Chapter 606: Sea Wolf Strike

After the sea battle at the Liao Nei Archipelago, Jiang Zhiyuan's Nanhua Pacific Fleet did not halt its advance.

Its main ships still moored at core ports such as Singapore and Batam Island, blocking the throat of the Malajia haixia, deterring the remnants of the Japanese Army Combined Fleet and preventing them from making a comeback.

But that does not mean the fleet is idle; on the contrary, its destroyers and submarine units have already become deep‑sea blades.

Silently patrolling the Southeast Asian waters, they constantly harass the Japanese Army's transport routes, especially the supply line in the East Indies (Indonesia).

The line is almost completely cut off, leaving the Japanese garrison in Southeast Asia in a dire supply shortage.

The Nanhua Pacific Fleet's submarine force, submarine Q003, is the standout of this harassment war.

This submarine is commanded by Lin Rui; Lin Rui comes from a naval family, studied submarine tactics in Germany in his youth, and was a rare talent that Jiang Anguo discovered in Singapore, because studying with the German Navy is indeed difficult.

Lin Rui is steady in combat, meticulous in thought, and with keen insight and decisive command has repeatedly succeeded in attacking Japanese transport ships, earning great merit for cutting off their supply lines.

At this moment, the Q003 submarine is silently cruising in the Java Sea.

The submarine has been conducting harassment missions in Southeast Asian waters for a month; its interior has long lost its initial tidiness, suffused with a complex, indistinguishable odor.

The heavy oily smell of engine oil, the salty stench of seawater, the sweat odor of the crew, plus the musty smell of compressed rations and a faint diesel scent intertwine, penetrating every nose and refusing to dissipate.

Fresh food had been consumed shortly before setting out to sea.

In the cramped cabin, space is filled with various instruments, ammunition and supplies.

The crew's bunks line both sides of the hull; the bedding has long been hardened by seawater and sweat, with corners stained yellow.

Daily life within this square inch consists of non‑perishable compressed rations and canned food, and drinking water that has been diluted, bearing a faint bitter taste.

After a long time without bathing, everyone carries an unshakable sweat smell, yet no one complains.

The hull is wrapped in the darkness of the deep sea, with only the indicator lights in the command compartment emitting a faint glow.

The crew each performs their duties, eyes focused, closely monitoring the surrounding waters; they have long become accustomed to this cramped, humid, and mixed‑smell environment.

"Captain, we have detected an unknown vessel signal, 15 nautical miles from us, heading northeast, speed 12 knots, preliminarily judged to be a Japanese Army transport ship, no escort vessel signal." The sonar operator lowered his voice, reporting to Lin Rui, his tone carrying a mix of excitement and caution.

Lin Rui immediately leaned forward, stared at the sonar display, his fingertips lightly brushed the screen, and in a deep voice said, "Continue monitoring, confirm the vessel type and tonnage, keep a close watch on the surrounding waters, prevent any Japanese escort ships hidden nearby, and do not stir up the snake."

"Understood!" the sonar operator replied at once, attentively listening to the sonar signals.

Lin Rui stood up, walked to the submarine's observation window, gazed at the pitch‑black sea outside, his mind a whirl of thoughts.

He knows that the Japanese transport line in the East Indies is key to maintaining the supply for their Southeast Asian garrison and plundering local resources.

Moreover, the transport ships mainly carry food, minerals and other goods looted by the Japanese from the East Indies, which are continuously shipped back to the Japanese mainland, sustaining the Japanese war machine.

At the same time, aboard the Japanese transport ship "Yamato Maru", Captain Ichiro Sato stands in the bridge, his expression anxious as he watches the sea.

Ichiro Sato, nearing fifty, has a face etched with the marks of time, his eyes showing fatigue and unease.

This voyage of the "Yamato Maru" carries the grain and fodder looted from Java Island in the East Indies, totaling two thousand tons; these supplies are all obtained by forcing Indonesian locals to farm.

After the Japanese occupied Java Island, they seized farmlands en masse, forcing the Indonesian people to farm day and night.

The harvested grain leaves the locals with only a pitiful amount barely enough to survive.

The rest is forcibly requisitioned, loaded onto transport ships, and sent to the Japanese mainland.

"Captain, the surrounding waters are normal, no sign of Nanhua vessels," the adjutant reported quietly to Ichiro Sato.

The defeats of the Nan Qian Fleet and the Quinary Fleet have forced these transport ships roaming Southeast Asia to be extra cautious.

Ichiro Sato nodded, yet remained uneasy, saying gravely, "Lately Nanhua's submarines have been too rampant; our transport ships have already been sunk several times. This time we must be careful, ensure the grain reaches the mainland safely; if anything goes wrong, we cannot report back to headquarters."

He paused, then added, "Tell the crew to stay alert, closely watch the sea surface, and report immediately upon any abnormality."

"Also, increase speed and exit this sea area as soon as possible, heading to the Manila rendezvous point, where escort ships will meet us."

"Aye!" the adjutant bowed and promptly turned to relay the order.

Ichiro Sato walked to the ship's rail, stared at the vast ocean, a hint of unease rising in his heart.

He has a premonition that this voyage will likely not go smoothly.

Inside the Q003 submarine, Lin Rui has already confirmed the target information: Japanese transport ship "Yamato Maru", tonnage 3000 tons, carrying grain and fodder, no escort vessels, slow speed, the perfect target for attack.

"All stations, prepare for combat," Lin Rui returned to the command seat, his voice firm as he issued the order.

"Adjust the submarine's heading, quietly close in on the target, maintain silent travel, and when 5 nautical miles from the target, prepare to launch torpedoes."

The crew sprang into action, skillfully operating the submarine, adjusting course and speed; the submarine moved like a silent shark, stealthily closing in on the "Yamato Maru".

In the command compartment, tension grew; each breath became cautious, only the ticking of instruments echoed clearly in the silent cabin.

In the cramped space, the mixed scent of engine oil, salt, and sweat grew ever stronger.

The prolonged sealed environment and high‑intensity work left many crew members with red‑veined eyes, faint oil stains on their faces, and rough fingertips from constant instrument handling, yet their expressions remained focused.

In the command compartment, tension grew; each breath became cautious, only the ticking of instruments echoed clearly in the silent cabin.

Lin Rui stared tightly at the target signal on the display, his eyes sharp, missing no abnormality; he knows this strike must hit in one blow, giving the Japanese no chance to react.