later, the command center’s steady voice came through:

“Maintain surveillance, do not engage unless provoked. Intercept and prevent them from approaching our fleet if necessary.”

“Understood.”

Taking a deep breath, Song Xu switched to the squadron channel.

“Thunderhawk Squadron, elevate to Level 2 combat readiness. Adjust course for interception.”

In the silence of the night, six J-31C stealth fighters glided into a defensive formation, accelerating toward the approaching enemy.

The Confrontation Begins

Barely two minutes later, Song Xu’s onboard radar finally detected the U.S. formation—eight F-35I stealth fighters, arranged in a diamond formation. Their approach was measured, controlled—this was no random patrol.

“They’re testing our air defense response.” Shen Xue’s voice carried a note of warning.

“Most likely.” Song Xu’s fingers hovered near the weapon system controls. Their orders were to intercept, not to attack, but he knew one wrong move could change everything in an instant.

Suddenly—

ALERT!

A piercing warning siren filled the cockpit as the radar threat detection system flashed red.

The J-31C had been momentarily locked onto.

The F-35I squadron was scanning them with active radar, attempting to penetrate their stealth shielding.

“They’re switching to radar lock.” Shen Xue’s tone turned serious.

“A blatant provocation.” Song Xu let out a cold chuckle. “If they want a standoff, we’ll give them one.”

His fingers danced across the controls, immediately linking all J-31C fighters into a shared tactical data network. He then switched from active radar to Infrared Search and Track (IRST)—a passive detection method that allowed them to track enemy heat signatures without exposing their own position.

The American pilots weren’t amateurs.

The moment Song Xu activated IRST, the F-35I fighters began erratic evasive maneuvers, deliberately altering their trajectories to avoid heat lock-on.

“These guys are good.” Shen Xue scoffed. “They’re not giving us an easy target.”

“We don’t need easy. We just need pressure.” Song Xu replied calmly.

“Keep closing in. They won’t fire first, but we need to make sure they understand—we won’t back down either.”

The J-31C squadron adjusted their flight paths, converging on the F-35I formation, closing the distance—30 kilometers, 20 kilometers, 10 kilometers…

The tension in the air was suffocating.

Then, without warning—flare bursts ignited the sky!

The Tipping Point

The F-35I squadron had suddenly deployed countermeasure flares—an aggressive gesture in a standoff scenario.

“What the hell are they doing? Trying to start something?” Shen Xue exclaimed.

Song Xu’s instincts flared. He instantly shifted his grip, arming the PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles, keeping his finger just outside the trigger.

“Thunderhawk One to base—F-35I squadron has initiated provocative countermeasures. Request permission for warning shots.”

A tense silence followed.

Then, the command center’s response came through:

“Hold fire. Continue the interception. Engage only if fired upon.”

Song Xu exhaled slowly, his grip relaxing just slightly.

The F-35I pilots, perhaps sensing the standoff was reaching a breaking point, began to ascend rapidly, altering their course away from the engagement zone.

“They’re pulling back.” Shen Xue noted.

Song Xu kept his eyes locked on the radar screen until the last of the enemy blips disappeared from his sensors, confirming the retreat.

This time, the confrontation ended without bloodshed.

But he knew all too well—this was just the beginning.

The storm was coming.