Chapter 538: Myanmar Sea Battle (2)

Looking at the quietly moored Iowa-class battleship in the harbor, Jiang Anguo felt a private sense of relief.

Thanks to his pre‑war order not to let William and Song Yunfei's aircraft bomb Yangon port, the dock facilities and channel were preserved.

Otherwise, even if they obtained this flagship battleship, clearing the channel and getting the warship out of the harbor quickly would not be easy.

Yangon is actually unsuitable as a military port; as mentioned earlier, it lies 40 km from the open sea.

If the enemy blocks your channel in the open sea, neither warships nor other vessels can get out easily.

The harbor's surface was calm, the massive hull of the battleship reflected in the water like a sleeping steel behemoth, exuding awe‑inspiring deterrence.

Stilwell beside them stared wide‑eyed, his mouth slightly open, his face full of shock and puzzlement.

Although he was not a naval expert and knew little of warship specifications, he recognized the style of these battleships at a glance.

The sturdy hull lines and distinctive main‑gun arrangement were clearly the latest American warship design.

He couldn't help muttering to himself: How did these warships end up here? They're clearly standard American equipment—why are they a reward for the Chinese Expeditionary Force? What happened in Yangon tonight to earn such rich naval gear?

A series of questions swirled in his mind, but he was too embarrassed to ask directly, so he stared fixedly at the warship in the harbor, his eyes full of disbelief.

Not only Stilwell, but all the Expeditionary Force generals present, looking at the warship in the harbor, could think of only one thought: So big, really big! Huge!

Having spent most years fighting on land, they rarely saw such a massive battleship; its towering main‑gun turret and elongated hull were more impressive than any weapon they'd seen, evoking instant awe.

Even though battleships have been superseded by aircraft carriers, they still appear so deterrent.

Their gaze toward Jiang Anguo now held added respect and curiosity.

No one knew how Jiang Anguo had obtained such top‑tier equipment.

Jiang Anguo smiled, scanned the crowd, steadied his hands, and after the scene quieted, stepped aside to let the man beside him speak, introducing to the generals: "Everyone, let me introduce this man, the Commander of the Nanhua Pacific Fleet, Jiang Zhiyuan!"

Du Yuming, Dai Anlan, Liao Yaoxiang, Sun Liren, and other Expeditionary Force officers did not believe in any "Nanhua" fleet.

The Nanhua fleet had only been established recently, and it was still based in Mandalay.

Now a fleet of this size suddenly appearing was enormous by their standards.

Everyone's eyes instantly focused on Jiang Zhiyuan; when they saw the full‑general insignia on his shoulder, they all felt a jolt.

Indeed, he was a full‑general!

A full‑general so young was truly rare.

Many silently speculated.

In fact, the rank was decided by Jiang Anguo; after all, the fleet was his, so promoting his own people was unsurprising.

Jiang Zhiyuan stood tall in a crisp Nanhua Navy uniform, his face resolute, eyes sharp; meeting the crowd's gaze, he remained composed, slowly raised his hand, and gave the generals a proper military salute.

"Salute!" Du Yuming was the first to react, shouting loudly, then returning the salute; the other generals also raised their hands in respect, their expressions solemn.

Regardless of how the rank was obtained, Jiang Zhiyuan was now the commander of the Nanhua Fleet, wielding heavy forces, and deserved their respect.

Jiang Zhiyuan lowered his arm and said in a steady tone: "Generals, thank you all for your hard work! The victory at Yangon could not have been achieved without your brave fighting."

"Just now, I received intelligence that the Japanese fleet led by Xiao Ze Zhi Sanlang is sailing toward Yangon; it seems they intend to launch a surprise attack to retake the port while we're still consolidating. I've been ordered to lead our fleet out immediately to intercept the Japanese fleet and keep them from approaching Yangon even a single step!"

When his words ended, Jiang Zhiyuan said no more, turned, and walked firmly toward the harbor's battleship, with his accompanying staff and guards close behind.

Everyone followed his gaze and saw that the ship formerly known as the Iowa-class battleship now bore the Nanhua Navy flag on its bow, with two bold characters on its hull—"Zhenhai."

After capturing Yangon, Jiang Anguo kept pondering what name to give the system's rewards.

This battleship, a WarSystem‑rewarded Iowa‑class, has now been formally incorporated into the Nanhua Navy, so it could no longer retain its American name.

The name "Zhenhai" conveys both the idea of guarding the seas and fits the Nanhua Navy's identity—undoubtedly an excellent name.

Jiang Zhiyuan boarded the Zhenhai battleship's deck, entered the command cabin, and began issuing departure orders; the crew each took their stations, the engines slowly roared to life with a deep rumble, preparing to leave the harbor.

The system not only rewarded a battleship but also provided matching supplies and ammunition, so no resupply was needed; otherwise the ship's provisions would not last more than two or three days.

Jiang Anguo stood on the harbor's shore, watching the silhouette of Zhenhai, with a hidden consideration still lingering in his mind.

In addition to Zhenhai, the system also rewarded a Scharnhorst‑class heavy cruiser of the Navy, which he has already ordered to be named "Dingyuan."

The name comes from the Qing‑era Beiyang Fleet's Dingyuan, symbolizing the defense of the homeland against foreign aggression.

He silently prayed that the system would only assign him this one German heavy cruiser, because despite German warships' excellent performance and fine craftsmanship, they have a fatal flaw.

'Short‑legged', they have insufficient range and their maintenance is complex.

The required upkeep costs are extremely high; for the newly formed Nanhua Navy, it is undoubtedly a heavy burden, far less practical and easy to maintain than American warships.

At this moment, far off Yangon's sea, Xiao Ze Zhi Sanlang sat aboard his flagship.

The Chokai heavy cruiser commanded the fleet, steaming at full speed toward Yangon.

Xiao Ze Zhi Sanlang's forces were truly stretched thin this time; the Southern Quarantine Fleet originally had six heavy cruisers.

Because the Pacific war was intense, five were reassigned to the main front, leaving only the Chokai heavy cruiser, plus six destroyers, forming a thin rescue fleet.

Xiao Ze Zhi Sanlang stood in the command cabin, his expression grim; he knew Yangon had been seized by the Chinese Expeditionary Force, and Iida Shōjirō was most likely dead or captured, so his mission might not retake Yangon.

More than anything, he intended to do his best and leave the outcome to fate, while also using the chance to test the Chinese Expeditionary Force's strength.

"Commander, we are 110 nautical miles from Yangon port, estimated arrival in four hours!" the staff reported the navigation progress cautiously.

Xiao Ze Zhi Sanlang nodded slightly, his gaze on the distant sea, and said in a low tone: "All units, stay alert, reduce speed, monitor the waters ahead closely, and prevent any ambush by the Chinese Expeditionary Force. Though they have just taken Yangon and likely lack a strong navy, we must not be careless!"

He knew his forces were limited; if ambushed, a clean withdrawal would be difficult.