Empire Conquest
Chapter 174 - 170: This Is More Than Just Luck

Chapter 174: Chapter 170: This Is More Than Just Luck

"Everyone, be careful!"

With Kuroshima’s roar, all the officers and sailors, including Takano, in the Command Bridge, suddenly snapped back to reality.

At first, when the Captain reported that a lookout had spotted what seemed to be the flash of a Main Battle Ship’s gun muzzle to the west, or more precisely, to the southwest, everyone in the Command Bridge was stunned. Kuroshima was beginning to wonder if there was a problem with his ears or if he was hallucinating.

His first reaction was to grab the microphone and inquire with the Captain in the Navigation Bridge.

However, before the Captain could respond, a sharp whistling sound filled the air.

That was the sound of a shell flying towards them!

The sound reaching them before the shell hit indicated that the shell was already traveling slowly, which suggested that the enemy ship had fired from a great distance.

At least fifteen kilometers away, perhaps even farther.

Firing from such a distance!?

Kuroshima was shocked.

But what was even more shocking happened immediately after.

At the same time as his loud warning, muffled explosion sounds came from all around.

There was no mistake; the blasts were indeed coming from all sides.

Listening, it seemed like the "Damen" had become enveloped by the rolling explosions, or rather, it was precisely at the epicenter of the explosions, already swallowed by the blasts.

How could this be!?

As an experienced staff officer, Kuroshima could tell from the sound of the explosions that the enemy ship had achieved straddling fire on the "Damen."

The "Damen" was within the enemy gunfire’s coverage area.

In theory, the enemy ship didn’t need to adjust their aim point. Based on changes in the relative positions, they just had to keep firing at the "Damen."

Maybe the next salvo would hit the "Damen!"

From at least fifteen kilometers away, and at night, to achieve straddling fire on the "Damen" on their first volley was terrifyingly accurate.

Still in shock, Kuroshima once again grabbed the microphone and called the Captain.

"I understand."

Listening for a while, and after giving a single response, Kuroshima hung up the microphone.

"Commander..."

When Takano turned back, Kuroshima struggled to control his emotions before he reported the situation as relayed by the Captain.

The enemy ships had fired a second salvo.

Because the lookouts were prepared this time, they saw it clearly -- two enemy ships, each with three triple turrets aligned one after the other.

Yes, they were the Liangxia Navy’s "Xu Sea" class Fast Battleships!

And the key point was that the measured distance was around twenty kilometers.

Since the enemy ships were firing powerful 400mm armor-piercing bullets, a sure sign of Battleships, the rangefinder’s estimates based on scale should not be far off.

A full twenty kilometers!

How on earth had the two Battleships spotted the "Damen"?

After Takano ordered battle stations, the "Damen" had strict light discipline and was communicating with nearby warships via radio.

And importantly, the "Damen" was hidden beneath the clouds.

Forget human eyes; even a cat’s eyes could not see a Battleship twenty kilometers away on a pitch-black night where you can’t see your own hand in front of your face.

Moreover, how did they aim?

Even if one could see, in the rangefinder, the Battleship would just be a dark gray point, making it impossible to accurately measure the distance.

Even in daylight, a combat range of twenty kilometers is tremendously vast.

Following normal combat procedures, by observing the splash point of shells relative to the Battleship, aim point adjustments were made successively until a straddle was achieved on the enemy ship.

In long-range Naval gun battles, there was no such thing as "aiming at the enemy ship."

At that moment, the telephone in front of Kuroshima rang.

"Okay ... understood ..."

After responding twice, Kuroshima didn’t hang up the phone; instead, he looked over at Takano.

It was then that the spine-chilling noise came again, followed quickly by the sound of explosions.

Although "Damen" hadn’t been hit by the shells, it remained within the coverage area of the bombardment, and the impact points of two shells were noticeably closer.

Perhaps, the next salvo would hit "Damen."

"Full speed towards the enemy ship; after confirming the enemy’s course, assign engagement targets," Takano paused briefly before continuing, "Firstly, fire back with the Main Gun at the bow direction, try to get the measurement as accurate as possible. Turn immediately once the distance closes, no need to ask for permission."

"But ..."

After being fiercely glared at by Takano, Kuroshima didn’t finish his sentence.

He originally wanted to tell Takano that firing would expose "Damen." However, it was now clear that the enemy’s continuous straddle fire on "Damen" relied on more than just luck.

"Damen" had been targeted.

So, was there still a need to worry about exposure?

When Kuroshima went to issue the orders, Takano sighed quietly to himself, and then called a signal officer over, whispering some instructions.

It wasn’t anything of great importance; he was just instructing the signal officer to send a message to "Luo."

If "Damen" were to be heavily damaged and lose command capabilities, then "Luo" would take over as the flagship and continue to direct the battle.

In such a case, the Captain of "Luo" would act as the interim Commander.

Indeed, this was the standard combat procedure.

Despite Takano’s outward calm demeanor, his heart was in turmoil.

Two "Xu Sea" class ships firing from twenty kilometers away and achieving a straddle on "Damen" with their first salvo was definitely not luck.

It also confirmed a suspicion Takano had earlier.

The Liangxia Navy had indeed found a way to enhance their night-fighting capability, but it wasn’t carrots and cod liver oil, nor had it anything to do with boosting personnel’s night vision; rather, it was a technological method unrelated to individual quality – precisely, an advanced device distinct from traditional optical Rangefinders!

If that were the case, the outcome of the naval battle would be a foregone conclusion.

However, in front of Takano, there was no option of "retreat."

These were two Treaty Type Fast Battleships, with a top speed reaching 29 knots and an endurance of more than 10,000 nautical miles, among the strongest Battleships of the time.

Moreover, the four Battleships of the second Main Battle Corps had not yet retreated!

If Takano ordered a retreat now, by adopting suitable tactics, such as employing attending Light Cruisers and Destroyers to launch a strike against the two enemy Battleships to gain half an hour’s time, the two "Damen" class ships could disengage from the enemy. The problem was, the four Battleships of the second Main Battle Corps would surely not escape.

Besides, who was he!?

Takano, the legendary Commander of the Saiyi Navy, a war hero blessed by the Amaterasu, the undefeated War General who led the Saiyi Fleet to sweep across the Four Seas.

On the battlefield, would a legendary Commander flee?

In a two-on-two situation, not only could he not flee, but he must also charge forward to defeat the enemy to earn the right to be called a war hero!

If equals in strength could not overcome the adversary, would he still be called an undefeated War General?

Put in harsher terms, if Takano ordered a retreat at this moment, the best fate for him would be to commit ritual suicide and apologize before returning to Saiyi’s homeland.

Millions of Saiyi sailors and the eighty million citizens of Saiyi had entrusted all their hopes in him.

From the moment he became the Permanent Fleet Commander, Takano was no longer fighting for himself alone; he had to fight for all those who followed him!

Thus, Takano’s only option was to engage in a decisive battle to the death with the two Fast Battleships.

The moment he decided to come to Watcher Strait, Takano had already made up his mind to face death, and he had no thoughts of returning alive to Saiyi’s homeland.

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