Empire Conquest
Chapter 163 - 159: A Sudden Turn of Events

Chapter 163: Chapter 159: A Sudden Turn of Events

When it was nearly 4:30 p.m., the aircrew personnel finally completed the preparations for the take-off of the attack aircraft group and sent dozens of ship-borne aircraft onto the flight deck.

Li Yunxiang had already assigned the missions, and the pilots were all waiting on standby at the air combat center.

But they still had to wait half an hour.

The Second Main Battle Corps was closer, with a strike range of about three hundred kilometers, meaning they could shorten the return distance and eliminate the need for advance reconnaissance. According to Li Yunxiang’s arrangement, the aircraft group only needed to fly towards Watcher Strait and didn’t have to spend time searching before the attack.

What if the Second Main Battle Corps didn’t go to Watcher Strait?

That would be even better.

Regardless of the four old Treaty Type battleships’ poor combat effectiveness and outdated features, without them, the First Main Battle Corps might not dare to go to Watcher Strait. In a fleet battle where numbers count, the four battleships of the Second Main Battle Corps are equivalent to two-thirds of the total force.

Even if it was just to plug the bullet holes, the Second Main Battle Corps had to charge forward.

Without them, the two "Damen" class ships of the First Main Battle Corps, even if they miraculously grew multiple arms and heads, still would not stand a chance against the four "Longxing" class ships of the Domestic Fleet.

Setting the departure of the aircraft group for five o’clock wasn’t a capricious decision by Bai Zhizhan.

Bai Zhizhan intended to launch the attack at dusk, ideally at sunset, to prevent Takano from having enough time to adjust after receiving the news.

Simply put, it was to compress the reaction time left for Takano as much as possible.

Li Yunxiang didn’t object to this.

Not because he thought Bai Zhizhan’s arrangement was correct, but because no matter when they departed, by the time the aircraft group returned to the fleet, it would already be dark.

Between 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., it was dark as pitch, which made no difference to the inexperienced.

According to Bai Zhizhan’s plan, the aircraft group would set off at five o’clock, flying in squadrons towards Watcher Strait and launching an attack upon discovering the Second Main Battle Corps. If the Second Main Battle Corps was heading towards Watcher Strait, the battle would take place between 6:20 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The Third Aviation Mixed Fleet was to the southeast, where the sunset was a few minutes earlier, so the sky in the combat area wouldn’t be completely dark when the engagement began.

Li Yunxiang had already considered that Bai Zhizhan didn’t take the Second Main Battle Corps into account.

When Bai Zhizhan made this plan, Zhou Yongtao had told Li Yunxiang that if there was a choice, like in the morning with enough time for the fleet to maneuver, Bai Zhizhan would keep the shipborne aircraft back, and then focus their power on dealing with the First Main Battle Corps after the distance shortened.

There’s a saying in military strategy: capture the ringleader first to defeat the followers.

Defeating the First Main Battle Corps, even without slaying Takano, could compel the enemy to retreat, thus ending this sea battle that no longer held much significance if it dragged on.

That was the key reason for Bai Zhizhan to mobilize the First Shipborne Air Force Wing.

From a higher perspective, this sea battle had reached the point where it should be concluded.

From the standpoint of Liangxia’s Navy, having already achieved a major victory, continuing the battle would not only fail to enlarge the results but also risk unnecessary losses.

In other words, what Bai Zhizhan wanted now was to actually end the fight!

Of course, it was about ending the battle after controlling Watcher Strait and recapturing the North and South Sado Islands.

Rationally speaking, the most ideal approach would be to drive away the two main battle corps.

Concentrating on attacking the Second Main Battle Corps might not achieve the goal. Forcing Takano into a corner could lead to adverse effects.

That was precisely why Bai Zhizhan delayed the attack time until the end, to see if there would be an opportunity for a turning point.

Shortly before five o’clock, Li Yunxiang and Zhou Yongtao arrived at the command bridge.

Everything was ready; they were just waiting for the Commander-in-chief to give the order.

Bai Zhizhan stood by the window. When Li Yunxiang and Zhou Yongtao came in, Li Mingbo, who had been standing at the commander’s position, shook his head at them.

Should they approach?

As Li Yunxiang hesitated, Zhou Yongtao had already tactfully moved to the side.

"Is it almost five o’clock?" Bai Zhizhan had just uttered these words when he turned and saw Li Yunxiang and Zhou Yongtao; he simply nodded in acknowledgment.

"Just shy of two minutes," Li Yunxiang glanced at his watch.

"There’s no need to be so precise, go..."

Before he could finish, Bai Zhizhan’s gaze shifted to Li Yunxiang’s left, looking behind him.

The door to the communications center was there.

"Report!"

Sure enough, it was a communications officer.

Li Mingbo, being closer, intercepted the communications officer, quickly skimmed the telegram, and then handed it to Bai Zhizhan, who had approached.

Bai Zhizhan gave it only a glance before handing the telegram to Li Yunxiang.

It was from Navy Headquarters, but it wasn’t a forwarded battle report—it was an operational order issued by the Commander-in-chief.

Preserve military strength and on the 28th, intercept the incoming Saiyi convoy; it was of utmost importance to make every effort to prevent Saiyi ground forces from landing at Nagiu Port.

Why Nagiu Port?

Li Yunxiang was shocked, but he knew he was not mistaken.

According to previous intelligence, the Saiyi Navy was to seize and control Guard Island and Wang Island first, then blockade Watcher Strait and only after that turn to Nagiu Port.

Clearly, the Saiyi Navy had adjusted their operational plan.

This is problematic!

Nagiu Port was northeast of Watcher Strait, approximately five hundred kilometers away, and closer to the Saiyi mainland.

The critical issue was that this distance to Watcher Strait was nearly the equivalent of a day’s voyage for ordinary vessels.

As there had been no anticipation of defeat before the outbreak of war and no full preparations had been made, let alone pre-war mobilization, the ships the Saiyi Navy used for troop transport were ordinary vessels with a cruising speed of only fourteen knots. Calculating the time, the transport fleet could arrive at Nagiu Port tonight, or at the latest by dawn tomorrow.

Launching an attack with ship-borne aircraft at night seemed like a hurried and reckless decision.

Furthermore, the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet was operating southeast of Watcher Strait, not close to Nagiu Port. They would need several hours to navigate northward to shorten the distance for the Plane Group to strike. Even without considering the cover of night, the earliest they could possibly launch an attack would be in the dawn of the 28th.

Maybe it’s not as bad as it seems.

If the transport fleet was previously sailing towards Watcher Strait and not on a direct course to Nagiu Port, it would be further away from the port.

Exactly how much further depended on when the transport fleet had changed course, that is, when the Saiyi Navy Headquarter had made the adjustment.

"Proceed with the arrangements, immediately have the Fleet change course."

Following Bai Zhizhan’s command, Li Mingbo didn’t ask further questions and summoned the Communication Advisor.

The operations were Bai Zhizhan’s and Li Yunxiang’s responsibility, while Li Mingbo was in charge of navigation and communications.

"Cancel today’s mission and let the pilots rest, they need to get some good sleep. For all we know, we might need to deploy the Plane Group at dawn tomorrow." When Bai Zhizhan said this, his demeanor relaxed significantly—it was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, refreshing him instantly.

"I’ll go do it," Zhou Yongtao volunteered eagerly, actually taking the opportunity to slip out.

Although no longer troubled by the selection between the first and second Main Battle Corps, the complications had not disappeared—they had become even more pronounced.

Prior to this, Bai Zhizhan’s decision not to move the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet northward was not without reason.

Heading a bit to the north to reach the sea area suitable for launching ship-borne aircraft to attack Nagiu Port, the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet would also face attacks from the Saiyi Navy’s shore-based air force.

There, within the striking range of the Saiyi Navy’s long-range attack aircraft!

What would be needed then was not just about dispatching the ship-borne aircraft to bomb the transport fleet.

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