Empire Conquest
Chapter 69 - 65 Helpless Choice

Chapter 69: Chapter 65 Helpless Choice

The Liangxia Empire focused on building up its navy, and the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom was the one that felt most threatened.

For over a decade, including Takano, hundreds of thousands of Saiyi navy soldiers could not sleep at night, constantly on guard against the powerful enemy from the west.

Because of this, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom had staked its entire national fortune!

Yet, Takano was very clear.

In this gambit for control of the nation, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom was nothing but a pawn, and often, it was merely acting as a watchdog for the Newland Federation.

In fact, this was precisely why the Newland Federation had been continually transfusing blood into the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom.

Not to mention, after the end of the great war, the Newland Federation had always been selling scrap steel to the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom, and even handed over many decommissioned battleships to Saiyi’s shipbreaking yards for dismantling. Just last year, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom’s factories bought five hundred thousand tons of scrap steel from the Newland Federation. Without these used steels that could be reused without remelting, it would have been impossible for the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom to build the third-largest fleet in the East Ocean, and the fourth-largest in the world.

Additionally, the Bulan Kingdom was willing to form an alliance with the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom, but in fact, it was also making use of Saiyi.

Having the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom contain the Liangxia Empire in the East Ocean ensured the safety of the colonies around the Fan Flame Ocean; it at least offered a breather.

It was for this reason that Bulan Kingdom also actively supported the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom.

However, the Bulan Kingdom did not have the same deep pockets as the Newland Federation and primarily provided technological support rather than substantial material assistance.

The most representative action was to send engineers and provide the main equipment, helping the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom to upgrade four "Jingang" class ships into Fast Battleships.

Of course, this was enough, given that the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom also lacked the cutting-edge technology needed to develop its navy.

But the question was, was it worth it?

Indeed, in the decades before the great war, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom, which was subservient to the Liangxia Empire, had always been treated as a third-rate country, never having received fair treatment.

Yet, for the past several centuries, even thousands of years, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom had always been learning from the Eastern Empire on the Giant Continent.

Moreover, it was the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom’s own fault that it did not get the attention it deserved.

If it weren’t for intervening viciously in the internal strife of the two Takano-surnamed kingdoms on the Ice Storm Peninsula, attempting to gain control through this, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom would not have found itself isolated.

To a large extent, it was the fear of a powerful enemy that forced the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom down this path of no return.

It was also the thirst for security that led the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom to ally with two countries that posed essentially no threat.

However, this could not change the predicament of the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom.

Across from the Newland Federation in the East Ocean and separated by over ten thousand kilometers, the Liangxia Navy, even if injected with adrenaline, could not possibly kill its way to the opposite shore of the East Ocean in one breath.

According to traditional strategy, the step-by-step eastward advance, just to capture and establish strongholds along the way, would take several years.

The Bulan Kingdom, located in the Sunset Ocean, was separated from the Liangxia Empire by both the Giant Continent and the West Continent, making the sea journey likewise over ten thousand kilometers.

What does this amount to?

It was the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom that was plugging the gunholes in the front!

As long as hostilities began, it would be the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom that suffered first.

Because of this, upon assuming the position of Permanent Fleet Commander, Takano changed his past stance and advocated for improving relations with the Liangxia Empire.

According to Takano, even if an alliance with the Liangxia Empire could not be achieved, neutrality should be maintained to avoid becoming enemies with the Liangxia Empire.

What made Takano fearful was not only the navy of the Liangxia Empire but also the Liangxia Empire’s factories.

Before the last great war broke out, Takano had visited the Liangxia Empire for several months in a private capacity, traveled through the major cities, and had a very clear understanding of the Liangxia Empire’s industrial productivity. During the last great war, Takano was also opposed to a surprise attack on the Liangxia Empire, advocating instead to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight.

Unfortunately, in the Saiyi Navy, and even the entire Saiyi Imperial Kingdom, aside from Takano, no one else had this awareness.

The reality, on the contrary, was just the opposite.

After the great war, or more precisely, after the naval battle in the Watcher Strait, the ones who were most exhilarated were the officers and men of the Saiyi Navy, especially the senior generals.

It seemed as though after this naval battle, the Saiyi Navy had suddenly become the number one navy in the world.

This battle caused the Saiyi Navy to expand rapidly and become extremely confident, viewing the defeat of the Liangxia Navy as a simple task.

As a result, in the many years that followed, the Saiyi Navy discussed how to seize the East Ocean, or at the very least, absolute control of the seas in the West East Ocean.

According to the sentiment at the time, in the next major war, the goal was to capture the entire East Ocean, or at least guarantee absolute hegemony over the West East Ocean. Even if it meant cooperating with allies such as the Newland Federation and the Bulan Kingdom, the objective was to ensure that, after the war ended, they would become the sole dominant power in the West East Ocean.

Although after Takano became the Permanent Fleet Commander, this arrogant sentiment was suppressed, and some young officers began to seriously consider the next war, few in the higher echelons of the Saiyi Navy believed that the victory at the Watcher Strait was mere luck.

To put it bluntly, it could hardly even be counted as a victory.

The question is, did it have anything to do with the Saiyi Navy?

Let’s not forget that the Second Battle Patrol Squad, which participated in the battle, had been on the periphery the entire time, effectively on the sidelines. The four battlecruisers with their formidable firepower had not played their due role.

Influenced by blind optimism, the Saiyi Navy continued to pursue an aggressive military doctrine.

Interestingly enough, Takano also strongly supported the doctrine of offense.

Strictly speaking, Takano was the creator of the offensive school of thought in the Saiyi Navy, the primary promoter and standard-bearer, and thus became the spiritual leader of the Young Turks.

Takano’s belief in offense was out of necessity.

Why?

If war with the Liangxia Empire was inevitable, a defensive stance would surely lead to defeat, whereas an aggressive offense might offer a glimmer of hope.

The key point was that the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom had no strategic depth.

By comparison, one could look to the naval strategy pursued by the Bulan Kingdom.

Although after the great war, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom seized many spoils of war, including sending troops without the support of the International Alliance to seize and occupy colonies in the West East Ocean and Southwest East Ocean that originally belonged to the Liangxia Empire and the Tiaoman Empire, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom was, in reality, still a tiny country, a typical island nation with extremely scarce resources, and the life and death of the nation heavily dependent on maritime shipping.

Put simply, the fate of the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom was heavily reliant on two maritime shipping routes.

One led southward, to the Bulan Kingdom’s colonies in the Southwest East Ocean, specifically to Aus. The other route crossed the East Ocean, heading towards the Newland Federation.

Eighty percent of the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom’s imported materials had to travel along these two routes.

The problem was, these two routes were incredibly vulnerable to disruption!

Not only because they were long distances, but also because there were few military strongholds along the way, and no suitable colonies for establishing military bases and maintaining a military presence.

According to Takano’s theory, only by being aggressive in offense and seizing the initiative once the war broke out, could there be any chance of preserving the vital shipping routes before allies entered the war.

If this couldn’t be achieved, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom was certain to be defeated before their allies could send troops!

In the face of the colossal Liangxia Navy, only an aggressive offense gave any hope of dragging out the conflict.

However, Takano also emphasized one point.

An aggressive offensive strategy would definitely worsen relations with the Liangxia Empire. Therefore, the Saiyi Navy had to confront challenges proactively and prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Clearly, if Takano had other options, he might not have advocated for an offensive.

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