Empire Conquest
Chapter 154 - 150: Oversight

Chapter 154: Chapter 150: Oversight

For half an hour, Bai Zhizhan stared at the sea chart, his only movement being the occasional blink of his eyes, as if he were a statue made of plaster.

Zhou Yongtao wanted to speak several times, but Li Yunxiang and Li Mingbo stopped him with their gazes.

Perhaps Zhou Yongtao didn’t know, but Li Yunxiang and Li Mingbo were very clear that when Bai Zhizhan stood there in a daze, he was definitely thinking, his brain operating at full speed and his energy focused on a single point. If no one wanted to be scolded harshly, it was best not to disturb him.

What did he think of?

"What’s wrong with all of you?" Bai Zhizhan asked as he lifted his head and noticed everyone staring at him.

"What are you expecting us to say?" Li Yunxiang was the first to respond. According to past practice during fleet exercises, Bai Zhizhan must have had a clue.

Didn’t he?

He would stay there until he got hungry enough to experience a hypoglycemic reaction.

"Oh, I mean, who do you think is commanding the Third Air Corps?"

"Isn’t it—" Li Mingbo began to speak, but then he immediately shut his mouth.

If he could have thought of it, Bai Zhizhan wouldn’t have been standing there, deep in thought, for half an hour!

"Have you considered that we might’ve made the same mistake as the enemy, assuming that Major General Tsunoji is the one commanding the Third Air Corps?"

"Isn’t it him?" This time, Li Mingbo’s question was intentional; someone had to continue the conversation.

That guy was the Commander of the Third Air Corps. Even though he was a Major General, his ability paled in comparison to Lan Yun, and he was no match for Sawa either.

"After the early morning encounter with the cruiser squadron commanded by Wei Jun, Takano would definitely seize the opportunity to send a telegram, issuing orders to the other battle teams," Bai Zhizhan said, pausing slightly and not waiting for anyone else to speak. He continued, "If he concluded that we had returned to the Xu Sea and that it was last night, either with those two fast battleships or following closely behind them, he would make a bold inference."

"What inference?" Li Yunxiang asked this time.

Bai Zhizhan smiled and turned to look at the eager Zhou Yongtao, leaving the question for him to answer.

"The Domestic Fleet would slow down to delay their entry into the East Ocean by at least a day, or at least half a day, because we would need at least half a day to catch up."

Li Yunxiang furrowed his brows, nodding thoughtfully.

"The problem is, the various battle teams of the Saiyi Navy will not slow down, nor can they afford to," Zhou Yongtao continued with encouragement from Bai Zhizhan. "The Main Battle Corps responsible for controlling and blockading the Watcher Strait can’t move until they are in position. According to the original plan, they were supposed to have a decisive battle with the Domestic Fleet by this afternoon, at the latest tonight. And it’s precisely for this reason that the Third Air Corps needs to arrive ahead of time. If the time for the decisive battle is postponed, the Main Battle Corps can wait outside the Strait, but what about the Third Air Corps? Don’t forget, the First Main Battle Team led by Takano is speeding our way."

"Can you guarantee that Takano will definitely come this way?"

"Having lost the North and South Sado Islands, even if Takano returned to Saiyi with a few battleships, he would still likely face a military tribunal because of those politicians above who need to absolve themselves, at the very least for dereliction of duty. To put it more severely, they might even charge him with cowardice in the face of the enemy."

Li Mingbo was stunned, clearly not having considered this aspect.

Of course, Zhou Yongtao was somewhat exaggerating.

Who was Takano?

He was not only the Commander of the Permanent Fleet but also the number one figure in the Navy, the spiritual pillar of the Saiyi Navy, known as the Sea Battle God who was invincible at sea.

According to the propaganda of the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom, if it hadn’t been for Takano’s desperate efforts during the sea battle at the Watcher Strait, the Joint Fleet of the Alliance Group would have been defeated long ago. Once the Liangxia Navy recaptures the Watcher Strait and enters the East Ocean, the war will definitely not end favorably for the Alliance Group.

In short, Takano saved the Joint Fleet, bringing a great victory.

Don’t even mention those idle bumpkins at Military Command Department, even the people living in the Prime Minister’s Mansion probably couldn’t touch him.

Moreover, as long as the Saiyi Authority still wants to win this war, they must rely on Takano, because in the Saiyi Navy, no one could do better than him.

Bai Zhizhan did not argue, after all, Zhou Yongtao was still young, and his perspective might be somewhat biased.

"The key is, as long as Takano determines that we’re in the Xu Sea, and the first Main Battle Corps is rushing here at full speed, then whether the final battle takes place tonight or before dawn tomorrow, he would let the third Air Corps fight a no-surprise battle today during the day."

"You mean..."

"We’ve led ourselves into a hole before this. Because we didn’t go to the Xu Sea, we took for granted that Takano would maintain radio silence, and from that, we assumed the third Air Corps would stay in relatively safe waters, ignoring the most likely place."

"Where?" Li Mingbo asked directly.

Bai Zhizhan smiled and exchanged a glance with Zhou Yongtao.

"Southeast of Watcher Strait, moving together with the second Main Battle Corps, always within fifty kilometers, at most behind them."

In Li Mingbo’s astonished gaze, Zhou Yongtao picked up a pencil and circled an area on the sea chart.

A bit sloppy, but it was the area he mentioned.

Previously, the three reconnaissance aircraft that were intercepted by fighter planes and the two seaplanes that did not return, all encountered trouble in this area.

Before, it was thought that they were attacked by fighter planes dispatched by the third Air Corps, so no further thought was given.

After Bai Zhizhan and Zhou Yongtao explained, even Li Mingbo felt it made sense—the third Air Corps was hiding right beside the second Main Battle Corps.

The key was, in this area, the third Air Corps could deploy ship-borne aircraft to attack the Domestic Fleet still in the Xu Sea, navigating towards Watcher Strait.

However, there was one prerequisite.

The Domestic Fleet received orders at dawn today, delaying their march towards East Ocean and didn’t turn to return, but slowed their speed, still heading towards the Strait. So, by this morning, the Domestic Fleet would not be more than three hundred kilometers from Watcher Strait.

And less than four hundred kilometers from the second Main Battle Corps’ territory.

This distance was within the operational radius of the 99 ship bombs.

Perhaps, due to the lack of powerful ship-borne aircraft like the 97 ship attack, the third Air Corps might not be able to annihilate the Domestic Fleet in one fell swoop, but if they could severely damage the Domestic Fleet’s Main Battle Ship, then they could give the second Main Battle Corps an absolute advantage in the night’s battle.

If the Domestic Fleet turned to retreat after being bombed, that would be even better.

By tomorrow, the Saiyi Navy could, without any interference, send ground troops to the North and South Sado Islands and begin to block Watcher Strait.

Even if they had to decide the outcome in a battle with the Domestic Fleet, with the first Main Battle Corps’ arrival, victory would be almost certain.

The key was really just one point.

To strike before the Aviation Mixed Fleet arrives, the time window is at most half a day.

Miss this opportunity, and the Saiyi Navy would have to fight a decisive battle against the Domestic Fleet in Watcher Strait, possibly without an ideal outcome.

This plan must have come from Takano, because only he could mobilize all battle corps, which also indicates that the first Main Battle Corps will definitely come to join the battle.

A Fleet showdown has become inevitable!

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