Chapter 592: Encircling the Japanese Navy

Gradually, William's fighter aircraft passed the Japanese Army's aircraft carrier formation's outer destroyers, drawing ever closer to the Japanese Army's aircraft carrier.

At this moment, the surrounding anti‑aircraft gunfire grew sparse, and the sky's fighter dogfight sounds seemed cut off, and the whole world fell silent.

At William's ears, only his own heartbeat and the faint roar of his aircraft's engine remained.

In front of him, only that massive ship remained—the Japanese Army's 'Kaga' Aircraft Carrier.

The 'Kaga' Aircraft Carrier, like a steel behemoth, drifted slowly across the sea; on its deck a few carrier planes had yet to launch, and the mechanics fled in panic, trying to evade the impending bombing.

William inhaled deeply, his gaze locked onto the Kaga's deck, piloting an SBD torpedo bomber as he began a rapid dive.

The aircraft, like an arrow released, surged toward the Kaga, its hull scraping the air with a shrill whine, while pressure in the cockpit rose.

William's cheek was squeezed into a slight distortion, yet he still gripped the control stick tightly, precisely steering the dive angle.

The Kaga's anti‑aircraft guns began a frantic barrage, trying to intercept William's diving plane, but by then his aircraft was already near the carrier deck, rendering the guns ineffective.

Gao Qiao Jianta finally broke free of Chen Ping's entanglement, piloting a Zero fighter, roaring toward William's bomber, "Chinese pilot, stop!"

But it was already too late; William's aircraft had dived to the optimal release altitude.

A resolute flash crossed William's eyes as he slowly raised his right hand and forcefully pressed the bomb‑release button.

"Crack—" a light sound rang, and a 700‑pound aerial bomb hanging beneath the wing, whistling through the wind, fell toward the Kaga's deck.

William lingered not a moment; he pulled back on the stick, rapidly pulling the aircraft up to evade the carrier's anti‑aircraft fire, soaring into the high sky.

Everyone's eyes focused on that falling bomb.

Time seemed to stand still at that instant; the Japanese Army sailors aboard the ship and the aircrew in the fighters all held their breath, watching the lethal strike.

Moments later, the bomb struck the Kaga's deck with precision.

"Boom—" a massive blast erupted, fire leapt skyward, thick smoke billowed, the deck was blown open with a huge gap, and fragments sprayed everywhere.

Yet this was only the beginning; the bomb's power was immense, it directly pierced the Kaga's deck and fell straight into the carrier's ammunition magazine below.

"Boom——!!!" a deafening blast roared, several times more violent than the previous explosion.

The massive shockwave swept the entire sea surface; the Kaga's hull shuddered violently, its deck was completely ripped away, and the shells and torpedoes in the ammunition magazine detonated in succession.

The firelight reddened the whole sky, thick smoke shot straight into the clouds, visible clearly even dozens of miles away.

William piloted his aircraft, circling at high altitude, watching the Kaga below engulfed in a sea of fire; a confident smile curled his lips as he shouted over the radio, "Target hit! Kaga struck, ammunition magazine exploded!"

On the radio, Nanhua crew members immediately cheered, "Captain William, mighty! Great!"

Inside the Akagi's command cabin, Liuda Jiannan stared at the distant fire‑blazing Kaga, trembling, his face as pale as paper, murmuring, "It's over… everything's over…"

Gao Qiao Jianta piloted a Zero fighter, watching the burning Kaga below, his eyes full of despair; he knew that even when the Kaga fought the American Army at Midway it had not been hit, yet in a clash with the weak Nanhua Navy it was caught in a gap and sunk by the opponent.

The Kaga's ammunition magazine explosion thundered through the heavens; the fire leapt skyward, reddening the sea east of Liao nei qundao, thick black smoke rose like a massive pillar, visible clearly even dozens of miles away, this breathtaking scene.

At this moment, the Japanese Army's Fifth Fleet remained immersed in the shock and chaos of the Kaga being hit.

The crew panicked, fleeing in all directions.

Inside the Akagi's command cabin, Liuda Jiannan's face was ashen, his whole body trembling; still reeling from the Kaga's devastating blow, he failed to notice another deadly threat rapidly approaching from the southwest.

In the southwestern sky, Jiang Qing led the Qi Ming Aircraft Carrier's carrier‑aircraft squadron, swooping in like a swarm of bees.

Commander Liu Zhide sat in the cockpit of a carrier‑borne bomber, his gaze sharp on the distant sky‑piercing fire; when he saw the burning silhouette of the Kaga, a keen glint flashed in his eyes.

Immediately over the radio he shouted loudly, "Everyone follow me! Target the Japanese Army fleet; while they're in chaos, launch a full‑scale raid, give the Little Devil no chance to breathe!"

"Understood, Commander!" the crew replied in unison over the radio, their voices loud and resolute.

Dozens of carrier‑borne bombers, torpedo bombers and fighters formed a tidy formation, like a raging tiger descending a mountain, racing toward the Japanese Army's Fifth Fleet; their wings sliced the air, engine roars echoed across the sky, intertwining with distant explosions to create a deadly battle hymn.

Liu Zhide gripped the control stick, his gaze steadfast, ordering his subordinates again, "Fighter formation leads the way, clearing remaining Japanese carrier aircraft; bomber group focuses on Japanese destroyers, opening a corridor for torpedo bombers; torpedo bomber group aims at the remaining Japanese aircraft carrier, must destroy it completely!"

"Received!" each crew acted at once, adjusting formation, charging toward their respective targets.

At this time, the sky still hosted fierce dogfights, with Chen Ping leading an F4U fighter squadron.

After a fierce battle, they had already suffered considerable casualties; although they tangled some Japanese carrier aircraft, the remaining Japanese Zero fighters still counter‑attacked wildly, and Chen Ping's aircraft had its wing hit, the fuselage trembling slightly, putting him in a very difficult situation.

"Brothers, hold on a bit longer, we must hold the line and cover Captain William!" Chen Ping roared over the radio, piloting his damaged fighter, launching another fierce attack on the Japanese aircraft.

Just as Chen Ping and his men were about to give way, dense engine roars sounded from afar; Liu Zhide's Qi Ming carrier‑aircraft squadron arrived like timely rain on the battlefield.

"Commander Chen Ping, we're here!" Liu Zhide shouted over the radio, "Fighter formation, immediately support Chen Ping's squadron, sweep away the remaining Japanese carrier aircraft!"

Dozens of F4U fighters instantly broke from formation, racing toward the dogfighting aircraft cluster, joining the battle.

In an instant, Nanhua fighters achieved absolute superiority; the Japanese Zero fighters were caught in a pincer, their once‑arrogant spirit instantly crushed.

"Great! It's our men!" Chen Ping exclaimed upon seeing the supporting carrier aircraft, a flash of wild joy in his eyes, shouting over the radio, "Brothers, counterattack! Together with the Qi Ming brothers, shoot down all the Little Devil's planes!"