Empire Conquest
Chapter 164 - 160 Boldly Step Forward

Chapter 164: Chapter 160 Boldly Step Forward

The fleet turned and needed some time to reform.

It was inevitable. When the carrier launched and recovered its ship-borne aircraft, other warships needed to maintain at least a five-kilometer distance from the carrier to avoid interference. A destroyer was deployed both in front and behind the carrier to rescue any pilots who might fall into the water.

During this period, the communications officer brought a newly received telegram.

It was still from the Navy headquarters, not new news, related to that command. A submarine operating northeast of Nagiu Port had spotted a Saiyi Navy transport fleet, totaling eight transport ships, escorted by a support fleet including four heavy cruisers.

The telegram also specified the exact time and precise location where the submarine had spotted the transport fleet.

At 4:25 PM, fifteen degrees northeast of Nagiu Port, approximately 350 kilometers away.

That’s too far!

After marking this coordinate on the map, Bai Zhizhan furrowed his brows.

The Saiyi troop convoy’s route to Nagiu Port not only exceeded Bai Zhizhan’s previous estimation but was also clearly biased eastward, effectively taking a detour.

Could it be that last night, anticipating that the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet had already returned to Xu Sea, Takano ordered the transport fleet to evade eastward?

But the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet was near Zu Island last night; it couldn’t have been near Nagiu Port.

It was clear that the transport fleet was not headed for Nagiu Port, and the area they were in was also off the route to Watcher Strait.

Could the submarine’s intelligence be wrong?

It was indeed possible, but it couldn’t be confirmed since the Navy headquarters wouldn’t have sent the telegram without certain assurance.

If the submarine’s discovery was correct, the transport fleet wouldn’t arrive at Nagiu Port until tomorrow morning at the earliest.

This was precisely why the Navy headquarters had sent the order instructing Bai Zhizhan to conserve his combat strength and lead the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet to intercept the troop convoy.

"What do you think?"

While Li Yunxiang was fetching Zhou Yongtao, Bai Zhizhan made himself a cup of coffee.

Although the attack had been called off, with the current situation, they might need to travel at high speed all night, almost certainly resulting in a restless sleep.

"Clearly, the troop convoy did not head towards Watcher Strait as originally planned. From their current position, it is certain that they had turned and slowed their speed since early this morning," Zhou Yongtao spoke frankly since Li Yunxiang had summoned him precisely to offer his opinion. "This actually confirms the previous speculation that after encountering the cruiser squadron led by the Wei Jun, Takano took the opportunity to send orders to other battle groups."

"Are you suggesting the transport fleet is heading to Nagiu Port?" Li Mingbo asked.

"That’s uncertain."

Li Mingbo furrowed his brows, clearly not understanding Zhou Yongtao’s point.

"What else is left at Nagiu Port, anything worth deploying troops to occupy, especially at this crucial moment by using the only available ground forces?"

Hearing Zhou Yongtao explain it, it dawned on Li Mingbo.

For decades before the last great war, Nagiu Port had been one of the most important and largest naval bases in the Liangxia Empire on the West East Ocean. Although not the home port of the Imperial Navy’s Domestic Fleet, Nagiu Port often played that role.

Not to mention, almost all of the Empire’s expansion actions in the West East Ocean and Southwest East Ocean were based out of Nagiu Port.

For a long period, explorers, colonists, academics, and convicts all had to come here to catch ships heading to the West East Ocean and Southwest East Ocean. Months, perhaps years later, whether returning full-handed, dispirited, or bankrupt, they had to return here to catch the ferry back to the imperial mainland. In that era, Nagiu Port was the Empire’s eastern gateway.

Unfortunately, it’s all history.

In the last great war, the Imperial Navy had burned Nagiu Port to the ground before retreating, and frequently sent battleships for surprise attacks afterward. By the time the war ended, Nagiu Port had been completely paralyzed. After the war, the North and South Sado Islands became a demilitarized zone, leading to the total abandonment of Nagiu Port.

Now, Nagiu Port is essentially a fishing port, and calling it a shelter port wouldn’t be wrong.

Although the harbor is large enough to accommodate hundreds of battleships, it lacks basic infrastructure, such as a deepwater pier, oil depots, and ammunition depots, necessary to support a fleet. Turning Nagiu Port into a military port would require significant foundational work.

What’s the point of capturing Nagiu Port?

That’s exactly why the Saiyi Navy didn’t value Nagiu Port and instead focused on the Watcher Strait.

However, for the Imperial Navy and the Domestic Fleet, it was not the same.

After losing Nagiu Port and the North and South Sado Islands, the Imperial Navy fell back to the Qianyu Islands to the west of the Xu Sea, using Mast Harbor as a base, effectively relinquishing the last defensive line outside of the mainland. As a result, for more than twenty years, the Imperial Navy could only conduct defensive strategies in the direction of the Xu Sea.

To avoid being entirely overrun, the Imperial Navy moved its main forces to the relatively deeper Flame Sea.

This led to a situation where the Imperial Navy, despite having an absolute advantage in strength, ended up being reactive in the encounters with the Saiyi Navy.

During peacetime, this could be tolerated, but once war broke out, the open East Ocean gates would be the death of the Imperial Navy!

Paraphrasing Zhu Shijian’s words, if the North and South Sado Islands are not recaptured and controlled after the outbreak of war, the Imperial Navy’s battleships will be lined up and sunk in the Watcher Strait.

To prevent defeat, it is essential not only to recapture the North and South Sado Islands but also to take control of and rebuild Nagiu Port.

In fact, Nagiu Port has always been a naval fortress for the North and South Sado Islands throughout history and holds huge strategic value for the Imperial Navy.

"Get to the point," Bai Zhizhan reminded Zhou Yongtao.

"Personally, I think Takano isn’t sure of victory, so he plans to decide whether to send the transport fleet to the Watcher Strait after the decisive battle with the Domestic Fleet. As for Nagiu Port, there’s not much to worry about. Frankly, if the Watcher Strait isn’t blocked, it’s definitely impossible to take Nagiu Port. Sending troops there now would mean surrendering arms after the Permanent Fleet is defeated."

"Is it completely unlikely?" Li Yunxiang asked.

"Zhou Yongtao is correct, but we can’t just conclude that," Bai Zhizhan said at this time, "At the Watcher Strait, we can only worry without being able to help, at least not during the night. My idea is to sail northwest, between the strait and Nagiu Port."

As he said this, Bai Zhizhan pointed on the sea chart.

Seeing where Bai Zhizhan’s finger was pointing, Li Yunxiang instantly furrowed his brows, and Li Mingbo’s eyes widened, both clearly shocked.

"It’s too risky," Zhou Yongtao agreed. "After the two main battle corps are defeated, the remaining ships will surely retreat towards East Ocean and return to the homeland. If we go there, we’ll be standing right in front of these forces in disarray, definitely bearing the brunt of their charge—and we..."

"Even if we can’t beat them, we can outrun them."

"What if what’s charging at us is a heavy cruiser and the captains are desperate?"

Hearing Li Mingbo say this, Bai Zhizhan rubbed his forehead.

This was indeed a problem.

With battleships, there was no need to worry, as the "Imperial Capital" class could escape just by speed. But against a heavy cruiser, it would be different.

The key point was, the Saiyi Navy’s heavy cruisers were faster than the "Imperial Capital" class.

What should they do now?