Empire Conquest
Chapter 177 - 173 Anxious

Chapter 177: Chapter 173 Anxious

At around five o’clock in the early morning, Bai Zhizhan returned to the Command Bridge.

On the flight deck outside, the air crew was prepping for the soon-to-depart reconnaissance aircraft, while the assigned pilots were receiving briefings at the Aviation Operations Center.

As he began eating breakfast at the cafeteria, the communications officer delivered the last battle report from the Domestic Fleet.

Gui Boyong employed cautious tactics, without fiercely clashing with the second Main Battle Corps, which was completely within Bai Zhizhan’s expectations. Unexpectedly, the two Fast Battleships led by Li Jie and Jin Hong suddenly appeared and annihilated the first Main Battle Corps, commanded by Takano personally. The last battle report clearly stated that both "Damen" class ships were sunk and nearly no survivors from "Damen".

If Takano hadn’t left before the battle commenced, he would undoubtedly have been doomed with the "Damen", with the survival probability being almost zero.

Since Takano’s body was neither found nor could be found and no survivors from "Damen" were discovered yet, interrogating officers and soldiers from other ships would take time. Hence, the telegram only mentioned the sinking of "Damen" and "Luo" without stating Takano’s fate.

Moreover, the second Main Battle Corps had already returned to East Ocean via Watcher Strait.

The telegram also specified that all four battleships from the second Main Battle Corps were severely damaged and their withdrawal speed wouldn’t exceed ten knots.

Gui Boyong stressed this point not to facilitate Bai Zhizhan picking off the remains, but for Bai Zhizhan to focus on more crucial tasks.

Attack the transport fleet heading to Nagiu Port, and sink those troop transports!

Last night, to be precise after dark, several telegrams related to the transport fleet arrived consecutively from Navy headquarters.

Perhaps in coordination with the escort fleet, the transport fleet didn’t maintain radio silence and continuously transmitted telegrams.

According to the Navy headquarters’ assessment, the Saiyi Navy would deploy shore-based air force, providing cover for the transport fleet and broadening the search area.

That means the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet should stay concealed and avoid detection.

Bombard Nagiu Port before the landing?

Absolutely unnecessary!

After the last war, the North and South Sado Islands had become a demilitarized zone and consequently, Nagiu Port fell into disuse. Not to mention military personnel, even the local police, who were responsible for law enforcement, were indigenous and obeyed the trusteeship under the International Alliance, only nominally implementing Empire laws.

At Nagiu Port, there simply were no armed forces to resist the enemy landings.

Although the Navy headquarters had provided intelligence on the location of the transport fleet, Bai Zhizhan had Li Yunxiang arrange a reconnaissance mission just to be cautious. However, immediately after the reconnaissance aircraft left, preparations for the attack commenced, without waiting for the reconnaissance report.

In essence, as soon as the reconnaissance aircraft spotted the transport fleet, the attack would be launched immediately.

If all went smoothly, a reconnaissance report would be received before seven o’clock.

After an entire night of rapid sailing, the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet raced four hundred kilometers northwards. If the transport fleet continued sailing to Nagiu Port, by dawn it would be northwest of the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet, about two hundred kilometers away, and at most, no more than three hundred kilometers.

By dawn, the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet would also be only three hundred kilometers from Nagiu Port.

This distance would allow "Typhoon" to carry out bombing missions with bombs.

Indeed, this was the crucial reason why the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet had moved north overnight.

Don’t forget, after two days of fighting, more than half of the fleet’s ship-borne aircraft were fighters, with a total of just over eighty. Even if troop transports were frail and required bombs to be sunk, the few machine guns on fighters clearly served little purpose.

If it was just the troop transports, a few dozen bombers and torpedo bombers would suffice.

But the problem was, enough intelligence had proven that battleships, likely including four heavy cruisers, were accompanying the transport fleet.

Considering the accompanying battleships, there definitely wouldn’t be enough.

As a result, part of the fighters would have to execute bombing missions.

With bombs attached, the "Typhoon’s" operational radius would be limited to a maximum of three hundred kilometers.

This meant that the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet would enter the strike range of the shore-based air force after dawn, precisely the range of Type 96 land attacks.

According to the intelligence received last night, the Saiyi Navy had deployed dozens of heavy fighters in the western domestic region, capable of carrying half a ton of bombs and flying thousands of kilometers. At Long Sorrow Port, there was also a fleet of over ten Type 97 large seaplanes dedicated to reconnaissance missions.

The Navy headquarter had also sent a specific telegram to Bai Zhizhan, reminding him to be very cautious about air defense.

Bai Zhizhan did not take it lightly.

According to his arrangement, once the reconnaissance aircraft took off, he would arrange for air defense fighters to ascend, ensuring eight fighters were patrolling over the fleet at all times.

Considering that the Saiyi Navy’s Zero Fighters were already depleted, eight fighters were sufficient just to handle Type 96 land attacks.

Actually, Bai Zhizhan had no intention of dragging on.

The Domestic Fleet had achieved a great victory at Watcher Strait, sinking the two strongest battleships of the Saiyi Navy, and possibly killing Takano. The cost was merely four Longxing-class ships suffering varying degrees of damage, all from small caliber shells—a mere scratch for the robust battleships. Perhaps before returning to the home port, the four battleships could repair themselves.

Being heavily defeated, the upper echelons of Saiyi would inevitably become infuriated and unhinged.

Bai Zhizhan was not worried about air strikes; what truly concerned him were threats from under the sea and a sudden change of luck.

Don’t forget, there are only six destroyers at hand, with two needed to advance, leaving only four to protect the carriers.

When assigned, two destroyers would protect one carrier.

If they encountered Saiyi submarines and were met with bad luck, such as the destroyers failing to detect them in time or not being in a favorable position for anti-submarine warfare, it would be perilous.

Just one Saiyi submarine with several torpedoes could take out two "Imperial Capital" class ships!

During the previous fleet exercises, the one thing the Aviation Mixed Fleet dreaded was the submarines that appeared and disappeared unpredictably, and a sudden shift in luck.

When those two factors coincided, even Bai Zhizhan could capsize in a drainage ditch.

Up to now, not encountering any Saiyi submarines wasn’t due to good luck but because, up to this point, the enemy hadn’t realized that the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet was operating in the East Ocean!

Once the enemy deduced the whereabouts of the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet, there would be significant trouble.

Actually, there’s no need for guesses.

After the morning’s battle, where the ship-borne aircraft bombed the transport fleet, the movements of the Third Aviation Mixed Fleet were no longer a secret.

Even if it still hasn’t been exposed by then, the enemy could guess that the Third Special Mixed Fleet definitely wasn’t in the Xu Sea.

If they still couldn’t guess that, the Saiyi Navy would deserve their defeat.

Perhaps, the enemy had already guessed and taken action.

Who could guarantee that the Saiyi submarines currently operating in the West East Ocean hadn’t received orders and were en route to this location?

It was this concern that made Bai Zhizhan decide to turn back and head home immediately after delivering the final blow, sending a report to contact headquarters upon reaching a safe area.

Anyway, it was time to go back!

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